The presentation of a commemoration volume is the recognised form of the tribute, which scholars pursuing a particular line of study pay to one who has attained eminence in that line and by means of which they seek inspiration for themselves. In the present volume historians and researchers have combined to pay their homage to one who, for more than half a century now, has been resuscitating India's past with a rare singleness of purpose and devotion to great ideals.
Acharya Jadunath Sarkar has become a great institution. He is not only the greatest historian of the country who has been laying bare the India of the time of the Mughals in a series of monumental works, but has also, at the same time, taught in his inimitable way two generations of students and guided and trained a very large number of scholars in historical research. With brilliant natural parts and a penetrating insight capable of tracing causal sequence in apparently disconnected events, matched by great command over expression and unremitting industry, the savant has been analysing and interpreting India's past as only a few have been able to do either in the past or in present times. His achievement in the sphere has been great and his labours staggeringly immense. In the ardent cultivation of historical research he has been leading the life of a recluse scorning delights and living laborious days and, unaffected alike by the favours and frowns of fortune, he has been living up to the exhortation of the seers of yore- स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः, स्वाच्यायोऽध्येतव्यः (neglect not studies, pursue knowledge).
It was nearly four years ago that the idea of preparing this and the companion first volume was first conceived. The Panjab University under the stewardship of Dewan Anand Kumar, its Vice-Chancellor at the time, kindly undertook to bear the cost. Scholars of history from all over the country as well as from abroad including East Pakistan responded magnificently to the appeal for contributions, which kept pouring in for more than two years. Each article had to be examined thoroughly before its suitability for inclusion could be determined and some had to be returned to their authors for revision. The editors have tried to keep before them the high and exacting standards of scholarship which the presentee has been maintaining all along.
The articles published number thirty-eight as against nearly twice that number received. Considerations of space and of expense have militated against the publication of the rest, many of which are of considerable merit, and the editors tender their sincerest apologies their authors.
As is inevitable in a publication of this nature, the contributions are as diverse as their authors and deal with a very large variety of subjects. They are all excellent pieces of research and in a large number of cases either break entirely fresh ground or throw welcome light on obscure corners of the history of our land. A few of them happen to be of s general character merely, but since their authors are foreigners, the hospitality of these pages has per force had to be extended to them. Among those whose contributions have found a place in these pages are well-known scholars such as Padma Bhushan Nilakanta Sastri, Bimala Churn Law, U. N. Ghoshal and the late Rev. H. Heras. The editors have given a brief summary of each article at the outset acquainting the reader with its contents and tenor. In order to maintain the individuality of each contribution, they have retained the spellings of Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali. Persian and Arabic names and term as given by the contributor himself or herself. They have, however, been constrained. to take liberty with the text in some cases when the demands of English idiom and usage over-ruled all other considerations.
They take this opportunity to thank all their friends who have helped them in editing in one way or another.
The editors are fully conscious of the defects which, in spite of their best efforts, have crept in. They are due to the limitations imposed by the place a second rate and out-of-the-way town where they have been working. They crave the indulgence of the readers and particularly of the illustrious presentee.
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