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was ready much carlicr, and it might have comc out before the English translation but for many unavoidable difficulties. Publication of such reference-books in Indian languages fulfils a long-felt nced, but a corrigenda extending over 55 pages is extremely irritating, and is likcly to dissuade the student from using the book. Dr. Haradev Bahri in his Hindi book, Präkrit aur Usakā Sāhitya (Sarasvati Salakar, Delhi, year of publication not given), has given a brief and lucid account of Präkrit languages and literature in about 140 pages. It is good that at the end of each chapter somc quotations from Prākrit masterpieces arc given with a Hindi translation. But these quotations contain numerous errors of printing, which are likely to mislead a beginner. There are some serious errors in statement of facts, cg., Nayacakra, one of the most famous works on logic, has been included among storics (p. 56), Kuvalayamālā has been described as a collection of storics (p. 54), and it is most surprising that cven Gäthäkośa is mcntioned as a collection of stories (p. 56)! It may be noted here that the Jaina Cultural Research Society of Banaras University is printing at present a i comprehensive Hindi, work on Prākrit literaturc by Dr. J. C. Jain. The new revised cdition of Hemacandra's Prākrit Grammar by Dr., P. L. Vaidya (Poona, 1958) and the fifth cdition of Prakrit Märgopadeśikā by Pt. Bcchardas ( Alımcdabad, 1959) have been published. : . In the field of metrics Prākrit Pingala with three commentarics, out of which one was entirely unknown so far, is being printed by the Prākrit Text Society. .
Prākrit Epigraphy has considerablc importance in the study of Ancient Indian Culturc on account of thic inscriptions of Asoka and Khāravela. During the period under revicw Dr. Radha Govind Basak has presented an excellent compilation of Ašokan Inscriptions (Calcutta, 1959). Hc has given different versions of fourlcon rock cdicis, Kaliúga cdicts, scven pillar cdicts, two minor rock cdicts and minor pillar inscriptions along with the rendering of onc version in Sanskrit and translation of
