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Prof Velankar has in his learned introduction sought to discuss fully the structure and significance of the Dvipadīs and the six Pratyayas, besides examining the question of Virahāöka's date. It is interesting to note here that a azt given on pp. 4 and 5 of the Kuvalayamālā very likely illustrates a Dvipadī of Virahānka's description. It has four stanzas or Vastukas in the affar faqat metre (s+s+4+4+IS) each of which has the 1774 in a shorter metre (each half having 13+15). When more early Prakrit texts come to light we can hope to get more clarification about the nature and functions of these Dvipadīs. Prof. Velankar's explanatory and comparative notes are helpful in this direction and they go to illuminate several intricate points in this difficult and somewhat obscure text, which can be improved only by a find of early MSS material.
There is some special propriety in the fact that this work is being published in the Rajasthan Puratana Granthamala. The unique manuscript which has formed its basis is from the Jain Bhandar at Jaisalmer. Prof. Velankar has utilized for constituting his text a freshly prepared transcript of that MS. made available by me. Our thanks are due to him for readily acceding to our request for including this important manual of prosody by an early non-Jain author in our series.
-MUNI JINAVIJAYA
Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, Branch : Chittodgadh (Rajasthan) 28-2-'63.
