Getting copies of mss in India

[aklujkar at unixg.ubc.ca]

In his two communications on what one should do in India in order to bring
good ms copies home Dominik Wujastyk has emphasized the personal,
psychological and non-technological considerations. In light of my
experience, I would like to support his observations strongly. Treat the
locals with respect, show an understanding of their difficulties and you
will almost always succeed. 

As for making the inscribed parts of palm-leaf mss readable, the most
common custom, I was told, is not to smear ink or any other colored stuff
on them, but simply to take some green leaves from some nearby bush or
plant, squeeze them and spread their juice on the leaves. Since the
inscribed parts are no longer oily, the green juice settles in them (one
wipes the rest of the leaf). In time, it turnss black and makes the
inscribed letters legible.  For greater legibility and preservation in
public libraries, other coloring substances were and are, of course, used. 

The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Theosophical Society, Madras 600
020,  has an excellent track record in producing legible microfilms of
palm-leaf mss. I vaguely recall that someone there told me that they use
infrared light (thrown from under the ms placed on glass?) for
microfilming.  An inquiry with the Adyar technicians may prove to be
beneficial. 

-- ashok aklujkar



> From Peter at pwyz.rhein.de 27 1996 Feb +0100 07:13:00
Date: 27 Feb 1996 07:13:00 +0100
From: Peter at pwyz.rhein.de (Peter Wyzlic)
Subject: Re: Shabara Bhasyam
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Reply-To: indology-l at pwyz.rhein.de

Hello girish,

On 26 Feb 96 you wrote
in your message <199602262041.MAA04581 at sd-dns-1.wanet.net>
about "Shabara Bhasyam":

>Could someone please recommend a reliable English translation of
>Shabara's commentary on the Mimansa Darshanam, preferably with
>the original Sanskrit.  Thank you.

There is only one English translation to my knowledge: that by Ganganatha  
Jha published in the early thirties in the Gaekwad's Oriental Series. It  
contains only the translation.

Have a look at J.-M. Verpoorten's history of Mimamsa literature (published  
in the Harrassowitz Series "History of Indian Literature"). Perhaps this  
helps you.

\bye
Peter Wyzlic