Collected Research Papers in Prakrit and Jainology Vol 02

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

Page 48

BORI is so much regarded because it was prepared with the help of 14 manuscripts which were collected from the different parts of our country. But in all cases, it is not possible to get many mss.
The oldest Jaina Sauraseni text Satkhandāgama was found in Müdabidrī, Karnāṭaka, with its extensive commentary ‘Dhavalā’ in 1939. The script was old Kannada and was written on palmleaves. The bare text of Sātkhandāgama was published in 1965, with the help of palm-leaf ms. Later on, the copies of Şarkhandāgama were found in Sagar, Amaravati, Phaltan etc. which were copied down from the one and only palm-leaf ms.
Same is the case of Vasudevahindi : Majjhima Khanda (1) edited by Dr. Bhayani & Nagin Shah. It is based on five mss.. But in the introduction it is noted that of the above described
mss., Tms. is a palm-leaf ms. It is fairly old and it is comparatively better than all other mss.
is the original and the other four mss. were possibly successively copied from
T'. The
original text is too much corrupt and we do not construe the text with the help of other copies."
Thus it was practically edited with single ms.
In the introduction of Samkhitta-tarangavai-kahā, Dr. Bhayani has noted down that though he edited the text with three mss., due to corrupt texts, the editor faced a lot of difficulties. With his scholarly endeavor he had suggested better readings but at many places we see the brackets,
questions marks and dotted lines in the published text.
Thus, while editing a text, there is not a prescribed formula about the number of mss. We can edit the text with a single ms. provided it is legible and having few corruptions.
Some Problems and Observations While Editing
The task of editing Bappabhattikahā with a single manuscript was comparatively an easy
task. The paper ms. is comparatively modern i.e. of 15" of 16" Cen.A.D. The letters are big and legible. Still here, I indicate some orthographical problems and special features of the first folio.
i) The ms. starts with a typical sign indicating 3 or 3164 ii) and as are not differentiated. (afgel, gā.1) iii) 7, 77, 7 and I are written in a peculiar style. (gā. 1;6) iv) is written in a curious way. (gā. 5;6;9)
v) In place of 311, the scribe writers 3' with a typical sign. (gä. 10)
vi) When the scribe wants to rub the letter he makes the ink to fade. (gā. 5; gà 9) vii) The style of writing star is very special. (gā. 4)
viii) The conjunct consonants
and
are many times baffling. (gā. 7)
ix) The style of writing 'z' is also peculiar at some places. (gā. 8)
x) The forgotten letters are added in the margin. (ga. 6)
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