Page:Kalhana's Rajatarangini Vol 1.djvu/14

 xvi PREFACE,

The addition of Marginalia to indicate the reigus and move important events dealt with in particular portions of the text will, I trust, make reference easier, and to some extent remedy the defect arising from the want of proper division in Kalhana’s narrative.

J am fully aware that notwithstanding the standud of close verbal accuracy aimed at it would have been possible to give to this translation o form more attractive to the general reader. But even if I could have claimod the literary skill and command of language required for such a task, I doubt whether I could have attempted it without the risk of seeing my labours protracted fur beyond the limits of the leisure assured for them. Any shortcomings in this direction will, I hope, be the more readily pardoned as the time thus saved has permitted me to follow up all the more carefully the many philological and antiquarian questions connected with the interpretation of the Chronicle.

In the course of these inquiries I have endeuvourod to utilize to the best of my ability the special advantages I have onjoyod for the study of ancient Kasmir, The antiquarian tours to which I havo wlroady referred, ond which I was able to supplement by others in 1894-96, have enabled me not only to examine most of the ancient ruins and sites of Kasmir, but alxo to gain a thorough personal acquaintance with the topography of the country and its economic and ethnic conditions. The great geographical barriers which soparate Kasmir from the rest of India, coupled with the marked difference of climutic conditions, have from early times assured to the alpine land o distinct charactur of its own which manifests itself strongly in all matters of culture, customs, and social organization. Tt scarcely needs » detailed explanation to prove that cloxoxt attontion to all these peculiarities of modern Kasmir is required if we desire to urrivo ut n correct comprehension of Kalhane’s narrative, ond of the historical events of which it treats.

But it is not alone in the unaltered features of topography and climate, in ruined structures and other antiquarian remains, that so much of ancient Kasmir has survived to thie day, The historicul isolation of the country, ilirotly due to ite alpine position, and fully noticed in my Intreduction,! hag saved Kusmir from many changes which have elsewhere in India effaced the conditions of carlier Periods. To this seclusion we owe in Kasmir that remarkuble tenocity of trudition which, whether in matters of local lore, in religious practico, or in social custom,

Blokes, which contein thetoric descriptions of comment, I have contented moyself with re- or didactic matter of a wholly conventions] producing their purport hy moans of briof ope, presen an ected, del the ae summaries.

ve proper. As these es do not offer 7! Compare bel. 80, 1 : any ante which are ‘Ot interest, or in need Bese er Fe ISL