________________
PREFACE.
The first instalment of the long-announced Mānasollāsa, otherwise known as the Abhilaṣitärthachintāmaṇi, which purports to have been composed by the great Western Chalukya King Bhülokamalla Someśvara, son of Vikramā. ditya VI, is now offered to the public. It is a voluminous work, extending to about 8000 Granthas, and is divided into five Vimsatis, each containing 20 Adhyâyas or chapters of unequal length, some chapters again including several subsections. The whole work is thus divided into one hundred chapters, dealing with one hundred different topics on the necessities and written for the instruction of the members of
royal families. The first volume represents two among the five Vimsatis, and comprises 40 Adhyayas or chapters.
The present edition is based on the following five MSS:
A. Belonging to the BARODA CENTRAL LIBRARY. It is a complete press-copy prepared with the help of three MSS.
B. Belonging to the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona. It contains 109 leaves and is, though incomplete, a very good copy.
C. Complete, though recent.
D. Complete, written in Saka 1592. Leaves are very brittle and the MS requires very careful handling. It offers good readings.
Aho! Shrutgyanam
