Ayodhya Comprehensive- References on Ayodhya (Set of 3 Volumes)

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About the Book This book Ayodhya Comprehensive: References on Ayodhya' is a compilation of various available records and literatures on Ayodhya, throughout the historical period. Besides, having a rich cultural and archaeological heritage, the Ayodhya has also been the center of the three major religions of ancient India viz Brahmin, Buddhist and Jain. Hence, large volume of literatures is available on various aspects of Ayodhya, that it is extremely difficult to compile, decorate and embellish it.

This heuristic task of compilation of all such literatures, related to Ayodhya from all the original scripts of ancient India in Brahmi and Devnagiri lipi, Pali, Prakrit. Sanskrit languages, has been attempted in this book that is divided in three volumes totaling thirteen Chapters such as Vedic texts, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas. Buddhist literature- Tripitaka, Nikaya, Jataka, Gatha, Divyavadan etc. Jaina literature- Kalpasutra, Uttradhyanasutra, Tiloyapannati, Nayadhammakahao etc. Sanskrit texts-Kathasaritsagara, Ashtadhyayi, Rajatarangini, Ratnavali, Malavikagnimitra, Raghuvansham etc., and descriptions given by foreign travellers Chinese Accounts of India, The Travels of Fa-hien and On Yuan Chuang's travels of India etc., i.e. inclusion of important Literary evidences etc. Besides, compilation of archaeological targets referenced from Ayodhya is also presented. Along with this, abstract evidences of important texts like Gazetteer, Encyclopedia, Dictionary and Appendices have been included.

This book will provide the textual study material to the Research scholars and scholars who want to do research work on Ayodhya.

About the Author Dr. Anand Prakash Gaur, born in the year 1954, did his M.A. in 1976 and Ph.D. in 1982 in Ancient Indian History Archaeology and Culture, from the Awadh University, Faizabad (Ayodhya). Subsequently in 1985 he joined as Regional Registration Officer, Arts and Antiquities Treasure, Department of Culture, Government of U.P. and superannuated from the government service in 2014.

During his tenure, he was posted at Nainital, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Prayagraj, Jhansi etc. Besides, his regular assignment, he was also assigned additional duties of Officer-in-Charge of Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan, Ram Katha Sangrahalaya and Ayodhya Cultural Centre. While doing this he had supervised several Research Projects, organised cultural programs, collection of displays for the museum, conservation of antiquities etc. He was deeply associated with the expansion and development of cultural activities in Ayodhya, and his notable contribution were in the establishment of Ayodhya Shodh Sansthaan, Ram katha Sangrahalay and Ayodhya Cultural Centre.

He had a great fond of writing and has written several books namely Pracheen Itihas, Pracheen Lipi, Mudraye Avem Abhilekh, Pracheen Bharat main Doot Paddhati, Rama in Ancient Indian Sculpture, Shri Ayodhya Nath Mandir, Ayodhya ke Bhitti Chitra, besides participating and presenting research papers in Seminar, Symposium etc. He passed away in January 2018, but his contribution to the development of cultural activities in Ayodhya will always be remembered by all. The preparation and publication of the present compilation in the form of a reference book, was his dream that could now be fulfilled in the year 2023, by his wife Dr. Ranjana Gaur.

Foreword A few months ago my disciple Dr Brijesh Rawat told me on the Mobile that Dr Anand Prakash Gaur has compiled material for a specific book on Ayodhya for which I have to write foreword. I was pleased for two reasons. First that the excavation work of Ram Janmabhoomi, Ayodhya was done under my direction by the onder of Allahabad High Court's Lucknow Bench and on the basis of my excavation report besides some other grounds also Supreme Court, New Delhi decided in favour of Rama temple. The second reason was that I knew Dr Gaur personally. Softness, good behavior, and research vision were his qualities. Therefore I was certain that Dr Gaur would have collected meaningful and researched collections on Ayodhya. But 1 was shocked to know his passing away suddenly due to heart attack and his unfinished work on Ayodhya was completed by his erudite wife Dr Ranjana Gaur.

In this sequence, I also talked to Dr Ranjana. The sudden demise of Dr Anand Prakash Gaur is certainly a great loss for archaeology Dr Gaur was the Registration Officer at Ayodhya under the Department of Culture, Uttar Pradesh. During this time he continued the collection of Antiquity and Valuable Artifacts, as he was given additional charge of Rankatha Museum, Ayodhya. Apart from this, the responsibility of Ayodhya Shodha Sansthan and Regional Cultural Centre Ayodhya were also looked after very well by him... While holding all these special posts, he also did authentic research work in the field of history, cultural and archaeology.

This book has literary and archaeological evidence of the history of Ayodhya from the beginning to the twelfth century having literature related to Brahmanic, Buddhist, and Jain religions of ancient India, literature of ancient scripts- Brahmi, Nagari and languages Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit and as per requirement Persian and Urdu. Vedic texts, Puranas, epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata), Sanskrit literature, Buddhist literature, foreign travel accounts are also mentioned. Many gazetteers, encyclopedias, dictionaries, appendices, archaeological sources and essential secondary sources have also been included.

Dr. Gaur's work has been carried forward with great skill by his philanthropist, Dr Ranjana Gaur. De Brijesh Rawat's contribution in publishing this book based on Ayodhya is also commendable. And for this reason this compiled book was successful in getting enough and succinct form. It will provide the textual study material to the Research scholars and scholars who want to do research work on Ayodhya.

Preface Lord Ram and his birthplace Ayodhya is known in various forms, throughout the history, not only in India but also in different parts of the world. The present day Ayodhya town, the Cultural and Historical City, was once known as a single region that extends to the entire geographical region of the present day the Oudh.

According to the etymology of this word. Ayodhya is name of a city which is not capable of fighting that means in which war cannot be waged. In fact, due to the total personality and character of Maryada Purushottam Ram, this area of Ayodhya makes its name meaningful. The prevalence of Ram Katha in different countries of the world namely Cambodia, Bali, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia etc., is a proof of the fact that Ram and all the geographical and cultural boundaries associated with him, have been the focal point of the public. Ayodhya has been the centre of attraction since time immemorial. The history and culture traditions that prevailed about Ayodhya by different languages, different sects and classes from the Vedic era till today, have been the subject of continuous research.

The compiler, with his historical Research background and his keen interest in Archaeology, studied Research based historical books, inscriptional sources and extremely rare literature and compiled the matters related to them. In view of the interest of the inquisitors in this subject, he thought that the details of Ayodhya subject scattered everywhere in the form of original texts and inscriptions written in languages Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit, etc. should be collected at one place in the form of a reference book, so that the researchers on Ayodhya can be benefitted more. Hevisited different Universities, libraries, religious, spiritual, cultural universities, State Museums, Archives located in different parts of the country and continued collecting and compiling relevant material in abundance that has finally came out in the form of present "Reference book".

For this, he has presented excerpts from Vedic Vangmaya, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Purana, Buddhist, Jaina, cosmic, Sanskrit etc. Literature with English translation as a proof of Indian history. Along with it, he collected the description of Ayodhya Literature from Inscriptional sources, foreign travels, Chronicles, Gazetteers, Dictionaries, and other great sources. And he also decided to publish it under the name 'Ayodhya Comprehensive".

He originally divided it into two parts, but keeping in mind the quality of publication, it is being published in three parts. The first part is undone and the second part is again divided into two parts. The first part has original and subsidiary text and authentic description of Ayodhya in the second part.

**Contents and Sample Pages**