PREFACE.
It affords us much pleasure to be the first to publish this rare and excellent commentary on Meghasandesa– the well known poem of the world famous Kalidasa. The poem itself is the first of its kind and is very popular being short and sweet. It is written in the peculiarly charming style of Kalidasa and consequently is a very great favourite with all lovers of Sanskrit literature. No other evidence is needed for this statement but the fact that since the days of Kalidasa a host of imitators have sprung up who have composed several Sandesakavyas in close imitation of this splendid masterpiece.
Further this precious little poem is commented upon by not less than twenty commentators–good, bad and indifferent. Of all these commentaries that of Mallinatha is considered to be the best and it would be thought presumptuous on the part of any one if he were to state that there exists another commentary for this poem which excels Mallinatha’s in every way and which makes the latter pale into insignificance.
Still such is the fact and a perusal of the commentary called Vidyullata published here for the first time would clearly show its superiority to every other known commentary. The commentator, named Purna Sarasvati, seems to have lived some three centuries ago somewhere in the State of Cochin. He must have possessed vast learning as is evidenced from the numerous quotations in his commentary. It is not a mere commentary explaining the meanings of passages that he has written, but a very critical study of the poem itself. Modern Sanskrit scholars, both oriental and occidental, would be astonished to find after reading this commentary that a Pandit of some three centuries ago possessed so much critical spirit as to produce this masterly study of the Poem.
We obtained only one Mss. copy of this excellent commentary through the kindness of our friend Mr. K. Rama Pisharati, Senior Sanskrit Pandit, Ernakulam College. When we went through it, we could not resist the temptation to begin its printing at once. But on the completion of the first Aswasa we felt that another Mss. was absolutely necessary if a correct edition had to be brought out. So with the help of H. H. Manavikrama Ettan Raja, the 3rd Prince of Calicut we got another Mss. copy from Brahma Sri Desamangalam Cheria Narayanan Nambudripad and with these two manuscripts to guide us we completed the book. Our thanks are due to all the above named gentlemen for their kind help. In spite of all our care, several mistakes might have crept in, in this first edition which we hope to rectify in the subsequent editions.
SRI VANI VILAS PRESS Srirangam
J. K. Balasubrahmanyam.