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FOREWORD
It is with much pleasure that I contribute a brief
Foreword to this excellent edition of Hemacharidus "Kãvyānuśāsana" which has been prepared by two young scholars--Adhyāpaka Rasiklal C. Parikli, of Gujarāt Vidyāpītha and Professor R. Bi Abhavale, formerly of the same Vidyāpītha and now Professor of Sanskrit at the Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Arts College, Ahmedabad.
My "Foreword" has necessarily to be brief in view of the elaborate Introduction, carefully edited Text: of the Sūtrās and the two commentaries, the numerous Appendices and the explanatory Notes already make a volume of more than a thousand pages.
The Introduction is more than an ordinary prefate giving the life of the author, enumerating his works and assesing their values. It sets forth the history of the Province to which the author belonge, from the - earliest times recorded in the Purāņas upto those, of Siddharāja and Kumarapala--the two celebrated kings of Gujarāt, who were great patrons of learning and were closely associated with Hemacandracārya in Hils literary and religious activities. The purpose, which the editors have in view relating this, long story is to provide a background to the life and times of
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