{ "viewingDirection": "left-to-right", "metadata": [ { "label": "Origin Place", "value": "Nepal." }, { "label": "Provenance", "value": "Bought by Dr. D. Wright and donated by Professor W. Wright to the Cambridge University Library in 1876." }, { "label": "Extent", "value": "1 f." }, { "label": "Funding", "value": "AHRC" }, { "label": "Date of Creation", "value": "Probably 19th century CE (see LVP)." }, { "label": "Classmark", "value": "MS Add.1578" }, { "label": "Donor(s)", "value": "Wright, William" }, { "label": "Subject(s)", "value": "Manuscripts, Sanskrit; Purāṇa; Śākta Tantra" }, { "label": "Associated Name(s)", "value": "Wright, Daniel" }, { "label": "Format", "value": "Leaf" }, { "label": "Data Source(s)", "value": "LVP, direct inspection." }, { "label": "Language(s)", "value": "Sanskrit." }, { "label": "Author(s)", "value": "\u200fUnknown" }, { "label": "Alternative Title(s)", "value": "Brahmakavaca (see Janert 1970: 78)." }, { "label": "Binding", "value": "
Metal plates and Indian paper envelope, library binding.<\/p>" }, { "label": "Condition", "value": "Complete, in good condition; the edges are slightly damaged." }, { "label": "Script", "value": "
Note:<\/b> The line breaks in the excerpts mark the beginning of a new coil, taking as reference an ideal radial limit starting from the first word of the text and running through the coils to the edge of the spiral.<\/p>" }, { "label": "Physical Location", "value": "Cambridge University Library" }, { "label": "Abstract", "value": "
A hymn in praise of the Goddess Durgā. Manuscripts containing this text were considered amulets (kavaca<\/i>, lit. \"armour\"), charms protecting the person who carries them from various kinds of evil influences (see Gonda 1977: 247). The manuscript is a single birch bark sheet, an uncommon writing material in Nepal (\"The bark of the birch [bhūrja<\/i>, vulgarly bhōj<\/i>] is used in Nepāl only for charms and amulets, of which I brought home one specimen [Add MS 1578]. At least I never saw or heard of a book of this material\"Wright 1877: 316). This text is closely related to the Devīmāhātmya<\/i> (included in Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa<\/i>), the Argalāstotra<\/i> and the Kīlakastotra<\/i> (it is often found in multi-text manuscripts together with these three texts, see Rodrigues 2009: 544, Slaje 1990: 131-2, and Janert 1970: 52, 78), and to the Varāhapurāṇa<\/i>. <\/p>
This item was included in the Library\u2019s 600th anniversary exhibition Lines of Thought: Discoveries that changed the world<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>"
},
{
"label": "Title",
"value": "Devīkavaca"
},
{
"label": "Author(s) of the Record",
"value": "Camillo Formigatti"
},
{
"label": "Material",
"value": "Birch bark. Folio height: 30.5 cm, width: 24.5 cm. <\/p>"
},
{
"label": "Layout",
"value": "Written area height: 19 (diameter) cm. The text is written in a spiral consisting of sixteen coils, starting from the centre and unwinding towards the margins.<\/p> Akṣara height: 2 to 3 mm."
},
{
"label": "Date of Acquisition",
"value": "30 December 1876 (ULIB 7/3/55)."
},
{
"label": "Bibliography",
"value": " Descriptions of the manuscript<\/b><\/p> Manuscripts<\/b><\/p>