Dr Suniti Kumar Chatterji points out that scholars get so immersed in the pleasures of cultivating a vast literature like Sanskrit that they are unable to spare any time for their mother tongue. But we know of several exceptions to this rule. In Mithila even during the medieval times a number of erudite scholars were devoted to both Sanskrit and the mother tongue. The line of such scholars began with Halayudh and Jyotirishwar. Mahamahopadhyaya Dr Umesh Mishra (1895-1967) was a bright luminary of this very tradition. He kept burning the age-old torch of Maithili literature by guarding it from adverse blasts as well as by adding fuel to it himself or through others. And at the same time he went on organising and developing Sanskrit learning all over the country.
The present monograph concentrates mainly on the literary endeavours of Mahamahopadhyay Umesh Mishra, of which the making of modern Maithili literature formed a major part. Nevertheless care has been taken to highlight, howsoever perfunctorily, every facet of his entire personality. Actually in the even pace of his life there were hardly any ups and downs or adventurous incidents. Therefore, instead of interesting episodes we will find in it a glittering image of one who kept on pursuing steadfastly with determination the path of a devout scholar, a profound Indologist, a model Indian soul, a staunch Maithili Pandit and a true maker of modern Maithili literature.
PANDIT GOVINDA JHA the author of this essay is a Sanskritist and Maithili litterateur. That is the reason why he has succeeded in doing justice to Mahamahopadhyaya.
JAYAKANTA MISHRA IS Mahamohopadhyaya Mishra's son and in the Maithili world his literary successor. He retired from the Allahabad University in 1982 as Professor and Head of the Department of English Studies and Modern European languages. It was primarily through his efforts that Maithili found a berth in the Sahitya Akademi, with which he has been associated in various activities for more than two decades.
While writing this monograph, I have often had to rely upon facts obtained from others. For this reason it is quite possible that I might have made mistakes. In a work like this it is not practicable to authenticate the source of every little bit of information. Hence, if some errors have crept into it. instead of holding someone else responsible for them, I own full responsibility for them.
I had the privilege of knowing Mahamahopadhyaya Dr Umesh Mishra personally for a short while when he was Director of the Mithila Sanskrit Institute at Darbanga and my father, Mahavaiyakarana Dinabanhu Jha, worked there as a traditional pandit. I have made use of whatever I happened to know directly as a result of this acquaintance while writing this monograph. I am a son of a Sankritist, and have studied Sanskrit grammar on traditional lines. I have always been specially interested in oriental studies. Naturally I hold Mahamahopadhyaya Mishra in high esteem. If on account of this excessive regard I have been guilty of exaggerating his merits and thereby offended some scholars, I humbly submit that none need take my remarks as casting aspersions on anybody else's abilities.
In the kind of regulated and even tenor of life led by Dr Mishra, there is hardly any scope for exciting or sensational events, Still, those who have a love for or are at all interested in the world of Maithili or Sanskrit learning will find, I hope, even this factual account of the growth and development of a scholar fascinating.
I am extremely grateful to Dr Jayakanta Mishra. retired Professor of the University of Allahabad, for having made available to me a large number of relevant papers and information which made my task easier.
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