Operation In Search of Sanskrit Manuscripts in Mumbai Circle 1

Author(s): P Piterson
Publisher: Royal Asiatic Society

Page 56

IN TIE BOMBAY CIRCLE.
43
Women too were able to make verses; witness, Sila, Vijja, Marulâ, and Morika: but praise belongs only to the man who understands all learning, can conquer all opponents, and speak about everything.'"* A reference to the list of authors quoted by Vallabhadeva will show that this enameration may now be largely extended
Returning now to the incidents of my stay at Jeypore, I may note that while waiting for arrangements to be made to enable me to visit the library, I took advantage of an invitation extended to me to visit and examine the Maharaja's Native Sanskrit College. The European scholar is familiar now with description of visits to such places : but I could not help wishing that it were possible to place some of the eminent men, who in mind and spirit are no strangers to a country they have never seen, in the midst of the scene before me. The cloisters surrounding an inner court-yard of a temple, that reserves only one side of its quadrangle for purposes of worship, were filled with a crowd of scholars of all ages. With some difficulty-for masters and pupils were everywhere squatted indiscriminately upon the ground-an asanam of cushions was spread. for me, and for my companion, who, had she been Sarasvati herself, could not have been treated with more respect. Children, who looked as if they might bat yesterday have learned to speak, recited to us glibly the first elements of that marvellous system of technical grammar, which some of them will be studying still when the present generation of men has passed away. Older pupils and their masters joined in discussing difficult passages, selected from various kâvyas, with a warmth and vehemence that left short space for their visitor to interpose remarks which, to do the disputants justice, were uniformly received with scholarly courtesy. The last pupil who came ap to exhibit his proficiency to the mlechchha Sanskritist was an old blind man, who, I was informed, and readily believed, could have gone on repeating the Mahâbhâshya as long as there was any one to listen to him, and who, if I may judge from his happy demeanour, is evidently as content with tho shadow he pursues as any of us all.
. Aufrecht's paper referred to. The author has the note, Vijja, a corruption of Vidy, is an abbreviation for Vijjak. Máruld is the reading of three of my manuscripts, A, B, and 0, and there is no occasion to change it into Maruta. A, O, E read Játum for visvam.