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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
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-the present volune would not have taken the shape in which it is being presented now, My foremost thanks are duc to Dr. B. J. Sandesara, the Director of our Institute. I had the privilege of running up to him every now and then for guidance and he always encouraged me by spending his precious time in discussions not only on viral points hut also on certain minute points. In fact, it was he who entrusted to me the task of editing this work. I am also grateful to him for taking the trouble of writing a Foreword to the present work.
I am cqually grateful to Dr. U. P. Shah, Deputy Director and General Editor and Head of the Ramayana Department of the Institute, who also was always happy to guide and enlighten me on my problems whenever I approached him, I am highly indebted to my worthy colleague Sri J. S. Paule Sasiri, who has been the winess of my work and worrics during my researches on the present text and who was kind enough 10 spare time for going through every line of the press-copy of the text, the Introduction and the Appendices (xcasionally offering valuable suggestions. I had the pleasure of holding occasionally interesting discussions on different topics concerning my researches with such local scholars and friends as Pt. L. B. Gandhi, Retired Jaina Pandits of the Oriental Institute, Dr. R. N. Mehta, Vicad of the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History and Dean, Faculty of Arts of our Loiversity, Dr. A. N Boni, Head of the Department of Sanskrit in the Faculty of Arts, and M. B. L. Shinbhogie, Research Officer in the Oriental Institute ( now retired ), to all of whom I express here ny deep feelings of gratitude. I am equally thankful to my lcarncd colleague Dr. S. D. Parekli, with whom I discussed some points regarding the Vikramadityaparicadanda-cchara-pabandha and who so kindly lent to me his personal copy of his typed Thesis in Gujarati entitled "A Critical Eclition of Pancaranda-ni Vārtā of an Unknown Gujarati Prose-writer ( Before 1682 AD.)" which I was allowed to keep with me for several montls.
I am also gracful to Sri M. M. Desai, Assistant Lecturer in Gujarati in the Faculty of Arts, for preparing for me a very accurats, decual anx careful copy of Ms. G. which was the main codex. this knowledge of Sanskrit hiclped hin considerably in deciphering the readings of this early filleenth-century Ms. written throughoul in Prsthamārās.
I would fail in my duty if I do not remember with gratiude the affectionate services of Sri P. II, Joshi, M.A., formerly Rescarch Assistant in the Manuscript Department of the Oriental Institute and now Proof-Reader in the Kārāyana Department, and my son Sri Himamću J. Thaket, student of B.L. IV (Metallurgy ), both of whom helped me occasionally in preparing the Index to the Introduction. Sri Himāmśu also helped me considerably in the tedious task of putting down, in the press-copy of the Introduction and the Appendices,
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