वृक्षायुर्वेद (सुरपाल - प्राचीन भारतीय पादप-विज्ञान, कृषि एवं वृक्ष-चिकित्सा सटीक)

Preface
It is over two years now that Vrikshayurveda has kept
me occupied. Although I was not continuously engaged
in the work of translation in an active manner, it has
never been long absent from my thoughts. Practical
exigencies forced me to put aside the work again and
again, sometimes for even two or three months at a
stretch. These intervals, however, often proved fruitful
either by getting a clue to acquiring a book on a related
subject or getting important information on the subject
through conversations with scholars and friends sharing
my interest.
Generally, I have aimed at being faithful to the text of
the manuscript. However, when due to some defective
portions or lapses in the script, I was unable to
comprehend the meaning, I have taken recourse to the
texts and translations of Upavanavinoda or
Brhatsamhita dealing with identical topics. Yet, I cannot
say that I have invariably hit the true meaning. Repeated
study in the past few months has often proved that there
is room for improvement. It is a continuous process and
I do not grieve for it since after the publication of the
work, others too can participate in the process.
I am grateful to Dr Y L Nene for entrusting this work to
me and putting up with all the delay in a patient manner.
I deem it a great honor that the bulletin is being
published at the inaugural function of the Asian Agri-
History Foundation and express my gratitude to the
members of the Trust.
I am grateful to Prof. Shri Ramachandrudu for his
valuable suggestions in reading the manuscript. My
thanks are due to Shri Ramachari Ghanapathi for
making available to me his copies of Brhatsamhita and
Upavanavinoda during the entire period of this
translation. The well known ornithologist Shri Maruti
Chittampalli discussed some important issues of the text
with me and sent me a copy of Upavanavinoda for
which I thank him profusely. Dr Dadegaonkar, a close
family friend, had come to my rescue not only for
making available to me the computer printouts of the
manuscript but also for solving other practical
difficulties which I faced during the period. I greatly
value and appreciate his help. Dr Shakuntala Dave
(Govt. Ayurveda College, Hyderabad) is like a member
of my family and all the help she has rendered is beyond
verbal thanks.
I shall be failing in my duty if I do not place on record
the valuable help I have derived from the translations
of Upavanavinoda—one by Majumdar (1935) in
English and the other by Borkar in Marathi. Without
these translations the work would have taken much
longer time to be completed and would have to be
published with some more blank spaces. The metrical
composition provided many clues to the reading of
defective or incomplete portions of Vrikshayurveda
and the contents could be ascertained from these
translations.
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