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Prof. of English, Vivekananda College has helped us by checking the manuscript of English section and suggested a few changes which we have incorporated. I hereby convey my blessings to them.
Every sadhu and sadhvi kept on asking the progress of the work and many of them assisted me in getting the press copy ready. The real stimulant was the thought of my Rev. Acharya. It was like an elixir to kindle my spirit. I had the fortune to include our Acharya's Hindi translation of Bhaktamara in this work.
A mere translation will be just an addition to the existing literature. Unless we give some information on the worship with Bhaktamara, its background, the ways of worship etc., the work cann't be of much use to the modern day youth of our religion who have spread to every nook and corner of our mother Earth. Hence I have decided to include a study on the significance of Bhaktamara pujan and tapas that lies scattered in different works of our great acaryas of yore. A study of those works made me think how insufficient even a full span of life would be. The feeling that those who work with me and are anxious to see the book, may get hurt, made me proceed further inspite of other difficulties. Though I could add sufficient information I have a feeling that with a little more time available a few more things could have been added, the work made a little more better. I cannot delay any further for the space available too is limited. When the printers say more matter has been included, I have a feeling that more is left out. I have plans to bring out a companion volume to this titled 'Bhaktamara Sarvasva'.
Suggestions for future work and study :
For a good grasp of this text a study, (perhaps more such studies) at the doctoral level may be necessary. So much literature is available on Bhaktamara, the following too can be taken up as project for study 1. Unpublished commentaries on Bhaktamara can be taken up for edition
and publication.
A critical and comparative study can be made (including existing ones). 3. There are scores of translations in prose, blankverses, loose renderings
etc. They can be taken up for evaluation and study the evolution of Bhaktamara-interpretation. The manuscripts at Digambara libraries contain pictures on Bhaktamara verses. The Bhaktamara Rahasya, a book printed from Indore too contains pictures. Sadhvi Nilam a sthanakvasi sadhvi published a work with pictures from Sangli. A Digambara sadhu by name Kanci Svami too had come out with Bhaktamara pictures. Acarya Kundakunda had brought out two-colour pictures of Bhaktamara. We have line drawings of The Bhaktamara in the monthly magazine Tirthankara. And we have the colour pictures of Bhaktamara published by Divakar prakasan, Agra. Finally the present edition. All these can be taken up for the study from the view point of art. The Svetambar libraries have the pictures of Kalyanamandira Stotra done in the Mugal style, but they don't have any work on Bhaktamara. The reason can be probed.
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