Sharing on behalf of Jason Schwartz, who is in the process of being added to the list.

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As Muktabodha approaches its thirtieth anniversary, we are happy to introduce the Indology community to the newest incarnation of the Muktabodha Digital Library:

We have developed a new visual style that facilitates more easeful navigation across a variety of platforms and devices. On a more fundamental level, our approach combines meticulous curation with a judicious use of cutting-edge technology.

Entering the Library—past Nandi, who stands guard against digital intruders—you will find an “Introduction” to the site as well as an overview of new additions to the collection, which will receive regular updates. Some exciting recent acquisitions include a previously unknown commentary on the Khaḍgamālā by Bhāskararāya, the magisterial Nityādisaṃgraha of the Kashmiri non-dual Bhairavasiddhāntin Takṣakavarta, a preliminary corpus of the Śāmbhava tradition, and the third and fourth ṣaṭkas of the Jayadrathayāmala.

Going forward, all works transcribed from manuscripts will be accompanied by a “Curator’s Overview.” These overviews inform the reader about the text and its author, placing them, where possible, in time and space and making connections to discussions within secondary literature. Most importantly, they offer a guide, often with a chapter-by-chapter synopsis, to the major internal divisions in the manuscript as well as the subjects it covers, highlighting some of its more salient and novel features. Texts transcribed from editions will be accompanied by more concise descriptions.

As for the library itself, our existing e-text collection has been entirely reorganized. Researchers are able to search the collection on the basis of text, author, source type (manuscript or printed edition), textual genres (paddhati, stotra, and commentary), and collection (KSTS, IFP). Texts are categorized under one or more “Traditions,” ranging from the non-dual Śaivism of Kashmir, to Tantranibandha, to the Kālīkulakrama. When using this category filter, readers are presented with descriptions of each “Tradition,” outlining its key features and something of its history. In many cases, these descriptions represent cutting-edge perspectives informed by new readings of the previously unstudied texts now being shared.

In the coming months, the Muktabodha Digital Library will substantially expand its collections by incorporating a large corpus of works on Vedānta and Yoga, as well as new additions based on our longstanding partnership with the Institut Français de Pondichéry (IFP).

The website also aims to be open and welcoming in two other important respects. It now offers full transliteration of the main library webpage, to accommodate user preference, and our entire e-text collection can be downloaded in one click, as can its complete metadata. As the digital library is being continually refined and updated, it is worth checking back in from time to time to ensure that you are working with the best versions of the e-texts available.

We are also giving significant thought to the nature of the core textual data. Manuscript transcriptions are now being prepared according to a more consistent set of guidelines, informed by expert paleographical input and implemented by Dr. Anirban Dash, Director of Muktabodha’s digitization team in Varanasi, India, and Dr. Trilochan Pradhan, Senior Sanskritist. Our aim is to produce e-texts that are faithful to the source material, and, at the same time, may be further refined by scholars with philological skill and deeper knowledge of a particular tradition. We have also begun the process of gradually improving our older e-texts, to bring them in line with the new standard. If you notice any errors in any of our e-texts or their metadata, please write us at curator@muktabodha.org. General inquiries are also welcome at info@muktabodha.org.

The Muktabodha Indological Research Institute is eager to support your research and welcomes ongoing collaborations, large and small. On behalf of myself, our Technical Director Tyler Neill and our current Research Scholar-in-Residence, Ben Williams, we hope that you continue to benefit from Muktabodha’s digital collections and that your scholarship is enriched by the organization’s ongoing commitment to the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of tantric and śāstric traditions. Muktabodha is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from users like you. We deeply appreciate any support you are able to provide to help sustain our ongoing mission.

Jason Schwartz, Curator of the Muktabodha Digital Library
jasschwa@stanford.edu