Risht Samucchaya

Author(s): Durgadevacharya, A S Gopani
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 35

( IV )
works of Jaina and non-Jaina literatures is especially made to give to readers a correct, comprehensive and comparative estimate of the idea of omens and portents. Notes in which comparison and contrast are made at proper places are in a way explanatory. The Gathärdhasuci and the Indexes of the Introduction, text and also of the parallel passages, which are complementary to each other, have been added at the end. They are followed by an exhaustive Bibliography which provides material to the future workers on the subject. It is hoped that the readers will certainly appreciate their efficiency and importance. The Introduction aims at setting forth various views and theories of omens and portents which were once in vogue in all the cultures namely Greek, Roman, Christian, Mohanimedan, Vedic, Jaina and Buddhistic. The Science of the Unknown, that of Omens and Portents and also that of the Rituals have much in common between them. A critical study of the thoughts and beliefs concerning prodigies and portents prevalent in different times and climes reveals some interesting basic principles running right through all of them, governing and shaping the origin and development of omens and portents. As this was quite essential I have treated in general all these aspects in the Introduction. It also deals with the description of the Ms. material and of the method adopted in the constitution and construction of the text. Personal details of the writer and his other works, analysis of the subject, the estimate of the Ristasamuccaya with special reference to literature of its type, grammatical and linguistic characteristics, and metrics, have all been critically studied and explained.
I take this opportunity of expressing my heartfelt gratitude to the Editorial Board of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan for undertaking to publish this work. I am also thankful to the curator of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, to the Director, Oriental Institute, Baroda, and lastly to Pandit Nathuram PREMI, the enthusiastic Secretary of the Sarasvati Digambara Jain Bhandar at Bombay for their kindness in promptly lending me the Mss. I must also record my deep sense of obligation to Mm. Dr. G. H. Oza, Mm. Vidhushekhar BHATTACHARYA, Dharmanand Kosambiji, and Prof. P. V. BAPAT for imme. diately replying to my letters and offering helpful suggestions and to Pandit Jugalkishoreji MUKHTAR for sending to me, through