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SOME VARIANT READINGS IN HEMACANDRA'S DESĪNĀMAMĀLĀ*
We shall start with the discussion of a few textual variants from Hemacandra's Rayanārali or Desināmainālāl (= DN.). The near-chaotic orthographic variations among the DN. MSS. would pose a serious problem for anybody undertaking to edit it. Some idea of the magnitude and character of that problem has been given by Pischel in the introduction to his DN. edition. In a
umber of cases he had to resort to etymology or NIA. derivatives as the dominant criterion for selecting from the variants, even when this involved disregarding strong MS. evidence. On course Pischel was quite conscious oị the danger inherent in such a mode of selection, and as befitted a true scholar, he frankly admitted the tentative character of some of his accepted readings. Since then numerous Pk. and Ap. texts and a few valuable Pk. lexicons have been published. Important lexicographical works and studies in the sphere of NIA. also have appeared. It is now high time to reconsider (and, if necessary, revise) the text of DN. with respect to the form and meaning of some of the words listed therein. The words ulloca- (DN. I, 98), siidhi (8, 29), pivva(6, 46). Ovaddhi--il, 151), cirva- and civara (3, 9) are considered below from this point of view.
Read before the Prakrit and Jainism Section o! The twentyfirst session of the All India Oriental Conference held at
Srinagar in October 1961. 1. Ed. Pischel, R. (first edition, 1880; revised second edition by
Ramanujaswami. P., 1937); by Banerji, M. and Sheth, H. (Part I, 1931); by Doshi, B. J. (with Gujarati translation. notes, etc. : Part I, only entitled Desisaddasaigaho, 1947. complite text entitled Devabdasorigrol. 1974).
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