Srngaramanjari Katha

Author(s): Bhojdev, Kalpalata K Munshi
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 24

INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I THE PLACE OF FIND AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE MS.
The palmleaf Ms. of the Śrngāramañjarikathā (hereafter mentioned as SMK) of King Bhojadeva was found in the Jesalmere Jñana Bhandara. It was first noticed by Dr. G. Bühler when he went to examine the Bhandāras in 1874. He says:
'A poetical composition by Bhoja--the śrngäramañjarikathā ---- is partly preserved in a fragment which I found in 1874 in the Bșhadjñānakośa at Jesalmere. A colophon on fol. 149b runs as follows:-- इति महाराजाधिराजपरमेश्वर श्रीभोजदेवविरचितायां शंगारमंजरीकथायां पमराककथानिका द्वादशी समाप्ता । The work is partly in prose and partly in verse.'1
The same Ms. has been listed in the 'Catalogue of Mss. in the Jesalmere Bhandaras' compiled by C. D. Dalal after his visit to Jesalmere in 1916. The Catalogue observes, at one place 'No. 32 (1) T TECH by Bhoja, incomplete.' (2) in the introductory part of the same catalogue, Pandit Lalchandra Gandhi writes: TTREGA भोज (क ३२५ (२)) कथासंग्रहमयीयं सुरसा कथा संस्कृतभाषायां संस्कृतभाषाजीवातुना सरस्वतीकण्ठाभरणादिप्रणेता महाराजभोजदेवेन विरचितेति तदन्तर्गतकपत्रे उल्लेखदर्शनादATRI ()
A few lines from fol. 69a and 69 b are then quoted from the Ms. Evidently Bühler had only seen stray leaves of the Ms. for he incorrectly avers that the work is partly in prose and partly in verse. Pandit Gandhi, however, has rightly observed that SMK is a Kathā, emboxed within which are a number of other tales.
Pandit Isvarachandra Šāstri, who has edited4 Bhoja's 'Yuktikalpataru' refers to SMK as a work on Kavyaśāstra in the Introduction. M. Krishnamachariar, in his 'A History of Classical Sanskrit Literature' has made a reference to Bhoja's SMK as a prose romance.5 Further, the same author has written a note on SMK in the Journal of Sri Venkatesvara Oriental Institute which is interesting. It reads: Śrngāramanjarī is a romance by King Bhoja Deva. Judging from the variety of his works in poetry, this work will be of great interest. Being in prose, it is a valuable addition to Gadya Kavyas......... It has not been possible to get a copy of the manuscript and the last
1. EI. Vol. I, pp. 222-238. 2. G. O. S. XXI, p. 40. 3. Ibid., p. 55.
4. Calcutta, 1917. 5. Madras, 1937, p. 444. 6. Vol. II, 1941, pp. 459-460.