Indian Antiquary Vol 62

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

Page 111

MAY, 1933]
MISCELLANEA
is utterly incompetent to handle dramatically a story which in itself has possibilities. The latest of all seems to be the Abhisekanataka, whose inferiority is recognised by the translators. The use of a word such as bhaganesa, 'gun' (vi, 6), is sufficient to prove the lateness of the author, who also uses srasta twice (i, 9, and 16) in the curious sense of sunken' eyes, a usage only known to medical literature according to the PW. The Pratimanáțaka is perhaps the best of them, at any rate in parts, but the famous statue scene is hardly well carried through, and its intrusion into the play is dramatically a mistake, as interrupting the story and distracting our interest from the leading characters, just when we ought to be concentrating on them. In general the low standard of workmanship of these plays is painfully apparent, if we compare them with, say, the Mattavildaa or the four bhånas published under the name of Caturbhani, to take only works of the second rank. It is to my mind one of the curiosities of literary criticism that ten plays, so deficient in dramatic properties and so lacking in distinction of language, should have been confidently attributed to a master of style and of the theatre, such as the SV shows Bh&sa to have been. Though differences of language and technique suggest that several hands are responsible for them, it would be of little interest to discuss among how many authors they should be distributed.
(To be continued.)
MISCELLANEA.
V.
VI.
AN ARCHÆOLOGICAL ATLAS OF GREATER INDIA.
The Kern Institute has undertaken the publice tion of an Archäological Atlas of Greater India (India proper, Ceylon, Further India and Indonesia). A preliminary list of the maps which the proposed Atlas is to contain will be found sub. joined to this notice, but the editors wish it to be understood that this list is by no means final but can be enlarged or modified. Any suggestion made with regard to the proposed scheme will receive careful consideration,
It is the intention of the editors to restrict them. selves to ancient, i.e., pre-Muhammadan, India. The information embodied in the maps will be chiefly topographical, the ancient names (Sanskrit or Sanskritized) of towns, villages, districts, rivers, etc., being printod in red letters under the modern names.
It will be the endeavour of the editors to collect and utilize all available data regarding the ancient topography found in Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit literature and inscriptions. There can be little doubt that there are still many passagen hidden away in that huge literature which will throw light on the position of a certain locality and which hitherto have escaped notice. The task of collecting such passages cannot, however, be accomplished without the co-operation of many scholars.
The 'editors, therefore, appeal to the scholars of Great Britain and India to lend them their valuable assistance in this matter. This assistance can best be rendered by the communication of any passage of geographical interest, which will be the more
valuable if taken from some little-known or unpub. lished text. It goes without saying that informetion derived from other sources (Greek, Chinese, Tibetan, etc.) will be equally welcome.
N. J. KROM, PR.D.
J. Ph. VOGEL., PH.D. The Editors: F. C. WIEDER, PH.D.
CAP. J. J. MULDER, Cartographer.
(A. ZIESENISS, PH.D., Secretary. (Address : Kern Institute, Leiden, Holland.)
LIST OF MAPS. Asia (spread of Buddhism and
Hinduism ; routes of the most im
portant Chinese pilgrims). II-IV. India proper.
India proper according to Ptolemy. Special maps of India proper (the
campaign of Alexander the Great ; the empire of Asoks; the empire
of the Guptas).
Kashmir. VIII.
The Western Himalaya.
Gandhara (and Afghanistan). X.
Ceylon. XI.
Ceylon according to Ptolemy. XII.
Further India. ΧΙΙΙ. Further Indis according to Ptolemy. XIV. Kambodia. XV. Champa.
Indonesia. | XVII-XIX. Java. XX. Sumatra : (a) West coast of Sumatra
incl. Tapanoeli; (6) Palembang and
Djambi. XXI.
Bali.
IX.
XVI.