Mahavira Charitam

This comprehensive summary focuses on the provided text, which is an edition of Bhavabhuti's "Mahaviracharita" compiled and edited by Pandit Todarmal and revised by A. A. Macdonell, published by Oxford University Press in 1928 for the University of the Panjab, Lahore.

The provided text is the initial section of the book, containing preliminary matter and the Introduction.

Preliminary Matter:

• Fair Use Declaration: A declaration from "The Free Indological Collection" (TFIC) of Sanskritdocuments.org explains the book's sourcing from another online repository and its provision under Fair Use guidelines for educational/research purposes. It asserts belief in the book's public domain status and applauds digitization efforts. TFIC takes no responsibility for copyright violations and encourages intellectual property owners to contact them with objections.
• Publisher Information: Identifies Oxford University Press, London, as the publisher.
• Title Page: States the title as "MAHĀVĪRA-CARITAM A Drama by the Indian Poet Bhavabhūti", edited with critical apparatus, introduction, and notes by the late Todarmal Pandit, Government of India Sanskrit Scholar at Oxford, and revised and prepared for the press by A. A. Macdonell, Emeritus Professor of Sanskrit, University of Oxford. It also notes the publisher as the University of the Panjab, Lahore, and the publication year as 1928.
• Printing Information: Confirms the printing location as England at the University Press, Oxford, by John Johnson, Printer to the University.
• Preface: Written by A. A. Macdonell, dated December 7, 1927.
  • Origin: The book originates from Pandit Todar Mall's scholarly work at the University of Oxford. Mall matriculated in 1911, graduated with first-class honors in Sanskrit, and prepared a critical edition of "Mahaviracarita" under Macdonell's supervision. He later studied Prakrit in Germany.
  • Todar Mall's Passing: Mall died in Bonn in 1918, likely due to privations endured during the war. His papers, including the manuscript of this edition, were sent to his relatives in Lahore.
  • Macdonell's Role: Macdonell undertook the task of correcting and passing the manuscript through the press as a memorial to his pupil. He recognized the immense labor already invested in the critical text and associated studies and felt it was crucial to preserve this work for Indian students.
  • Scholarly Rigor: The preface highlights the exhaustive nature of Pandit Todar Mall's work, noting the collation of eighteen Sanskrit manuscripts and the comprehensive treatment of textual issues, exceeding any other Sanskrit edition printed in India at the time.
  • Omission of Translation: Macdonell explains his decision to exclude a translation, even though Mall had prepared one, believing it would be educationally harmful to Indian students.
  • Conciseness vs. Model Edition: Macdonell acknowledges that he would have made the edition more concise but intentionally left it uncurtailed to serve as a model for scholarly text editing, even in its meticulous detail.
  • Accuracy and Challenges: Macdonell commends Todar Mall's work as careful and accurate but details the immense labor involved in preparing the manuscript due to numerous slips, incorrect Sandhi, and erroneous references. The inability to consult the deceased author compounded the difficulty.
  • Hope for the Future: Macdonell expresses hope that this volume will inaugurate a new era of critical text editing by Indian scholars in India, providing a sound basis for further research.

Contents:

The Table of Contents outlines the structure of the book:

• Part I: Introduction: This extensive section is divided into 18 points, covering a detailed analysis of the "Mahaviracarita" manuscripts (their relationship, detailed accounts, subdivisions, and groups), the critical principles followed, Bhavabhūti's life, ancestry, date, writings, literary characteristics (as a dramatist, humorist, stylist), his relationship with Kālidāsa, self-repetitions, quotations from other works, mentions in other works, bibliography of Bhavabhūti's plays, literature concerning Bhavabhūti, and abbreviations used.
• Part II: Sanskrit Text with Critical Notes: The main body of the critical edition of the play.
• Part III: Illustrative Notes: Explanatory notes on the text.
• Part IV: Appendices: Includes detailed appendices on specific manuscript texts, collations of manuscripts, indices of metres, and indices of Sanskrit and Prakrit words.

Introduction (Key Points from the provided excerpt):

• Manuscript Collation: Eighteen manuscripts were collated, divided into Northern and Southern groups, further subdivided.
• Northern Group: Written mainly in Devanagari script (with one exception in Saradā). It has four subdivisions representing older texts. Key manuscripts include K (Raghunath Temple Library, dated 1618 AD, considered most important), Cu (Cambridge University Library), B (Asiatic Society of Bengal Library), and E (Elphinstone College Library).
• Southern Group: Written in Telugu or Grantha characters. These MSS generally exhibit independence. Key manuscripts include Mr (Palace Sarasvati Bhandar, Mysore) and Tanjore manuscripts (T, T2, T3, T4).
• Recensions: Two recensions were initially known, but the collation revealed a third. The incomplete text (ending with V. 46) is preserved in the Southern Group MSS. The Northern Group MSS. contain a revised text. The author hypothesizes that Recension A (represented by MSS. like E, W, Sc, I2, Md, Alw, Il) is the authentic text for the portion from Act I to V. 46.
• Spurious Acts: Acts VI and VII are considered spurious by the author due to frequent repetitions of verses and ideas found in Bhavabhūti's other plays (especially "Malati-Madhava" and "Uttararamacarita"), suggesting they were composed later and borrowed from "Malati-Madhava". The absence of references to Acts VI and VII in Alankara literature, self-contradictions within the play, and peculiarities in the Prakrit passages also support this view.
• Critical Principles: Recension A was adopted for the text, with other recensions relegated to appendices. Preference was given to older MSS. (I and E) for the portion common to all recensions (Acts I to V. 46). The author strictly avoided eclecticism, adhering to the readings of the Northern Group, particularly Subdivision No. 4 (Cu, K, E) representing the oldest text.
• Emendations: Twenty-three emendations were made, mostly minor (one or two letters), with justifications provided in the Illustrative Notes. Asterisks indicate emended letters.
• Notes and Appendices: Critical notes are placed at the bottom of each page for immediate reader access. The author acknowledges potential profusion due to uncertainty in some manuscript readings but intends to consult originals before final printing. Illustrative notes aim to clarify obscure passages, translate them, reference commentaries, and identify parallel passages in other works, particularly those of Bhavabhūti. Appendices are designed to be helpful for researchers, including textual appendices for specific manuscripts, collations, and indices of metres and words.
• Bhavabhūti's Life and Writings: The introduction delves into Bhavabhūti's biographical details, including his South-Indian Brahman lineage, family, education, religious leanings (Saivism), and extensive knowledge of philosophy, polity, dharmaśāstras, and Kāmasūtra. It also lists verses attributed to him that are not found in his known dramas.
• Bhavabhūti's Date: The introduction discusses various scholarly opinions on Bhavabhūti's dating, placing him around the first quarter of the eighth century AD, aligning with Bhandarkar's views.
• Literary Characteristics: Bhavabhūti is praised as a "master of speech" (vasya-vāk) with exceptional command of language, expression of nature, and depiction of human sentiments (especially Karuṇā). However, his attempts at the Heroic Sentiment in "Mahaviracarita" are deemed a failure, resulting in a "meek heroism." His humor and irony are analyzed, noting the absence of a Vidūşaka and his fondness for irony, particularly in "Mahaviracarita." His style is characterized by the use of long compounds and prose speeches, often following the Gaudiya or Vaidarbhi styles. His extensive vocabulary, coining of onomatopoeic words, and use of proverbial expressions are highlighted. The analysis also covers his verbal forms and metres.
• Prakrits: Bhavabhūti uses Prakrit sparingly in "Mahaviracarita" and "Uttararamacarita" but more extensively in "Malati-madhava." The introduction notes his confusion between Sauraseni and Mahārāstri Prakrits and his use of specific grammatical forms and vocabulary.
• Bhavabhūti and Kālidāsa: The introduction discusses the traditional view of them being contemporaries, though historically separated by time. Bhavabhūti is seen as an admirer of Kālidāsa, with potential borrowings in his plays.
• Self-repetitions: Bhavabhūti's tendency to repeat verses and prose passages within his own works is noted.
• Quotations and Mentions: The introduction lists instances where Bhavabhūti quotes from the Ramayana, Kama-sutra, and Artha-śāstra, providing evidence for his period. It also lists works that mention or quote Bhavabhūti.
• Chronological Order of Plays: The Uttararamacarita is considered the last play, followed by Malati-madhava, and then Mahaviracarita, argued from internal evidence and the progression of his style and thematic focus.

In essence, this excerpt provides a meticulous scholarly introduction to Bhavabhūti's "Mahaviracarita," emphasizing the critical methodology employed in establishing the text, the historical context of the manuscripts, and a thorough literary analysis of Bhavabhūti's work and life.This document is the initial part of the "Mahavira Charitam" edited by Todarmal Pandit and published by Oxford University Press for the University of the Panjab in 1928. It includes preliminary materials and a substantial introduction.

Preliminary Materials:

• Title Page: Clearly states the title "Mahavira Charitam," identifies Bhavabhuti as the author, and lists Todarmal Pandit as the editor and A. A. Macdonell as the reviser. The publisher is the University of the Panjab, Lahore, with Oxford University Press as the London publisher.
• Preface: Written by A. A. Macdonell, this preface details the origin of the edition. It explains that Pandit Todar Mall, a Government of India Sanskrit Scholar at Oxford, prepared a critical edition of the "Mahaviracarita" under Macdonell's supervision. Sadly, Mall passed away in 1918. Macdonell undertook the laborious task of preparing the manuscript for publication as a tribute to his pupil, emphasizing the scholarly rigor of Mall's work, which involved collating eighteen Sanskrit manuscripts. Macdonell also explains his decision not to include a translation, believing it would be detrimental to the students who would use the critical edition. He expresses his desire for this edition to serve as a model for future scholarly textual work in India.
• Contents: This section provides a detailed breakdown of the book's structure, consisting of:
  • Part I: Introduction: A comprehensive section covering manuscript analysis, critical principles, Bhavabhuti's biography, his writings, literary characteristics, relationship with other poets, and a bibliography.
  • Part II: Sanskrit Text with Critical Notes: The critical edition of the play itself.
  • Part III: Illustrative Notes: Explanatory notes for the text.
  • Part IV: Appendices: Detailed appendices, including textual analysis of specific manuscripts, collations, and indices of metres and words.

Introduction (Key Excerpts):

The introduction is exceptionally detailed, demonstrating a high level of scholarly effort. It covers:

• Manuscript Analysis:
  • Eighteen manuscripts were collated, divided into Northern and Southern groups based on script (Devanagari for Northern, Telugu/Grantha for Southern) and affinities in readings.
  • The Northern Group is further subdivided into four categories, with MS 'K' being the most important and considered to represent the oldest text.
  • The Southern Group exhibits more independence among its manuscripts.
  • Recensions: The author, Todarmal Pandit, identifies three recensions for a portion of the drama (Act V, verses 46 to the end). He argues that Recension A (found in MSS like E, W, Sc, I, Md, Alw, Il) is the authentic text.
  • Authenticity of Acts VI and VII: Pandit Todar Mall concludes that Acts VI and VII are spurious. His reasoning includes:
    • Frequent repetitions of verses and ideas from Bhavabhuti's other plays, suggesting later composition and borrowing from "Malati-madhava."
    • The absence of any references or quotations from these acts in contemporary Alankara literature.
    • Internal contradictions within the play itself.
    • Peculiarities in the Prakrit passages of these later acts compared to the first five.
• Critical Principles: The editor explains that Recension A was adopted for the main text, with others placed in appendices. He prioritized older manuscripts and avoided "eclecticism" (picking the best readings from different groups).
• Bhavabhuti's Life and Writings: The introduction provides extensive biographical details, covering his ancestry, education (in Vedas, Upanishads, Sankhya, Yoga, Nitishastra, Vedanta), religious leanings (Saiva tendencies), literary style (mastery of language, poetic skill), and the chronological order of his known plays ("Mahaviracarita" as the earliest, followed by "Malati-madhava," and "Uttararamacarita" as the last).
• Dating Bhavabhuti: The introduction discusses the scholarly debate on Bhavabhuti's period, ultimately supporting a placement in the first quarter of the eighth century AD.
• Literary Characteristics: A detailed analysis of Bhavabhuti's strengths and weaknesses as a dramatist, highlighting his command of language, expression of nature, depiction of emotions (especially Karuna), but noting a failure in portraying the Heroic sentiment in "Mahaviracarita." His style, use of humour (or lack thereof), irony, vocabulary, and metres are also examined.
• Prakrit Usage: Bhavabhuti's use of Prakrit is analyzed across his plays, noting its sparing use in "Mahaviracarita" and "Uttararamacarita" compared to "Malati-madhava."
• Influence and Repetitions: The introduction touches upon Bhavabhuti's relationship with Kalidasa and his tendency towards self-repetition.
• Quotations and Mentions: Several instances of Bhavabhuti quoting from or being quoted in other Sanskrit works are provided, helping to contextualize his timeline.

In summary, the provided text is the foundational part of a scholarly critical edition of Bhavabhuti's "Mahaviracarita," meticulously prepared by Pandit Todar Mall and posthumously published and revised by A. A. Macdonell. It underscores the depth of the editorial process, the extensive manuscript research, and offers a comprehensive biographical and literary analysis of the playwright himself, laying the groundwork for the critical Sanskrit text that follows.