Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 39
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Previous | Next

Page 294
________________ 256 THE 'INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [SEPTEMBER, 1910. J. F. FLERT 40 1415"was assigned to the 28th nakshatra, Sotras wbich have been commented on by Abhijit, which was then restored to the list, and Trivikrama. Pischel was of opinion that he sim. stands between the 21st and 22nd nakshatras of the other arrangement. ply rearranged Trivikrama's grammar. Professor The Burmese system presented by Mr. Irwin Hultzsch, however, shows that the common base answers neither to Hindu equal-space system, bor of SinnharAja as well as of Trivikrama was a collecto either the Garga or the Brihina-Siddhanta sys- tion of Satras which tion of Sätras, which acoording to the manuscripts tem: and we should like to know more about it. * registered in Professor Rangacharya's Madras In connexion with it, by the way, we are told that the first nakshatra, Athawani (the Hindu Asvini) Catalogue, pp. 1,083 Beq., were attributed to "commences at longitude 3500." We presume Valmiki. I agree with Professor Hultzsch that it that this means. neither that Athawani commences is not likely that the Valmikianthulant * at 350° of the Hindū ecliptic, 10° west of the time between Hamachandra and Trivikrama. It initial point of the Hindu sphere, nor that it commences 10° west of our present processional must be older, and a critical edition would be first point of Aries; but that, like the Hindu very useful. The Mysore edition of 1886, where AŚvini, it commences at or closely about the star it bas been printed as an appendix to the Shad. Zeta Piscium, regarded as 10o distant to the west bhash&chandrika, is not accessible to me and from the precessional first point of Aries as it was hardly sufficient. The Valmikisatra was probably in the time of Hipparchus (B.O. 160-145). Pages 26 to 36 and Table III of Mr. Irwin's a South Indian compilation, and some rules book are devoted to suggestions for a reforma- contained in it were also known to Hêmachandra. tion of the Burmese calendar : the proposals Thus his remark III. 25, where he informs us being to transfer the Thingyan Tet in A.D. 1919 that some authorities (ledchit) also enjoin an from 15 April, on which day it now comes, to 8 April, fixing it permanently there ; _and to regu and to rega- Anungsika ia the nominative of vocalie neuter late the lunar year thenceforth by De Cheseaux's bases perbaps refers to a rule such as the corresluni-solar cycle of 1,040 mean tropical years, which ponding passage in Sinharaja's Prakritarapavaare almost exactly equal to 12,863 mean lunar tara, where the suffix madded in such bases has months. This opens an interesting topio wbich is not confined to Burma, and which we cannot the anabandha ", which involves an anunsika. go into here. Hémachandra was no original grammarian but drew freely on the works of his predecessors, and a careful comparison of his Satras with the ValPRAKRITABUPAVATARA. A Prakrit grammar based on mikisQtras would probably throw some light on the Valmikisutra by SIMHAXAJA, son of Samudrabandhayajvan. Edited by E. HULT38CH. London 1909. his methods and on the history of the later Prakrit grammarians. For such & work Professor (Prize Publioation Fund, Vol. 1), 8vo, XV, 180 pp. Hultzsch's edition of Sirahardjo would have to The Pr&kitardpêvatára is a Prakrit grammar be consulted throughout. in the same way as the Laghukaumudt | The Prákritard pêvatars will probably prove to and similar works. Its object is, accordingly, to be especially useful to the Indian student who give easy rules about inflexions, and so on, for wants to learn Prakrit and who is familiar with those who want to learn the language. The the arrangement of the Kaumudis. There are lamented Professor Pischel remarks in his Prakrit some signs that the interest for the Prakrits is grammar that our work is not unimportant for reviving in India. The arrangements made to the knowledge of the declension and conjugation, I years ago for a series of lectures on the Prakrits chietly because Simharaja frequently quotes more in the Calcutta University by the late Professor forms than Hamachandra and Trivikrama. No Piachel point in that direction. The importance doubt many of these forms are theoretically in- of the Prakrits in the linguistic history of India ferred; but they are formed strictly according to and even for the development of Sanskrit is not, the rules and so are not without interest." An however, so much appreciated in India as it is in edition of Simharaja's book has therefore long Europe. This is much to be regretted, and I been wanted, and our thanks are due to Professor sincerely hope that Professor Hultzsch's edition Hultzsch for undertaking the work. It could not of Sirahardja's Prakritardpåvatara, which is perhave come into better bands. baps the most convenient Prakrit grammar easily Simharfja's time is not known, but he is pro- accessible to Indian scholars, will find a wide cirbably a modern author. Professor Hultzsch shows calation in India. It is much to be deaired that in his preface that he is certainly younger than many Indians should follow the glorious example Kshirasv&min and perhaps even posterior to Ngôjt set by Dr. Bhandarker and join hands with their Bhatta. His Prakrit grammar is not of course, European colleagues in the work of elucidating an original composition, and the arrangement of the history of the Prakrits, that much neglected the materials is no doubt an imitation of the field of Indian philology, Kaumudis. The basis of his work are the same STEN KONOW.

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418