मीनराजविरचितं वृद्ध्यवनजातकम्- Vrddhayavana Jataka of Minraja: Part-I (An Old and Rare Book)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Written in Western fodia probably in the 4th cest. A.D. the Yaranajdraka is one of the most imper tant contributions of that part of India in the field of astrology. Its publication for the first time will, it is hoped, throw new light on some of the vesed problems of astrology, such as the cultural and academic relations of Yavanas (Greeks) with our country, their contribution in the field of Indian astrology, and the mutual influence of Greek and Indian scholars in this branch of study.

Varshamihira refers to one Yavanacarya. His commentator Bhatta Upala refers to Yavanesvara Sphujidhvaja, the author of the Yaranaldiaku (written in 260 A.D.). This Sphajidhvaja refers to the views of the Yavanas with the words: " Yarandy Ocub". This indicates that there was a band of Yavana astrologers who enriched this field even before Sphujidhvaja. Dy as early as the time of Bhatta Utpala (10th cent. A.D.) their works seem to have been lost. Fortunately, two works on Jataka by the Yavanas (or Greeks) have come down to us: (1) Yarunajaraka by Sphujidhvaja and (2) the Yavana/take of Minaraja which is also known as Vrdidhayarenajataka or Minardjajaka. The author in the very beginning of his work (1.2) proclaims that he is merely condensing to 8000 verses only, from the original consisting of one lakh verses, the work of an ancient sage who taught it to Maya.

The present work critically and carefully edited by Dr. David Pingree of Brown University (U.S.A.) with the help of as many as 16 MSS (rejecting some half a dozen ones) should prove an important, contri bution in the field of astrology inasmuch as it will open a new vista in the field of cultural relations between ancient Greece and India and the mutual borrowings of the scholars of both these ancient countries. Dr. Pingree's third volume consisting of his learned introduction throws valuable light on these cultural aspects. I hope, Dr. Pingree's work, would be welcomed by students of Indian astrology and scholars working in the field of ancient Indian cultural history.

The printing of the present work by the photo-offset printing process of the original manuscript of the author is not satisfactory in some places. The Ex-Director of the Institute was, however, compelled to undertake such a printing due to certain unavoidable difficulties. The consequent inconvenience to the reader is regretted.

I thank Dr. Pingree for accepting our invitation to undertake the task of preparing a critical edition of this valuable work. I also thank the University Grants Commission and the Government of Gujarat for jointly giving financial help towards the publication of this volume.

As the manuscripts will be fully described in vol. III and their interrelationships clarified, it is necessary here only to identify those utilized in this first volume.

A: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona 558 of 1899/1915. B: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 104 of 1873/74.

C: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 211 of 1883/84.

E: Sarasvati Bhavana, Varapast 36381. F: Vitveivarananda Vedic Research Institute, Hoshiarpur 2499 (through a copy). G: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 349 of 1882/83. I: India Office, London Sanskrit 2330 (Eggeling 3073).

L: British Museum, London Or. 5244 (Bendall 484).

0: Bodleian Library, Oxford Wilson 427 (Winternitz 781 ). Q: Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta G 8074 (Sengupta 7193).

R: Asiatic Society of Bengal G 3141 (Sengupta 7195).

S: Scindia Oriental Institute, Ujjain 9503 (through a copy). T: Asiatic Society of Bengal G 5939 (Sengupta 7196) U: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 1908 (Poleman 5161)) V: University of Pennsylvania 1900 (Poleman 5238) W: Scindia Oriental Institute 8113 (through a copy).

In addition to these sixteen manuscripts I have examined but rejected as not being helpful some half a dozen others. I wish here to thank the authorities of all these libraries for making the manuscripts in their collections accessible to me.

In the edition some examples of faulty grammar and prosody have been allowed to stand as Minaraja's ability to compose flawless verses is much to be doubted. Where, however, the manuscripts offer a text bereft of sense, the offending passage is marked by a dagger.

**Contents and Sample Pages**