In bringing out the present edition of the Kumarasambhava (fifth canto) and thus swelling the number of already annotated editions of this poem the editor owes an apology to the savants of Sanskrit literature. The existing editions have excellences of their own but the problem is that most of the good editions are not available. The objective of preparing the present edition is to fulfill the need of the students who find great difficulty in their study in the absence of a suitable textbook. The Editor, therefore, has taken, special care to see that the requirements of the university students are adequately met. But, he, however, claims no originality but only the credit of collecting all important information about the great poet Kalidasa, his Life, Date, and Works and putting them together in this work. The translation both in English & Hindi is so rendered as to explain the text intelligibly.
It is hoped that the student world will find a great deal of new information in this edition. It will help them in understanding Kalidasa and his poetry easily and clearly.
I am very much thankful to Professor R.L. Nanavati, Director, Oriental Institute, M.S. University,' Baroda for correcting the English Translation of 46 Verses of the second half of the Fifth Canto and Notes thereof. He is the person who initiated the idea of preparing such a work and provided inspiration and help.
My thanks are due to Prof. Dr. Uma S. Deshpande, Head, Department of Sanskrit, Pali & Prakrit for her advice and guidance.
I am thankful to my wife Dr. Sweta for her help and encouragement.
My thanks are due to Miss Preeti V. Adhiya for preparing the Hindi Translation of this Canto and helping me in the preparation of the Text.
The Proprietor of the Bharatiya Kala Prakashan, C.P. Gautama, Delhi, deserves heartfelt thanks for the publication of this book in an efficient manner.
