THE origin of these tales is as follows:--In the reign of the Emperor
Muhammad Shah, Rajã Jaisinh Sawãr (who was the ruler of. Jainagar)
ordered the eminent poet, named Sürat, to translate the Baitãl Pachisi
(which was in the Sanskrit) into the Braj dialect. Thereupon he
translated it into the dialect of Braj, in accordance with the king’s
command. And now, during the reign of the Emperor Sfãhi ’Alam, and
in the time of the lord of lords, the cream of exalted princes, the
Privy-Counsellor of the Monarch of England, whose court stands as high
as Saturn; the noblest of the noble, the Governor-General, Marquis
Wellesley (may his government be perpetuated!); and in accordance with
the bidding of His Honour, Mr. John Gilchrist (may his good fortune
endure!); to the end that illustrious gentleman may learn and
understand, the poet Mazhar Ali Khan (whose _nom de plume_ is Vila),
with the aid of the poet Shrï Lallü Lãl, rendered the same into easy
language, such as high and low use in speaking, and which the learned
and the ignorant, the talented and the obtuse, would all comprehend, and
which would be easy to the mind of every one, no difficulty of any kind
presenting itself to the intellect, and wherein the dialect of Braj
frequently occurs.
Now, in conformity with the command of the Professor of Hindi, the
bounteous patron, His Honour, Captain James Mouat, (may his prosperity
last long!) Tãrinïcharan Mitra, (in preparing the work) for the press,
has struck out such Sanskrit and Braj words as seldom occur in the Urdu
dialect, and introduced words in current use. Some words, however, in
use among the Hindus, the exclusion of which he regarded as detrimental,
he has preserved intact. He trusts that the work may meet with a
favourable reception.