MS. Ind. Inst. Sansk. 234(R)

Sanskrit, Evans-Wentz Collection

Summary of Contents: A Bengali paper manuscript of Kālidāsa 's Abhijñānaśākuntala with numerous annotations in the margins.

Kālidāsa , Abhijñānaśākuntala

Rubric: [1v1] oṃ namo gaṇeśāya |

Incipit: [1v1] yā sṛṣṭiḥ' sraṣṭur' ādyā' vahati vidhihutaṃ' yā' havi'r yā' ca hotrī' ye' dve' kālaṃ' vidhatta'ḥ śrutiviṣayaguṇā' yā' sthitā' vyāpya' viśvaṃ' | yā'm āhu'ḥ sarvvabījaprakṛ
[v2]tir' iti yayā' prāṇina'ḥ prāṇavanta'ḥ pratyakṣābhi\ḥ/ prasanna's tanubhir' a^va^tu vas' tābhi'r aṣṭāstring-hole^bhi'r īśaḥ ||

Final rubric: [39r6] iti pañcamo 'ṅkaḥ ||

Explicit: [39v5] atha ekkadiasaṃ mae lohidamaścake khaṇṇa?kappide
[v6] jāva tasya[sic] udalantale edaṃ mahāladaṇabhaśulaṃ aṅgulīaaṃ pekkhāmi paścā idha vikaala śyalaṃ daṃsaanta jeva gihidaḍarvomalehiṃ etti kena dāva etaśśa āgame adhunā māledha vā ku

Language(s): Sanskrit.

Physical Description

Form: pothī

Support: Yellow paper.

8 × 36-36.5 cm.

Extent: 39 ff.

Foliation: Bengali numerals, mid-right margin, verso.

Condition

Damaged; all folios are smudged and stained, with akṣaras (mostly still readable) damaged by humidity.

Layout

6-7 lines per page, approximately 60 akṣaras per line. 3 × 3 mm. 1:1

Apparently no delineated frame, marginal lines, and ruling, yet all aspects of the layout display considerable uniformity. 3.5-4.1 × 28.1-29 cm. 2-5

Blank space left for string hole. 3 × 2-3 cm.

Hand(s)

Bengali in black ink (main text and first set of annotations).

Bengali in black ink (second set of annotations).

Additions:

In the upper left margin of folio 1r, an invocation in Bengali script by a different hand (\śrīrāmaḥ | śrīdurgā /).

Marginalia

invocationsOn folio 2v, invocation (śrī) instead of foliation, mid right margin, verso.
annotationsNumerous annotations on all margins throughout the manuscript; the first set in black ink was probably written by the scribe of the main text, while the second set also in black ink might have been added later.

Binding

Cardboard box, library binding.

History

Origin: 17th century (probably second half as MS Ind. Inst. Sansk. 233). Bengal.

Provenance and Acquisition

Donated by Prof E.H. Johnston in February 1940; previously belonged to Evans-Wentz, W.Y. Dr. W.Y. Evans-Wentz.

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card, for admissions procedures contact Bodleian Libraries' Admissions Office.

Bibliography

Descriptions of the manuscript

[unpublished manuscript], , (, )

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Funding of Cataloguing

AWM