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PREFACE
(SECOND EDITION)
DR. V. RAGHAVAN has justly appreciated the poetic merits of the Lilāvai when he says: "The author of the Lilāvati is indeed a gifted poet, belonging to galaxy of front-rank artists of the creative period of Sanskrit and Prākrit poetry. He cannot, of course, help echoing here and there Kalidasa, Bana or other celebrated writers. but he is endowed with a powerful imagination which has worked some very original and striking fancies in the descriptive portions, and a felicity of expression, ease, flow and sweetness, which is evident all through, in the few long-compounded passages two of which are in antādi-prāsa, or in the bulk of the writing which is in simple single-worded diction.'
It was but natural that this Prākrit poem, being brought to light for the first time, was very well received by classical scholars both in India and outside; and it found a place even in the post-graduate courses of some of our Universities.
It gives me pleasure to present a second edition of this charming poem. Mainly it is a reprint of the first edition. I have, however, availed myself of the suggestions and criticism of numerous co-workers, and have made minor corrections and some elucidatory additions here and there especially in the Introduction and Notes. Some of the problems about the text and authorship of the Lilāvai can be better solved only after discovering a few more MSS, of its text and commentary.
In the Appendix III, I have reproduced the learned Reviews of Dr. RAGHAVAN, Madras, and Dr. L. RENOU, Paris; and I offer my sincere thanks to them. I record my sincere gratitudes to Shri K. M. MUNSHI who is the live spirit of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavana and to Muni Shri JINAVLJAYAJI, the General Editor of the Singhi Jain Series.
Lastly, I would be failing in my duty, if I did not record my sincere gratitude to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for having so graciously made me the grant intended for Retired Teachers. It is this timely aid that has enabled me, even after retirement, to pursue my researches in my specialised branches of Indology with the peace of mind all such work needs.
Karmanyevadhikäras te
A. N. UPADHYE
Dhavala VIII, Rajarampuri Kolhapur (S. Rly.) 16-12-65
PUBLISHERS NOTE
The Publishers regret that the blocks included in the First Edition could not be printed in the Second Edition, due to certain exigencies.
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