A catalogue of South Asian Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries

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MS. Fraser Sansk. 41

MSS. Fraser Sansk.

Contents

Summary of Contents: An illuminated paper scroll of the Bhagavadgītā.
Bhagavadgītā
Rubric: namo bhagavate |
Language(s): Sanskrit.

Physical Description

Form: scroll
Support: Paper.
Dimensions (roll): 249 × 2.6 cm.

Condition

Complete.

Hand(s)

Devanāgarī in black ink. ‘[The MS.] is written in a most painful minute hand.’

Decoration

An illuminated headpiece decorated with red flowers and green foliage.

An illuminated border on both sides of the scroll.

A miniature of four-armed Gaṇeśa seated on a lotus flower. Framed by a red border, and set within an illuminated headpiece decorated with red flowers and green foliage.

A miniature of four-headed and four-armed Brahma, seated on a lotus flower. Framed by a red border, and set within an illuminated headpiece decorated with red flowers and green foliage.

A miniature of four-armed Viṣṇu embracing Lakṣmī, both seated on a lotus flower. Framed by a red border, and set within an illuminated headpiece decorated with red flowers and green foliage.

A miniature of Śiva, facing Pārvatī, both seated.Framed by a red border, and set within an illuminated headpiece decorated with red flowers and green foliage.

A miniature of Durgā with twelve hands, seated on a tiger. Framed by a red border, and set within an illuminated headpiece decorated with red flowers and green foliage.

A miniature of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna on a chariot drawn by two white horses. Framed by a red border, and set within an illuminated headpiece decorated with red flowers and green foliage.

Set within the text are smaller miniatures without a decorative border, depicting various themes: Durgā with twelve hands, seated on a lotus flower; Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna on a chariot drawn by two white horses; Viṣṇu as vāraha; Viṣṇu as matsya; and various seated divine and royal figures.

Binding

Kept in a glass case inside a wooden box.

History

Origin: 18th cent. CE.

‘There is nothing to aid in determining the date. Possibly it may belong to the end of the 18th cent. At any rate it cannot be much—if at all—older, and may be later.’

Provenance and Acquisition

The collection of James Fraser was transferred to the Bodleian Library from the Radcliffe Library in May 1872.

Record Sources

Description by Barbora Sojkova, based on the following sources:
Keith, Appendix to Vol. I, no. 801, p. 100

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures contact Bodleian Admissions). Contact specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript.

Bibliography

    Printed descriptions:

    Arthur Berriedale Keith, Catalogue of Sanskrit manuscripts in the Bodleian Library: Appendix to Vol. I (Oxford, 1909), no. 801, p. 100
    Theodor Aufrecht, Codices Sanscriticos complectens, vol. 1. (Oxford, 1864), no. 801, p. 345

Funding of Cataloguing

The cataloguing of this item was made possible through a benefaction from the late John P. Clay, founder and benefactor of the Clay Sanskrit Library.