Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 227

OCTOBER, 1931 ]
BOOK-NOTICES
199
convincing. The extraneous matter he has brought KICAKAVADHA OF NITIVARMAN, WITH COMMENTARY, in to explain the development of the fine arts Edited by Dr. S. K. De, 1929.. (lalita-kald), painting, architecture, etc., was more This is a short poem in five cantos describing a suited to general history than to the survey of well-known episode in the Mahabharata. This the growth of Hindi. The viows he has expressed poem belongs to what is called the Yamaka Kavyas, in this connection are not of an art critic, but of a a very artificial kind of poetry in which a few general Hindu observer. The simhhdvalokana he has syllables are found repeated; for example : given and the instances he has furnished will, it is asti rájd jagadgitamahimd lokavigrahah hoped, be welcomed by general Hindi readers. The adkydd iva rucam sthanamahimdlokavigrahah I. 7. account of modern Hindi writers which is given in Such & play on words for sound effect is an old the book, together with the general remarks by the device in Sanskrit poetry. Kalidasa resorts to it. author, is quite appropriate. One could well expect Alliteration in general is seen even in the oldest reasoned criticism of their works from an authority phase of Indian poetry-in the Vedas. In Kalidasa of Babu Shyam Sundar Das's type, A9 it usually we see only a portion of one of his kavyas with this is and ought to be given in books of this nature. device adopted for sound effect. A whole poem with
I congratulate Rai Sahib Babu Shyam Sundar this play on words is perhaps a later phenomenon Das on the production of this learned and careful in Sanskrit poetry. Such poetry was considered work and wish it the wide publicity it so fully only as a source of temporary, light amusement, deserves.
and not as serious art, and as such it may be, no HIRANANDA SASTRI. ancient specimen of such a poem, though in vogue
even in very early times, is preserved to us. Kica. KERALA SOCIETY PAPERS, published by the Kerala kavadha is probably the oldest, provided Nalodaya
Society. Series 3, 4, 5 and 6; 104 x 81 in. ; pp. is not by Kálida. 113-352. Trivandrum, 1930.
There is very little to be said against the form These four seriala published during the past year of the edition of Kicakavadha. The manuscript beer witness to the useful work being carried on by material is amply described. Some specimen sheets the Kerala Society, and the wide scope of its interests of the manuscripts are also reproduced. It is clearly -historical, archaeological, epigraphical and lin. indicated where the page in the manuscript changes ; guistic. Mr. M. Rajaraja Varma Raja continues changes of handwriting, corrections by later handshis Travancore Dynastic Studies in Series 3 and 6. all guch details are given. If the edition had boon Series 4 is chiefly devoted to articles on the Malabar free from some of its inaccuracies, it could have been Christian copper-platee by the Rev. J. Monteiro safely recommended as & model of editorial skill D'Aguiar, the Rev. Fr. H. Hosten, S.J., and Mr. T. Besides many printing mistakes, there are certain K. Joseph ; while in Series 5 Fr. H. Hosten contri- deficiencies which could very easily have been butes an interesting account of the St. Thomas avoided with a little more care. I give a few in. Christians of Malabar from Assemani's Bibliotheca stances : Orientalis, with abundant annotations. The Rev. (1) I. 1. (Com.)-Subhadrstam vi is quite correct; G. Schurhammer, S.J., also contributes several I do not know why a note of exclamation (1) hag papers on different subjects in Series 4 and 6. been added. Ity etasmdd eva karanat ought to read Among articles of special interest may be cited that ity etaemdd iva kdramat. by Mr. C. P.T. Winckworth (Ser. 3, pp. 159 f.) on a (2) I. 4.-When & text is edited with a comnew interpretation of the Pahlavi Cross Inscriptions, mentary, it is desirable that the reading in the which have hitherto baffled so many scholars, commentary be followed for the text. It would wholly divergent renderings having been suggested have been better if tand were printed in the text. by Burnell, Haug, West and others. Mr. Winck. and the reading natá given as an alternative one. worth has at lagt arrived at & reasonable and well- (3) I. 7. (Com.)-Yaddjnaya kavikávyan tam founded interpretation that meets with the ap- dha. This is not intelligible. Yet there is no comproval of those best qualified to judge. The meaning ment to show that the phrase needs consideration, of the final word is still rather ambiguous, eg will be either in a footnote or in the body of the notes. seen from the revised interpretations proposed on (4) I. 8. (Com. Arthdd ayam mayi sati pp. 268-69. Some six inscriptions, both Tamil and etatirdne.--Perhaps this should read arthad ayam.iti Hebrew, are dealt with in Series 3, 4 and 5. Another sati eta trdne. important contribution that should be mentioned (5) I. 11. (Com.)- Api virodhe.-A happier is that on the Feaste of St. Thomas by Dr. F. C. reading would be apir virodhe. Burkitt (Ser. 6, pp. 287 f.). The Society is fortunate (6) I. 17. (Com.)Sidiram ityddi.-Sisiretyadi or in having secured the collaboration of so many sidirdmdor ityddi would be a happier reading. scholars of note, which seems to be largely due to (7) I. 18. (Com.)-Krasvasting should be in. the exertions of the Secretary, Mr. T. K. Joseph, serted before krtakremena. whose devotion to the interests of the Society is (8) I. 27. (Com.)Priyam hitam copapalayan apparent throughout these papers.
du pavadhddind bharavatarandt priyakaranam; C.E. A. W.O. vajaddind vratikarandt sampannasaayakaratiam.