III.-Sanskrit dictionaries and vocabularies by other authors. Throughout the numerous commentaries on the Amara Kosha, the text itself is corrected or confirmed, and the interpretations and remarks of the commentators supported, by reference to other Sanskrit vocabularies. They are often cited by the scholiasts for the emendation of the text in [58] regard to the gender of a noun, and not less frequently for a variation of orthography, or for a difference of interpretation. The authority quoted has been in general consulted, before any use has been made of the quotations; or, where the original work cannot now be procured, the agreement of commentators has been admitted as authenticating the passage. This has been particularly attended to in the chapter containing homonymous words, it having been judged useful to intro duce into the notes of that chapter the numerous additional acceptations stated in other dictionaries, and understood to be alluded to in the Amara Kosha. The dictionaries which have been consulted are, 1st. The Mediní,1 an alphabetical dictionary of homonymous terms by Mediníkara. 2. The Viswa Prakása by Maheswara Vaidya, a similar dictionary, but less accurate and not so well arranged. It is the ground-work of the Mediní, which is an improved and corrected work of great authority. Both are very frequently cited by the commentators. 2 3. The Haima, a dictionary by Hema Chandra, in two parts; one containing synonymous words arranged in six chapters; the other containing homonymous terms in alphabetical order. Both are works of great excellence. 3 vartí; both according to Pánini's system of etymology. Vaishamya Kaumudi by Rámaprasáda Tarkálankára; Pada Manjarí by Lokanátha; both following the grammatical system of the Kalápa. Pradípa Manjarí by Rámásrama, a jejune interpretation of the text. Vṛihat Hárávalí by Rámes'wara. Also commentaries by Krishnadása, Trilochanadása, Sundaránanda, Vanadíyabhatta, Viswanatha, Gopála Chakravartí, Govindánanda, Rámánanda, Bholánátha, etc. 1 [Edited by Somanátha S'arman, Calcutta, 1868.] 2 [Printed, Calcutta, 1808.] 3 [Edited by Böhtlingk and Rieu, 1847.] 4. The Abhidhána Ratnamálá,1 a vocabulary by Haláyudha, in five chapters; the last of which relates to words having many acceptations. It is too concise for general use, but is sometimes quoted. 5. The Dharaní, a vocabulary of words bearing many senses. It is less copious than the Mediní and Haima; but being frequently cited by commentators, has been necessarily consulted. 6. The Trikáṇḍa Śesha, or supplement to the Amara Kosha, by Purushottama Deva. [59] 7. The Hárávalí of the same author. The last of these two supplements to Amara, being a collection of uncommon words, has not been much employed for the present publication. The other has been more used. Both are of considerable authority. The reader will find in the notes a list of other dictionaries quoted by the commentators, but the quotations of which have not been verified by reference to the originals, as these have not been procurable.2 Works under the title of Varṇadeśaná, Dwirúpa, and Unádi, have indeed been procured; but not the same with the books cited, many different compilations being current under those titles. The first relates to words, the orthography of which is likely to be mistaken from a confusion of similar letters; the second exhibits words which are spelt in more than one way; the third relates to a certain class of derivatives separately noticed by grammarians. IV.—Grammatical works. Grammar is so intimately connected with the subject of this publication, that it has been of course necessary to advert to the works of grammarians. But as they are regularly 1 [Edited by Prof. Aufrecht, 1861.] 2 Amara Málá, Amara Datta, S'abdárṇava, S′ás'wata, Varnadeśaná, Dwirúpa, Unádi Kosha, Ratna Kosha, Ratna Málá, Rantideva, Rudra, Vyáḍi, Rabhasa, Vopálíta, Bháguri, Ajaya, Váchaspati, Tárapála, Aruṇadatta. [Cf. Wilson, Essays, v. pp. 209-237.] cited by the commentators, it is needless to name them as authorities, since nothing will be found to have been taken from this source, which is not countenanced by some passage in the commentaries on the Amara Kosha. V.-Treatises on the roots of Sanskrit. Verbs not being exhibited in the Amara Kosha, which is a vocabulary of nouns only, the treatises of Maitreya, [60] Mádhava, and others, on the Sanskrit roots, though furnishing important materials towards a complete dictionary of the language, have been very little employed in the present work; and a particular reference to them was unnecessary, as authority will be found in the commentaries on Amara, for anything which may have been taken from those treatises. VI.-The Scholia of classic writings. Passages from the works of celebrated writers are cited by the commentators on the Amara Kosha, and the scholiasts of classic poems frequently quote dictionaries in support of their interpretation of difficult passages. In the compilation of a copious Sanskrit dictionary ample use may be made of the scholia. They have been employed for the present publication so far only as they are expressly cited by the principal commentaries on the Amara Kosha itself. upon Should the reader be desirous of verifying the authorities which the interpretation and notes are grounded, he will in general find the information sought by him in some one of the ten commentaries of Amara, which have been before named, and will rarely have occasion to proceed beyond those which have been specified as the works regularly consulted. In regard to plants and animals, and other objects of natural history, noticed in different chapters of this vocabulary, and especially in the 4th, 5th, and 9th chapters of the second book, it is proper to observe, that the ascertainment of them generally depends on the correctness of the corresponding vernacular names. The commentators seldom furnish any description or other means of ascertainment besides the current denomination in a provincial language. A view of the animal, or an examination of the plant, known [61] to the vulgar under the denomination, enables a person conversant with natural history to determine its name according to the received nomenclature of European Botany and Zoology: but neither my inquiries, nor those of other gentlemen, who have liberally communicated the information collected by them,1 nor the previous researches of Sir William Jones, have yet discovered all the plants and animals, of which the names are mentioned by the commentators on the Amara Kosha; and even in regard to those which have been seen by us, a source of error remains in the inaccuracy of the commentators themselves, as is proved by the circumstance of their frequent disagreement. It must be therefore understood, that the correspondence of the Sanskrit names with the generic and specific names in natural history is in many instances doubtful. When the uncertainty is great, it has usually been so expressed; but errors may exist where none have been apprehended. It is necessary likewise to inform the reader, that many of the plants, and some animals (especially fish), have not been described in any work yet published. Of such, the names have been taken from the manuscripts of Dr. Roxburgh and Dr. F. Buchanan. Having explained the plan and design of this edition of the Amara Kosha, I have only further to state, that the delay which has arisen since it was commenced (now more than five years) has been partly occasioned by my distance from the press (the work being printed by Mr. Carey at Serampoor), and partly by avocations which have retarded the progress of collating the different copies of the text and commentaries: a task, the labour of which may be judged by those who have been engaged in similar undertakings. Calcutta, December, 1807. 1 Drs. Roxburgh, F. Buchanan, and W. Hunter: and Mr. William Carey. 57 IV. ON SANSKRIT AND PRAKRIT POETRY.1 [From the Asiatic Researches, vol. x. pp. 389-474. [62] THE design of the present essay is not an enumeration of the poetical compositions current among the Hindus, nor an examination of their poetry by maxims of criticism recognized in Europe, or by rules of composition taught in their own treatises of rhetoric; but to exhibit the laws of versification, together with brief notices of the most celebrated poems in which these have been exemplified. An inquiry into the prosody of the ancient and learned language of India will not be deemed an unnecessary introduction to the extracts from the Indian poems, which may be occasionally inserted in the supplementary volumes of Asiatic Researches; and our Transactions record more than one instance of the aid which was derived from a knowledge of Sanskrit prosody, in deciphering passages rendered obscure by the obsoleteness of the character, or by the inaccuracy of the transcripts. It will be found similarly useful by every person who studies that language, since manuscripts are in general grossly incorrect; and a familiarity with the metre will frequently assist the reader in restoring the text where it has been corrupted. Even to those who are unacquainted with the language, a concise explanation of the Indian system of prosody may be curious, since the artifice of its construction 2 1 [For a full account of Sanskrit metre see Prof. Weber's two treatises in the eighth volume of the Indische Studien. The first treats of the Vedic metres, the second gives the text of Pingala's Chhandaḥ-sútra with a perpetual commentary. Cf. also C. P. Brown's Sanskrit Prosody.] 2 As. Res., vol. i. p. 279; vol. ii. p. 389. |