Page:Systems-of-Sanskrit-Grammar-SK Belvalkar.pdf/7

PRERACE

The following essay (with the nom de plume aparentet fre: ) was offered in competition for the Vishwanath Nerayan Mandlik Gold Medal of the University of Bombay. It was approved by the Juiges with the remark: Itdeserves to be printed, as it collects together a great deal of interest- ing-historical information. It ig now accordingly published with the kind permission of the University of Bombay.

Jn preparing the essxy I have atilised the labours of most of the previous workers in the field. to whose writings I have given constant references in the foot-notes. I also enjoyed the exceptional advantage of having at my disposal the entire Government Manuscripts Library at the Deccan College, Poona, and was in fict, at the time of writiog this essay, actually engnged in preparing a Descriptive Catalogue of the grammatical works in that Library.

As the title indicates, it isan essay—a mere tentative attempt—an not a profound treatise; and Ihave thought it worth while printing it merely because, as far as I know, no work of the kind, covering exactly the fleld of this essay, has so far appeared. Inthe ‘Grondriss der Indo-Arischen Philologie’ there wasto appear a work which would kave mae the writing of this essay superflnons, but apparently nothing has come of it so fur.

Thave made a few necessary changes in the essay as it was originally submitted, especially in the light of some kind suggestions received from Professor Hari Mahadeva Bhadkemlcar of the Wilson College, Bombay, and from Professor Vaijanath Kashinath Rajavade of the Fergusson College, Poona, who were appointed judges for the essay. My old and hononred teacher, Professor K. B. Vathak, hat also the goodness to read the essay through and point ont certain inaccuracies of fact and statement, for which I am deeply gratefal to him. For the most part, however, the �