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THE WORK Bhoja's Śrngāra Prakāśa is the biggest work in the field of literary criticism and in the whole range of classical Sanskrit literature. In presenting and interpreting the contents of this encyclopaedic work, Dr. Raghavan has, in his turn, produced the largest work in Sanskrit literary criticism and aesthetics. Bhoja's work is noteworthy not only for its new and unique theory of aesthetics, but also for a mass of data relating to all branches of Sanskrit literature and precious citations from many lost classics of great importance. In addition to the several chapters of Dr. Raghavan's exposition being complete accounts of the history of the respective concepts of Alamkāra Śāstra, the analysis and collation of the references and the reconstruc- tion of views and works given here make the present work a thesaurus of information in the field of Sanskrit literature.

The Hindu, Madras: " A great work sees the light ... Dr. Raghavan has brought into a historical discussion the various theories on the philosophy of poetry ranging from Bharata to Ananda- vardhana and far later too ... will be greatly valued as a kaleidoscopic representation of the masterminds of India's poetical thoughts.'

PROF. M. HIRIYANNA, Mysore: . . is written in a simple and straightforward style; and though abounding in details, it is throughout quite interest- ing. .. This has necessitated in your surveying the whole range of Alamkāra literature (sometimes, as in Chs. XV and XVI, the survey extends even beyond); and the result is not merely comprehensive but also exhaustive . . . is full of valuable information, and students of Sanskrit will ever feel grateful to you for publishing it. The publication will be an indispensable companion to those who undertake research work in the subject; and ... will also serve as an excellent reference book."

PROF. L., RENOU, Paris : "M. Raghavan whose works on poetics are authoritative his long study on the Srngāra Prakāśa of Bhoja in which he has revealed to us the most encyclopaedic Indian text on Sanskrit poetics ... "

Journal of Oriental Research, Madras: ... must be accepted on all hands as a great contribution to the thought on Sanskrit literary criticism ...

THE AUTHOR Born in 1908 at Tiruvarur, Tanjore Dt .; graduated from Presidency College, Madras in 1930 with 3 College Prizes and 5 University Medals. Took his M.A. in Sanskrit Language and Literature with Com- parative Philology and four schools of Philosophy under Mahāmahopādhyāya Prof. S. Kuppuswamy Sastri; specialised in Alamkāra and Nāțya Sāstras and Sanskrit Aesthetics and earned his Doctorate in 1934-35 from Profs. S. Levi, F. W. Thomas and A. B. Keith; studied Sanskrit on the tradi- tional lines also and won medals and prizes for Sanskrit speaking and writing. After a brief Superintendship of the Sarasvati Mahal Manus- cript Library, joined the research department of his alma mater, Madras University, where from the position of a Research Scholar, rose to that of Professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit; has been working from beginning on the New Catalogus Catalogorum, the major project of his official career; [continued on flap at end