Activities of The All India Kashiraj Trust (January – June 1968)

Activities of the All India Kashiraj Trust. [kasirajanyasasya karya vivaranam] / 192-205

CRITICAL EDITION OF THE VAMANA PURANA As noted in the previous review (in Purana. X. 1), we Published the English Introduction and the constituted text with the critical apparatus as the first fascicule of the Critical Edition of the Vamana Purana, which was presented at the XXVII Session of the International Congress of Orientalists held in Michigan (U. S. A.) in August last. Since then, some indexes and appendices have been prepared, and added to the first fascicule, thus completing the Volume of the Critical Edition of the Vamana Purana, which has already been published. The indexes and appendices are as follows:- 1. Concordance of the Vamana Purana Editions. 2. Concordance of Adhyayas and Slokas of the Critical Edition of the Vamana Purana with those of th Venkatesara Edition. 3. Variants from the Mysore Telugu Manuscript. 4. Vamana Purana quotations in the Dharma-Sastra Nibandhas, both identified and unidentified. 5. Parallel slokas in the Critical Editions of the Vamana Purana and the Mahabharata. 6. Subject-Concordance of the Vamana-Purana with the other Puranas and the Epics. 7. Verse-Index () of the constituted text of the Vamana Purana. 8. Index of the lines of the additional slokas given in the Critical footnotes. Besides, an Introduction in Sanskrit has also been added after the English Introduction. The detailed Adhyaya-contents of the Text are also given in addition to the general contents of

kasirajanyasasya karyavivaranam (janavari-juna, 1968 ) vamanapuranasya pathasamiksatmakam samskaranam yatha hi purvakaryavivarane (Purana X.I) sucitam, vayam prakasita- vantah vamanapuranasya pathasamiksita samskaranasya prathamam bhagam pathasamiksopakarana- sahita nirdharitapathatmaka mangalabhumika samvalitam ca | ayam bhagah antararastriya- pracyavidyavidam amerikadesasya misiganapradese gate agastamase sampanne saptavimsatitame adhivesane upasthapita asit | tatah prabhrti, kascit sucayah parisistasca sampadya prathame bhage samnivesitah santi | evam vamanapuranasya samiksitam samskaranam sampurnatam natam prakasitam caitat purvam eva | sucayah parisistascagholikhitah santi | 1 . vamanapuranasamskarananam samvadah, 2 . pathasamiksitasamskaranasya vamanapuranasyadhyayanam slokanam ca vemkatesvara samskaranasyadhyayaih slokaisca saha samvadah ; 3. teluguhastalekhat pathabhedah ; 4. dharmasastranibandhesu vamanapuranoddharanani, praptanyapraptani va vartamana samskaranesuh slokah | 5 . pathasamiksita samskaranasya vamanapuranasya mahabharatasya ca samana- 6 . vamanapuranena saha puranantaranam mahabharatasya ca visayasamvadah ; 7. samiksitapathasya vamanapuranasya slokardhasuci ; 8. samiksita samskarane tippanisthanamatiriktaslokanam panktisuci | tatha ca samskrtabhumikapi angalabhumikamanu pradattasti | samiksitasamskaranasya samanya-

194 puranam - PURANA [Vol. X., No. 2 the Critical Edition. The total number of pages of this edition is 965, the pages of the constituted text together with the critical footnotes is 690 ENGLISH AND HINDI TRANSLATIONS English and Hindi translations of the constituted text of the Vamana Purana are in the Press. They are being printed along with the text. List of the names of persons, countries, mountains, rivers, and flora and fauna mentioned in the Vamana Purana are also being added in the form of Appendices. A special feature of the lists of the flora and fauna is that their Latin or modern scientific equivalents are also given with the Sanskrit names. Both the translation-volumes are expected to be published by the end of September. These volumes, it is hoped, will be released on the occasion of the Varanasi Session of the All-India Oriental Conference to be held in the Varanasi Sankrit University in October. WORK ON THE OTHER PURANAS The Critical Edition of the Vamana Purana now being completed and published, we now resume the work of preparing the critical editions of the Kurma and the Varaha Puranas as scheduled. The Adhara-patha of the Varaha-Purana has already been written, and the following four Devanagari MSS. of the Kurma Purana have also been fully collated :- 1. MS. No. 41 of 1881-82 from the B. O. R. I., Poona, dated Samvat 1615 (A. D. 1558); 2. MS. No. 5589 from the V. V. R. I., Hoshiarpur, dated Samvat 1679 (A. D. 1622); 3. MS. PM. 2418 from the Adyar Library, Madras, in two vols. ; 4. MS. No. 3346 from the India office Library, London.

July, 1968] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 195 visayasucikaya atiriktam asya puranasyadhyayavisaya sucika'pi visadarupena niyojitasti | prsthasamkhya'sya samskaranasya 965 vartate, tippani sahitasya nirdharitapathasya ca prsthamkah 690 santi | angala-hindi bhasanuvadau vamanapuranasya samiksita-pathasyanuvada angala- hindi-bhasayoh mudranalaye vartate | esah mula-pathena sahaiva prakasyate | vamanapuranasthani vyakti-sthana-parvata- vanaspati - pasupaksinamani parisistarupena catra pradiyante | vanaspati- pasupaksinamnam vargayoratra ekam vaisistyam samnivesyate yadatra samskrtanamabhih saha letinanamani adhunika vaijnanikasamanapadani va pradattani santi | anuvadasya dvavapi bhagau sitambaramasasyante prakasayisyete iti asasyate | etau bhagau akhilabharatiya pracyavidya parisadah aktubaramase varanaseya samskrta visvavidyalaye varanasyam kriyamanasya adhivesanasya samaye prakasitau bhavisyata ityasa'sti | anyapurana sambandhikaryani pathasamiksita samskaranasya vamanapuranasyadhuna paripurnatam nate tatpraka- site ca sati, vayamidanim kurmavarahapuranayoh pathasamiksita samskaranasambandhi- karyani yathanirdharitam sampadayamah | varahapuranasyadharapathah purvata eva likhito varttate | kurmapuranasya ca agho'nkitascatvarah hastalekhah purnatah samvaditah santih- 1 . hastalekhah, samkhya 41 of 1881 - 82, punyapattanastha bha0 o0 ri0 i0 samsthatah, lekhanakalah samvat 1615 ; 2. hastalekhah, samkhya 5589 hosiyarapurasthat vi0 vai0ri0 samsthatah, le0 ka 0 samvat 1679 ; 3. hastalekhah, P. M. 2418, bhagadvayatmakah ; praptah | madrasastha adyarapustakalayatah ; 4. hastalekhah, samkhya 3346, landanastha indiya aphisa laibreritah

196 puranam - PURANA [Vol. X., No. 2 Besides these collated Mss. we have also procured a photostat copy of the Devanagari Ms., No. 1039, of the Harvard University Library. The following MSS. of the Kurma Purana, all written in Bengali script have also been procured by us for the purpose of collation:- 1. MS. No. 4692-5; F 7 from the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, 2. procured on loan; Microfilm copy of a Kurma Purana Ms. from the Dacca University, East Pakistan ; 3. Microfilm copy of a Kurma Purana MS. from the Serampore College Library, West Bengal. We have also purchased from Madras a palmleaf Manuscript of the Kurma Purana written in the Grantha Script. SVALPA MATSYA PURANA Uptill now 25 Chapters of the Svalpa Matsya Purana have been published in instalments in the previous issues of the 'Purana' Bulletin. Further six Chapters (26-31) are being published in this issue. 'PURANA' BULLETIN The present July issue completes the tenth Volume of the 'Purana'. The ten volumes comprising the twenty biannual issues cover a large field of the Puranic studies, as the subjectwise and the author-wise indexes of these volumes indicate. The indexes of the first five Volumes were published in a supplement to Vol. V. No. 2, and the indexes of the last five Volumes (VI-X) are being published as a supplement to the present July issue (X.2). The following are the new exchanges for the 'Purana' Bulletin :- 1. Sri Venkateswara University Oriental Journals, 2. Bulletin of the American Academy of Benaras,

July, 1968] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 197 etebhyah samvaditahastalekhebhya atirikta asmabhih harvarda yunivarsiti- laibreristhasya 1039 samkhyakasya hastalekhasya photostetapratireka samprapta | kurmapuranasya nimnaknkitah bamgalipibaddhasca sarve hyete hastalekhah patha- samvadartham samadhigata asmabhih- 1 . hastalekhah, samkhya 4492-5, - F 7 kalikatayah esiyatika - sosaititah ; 2. purvapakistanasya maikrophilma pratirekopalabdha ; dhaka visvavidyalayatah kurmapuranahastalekhasya 3 . pascimavamgasya siramapuramahavidyalayasya pustakalayat prapta kurma- puranahastalekhasya maikrophilmapratiscaika | anyamapi kurmapuranasya talapatrahastalekham granthalipilikhitam madrasanagarad vayam kritavantah | svalpamatsyapuranam adyavadhi yavat svalpamatsyapuranasya pancavimsatiradhyayah 'purana ' patrikayam kramasah prakasitah | agrimah sad adhyayah (26-31 ) asminnanke prakasitah vartante | 'puranam ' patrika asmin vyasapurnima'nke puranapatrikayah dasabhagah purnah samjatah yatha lekhakanam visayanam ca sucya spastibhavati, ardhavarsikavimsatyankamayatma- kesu esu dasabhagesu puranavisayakadhyayanasya vistrta ksetramagharikrtya nibandhah prastutah | prathamapancabhaganam lekhakanam visayanam ca suci pancamabhagasya dvitiya- nkasya parisistarupena prakasita asit | antimapancabhaganam suci dasamabhagasya dvitiyankasya (10 .2) parisistarupena prakasyamana vartate | 'puranam ' patrikayah parivartane adhonirdista navinah patrikah praptah- 1 . srivemkatesvarayunivarsiti pracyavidya patrika | 2 . buletina apha di amerikana akadami apha banarasa | 12

198 puranam - PURANA [Vol. X., No. 2 3. 'Puratattva', Bulletin of the Indian Archaeological Society, B.H.U. 4. 'Bharati', Bulletin of the College of Indology, B.H.U. VEDA-PARAYANA From Pausa Sukla 1 up to Magha-Purnima (i. e. January 1st to February 14th), for full one and a half-month the Parayana by memory of the whole Kauthumi Sakha of the Samaveda and its eight Brahmanas and the Chandogya-Upanisad was done by Pt. P. Krishnamurti Srauti in the Vyasa temple of Ramnagor Fort. On the day of the conclusion of the Parayana i. e. on 14th February, a grand ceremony to celebrate the successful conclusion of the Samaveda-Parayana was held in the Shivala palace in the afternoon. Sri Srautiji was ceremoniously received at the Sivala ghata when he arrived there in the motor launch of His Highness from Ramnagar fort. He was then escorted by the Pandits to the pavilion, where His Highness honoured him with Ratna-Kundalas and ratna-Kankanas (Jewelled ear-rings and bracelets) and with a richly embordered Banarasi Uttariya (upper garment), Pt. Rajesvara Sastri Dravid addressed the gathering on the importance of the Parayana of the Vedas, and stressed the need of honouring Vedic scholars performing Veda-Parayana. In his opinion the parayana by memory of the whole Samaveda Samhita and its Brahmanas and Upanisads was a unique performance in the age. After this Pt. Harirama Sastri of the Sanskrit University presented a welcome address in Sanskrit verses to Srautiji. The Professors of the Indology College, B. H. U. and the Varanaseya Sanskrit University also attended the function. After the ceremony the reciter Pt. Krishnamurti Srauti was given a hearty send off, and he rode to his house on a richly decorated elephant of the Maharaja in a procession, followed by Pandits and Vedic scholars present on the occasion. It was a moving sight to witness such a right royal pageantry arranged for such an humble scholar. It reminded of the ancient Indian tradition of honouring a scholar by the kings of ancient India. The function concluded with distribution of prasada. A Pandita-Sabha of Varanasi Pandits was also hold on the occasion in the Shivala Palace.

July, 1968] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 199 3. 'puratattva ' buletina apha di indiyana arkelaॉjikala sosaiti, hindu visvavidyalayasya | 4 . 'bharati '- kasihindu visvavidyalayasya bharatimahavidyalayasya patrika | vedaparayanam pausasuklapratipadamarabhya maghipurnimam yavat (1 janavaritah 14 pharavari masam yavat ) sardhamasam - astabrahmanaih, chandogyopanisada ca saha sampurna kauthumisakhayah (smrtyadharena parayanam pam . pi . krsnamurtisrautina ramanagaradurgamsya vyasamandire krtam | parayanasamaptidine (14 pharavari dinanke ) samavedaparayanasya purna samapanavasare brhanmahotsavah ayojita asit | yada srautimahodayah ramanagaradurgatah tatrabhavatah kasinaresasya nalamotarayanena sivalaghatte samagata- stada ghatte tasya visesarupena svagato jatah | panditairanugamyamanah sa sabha- mandape samanitastatra ca tatrabhavadbhih kasinaresaih ratnakankanam, ratnakanika, ratna- khacitottariyam ca tasmai pradattam | pam . rajesvarasastridravidamahodayaih veda- parayanasya mahattvavisaye pravacanam krtam tatha vedaparayanakartrnam vidusam samma- nasya mahattvam ca pradarsitam | tasya matanusaratah vartamanavasare brahmanaih upanisada ca saha samavedasya parayanam apurvam vastu vartate | varanaseya samskrtavisvavidya- layadhyapakena hariramasuklamahodayena samskrtaslokesu srautimahodayasyabhinandanam krtam | kasihinduvisvavidyalayiya bharatimahavidyalayasyadhyapakah samskrtavisva- vidyalayasya cadhyapaka asminnutsave upasthita asan | mahotsava samaptau srautimahodayasya hardikam prasthapanam krtam sa alamkrtam hastinamaruhya panditaih vaidikaisca janairanugamyamanah svagrham gatah | pracinabharatiya naresaih vidusam satkarasyayam mahotsavah smaraka asit | prasadavitarananantara- mutsavah samaptah samjatah | asminnavasare eka panditasabha'pi ayojita asit |

200 puranam - PURANA [Vol. X, No. 2 PURANA PATHA AND PRAVACANA The parayana of the complete text of the Critical Edition of the Vamana Purana was done in the Siva-temple in the morning by Pt. Laksmana Pandeya of Ramnagar from Falguna Krishna 2 upto 13 (Feb. 16-26); and the discourses on it were given in the evening daily during these days by Pt. Prema Vallabh Tripathi , Professor of the Department of Dharmasastra of the Varanaseya Sanskrit University. ALL-INDIA ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONGRESS The first session of this congress was held in the Banaras Hindu University on the Vasant Pancami day (Feb. 3, 1968). It was inaugurated by His Highness Maharaja Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh. In the evening of the 4th Feb. an at-home was given to the deligates of the Congress by His Highness in the Ramnagar Fort. Deligates were shown the Museum of the Maharaja Banaras Vidya Mandir Trust and Purana-work, and copies of 'Purana' Bulletin were presented to them. Dr. Amarachand Joshi, V. C. of the B. H. U., Dr. A. K. Narain, Principal Indology College, Prof. Rajbali Pandeya of Jabalpur University, and Dr. H. D. Sankalia, the President of the Congress were among the number of scholars present at the function. were acquainted with the TRADITIONAL CULTURE SOCIETY A Society for preserving and propagating the traditional culture of the area was founded on this occasion by Dr. A. K. Narain and other Professors in consultation with His Highness Maharaja Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh as a part of the cultural activities of the Kashiraj Trust. It is proposed to have a separate body for this purpose. A meeting of this Society was held on the 14th February in Shivala Palace under the presidentship of His Highness Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh. Most of the members of the staff of the Department of Archaeology and Culture of the Indology College of B. H. U. attended the meeting. It was proposed that the

July, 1968] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 201 puranapathah pravacanam ca vamanapuranasya pathasamiksatmakasamskaranasya sampurnam parayanam ramanagara- vastavyena pam . laksmana pandeyena sivamandire phalgunakrsnadvitiyamarabhya trayodasim yavat (pharavari 16 - 26 ) pratahkale krtam | asminnavadhau pratidinam sayamkale imam puranamadhikrtya varanaseya samskrtavisvavidyalaye dharmasastradhyapakena pam . premavallabhasastrina pravacanam krtam | sarvabharatiya puratattvaparisadah mahasammelanam asyah parisadah prathamam sammelanam kasihinduvisvavidyalaye vasantapancami dine (3 pharavari 1968 ) samjatam | sammelanasyodghatanam tatra bhavadbhih kasinaresaih maharaja da0 vibhutinarayana simhamahodayaih krtam | 4 pharavari - dinankasya sayamkale pratinidhibhyah tatrabhavadbhih kasinaresaih ramanagaradurge svalpaharasyayojanam krtam | pratinidhayah maharajabanarasavidyamandira- nyasasya samgrahalayamapi drstavantah | te puranavibhagasya karyenapi avagatah krtah tathaca tebhyah 'puranam ' patrika pradatta | asmin samarohe anyaih vidvadbhih saha kasihinduvisvavidyalayasya kulapatayah da0 amaracanda josimahodaya bharati- mahavidyalayasyadhyapakah da0 narayanamahodayah, jabalapura visvavidyalayiyah da0 rajabalipandeyamahodayah, sammelanasyadhyaksah da0 samkaliyamahodayasco- pasthita asan | paramparagata samskrti samraksani sabha-- asminnavasare da0 e0 ke0 narayanamahodayaih anyaisvadhyapakaih tatra bhavadbhih kasinaresa da0 vibhutinarayana simhanam paramarsena asya ksetrasya paramparagata samskrteh samraksanaya pracaraya ca kasirajanyasasya samskrtikakaryana- mangatvena eka sabha samsthapita | asyah krte ekasyah prthaksammityah ayojanam prastavitam vartate | 14 pharavari dinanke asyah samityah eka sabha sivalaprasade tatra bhavatam da0 vibhutinarayanasimhamahodayanam sabhapatitve samjata | kasihindu-

202 puranam - PURANA [Vol. X., No. 2 different persons working independently on the traditional culture of Varanasi and its adjoining area should be brought together and their work be organised and systematised and that occasional culture-shows, folk dances etc. should also be organised, and that both the academic and the popular sides of the traditional culture should be developed. SCHOLARS WHO VISITED THE PURANA DEPARTMENT During this period the following scholars visited the Purana Department:Dr. A. L. Basham and his wife with Dr. A. K. Narain visited the Purana Department on 19 Feb, 1963 and saw the critical edition of the Vamana-Purana, and other work of the Purana Department. Dr. Basham very much appreciated the critical edition of the Vamana Purana, and recorded his appreciation of this work in Sanskrit. Dr. Gauri Nath Shastri, Vice Chancellor of the Varanaseya Sanskrit University visited the Purana Department on 27th April, and acquainted himself with the works of the Purana Department, which he very much appreciated. A copy of the Vamana Purana edition, and copies of other publications of Trust were presented to him. He had offered his full co-operation in this work. Some research scholars also occasionly came to the Purana Department for seeking some help in their studies, such as obtaining Puranic references on various topics, and also for having some consultations on them. Some sought such help by correspondence. They were provided necessary help. DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AT THE NADESAR HOUSE During this period the following were the distinguished guests of His Highness at the Nadesar House, who were also acquainted with the Purana-work of the Kashiraj Trust, and copies of 'Purana' were presented to them :- 1. Dr. Ludwick Sternbach, Senior social affairs officer, U.N., New York,

samskrtivibhagasya prayah July, 1968] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 203 visvavidyalayiya bharatimahavidyalayasya pracina itihasa sarve adhyapaka upasthita asan, idam ca tatra prastavitam yad varanasyah tatsami- pasthasya pradesasya ca paramparagata samskrtivisaye karyaratah sarve vidvamsah ekastha bhaveyuh tesam karyani ca ayojitani ekapaddhatyanukulani ca bhaveyuh | samaye- samaye samskrtika pradarsanasya lokanrtyasya ca ayojanam prastavitam jatam | tatha paramparagata samskrteh gavesanapaksasya lokapaksasya cetyubhayoh paksayoh vikasah karaniya iti niscayah krtah | puranavibhage agata vidvamsah asmin karyavadhau adho nirdista vidvamsah puranavibhagam drstavantah -- da0 e0 ela0 basamamahodayah sapatnikah, da0 e0 ke0 narayanamahodayena saha 1968 varsasya pharavari masasya 19 dinanke puranavibhagam drstavan | tena vamanapuranasya pathasamiksatmakam samskaranam anyani ca puranavibhagakaryani avalokitam | basamamahodayah pathasamiksatmakam vamanapurana samskaranamatisayena prasamsitavan | svabhimatam ca samskrtabhasamagharikrtya likhitavan | samskrtavisvavidyalayasyopakulapatayah da0 gaurinathasastrinah apraila masasya 27 dinanke puranavibhage samagatah tatratyani karyani cavalokitavantah prasamsitavantasca | vamanapuranasyaika pratih anyesam prakasananam ca pratayah tebhyah samarpitah taisca svasya purnasahayogaya asvasanam pradattam | kecit sodhachatra api svanibandhopayogipurana samagri praptaye puranavibhage samagatah kecicca patravyavaharena purananirdesa - puranasamskaranadi- visaye jijnasam krtavantah | tebhyo yathavasyakam sahayata pradatta | nadesarabhavane visista atithayah asmin karyavadhau agho nirdista mahanubhavah tatrabhavatah kasinaresasya nadesarabhavane atithayah asan | ime sajjanah kasirajanyasasya puranakaryena paricita jatah tatha tebhyah 'purana ' patrika pradatta | 1 . ludavika starnabasamahodayah samyuktarastrasya adhikari |

204 puranam -- PURANA [Vol. X., No. 2 2. Sri S. C. Dutta, Professor, Mayo College, Ajmer ; 3. Sri Bhagwant Singh, Food Commisioner, 4. Sri Dilip Kumar Roy, renouned musician and head of the Hari Krishna Mandir, Poona. Sri Dilip Kumar Roy with his party stayed in the Nadesar house from 17th to 21st April, and gave a charming demonstration of his devotional songs in the evening of 20th April in the Nadesar House before a large gathering of the distinguished persons and scholars of Varanasi. 5. Justice S. K. Verma, Judge, Allahabad High Court.

July, 1968] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 205 2. sri esa . si . dattamahodayah ajamerasthameyovidyalayasyadhyapakah | 3 . sri bhagavantasimhamahodayah khadyavibhagasyayuktah | 4 . sri dilipakumararayamahodayah, prasiddhasamgitajnah | ayam mahanubhavah nadesarabhavane 17-21 apraila tithi yavat sthita asit | 20 apraila dinanke visistajananam samaksa tena bhaktisamgitam sravitam | sri esa . ke . varmamahodayah prayagasthoccanyayalayasya nyayadhisah |