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2. GĀTHĀ-MUKTĀVALI A NEWLY DISCOVERED RECENSION OF HALA'S S'APTA-SATAKA
A. Weber1 distinguished six different recensions of Hāla's Sapta-Sataka (popularly also called Gātha-Saptaśati) which he designated as : (1) the Vulgate, (2) X, (3) R, (4) S (=Sādhāraņadeva's Muktāvali), (5) T = The first Telinga recension), (6) W (= the second Telinga recension). Of these the recensions S and T basically depart from the other recensions in the arrangement of Gāthās. They arrange the Gāthās in subjectwise groups called Vrajyā (S) or Paddhati (T). We are indeed familiar with this type of grouping and designation from several anthologies of Saṁskṛta and Prākrta Subhāsitas.
In the MSS. collection of the L. D. Institute of Indology exists a manuscript of a work called Gäthä-muktāvali (GM.) (No. 7812), which turns out to be one more recension of the Sapdtaśataka, different indeed from the aforenoted six recensions set up by Weber. GM is similar to Sādhāraṇadeva's Muktāvali and the first Teling recension in that it also groups the Gāthās under different Paddhatis, Since its grouping is similar to that of the Muktavali, it differs from T, which first divides the Gāthās into Śatakas or Centuries, and then subdivides each one of the Centuries according to the subjects. Obviously, though influenced by S, GM shows considerable independence in the number and sequence of the group as well as the number and sequence of Gāthās within the groups.
The manuscript is incomplete. Only first 14 out of a total of 45 folios (reported in the list of contents for which see further) are preserved. The obverse of the first folio is blank. The manuscript folios measure 23 x 8 cm. Each side has ten lines and each line has forty letters on an average. The handwriting is bold and clear. The padimātrā (prsthamātrā) is used. The Ms. is carefully
