The Publisher’s cordial thanks are due to Prof. N. S. Takakhav, M. A., for having readily undertaken this very difficult and arduous task. He as a student of history was not content with the original Marathi text. He went to the very sources of information from which it was compiled, and brought under contribution almost all the recent researches and discoveries regarding the life story of our national hero. In his hands the work has assumed a highly critical and exhaustive form and is calculated to dispel many groundless and uncharitable notions about our hero which have hitherto, almost unchallenged, gained currency in the historical literature concerning our land.

The value of this work has been enhanced by the fact that the Revd. Dr. N. Macnicol M.A., D. Litt., a distinguished missionary scholar of the United Free Church of Scotland Mission, was gracious enough to revise the MS. of this work and go through the proofs as the work passed through the press. His kind and appreciative Foreword appended hereto is a noble tribute from a high-souled and sympathetic friend of India. For this noble and generous act the publisher owes him a deep debt of gratitude.

The MS. of this work was lying for several years with the publisher for want of funds to put it through the press. He was helped out of this difficulty by Shrimant Major Sardar Maloji Narsingrao Sitole of Gwalior, who advanced a large loan at the instance of Shrimant Sadashivrao alias Khasesaheb Powar, Home Member, Gwalior State and Rao Bahadur Khaserao Bhagwantrao Jadhav of Baroda. But this fund was soon exhausted and the

His thanks are also due to the Proprietor and Manager of the Manoranjan Press for the great care and interest with which he has printed this work and afforded him all reasonable facilities to bring it out in this very decent and acceptable form.publisher was again in a fix, from which he was helped out by his esteemed friend Rao Saheb Harischandra Vishram Rajwadkar, J. P., who advanced another large loan. For this financial help the publisher is very grateful to these generous gentlemen.