Spread in the 2nd and 3rd Shelves of Almira 24, 69 Sanskrit Manuscripts in Telugu Letters digitized can be seen below:
Category: eGangotri
eGangotri 23: More Copies of Sri Vidya Nitya Paddhati of Sahib Kaul; A Stash of Rare Sanskrit Books from Lucknow ; Guru Grantha Pradipa Hindi Tika of Guru Grantha Sahib
More Copies of Sahib Kaul’s Sri Vidya Nitya Paddhati have been found – besides the two we did last time.
Thanks to Subject Tagging, Items digitized exclusively since Last Newsletter for the 23rd News Letter can be selectively seen in this Filtered View:
With this Issue the Entire Almira 25 is over and as evident from the Filtered List above most Texts were related to Agama Shastra.
Our Digitizations of Shelf-1 Almira 24 have started and this shelf is mostly Vedic Texts.
In Lucknow, thanks to a Sanskrit Activist – who doesn’t want to be identified – we have got access to the Collection of a Deceased Scholar of Vyakarana which has mostly very old Books occupying 10 packed Almiras.
The following Account will be dedicated to books from this Center.
The Oldest from the 3 Almiras we have examined so far is this Edition of Harsha Charita printed at Vidya Vilas Press, Benares in 1880 ( 1936 V.E ) , by the Great Patron of Oriental Learning our dear Maharaja Ranbir Singh-ji with the following Self-description
श्रीमन्महाराजाधिराज जम्बू-काश्मीरतिब्बताद्यनेकादेशाधीश प्रभुवर श्रीमहाराज रणवीर सिंह बहादुरजी की आज्ञानुसार यह हर्ष चरित महाकाव्य विद्या विलास नामक मुद्रा यंत्रालय में शिब्बामल्ल के अधिकार से मुद्रित संवत् १९३६ ज्यैष्ठ प्र ६
These days I am in New Delhi and besides petitioning/liasing (with several Individuals, Bureaucrats,Ministers, Digitization Houses/Archivists ) advocating Open Access/Free Availabilty of all Govt Digital Initiatives/Cultural Archives ( NMM, IGNCA, AIR, DD Archives all belong to the Net not the Private Cloud/ and in some Cases CDs/DVDs, ie Humans not Machines, Open Doors not Locked Mansions, Democratization of Cultural Information not the oligarchy of barely Literate Computer Operators hanging over there Computers/almiras of stacked CDs); I will be attending the IGNCA organized Abhinavagupta Millenium Celeberations on 15th-17th Dec 2016. I encourage all to attend this Conference where some of the best minds of the World are congregating. I will be carrying my eBook/eManuscript Data for sharing with anyone interested.
Yesterday, I was very fortunate to visit the premises of Rekhta.org in Noida – a very vibrant Office not least the Man behind the endeavour Shri Sanjay Shroff. Rekhta Staff very kindly showed me there godown of Books which is a few thousands of mostly Urdu and some Persian and Hindi/Sanskrit Books.
The Hindi/Sanskrit Section were exclusively Naval Kishore Press Donations. Of the 5-6 packed Almiras, no more than 100 unique items exist as most books are multiple copies.
Some quick pictures of the Naval Kishore Hindi/Sanskrit Collection I managed to snap can be seen below:
This one book really caught my attention a Hindi Translation and Tika on the Guru Grantha Sahib which was very graciously digitized on the Spot:
The FB Post with musings can be read here.
I saw some Vedantic Translations by Rai Bahadur Zalim Singh, that were other than his works we encountered in Srinagar.
Rekhta has invited me to spend few hours in there godown and pick each unique title from the Devanagari Collection – which they will then digitize as well – something they didnt have in there Agenda for the Near Future but a much appreciated gesture towards me and my Comprehensive Digitization of Naval Kishore Publications Project.
Hope to see everyone at IGNCA Premises, New Delhi
eGangotri 22: Illustrated Manuscript from Chinma Punjab, 1890 Prose Translation in Hindi of Arabian Nights and Varah Mihir’s Astronomical Worl etc
In this Issue, I have 3 Minor Digital Work to highlight besides our regular Work.
I begin with thanking Dr Narinder Sharma from Noida, for approaching us to digitize his 7 Ancestral Manuscripts from Chimna, Punjab all now viewable at:
One of these has beautiful Illustrations:
We are also grateful to the very kind people at KECSS ( Kashmir Educational Scientific Research Society ) , Pamposh Enclave, New Delhi who had all this while had photocopies of 9 Sharada Manuscripts – originally from Pratap Singh Museum, Srinagar now digitized thanks to Trustees/President Shr B.B.Dhar and Shri Arun Shaliaji
https://archive.org/details/@kecsscollection&tab=uploads
Amongst these 9 manuscripts, the scholarly world is particularly lucky that a copy of Ishvara Pratyabhijna along with Gitartha Sangraha of Abhinavagupta in 700 over pages was also present.
https://archive.org/details/IshvarPratyabhijnaAndBhagavataGItaTikaKECSSPhotocopiedManuscript
Through the Kindness of UPSS, Lucknow Librarian Shri Jagdananada Jha, some 19th Century and Early 20th Century Rare Books also came to us at our Lucknow Center.
These can be viewed here:
https://archive.org/details/@indologicalbooks
Some of these Printed Texts are modeled on a Traditional Manuscript such as :
https://archive.org/details/SiddhantaChandrikaWithSubodhiniII1891SecondScanGaneshPrabhakarPrinters
https://archive.org/details/SiddhantaChandrikaI1889RamAshramAcharya
https://archive.org/details/SiddhantaChandrikaI1889RamAshramAcharya
https://archive.org/details/KuvalayanandaWithChandrika1879AppayaDikshit
Hindi Translation of the Kashmirian Mammata’s Kavya Prakash is another Rare find:
https://archive.org/details/KavyaPrakash1943HindiTranslateByPanditHariMangalMisra
Among Manuscripts in we have many curiosities:
A 1890 Hindi Prose Translation of Arabian Nights, Sahasra Rajni Charitra
The 10th Century Astronomical Text Brihat Samhita of Varah Mihir
https://archive.org/details/BrihatSamhitaVivrittiVarahMihir4979Alm22Shlf4DevanagariJyotisha
3 Volumes of Sur Sagar
which is the Personal Copy of Maharaja Ranbir Singh as evident from the following lines in the Last Page
This Text is for the Reading of Shriman Maharaja Sahib Ranbir Singh Bahadur GCSI, Indra, Mahendra, Sipah Saltanat Jambu, Kashmir, Tibet etc-Pati(Lord)
Rasa Ratnakar of Nitya Nath Siddha is listed as Ayurveda(Alchemy)
Stuti Kusumanja of Jagaddhar Bhatta – a published Kashmirian Work
A Vedic Manuscript with Svaras:
https://archive.org/details/RigvedaSamhitaPadaPathaWithSvaras5045Alm22Shlf5DevanagariSamhitaBrahmin
As usual, all other manuscripts can be viewed at there usual Home.
https://archive.org/details/@dharmarthatrustjk
I keep urging my dear Readers – similar to Dr. Narendra and Jagadanada Jha ji – to approach us if they have manuscript or Rare Books Collections.
I am hoping to start receiving some grant soon, this will increase my budget somewhat.
If any body on my List knows any Manuscript Collection in the Indian Sub Continent with a bias towards Mysticism, who would like there Collection digitized for free please inform us. I will be grateful to use my grant money for this purpose.
May All Books and Manuscripts in the World be saved as eBooks.
eGangotri 21. ICPR Workshop on Kashmir Shaivism. Awards for Digital Preservation Work. And More Manuscript and Rare Books News
Trika Workshop in Lucknow(Sept 21- Oct 1 )
The Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR)is organizing a Workshop (for 11 Days) on Trika Philosophy of Kashmir (i.e. Kashmir Saivism) from September 21 to October 1, 2016 at ICPR Academic Centre, Lucknow, Professor Navjivan Rastogi my Guruji is the Coordinator of the program.
Last Date of receiving applications is 15th July 2016.
Application Form: http://www.icpr.in/Application-Form.docx
Please do rush as the last date of Application is just around.
Awards for Digital Preservation Work
Digital Preservation Coalition(DPC) is a UK-based non-profit limited company which seeks to secure the preservation of digital resources in the UK and internationally to secure the global digital memory and knowledge base.
There prestigious 2016 awards for Best Digital Preservation Work in 6 Categories is open for all Individuals and Insititutions working for Digital Preservation globally.
Application and Information is viewable below:
So if you have digitized Texts, Audio, Videos etc and worked for preserving Human Civilization’s Digital Memory, here is your Opportunity to find Esteemed Recognition and pathway to future Grants.
But do remember the last date of ApplicationJuly 21stis around the Corner. So hurry.
Manuscript News
Few more Shelves of Almira 26 all Tantric Works have been completely digitized. Remarkable entries are:
Another Rudryamala has been digitized:
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A Transliteration of Bhagavata Gita in Persian Characters
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Vidyaranava Agama
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Shyama Rahasya
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All Latest Manuscripts Viewable at:
Rare Books News:
A 4-Language Translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam in 508 Pages – includes English, French, German and Arabic with several Color Illustrations
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A Sanskrit Compilation of Pre-Partition Lahore including Bhartrahari shataka’s
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A 1889 English Translation of Ananda Lahari, littered with mystical diagrams and exposition make the edition very useful
https://archive.org/details/AnandaLahari1899R.AnantakrishnaSastri
English Translation of Panchastavi by Revered Mystic GopiNath of Kashmir
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Another Stein Work on the Ancient Geography of Kashmir – the Colonial Sanskritist who had done precious and valuable work in Kashmir – including the catalog of the Library we are digitizing:
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Some kind of Manuscript
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All Viewable in chronologically descending Order:
https://archive.org/details/@indologicalbooks
Sarai Donations
Old Issues of Hindi Magazines Sarswati, Janavani and Bhavishya from the 30s recieved from Sarai are digitized/viewable at
eGangotri 20: Unesco IFPC Grant; Stein’s Tantric Collection Completed; Prof Shahid Urdu Collection Completed; Oldest Printed Work of Abhinavagupta
IFPC Unseco Grant
I confess I am late in passing this information , but there is still time till May 31st 2016 for applying to the IFPC Unesco Grant worth 20,000 to 100,000 USD for any Work related to Cultural Preservation or Novel Creation. All it takes is to fill an Online Form.
Please view details below:
All my friends in this List – who are working in the field of Culture and Preservation – please do apply and I hope everybody who applies gets it.
Prof Shahid Amim Urdu Collection
Thanks once gain to Shri Ravikant of Sarai ( CSDS ) who had lent us the Old and Rare Urdu Books Collection of Prof Shahid of Delhi University, all the 70-ish Urdu books save a few whose pages were giving away on touch have finally been digitized.
Many interesting Titles amongst a very Rich Literary Selection are:
Essays on Rumi in Urdu
2 Urdu Ramayans
An 1890 Translation into English and Persian from its Turkish Original – unfortunately fragmentary
The Holy Bible in Persian and Urdu
Poetry of Bollywood Fame Urdu Poet Majruh Sultanpuri and Qateel Shifai, works of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad are some other interesting titles.
Around 10-15 books in the Collection were Naval Kishore Publications – whose complete Online Archive – is one of our upcoming Project and more details below.
Steing Tantra Collection
All Stein Tantra Volumes have now been completed and viewable as usual at:
Only Item 4933 Sharada Tilak from the List couldnt be located though but another Sharada Tilak in the List was done
This Copy of Rudrayamal Tantra is an important rare much in demand manuscript
This could be a very rare and important manuscript
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since its author is Bhatta Narayan Kantha – a Shaivite whose oeuvre is discussed in Sanderson’s articles.
The following three are Lexical Works on Agama/Mantra Shastra
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Since, Stein’s Tantric Collections are over now, we are back to Our Original Almira 27 and now digitizing the remaining Musical Manuscripts.
This One has 3 Scripts and Four Languages – Devanagari( Sankrit/Hindi), Gurumukhi, and Perso-Arabic(Urdu)
Ther Other Musical Works are:
Taladhyaya
Svaradhyaya
Hindola Rag
Deepak Rag
Deepak Rag above had some nice illustrations:
Rare Book News
Oldest Kashmiri Shaivite Publication in Print ( and Oldest Work to be translated in a Modern Language ) traced
While reading Ulrike Strike’s riveting An Empire of Books on Munshi Naval Kishore Press’ Career of almost a century I was delighted to come across the following Entry in the Appendix
wherein is mentioned the 1876 Publication of Paramartha Sara by Abhinavagupta plus a Hindi Translation.
My Guruji Prof Navjivan Rastogi had informed me in the Past that he had heard of such a Publication of this Text by Naval Kishore in the 19th Century but he was uncertain if the Title was really Abhinavagauptan.
I urge scholars if they can ever come across this Text and make it available for Digitization.
The Amir-ud-daula Library which houses around 2000 Donated Naval Kishore Publications doesnt have this book mentioned in there Catalog – see below.
Naval Kishore Archives Project
I was very fortunate to speak to the founder of rekhta.org, Shri Sanjiv Saraf. rekhta.org Mr. Saraf’s Digital Initiative to preserve Old and Rare Urdu Books has already made 20,000 Urdu Literary Works online.
rekhta.org Staff apprised me that they have received Truck Loads of Books from Naval Kishore Press Descendants and since there only focus is Urdu Literature, I have been assured I can get access to the remaining Sanskrit, Hindi and Persian Texts and non-Literary Urdu Texts as well which they will not digitize.
Besides the Gates of Amir-ud-Daula Library will be opened soon to us also where they house around 2000 Titles of Naval Kishore Press in the Naval Kishore Room
The Catalog of this Collection can be seen below once again:
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Other Rare Book News
Few Stray and Interesting Rare Titles:
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A Sufi Work
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Lal Vakh Translations in Urdu in Two Volumes
These 2 are Kashmirian Publication from Bombay of Keshava Bhatta a Kashmiri Sanskritist and we have digitized quite a few of his Publications. Keshava Bhatt’s Commissionings of Publications to Nirnaya Sagar Press are appended there, so the List is Known and this can be used to tally with whatever has been done and at some point of time bring all his Works in Public Domain and with Certainty state that his works have been exhaustively brought out.
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Hope all my friends who apply can make it to the Grant.
eGangotri 19: Holi Issue. Krama PhD, Naval Kishore Press Books
In this Issue of eGangotri I have a very special Text .
The Two Volume Unpublished PhD of Guruji Navjivan Rastogi on Krama Monism.
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The Second Volume Guruji had redacted into a Book unpublished to date which we uploaded in 2014
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The Availability of this Unpublished PhD will greatly add to the amount of meagre information on one of the Most Esoteric Schools of Indian Mysticism the Krama.
Naval Kishore Press:
Thanks to Ulrike Stark and her book
Empire of Books, An: The Naval Kishore Press and the Diffusion of the Printed Word in Colonial India
My attention was first drawn to the fact that the Legendary Nawal Kishor Press is still quasi-operational and that his descendants still cherish his memory and are eager to keep the flame of his work alive. After much search I was able to track Padma Shri Dr. Ranjit Bhargava – descendant – who has given me a cache of around 60 Unique Titles of Naval Kishor Press, including
Urdu Ramayan
Urdu Simhasan Batisi
Indra Sabha Amanat
Hindi Mahabharat etc
All these Unique Titles can be viewed below:
Naval Kishore Publications in Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu | Facebook
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A few of these books have been digitized already and can be viewed at the following account created exclusively to host Naval Kishore Publications:
https://archive.org/details/@navalkishorepress
Dr. Ranjit Bhargava – who had donated all Naval Kishore books to the Amir-ud-daula Library, Lucknow , amongst other institutions – has also written us a Letter of Introduction asking the Library Authorities to allows us to digitize these Texts.
A Few Pictures my staff took of the Naval Kishore Room of Amir-ud-daula Library can be seen here:
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As you can see there is a cutting of Avadh Akhbar – one of the oldest newspapers of Urdu in India.
The Catalog of these Naval Kishore Books can be read here:
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The Number of Books according to Languages are as follows:
Sanskrit 71
Hindi 194
Other Publications in Hindi 32(Ram Kumar Press, a subsidiary ) + 14
Persian 699
Urdu 381
Arabic 156
Hopefully we can start digitizing these books in a month or so.
The archive account gives a brief synopsis of the career of Naval Kishore Press. Naval Kishore Press is especially remembered in Pakistan for his huge contribution to Indo-Islamic Publishing in the nascent stage of Printing Industry. I thank Dr. Bhargava profusely for his kindness in making this possible.
Our next target are the brilliant guys at Rekhta.org based in Noida and who received a much larger collection from Dr. Bhargava and are doing a phenomenal job of digitizing Rare Urdu Books of poetry
Anyone with the direct contact info of Shri Sanjiv Sarraf, proprietor rekhta.org will be appreciated.
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Since they are only concentrating on Poetry, I hope they will let us come in the picture and do non-literary works and Hindi/Sanskrit Books they have recieved.
Ulrike Stark’s book makes very riveting reading I recommend it to everyone interested in the Indian Cultural Renaissance happening in the Late 19th Century.
Digitized Books:
As mentioned in my last Newsletter, we were fortunate that the Naval Kishore 1880 Hindi Translation of the Bhagavata Gita was found at Ram Shaiva Ashram, Srinagar.
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This is another BG Translation of Anand Giri’s Tika of 1921
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This above also was one of the last remaining books that were left in Ram Shaiva Ashram Fateh Kadal.
Now with the exception of Uttara Gita with Gaudapada Karika, which we should get hold of soon, all Ram Shaiva Ashram Texts are finally digitized.
Mr. Roshan Kaul the care-taker we wish him all the best for his most kind assistance.
Other digitized Rare Books can be seen below:
In Manuscript work , we continue following the Venerable Stein and his List of Tantric Works.
Recent entries can be seen here.
eGangotri 18: Raghunath Temple Manuscripts Mentioned in Gopinath Kaviraj Manuscript All Digitized
In this Issue we have completed digitization of the Tantric Manuscripts at Raghunath Temple that were referred by MM Gopinath Kaviraj in his Work Tantric Sahitya ( Tantrik Literature ).
Viewable at:
https://archive.org/details/@dharmarthatrustjk#uploads
The Hindi Document Tantric Sahitya of MM Kaviraj ji is Viewable at:
A Singe Work Samayachaara(1203) couldn’t be located.
The Largest Agama Kalpalata is at 623 Pages.
https://archive.org/details/AgamaKalpalataYadunathSharma4914Alm22Shlf3DevanagariTantra
Text Shiva Tandava was also interesting for having numerous Magickal Squares and Other Magickal Geometric Polygons.
https://archive.org/details/ShivaTandava4935Alm22Shlf3DevanagariTantra
Also at Facebook:
Some other interesting names:
Amnaya Guru Mandal Devatarchan Kramavalli 4898 Alm 22 Shlf 2 Devanagari Tantra : eGangotri : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
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Amnaya Guru Mandal Devatarchan Kramavalli 4898 Alm …
Manuscripts of Dharmartha Trust ( धर्मार्थ ट्रस्ट ) at Raghunath Temple, Jammu,J&K
View on archive.org
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Sharabh Sahasranama Stotra In Akash Bhairava Kalpa 4856 Alm 22 Shlf 1 Devanagari Tantra : eGangotri : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
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Sharabh Sahasranama Stotra In Akash Bhairava Kalpa 485…
Manuscripts of Dharmartha Trust ( धर्मार्थ ट्रस्ट ) at Raghunath Temple, Jammu,J&K
View on archive.org
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https://archive.org/details/GuruKavacha5040Alm22Shlf5DevanagariTantra
https://archive.org/details/GuruKavacha5040Alm22Shlf5DevanagariTantra
https://archive.org/stream/GyanarnavaTantra4910Alm22Shlf3DevanagariTantra/Gyanarnava%20Tantra_4910_Alm_22_Shlf_3_Devanagari%20-%20Tantra#page/n0/mode/2up
We have now started targetting Stein’s List of Tantric Works ( which overlap with Kaviraj’s List)
So by next Issue you should be able to see all Tantric Manuscripts of Stein.
Amongst Rare Books we have done, mentionable is the 1894 Bhagavata Gita Hindi Translation of Nawal Kishor Press:
https://archive.org/details/ShriBhagavataGitaWithHindiTika1894MunshiNawalKishorPress
There is another 1880 Hindi Tika of Bhagavata Gita in Srinagar we know of by Nawal Kishor Press and we hope to digitize it soon.
Purna Prajna Darshana is an 1883 Publication of the Free Sanskrit College of Jibananada Vidya Sagar
Purna Prajna Darshana 1883 Pt. Jibananda Vidyasagara : eGangotri : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
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Purna Prajna Darshana 1883 Pt. Jibananda Vidyasagara : …
Indological Books related to Sanskrit Learning ( संस्कृत )
View on archive.org
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Dvaitokti Ratnamala is another unusual Publication from Calcutta by Panchanana Tarka Ratna Bhattacharya using the Shaka Era 1838 ( 1916 CE ).
https://archive.org/stream/DvaitoktiRatnamala1916PanchananaTarkaRatnaBhattacharya/Dvaitokti%20Ratnamala%201916%20-%20Panchanana%20Tarka%20Ratna%20Bhattacharya#page/n3/mode/2up
Another Book of interest for its mixed use of Urdu and Tatsama Hindi were some Old Book of Sermons from Advaita Ashram Mathura.
The 3 Volumes we found of a possible Decalogy are below :
Advaitananada Ya Sachidananda Prakash:
https://archive.org/details/AdvaitanandaYaSachchidanandaPrakashaVIIISwamiAdvaitananda
https://archive.org/details/AdvaitanandaYaSachchidanandaPrakashaXSwamiAdvaitananda
https://archive.org/details/AdvaitananadaYaSachidanandaPrakashIIIParamhansaAdvaitananda
This Tika on Bhagavata Gita by Lahiri Mahashaya has a Preface by Goinath Kaviraj also.
https://archive.org/details/BhagavataGitaI1954LahiriMahashayaAndSanyal
Other Rare books available at:
https://archive.org/details/@indologicalbooks#collections
Wanted to remind my dear readers who follow my blog
indologicalbooks.wordpress.com
has now been renamed to egangotri.wordpress.com to better reflect our Name and Brand so please update your bookmarks accordingly.
eGangotri 17: 2 Worm Eaten Sharada Manuscripts Skanda Purana Kashi Khanda and Nalodaya/Naishadha Charita
I am sure to the Delight of most readers I have given up on scribd and switched to archive.org – for manuscript uploadings – as scribd’s filepicker.io Plugin – which allowed me to instantly transfer pdfs from my google drive repository to scribd has some javascript bug which they dont seem to care to fix but I am actually much happier with archive cos I am not limited by 100 MB only limits and working with multiple split files can be an irritating exercise for most end-users. Even though Scribd is better SEO/DMS-oriented than anything else in the World of Free eBook sharing.
The following will be the Default Location of All Books from now on from Raghunath Temple.
In my Last Issue, I realized, I missed providing the Link to Vyadi Paribhasha Vritti, so here it is again.
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Vyadi Paribhasha Vritti and Paribhasha Sutras_150_Gha … Vyadi Paribhasha Vritti and Paribhasha Sutras_150_Gha _Alm_1_shlf_5_Devanagari – Vyakarana
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We were lucky to stumble upon 2 Sharada Manuscripts with Insect Damage and actually with no Catalogue Stickers.
These are Nalodaya-Naishadhiya Charita at 1230 Pages and
Skanda Purana’s Kashi Khanda at 1229 Pages.
Other notables are:
Bhangeesh Samhita – a well known Text also published by the Jammu Campus of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan – on Kashmirian Piligrimages in Devanagari at 629 Pages
Chiita Pradeep of vasudeva a Vedantic Text in 310 Pages
Mrigendra Vritti of Bhatta Narayan Kantha at 277 Pages is an important Shaiva Siddhanta Text
This is the Second Text of MV we have been able to scan. Recently, a blogger link below was discussing this very text and its importance and difference from the Eight-Limbed School of Classical Yoga.
Free Dive into Tantric Pranayama
Katha Sarit Sagar , The Ocean of the Streams of Stories – a Metric Work which is a Vast and delightful Collection of Multiple Tales inside tales written by Somananda a Kashmiran in the eleventh century – a redaction of the Now Lost Brahat Katha of Gunadhya – believed to be written in Paishachi Prakrit Literally Barbaric/Monstrous Common Tongue after the Author had vowed to abandon speech of the Refined Sanskrit and even the civilized vernaculars if he lost his bet – in 1411 Pages.
Many popular TV Serials and Films on Tantric intrigues and Magic can be traced to this text.
The Proto-type of the Alibaba and the Thief Story in which the faithful wife takes revenge with Opportunist Seductors – in its original form can be found in this Text. I had the rare privilege of reading its superb Hindi Translation published by Bihar Rashtra Bhasha Parishad in 3 Volume which is also available at Scribd at:
Couple of Mahabhashyas with the Pradeep Commentary of Kaiyyata of Kashmir
eGangotri XV Diwali Issue: Manuscripts from Srinagar Ashram; Some More Kashmirian Manuscipts
In this Edition of eGangotri I have a few more exciting manuscripts. First a pleasant discovery in Srinagar.
Karan Nagar Ashram, Srinagar:
Recently someone left a note on my Blog and informed us that the Karan Nagar Ashram in Srinagar has some manuscripts and also many books which in the KP Exodus of the 90s were deposited by the fleeing Community.
I was very excited and I contacted the Caretaker Shri Kaul and to my immense pleasure and surprise, permission to digitize was given immediately. And work has started there thanks to my New Manager Hashim.
But very sadly though, I was told that 60% of the books were destroyed in the floods esp Manuscripts.
But whatever of the Old Books and Manuscripts survive our team is now working there and should take us two months to digitize them.
The New Account for the Karan Nagar Ashram is:
https://www.scribd.com/srinagarashram
We have done 5 Manuscripts there , 3 in Sharada and 2 in Devanagari – and the only ones we have found so far:
Spanda Nirnaya in Devanagari( Wet Copy )
Spanda Nirnaya_Wet_damaged Devanagari Manuscript No 2 – Found in Ram Krishna Mission Srinagar
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Spanda Nirnaya_Wet_damaged Devanagari Manuscript … Scribd is the world’s largest social reading and publishing site.
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Sandhyoapasa Vidhi in Sharada
Sandhyopasana Vidhi Tika in Sharada Manuscript No.5 – Found in Ramakrishna Mission Srinagar
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Sandhyopasana Vidhi Tika in Sharada Manuscript No.5 – … Scribd is the world’s largest social reading and publishing site.
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Bhagavata Gita and 9 Other Texts in Sharada
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Bhagavata Gita_Yoga Vashishtha and 9 Other Texts Shara… Scribd is the world’s largest social reading and publishing site.
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The Manuscripts contained are as follows:
Shri Bhagavat-Amrit-Abdhi-labdha Shri Bhagavat Bhakti Ratnavali Trayodasha virachanam
Ganesh Stotra in Nandikeshwar Samvada: Starting Page: 1
Shuka Stuti in Bhagavata Mahapurana : Starting Page: 16
Dhruva Stuti in Bhagavata Mahapurana : Starting Page: 22
Ram Gita : Starting Page: 29
Mukunda Mala: Starting Page: 58
Vai Stuti : Staring Page 82
Mahimna Stuti : Starting Page 112
Shri? : Starting Page 140
One Pgae Om Brahmeva-idam-sarvam : Staring Page 149
Illustration of Goddess with 5 Heads, 8 Arms, Seated on a Swan : Page 152
Gita Chanting Rituals : Starting Page 154
Bhagavata Gita with Major Colophonal Notes : Starting Page 161
Bha? : Starting Page 374
One Page of Text : Starting Page 429
Yoga Vasishtha : Starting Page 431
An Illustration inside a Manuscript which scholars have surmised as the Five Faced Gayatri:
Illustration of Goddess Saraswati
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Bhakti Ratnavali in Sharada of Swami Vishnupuri:
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Contents of the above Devi Mahatmya in Devanagari with Multiple Manuscripts:
Devi Kavacha: Starting Page 1
Argala Stuti: Starting Page : 33
Kilaka : Starting Page: 39
Devi Mahatmya Starting Page 48
Laghu Stavi : Starting Page 299
Indrakshi Stotra : Starting Page 319
Bhavani Nama Sahasram : Starting Page 330
Snana Vidhi Sandhya : Pg 408
Jwala Mukhi Praises in 2 Pages : Starting Page 478
Rare Unknown Lost and Forgotten Kashmirian Books from the Ashram:
Shri-Shri-Maha-Rajni-Pradurbhavah (श्री श्री महाराज्ञी प्रादुर्भावः)
Popular Kashmiri Shaivite Stotras from a 1939 Edition including Panchastavi, Jwalamukhi, Sharika Stora:
A Manasa Kosha of 1909
An 1894 Leelavati of Bhaskar:
1891 Nirbhay Vilas
Many other Rare Interesting Titles can be checked in the Main Account.
Before providing Details of New Manuscripts digitized, I will like to proudly mention that Our Last Issue of eGangotri was very well received by His Excellency Maharaja Karan Singh – especially because it highlighted the Unprecedented Work done by H.E.’s Great Ancestor Maharaja Ranbir Singh and scholars of Kashmir Shaivism are forever indebted to his unprecendented work for the Preservation and Dissemination of Manuscripts.
The following is H.E.’s very generous acknowledgement:
Dear eGangotri ( Hiding my Name ):
I have read with much interest your circular letter of 25th October and must commend you for the excellent work that you are doing on these manuscripts. It will be good to see you when you are next in Delhi.
Greetings,
Karan Singh
Kashmirian Manuscripts from Raghnath Temple:
A Curious Tantric Sharada Manuscript with a Strange Register of Sharada :
https://www.scribd.com/doc/289107846/Guru-Mandaladi-Pujan-Vidhi-1071-Gha-Alm-5-Shlf-4-Sharada-Tantra
Indologist Christopher Tompkins informs me that he has 7 Digital Copies of Nepalese Manuscripts of this Work but this is the first itme he is coming across a Sharada(Kashmirian) Version.
Ishwar Pratyabhijna Vivritti of Abhinva
A Second Tantraloka – this one is not cataloged in Stein but in IGNCA – but as we discovered in a 1929 Harabhatta Shastri Catalog of Raja Hari Singh’s Manuscript Collection this prefatory note that post Stein’s 1896 Catalog, Raja Ram Singh’s Collection was completely transferred to Raghunath Temple and this and many other manuscripts may have originated from Raja Ram Singh’s Collection that cannot be seen in Stein.
Sharada Manuscripts on Jyotisha: PrashnaMala and Janma Patra Likhan Prakar:
Shakti Tattva Vimarshini:
A Sanskrit Prose Novel Tarka Kutuhula by Vijayeshwar Suri:
The following are Stein’s Comments on it:
The name of this work which is a novel and should accordingly have been entered
in Class xii., jg very doubtful. It is written on the back of the first leaf by a different
hand; the letters (fo ~o are found on the margin of the leaves. The MS. is written in
a modern Kashmirian hand; it shows no signs of having been copied from a. S’arada
original.
A very interesting Mantra Bhashya wrongly ascribed to Abhinavagupta and definitely Kashmirian with the following observation of Stein:
The Mantrabhasya a manual of the formulas and rites occuring in the Vrata shikha samskara of the
Upanayana Tradition deserves notice as one of the comparatively rare contributions
we possess from Kashmiri authors towards liturgical literature. The author doesnot state his own name
but mentions his father Saomananda as a resident of Vijayeshwar, a town well know to the annals of Kashmir, the modern Vijabror
2 Swachanda Udyots:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/288166256/Svachchanda-Tantra-With-Udyota-Commentary-1846-Alm-8-Shlf-3-Devanagari-Kashmir-Shaivism-Part1
https://www.scribd.com/doc/288158247/Svachchanda-Tantra-With-Udyota-Commentary-1846-Alm-8-Shlf-3-Devanagari-Kashmir-Shaivism-Part1
https://www.scribd.com/doc/288158247/Svachchanda-Tantra-With-Udyota-Commentary-1846-Alm-8-Shlf-3-Devanagari-Kashmir-Shaivism-Part1
Kavya Prakash of Mammata:
Two Vigyan Bhairava:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/287573928/Vigyan-Bhairava-With-Colophonal-Notes-2094-Alm-9-shlf-3-Devanagari-Kashmir-Shaivism
https://www.scribd.com/doc/287573928/Vigyan-Bhairava-With-Colophonal-Notes-2094-Alm-9-shlf-3-Devanagari-Kashmir-Shaivism
Mrigendra Samhita:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/287743174/Mrigendra-Samhita-Vivritti-Bhatta-Narayan-1999-Alm-9-Shlf-2-Devanagari-Tantra
https://www.scribd.com/doc/287743174/Mrigendra-Samhita-Vivritti-Bhatta-Narayan-1999-Alm-9-Shlf-2-Devanagari-Tantra
A DashBhashodaya Kosh in Devanagari and Partially in Perseo-Arabic Script with Synonyms in Ten Languages:
Sanskrit
Hindi
English
English
Arabic
Persian
Turkish
Kashmiri
Pushto
Kashmiri
Pushto
Balti ( language of PoK Baltistan )
Laddakhi( referred as Lami )
Abhinava’s Paramartha Sara Vivritti
And a Very Interesting and Rare Case of Arabic to Sanskrit Translation from an Arabic Astrological Work also commissioned by H.E. Maharaja Ranbir Singh:
The Hayat Sangyo Grantha [The Text Called Hayat]
Author Name or Translator’s Name Unknown.
Some Mathematical Diagrams in the manuscript make interesting Viewing.
Two Works of Bhattotpala a 10th Centruy Kashmirian Astrologer :
A Spanda Vivritti:
Abhinava’s Tantra Vata Dhanika:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/285490125/Tantra-Vata-Dhanika-Abhinav-Gupta-5576-Alm-25-Shlf-4-1110-K-Devanagari-TantraYogini Hridaya Deepika:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/285490125/Tantra-Vata-Dhanika-Abhinav-Gupta-5576-Alm-25-Shlf-4-1110-K-Devanagari-TantraYogini Hridaya Deepika:
and some other minor works.
The eGangotri Team
eGangotri XIV: 20 Commentary Bhagavata Gita Commissioned by Majaraja Ranbir Singh
The 20 Commentary Bhagavata Gita commissioned by Majaraja Ranbir Singh I had mentioned last time is now finally ready for viewing.
The name of the Commentaries once again are:
i. Anandi – Anand Rajanak
ii. Kusum Vaijayanti – Giridhari Das
iii. Gita Tatparya Shuddhi – Ram Chandra Saraswati
iv. Gudartha Chandrika – Vanamali
v. Gudartha Prakashika – Madhu Sudan Saraswati
vi. Tatva Prakashika – Rajanak Lakshmi Ram
vii. Tatparya Nirnaya – Anand Giri
viii. Pancholi –
viiii. Paramartha Prabha – Surya Pandit
ix. Pishach Bhashya
x. Gitartha Sangraha – Abhinavagupta
viiii. Paramartha Prabha – Surya Pandit
ix. Pishach Bhashya
x. Gitartha Sangraha – Abhinavagupta
xi. Bhava Deepika – Neel Kanth
xii. Bhav Prakash – Sadananda Vyas
xiii. Bhashya – Shankaracharya
xiv. Bhashya – Ramanuja
xvi. Madhu Bhashya – Ananda Tirtha
xvii. Sarvatobhadra – Ram Kantha Rajanak
xviii. Subodhini – Shridhar Swami
xix. Ranavir Samdbodhini – Court Pandit of Maharaja Ranbir Singh
xx. Hindi Bhashya – Court Pandit of Maharaja Ranbir Singh
xvi. Madhu Bhashya – Ananda Tirtha
xvii. Sarvatobhadra – Ram Kantha Rajanak
xviii. Subodhini – Shridhar Swami
xix. Ranavir Samdbodhini – Court Pandit of Maharaja Ranbir Singh
xx. Hindi Bhashya – Court Pandit of Maharaja Ranbir Singh
Items marked in Red are Kashmirian
One of the Commentary is in Hindi and another Ranbir Samidbodhini( Jagdishwar Vedapathi) in Sanskrit – these both were composed by Maharaja’s Court Pandits at his Orders. Hence Late 19th Century Works and the youngest in the Compilation. Approximate Time Period would be within Maharaja’s Reign 1857-1885.
Could this Hindi Tika be labeled as the Oldest Known Hindi Prose Translation of Bhagavata Gita. I should soon get a copy of a Nawal Kishor Press Hindi Translation of Bhagavata Gita – will be interesting to see what date it has. And if that predates this Hindi Tika.
Sarvatobhadra of Ram Kantha – another tika of the same was also done and viewable:
Would like to point out a Source of Confusion in the Naming of Rajanak Lakshmi Ram( aka Lasa Kak )’s Tika. The 18 Manuscripts ( each manuscript for each Chapter, hence for BG’s 18 Chapters 18 manuscripts ) consistently refer to Lasa Kak’s Tika as Lasiki.
But another manuscript which is exlusively Lasa Kak Tika we did viewable below:
refers to it as Tattva Prakashika.
Stein when referring to Lasikia Tika in this Group of Texts – against the actual usage in the Manuscript – calls it Tattva Prakashika as well.
This can be seen in the following 2 Pages of the Catalog:
Prof. Sanderson in his Survey of Kashmirian Literature also refers to Lasa Kak’s Tika as Tattva Prakashika.
The Texts of the Tikas in both places are identical. Hence we have to conclude that Lasiki is an alternate Name for Tattva Prakashika.
The Last Portion of the Commentary on the 18th chapter has some biographic Data inserted in the margins which amongst other things confirms his Kashmirian Origins:
लक्षमीराम इति द्विजोऽत्र निवसन्काश्मीर भूमण्डले मेरोर्मातुह पाङ्ग देह जननोराजान(क)गोपालकात् श्री शाके द्विगुणा(?) भूपरि मित्रे मासेस्थितावाश्विने शुक्लायां प्रतिपद्यजां चितिरतो गीता सुटीकां व्यवधात्
Now – going by Shri Jai Kishan Sharma’s List* – I have five more Kasmirian BG Tika’s remaining to discover:
i. Keshavabhatt Kashmirin’s “Tattvaprakashika” (16th century), …..
ii. Bhatta Bhaskara’s “Bhagavad Gita Tika” (900 AD),
iii. Sahib Koul’s “Gita Sar” (17th century),
iv. Sahib Ram’s “Gita Vyakhya Sahibi” (19th century),
v. Pandit Daya Ram’s “Bhagavad Gita Tika” (19th century),
* Original Article for those who dont have the context from the Last Issue, please view:
Item (i) is confusing. Tattva Prakashika as we have shown is Lasiki Tika but then who is Keshava Kashmiraka? and what was the name of his Tika.
Sahib Ram’s Gita Vyakhya Sahibi – which Jai Kishan Sharma says is in the Srinagar Archives – remains to be digitized. With blessings of the Almighty in 2016.
Daya Ram Shastri ( son of Sahib Ram’s )’s Gita Tika is in the Library and that will soon be digitized.
That makes Sahib Koul’s GIta Vyakhya Sahibi and Bhatta Bhaskar’s Tika two tikas yet to be discovered.
Inquiries with many scholars in Jammu and online regarding Jai Kishan Sharma ji has not yielded any results.
I am sure readers will also appreciate two Printed Copies of Bhagavata Gita we have found in Srinagar:
1921 Publication
and a 1916 Publication
Will be back with the Nawal Kishor Press Edition of Bhagavata Gita and manuscripts of many Kashmirian Texts like Tantraloka with Jayaratha( a second one ) and Pratyabhijnas and Vigyan Bhairavas.
https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%2218+Commentary+Bhagvata+Gita%22
eGangotri Digital Preservation Trust 