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Vikrama's Adventures or The Thirty-Two Tales of The Throne (Set of Two Volumes)

$86
Item Code: NAG335
Publisher: MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PVT. LTD.
Author: Franklin Edgerton
Language: English
Edition: 1993
ISBN: 9788120809932
Pages: 756
Cover: Hardcover
Other Details 10.0 inch X 6.5 inch
Weight 1.50 kg
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Book Description
About The Book

The Vikramacarita is one of the most famous story-books in Sanskrit. Its hero, king Vikrama, is without doubt one of the most noted of the quasi-historical heroes of medieval India. The theme of the work is the story of how a marvellous throne belonging to Vikrama was discovered by a much later king named Bhojem to whom were related the thirty-two stories contained in the book, each story being told by one of the thirty-two divine statues which supported the throne. All the stories deal with the wonderful character and deeds of Vikrama – a model for kings to follow. The theme most constantly harped upon is his amazing generosity and unselfishness, which knew no bounds, not stopping even at the sacrifice of his own life.

The work goes by a great variety of names in the manuscript, such as Vikaramarkacarita, Vikaramadityacarita, Simhasanadvatrim-sika, Simhasanakatha, Simhasanadvatrimasatkatha, Simhasanopakhyana etc., the name Vikramacarita being the simplest and shortest that occurs.

In spite the great popularity of this story-book it has been comparatively neglected by European scholars. It was for the first time translated into English by Edgerton and published in two parts (Part-1: Translation and Part-2: Text in Roman script) in the Harvard Oriental Series in 1926. This is a reprint of that edition.

 

Preface

It is a pleasant duty to acknowledge the generous aid given by many persons to the author in the course of his labors on these volumes.

In the first place, it was necessary to borrow. a considerable number of manuscripts, located in many parts of Europe and India. With scarcely an exception, the owners or custodians of these manuscripts have shown themselves most ready to accommodate the author and facilitate his work. The manuscripts in the possession of the Royal Library of Berlin were collated in that Library, and the manuscript of the University of Tubingen at Tubingen. Professor Garbe of Tubingen afforded me a friendly service in securing to me all the facilities of the library of his university. The Royal Library of Copenhagen and the Library of the University of Leipzig lent their manuscripts to the Royal Library of Berlin, and it was in the last-named library that I collated them.

All the other manuscripts which I used were lent to me in America, either directly or thru the Library of the Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore. I am indebted to the Library of the University of Vienna for the loan of two manuscripts, in securing which Professor von Schroeder gave me kindly aid. I am also very grateful to Professor Winternitz of Prague, who informed me of the existence of these manusscripts in Vienna. - The Department of Education of the Government of India forwarded me several manuscripts, and made generous tho unavailing efforts to secure a number of others. The Government of Madras had copies made of several manuscripts located in its jurisdiction. The Government of Bombay sent to me a consignment of fourteen manuscripts, all of which were lost in the wreck of the steamship Titanic, in April, 1912. This terrible disaster deprived me of materials which would unquestionably have proved a great enrichment of the sources at my disposal for the edition; yet I cannot but recognize that my personal loss is small in comparison with the permanent loss of this large collection of manuscripts, which belonged to one of the most enlightened and generous of the local governments of India. I can only express my deep sorrow at having been the innocent occasion of such a loss, which was, of course, wholly beyond the power of any mortal to foresee or prevent. Yad bhavyam tad bhavisyati.

The India Office Library of London entrusted to my care all of the manuscripts of the Vikramacarita in its possession. Its librarian, Dr. Frederick W. Thomas, did much more for me than is ordinarily expected of a custodian of books and manuscripts. It was thru his intercession that I obtained the loan of all the manuscripts which came from India. With genuine and wholly disinterested courtesy, he has spared neither time nor trouble in assisting me in my work. My thanks are due to him in as large a measure as to anyone. I hereby acknowledge his audaryam paropakaram ca (to use an oft- recurring phrase of this work). with gratitude and pleasure. Professor Johannes Hertel has shown a very kindly interest in the development of my work. He has furnisht me with some valuable hints as to method, based on his own large experience in work of this sort, and has given me several bits of useful information, which I have incorporated in my book.

The Library of the Johns Hopkins University has helpt me by receiving for my use a large number of loaned manuscripts. Its librarian, Dr. M. L. Raney, has assisted me in every possible way, and has given no small amount of his time and attention to my affairs. I have been materially assisted in "reading back copy" for the Sanskrit text contained in the book by two associates in the Sanskrit department of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. William Norman Brown and Dr. Henry S. Gehman.

The editor of this series, Professor Charles R. Lanman, has made me his debtor in many ways, - not only by affording me the coveted op- portunity to publish my work in the Harvard Oriental Series (thus insuring at the start a wide hearing at least), but also by sacrificing large amounts of his time, in spite of many other demands upon it, to the task of increasing the usefulness of the publication. That his suggestions have been most valuable and fruitful needs not to be told to the world of Sanskrit scholars; for they know his sound and accurate scholarship so well that any words of mine would seem out of place. I shall always remain in the highest degree grateful for his self-sacrificing interest in the success of my undertaking.

Good Hindu scholars like to begin their works with the phrase " Homage to my honored teacher" - crigurave namah. This sentiment must, I think, be felt with deep sincerity by anyone who has had the privilege of working under and with Professor Maurice Bloom- field. That privilege was mine for seven years; and it was during the latter part of those years that I did the most of the work on this present publication. Aside from Professor Bloomfield's indirect influence on this book thru his influence upon me, - he has also given me generous help towards the interpretation of a number of difficult passages in the text. For this, and still more for the lasting effect of his stimulating and inspiring guidance, I am deeply grateful.

 

Contents (Part-1)

 

  Preface xv
  Note By The General Editor of The Harvard Oriental Series xviii
  The Series from 1914 to 1924 and its retardation by the war  
  Introduction  
  Part I. Plan of the work  
  Substance of the two volumes and method of procedure xxviii
  Divisions of the text xxv
  Vikrama's Adventures: scope and character of the work xxvi
  Previous labors of Wilford, Taylor, Roth, Weber, Hertel. xxvii
  Part II. Relation of recensions to original and to each other  
  Enumeration of existing recensions xxix
  Reconstruction of the original Vikramacharita xxx
  Peculiarities of the several recensions: general statements as to them all xxxi
  Peculiarities of the Southern Recension (designated as SR) xxxii
  Peculiarities of the Metrical Recension (MR) xxxiii
  Peculiarities of the Brief Recension (BR) xxxv
  Peculiarities of the Jainistic Recension (JR) xxxv
  1.General remarks as to JR xxxv
  2. Parts taken by JR from sources other than original Vikramacharita xxxvii
  3. Arrangement of the parts of JR xli
  4. Argumenta or stanzas summarizing a story in JR xliii
  5. Minor peculiarities of JR xlv
  Part III. Name of the work: great variation in the ms, titles  
  Names found in the mss. of SR, MR, BR, JR xlix
  Part IV. Date and authorship of the work  
  Date: surely not earlier than Bhoja's reign (about 1010-1053 A.D.) lii
  Probably not earlier than Hemadri (flourisht 1260-1309) liii
  Authoursship: no indication as to the authorship of the original liv
  Part V. Who was Vikrama?  
  Traditional connexion of vikrama with the vikrama-era lviii
  Doubts cast on thsi tradition by fergusson, Kielhora, and others lx
  Other theories of the origin of the Vikrama-era lxii
  Accounts of Vikrama in the Jain chronicles lxiv
  Historic persons who may have been the basis of the legendary Vikrama lxv
  Conclusion: No definite results lxvi
  Part VI. Composite outline of the original Vikramacharita  
  Frame-story: Eight sections, markt with Roman numerals, I-VIII lxvii
  Stories of the thirty-two statuettes, markt with Arabic numerals, 1-32. lxxv
  Conclusion, markt 33 ciii
  Part VII. Principles of text and translation: typographical devices  
  Principles followed in construction of text: typographical devices civ
  Principles followed in making of translation: typographical devices cv
  TRANSLATION OF VIKRAMA-CHARITA OR VIKRAMA'S ADVENTURES  
  Presented in four horizontally parallel recensions  
  The Frame-story in eight Sections, Roman I to VIII Section  
  I. Invocation, and announcement of theme 3
  II. King Bhartrhari and the fruit that gave immortality 5
  IIIa. The treacherous ascetic and the winning of the vampire or vetala 14
  IIIb. The gift of Indra's throne 16
  IV. Death of Vikrama and hiding of the throne 21
  V. Finding of the throne by Bhoja 25
  VI. The jealous king and the ungrateful prince, Part 1 33
  VII. The jealous king and the ungrateful prince, Part 2 38
  VIII. Bhoja's first attempt to mount the throne 48
  The thirty-two Stories told by the thirty-two Statuettes Story  
  1.Vikrama's rule for giving in alms 52
  2. The brahman's unsuccessful sacrifice 53
  3. The sea-god's gift of four magic jewels 59
  4. Vikrama's gratitude tested by Devadatta 67
  5. The jewel-carrier's dilemma 75
  6. Vikrama gratifies a lying ascetic 80
  7. Two headless bodies brought to life by Vikrama 86
  8. Vikrama causes a water-tank to be filled 92
  9. The fair courtezan who was visited by a demon 97
  10. Vikrama obtains a magic charm from an ascetic 104
  11. Vicarious sacrifice for a man who was dedicated to an ogre 109
  12. The spendthrift heir, and the woman tormented by an ogre 117
  13. Vikrama shames the wise men by an example of unselfishness 125
  14. An ascetic warns Vikrama against neglect of kingly duty 132
  Emboxt story: The fatalist king 134
  15. The heavenly nymph and the kettle of boiling oil 140
  16. The spring festival and the brahman's daughter 145
  17. Vikrama offers himself for his rival's benefit 150
  18. Vikrama visits the sun's orb 155
  19. Vikrama visits Bali, king of the nether world 161
  20. Vikrama visits a forest ascetic 167
  21. Vikrama is entertained by personifications of the eight Magic Powers 174
  22. Vikrama wins Kamakshi's quicksilver for another man 182
  23. Vikrama's daily life: his evil dream 187
  24. A strange inheritance: Qalivahana and Vikrama 192
  25. Vikrama averts an astrological 'evil omen 201
  26. Vikrama and the cow that grants every wish (" Wish-cow") 206
  27. Vikrama reforms a gambler 212
  28. Vikrama abolishes the sacrificing of men to a bloody goddess 219
  29. Vikrama's lavishness praised by a bard 224
  30. The clever mountebank 228
  31. Vikrama and the vampire or vetala 236
  Emboxt story: The prince who insulted a brahman 237
  32. Vikrama's power and magnanimity 243
  [33] Conclusion: Thirty-two nymphs, curst to be statuettes, releast 244
  Sections peculiar to individual recensions of the Vikrama-charita  
  Metrical Recension (MR) 32: Bhatti becomes Vikrama's minister 247
  Jainistic Recension (JR) V: Vikrama wins the kingdom from Agnivetala 250
  Jainistic Recension (JR) VII: Vikrama's conversion to Jainism. 251
  Jainistic Recension (JR) IX: Brilliancy of Vikrama's court 254
  Jainistic Recension (JR) 29: Vikrama and the sign-reader. 256
  Jainistic Recension (JR) 31: The haunted house 257
  Jainistic Recension (JR) 32: The poverty-statue 259
  Names of the thirty-two Statuettes 261
  Appendix:  
  Translation of the story of Vikramaditya's birth 263
Contents (Part-2)

 

Table showing the stories of the four Recensions,  
and how they differ in sequence viii
Method of citing the Vikrama-charita xiii
Vikrama-Charita Or Vikrama's Adventures  
Presented in four horizontally parallel recensions  
The Frame-story in eight Sections, Roman I to VIII Section  
I. Invocation, and announcement of theme 3
11. King Bhartrhari and the fruit that gave immortality 5
Ilia. The treacherous ascetic and the winning of the vampire or vetala 13
IIIb. The gift of Indra's throne 15
IV. Death of Vikrama and hiding of the throne 18
V. Finding of the throne by Bhoja 22
VI. The jealous king and the ungrateful prince, Part 1 29
VII. The jealous king and the ungrateful prince, Part 2 34
VIII. Bhoja's first attempt to mount the throne 44
The thirty-two Stories told by the thirty-two Statuettes Story  
1.Vikrama's rule for giving in alms 47
2. The brahman's unsuccessful sacrifice 48
3. The sea-god's gift of four magic jewels 53
4. Vikrama's gratitude tested by Devadatta 61
5. The jewel-carrier's dilemma 68
6. Vikrama gratifies a lying ascetic 73
7. Two headless bodies brought to life by Vikrama 78
8. Vikrama causes a water-tank to be filled 84
9. The fair courtezan who was visited by a demon 88
10. Vikrama obtains a magic charm from an ascetic 95
11. Vicarious sacrifice for a man who was dedicated to an ogre 99
12. The spendthrift heir, and the woman tormented by an ogre 106
13. Vikrama shames the wise men by an example of unselfishness 114
14. An ascetic warns Vikrama against neglect of kingly duty 121
Emboxt story: The fatalist king 122
15. The heavenly nymph and the kettle of boiling oil 128
16. The spring festival and the brahman's daughter 133
17. Vikrama offers himself for his rival's benefit 137
18. Vikrama visits the sun's orb 141
19. Vikrama visits Bali, king of the nether world 147
20. Vikrama visits a forest ascetic 153
21. Vikrama is entertained by personifications of the eight Magic Powers 159
22. Vikrama wins Kamakshi's quicksilver for another man 166
23. Vikrama's daily life: his evil dream 171
24. A strange inheritance: Qalivahana and Vikrama 176
25. Vikrama averts an astrological 'evil omen 184
26. Vikrama and the cow that grants every wish (" Wish-cow") 189
27. Vikrama reforms a gambler 194
28. Vikrama abolishes the sacrificing of men to a bloody goddess 201
29. Vikrama's lavishness praised by a bard 206
30. The clever mountebank 210
31. Vikrama and the vampire or vetala 217
Emboxt story: The prince who insulted a brahman 218
32. Vikrama's power and magnanimity 224
[33] Conclusion: Thirty-two nymphs, curst to be statuettes, releast 225
Sections peculiar to individual recensions of the Vikrama-charita  
Metrical Recension (MR) 32: Bhatti becomes Vikrama's minister 229
Jainistic Recension (JR) V: Vikrama wins the kingdom from Agnivetala 233
Jainistic Recension (JR) VII: Vikrama's conversion to Jainism. 233
Jainistic Recension (JR) IX: Brilliancy of Vikrama's court 236
Jainistic Recension (JR) 29: Vikrama and the sign-reader. 238
Jainistic Recension (JR) 31: The haunted house 239
Jainistic Recension (JR) 32: The poverty-statue 240
Appended text of the story of Vikramaditya's birth 241
Critical Apparatus  
Remarks as to general procedure  
The manuscripts; enumerated and described  
Manuscripts of the Southern Recension 247
Manuscripts of the Metrical Recension 250
Manuscripts of the Brief Recension. . 251
Manuscripts of the Jainistic Recension 253
Manuscripts of the Vararuci Recension 256
Variant readings of the 32 authorities, manuscript (30) or printed (2)  
The variants are given jar each Section or Story (each text-unit), pages 257-348,  
and in the same sequence all that in which the text-units are printed  
Appendix: The Stanzas of The Vikrama-Charita  
Stanzas included in the index 349
The number and the languages of the stanzas 349
Meters of the stanzas: and Table of the meters 350
Abbreviations and signs and typographical devices explained 351
Alphabetic index of the stanzas of all four recensions 353-369

 

Sample Pages

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