Bhagavadgītā, Mahimnastotra, Viṣṇusahasranāma, Bhīṣmastava, Anusmṛta, Gajendramokṣaṇa, Rāmacandrastavarāja (MS Or.2031)
This illuminated paper codex, dated 1860 CE, contains two devotional texts: the Bhagavadgītā (preceded by a short introductory text containing the information for the recitation of poem such as ṛṣiḥ, chandas, devatā, bījam, śaktiḥ etc. and for meditating upon it, i.e. dhyāna verses) and the famous Śaiva hymn called Mahimnastotra, by Puṣpadanta. The polychrome miniatures include the ten avatāras of Viṣṇu, scenes from the life of Kṛṣṇa and a single Śaiva miniature (Śiva and Parvatī on Nāndin). The layout is carefully structured and realized with decorated title pages at the beginning of each text and a rectangular frame inscribing the written area. This manuscript can be said to belong to a typology of manuscripts, probably common in 19th-century North India, i.e. collections of devotional works in codex format with illuminations and an ornate layout (see also Or.1817 and Or.1818 and also DD.7.2, an illuminated multi-text devotional manuscript of vaiṣṇava affiliation kept at the Christ's College, Cambridge, and containing the Bhagavadgītā, the Viṣṇusahasranāma, the Bhīṣmastava, the Anusmṛta, the Gajendramokṣaṇa and the Rāmacandrastavarāja.)
Information about this document
- Physical Location: Cambridge University Library
- Classmark: MS Or.2031
- Author(s): Puṣpadanta
- Origin Place: Norhern India.
- Date of Creation: 1917 Vikrama / 1859-60 CE.
- Associated Name(s): Mrs Dorothy B. G. Line; Lt.-Col. Dimmock
- Extent: 237 ff. (plus two flyleaves).
- Material: Paper.
Folio height: 10 cm, width: 15.5 cm.
- Format: Codex
- Condition: Complete, in good condition. The paper looks dirty. Folio 127 is slightly damaged.
- Binding:
Bound, cardboard cover in Western style with floral pattern, original binding.
Folio 12 of the Bhagavadgītā has been wrongly bound within the Mahimanastotra, after its folio 4. The order has been re-established digitally in the pictures, as the manuscript awaits proper rebinding.
- Script:First hand: Devanāgarī in red and black ink.Second hand: Devanāgarī in black ink (corrections).Third hand: Devanāgarī in black ink (corrections).
- Foliation:
1. Original: Devanāgarī numerals, top left margin, verso (The first text is foliated as 1-179. The last folio is misnumbered as 180. The second text is foliated as 1-20. The illuminated folios and the protective folios that always follow the miniature-folios are not foliated and not calculated in this foliation.).
2. Modern: Roman numerals, top left corner, verso.
- Layout: Written area height: 7 cm, width: 12 cm.
5 lines per page, approximately 15 akṣaras per line.
Akṣara height: 7 mm. Interlinear space height: 4 mm.Multiple marginal frame in black and red ink, coloured in orange. The first three pages of both texts are title pages, decorated with floral patterns, with two lines in black, two in red and one in golden ink. Daṇḍas in red ink. Some names of the speakers and final rubrics in red and golden ink.
- Decoration: Seventeen polychrome miniatures representing the ten avatāras of Viṣṇu and famous episodes from the life of Kṛṣṇa. One miniature has been removed and is now missing.
- On folio 20, Kṛṣṇa dancing with the Gopīs.
- On folio 20v, Viṣṇu in his Matsya-avatāra.
- On folio 40v, the churning of the ocean (samudramanthana), i.e. Viṣṇu in his Kūrma-avatāra.
- The image of Viṣṇu in his Varāha-avatāra has been removed.
- On folio 64v, Viṣṇu in his Narasiṃha-avatāra, disemboweling the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.
- On folio 73v, Viṣṇu in his Vāmana-avatāra.
- On folio 87v, Viṣṇu in his Parāśurāma-avatāra.
- On folio 96v, Viṣṇu in his Rāma-avatāra (together with Sītā, Hanumān, Lakṣmaṇa and other characters from the Rāmāyaṇa).
- On folio 106v, Viṣṇu in his Kṛṣṇa-avatāra as an infant.
- On folio 116v, Viṣṇu in his Buddha-avatāra.
- On folio 144v, Viṣṇu in his Kalki-avatāra.
- On folio 159v, the nāga Kāliya surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, under the Kadamaba tree, surrounded by nāginīs.
- On folio 168v, Kṛṣṇa lifts the Govardhana hill.
- On folio 175v, Kṛṣṇa steals the clothes of the gopīs while they are bathing.
- On folio 183v, child Kṛṣṇa and Bālarāma eat fruits from a tree (uncertain identification).
- On folio 192v, episode (with Viṣṇu and Garuḍa) to be identified.
- On folio 214v, Śiva and Pārvatī on Nandī.
- Additions:
Marginalia
Running titles (gī° and ma°), top left margin, verso (above the folio number).Some marginal corrections, probably in two different hands. - Provenance: Presented by Mrs Dorothy B. G. Line and Lt.-Col. Dimmock in 1961.
- Date of Acquisition: 28 November 1961 (University Library stamp).
- Funding: AHRC
- Data Source(s): Direct inspection.
- Author(s) of the Record: Daniele Cuneo and Camillo Formigatti
- Bibliography:
Descriptions of the manuscript
ULIB 7/3/55 = Bradshaw, Henry, Notes on the collections of Oriental, Thibetan and 'Additional' manuscripts [unpublished manuscript] (Cambridge: 1870-80).ULIB 7/1/4 = Griffith, Ralph T. H. and Daniel Wright, Assorted lists of manuscripts and books, chiefly Oriental, acquired by the Library, with related papers [unpublished manuscript] (Cambridge: 1873).List of Oriental MSS. Class Catalogue of Oriental MSS. (Cambridge: 1900–).Manuscripts
Bhagavadgītā: NCC: Vol. 15, p. 191 foll.Bhagavadgītā: NGMCP: many references.Mahimnastotra: NCC: Vol. 19, p. 271-282.Mahimnastotra: NGMCP: 36 mss (possibly not all of them containing the same stotra).Edition(s)
Belvalkar, Shripad Krishna (ed.), The Mahābhārata for the first time critically edited. Vol.7: The Bhīṣmaparvan (Poona: 1947).Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli (ed.), The Bhagavadgītā: with an introductory essay, Sanskrit text, English translation, and notes (London: George Allen and Unwin, 1948).Buitenen, Johannes Adrianus Bernardus van (ed.), The Bhagavadgita in the Mahabharata (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981).Puṣpadanta, 10th cent, The Mahimnastava, or, Praise of Shiva's greatness, ed. W. Norman Brown (Poona: American Institute of Indian Studies, 1965) vol. no. 1.Secondary literature
NCC = Raghavan, V. (Venkatarama), K. Kunjunni Raja, N. Veezhinathan and Theodor Aufrecht, New Catalogus Catalogorum. An Alphabetical Register of Sanskrit and Allied Works and Authors., Madras University Sanskrit series (Madras: University of Madras, 1949).
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- Physical Location: Cambridge University Library
- Classmark: MS Or.2031
- Author(s): Puṣpadanta
- Origin Place: Norhern India.
- Date of Creation: 1917 Vikrama / 1859-60 CE.
- Associated Name(s): Mrs Dorothy B. G. Line; Lt.-Col. Dimmock
- Extent: 237 ff. (plus two flyleaves).
- Material: Paper.
Folio height: 10 cm, width: 15.5 cm.
- Format: Codex
- Condition: Complete, in good condition. The paper looks dirty. Folio 127 is slightly damaged.
- Binding:
Bound, cardboard cover in Western style with floral pattern, original binding.
Folio 12 of the Bhagavadgītā has been wrongly bound within the Mahimanastotra, after its folio 4. The order has been re-established digitally in the pictures, as the manuscript awaits proper rebinding.
- Script:First hand: Devanāgarī in red and black ink.Second hand: Devanāgarī in black ink (corrections).Third hand: Devanāgarī in black ink (corrections).
- Foliation:
1. Original: Devanāgarī numerals, top left margin, verso (The first text is foliated as 1-179. The last folio is misnumbered as 180. The second text is foliated as 1-20. The illuminated folios and the protective folios that always follow the miniature-folios are not foliated and not calculated in this foliation.).
2. Modern: Roman numerals, top left corner, verso.
- Layout: Written area height: 7 cm, width: 12 cm.
5 lines per page, approximately 15 akṣaras per line.
Akṣara height: 7 mm. Interlinear space height: 4 mm.Multiple marginal frame in black and red ink, coloured in orange. The first three pages of both texts are title pages, decorated with floral patterns, with two lines in black, two in red and one in golden ink. Daṇḍas in red ink. Some names of the speakers and final rubrics in red and golden ink.
- Decoration: Seventeen polychrome miniatures representing the ten avatāras of Viṣṇu and famous episodes from the life of Kṛṣṇa. One miniature has been removed and is now missing.
- On folio 20, Kṛṣṇa dancing with the Gopīs.
- On folio 20v, Viṣṇu in his Matsya-avatāra.
- On folio 40v, the churning of the ocean (samudramanthana), i.e. Viṣṇu in his Kūrma-avatāra.
- The image of Viṣṇu in his Varāha-avatāra has been removed.
- On folio 64v, Viṣṇu in his Narasiṃha-avatāra, disemboweling the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.
- On folio 73v, Viṣṇu in his Vāmana-avatāra.
- On folio 87v, Viṣṇu in his Parāśurāma-avatāra.
- On folio 96v, Viṣṇu in his Rāma-avatāra (together with Sītā, Hanumān, Lakṣmaṇa and other characters from the Rāmāyaṇa).
- On folio 106v, Viṣṇu in his Kṛṣṇa-avatāra as an infant.
- On folio 116v, Viṣṇu in his Buddha-avatāra.
- On folio 144v, Viṣṇu in his Kalki-avatāra.
- On folio 159v, the nāga Kāliya surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, under the Kadamaba tree, surrounded by nāginīs.
- On folio 168v, Kṛṣṇa lifts the Govardhana hill.
- On folio 175v, Kṛṣṇa steals the clothes of the gopīs while they are bathing.
- On folio 183v, child Kṛṣṇa and Bālarāma eat fruits from a tree (uncertain identification).
- On folio 192v, episode (with Viṣṇu and Garuḍa) to be identified.
- On folio 214v, Śiva and Pārvatī on Nandī.
- Additions:
Marginalia
Running titles (gī° and ma°), top left margin, verso (above the folio number).Some marginal corrections, probably in two different hands. - Provenance: Presented by Mrs Dorothy B. G. Line and Lt.-Col. Dimmock in 1961.
- Date of Acquisition: 28 November 1961 (University Library stamp).
- Funding: AHRC
- Data Source(s): Direct inspection.
- Author(s) of the Record: Daniele Cuneo and Camillo Formigatti
- Bibliography:
Descriptions of the manuscript
ULIB 7/3/55 = Bradshaw, Henry, Notes on the collections of Oriental, Thibetan and 'Additional' manuscripts [unpublished manuscript] (Cambridge: 1870-80).ULIB 7/1/4 = Griffith, Ralph T. H. and Daniel Wright, Assorted lists of manuscripts and books, chiefly Oriental, acquired by the Library, with related papers [unpublished manuscript] (Cambridge: 1873).List of Oriental MSS. Class Catalogue of Oriental MSS. (Cambridge: 1900–).Manuscripts
Bhagavadgītā: NCC: Vol. 15, p. 191 foll.Bhagavadgītā: NGMCP: many references.Mahimnastotra: NCC: Vol. 19, p. 271-282.Mahimnastotra: NGMCP: 36 mss (possibly not all of them containing the same stotra).Edition(s)
Belvalkar, Shripad Krishna (ed.), The Mahābhārata for the first time critically edited. Vol.7: The Bhīṣmaparvan (Poona: 1947).Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli (ed.), The Bhagavadgītā: with an introductory essay, Sanskrit text, English translation, and notes (London: George Allen and Unwin, 1948).Buitenen, Johannes Adrianus Bernardus van (ed.), The Bhagavadgita in the Mahabharata (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981).Puṣpadanta, 10th cent, The Mahimnastava, or, Praise of Shiva's greatness, ed. W. Norman Brown (Poona: American Institute of Indian Studies, 1965) vol. no. 1.Secondary literature
NCC = Raghavan, V. (Venkatarama), K. Kunjunni Raja, N. Veezhinathan and Theodor Aufrecht, New Catalogus Catalogorum. An Alphabetical Register of Sanskrit and Allied Works and Authors., Madras University Sanskrit series (Madras: University of Madras, 1949). - Title: Bhagavadgītā
- Author(s): Unknown
- Language(s): Sanskrit.
- Excerpts:Rubric: [1r1] oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya ||Incipit: [1r2] asya śrībhagavadgītāmā[1r3]lāmaṃtrasya śrībhagavānveda¦[1v1[vyāsa ṛṣiḥ || anuṣṭup_ cchaṃdaḥ śrīkṛṣṇaḥ pa¦[1v2]ramātmā devatā || aśocyāṃn anvaśoca[1v3]s tvaṃ prajñāvādāṃś ca bhāṣase'ti bījaṃ || sarva[1v4]dharmān parityajya mām ekaṃ śaraṇā vraje[1v5]ti śaktiḥ ||Incipit: [7r1] dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca || dharmakṣe[7r2]tre kurukṣetresamavetā yuyutsavaḥ || māmakāḥ [7r3] pāṃḍavāś caiva kim akurvata saṃjaya || 1 ||Explicit: [179r1] yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛ[179r2]ṣṇo yatra pārtho dhanurdharaḥ || tatra śrīr vija[179r3]yo bhūtir dhruvā nītir matir mama ma(!) || 78 ||Final Rubric, section: [179r4] iti śrīmahābhārate bhīṣmaparvaṇi śrī[179r5]bhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavi¦[179v1]dyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjjunasaṃ[179v2]vāde mokṣasaṃnyāsayogo nāmā'ṣṭāda[179v3]śo dhyāyaḥ 18 ||Colophon: [179v3] saṃvat_ 1917 ||
- Title: Mahimnastotra
- Alternative Title(s): Śivamahimnastava; Mahimnastava; Mahimnaḥpārastotra
- Author(s): Puṣpadanta
- Language(s): Sanskrit.
- Excerpts:Rubric: [1r1] oṃ namaḥ śivāya ||Incipit: [1r1] oṃ mahimnaḥ pā[1r2]raṃ te paramaviduṣo yady asadṛ[1r2]śī | stutir brahmādenām(!) api¦ [1v1]tadavasannās tvayi giraḥ || athāvācyaḥ sa¦[1v2]rvāḥ sumatipariṇāmāvadhi gṛṇa[1v3]n mamāpy eśa(!) stotre hara nirapavādaḥ pari¦[1v4]karaḥ ||Explicit: [19r2] aharahar anavaryaṃ dhūrjaṭeḥ stotra¦[19r3]m etat paṭhati paramabhaktyā śuddhacittaḥ pumā[19r4]n yaḥ |¦ sa bhavati śivaloke rudratulyaḥ ta¦[19r5]dyātrā(!) pracurataradhanāyuḥ kīrtimānputra¦[19v1]vāś ca || 41 || śrīpuṣpadaṃtamukhapaṅkajani[19v2]rgatena || stotreṇa kilbiṣahareṇa harapri[19v3]yeṇa || kaṃṭhasthitena paṭhatena(!) samāhitena [19v4] suprīṇito bhavati bhūtapatir maheśaḥ ||
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