Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c3: An Appreciation
Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c3
- Language
- English
An Appreciation
c3.1
We owe a great debt to the German Indologists for their incessant study of Indian literary and cultural history on strictly scientific lines for more than a century. In every branch of Indology we have to refer frequently to the solid work done by these great pioneers of Indological research. Among these pioneers the name of Dr. Jolly stands foremost in the field of the history of Indian Medicine on account of his monumental volume on "Medizin" in the Encyclopaedia of Indo-Aryan Research published fifty years ago. This volume is a model of critical research condensed with the utmost brevity of words without omitting any important detail of fact or text bearing on the history of Indian Medicine. It is a pity that such an important book, the study of which is so vital to the history of the Ayurveda, should remain without any translation in English or any modern Indian language in this Bharatavarsa—the home of the Ayurveda.
c3.2
During the course of my study of the history and chronology of Indian medical literature and allied subjects like the history of Indian plants of medical and nutritive value, I have had occasion to consult Dr. Jolly's Medizin but was much handicapped in my efforts to study it closely in the absence of an English translation. I, therefore, received with alacrity the idea of preparing an English translation of Dr. Jolly's book entertained by my esteemed friend Shri C.G. Kashikar some years ago. It is highly creditable to Shri Kashikar that he should succeed in translating Dr. Jolly's book into English after years of labour in spite of his arduous work on the edition of the Rgveda and other Vedic texts, which have taken much of his time and energy. I feel confident that Shri Kashikar's English translation of Dr. Jolly's book prepared with scholarly care and zeal will be thankfully received by all teachers and students of the Ayurveda not only in India but also in other countries where Indian literature and culture are studied with respect. The bibliographical Notes added to this translation prepared by Shri Kashikar enhance the value of the translation as they take note of all important books and articles on Indian Medicine published during the last fifty years. The reference value of the present translation with the appendices added by Shri Kashikar is very great not only to all lovers of the Ayurveda but to every research worker in the field of Indian Culture and Medicine. I congratulate Shri Kashikar heartily upon the successful execution of a difficult task with the utmost regard for literary veracity and scholarly precision.
c3.3
B. O. R. Institute, Poona 4. }
c3.4
P. K. GODE
Linked texts (1)
- Ṛgvedasaṃhitā — Sanskrit