Indian Antiquary Vol 01

SR No.: 032493
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

Page 173

MAY 3, 1872)
REVIEW.
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thus expounded in the Siddhanta Kaumudi gan Europe. Night has the agreeable association of hanti tasmai goghna, atithi, “ One kills & cow for rajan,' which is one of the words expressive of it him-hence cowkiller,' meaning & guest." The in Sanskrit, and summer is called 'nidágha.' The practice doubtless fell into desuetude as the sun is 'tapana' or 'tigmânsul burning or fierceAryans occupied the warmer latitudes of the rayed, the moon is 'sudhansu' or nectar-rayed, and country, but the litera scripta continues to remind clouds are " mudira" or delightful, being looked the Brahmans of what their sanátana dharma upon as causes of hilarity, and eagerly waited was in the days of their ancestors.
for, both for the relief they afford to exhaustion, The story of Ráma to the death of Rávana as and the growth they give to the fruits of the contained in the Maha Vira Charita is considered earth. hy Professor Pickford as an allegory. He says There is one legend in the story of R&ma on in his preface" either that the powers of night, which we must say a few words before we conclude. Rá vana and his followers, conquer the bright Although we are loath to reduce the Rámáyana to powers of day, and put an end to the labours of & mere allogorical myth, and although we incline to agriculture, until the sun with its increasing rays the theory of its having had a historical substratum, drives away the darkness, and restores all things as yet we agree with Professor Pickford that the strugbefore : or that winter, from the time that the seed gle at Lanka, which we believe not to be devoid of is sown in the ground, robs the earth of its splendour some historical element, "takes the form of a combat until it is dispelled by the glowing sun of summer, between good and evil in the world. R&ma is the when the grain springs up once more." The appel- champion of holiness, Rá van a the type of wickedlative nis & chara or nightstalker, as a synonym ness, and though the evil is allowed to flourish for for Rakshasa, and the legends of Rama's being a time, yet his reign is short, and goodness in the a lineal descendant of the Sun, and of Sitá having end triumphs." And we cordially join him in saying sprung from the ploughing of a field, and therefore this, then, is no new story." We may add that in identified with the labours of agriculture, are of this story of R&ma we discover something, embedcourse argumente favouring the Professor's allego- ded like a fossil in human traditions of primitive rical explanation of the capture of Sitá by the chief events, which reminds us of a remarkable prediction, of the night stalkers, who was therefore the prince of that in the great struggle between the principles darkness, and her subsequent recovery by the might of good and evil, the seed of the woman, itself bruised of the solar hero. But the events of the Ramayana in the heel, would bruise the serpent's head. When are so intimately connected with the national tradi- the demon-chief, Rávana, representing the printion of the actual conquest of the Dekhan by the ciple of evil, had become the dread and scourge Arvaps, that we cannot reconcile ourselves to reduce of the world, the gods had to deliberate about his the whole narrative to an allegorical myth, re- destruction. Brahma said that Rávana had a presenting either the succession of day and night, I'charmed life as against gods and demi-gods, and or a casual stoppage of cultivation by inclement could only die at the hands of man. Man exweather and its restoration by returning sunshine, 1. cepted, he could be in no peril from any other or of the annual rotation of winter and sutomer. species. He could only be subdued by human agency Night and day, winter and summer, again, are ideas and Vishnu (the second person of the Hindu which must be very different in the latitudes of the Trad) was accosted to go down to the earth in Indian Dekhan from what they are in Southern human form and destroy the archfiend. +
REVIEW NASA'NANDA or the JOY OF THE SNAKE WORLD: A Bud- untranslated plays. Prof. Cowell, however, with dbint Drama in Five Acts. Translated into English Prose
Dr. Hall's assistance, got two copies from the Northwith explanatory notes, from the Sanskrit of SRI-HAR
West; and those with one or two MSS. from BenBHADEVA. By PALMER BOYD, B.A., Sanskrit Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge. With An Introduction by
gal enabled him to print an accurate text. Mr. Professor COWELL. (pp. xii and 100). London, Trubner
Boyd translated this text, and the Professor, in his and Co. 1872.
preface, gives an account of the date and authorship The learned Professor of Sanskrit in the Univer- of the work. sity of Cambridge has added an interesting preface The play is quoted in the Sahitya-darpana on to this translation made by one of his students. | pages 89, 184, 189 and 249 ; also in the Das'a-rúpa The Nágánanda was edited in Calcutta in 1864 by on pages 64, 65, 74, and 178. Now the author of Madhava Chandra Ghosha. MS. copies are scarce ; the Das'a-rápa lived at the court of King Munja, and it is not mentioned in Prof. Wilson's list of uncle of Bhoja of Dhárá, about the year 993 (see
• In the Meghadúta-Santaptanám twamasi saranam." Again T'wayyayattan Krishiphalamiti."
The Ramayana of Valmiki says: (Balakanda 16 Chap.)
"M&pusham rupamasthiya Rávanan jahi sanylige,
Santushtah pradadau tasmai ráksbasiya varam prabhub Nánávidhebhyo bhutebhyo bhaya nányatrs manushát Tomat tasya babdo drishto mánushebhyah parantapa."