Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (Study)
by Padma Sugavanam | 2011 | 95,782 words
This page relates ‘Manuscript Details of the Dattilakohaliyam’ of the thesis dealing with Kohala’s contribution to the Sanskrit textual tradition of ancient Indian performing arts. The study focuses specifically on music (Gita), dance (Nritya), and drama (Natya). Although Kohala’s original works have not been found, numerous references to him across Lakshana-Granthas (treatises) and works by modern scholars indicate his significance.
Part 2.1 - Manuscript Details of the Dattilakohalīyam
Dattilakohalīyam is a work attributed to the joint authorship of the sages Dattila and Kohala, and is available in a single manuscript.
The manuscript of Dattilakohalīya is available in the ORI-SVU, Tirupati—Acc. No. 7561. It is a paper manuscript and is in excellent condition. The text has been written in devanāgari script. There are 29 folios in all, and 24 written lines on each folio. The handwriting appears to be that of M. Ramakrishna Kavi and is very clear and legible. The margin note mentions that this manuscript is a copy of another manuscript no. 384. Unfortunately, this source manuscript is no longer available. There are two sets of page numbers. The one in devanāgari script that starts from 1 and goes on upto 29 on the right-top of the folio. The roman numerals start from number 58 and go on upto 86 and are found on the right-bottom of each folio.
The scribe gives the following colophon where he gives the date of writing the manuscript—
इति श्री दत्तिलकोहलीये वीणावाद्यलक्षणं समाप्तम् ॥
सम्वत् १९४२ मिति भाद्रपद वदि ४ लिखितं मेलाराम जगरामा मध्ये ॥iti śrī dattilakohalīye vīṇāvādyalakṣaṇaṃ samāptam ||
samvat 1942 miti bhādrapada vadi 4 likhitaṃ melārāma jagarāmā madhye ||
From the above colophon, it can be understood that this manuscript has been written in the year 1885 C.E., on the fourth day of the month of bhādrapada by scribes called ‘Melārāma’ and ‘Jagarāmā’.