Usaniruddham

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 8

Preface Decades ago I taught this Prākrit Kāvya Usāniruddham to the undergraduate students at the Gujarat College, Ahmedabad. I then had prepared its tentative translation for my use. Dr. A.N. Upadhye, my professor at Rajaram College, Kolhapur (19361942) had ably and critically edited this work and published it in the Journal of the University of Bombay (1941). After going through my tentative translation of the First Canto he had expressed his desire that I should bring out, on the lines of his edition of Kanisavaho, an edition of this Prākrit Kavya. However as I was pre-occupied with my studies in Alamkāra Šāstra and Aesthetics I could not take up his suggestion. After years when we had met at the University of Bombay in connection with a meeting of the Board of Studies in Sanskrit, Pali and Prākrit he had gently reminded me of the suggestion he had made in the past. I must confess, however, that as I was busy with another project I had no time then to think of bringing out an edition of Usāņiruddham as suggested by my old Professor, however dear he was to ine.
Now, comparatively I am free. So I decided to bring out this edition and honour the wish of my Professor when, alas, he is not here to see it.
Fortunately for me, the papers giving my tentative translation were lying with me, though not in a good condition. Before finalising the translation I requested my friend, Dr.G.S. Bedagkar, formerly Professor of English and Principal, Vidarbha