A Companion to Sanskrit Literature

A Companion to Sanskrit Literature, the first work of its kind, covers a period of nearly 3500 years from the Vedic age down to the modern times. It seeks to acquaint the reader, within a brief compass, with the contents of outstanding works and authors in Sanskrit literature, followed by up-to-date bibliographies.

Brief accounts of the important characters in well-known poems, dramas and prose works have also been given. Important geographical names, with their modern identification as far as practicable, have also been laid down. Common technical terms, used in the different branches of Sanskrit literature, have been briefly explained. Prominent figures in myths and legends have been dealt with. In a number of appendices, various kinds of useful information about Sanskrit literature including sciences, sports and pastimes, etc. in ancient and medieval India have been set forth. It is an indispensable vade mecum for the general readers, the specialists and researchers. It is like a capsule taking the reader through the vast firmament of Sanskrit literature upto remote ages.

Surfs Chandra Baner ji had been a Professor of Sanskrit for three decades. He has over forty Indological works, written in both English and Bengali, to his credit. The critical edition of the Saduktikarnamrta, first complete English translation of Bilhana's Vikramankadeva-carita, Dharma-sutras--A Study, Keilidasa-Kosa, Cultural Heritage of Kashmir, Tantra Literature, Natya-Samgita-Kosa (a trilingual dictionary in Hindi, English and Bengali), Kalidasa Apocrypha, Folklore in Buddhist and Jaina Literatures, Laments in Sanskrit Literature, A Companion to Middle Indo-Aryan Literature, Indian Society in the Mahabharata, etc. are some of his noteworthy publications. His Bengali work on Bengal Smrti entitled Smrti-tantre Vamgali, earned him the Rabindra Memorial Prize, 1963-64, the highest award of the Government of West Bengal. A number of original papers, published in various Indological journals, are also an index to his scholarship.