________________
Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
The plan and arrangement of the work will be best understood from the 'Directions' which follow. Verbs formed by prefixing prepositions to roots are arranged in the alphabetical order of the prepositions so affixed; e.g. or must be looked for not under F, but in its own alphabetical order, and at the head of its own group of derivatives. This system has been followed in this Dictionary with a view to save repetition of equivalents under the derivatives from a root. But if, on trial, it be found to be practically inconvenient, it may be abandoned in the second edition. As in the English-Sanskrit Dictionary, I have here throughout used the anusvära instead of the nasals, (e. g. anga or santa pa is written not as 3, 1, but as 3, 1), which practice, whatever may be said with regard to its correctness, is very convenient for purposes of printing. The several contrivances used to effect saving in space will be understood by the reader after very short practice.
It now remains for me to do the grateful duty of acknowledging the help I have derived from different sources. And in doing so I must give the first place to the great Sanskrit encyclopædia, the Vachaspatya of Professor Taranatha Tarkavachaspati. I have constantly kept it by my side and have freely availed myself of the information contained in it-of course with large curtailments-though I have had to supplement it myself wherever it was found to be defective or insufficient. Several words and senses of words not given in the existing Sanskrit-English lexicons, as also some quotations, particularly from Udbhata and Puranas, have been borrowed from the same work. The Sanskrit-English Dictionary of Professor Monier Williams is the next work to which I have been greatly indebted. It has been a constant source of help to me, and I have frequently adopted his renderings of words, compound expressions &c., where I found them better than those I myself had to suggest. And though there is a good deal in this Dictionary that is not to be found in that work, and though the plan and scope of the two are essentially different, yet I must gratefully acknowledge the great assistance I have often derived from the learned Professor's invaluable Dictionary. The last work to which also my grateful acknowledgments are due is the German Worterbuch of Drs. Roth and Bothlingk. The chief distinguishing feature of that great work is that it abounds with quotations and references dealing with almost every branch of Sanskrit literature, but a careful reader will easily see that the works belonging to Vedic literature, such as the four Vedas. Upanisads, Brahmanas, Aranyakas Ae, have been comparatively more copiously drawn upon by the authors than works belonging to the post-Vedic literature. A glance at the contents of this Dictionary will show that I have drawn upon works seldom or not at all referred to in the Worterbuch; such as the Mahavīracharita, Malati-Madhava, Uttararamacharita, Kadambori, Sisupälavadha, Kirätarjunfyn, Mudräräks, Veņisamhāra, Ratnavali, Kavyaprakasa, Sankarabhāṣya, Bhāminīvilāsa, Vikramankadevacharita, Gangalahari &c. Indeed, the great majority of quotations and references are from my own collection made during the last seven or eight years; and I have even been obliged to keep back a large number of them for want of space. But I must frankly acknowledge that I have freely availed myself of the quotations and references in that Dictionary, where my own collection was defective, particularly in the case of Vedic and Pauranic works. I have also occasionally consulted the Dictionaries of H. H. Wilson and Benfey, the former supplying some happy renderings of technical or obscure words. To these authors, as well as to the authors and editors of several other works, which are too many to be here mentioned, from which I have derived occasional help in one form or another, my most grateful thanks are due.
Poona, 28th December 1890. S
}
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
In conclusion I may be permitted to express the hope that the Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary-which has attempted to give in 1200 closely printed pages of this size, matter at least equal in point of quantity to that given by Prof. Monier Williams in his Dictionary, but in point of quality more reliable, varied, and practically useful, in my humble opinion will serve the purpose I have had in view in compiling it; namely to render to the student of Sanskrit nearly the same service that Webster's or Ogilvie's Dictionary does to the student of English. I have tried to make it easily accessible to the public by issuing a Popular Edition priced at 7 Rupcesa price too low, I believe, for so much matter; while the Library Edition which, containing the same matter, is printed on superior paper and in better style, and will also have superior binding, will best answer the purposes of the well-to-do persons who can afford to spend 10 or 11 Rupees for such object. In a work of this kind I know there must be several defects and also errors both of omission and commission, and if such persons as will do me the honour of using this Dictionary will be so good as to point out to me places which require corrections, additions or improvements, I shall be very happy to give the suggestions my best consideration in the second edition. But if the Dictionary, even in its present form, be found to be a useful publication, I shall consider my labours more than amply repaid, and shall feel quite refreshed to devote my humble self again, if need be, to the service of the Sanskrit-reading public; for, says the poet,
क्लेशः फलेन हि पुनर्नवतां विधत्ते ।
For Private and Personal Use Only
V. S. APTE
