Foreword
The Nitidvisastika of Sundarapandya Is an ancient and popular collection of moral maxims. The identity of the author with the pre-Samkara philosopher of that name is possible, though not certain. One of; the verses is found quoted in the metrical work fanasrayi (c. 600 A. D.) and another is found translated in the Tibetan Prasnottararatnamala (10th cent.). Actual ascriptions of verses to Sundarapandya is found only in the 13th century work Suktiratnahara of Kalingaraya Surya; but that does not mean that it is a late work. I am glad to publish a critical edition of the work, with an English translation, prepared by Miss S. Jayasree, from the Adyar Library and Research Centre. The work formed her M. Phil. Thesis, but before taking it up for publication, the Library received a preliminary collated draft of the work prepared by the late Dr. V. Raghavan. Hence the edition was revised by her in the light of the fresh material. Though Prof. Ludwik Sternbach considered the work as a compilation by a contemporary of Kalingaraya, many of the verses are definitely much earlier. It is possible that, as in the case of many other popular works, here also there have been interpolations. It might, however, be added that the verses contained in this work are of high intrinsic merit. It is hoped that the present critical edition will be widely welcomed by students of Sanskrit and Indian culture.
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