Letters to Vijayendrasuri

Author(s): Kashinath Sarak
Publisher: Yashodharma Mandir

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Hindoo civilisation in general. But I have already begun to explain Jain authors. During the present half year, I have 5 pupils, 4 gentlemen and a lady. I am reading with them 1) hymns of the Rigveda, 2) selections from the Upanishada, 3) Kalidasa's Malavikāgnimitram, 4) Sūdraka's Mrichakatikam 5) Jain stories. Of these students, one is a student of philosophy, one student of classical (Greek & Roman ) philology, one a student of Protestant (Christian) theology, one a student of general philology and sanskrit, and one - the lady - a student of Indology. For the lectures under 1), 3) and 4), I have only the two students of sanskrit, for that under 2) a student of philosophy for that under 5) the two students of sanskrit, that of theology and that of classical philology. The philosophers, the theologist and the classical philologist have learned sanskrit only as an auxiliary science, occasionaly to their proper studies. The greatest obstacle to reading Jain texts is the impossibility to procure the necessary amount of copies from India. Hence I am reading with the four pupils under 5) my editions of Jinakirti's चम्पक श्रेष्ठोकथा and पालगोपालकथा of which I had still some spare copies. I am glad to say that also the non-sanskrits among my actual pupils are taking a very vivid interest in this reading. We are progressing - in two hours a week – very swiftly, and I am in some sorrow about the book we could read after these two little works of Jinakirti. It will perhaps, be possible to procure the necessary copies of Hemachandra's Parisistaparvam.
The greatest interest amongst the students seems to be for Indian narrative literature, and this is very naturally so as this literature is the best introduction into Indian life and the Indian way to see the things of this sublimary world; it is likewise a
good introduction into mythology and into the different