Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 400

370
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ DECEMBER, 1993
VEDIO ANTIQUITIES. BY G. JOUVEAU-DUBREUIL. which Professor Paniklar may alter his mind
Luzao and Co., London, and Modern Press, 1, when this little book finds a successor : "the origin Pondicherry, 1922.
of the Pallava family is obscure." Late research Professor Jouveau-Dubreuil's work hardly re. in this Journal points to an origin in Ceylon. The quires an introduction to antiquarian circles : last remark on Harsha is arresting: “Harsha for his researches in South Indian antiquities are seems to have been unmarried, and in any case already widely appreciated. This modest little it is certain that he left no issue behind him." brochure of 29 pages deals with his discovery The first of these statements seems a little too of the rock-cut tombs in Malabar (Kerala) which, modern in form for the 7th century A.D., and one as he explains, are exactly similar in their main would like to know if "unmarried " men at that features to the tombs of the Vedic Aryans. The time were at all known. The fact that both Vedic tomb was merely a reproduotion of the Yasodharman of the 6th century and Harsha hemispherical hut of an Aryan chief-"a hollow of the 7th century left no successors is of itself stupa" made of timber and covered with clay : remarkable. They wore the last of the two 'geand the chief ceremony performed in it by the neral' rulers of their period, and the circumstance Aryans of the Vedic age was the fire-sacrifice, of both being childless or at any rate successor - which necessitated the presence of some sort of less has had so great an offect on Indian history chimney to carry off the smoke of the offerings. that one would like to know all about their imme. Professor Jouveau-Dubreuil's personal examina. diate followers, if that were possible. tion of the laterite caves of Malabar proves that The remaining short chapters of the book,-on they were furnished with "chimneys," as well Harsha the King,' Harsha the Poet,' and the social 89 with other stereotyped features of the Vedic conditions of his time, are well put together and tomb; and this coupled with the fact that the make excellent reading for the youth of the Bom. traditional land owners of Kerala are Arys Brah- bay University. Finally the book winds up with manara (Nambudiri Brahmans) who perform the a fino note on Bana's Harsha Charila and the other Soma and Agni sacrifices, leads to his main conclu material available for a study of Harsha's life. Bion that Malabar in prehistoric ages was directly
RC. TEMPLE colonised by Aryans from the north of India. A
SARNATH-KA-ITIHASA. BY MR. BRINDABANACHANDRA very interesting little book.
BHATTACHARYA, M.A., M.R.S.G.S. Jaknamanda! S. M. EDWARDES.
Press. Kashi. Samvat 1979. SRI HARSHA OF KANAUJ. By K. M. PANIKKAR, This book is a translation in Hindi of Mr. Bhatta
B.A. (Oxon.), pp. iii, 82. Bombay: D. B. charya's Sachitra Sarndther Itihasa in the Bengali Taraporevala and Sons, 1922.
language which was published a few years ago. This is in reality more than a brief history of The need of a Hindi Guide to those ruins was Sri Harsha. It is, as the sub-titlo says, "a mono. 1 greatly folt for a long time and Mr. Bhattacharya's graph on the history of India in the first half of book will, therefore, be welcomed by the Hindi. the 7th century A.D.," and as such it is a good reading public. It would, however, have been book and well worth reading. Professor Panikkar more useful, if greater care had been exercised starts with a capital résumé of the political con. in its proparation. As it is, the printing leaves dition in the 6th century A.D., and he is perhapa much to be desired, and the misprints and omissions right in saying of the great ruler of that time, make the author's meaning often doubtful. The Yasodharman, that it is not known who he way, value of this otherwise interesting book is further though there have been several people who have vitiated by numerous mistakes and mis-statemente, tried to hunt him down. At any rate in Yaso- and the author frequently finds fault with previous dharman we have a character who is quite worth writers on Sárnáth, where he is himself obviously some such monograph as that under review. in error. The following notes are offered in & Perhaps Professor Panikkar may try his hand. I purely scientific spirit, merely to draw Mr. The great religious point of that century which Bhattacharya's attention to such matters in his the writer makes is the breakdown of Buddhism book as require correction or improvement, and bufore Brahmanism " in spite of the patronage to enable him to remedy them in the future al the great Emperor Harsha himself."
editions of his book. Such points are dealt This short account is followed by the political with, for convenience, seriatim. history of Sri Harsha's reign for which, besides Page 8, List of Contents, etc. --" Dhámek Stupa." Bana, there is a good deal recorded in inscrip- The correct pronunciation is Dhamekh Staps in Lions, which has all been searched by Professor accordance with the original Sanskrit name Panikkar and well set out. In fact to my mind Dharmeksha. Similarly the spelling Buddha the account put together by him is a good example Gayů in Mr. Bhattacharya's book should be of how such things ought to be done. There is only corrected to Bodh Gaya, conformably with the one point, and that in a footnoto to p. 25, as to ancient Sanskrit name Bodhi Gaya.