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MS. Ind. Inst. Sansk. 236 (R)

MSS. Ind. Inst. Sansk.

Contents

Summary of Contents: A composite Bengali paper manuscript. The first three folios contain the beginning of a commentary of Kālidāsa's Meghadūta. The following seven folios contain a fragment of an unidentified commentary on a kāvya on Rāma's story.
1. ff. 1r-3v in original foliation
[Meghadūtavyākhyā]
Rubric: [1v1] śrīrāmaḥ ||
Incipit: [1v1] sargabandhe mahākāvyam ucyate tasya laksaṇaṃ | āśīr namaskriyā vastu nirdeśo vāpi tanmukhaṃ | itihāsakathodbhūta itaratrapadāśrayaḥ[sic] | nagarārṇṇavaśailartucandrārkodayavarṇṇanaṃ || ityādi mahā
[1v2]kāvyalakṣaṇaṃ | khalu kāvyam idaṃ sargabandhād yad uktaṃ tra(?)tallakṣaṇasahitaṃ rahitaṃ sargabandhanena | tad uvati[sic] khalu kāvyaṃ jñātavyaṃ meghadūtādi |
Language(s): Sanskrit.
2. [ff. 2r-8v, f. 1 missing. Unfoliated]

An unidentified commentary on a kāvya on Rāma's story, written in Bengali script.

Language(s): Sanskrit.

Physical Description

Form: pothī
Support: Yellow paper.

8 × 36.5 cm.

Extent: [10 ff.] 3 ff. + 7 ff.
Foliation: First item foliated in Bengali numerals, mid-right margin, verso.
Foliation: Second item unfoliated.

Condition

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

Fragmentary. The first folio of the second item is missing.

Layout

4 lines per page, approximately 54 akṣaras per line. 3-4 × 3 mm. 1.25:1

Impressed marginal frame lines. 2 × 23.7-25.5 cm. 2

Hand(s)

Bengali in black ink.

Bengali in red ink (second set of annotations).

Additions:

Marginalia

  • \Invocation (śrī) immediately before the foliation, mid right margin, verso. /
  • \Numerous 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 in red ink might have been added later./

Binding

Cardboard box, library binding.

History

Origin: Śāka 1622 / 1700 CE. 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.

Record Sources

Description created by Camillo Formigatti and revised by Barbora Sojkova, based on observation of the manuscript.

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.

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)

Funding of Cataloguing

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation