________________
Xiv
PREFACE
Grantha and Tamil characters on Cadjan (palm) leaf, 161" by 5". The breadth of a single leaf is one inch. It contains 202 leaves, each of which has 4 to 5 lines. It can conveniently be divided into three parts. The first part, in Grantha character, is exactly the same as
6
A,' showing their common origin. They are the same line for line; both break off the Manasura abruptly at the same line. The second part, in Tamil, called Kuma-koshṭha-bandha, corresponds to Appendix and seems to be a commentary on the latter portion of the first part, which does not belong to the Manasūra. The third part contains some chapters belonging to a different work, probably the Mayamata. Each verse is accompanied by a Tamil commentary throughout. This part is noticed in Appendix . 'F' like 'A' has, therefore, only the first seventeen chapters of the Manasura and a portion of Chapter XVIII.
(G) This belongs to the Tanjore Palace Estate. It is referred
to in Aufrecht, part I, page 452, part III, page 97, and in Burnell, page 62, no. 11080. It is written in Grantha character on Cadjan (palm) leaf, 16" by 21. The breadth of a single leaf is 1". It contains 82 leaves, each page of which has 4 to 6 lines. The first two slokas are invocations to the gods Ganesa and Śiva. Then come 9 lines from Chapter XXXIV (Mandapa). The manuscript begins practically with the next Chapter XXXV (Sala) and runs to Chapter L (Bhushana). (H) This belongs to the Deccan College, Poona, Bombay. It is referred to in Aufrecht, part III, page 97, and in Dr. Bhandarkar's Report for the years 1887-91. It is written in Devanagari character on foreign bluish paper, with water lines, 9" by 73". It contains 44 leaves, each page of which has 21 lines. Each line has about 21 letters. The characters are legible, clear and bold, and
