गणेशविजयकाव्यम्: Ganesavijayakavyam (With The Commentary Sarvarthada Attributed To Gopalarav Mairala) (An Old And Rare Book)

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"Sanskrit has had a continuous history of literary output from the most ancient times to this day. In this long process and rich and varied growth, Sanskrit has been developed by every part of the country. It has grown into a national language with a unique pan-Indian character by enriching itself with many an element of value and beauty in the different regions of the country. For a complete picture of Sanskrit literature as well as for a full appreciation of it, it is necessary to make an intensive study of the Sanskrit literary activity in different areas of the country on the background of the local milieu.

The standard histories of Sanskrit literature which have to cover a vast field and lay emphasis on the formative epochs and the efflorescence of the classical ages are constrained, naturally, to refer to the later productions only in an illustrative manner. The efforts of the later ages were however hardly insignificant, judged by quality, quantity or originality. An adequate appraisal of the later phases of Sanskrit literature is also not easy to make, for the materials pertaining to these are scattered and still mostly in manuscripts and known only in the respective localities or regional scripts. A series of intensive surveys of later Sanskrit literature would serve ultimately to give a full view of the extensive literary development in Sanskrit in the post-classical ages",1 "An intensive study of the development of Sanskrit literature in a particular locality is a pre requisite to the preparation of a complete history of Sanskrit literature as developed all over the country ".2 In the context of regional studies local contributions have their own role to play.

In the context of regional contributions to Sanskrit literature Gujarat has also contributed significantly to the different branches of Sanskrit literature since olden times. Amongst the different centres of Sanskrit studies in Gujarat, Vadodara (Baroda) has the honour of having an appellation of "Choti Käsi" i.e. "Kāśī in miniature" and this encomium brings out richly Baroda's contribution to Sanskrit creative writings and scholarship. Even in modern times Vadodara has continued its contributions to Sanskrit literature and it is in this context-the local contribution-that the Gaṇeśavijayakavya of Gopalrao Mairal (1814 A.D. to 1872 A.D.) occupies a significant place in the history of Baroda's contribution to modern Sanskrit literature. It is a matter of pleasure to publish this edition of the Ganelavijayakavya with the auto-commentary based on a single ms. deposited in our Oriental Institute, prepared by Dr. B. N. Bhatt, Research Officer in the Oriental Institute, in G.O.S. as No. 171.

Dr. Bhatt has made a meticulous study of the poem in the Introduction. He describes the ms-material and discusses the following topics: the cantowise summary of the contents of the poem, the sources and innovations, the problem of the authorship, a note on Lord Ganesa, a brief biographical account of the Mairala family, literary appreciation and cultural gleanings. This "Introduction" is rounded off with a useful bibliography.