Descriptive Catalogue Of Manuscripts Vol 14

Author(s): Parshuram Krishna Gode
Publisher: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute

Page 10

PREFACE
I have great pleasure in presenting to the world of scholars this volume of the Descriptive Catalogue of the Nataka Mss in the Govt. Mss. Library at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona. In this connection I have to invite their attention to a brief history of the entire scheme of the Descriptive Catalogue of Govt. Mss, given in the preface to Volume XII ( containing Alamkāra, Samgita and Nāțya MSS.), published in 1936. As in the preparation of that volume I have followed also in this volume the lines on which the first volume in this series was brought out by the Government of Bombay in 1916. Every attempt has been made to make the description of each MS as objective as possible consistent with the lines already laid down by Govt. in the preparation of the first volume of this Catalogue referred to above. Much as I would have liked to read all unpublished works represented by Mss described by me and record the references found in them to earlier authors and works I was prevented from doing so owing to the limits imposed upon me by the model volume already published by Government. None is more conscious than myself of the utility of these references for historical studies but in view of the inordinate delay that may have resulted from the adoption of such a course I had to forego the temptation of recording and incorporating all historical data of the above nature.
In the preparation of this volume I have availed myself of numerous manuscripts catalogues (descriptive or otherwise ) and printed editions of the works described, whenever available. I am particularly indebted to Prof. Keith's Sanskrit Drama' published in 1924.
I take this opportunity of thanking the Executive Board of the Institute for allowing me to continue my work on the Descriptive Catalogue of Mss., the first tangible result of which was the publication of Volume XII of this Catalogue in 1936. I have also to thank Principal R. D. Karmarkar, M. A., Superintendent of the Pub