Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaishnava Sect c3: Extracts from the Preface to the First Edition
Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaishnava Sect c3
- Language
- English
Extracts from the Preface to the First Edition
c3.2
The following pages contain a general summary of a course of lectures on the Early History of the Bhāgavata-Vaiṣṇava sect which I, in the capacity of a Post-Graduate teacher of Ancient Indian History and Culture, delivered to my students during the session 1918-19.
c3.3
The plan and purpose of the lectures are stated at length in the Foreword, and they need no further comment in the Preface. But it may not be out of place to draw the attention of the reader to just one or two points which ought to be borne in mind in reading through the book.
c3.4
First, it has not been my intention to write an exhaustive treatise on Early Vaiṣṇavism. I have been chiefly concerned to indicate the lines on which the future studies in the subject ought to proceed in order to form a clear idea of the development of the different aspects of the Vaiṣṇava religion and philosophy around the historical nucleus as supplied by the life and teaching of Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa whose personality in its varied conception has been at the back of the religious aspirations of multitudinous sections of the Hindu community. In other words, I have endeavoured to show that the huge fabric of the Vaiṣṇava religion of love and devotion was not based upon a mythical fancy of the poets, but has a truth in the personal history of Vāsudeva Kṛiṣhṇa which has been overshadowed by the stupendous growth of legends.
c3.5
Secondly, I have to confess that I have not been able to utilise fully the evidence of all the ancient Jaina and Buddhist records.
c3.6
Lastly, I have to say a word about the system of transliteration adopted in the following pages. The system followed is substantially the same as used in the Indian Antiquary. In quotations, however, the original spelling of proper names has usually been retained.
c3.7
I do not find words adequately to express my gratitude to the Hon'ble Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, President of the Council of Post-Graduate Teaching in Arts, who has never failed in the midst of his many onerous duties to take interest in the progress of the work.
c3.8
Among my colleagues Dr. Barua and Mr. Chanda have placed me under deep obligation, the former by revising the proofs and offering some valuable suggestions, the latter by permitting me To
c3.9
THE HON'BLE SIR ASUTOSH MOOKERJEE
c3.10
KT., C.S.I., M.A., D.L., D.Sc., Ph.D.,
c3.11
who has raised the Calcutta University
c3.12
to an eminence
c3.13
which recalls the palmiest days of
c3.14
Takshasila and Nalanda,
c3.15
these Lectures
c3.16
are humbly dedicated by the Author,
c3.17
in token of profound admiration and reverence.