I am happy to go through the pages of the present edition of Nitisataka of Bharthari. Dr. Sugyan Kumar Mohanty, one of the most promising Sanskrit scholars in India has critically edited the text with special reference to a Sarada manuscript. This particular manuscript has not so far been consulted in earlier editions. Dr. Mohanty has carefully collated the text of Nitisataka on the basis of the fresh manuscript material. The Sarada manuscript though comprised of eighty-six stanzas only, furnishes several variants worth considering. Following the norms of textual criticism Dr. Mohanty has decided the readings and has carefully handled the problem of interpolations in Bharthari's century of verses. In his elaborate Introduction, the learned editor has referred to all the published editions of Nitisataka. In fact, he has made attempts to fill up some lacunae even in the edition of illustrious D.D. Kosambi. Very interesting indeed are the notes and comments given by various scribes in the manuscripts of Nitisataka.
Dr. Mohanty rightly adjusts Bharthari as "a great sage, an imperial monarch as well as a celebrated poet". He has tried to fix the period of our poet with the help of some references which have not been noted by earlier scholars. In fact, the critical editions of celebrated poets like Bhartrhari should also provide perspectives from the tradition of commentators and great masters of Alaṁkārasastra. Dr. Mohanty has rightly referred to Ksemendra's citation of Bharthari's verse.
I am confident that this new edition of Nitisataka will serve as a model for the young scholars working in the field of manuscript studies.
IT GIVES me immense pleasure to present this edition of the Nitisataka, ascribed to Bhartthari, along with Hindi and English translation and Kasmiri Sarada text with critical notes on variant Sarada readings. This edition owes its inception to Shri Susheel Mittal of D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd., New Delhi, who assigned me to prepare a flawless edition along with reliable Hindi and English translations.
The Nitisataka is one of the Bhartharisatakatrayam, i.e. Niti, Stigara and Vairagya Satakam, having an exclusively terse and epigrammatic character. Its very conspicuous feature is that its teachings are universally applicable to all irrespective of caste, creed, gender, time and different geographical backgrounds. The Nitisataka, although succinct and concise, is pregnant with the perpetual and everlasting doctrines resulted from diverse experiences of life. Due to its unique characteristics, it has been relevant through the ages for last two thousand years and above. It has been translated into hundreds of languages all over the globe. Its teachings are equally apposite to both rich and poor, monarch and his subjects. The impartial and unprejudiced morale of the Nitisataka inculcates ethics of life in a common man and directs to lead an ideal living.
This has been prepared with commonly accepted verses of the Nitisataka in the available printed editions. But in the due course of my search of its different printed editions and manuscripts, I discovered a single copy of Kasmīrī Saradā manuscript, which was transcribed into Devanagari by me, that has been supplemented to this edition with critical notes on variations of Kasmiri Sarada script.
I bow down before Almighty, by whose grace this work has been completed without any obstacle. I might utilize this occasion to announce my obeisance from the depth of my heart to the immortal soul of my parents and departed gurus whose blessings have always been the foundation of my courage to undertake the literary recreation and to adhere to dedicate myself for the cause of Sanskrit and Indological research.
I express my deep sense of gratitude to Her excellency, the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Mrs Anandi Ben Patel who blessed me with her gracious message. I reserve my special thanks to Professor Shrinivasa Varakhedi, the Vice Chancellor of Central Sanskrit University, whose inspirations and encouragements boosted my resolution to undertake this critical and cerebral work. I express my sincere regards to Prof. Radhavallabh Tripathi, former Vice-Chanceller of Rashtriaya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi for his idiomatic foreword to his edition.
I am very thankful to Professor Vasant Kumar Bhatt, former Director, School of Languages, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad and Dr Prakash Pandey, former-Director, Bhopal Campus of Central Sanskrit University, Bhopal for extending their sincere help in the process of transcription from Sarada to Devanagari.
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