Social and Religious Aspects in Bengal Inscriptions (An Old and Rare Book)

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Dr. R. K. Tripathi received his M. A. Degree in Sanskrit in 1964, with Epigraphy and History as the special group and he obtained the Ph. D. Degree from the University of Calcutta in 1978 under the able guidance of Dr. Sukumar Sengupta. He started his service career at the Surendranath College and Surendranath College for Woman in 1965 as a Lecturer in Sanskrit. Thereafter, he joined the Surendranath Evening College, Calcutta in 1967 and at present he is the Head of the Dept. of Sanskrit.

Dr. Tripathi has earned his reputation right from the beginning of his career as an able teacher and bright scholar. Dr. Tripathi read papers in the Epigraphical conferences, attended Seminars and published a few research papers in the journals.

Besides his academic interest, he has already earneo-fame in extracurricular activities. He has been acting as the com- missioned officer (Part-time) in N.C.C. since 1968 and now he is holding the Major Rank, attached to 2nd. Bengal Bn. N.C.C. Fort William, Calcutta.

Since my Student life in the University I had been inclined more and more with the passage of time towards the special study of Indian Epigraphy. After the completion of my study in the Post-Graduate classes, I felt a strong urge to carry on researches on an interesting historical subject with special reference to the Inscriptions of Bengal. The opportunity came when I consulted my teacher Dr. Sukumar Sengupta, who first suggested the possibility of writing a Thesis on the Social and Religious history of Bengal by fully utilising the available epigraphic materials, which would Serve as a complementary book to the famous work of Dr. B.C. Sen entitled "Historical aspect of Bengal Inscriptions" dealing only with political and administrative his- tory. I readliy accepted the suggestions offered by Dr. Sengupta, and I started my research work on the subject and in course of a few years I submitted the Thesis for Doctorate Degree. The result was in my good favour and in 1978 the Thesis was approved by the University of Calcutta for the award of the Ph. D. degree in Sanskrit.

The Inscriptions of Bengal are of significant importance for the Study of History of ancient Bengal in its various aspects. They bear living testimony for the dealing and transactions of the Kings and people of different times and places and possess sufficient historical value of objective interest. The chequered history of the Social and religious life of ancient Bengal may be reconstructed more or less faithfully from the source materials of the inscription of ancient Bengal. Dr. B.C. Sen, the learned scholar in his book 'Historical aspects of Bengal Inscriptions, gave a detailed Study in a compact way. It is true that some scholars of great repute have partially dealt with some of the aspects of social and religious life with the help of materials collected from the inscriptions of Bengal. But, so far as I Know, no compact study has yet been made on the social and religious aspects of the life of Bengal largely on the basis of the inscriptions.

The author of the present book entitled, "Social and Religious Aspects in Bengal Inscriptions", Dr. Ratikanta Tripathi was a student of mine in the Post-Graduate Sanskrit classes of Calcutta University. As a student of Epigraphy and History he had already formed some fascination for the study of Inscriptions, as a result of which after a lapse of a few years he commenced his intensive researches on the early Inscription of Bengal under the guidance of Dr. Sukumar Sengupta one of the University teachers in the Departments of Pali and Sanskrit. He essayed the formidable task of culling out of materials not only from most of the hitherto published relevant Inscriptions but also from different Sanskrit and old Bengali texts as corroborative evidence for the subject he had undertaken to prepare his Thesis. The Thesis brought him the Ph.D. degree of the University of Calcutta in 1978. This book practically formed the major portions of his Thesis with some additions and alterations here and there.

He has presented the Thesis in a nice readable form and it contains sufficient relevant materials to popularise the subject to the general readers interested in the study of early history of Bengal He has spared no pains in making it comprehensive and up-to-date.