eGangtori IV. BN Pandit’s Donated Books to Jammu Uni

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eGangotri III

On By eGangotri Digital Preservation TrustIn Books, eGangotri, ManuscriptsLeave a comment

Dear All:

We finally completed digitizing at UPSS, Lucknow and my Staff is now in Jammu to commence work in Raghunath Temple Library which has over 4200 Manuscripts.

Our Target of Digitizng all Sharada manuscripts in UPSS is short by around 10-15 Manuscripts and one of the Intriguing entiries under Sharada merely mentioned as “Kashmirika GranthaH” I had been pursuing from Day One but it could never be traced largely because the Manuscript Curator was highly uncooperative.

Since the Original Catalgoers never identified its Title/Author I had hopes of stumbling upon something unique.

Jagadanda Jha Sahib – Librarian UPSS who very kindly introduced us to the Manuscipt Division has said that he will try to provide us with a Digital Copy over Time.

It is regrettable we have only done half of the Work we had the Potential to finish thanks in large Parts to the Curator whose busy schedule Newspaper/Tea/Chat Therapy /Aaraam Yoga on Desk permitted her the Time to open the Almirah only once a Day.

Hence, much as I wanted Peter Freund/Demian Martins/Mark Guruji’s Special Requests we could never make it ( except for 4 Entries from Mark Guruji).

All 155 Manuscripts can be seen here:

https://www.scribd.com/indicmanuscripts
Or at Google Drive
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bw4MoXZjLpcMN19PLURndU5LYmM&usp=sharing

*Ever since, scribd scapped its Collection feature – I am unable to provide Selections.

The Ones we specifically did after my Last Newsletter in Diwali are here:

SharadaPostDiwali

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bw4MoXZjLpcMZU44U2p2a2JDZnc&usp=sharing

28 Manuscripts of Tantragama are in Devanagari :
57 are in Sharada

Interesting Ones amongst the Sharada Ones are:

Abhinavagupta’s Gitartha Sangraha ( Boris for You! )
10 Folios of Ishvara Pratyabhijna Karika of Abhinavagupta ( with unpublished magrginal Notes. )
Yoga Vasishtha of Valmiki ( at 684 Pages and 461 MB )
Bhairava Anukarana Tantra
Bhairava Stambha Tantra
Shiva Tantra
Bhagawat Gita
Martanda MAhatmya ( must be important for the Kashmiri Shaivites given the famous Martand Temple in Indo-Pak Border ) and Mattan a place name which is actually corruption of Martanda.
Nekshma Pratishtha
Two Panchastavis
few folios of Kularnava

Amongst the Devanagari Ones:
Hatha Pradeepika ( Jim M. for you )
some folios of Rudra Yamals ( Dr. Naithani for you ) and
Shyama Rahasya ( The Secrets of the Dark Godess )
The Printed Version of the Book available online at
Shyama Rahasya Tantram

the Introduction says something to the effect that this book is much feared by all and Practitioners scared to mention it but now my audacity and boldness I put it in front of You )

A Few in Gurumukhi which include Bhagawata Dashmam Skandha/Vedanta Prakriya Jana Bodhini/Vedanta Siddhanta Sara/Guru Mahima Prakasha.

I am still not sure if the Vedantic Titles refer to Sanskrit Originals in Gurumukhi Script or Translations. The former I am told is difficult because Gurumukhi lacks the halanta which would render the task of transliterating Skt impossible.

Some others the titles are not known, volunteers who know Gurumukhi can kindly inform me the missing titles

A interesting discovery was a hidden letter in Gurumukhi stamped 1886 with Devanagari and English also seen and the British Stamp in Urdu. Some glimpse of History through this Letter.

Gurumukhi

The Last Leg of Swami Amrit Vagbhava Books/Docs is now over.

The folowing are Letters which various devotees and acolytes had written to him over the Years

Letters of amrit Vagbhava:

Two very interesting documents we found were Sanskrit Letters of Dina Nath Yaksha. Dina Nath yaksha as we all know had a immense Library of Rare Sharada Manuscripts in Srinagar which was unfortunately destroyed by Vandals in the Riots of the 90s.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzs7df1AKxSWYzdVT0dTYmtLRHc/view?usp=sharing

The Letter is written in a very flowing and elegant style and also talks about the Plight of the Community in those days.

Spoke to Several Heads of Museums and Repositories in J&K ( Zahid Sahib, Haroun Rashid Sahib, Shailen Kumar Sahib, Paras Mishra ji ) – there welcome and kindness were truly amazing and rare.

Haroun Rashid Sahib told me that there is a Holy Quran in Sharada !!!

They all have assured me in providing access to there repositories and I hope soon I will get to digitize there Manuscripts as well.

Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan Jammu Campus, 73 Sharada Manuscripts work starts today. Thanks to Devanathan Sir.

Will end this with the Great News that the heart-rending BBC and Other Media Reports of the Complete sabotage of Sri Nagar Museum and destruction of All Manuscripts is not True – Zahid Sahib the Director confirmed on Phone that the only Items damaged were the papier machete items and no Manuscript got damaged !!!!

Zahid Sahib let my Team visit you and digitize the 600 Manuscripts you mentioned before another Flood’s unforgiving assault

eGangtori II

On By eGangotri Digital Preservation TrustIn eGangotriLeave a comment

Dear All:

Happy Deepawali to All Of You.

We have so far done 53 Sharada Manuscripts in last One Week and because of Deepawali our Progress has been halted. But we will start again after Monday and hopefully that very week itself all the remaining 70-80 Sharada manuscripts will be finished and then we can target the Non-Sharada Tantra Manuscripts.

Here they are below for your perusal.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bw4MoXZjLpcMX1JSS1hzZm90WUU&usp=sharing

Exactly One Manuscript is in Ranjana Lipi of Mithila.

One Manuscript is entitled Rudra Shakta Bhairava Stotra and shows Author as Abhinavagupta. Request Experts to identify if this really is a Work of Abhinavagupta and whether it is published.
( https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw4MoXZjLpcMY1Z6QzBfa0M2OHc/view?usp=sharing )

One Manuscript is entitled Sharika Mahatmya ( The Maina ( Asian Starling Bird ) Goddess ) – which immediately brought to mind the One Story that is mentioned in Sw. Amrit Vagbhava’s Biography ( Pg 146 ) related to the Reading of Sharada Mahatmya.
(https://www.scribd.com/doc/220017779/Shri-Gurudeva-Amrit-Vahbhava-Acharya-Charitamrita-B-N-Pandit , pg 173 in the Online PDF Numbering )

Someone read the above from a Manuscript in Srinagar, Sw. ji was extremely joyed by its reading. after the reading they saw three very weird Birds by name of Sharii – which intrigued everyone. Later – B N pandit is vague how but a clarification came up that the Goddess Sharada when pleased by its devotees gives Darshan in the Form of Three Sharika Birds – it would be interesting to see the connection of Sharika Mahatmya with this Legend. The Sharada Mahatmya has now finally been found and published by Shri Christopher Tomkins.

One Manuscript is on Mathematics. one Manuscrupt is the Sangraha Stotra of Utpala Deva.

Two have interesting Tantric Names: Netra Bhattaraka Paddhati Shiva Tantra and Mahakaal Swahaakara

But One Rather Glum News.

Avid Fans and Ardent Admirers of Shri Virendra Qazi ji , Shaivism Sadhaka par excellence, Mantrayanist will have to be disappointed in that we were able to identify atleast 69 Titles many Out of Print Rare and probably a Sole Surviving Copy from his Superb Collection – will not be digitized due to the Difiiculties of Logistics.

Virendra Qazi ji doesnt want books to be transferred from his House and my Scanner in Delhi is too far to accomplish this by going there personally.

The Titles we had found at his Residence are below:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2JeLtuXVlM5UFUySXFhd3hwWDg&usp=sharing

So thats a Menu you can look at but no Food servable. ( expression I am borrowing from [Sadguru] Mark Gurujis usage for IGNCA and NMMs online catalogs sans the Text Viewing ).

Virendra Qazi ji – in keeping with the Tradition of Seers – I had a feeling looks down on the Written Word and only values Direct Experience.

And now More Diaries and Personal Notes of Swami Amrit Vagbhava Acharya – including Original Hand Written Loose Sheets of his Metric Works.

Amrit Vagbhava Diary III

https://www.scribd.com/doc/243543009/Amrit-Vagbhava-Diary-III

Swami Amrit Vagbhav Notes Letters and Documents – I
https://www.scribd.com/doc/243543418/Swami-Amrit-Vagbhav-Notes-Letters-and-Documents-I

Swami Amrit Vagbhav Notes Letters and Documents – II

https://www.scribd.com/doc/243543419/Swami-Amrit-Vagbhav-Notes-Letters-and-Documents-II

Swami Amrit Vagbhav Notes Letters and Documents – III

https://www.scribd.com/doc/243543009/Amrit-Vagbhava-Diary-III

Enlightening Articles on the Net About Indic Manuscripts

On By eGangotri Digital Preservation TrustIn ManuscriptsLeave a comment

General

Informative Article on the State of Indian Manuscripts

https://www.academia.edu/1020918/In_press_2014_Indian_Manuscripts

Mega Catalog Collectio

http://homepage.univie.ac.at/dominik.wujastyk/Sanskrit_Catalogues/

News and information on Manuscripts in j&K Area:

http://www.indtvusa.com/indias-kashmir-digitize-rare-manuscripts-to-preserve-cultural-heritage/

eGangtotri Newsletter – I

On By eGangotri Digital Preservation TrustIn eGangotriLeave a comment
Dear All:
 
Thanks to Shri Virendra Qazi ji – one of the few Native Kashmiris carrying the Tradition of Swami Lakshman joo, Neelkanth Gurtoo and B N Pandit and spreading the Word of Shiva. He has very generously allowed us to scan his two Sharada manuscripts in his possession – I am still not sure of its Contents but they are probably something related to Lord Krishna.
 
image

Sharda Manuscript of Shri Virendra Qazi I

Sharda Manuscript of Shri Virendra Qazi I
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image

Sharda Manuscript of Shri Virendra Qazi II

Sharda Manuscript of Shri Virendra Qazi II
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I think the First One consists of three manuscripts because I saw the Sharada Numerals repeated ( though remote – I hope this is Krama Keli or IPV/IPVV , a hope for every manuscript we are digitizing.
Many thanks to Kaziji also in allowing us to scan his Entire Collection of Kashmir Shaivism – which will bring out several rare hidden gems of Kashmir – he has accumulated over a Lifetime. He is the Only Kashmiri Pandit who has shown such open-mindedness/eagerness to give everything to the Netizens , A True Missionary Attitude – in which most KP’s have sorely disappointed me.
We also have digitized Two Diaries( written on a Gita Press Gorakhpur Dainandini showing Year 1929 and 1931 ) in Hindi ( I had thought this would be Sanskrit ) of Swami Amrit Vagbhava Acharya. Swamiji was along with Swami Lakshman Joo the only Two Sanskritist Masters of 20th Century following Kashmir Shaivism. Swamiji had spent a lot of time in Srinagar and his Spiritual Adventures are very excellently documented by BN Pandit in the Biography Sw. Amrit Vagbha Charitamritam ( Shri Gurudeva Amrit Vahbhava Acharya Charitamrita – B.N Pandit )
image

Shri Gurudeva Amrit Vahbhava Acharya Charitamrita – B….

श्री गुरुदेव अमृतवाग्भवाचार्य चरित्रामृत – बल्लजिन् नाथ पण्डित
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Swamijis Diaries the few pages I glimpsed had a lot of mention of Srinagar
image

Hand Written Diary I – Amrit Vagbhava Acharya

Hand Written Diary I – Amrit Vagbhava Acharya
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Hand Written Diary II in Ordered Format – Amrit Vagbhav…

Hand Written Diary II in Ordered Format – Amrit Vagbhava Acharya
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And therefore can give some Spiritiually relevant Historical information of Kashmir and the Spiritual Scene then.
 
We have some more pages of his Diaries to digitize and a huge cache of Letters many in Sanskrit including those of his Chief Disciples B N Pandit.
 
This Diaries’ discovery has happened after more than 3 years of search and I was so happy to finally get hold of it. when I first found the Diary I knew this was the hand writting ofa Mystic par excellence and the Orthograhy itself is worthy of preserving to speak nothing of the Content.
 
My Aplogies: I gave misleading information last time. Well known Author Motil Lal Pandit is indeed the the nephew of B N Pandit – but he is not the Famous B N Pandit we all know of – the fact I confirmed with Amit Panditji, son of M.L. Pandit. Which reminds me I am yet to get the photocopy of Swatantrya Deepika Manuscript  from him.
The Swatantrya Deepika I sent last time, Mark Guruji has since edited it furthur and would like you all to discard the Old Version and use the Most uptodate below:
image

स्वातन्त्र्यदीपिकासूत्र सटीक

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In the Original Velthius Encoding:
image

Swatantrya Deepika Velthius – Mark Dyczkowski

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14th Oct we start digitizing Manuscripts in Lucknow. I have not recieved any Wish List from anyone except Mark Guruji and Dr. Demian Martins – all Sharda Manuscripts ( wrongly under Gurumukhi will be digitized ).
The Catalog is here once again :
image

Catalog of Manuscripts at UPSS Lucknow – Dr. Sacchidaan…

Catalog of Manuscripts at UPSS Lucknow – Dr. Sacchidaanand Pathak
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Once we are done with Lucknow, work will begin in Jammu.(1st Fornight of November ).

Scanner for Manuscripts Scanning

On By eGangotri Digital Preservation TrustIn Books, Manuscripts2 Comments

Avision Scanners are unfortunately not avilable in the Market anymore in India due to Certain Certification Requirements introduced.

This is highly painful for the Small Medium Scanners aiming at high quality and Ease.

But this allowed us to experiment with Fujitsu’s Scan Snap SV 600 and now that for the first time we are shifting to Manuscripts it was very timely that we switched to this new Nifty and Excellent Contactless Auto-Page Splitting Scanner.

The folowing youtube Video is a Demonstration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUFeI3lU_z0

Feature Details:
http://www.fujitsu.com/sg/products/peripherals/scanner/models/scansnap/sv600/

We did our First Few Sharda Manuscripts with this Scanner here are the results:

https://www.scribd.com/collections/5923164/Kokilujis-Sharada-Manuscripts

Didnt cause any kind of Damage to the Manuscript.

For Books in general though this scanner is not as optimal as Avision

A New Digitial Library of India Interface

On By eGangotri Digital Preservation TrustIn BooksLeave a comment

We all know that the Digital Library of India addresses a Critical Need of the Masses – Online Books.

However, we are all aware that the Data Entry Team they employed was in direct rivalry to the Data Entry Guys who do your Indian Govt. Voter Id Cards and other similar Govt. Agencies who recruit directly from the Fields – of agricultural India.

This has created a very unsurmountable and unfortunate impediment in these books ever making it to the Lay Person – not least a constant irritating affair for Regular Users.

Just like Govt. of India’s passe Railway Enquiry Interface was given a very elegant and smooth makeover by the guys at http://erail.in, such an effort is possbile for DLI as well by a small group of Volunteers.

This is the Idea.

Step 1).

For each DLI Bar Code the Corresponding Library of Congress Unique Identifier is identified.

Thus – Our Customized and Improved Search Interface allows you to directly search for everything through the LoC Entries and then the result is fwd. to the DLI eBook Link.

This task can be easily done by the Netizens who regularly surf DLI.

Step 2). The above alone will tremendously remove the inconveniences. But a second step will furthur make the process even smoother. As we all know the Interface only presents you with an Image which we have to keep scrolling.

For each book searched and attempted for download through the New Interface:  do the following:

i.  Run a backend process that will download all the images once and only once

ii. pdf these images in the Server.

iii. shift this pdf with Correct Title and Author using the LOC Values into Google Drive using the very easy Google Drive API.

iv. Let this PDF be available as a Link to Google Drive .

v. Let User download this book by Add to My Drive and share it with click of buttons, no infinite cycles of upload-download

vi. This process happens only the first time. Next Time. Same Book is needed we present them with the Link which is maintained in out Internal Database.

 

 

 

http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/pqdtopen/doc/1492548402.html?FMT=ABS

On By eGangotri Digital Preservation TrustIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Found this Dissertation:
Suhrawardi, Abhinavagupta and the metaphysics of light – Kirk Templeton

at
http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/pqdtopen/doc/1492548402.html?FMT=ABS

Makes very interesting reading and is a Comparitive Study of the Metaphysics of Light which has been independently treated in the Suharwardi School in Persia , Plotinus in Greece and our very beloved Abhinavagupta.

Other Open Acess Dissertations can be had free of Cost from the Web Site:

http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/search.html