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INTRODUCTION*
1. The existence of the Kavidarpana was first known from a reference to it in Jinaprabha's commentary on the Ajita-śānti-Stava of Nandisena. This commentary was composed in Samvat 1365; it quotes certain definitions in Prakrit while explaining the different metres which are employed in the hymn. These definitions are 34 in number and all but one are composed in the Gathā metre. The first of these explains the terms used for the five kinds of the Mātrā Ganas in the subsequent definitions. The second definition consists of a pair of Gathās which explain the constitution of a Gāthā, while the third, which is the only one composed in the metre which it defines, defines the composition of a śloka. All the remaining ones, i.e., Nos. 4 to 34, are in the Gathā metre: and define the ing 31 metres employed in the hymn. At the end of these definitions Jinaprabha gives one more Gāthā, No. 35, which is composed by himself and which states that the definitions given so far were 'spoken out' by him
are the refererarely bay, 1913 abor
* The following works and articles are alluded to in the following introduction and the notes at the end.
1. Chandahkośa of Ratnasekhara (CK.) edited here in Appendix I; 2. Chandaħsekhara of Rājasekhara; edited at JBBRAS., N.S. vol. 22, 1946; 3. Chandassūtrz of Pingala; NSP. edition, Bombay, 1938; 4. Chandonuśāsana of Jayakīrti (JK.); edited in the Jayadāman, by the Haritosha Samiti, Wilson College, Bombay, 1949; 5. Chandonuśāsana of Hemacandra; in Prāksta and Apabhraíśa portions of the work, the references are to my edition of these at JBBRAS., vol3. 19 and 20
(1943-44); in other cases, the references are to the edition of the text at Jayadāman mentioned in Note No. 3 and only rarely have I alluded to the edition published by Devkaran Mulji at the N.S. Press, Bombay, 1912; 6. Jayadevachandas of Jayadeva (JD.) edited at Jayadāman mentioned in Note 3 above; 7. Jānāśrayi (JNS.); edited at Trivandrum, 1948; 8. Kavidarpaņa (KD.); the present edition; 9. Ratnamañjūşā; published by the Bharatiya Jnana Pitha, Kashi, 1949; 10. Vrttajātisamuccaya of Virahānka (VJS.); recently edited in the Rajasthan Puratattva Series; 11. Svayambhūchandas of Svayambhū (SB.); edited in the Rajasthan Puratattva Series; 12. Apabhranía Metres; published at the Bombay University Journal, Nov. 1933; 13. Apabhramsa Metres No. II; Bombay U. Journal, Nov. 1936; 14. Apabhramśa Metres No. III; at R. K. Mookerji Com. Volume, 1944; 15. Metres and Music; Poona Orientalist Vol. VIII, 1943. 1. See Peterson, Reports III, p. 231 and Velankar, A Descriptive Catalogue of Mss.
in the Library of the BBRAS., Vol. III. No. 1794. 2. They are published here in Appendix III together with the original hymn, as
edited by W. Schubring at ZII. No. II pp. 178-203, with a very few changes in the text of the hymn as suggested by the definitions. These are indicated in the
notes on the stanza in question. 3. To be exact, the Gathā is extended into a Gīti in Nos. 9, 20, 28 and 31. Nos.
8, 21, 22, 24, 29, 33 and 34 consist only of a Purvārdha of the Gathā, while Nos. 25, 26 and 32 consist only of an Uttarārdha of it. On the other hand, No. 11 consists of one whole Gātha and a Purvārdha of another attached to it.
