Activities of The All India Kashiraj Trust (July – December 1969)

Activities of the All India Kashiraj Trust [kasirajanyasasya karyavivaranam] / 182-201

WORK ON THE KURMA PURANA Work on the critical edition of the Kurma-Purana which remained suspended during the period when the three volumes of the Vamana Purana-Critical Edition, and English and Hindi translations along with the text-were under preparation and being printed is now resumed. The following work on the critical edition of the Kurma-Purana has been done up till now. 1. Collation of MSS. The following MSS. of the Kurma Purana have already been collated:A. Devanagari MSS. 1. E. 33 45, India Office London. 2. E. 3346, India office, London. 3. No. 1039, Harvard University Library, Electroprint copy. 4. No. 41 of 1881-82, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona; the oldest MS. of the Kurma-Purana procured so far. 5. Tod 39, Royal Asiatic Society, London, electroprint copy. 6. No. 5589, Visvesvarananda Vedic Research Institute, Hoshiarpur. 7. P.M. 2418, Adyar Library, Madras. 8. No. 1588, Sarasvati Mahal, Tanjore, South India. 9. MC. 371, Oriental Research Institute, Mysore. 10. Serial No. 799, B.H.U. Library, Varanasi. B. Kashmirian MS. 11. No. 3563, Shri Raghunath Sanskrit Library, Jammu.

sarvabharatiya kasirajamyasasya karyavivaranam (julai-disambara, 1969 ) kurmapuranasambandhi karyam kurmapuranasya samiksitasamskaranasya karyam sampratam pracalati | etatpurana- sambandhikarya madhye avaruddhamivasit yato vamanapuranasya samskaranatrayasya - samiksita samskaranasya, angala- hindi-bhasanuvadabhagayoh mulapathasahitayosca - prakasanadikam karyam sampadyate sma | adya yavadadholikhitam karyajatam kurmapuranasya samiksita samskaranasambandhi sampannameva | 1 . hastalekhanam pathasamvadakaryam kurmapuranasyadhonkita hastalekhah purvameva samvaditahh---- (a) devanagari - hastalekhah- 1 . i. 3345, indiya aphisa landanasthasya | 2 . i. 3346, indiya aphisa landanasthasya | 4 . 3. sam . 1039, haravarda yunivarsiti laibreri- elektroprintapatih | sam . 41 (1981-82 ), bhandarakara oriyantala risarca instityuta punatah ; esah kurmapuranasya pracinatamo hastalekha asmabhih praptah | 5 . taॉda 39, rayala esiyatika sosaiti landanasthasya elektro- printa pratih | 6 . sam . 5589, visvesvarananda vaidika sodhasamsthana hosiyarapurasthasya 7 . pi . ema . 2418, adyara laibreri madrasasthasya | 8 . sam . 1588, sarasvatimahala, tannora daksinabharatasthasya | 9 . ema . si . 371, oriyantala risarca instityuta maisurasthasya | 10 . krama sam . 799, bi . eca . yu . laibreri varanasisthasya | (a) kasmirihastalekhah 11 . sam . 3563, sriraghunatha samskrta pustakalaya jammusthasya |

184 C. Bengali MSS. puranam - PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 12. No. 398, Asiatic Society Library, Calcutta. 13. No. 2845, Dacca University Library, Dacca, Microfilm. 14. No. 3390, Dacca University Library, Dacca, Microfilm. D. Uriya MS. 15. No. 75139, Adyar Library, Madras, Text Uttarardha only. E. South Indian Non-Devanagari MSS. 16. A Palm-Leaf MS in Grantha Script, purchased from Madras, text Purvardha only. 17. A Palm-leaf MS in Grantha Script from V. V. R. I. Hoshiarpur. No. 6036. 18. A Palm-Leaf MS in Grantha Script, No. 110/19129, from the Kerala University Library, Trivandrum. 19. A Palm-Leaf MS in Nandi-Nagari Script, from the Sringeri Matha, Mysore. The following two MSS are being collated:-- 20. The Telugu MS. No. D 2107, from the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras. A devanagari Transcript copy of this MS. is prepared by the authorities of the G.O.M. Library at our request. 21. No. 16 of 1873-74 from B.O.R.I., Poona. 2. Subject Concordance. A subject concordance of the Kurma-Purana with the Mahabharata and the other Puranas is being prepared. Upto this time the subject concordance with the Mahabharata, VamanaPurana, Matsya-Purana Vayu Purana, and Skanda-Purana has been prepared. 3. Sloka concordance. A sloka concordance of the Kurma, Mahabharata (Cr. Edn.) and the other Puranas is also being prepared along with the subject concordance.

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 185 (i) bamgali - hastalekhah 12 . sam . 368, esiyatika sosaiti-laibreri, kalikatah | 13 . sam . 2845, dhakayunivarsiti-laibreri dhakatah ( maikro- philmapratih ) | 14 . sam . 3390, (i) udiya hastalekhah "7 " " "" 15 . 75139, adyara laibreri, madrasasya ( uttarabhagatmaka eva ) | (u) daksinabharatiya lipihastalekhah 16 . ekah tadapatrahastalekhah granthalipyam purvabhagatmaka eva (madrasatah kritah ) 17 . ekah tadapatrahastalekhah, granthalipyam sam . 6036, vi . vi . sodhasamsthana hosiyarapurasthasya | 18 . ekah tadapatriyah hastalekhah malayalamalipyam sam . 110|19129, keralayunivarsiti laibreri trivendramasthasya | 19 . ekastadapatriya hastalekhah nandinagarilipyam, srmgerimatha maisurasthasya adhonirdistau hastalekhau samvadyamanau stah- 20 . di . 2107 samkhyakah teluguhastalekhah, gavarnamenta oriyantala mainyuskriptsa laibreri madrasasthasya | devanagarilipyantarikrta pratiretasya hastalekhasya, ni . o, ema . laibreri adhikaribhira- smakamanurodhena sampadita | 21 . sam . 16,1873-74 varsasya bi . o. ara . ai . punanagaratah | 2 . visaya samvadakaryam kurmapuranasya mahabharatena puranantaraisca saha samvadakaryamidanim sampadyate | idanim yavat mahabharatena vamana-matsya vayu- skandapuranaisca saha kurmapuranasya visaya- samvadakaryam samaptim gatam | 3 . slokasamvadakaryam kurmapuranasya slokaih saha mahabharatasya ( samiksita samskaranasya ) purana- ntaranam ca sloka-samvadakaryam visayasamvadasahitameva kriyate 24

186 puranam - PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 4. Lists of Personal names, Geographical Names, Flora and Fauna. These lists from the Kurma-Purana are being prepared on the model of the lists published in the Appendices of translation Volumes of the Vamana Purana. Constitution of the text and the preparation of the Critical Apparatus will begin shortly. 'PURANA BULLETIN The 'Purana' Bulletin has now entered the twelfth year of its publication. The present issue, entitled as the Vamana Purana Number, contains the articles and notes on the various aspects of the Vamana Purana and the Vamanavatara which forms the main topic of the Vamana Purana and after which this Purana derives its name. A supplement containing the Critical Notes on the constituted Text of the Vamana Purana is also added to this issue. On p. XVII of the Introduction of the Critical Edition of the Vamana Purana it was stated that the Sucipatra appended to the Kashmirian MS, symbolised as . in our Critical Apparatus, will be published in the Appendix of the Critical Edition. But owing to unavoidable circumstances it could not be published at that time. So it is being published now in this issue. This . MS of the Vamana Purana, with the Sanskrit commentary of the Kashmirian Pandit Ramacandra Bhatta divides the text into 114 Adhyayas while in all other MSS, and the vulgate edition the number of the Adhyayas is much less (95, or about 97). Hence the importance of this suci-patra. REVIEW OF THE CRITICAL EDITION OF THE VAMANA PURANA. The Critical Edition of the Vamana Purana has been reviewed in Indian and foreign Indological Journals. Mention may be made here of the review by Dr. L. Sternbach of new York published in the Journal of the American Oriental Society. 89.2 (1969) pp. 411-412, and that by Dr. A.D. Pusalker, Curator and Director of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona published in the Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Vol. 50, pp. 116-118. Some extracts of these reviews are published in this issue of the Purana Bulletin. We are thankful to the learned reviewers for their reviews, appreciations and suggestions.

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 187 4. kurmapuranagatanam vyaktinamnam bhaugolikanamnam vanaspati - pasupaksinamnasca sucyah kurmapurane agatanamesam namnam sucyah prakasitavamanapuranasya anuvada- bhagasya parisistamse pradattasucinamiva nirmiyante | pathanirdharanakarya samiksitapathasamagri samkalanakaryam cavilambitameva prarapsyate | 'puranam ' patrikakaryam asmakam 'puranam ' patrikayah prakasanam dvadasatame varse pravistam | esah purah sthito'nkah vamana visesamkarupena sampaditah | atra vamanapuranasya vamanava- tarasya ca sambandhe vividhavisayanadhikrtya likhitanam lekhanam samgraho vartate | vamanavatarah vamanapuranasya mukhya pratipadyavisayah bhavati yasyanurodhenasya puranasya namakaranam samjatam | asmin vamanapuranasya nirdharitapathopari samiksatmaka- tippanya api purakarupena samyojitah santi | vamanapuranasya samiksitasamskaranasya bhumikayam saptadasaprsthe etannirdistamasit yat kara . hastalekhe parisistarupena pradattam sucipatram vamanapuranasya samiksita- samskaranasya parisiste samudraya prakasamayasyati | parantu kenacidapariharya karana- vasat etattada prakasa nalabhata | atah tadidanimanke'sminprakasyate | esa kara . hastalekhah kasmiripanditena ramacandrabhattena nirmitena samskrtabhasyena yuto vartate | asya vamanapuranasya hastalekhapathah 114 adhyayesu vibhaktosti | anyahastalenesu tu adharabhutavemkatesvara samskarane ca adhyaya samkhya pancanavatim saptanavati va na parayati | ata eva etatsucipatrasya mahattvam pratibhati | vamanapuranasya samiksita samskaranasya samiksa pracyapascatyapatrikasu samiksitapathatmaka vamanapuranasya samiksah prakasita vidyante | atra da . ela . starnabakhamahodayaih nyuyarka vastavyaih prastutayah jarnala apha di amerikana oriyantala sosaiti, 89 .2 (1969 ) pr . sam . 411-412 tame'nke prakasitayah ; da0 e0 di0 pusalkaramahodayaih bhandarakara oriyantala risarca instityuta punavasthitasya sampadakaih samcalakaisca prastutayah tatratya enalsa apha di bhandarakara oriyantala risarca instityuta 50 tame amke 116-118 prsthesu prakasitayasca samiksayah nirdesah kartum sakyate | atra ca 'puranam ' patrikaya etasmin anke tabhyam samiksabhyamuddhata amsah kecitprakasitah | etan vidusah samiksakan prati vayam tesam samiksaye, prasamsayai, sammatyai ca dhanyavadan vitaramah |

188 puranam -- PURANA PURANA-PATHA AND PRAVACANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 During the last weak of the bright half (Sukla-Paksa) of the month of Kartika (October-November) the complete text of the Varaha-Purana was recited in the morning in the Padma-nabha temple of Ramnagar, and pravacana on it was given by Pt. Visvanatha Shastri Datar of the Sanga-Veda-Vidyalaya, Varanasi. 1. Veda-Parayana. VYASA UTSAVA The The Veda-Parayana (recitation of the complete text of the Veda) was arranged as usual during the bright fortnight of the month of Asadha (July) in the Siva-temple of the Kashiraj Trust in the Sivala Palace on the bank of Ganga at Varanasi complete Samhita of the Sukla Yajurveda with its pada and Krama was recited by memory in traditional svara-patha by Pt. Laksmi Kanta Diksita. The reciter was given usual daksina after the successful completion of the parayana on the Vyasa-purnima. 2. Purana-Gosthi. A Purana-Gosthi was arranged as part of the Vyasa-Utsava on the Vyasa-Purnima occasion. It was presided by His Highness Maharaja Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh, and was attended by a number of local Sanskrit scholars and Professors of the Varannaseya Sanskrit University and the Banaras Hindu University. The Vice Chancellor of the Varanaseya Sanskrit University, Dr. Gauri Nath Sastri, also attended the meeting. A report of the Puranic work done during the year was read by Shri A. S. Gupta after the mangalacarna and the Vyasa-vandana. Then some textual problems of the Kurma-Purana were placed before the learned gathering, some useful discussion followed in which several scholars, such as Prof. Baldeva Upadhyaya, Pt. Badarinath Shukla of the Varanaseya Sanskrit University and Shri Anand Swarup Gupta of the Purana Deptt. of the Kashiraj Trust took a prominent part. On this occasion the bi-annual varsasana of Rs. 600/- was also given to Pt. Krishnamurti Srotriya for memorising the Vedic Samhita and Brahmanas. Panditaraja Shri Rajeshwar Shastri explained to the audience the scheme of memorising the Satapatha-Brahmana of the Sukla-Yajurveda sponsored by our sister Trust, Maharaja KashiNaresh Dharma-Karya Nidhi as mentioned in Purana, XI. 2, p. 338.

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 189 purana- pathah pravacanasca ramanagarasthapadmanabhamandire kartika (aktubara-navambara ) masasya suklapakse'ntime saptahe pratahkale varahapuranasya sampurnah pathah jatah tadupari varanasisthasangaveda- vidyalayasya pam . visvanathasastri datara mahasayaih pravacananca dattam | vyasa-utsavah 1 . veda parayanam varanasisthasivalabhavane kasirajanyasiye sivamandare gamgatate asadha- ( julai ) masasya suklapakse vedaparayanam ( vedasya sampurnataya pathoccaranam ) purvavadevayojitamasit | suklayajurvedasya sampurnasamhitayah pada kramadikamanu- srtya paramparikasvarapathasahitah kanthagrapathah pam . laksmikantadiksitamahodayaih krtah | pathakartre yathapurvam vyasapurnimavasare parayanasya saphalyena purananantaram daksina pradatta | 2 . purana- gosthi vyasapurnimavasare vyasotsavangabhuta purana- gosthi ayojita abhut | kasinaresaih maharajavibhutinarayana simhamahanubhavairasya madhyaksapadamalankrtam | sthaniyah samskrta vidvamsah varanaseya samskrta visvavidyalayiya kasihinduvisva- vidyalayiyah vibhagadhyaksasca tatropasthita abhavan | da . gaurinathasastrimahodayah va . sa. visvavidyalayasyopakulapatirapi tatropasthita asit | mangalacarana- vyasavandananantaram sri anandasvarupagupta mahanubhavaih varsantare sampaditapurana- sambandhikaryasya vivaranam prastutam | tatah kurmapuranasya pathasambandhinih samasya api kascit upasthita vidusam puratah vicararthamupasthapita tatasca tasam sambandhe upayogi vimarsah samajayata | asmin vimarse aneke vidvamsah pro . baladeva upadhyayah, pam . badarinatha suklah varanaseya samskrta visvavidyalayasya, sri anandasvarupa guptasca kasirajanyasantargatapuranavibhagasya pramukha vimarsaka asan | asminnavasare 600 ) rupyakanam sanmasikam varsasanam vaidikasamhita- brahmanayoh kanthikaranartham srotriyaya pam . krsnamurti vaidikaya pradattamasit | panditarajena srirajesvarasastrina suklayajurvediyasatapathabrahmanasya kanthikarana- vidhih upasthitasajjanan prati vyakhyatah | vyavastha caitadrsadhyayanasyasmakam sahakarinyasena maharajakasinaresadharmakaryanidhinamna khyatena yatha 'purana ' patrikayam (11 . 2, pr . 338 ) nirdistam samcalyate |

190 puranam - PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 MEETING OF THE PURANA-COMMITTEE A meeting of the Purana committee was held on 9/8/69 in the Purana Deptt., Fort Ramnagar under the presidentship of His Highness Maharaja Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh. Dr. R. K. Sharma and Dr. V. Raghavan also attended the meeting, and Pt. Vishvanath Shastri Datar was also invited and attended. The project of the critical edition of the Kurma Purana was discussed. PURANA-SEMINAR A Purana-Seminar was held in our Purana Deptt. under the chairmanship of His Highness Maharaja Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh, Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University on the evening of 30th Dec. 1969 under the auspices of the Indian Historical Congress, the 31st Session of which was held in the Banaras Hindu University from 28th to 30th Dec. 1969, and was attended by Dr. N. K. Sinha, General President of the Indian History congress, Dr. A. L. Basham, Professor of the Australian National University Canberra, Dr. A. K. Narain of the Banaras Hindu University, Dr. Haripada Chakravarti of the Visva Bharati University. Santiniketan, Dr. K. Kumar, Archaological Survey of India and about 75 other delegates of the History congress. In the beginning, slokas of mangalacarana and Vyasa-vandana from the Puranas were recited by Pt. Hiramani Misra of our Purana Deptt. After it Maharaj-kumar Dr. Raghubir Singh of Sitamau, Malwa, a Trustee of the Kashiraj Trust and a learned historian, welcomed the delegates and in his speech impressed the importance of the Puranas for the ancient history of India. Dr. Lallan Ji Gopal, Reader in the Deptt. of Ancient Indian History and culture of the B.H.U., then read his learned paper on the importance of the Puranas for reconstructing the history of India. He also touched upon the several aspects of the text-reconstruction of the Puranas. The paper was followed by an interesting discussion in which Dr. Ajai Mitra Shastri of Nagpur University, Dr. R. A. Pathak of the Purana section of the Deptt. of Ancient History and Culture of the B.H. U. and Shri Anand Swarup Gupta of the Purana Deptt. of the Kashiraj Trust took prominent part. Then Dr. Raj Bali Pandey, Vice-Chancellor of Jabalpur University, who presided over the Seminar stressed the need of the study of Puranas in proper perspective. In the end Maharaja Dr. Vibhuti

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 191 purana samiteradhivesanam sarvabharatiya kasirajanyasasya puranasamiterekamadhivesanam ramanagara durgamsthe puranavibhage 9|8 /69 dinanke tatrabhavatam kasina resamaharaja daktara vibhuti- narayanasimha mahodayanamadhyaksatayam samjatam | asmin adhivesane daktara- ramakaranasarma mahabhagah, da0 vi0 raghavanmahodayah tatha srivisvanathasastri datara- mahodaya upasthita asan | kurmapuranasya sampadanavisaye vimarso natah | puranavirmasa sabha asmakam puranavibhage 1969 varsasya disambaramasasya 30 divase sayamkale eka samitih samjata yasyam puranavisaye vimarso jatah | esa samitih kasihindu- visvavidyalaye disambaramasasya 28-30 divasesu ayojite bharatiyetihasasammela- nasya 31 tame'dhivesane upasthitanam visistasadasyanam tattvavadhane samghatita | hindu- visvavidyalayasya kulapatipade pratisthitah kasinaresadaktara vibhutinarayana simhamahabhagah etasyah adhyaksatam krtavan | atra da . en . ke . sinhamahodayah bharatiyetihasasamme- lanasya sarvadhyaksah, da . e. ela . baramamahasayah kenavarasthitasya astreliyadesasya rastriyavisvavidyalayasya pradhyapakah, da . e. ke . narayanamahasayah banarasa hindu- visvavidyalayasya, da . harisadacakravarti mahasayah visvabharati visvavidyalayasanti- niketanasya, da . ke . kumaramahodayah bharatiya puratattva sarveksana vibhagasya, prabhrtayah bharatiyetihasasammelanasya pancasaptati (75 ) sadasyah upasthita abhavan | adau puranebhyah grhitah mangalacaranavyasavandanasloka asmakam puranavibhagiyena pam . hiramanimisradvara udahrtah | tato maharajakumarah da . raghuvirasimhamaho- dayah sitamau, malavavastavyah kasirajanya sasadasyah aitihasiko vidvan sadasyanam svagatam vyajahara, sviyabhasane ca bharatiyapracinetihase purananam mahattvam pratyapadayata | da . lallanaji gopalah banarasa hindu visvavidyalayasya pracina- bharatiyetihasa-samskrtivibhage rodarapadabhak sviyam vidvattagarbhitam lekhamapathat yasmin vakta bharatiyetihasasya punarnirmanaya purananam mahattvam svamatena bahudha prakaticakara | punascasau purananam pathasamskarasambandhinah nanavidhan paksan purasthapitavan yanavalambya rocako vimarsah samjatah | etasmin vimarse da . anayamitra sastri nagapura visvavidyalayasya ; da . ara . e. pathakah banarasahindu- visvavidyalayiyapracinetihasa-samskrtivibhagangabhutapuranavibhagasya, tatha sri anandasvarupa guptah kasirajanyasiyapuranavibhagasya ca pramukhabhaginah asan | tadanantaram nabalapura visvavidyalayasya kulapatina da0 rajabalipandeyamahabhagena, yo 'syah sabhayah samcalanam cakara, purananamadhyayanasyopayogitvam pradarsitam |

192 puranam - PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 Narain Singh thanked the delegates for their participation in the Purana seminar, and then Dr. N.K. Sinha thanked His Highness and the Kashiraj Trust for organising this important seminar in the Purana Deptt. at Ramnagar All the delegates of the History Congress were entertained at a tea-party by His Highness, the Chairman of the All-India Kashiraj Trust. SCHOLARS WHO CONTACTED THE PURANA-DEPARTMENT During this period the following scholars contacted the Purana-Department personally or through correspondence in connection with their Puranic study: 1. L. Sunita, a research scholar in the Hindi Department of the University of Kochin, Kerala, inquired about the source of the Candrahasa-story, and about the availability of the Jaiminiya-Asvamedha. (letter, 11. 8. 69). 2. Prof. Jas. Joachim Hurtak, Department of Anthropology, San Fernado Valley State College, Northridge, California, U. S. A. In connection with his study of YajnaVaraha. (Letter, 14th Oct. 1969). He was supplied with a list. of articles on YajnaVaraha published in 'Purana' Bulletin. 3. Shri Rai Krishnadasa, Director, Bharata Kala Bhavana, B.H.U. in connection with the variant panca-trimsat of the reading panca-vimsat ocurring in a verse ( ajatasatrurbhavita 1) of the Vayu-Purana (Anandasrama Edn.), 99. 314-322 (Letter 9-X-1969). In this connection Pargiter's book 'The Purana Text of the Dynasties of the Kali Age', p. 21, has been referred to, as we are not yet working on the MSS of the Vayu or the Brahmanda-Purana. A list of the important Sanskrit Libraries in India and Nepal was also supplied to him as requested by him in his above letter.

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 193 samaptikale kasinaresaih maharajasrivibhutinarayana simhamahabhagaih sadasyan prati tesam puranagosthyam bhagagrahanartham dhanyavadah vitaritah | tadanantaram da . en . ke . sinhamahodayah kasinaresam prati kasirajanyasam prati ca ramanagarasthe puranavibhage mahattvapurna samiteh ayojanartham dhanyavadan vyajahara | aitihasikasammelanasya sarve hi sadasyah sarvabharatiya kasirajanyasasyadhyaksaih srikasinaresaih alpaharadvara sammanitah | puranavibhagena samparka sthapayitaro vidvamsah etasmin karyavadhau adholikhita vidvamsah pauranikadhyayanasambandhe purana- vibhagena samparka sthapitavanto vyaktirupena upasthitidvara patravyavaharena va | ( 1 ) ela . sunita, keralasthako cinavisvavidyalayasyaika chatra candrahasa- kathanakasya mulasrotasambandhe jaiminiya asvamedhasya praptavyavisaye ca nijnasam krtavati (patram, 11 .8.69 ) | tatsucana tasyai prastuta ca | (2) prophe, jaisa . nocima haratak, puratattva vibhagasya kelaphorniya- sthitasya saina pharnado vaili, stetakaleja nartharina amerikayam sviye 'yajna-varaha '- adhyayanavisaye jijnasitavan ( patram 14 aktubaramase 1969 ) puranapatrikayam prakasitayoh 'yajnavaraha ' visayaka lekhayoh sucyau tasmai pradatte | ( 3 ) sriraya krsnadasamahodayah hinduvisvavidyalayiya kala bhavana samcalakah- vayupuranasya ( anandasramasamskaranam 99 . 314-322 ) 'anatasatrurbhavita pancavimsat sama nrpa ' ityatra pancavimsatpathasya 'panca-trisat ' pathantaravisaye ( patram, 9 .10 . 1969 ) jijnasitavan | etatsambandhe parjitara mahanubhavasya pustakam 'di purana teksta apha di dayanestija apha da kali eja ' prstham 21, nirdistam, yato na hi vayamidanim vayupuranasya brahmandapuranasya va hastalekhanam sambandhe karya kurmah | tena svakiye patre krtaprarthananusarena bharate nepale ca sthitanam mahattvasa- lipustakalayanam suci ca tasmai presita | 25

194 puranam -- PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 4. Dr. R. N. Mehta, Dean, Faculty of Arts, M. S. University of Baroda in connection with the BrahmavaivartaPurana, the region where it is popular, the region where its Saptahas are held, and the sect to which it is a Bible. (Letter, 20. 12. 69). Partial information has been supplied, the rest will be supplied after more study and inquiry. SCHOLARS WHO VISITED THE PURANA DEPARTMENT. The following scholars paid a visit to the Purana-Department during the period under review :- 1. Dr. L. Sternbach, U. N., New York. 22. 8. 69. 2. Prof. Badarinath Shukla, Varanaseya Sanskrit University 23.8.69. 3. Prof. Dr. Asoke Chatterjee, V. S. University, Varanasi 29.8.69. 4. Dr. H.V. Stietencron, South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, West Germany. 3.11.69. He writes 'I congratulate you on having presented a good Critical Edition of the Vamana-Purana to the world of scholars. Please send a complete set of the Purana Bulletin for my private use to my address in Germany with a bill." 5. Prof. Dillon, Dublin Institute for Advanced studies, Ireland 7.11.69. ACTIVITIES OF MAHARAJA BANARAS VIDYA MANDIR TRUST 1. Vrihyagrayana-isti This isti or yajna is performed after the rainy season to offer to the gods the first fruits of the rice-harvest. It was arranged by His Highness under the auspices of the M. B. Vidya Mandir Trust on Nov. 2, 1969. (f) and was performed under the supervision of Pt. Rajeshwar Shastri Dravid. The same persons who acted as Yajamana and priests in the Yavagrayana-isti on April 2, 1969 and in the Paurna-masa and Darsa istis in Dec, 1968, as mentioned in the Purana, XI. 1-2. also acted as Yajamana and priests on this occasion also. The isti was attended by some distinguished persons of Ramnagar and Varanasi. The daksina was given in kind as before.

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 195 ( 4 ) da . ara . ena . mehata . dina, phekalti apha artasa, ema . esa . yunivarsiti badodayah jijnasitavan yat brahmavaivartapuranasya kasmin sthane visesena pracarah, kasminva sthane'sya saptahapathapravacanadikam bhavati, kena ca sampradaya- visesenasya dharmagranthatvena sambandhah (patram, 20 . 12 . 69 ) | amsatah sucana presita'sti avasista cadhikataradhyayana-parijnananantaram tasmai pradasyate | puranavibhage samagata visista vidvamsah adhonirdista vidvamsah asminkaryavadhau puranavibhagam drstavantahh- ( 1 ) da . ela . starnabakha, rastrasamghah nyuyarkasya - 22-8-1969 tithyam | ( 2 ) pam . badarinatha suklah, varanaseya samskrtavisvavidyalayasya sodha- samcalakah --- 23-8-66 tithyam | ( 3 ) da . asoka catarji, varanaseya samskrta visvavidyalayasya vibhaga- dhyaksah--23-8-1969 tithyam | da . eca . vi, stitenkana, sautha esiya instityuta pascima jarmanidese hedelavarna visvavidyalayasya - 3-11-1969 tithyam | .. etena likhitam 'aham krtajnatam jnapayami tubhyam, yatah vidusam jagatah krte vamanapuranasya samiksitam samskaranam sampradattam krpaya puranapatrikayah sarve amkah mulyapatrasahitah, narmanisamketena presaniyah mama vyaktigatadhyayanasya krte | ' (5) prophe dilona, dabilana instityuta apha edavansda stadija ayaralainda sthitasya - 7-11-1969 tithyam | maharajavanarasavidyamandiranyasasya karyavivaranam 1 . vrihyagrayana- istih istiriyam varsarsvanantaram devebhyah dhanyasya prathamaphalam samarpanaya sampadyate | esa istih tatrabhavadbhih kasina resaih maharaja banarasa vidyamandiranyasasya tattvavadhane 2-11-1969 dinanka े ( kartika krsnapaksasyastamyam ) ayojitasit | esa istih pandirajasrirajesvasastridravidamahodayanam nirdesane sampadita | te eva purusa ye 2-4 69 dinanke samjataाyam yavagrayanestau tatha disambara 1968 mase ayojitayam paurnamasa-darsestau ( yatha puranapatrikayah 11 .1-2 amkayoh sucitam ) yajamanapurohita asan, asyamapi istau yajamana - purohita jatah |

196 puranam - PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 2. Tulasi-Jayanti The Tulasi-jayanti was celebrated with recitations from the Ramacarita-Manasa of the great Hindi Poet Saint Tulasidasa. Lectures were also delivered by several scholars of the P. N. Govt. Intermediate College and the Purana-Department on the life and works of Tulasidasa. 3. Vedic Balaka-Vasanta-Puja On the auspicious occasion of the birth day ceremony of Maharaja Kumara Shri Ananta Narain Singh, which was celebrated this year from 25-28 Nov., the bala vasanta-puja was performed on 26th Nov., 1969. Sixteen Vaidika-balakas (children who have memorised a part of some Vedic Samhita) recited the Vedic mantras in the Devi-temple of the Ramnagar Fort Daksina was given to these children. 4. Bala-Sastrartha Competition A Sastrartha or debate for children in Sanskrit was organised on 28. 11. 69 under the supervision of Pt. Rajeshwar Shastri Dravid on Navya-Nyaya, Vyakarana etc., in which Maharaja Kumara also participated. Prizes were given to the winners. 5. Kirtana. Kirtana or recitation of the names of God was also organised on this occasion at night in which the Sanyasi Scholars of the Rama Krishna Mission of Varanasi and the staff of Purana-Department also took part. Prasada was distributed. ACTIVITIES OF THE MAHARANI DHARMA-KARYA TRUST. 1. Bala-Mela. A Bala Mela (Children's fair and Baby-show) was organised on this occasion on the 27th November in which the sweets were distributed to the children of all the local Primary, Middle and Higher Secondary Schools. Sports were held by the children of the Primary and Middle schools in the Ramnagar Fort and prizes were given to the winners. age Sweets were also distributed to all the local children below the of 12 years, and clothes and toys were distributed to all the children below the age of 4 years by the Raja-Kumaris. The Purana-Department also helped in distributing sweets and clothes to the children.

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 197 2. tulasijayanti gosvamitulasidasasya ramacaritamanasasya pathena tulasijayanti sampanna | asyam sthaniyarajakiya vidyalayasya adhyapakaih tatha puranavibhagasya vidvadbhih tulasidasavisaye pravacanam krtam || 3 . vaidika balakavasantapuja maharajakumara sri anantanarayana simhamahodayasya janmadivasavasare yah utsavah 25 28 navambara dinankesu sampanno natah tatprasamge 26 navambaradinanke subhe bala- vasantapuja sampanna | ramanagaradurgasthe devimandire podasavaidika balakaih vedapathah krtah | ebhyah balakebhyo daksina pradatta | 4 . balasastrarthapratiyogita navyanyayavyakaranadivisayanadhikrtya samskrtabhasayam sastrartham panditarana- rajesvarasastridra vidamahodayasya nirdesane 28-11-69 dinanka े samjatam | asmin sastrarthe maharajakumaro'pi sammilitah asit | vijetrchatrebhyah puraskarani pradattani | 5 . kirtanam asminnavasare ratrau bhagavannamakirtanamapi samjatam yasmin ramakrsna misana- samsthayah samnyasinah puranavibhagasya panditasca sammilita asan | ante prasadavitaranamapi jatam | maharanidharmakaryanyasasya karyavivaranam 1 . balamela 27|11|69 dinanka े ramanagara durge balamela ayojita''sit yasmin balakebhyah misthanna vitaranam jatam | sthaniyah prarambhika-madhyamika-uccatara- madhyamika pathasalanam sarve chatra upasthita asan | durge kridayam prathamika- madhyamika pathasalanam vidyarthinah cikriduh jetaraschatrah puraskaram praptavantah | dvadasavarsadalpavayaskah sarve balakah misthanna praptavantah | maharajakumaribhih caturvarsadalpavayaskebhyah balebhyah vastranyapi vitaritani | asyam melayam purana- vibhagasya karmacarino'pi sahayogam dattavantah |

198 puranam - PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 2. Art-competition. An art competition (Chitra-Kala-Pratiyogita) was also organised on the same day, in which the children of the Vidya-mandiraPathasala and the local schools below the age of twelve years took part. Prizes and sweets were distributed. ACTIVITIES OF MAHARAJA KASI-NARESH DHARMA-KARYA-NIDHI As has already been mentioned in Purana, Vol. XI, No. 2, p. 338, the Trustees of Maharaja Kasi-Naresa Dharma-KaryaNidhi had sponsored a scheme for memorising the complete Samhita of the Sukla-Yajurveda and the Satapatha Brahmana. Under this scheme the Vaidika scholar Pt. Sakha Ram has been specially deputed to prepare students for memorising the Satapatha-Brahmana. The three students who are memorising the bulky Satapatha Brahmana gave demonstrations by reciting from the memorised portion of this Brahmana on the occasion of the Veda-parayana on the last Vyasa-Purnima. Pt. Rajeshwar Shastri explained the importance and the working of the scheme to the scholars present in the Purana-gosthi. Besides the above-mentioned activities of the Kashiraj Trust and of its Sister-Trusts, the Executive Committee of the VisvaHindu Dharma-Sammelana in its recent meeting held in the Ramnagar Fort under the chairmanship of His Highness Maharaja Dr. Vibhuti Narain Singh also decided that a bi-monthly or monthly Journal in English be published for the benefit of the Hindus spread out in other parts of the world. The All-India Kashiraj Trust has permitted its scholar Dr. Ganga Sagar Rai to associate himself with the said Journal. The publication section of the Kashiraj Trust will also co-operate in its initial stages. It has also been decided by the above body to organise Kathavacakas and scholars for sending them to foreign countries where the Hindus are residing to propagate the Hindu culture among them. It has also been decided to give facilities to the scholars of Guiana to stay in Varanasi for their education in Indology and the religious rites of the Hindu-religion. DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AT NADESAR HOUSE OF HIS HIGHNESS The following distinguished persons have been the guests of

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 199 2. citrakala pratiyogita tasminneva dine citrakala pratiyogita'pi ayojita asit | asyam pratiyogitayam vidyamandirapathasalaya vidyarthinah tatha sthaniyah dvadasavarsadalpa- vayaska vidyarthinasca sammilita jatah | tebhyah puraskarani misthannani ca vitaritani | maharaja ka sinaresadharmakaryanidheh karyavivaranam yatha 'puranam ' patrikaya gatanke (XI. 2 p. 338 ) sucitam maharana - kasinaresadharmakaryanigheh nyasadharinah suklayajurvedasya sampurnayah samhitayah satapathabrahmanasya ca kanthagrikaranasya yojanam svikrtavantah | asyam yojanayam panditasakharamamahodayah satapathabrahmanasya kanthagrikaranartha sisyan pathayitum niyukto natah | gatavyasapurnimayam vedaparayanasyavasare satapathabrahmanasya kanthagrikarane niyuktastrayo vidyarthinah smrtasyamsasya pradarsanam krtavantah | puranagostyamupasthitebhyo vidvadbhyah panditarajarajesvarasastridravidamahodayah asyah yojanayah paricayam upayogitam ca vyakhyatavan | kasirajanyasasya tatsaha karyanyanyasanam uparinirdista karyanamatiriktam ramanagaradurge tatrabhavatam kasinaresamaharaja da0 vibhutinarayana simhamahodayana- madhyaksye samprati samjataya visvahindudharma sammelanasya karyakarinya videsesu prasrtanam hindunamupayogartha masikam dvaimasikam va anglabhasayam patram prakasayitum niscitam | kasirajanyasena daktara gamgasagara rayamahodayah tena patrena sahayogayanumatah | asya patrasya prarambhikadasayam kasirajanyasasya prakasanavibhago'pi sahayogam dapayisyati | uparyukta karyakarinya idamapi nirnitam yad videsesu prasrtesu hindusu hindusamskrteh pracaraya kathavacakah vidvamsasca presaniya bhaveyuh | idamasi niscitam yat gayanadesasya ye vidvamsah bharatividyayam karmakande ca siksartham kasima agaccheyuh tebhyah suvidha pradeya iti | visista atithayah aghonirdista visistah purusa asmin samayantare kasimagatah tatrabhavatam

200 puranam - PURANA [Vol. XII, No. 1 His Highness at the Nadesar House in Varanasi during this period:Sri C. B. Gupta, Chief Minister, U. P. Justice Shashikant Varma, Allahabad. Justice B. Mullik. Justice Shivanath Katju, Allahabad Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji, Calcutta. Maharaja-kumar Dr. Raghubir Singh. Dr. R. K. Sharma-Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. Dr. V. Raghavan, Madras. Prof. V. V. Despande, Patna. Dr. L Sternbach, New York. Dr. M. Dillon, Dublin, Ireland. Sri Jagdish K Munshi, Bombay. Sri K. I S. Boneji, Chief Agent, Central Bank of India. Sri Braj Narain Brajesh. Sri H. B. Bhide. Sri Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Calcutta.

Jan., 1970] ACTIVITIES OF THE ALL-INDIA KASHIRAJ TRUST 201 kasinaresanam nandesvarabhavane atithayasca samjatah - sricandrabhanuguptamahodayah, uttarapradesasya mukhyamantri nyayadhisah srisasikantavarmamahodayah sri bi0 mallikamahodayah nyayadhisah sivanatha katajumahodayah da0 sunitikumara catarjimahodayah maharajakumarah da0 raghubirasimhamahodayah da0 ramakaranasarmamahodayah bharatiyasiksamantralayasya da0 ve0 raghavanmahodayah pro0 vi0 vi0 desapandemahodayah da0 ludavika starnabakhamahodayah daॉ0 ema0 dillomahodayah, dabalina visvavidyalayasya srijagadisa munsimahodayah sri ke0 ai0 esa0 bonenimahodayah, semtrala baimka apha indiya ' ityasya pradhana ejenta padabhak sribrajanarayanatrajesa mahodayah sri eca0 bi0 bhidemahodayah sri bakimacandra catarjimahodayah 26

vamanapuranaprasamsa na tasya roga jayante na visam cabhicarikam | sarire ca kule brahman yah srnoti ca vamanam || caturdasam vamanamahuragryam srute ca yasyaghacayasca nasam | prayanti nastyatra ca samsayo me mahanti papanyapi naradasu || pathat samsravanad vipra sravanadapi kasyacit | sarvapapani nasyanti vamanasya sada mune || - Vam. P. (Cr. Edn.), 69. 3, 11, 12