________________ etat). His claim is justified because this Nighanku is really the best of all the extant Nighantus. In it the author has treated of many novel herbs, plants etc. After the Rajapighantu in chronological order comes the Dravyagu. nasangraha of Cakrapani. This work is the result of the desire of the king to know from the royal physician the properties of the ever useful norel substances. And hence it treats more of merits and deme. rits of the various kitchen preparations-dishes than of those of the herbs, etc. After the Dravyagunasangraha there comes the Nighantu of Rajavallabha. It has no note-worthy special feature. After it there comes the Dravyagunasangraha of Bhavaprakasa and other Nighantus. The Kaiya. devanighantu is really good and useful, The Nighantusesa of Ac. Hemacandra, along with the commentary, is printed here for the first time. Most of the Nighankus give the classes or groups like Haritakyadi, Gulucyadi, Amradi, etc. But this classification has no scientific basis. The classification done by Caraka and Susruta is according to the principle of common function. The classes like Urdhyabhagahara, Sirovirecana, Vatasamsamana, Pittasamsamana, Kaphasamsamana, Madhuragana, Amla. gana, Layanagana etc. are formed on the basis of common functions. Even the class Dasen:ani (the name given by Caraka to a group or class of ten medicinal substances) is formed according to the same painciple. The classes recognised by Susruta are also based on this very principle. Vagbhata follows Caraka and hence he imitates Caraka in this matter. But he has left out the Dasemani of Caraka which is really very important. This classification or grouping which is based on the princple of common function could be regarded as scientific. But the groupings like Guducyadi, Haritakyadi, etc. given iu the Dhanvantarin. ighantu, Rajanighantu, Kaiyadevanigbantu and other later Nighantus could not be called scientific. Ac. Hemacandra has not accepted the classifications recognised by his ancient predecessors. He has divided his Nighaatu into six kandas, viz. Vsksa, Gulma, Lata, saka, Trna and Dhanya. This is the special feature of this Nighantu. This type of classification is not found in any other Nighantu. The Amarakosa has included all the different classes in only three kannas. The second kanda is devoted to the 'Vana usadhivarga' (a class of woodland herbs). But therein ove finds no system. Looking to all this we cannot but say that the classification done by Ac. Hemacandra
