Indian Antiquary Vol 61

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

Page 153

JULY, 1932)
BOOK-NOTICK
139
light upon the history of the time, and we aromanagement. Sinco tl:en the library has lida indebted to these for more than one important considerable accession of manuscripts by taking episode in the history of South India when tho over two or threo private libraries containing col. Mahrattas conquered Tanjore for Bijapur and took lections of manuscripts from the families of Pandits over tho rule of what constituted the N&yakst.ip of connocted with Tanjore. The Madras Government Tanjora. The Mahratta dynasty was founded then stepped in with praiseworthy liberality, and under Ekoji or Venkaji, son of Shåhjî and a half offered, on their estimate at the time, to movide brother of Shivaji. Even in Mahratta history grant of Rs. 25,000 a year for three years for the Ekoji is mado to appear, of course in contrast to preparation of a complete catalogue. The cata. Shivaji, as an unenlightened and a ne'er-do-well loguing work was ontrusted to Mr. P. P. S. Santri, man. It would therefore bo surprising to learn and a staff of Pandits under the management of u that his interest in Sanskrit literature was great. directing committee; and work has been proceeding He is said to have made an effort at trying his aprse. Since the beginning of the work we have hand in writing Sanskrit, though the one com had nine volume of the catclogue of Sanskrit mentary that has come down to us of the his. manuscripts and three volumes of the catalogue of torical poem Mudrârâkshasa is by one Dhundu. manuscripts in Tamil. We have noticed the Tamil rAja, who lived at the court of Ekoji and enjoyed records in the Indian Antiquary already. Our pre. his patronage. Ekoji probably contracted this sent purpose is merely to notice the Sanskrit taste for literature from the dynasty that he over- ones. throw, and possibly he wanted to continue the The first three volumes constitute a catalogue of tradition of the enlightened family of rulers of Vedic literature, the Ved.19, Brahmanos and Upani. Tanjore unbroken. This patronago of literature con- shade constituting this section. The next section tinued at least as a fashion among his successors, runs through two volumes having begun already in and Sarfoji simply followed it up as a mere matter the third volume. They (vols. IV and V) comprise of fashion. The story goes that on a visit to Calcutta the Vedangas and the Srauta part of Vaidik literature. one of the enthusiastic members of the Asiatic Volume VI begins the Kdvyas. The Kavya literature Society of Bongal put him & question whether there runs through the next two volumes (VI and VII). were libraries in his State such as that of the newly Vol. VIII deals with Nafaka, and vol, IX comprises founded Asiatic Society of Bengal. When Sarfoji Kosas, Chandas and Alankdra. The number of returnod to Tanjore, his interest in literature grew manuscripts at present in the library would be well a little more active, and we find books published over 30,000. The first three volumes describe somein Italian on the Sakuntald well preserved in the thing over 2,000 manuscripts; volumes IV and V deal library as yet. The calamity that overtook the with about 2,500 inanuscripts nearly ; volumes VI family in the nineteenth century brought about and VII with about 1,500 ; volume VII (Naţakas) the neglect of the library along with auch else, and contains 445 items; and volume IX over 630. it was not till the seventies that efforts were made So there nine volumes cover only something over to catalogue the library and introduce some syste- 7,000 manuscripts, which represents but a fraction matic arrangement. After some futile efforts, & of the library. Notwithstanding the financial District Judge of Tanjore, in the person of the late stringency of the times, it is to be hoped that the A. C. Burnell, took it upon himself to catalogue the government that came forward with financial assistmanuscripts there, and it is that that first opened ance to do the good work will continue their patron.: the eyes of the public to the important mass of mate. age to bring that work to completion. rial, literary material, that lay neglected in the Coming to the character of the work itself, the library. Burnell's Catalogue was far from perfect, cataloguo is arranged in approved style. Each although it made the best effort to give an idea of work is given a number and its full name. Referwhat the library contained. Since then the library ences to Burnell's Catalogue are added wherever has been going on as heretoforo, although within applicable. The number of pages and slokas are recent years a laudable attempt had been made to given, whether the manuscript is on paper or on complete the work started by Burnell and, as a palm leaves, the number of lines to a page, and the first step, Arrangements were made to examine the charactor of the script. Then follows the total manuscripts and put them in order. In the course number of granthas and the name of the author. of the litigation that occurred about ten years ago There are remarks in respect of manuscripts indicat. for the heirship of the estates, the various parties, ing their relations to other manuscripts in the with a commendable desire to perpetuate the catalogue and other such matters. Then usually library, whatever the result of the litigation, came to the beginning and the end of the text of the manu. an agreement that irrespective of the court's decree script are given, as they generally contain the name in the suit, the library should be maintained, and of the author, patron and other details that throw provision made for its maintenance from the light upon the time in which the work was actually estate. This was agreed to with the sanction of composed and other data of value. It follows gene. the court. The library was placed upon the foot rally the plan of the catalogue of manuscripts in ing of a public institution, with a committee for its the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, but