Questions of King Milinda Part 02

SR No.: 007682
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1894
Total Pages: 2240
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 38 MB

Page 467

xxxvi
PAHLAVI TEXTS.
by a third colophon, written by the actual writer of B, and preserved in copies transcribed from B since its arrival in India.
This third colophon was written by Mâh-vindad, son of Váhrâm, son of Erdishir of Türkâbâd, who completed his copy, from that of Shatró-ayâr, on the day Avân of the month Khurdåd in the Pârst year 1009 after the 20th year of Yazdakard [21st December, 1659, N. S.]. This copy, which constitutes the manuscript B, was afterwards approved by Váhram, son of Mâh-vindad, son of Rustam, son of Anôshak-ruban, son of Rastâm of Tûrkåbåd, who blesses the writer of the second colophon, on the day Tîstar of the month Vohûman in the year 1038 of Yazdakard (18th August, 1669, N. S.). It was also finally seen and approved by Rustam, son of Gäståsp, son of Êrdishîr, who likewise blesses the writer of the second colophon ; and the approximate date of this approval may be guessed from the fact that Rustam Gastâsp is known to have copied one manuscript in A. D. 1706, and another in 1741.
Regarding this manuscript B, written in 1659, it appears from Mulla Firaz's Avigêh Din (Bombay, 1830) that Mulla Bahman, son of Mulla Behram, a Parsi priest of Yazd, brought this manuscript of the Dinkard from Trân to Surat in 1783, and, having shown it to Aspandiârji Ratanji-shah, he lent it to Kausji Rustamji, then Dastar of Surat, and allowed him to have it copied. Mulla Bahman had great difficulty in obtaining the return of his manuscript, and when it was returned many folios were missing. It was after this loss of folios that Aspandiarji had several other copies transcribed from the defective manuscript, to be sent to various persons, and all these copies were therefore equally defective.
This manuscript B, thus defective, afterwards came into the possession of Mulla Fîrůz, who was high-priest of the Kadmi Parsis in Bombay; and, after his death in 1830, it descended to his successor. In 1875 it belonged to Dastûr Sohrabji Rustamji, high-priest of the Kadmis, through whose courtesy, and that of Dastar Dr. Jämâspji Minochiharji, it was then lent to me long enough to
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