Gatha Muktavali Newly Discovered Recension Of Halas Sapta Sataka

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Gatha Muktavali newly Discovered Recension of Halas Sapta Sataka" by H. C. Bhayani:

Introduction of a New Recension: Gatha-Muktavali (GM)

The article introduces a newly discovered manuscript titled Gatha-Muktavali (GM), which represents another recension of the widely known Hala's Sapta-Sataka (also called Gatha-Saptashati). This recension is distinct from the six previously identified by A. Weber, which he designated as Vulgate, X, R, S (Sadhāranadeva's Muktavali), T (first Telinga recension), and W (second Telinga recension).

Key Characteristics of GM:

• Subjectwise Grouping: Similar to recensions S and T, GM organizes the Gathas (verses) into subject-wise groups called Paddhatis. This differs from recensions that arrange verses chronologically or by century.
• Independence from S: While influenced by Sadhāranadeva's Muktavali (S) in its grouping system, GM exhibits considerable independence. It deviates from S in the number and sequence of Paddhatis and the arrangement of verses within these groups. Unlike the T recension, GM does not divide the work into centuries.
• Manuscript Condition: The manuscript of GM is incomplete, with only 14 out of a total of 45 folios preserved. The first folio's obverse side is blank. The manuscript is described as having bold, clear handwriting, with few copying errors. Verses are serially numbered within each Paddhati, but not continuously throughout the work. The text breaks off in the fourth verse of the Strī rūpa-varṇana Paddhati.
• List of Contents: An important extra folio provides a complete list of the manuscript's contents, indicating a total of 58 Paddhatis and 850 verses. The preserved portion contains 14 Paddhatis (the last being incomplete) and 249 verses.
• Variant Manuscript: Another stray folio of GM is noted, suggesting variations in the arrangement of verses within groups between different manuscripts of the same recension.

Comparison with Other Recensions:

• Number of Paddhatis: GM has 58 Paddhatis, similar to S (60). However, only 30 Paddhati titles are common between the two.
• Verse Content and Order: Significant variations exist in the selection and ordering of verses even in common Paddhatis. Out of the 249 preserved verses in GM, only 179 are found in S.
• Shared and Unique Verses:
  • GM shows substantial correspondence with S and R in specific Paddhatis like sujana, rājachā, and dāna, though the number and sequence of verses might differ.
  • GM contains 15 verses absent in S but present in R.
  • There are 7 verses exclusively found in the T recension.
  • 3 verses are found in GM but not in any other recension or noted by Weber, but are cited in Alamkara literature.
  • 2 verses found in the Vulgate are absent in S.
  • 15 verses are unique to GM and not noted by Weber.
• Non-Gatha Metres: A significant feature of GM is the inclusion of verses in metres other than the Gatha metre. Notably, 29 verses in Skandhaka metre, borrowed from the Setubandha, form entire Paddhatis (e.g., Saryaftawana, sandhya, Timira, and Candrodaya). Other non-Gatha metres like Giti and Aparavaktra are also present, with verses traced back to the Abhijñānashākuntala.
• Connection to Bhuvanapala: Some verses exclusively shared by GM with S and/or R are also found in Bhuvanapāla's Chekokti-vicāra-lila, which also shares numerous variants with GM.

Source and Nature of GM:

The analysis suggests that GM primarily used S as its source but also drew material from T and Bhuvanapāla, indicating they had access to a different textual tradition for certain verses. For the remaining content, GM appears to have eclectically selected verses from other sources, even those not in the Gatha metre. This suggests a compiler who was selective and not strictly adhering to the traditional Gatha format.

Detailed Concordance:

The latter part of the article presents a detailed concordance table, listing Paddhati titles and their corresponding verse numbers in GM, S, R, W, T, and X recensions, providing a comparative overview of verse distribution across different traditions.

Unique Verses:

The text concludes with a section highlighting GM verses not found in Weber's edition of the Saptashataka, providing their text and Sanskrit chāyā. This section also notes verses from Setubandha present in GM with variant readings.

In essence, the article "Gatha Muktavali: A Newly Discovered Recension of Hala's Sapta-Sataka" announces the discovery and initial analysis of a new recension of the Gatha-Saptashati. It highlights its unique organizational principles, its relationship with other known recensions, and its significant deviations, particularly the inclusion of verses in non-Gatha metres, offering valuable insights into the textual history and transmission of this important classical Indian literary work.