Bhagwad Gita Vivechanatmak Shabdakosh

Author(s): Prahlad C Divanji
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd

Page 13

OPINIONS
The Bhagavad gita has been the source of inspiration to millions of Indians for at least two thousand years. Numerous commentaries have been written during several centuries to elucidate its teaching. Several scholars have prepared indexes of the words of the Bhagavad gitā. Rao Bahadur P. C. Divanji has, however, prepared an Index of the words of the said work on a novel plan. He gives an Index of all the primary word-units in alphabetical order and treats the Vulgate and Kasmir recensions separately with a comparative table of variant readings. Then in Part II he gives a similar treatment of the secondary and other word-units. Part III contains a common index of all the words treated of in Parts I and II. The compounds are dissolved according to the author's own ideas. He does not cite the dissolution of compounds given by the numerous commentators of the Bhagavad gitā. If he had done that the volume of the work would have increased enormously, though such a work would have been most useful to all interested in the study of the Gitä and in Indian philosophy and exegesis. Even as it is, the work prepared by Rao Bahadur Divanji is most valuable and deserves encouragement. He has been known to me for over forty years. He has been doing valuable work and has contributed numerous papers on subjects connected with Indology. He has translated a very difficult work on Vedānta viz., the Siddhāntabindu of Madhusudana Saraswati with a very scholarly Introduction and Notes for the Gaekwad Oriental Series. The present work shows great patience and industry and presents material in a form valuable to students of linguistics, philosophy and sociology. Bombay, dated 18th June 1943.
P. V. KANE.
I have carefully read the Word-Index of the Bhagavad gita which is prepared by Rao Bahadur P. C. Divanji, whose name is already wellknown to orientalists through his papers and articles on various subjects connected with Sanskrit literature. 'He is specially interested in the Sänkara Vedānta and had edited the Siddhantābindu of Madhusudan Saraswati with a critical Introduction and English Translation in the G. O. Series. Naturally the Bhagavadgitā attracted his very serious attention and he very soon discovered the need of a Complete and Scientific Word-Index of that all important work. The task of preparing such an index was extremely difficulty, dull and uninteresting and required an unusual degree of physical and mental energy. Yet cven in his days of retirement from Government service, where he has