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INTRODUCTION to the copyists of their original MS. or to the copyists who made copies for me.
4 Cu, K, B, and E This subdivision represents the oldest text, the first three MSS being each about 300 years old, and the fourth being the copy of a very old MS, which possesses more or less an independent value Cu and K, if not copied from the same original, seem to be separated by only one generation from their common parent This subdivision is of great interest, as it represents two of the three known recensions of the drama. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that whereas in the other subdivisions the allied MSS. cover the same portion of the text, in this subdivision K and E are complete foi Acts I to VII, Cu breaks off with V 46, whereas B is very fragmentary, covering as it does a little over two Acts. Besides, even for this portion two folios are missing. It is also remarkable that K shows, in a few cases, similarities of reading with Mt and T,
The Southern Group, comprising seven or (excluding the three Tanjore MSS T2, T3, T4, of which I have too poor a copy to form a correct judgement) four MSS, does not admit of any subdivisions. All the MSS of this Group exhibit independence, one of them agreeing at one time with one and at another with any other at random, though in general terms we may say that Mr and T, agree more closely with Mt Of these Mt, Mg, and T, close with V. 46, whereas Mr extends to the end of Act VII, and represents the third known recension of the drama. The readings of this Group are decidedly superior to those of the Northern, though all the MSS of this Group are of a comparatively very recent date
Speaking of the MSS of the Malatī-mādhava, Bhandarkar remarks .1 Looking to the fact that the groups give readings which are intelligible enough and often equally good, though a shade of difference can be discovered, which renders one preferable to the other, the conviction forced itself upon me that these changes were made by the poet himself at different times, and some MSS have preserved the earlier form and others the later' I am inclined to think that the same remark applies to the MSS of the Mahāvīra-carita It is likely that before completing this drama Bhavabhūtı had his MS circulated among his contemporary poets or critics, who, however, did not show much appreciation of it. This threw the poet into a rage, to which he gave open utterance in his Māl. I. 8 The incomplete text (ending with V. 46) is, I hold, preserved in the MSS of the Southern Group Some time afterwards, Bhavabhūti not only completed the text to the end of Act V, but also went through his
1 See his edition of the Malati-madhava (Bombay, 1905), Preface, p. VI
| SR No. | 010406 |
| Book Title | Mahavira Charitam |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Todarmal Pandit |
| Publisher | University of Panjab Lahore |
| Publication Year | 1928 |
| Total Pages | 407 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 34 MB |