Collected Research Papers in Prakrit and Jainology Vol 02

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: University of Pune

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The Ms. of Bappabhattikahä
In H.D.Velankar's catalogue of manuscripts, viz. Jinaratnakośa (published by BORI), I found a reference of 'Bappabhattikahā', a small Prakrit text which was available in Bhandarkar's manuscript collection. Dr. Ghatage helped me a lot to search other manuscripts in various manuscript-collections through his sources. At the end of his quest, he told me to concentrate on the single manuscript.
Twenty five years ago, the word 'manuscriptology' was not so much in vogue as it is now.
Foreign and Indian academicians had edited hundreds of Jaina texts in 19 and 20 century; but the methodological science of editing the manuscript is the brainchild of this decade especially is India.
With this prelude, I humbly say that I have not attended seminars or formal courses on Manuscriptology. One can do better if one attends, but for editing an old Jaina manuscript, the first and foremost thing is that a person should have the deep knowledge or insight in Prakrit and Sanskrit. Digitization of manuscripts, exhibiting the manuscripts, knowing various scripts, techniques of manuscript-preservation and conservation, technical knowledge about the palm-leaf, birch-leaf, paper, copper plates etc., the history of paper, varieties of papers and stylus - all these things are of course important. Still they possess only peripheral value; it is not the crux of the matter.
If one really wants to contribute Jaina studies, it is his solemn duty to edit at least few Jaina texts which are not yet published.
When I found the single manuscript of 'Bappabhattikahā' my quest started. The basic information of the text is likewise:
Description of the Manuscript
The single manuscript of 'Bappabhattikahā' is found in manuscript collection at BORI, Pune. The catalogue no. 165/1872-73. Nine folios are there having the size 25.7 cm X 11.2 cm. Each folio contains 14 lines and each line contains 35 letters. Thin deshi paper is used. Script is Devanāgarī and letters are quite legible. Each page is decorated with black and red border. Each folio contains the page number at lower left side. Few corrections and notes are written in yellow ink. In itself the manuscript is complete but the name of the author is not written. Even the name of the scribe is not mentioned. The date of the ms. is also not written but considering the paper,
style of letters etc. we can say that the date of this manuscript is approximately 15th or 16" century. There are 230 verses. 215 gāthās are in Jaina Māhārāstrī. 10 ślokas are in Sanskrit. Slokas are in Anustubha, Vasantatilakā and Samajāti metre. 5 gāthās are found in Apabhramsa Dohā metre.
I started to edit this text in 1990. It was actually just beginning of my career in Prakrit. I put the text in proper Devanāgari script and tried to analyze and translate the text.
Now in 2010, when I went through the text and translation I felt that during the inbetween time, my perception and understanding have changed tremendously. I can understand and
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