their publication.

I have translated all of them as literally as possible from the
original Marathi. But, owing to the difference between Marathi and
English canons of taste, I have had in a very few places slightly
to change the sense. In some places, owing to the obscurity of the
original text, I have had to amplify the translation. In other places
I have had to cut short the descriptions of Hindu rites and ceremonies
so as to avoid wearying the English reader.

It may not be out of place to say just a word about the Indian gods
mentioned in the stories. It must be remembered that the main Hindu
gods are three in number. They are all sprung from a common origin,
Brahma, but they are quite separate beings. They do not form a trinity,
i.e. three in one or one in three. And each of them has a wife and a
family. The following genealogical tree will, I hope, help the reader.


Brahma
Shiva = Parwati
Ganpati
= the daughters of Agni
Kartakswami [1]
Vishnu = Mahalaxmi
Brahmadev = Saraswati


Of the above gods, Shiva, his son Kartakswami, and his wife Parwati,
Vishnu and his wife Mahalaxmi only are mentioned in the following
stories. Besides these, however, the Sun and Moon and the five