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PREFACE
It was in the year 1924 that I first discovered the NAYAKUMARACARIU of Puspadanta from the manuscript stores at Karañja which I examined in my capacity as a Research Scholar of the Allahabad University. The notes that I made on that occasion were included in the Provincial Catalogue edited by Rai Bahadur Hiralal and published by the C. P. Government. The Apabhramsa works discovered there interested me very much and I contributed an article on Apabhramsa Literature' to the Allahabad University Studies Vol. I, and determined the date of Puspadanta who was the chief of the authors, first in the notes contributed to the Catalogue and then in an article contributed to the Hindi Quarterly Jaina Sahitya Samsodhaka Vol. II.' In the following year I came to occupy my present post at Amraoti, and, being now closer to Karanja, I tried to arrange for the publication of the works. My efforts met with a ready response which enabled me to organise two societies for the work of publication.
It might be asked why two series of books have been started when all the works could very suitably be included in a single one. The answer is to be found in the genuine desire of the members of the Balatkara-gana to preperuate the memory of their spiritual leader, the late Svämi Devendrakirti Bhattaraka, by a separate series. This is in the fitness of things as the present collection of MSS. preserved in the Balatkara-gana temple owes a good deal to the efforts of the late Svami. It is in order to make the work of the two series mutually collaborative that the editorship of both has been entrusted to me.
Unlike the sister series, the present series has been started without any permanent funds to begin with. The society has, however, acquired a rich fund, I mean a fund of good will all around, which is expected to help it through the venture. The society is highly obliged to Mr. Nagosa Ratansa Raibagkar of Amraoti who has borne the costs of printing the present volume. It is hoped that the noble example of this gentleman will be followed by others interested in rescuing the ancient literary treasures of the Jains from oblivion.
I now come to my most interesting duty of acknowledging the help that I received in the preparation of this volume. My deep obligations are due to Mr. Ratanlal Narsinsa Raol and his colleagues in the management of the Balatkaragana Jaina Bhāndāra who entrusted the editorship of their series to me and lent
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