Gaudavaho

Author(s): Vakpatiraj, Narhari Govind Suru, P L Vaidya, A N Upadhye, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

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between Vākpati and Bappa Bhatti etc. There are some reasons why Vākpati's poetic abilities were not duly appreciated. First, as Jacobi puts it, S Vakpati is a first-rate poet and would have been generally acknowledged as such, but for the language in which he composed his works. Secondly, there is no good Sanskrit commentary on the Gaüdavaho to explain the poetic niceties in the Gāthās. Thirdly, although Pandit was aware of Vākpati's merits while presenting his observations on the Prakrit language etc. and he even prayed in conclusion : May Vākpati's merits be recognised by the reader', he could not add the explanatory Notes planned by him. • Under the circumstances the Authorities of the Prakrit Text Society yearned to have a good edition of the Gaüdavaho, an edition which marks a further progress on what was done earlier and also goes a long way to help the reader to understand and appreciate Väkpati's poetic abilities.
It was extremely good of Professor N. G. Suru to have kindly agreed to give such an edition of the Gaüdavaho for publication in the Prakrit Text Society's Series. He has more than fulfilled the expectations. In Professor Suru, we have a mature scholar of Sanskrit and Prakrit. He is a gifted literary critic and a balanced connoisseur of poetic sentiments and embellishments. He has an eye for polished expression and for depth of thought and feeling. And thus, indeed he has, by this edition, put Vākpati's Gaüdavaho on a better footing for further study and appreciation both by scholars and students.
The Prakrit Text is neatly presented along with the Sanskrit Chāyā on the same page below. Professor Suru's English translation is at once faithful and fluent, and would certainly help the reader for understanding the text clearly. His Notes are scholarly and cover a wide range of his classical studies. The Appendices are valuable accessories for a further study of Vakpati. His Introduction is a scholarly piece, judiciously touching almost all
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