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eighteen) metres, in the charming manner in which the figures of speech are employed, in the easy flow of language or in the mastery of poetic craftmanship in general there is not a trace that can hint at the hand of a non-Hindu poet. And presupposes on the part of the author a sound literary training on traditional lines and a close familiarity with Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apabhramśa masterpieces. The author's claim for these distinctions made in the introductory portion of the poem is thus anything but hollow. Parallels (from Prakrit, Apabhraíśa or Vernacular literatures ) to the expressions and ideas contained in certain passages of the Samdesarūsaka have been pointed out in Appendix I at the end, and this also emphasizes Abdala Rahamāna's well-versedness in the classical and contemporary literatures.
But this has no adverse implication as to the originality of the author. Though a Samdeśakāvya, the Saņdesarīsaka is far above the common run of such type of compositions, the lifeless or mediocre imitations of the Meghadūta, some of them claiming our attention by their only virtue of being tours-de-force. This one fact of being able to produce something refreshing even from a theme that is overexploited speaks much favourably regarding the poetie powers of Abdala Rahamāna. As to his sense of form, descriptive powers, melodious diction etc., let the reader himself be a judge. .
Lastly the language and metres of the poem are of no small interest. The author has not composed in the classical Apabhramśa which by his times was long dead'. He has adopted the living' literary medium of Late Apabhramsa which has strong admixture of Old Western Rajasthani (especially its northerly idiom) with a touch of the early form of one (Braj?) of the Western Hindi group of dialects. Most of the metres employed in the Sandesartisaka were currently used for early Vernacular poetic compositions also. One occupying himself with the study of the linguistic, metrical, structural or literary aspect of the Apabhramśa and Early Vernacular literatures cannot afford to neglect this fine literary piece from Abdala Ralamāna's pen.
I am grateful to my revered Guru Achārya Shri Jinavijayaji for the opportunity and encouragement he gave me in my present studies in the Sardesarāsaka. I express my sense of gratitude towards Prof. Dr. Sunitikumar CHATTERJI and Prof. Mahendra Pandya for kindly taking the trouble of going through the Critical Introduction and Summary' respectively and making some valuable suggestions.
HAKIVALLABH C. BAAYANI.
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