Kuvalayamala Part 2

SR No.: 002778
Original Sutra Author: Udyotansuri
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 368
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 12 MB

Page 43

KUVALAYAMÂLÂ
of the letters have such a peculiar and old style that a novice might confuse one for the other; some pairs may be noted here by way of illustration: а & jh, u &o ū & j, e & p, gh & pp, gh & vv & pp, tsh & dạh, d & r, t & n, ņ & l, th & vy, ph (second variety) & d, bh & ru, m &s, y & p etc. With regard to u and o, one feels that there is a slight difference in their shape; but it is not always definitive. Very often cch is written for ch, and cch, ijh and tth follow an anusvāra, the first two even a long vowel. At times initial doubling as in thio is seen. The sign of avagraha is used here and there, of course rarely; and a somewhat peculiar symbol (a round bracket with a stroke below) is used for m.
In this Ms. J, verses are not numbered; separation of words is sometimes indicated by very small strokes or dots on the head of a line; very often dandas are helpful, but they are not put always at the required place, especially in prose. In verses, however, single or double danda is used regularly and correctly. At times some letters are rubbed out and stand faint: they are to be treated as cancelled. Semetimes dots are put on letters which are to be omitted; and a stroke below them means striking off of that portion. Portions within round brackets are also to be left out. There are some marginal additions and corrections, often in a different hand of the later style. Big sections in stories are concluded with a symbol which looks like cha, put between single or double danda The Ms. J opens thus:
& ST CAT opatra II TCH THE Fafone etc.
and ends thus:
॥ इति कुवलयमाला नाम संकीर्णकथा परिसमाप्ता ॥ (0) ॥ मंगलं महा श्रीः ।। छ । संवत् ११३९ फाल्गु वदि १ रविदिने लिखितमिदं पुस्तकमिति ॥ Thus this Ms. is written in Samvat 1139, i.e., (-56), A.D. 1083; and so it is nearly 900 years old. The concluding sentence, mentioning the date, shows a slightly different hand; but I think, it is written by the same writer.
A paleographic study of this Ms. by duly handling the original palm-leaves would bring to light many interesting details. As already observed by Prof. F. B.J. KUIPER, 'J is written in a hand which closely resembles that of pl. VI, col. XV of BÜHLER (taken from a Ms, that is only two years older than J), except for the akşara ņa. The serif or the head or top line of many letters in J is not just a short line above the akşara, but often it looks like a wedge (with thick ink) and resembles the serif of certain letters in pl. V, col. iii and pl. VI, col. xiv of BÜHLER.3 What is seen as hollow triangle of the serif in the Banswara plates of Bhoja of Dhārā (11th century A.D.) is thickened with ink in J.
It is interesting to study the akşaras in J in more details. a and ā structurally resemble those in BÜHLER VI. XV-xvii, but may also be compared with those in
1 See the charts of Akşara-vatikās at the beginning. 2 Indo-Iranian Journal I. No. 3, p. 231. 3 These references to BÜHLER are to his Indische Palaeographie in the Grundriss, 1896, with plates; its English translation by J. F. FLEET in the Indian Antiquary, XXXIII, 1904; lately issued, along with plates, in Indian Studies : Past and Present, Calcutta 1959.