[INDOLOGY] Epigraphy and Indology

Wed Jun 27 21:38:15 UTC 2018

Dear Dr. Paturi garu,

Thank you.

I agree with you about the introductory parts of literary texts and how epigraphic information can be used along with them to date them, which will lead to the study of the text in its historical context. (My own 2016 paper entitled, "On the Date of Bhavatrāta, the Jaiminīya Commentator,” does the first part based on epigraphy arguing for a date several centuries after the one previously held by scholars. I do not know if anyone has followed up with the analysis of its historical context.)

But what I am looking for is a different issue. We know that epigraphic information is preserved intact for a much longer time than manuscripts of literary texts. In other words, inscriptions often preserve texts as they were inscribed long time ago. On the other hand, literary manuscripts, which need to be periodically copied, often contain variations resulting from hypercorrection, copyist errors, editorial efforts, etc. For instance, in my work on the name for Vaiṣṇava saints, inscriptions preserve the original form āḷvār, while the literary texts have come to use the hypercorrect form, āḻvār. The meanings of the two forms are entirely different. Thus the inscriptions help us to identify the original significance of the appellation of a Vaiṣṇava saint and how the literary form has changed. 

It was information on this type of Indological work that I am after.

Regards,
Palaniappan

> On Jun 19, 2018, at 1:05 PM, Nagaraj Paturi <nagarajpaturi at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> >  I am not talking about historically locating literary texts.
> 
> Using historical research including epigraphy for the study of literary works did not stop at historically locating literary texts. It lead to an entire branch of literary criticism called historical criticism. 
> 
> Particularly in the case of literatures of Indian languages, where the prefatory/introductory parts provide a very big amount of historical data such as the patron king, his dynasty etc., the data was correlated with the epigraphic information where the king and his dynasty find mention and that in turn lead to the study of the literary work in its historical context. Marxist literary criticism has also been broadly historical criticism only. 
> 
> On Tue, Jun 19, 2018 at 10:49 AM, Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan <Palaniappa at aol.com <mailto:Palaniappa at aol.com>> wrote:
> Dear Dr. Paturi,
> 
> I am not talking about historically locating literary texts. I have attached some pages from EI 7. They deal with three inscriptions described by three scholars. Each of them uses different literary textual references to explain parts of the inscriptions. But the third inscription also seems to provide an alternate etymology for the name Rāṣṭrakūṭa. If the name Rāṣṭrakūṭa occurs in a literary text, then Fleet’s discussion would contribute to a different understanding of an item in a literary context based on epigraphic data.
> 
> 
>  
> I hope this clarifies what I am looking for.
> 
> Regards,
> Palaniappan
> 
>> On Jun 18, 2018, at 9:03 PM, Nagaraj Paturi <nagarajpaturi at gmail.com <mailto:nagarajpaturi at gmail.com>> wrote:
>> 
>> Dear Tiru Palaniappan avarghal,
>> 
>> I think the situation you mention is just the opposite of reality. Most of the modern , particularly Indological understanding of literary texts has been well informed by history which is mostly based on epigraphy. In fact, we have to identify epigraphists who have been Indologists who used literary texts to inform and correct epigraphic data since their number is not big. 
>> 
>> On Tue, Jun 19, 2018 at 1:34 AM, Olivelle, J P via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info <mailto:indology at list.indology.info>> wrote:
>> Much of Gregory Schopen’s work on early Buddhism is exemplary in this regard.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> > On Jun 18, 2018, at 2:14 PM, Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info <mailto:indology at list.indology.info>> wrote:
>> > 
>> > Dear Scholars,
>> > 
>> > While many epigraphists have been Indologists who used literary texts to inform and correct epigraphic data, I would appreciate references to scholarly works in the other direction, i.e., the use of epigraphical data to inform and correct interpretations of literary texts.
>> > 
>> > Thanks in advance
>> > 
>> > Regards,
>> > Palaniappan
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>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> Nagaraj Paturi
>>  
>> Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.
>> 
>> 
>> BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra
>> 
>> BoS, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Veliyanad, Kerala
>> 
>> Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies
>>  
>> FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education,
>>  
>> (Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )
>>  
>>  
>>  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Nagaraj Paturi
>  
> Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.
> 
> 
> BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra
> 
> BoS, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Veliyanad, Kerala
> 
> Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies
>  
> FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education,
>  
> (Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )
>  
>  
>  

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