Lilavaikaha

Author(s): K R Chandra, Ramniklal M Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 14

Publisher's Note
It gives us great pleasure to publish Prof. S. T. Nimkar's English translation of Kouhala's Lilavai kaha, a gem of Prakrit poetry. Prof. Nimkar is a lecturer in Sanskrit at Mithibai College at Vile Parle, Bombay. The Prakrit text, originally edited by late Dr. A. N. Upadhye, a doyen of Prakrit studies and published in the Singhi Jain Series, Bombay in 1949 A. D. is frequently prescribed at various universities, but no translation in any modern language was available, eventhough there was a great demand for it among the students as well as scholars and teachers. Therefore, it was felt most appropriate to publish the English translation.
The translation was procured for publication through the good offices of Dr. H. C. Bhayani, the vice-president of Prakrit Vidya Mandal. Prakrit Jain Vidya Vikas Fund also evinced interest in this educationai publication. Its request for meeting the expenses got a favourable and prompt response from Shri Atmarambhai Bhogilal Sutariya, a trustee of the Shreshthi Shri Kasturbhai
Lalbhai Smarak Nidhi. For that we are very grateful to the above Nidhi and its trustees. We are specially thankful to Shri Sutariya who habitually takes keen interest in promoting higher studies in Prakrit and Jainology.
We express our gratefulness to Prof. S. T. Nimkar who not only prepared the English translation but also added a short critical appreciation of this work of a high literary value. We are thankful to Dr. H. C. Bhayani for useful suggestions and guidance throughout.
We are also thankful to Prof. Dhirubhai Thaker for writing the brief biography of Sheth Kasturbhai.
We are thankful to Shri Pitamber J. Mishra of Tirhut Printers for printing the work neatly and for bearing with all the odds.
We hope that this publication will prove useful to the students as well as scholars and they will be able to apprectate this gem of Prakrit poetry.
June 15, 1988
K. R. Chandra
Hon. Secretary,
Prakrit Jain Vidya Vikas Fund, Ahmedabad-15.
R. M. Shah
Hon. Secretary,
Prakrit Vidya Mandal Ahmedabad-9.