DOCSLIB.ORG

A Survey of Maithili Literature

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Survey of Maithili Literature A Survey of Maithili Literature Radhakrishna Chaudhary Shruti Publications Delhi Also from SHRUTI PUBLICATIONS 1. A Survey of Maithili Literature (Vol. II) Gajendra Thakur 2- fefFkykd bfrgkl (Hkkx 2) Coming Soon Gajendra Thakur First Shruti Publications edition 2010 © Publisher, 2010 All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the author and the publisher. Price : 250/- ISBN : 978-93-80538-36-5 Published by Shruti Publications Registered Office: 8/21, Ground Floor, New Rajendra Nagar, New Delhi 110 008. Tel.: (011)-25889656-58 Fax: (011) 25889657 Website:http://www.shruti-publication.com e-mail: [email protected] Distributor : Pallavi Distributors Ward no-6, Nirmali (Supaul), Mob. 9572450405, 9931654742 Typeset & Printed by AJAY ARTS New Delhi For Shri ShriKrishna Chaudhary Shri Binod Bihari Verma Preface The survey was initially prepared for a particular occasion under the heading “History of Maithili Literature”, sponsored by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. The man-made destiny willed otherwise and the mechanism, crowned with utter selfishness and sectarianism, did not allow the original scheme to materialise. The original idea was, therefore, changed and the present survey is a modified, revised and uptodate account of the Maithili literature in all its ramifications. I wish Maithili should have a clean slate to start, if it has to prosper in the company of other sister languages of the country. The survey, in its present form, is intended for the common readers. It is an attempt to outline the essence of Maithili. There is no attempt to prove or disprove but rather to present in outline a graduated interpretation of the course of development. In a sense, it is a synthesis of the ideas permeating underneath Maihili language and liteature. A connected account of all the epochs of Maithili literature, from the earliest times to the present day, has been given in this short survey. Hitherto there is only one book in English language on the History of Maithili literature and that, too, was published, about thirty years back. The edition, now to be brought out by the Sahitya Akademi, is being written by the same author and naturally the Sahitya Akademi version of history will be nothing but old wine in new bottle. The present survey has been prepared in a purely historical perspective. Though much remains to be done in the field, the present work is just an attempt to draw the attention of the specialists in their respective branches to fill up the gap still awaiting further enquiry and proper research. I have condensed many facts in order to render the volume more fitted for popular reading. It also contains uncritical list of recent publications in the language to date. I have endeavoured to make it as simple, clear and readable as far as possible and have tried to be accurate and uptodate. Writing for non-specialised readers is like walking on tight rope. One is always afraid of falling into pedantism or triviality. It is for the readers to judge whether I have succeeded in keeping my balance all the way or not. 6 | Preface Marthili is a living language and has a glorious history of its own. Its history is the history of the growth of one of the earliest important languges of northeastern India and which influenced in one way or the other, all the languages of eastern India. The book is likely to interest all the lovers of our languages and if my readers feel that this humble attempt of mine has been worth while I shall deem my labour amply rewarded. I must express my sincere sense of gratitude to Prof. Upendra Nath Mallik, M. A. (Cal.), of the Department of English, T. N. B. College, Bhagalpur University, for his ungrudging help and coopertion. I have no words to thank Shri Gopiraman Choudhary, Research Fellow, Bihar Research Society, Patna, not only for his help and cooperation in seeing the book through the Press but also for other help. Without his active cooperation at the printing level the work would not have seen the light of the day so early. My sincere thanks are due to Dr. B. K. Verma Manipadma, Pandit Rajeshwar Jha of the Bihar Research Society, and to my wife and daughter, who shared my worldly anxieties while the work was in progress. I wish to thank all those who gave me their encouragement and help. I crave the indulgence of my readers for all types of shortcomings in this humble work. The very thought that this work will be of some help to all types of readers, will render them more tolerant to its occasional heaviness. RADHAKRISHNA CHAUDHARY Bhagalpur August 15, 1976 Contents 1. Introductory 1 2. Evolution of the Language and Script 14 3. Forms of Early Maithili Poetry 24 4. Triumph of Maithili Speech 32 5. Age of Efflorescence 42 6. The Mongrel Language 74 7. Crossing the Frontier 79 8. Heritage without Glamour a Study in Medieval Maithili Poetry 94 9. A Comfort to the Grieved 106 10. Era of Decadent Documentary Prose 119 11. Throbbing Human Heart 122 12. The New Awakening 131 13. The Golden Trio 140 14. The Lotus Blossoms 147 15. The New Dimensions 170 Appendix-I 203 Appendix II 215 Abbreviations ABORS : Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. JBORS : Journal of the Bihar & Orissa Research Socieiy, JBRS : Journal of the Bihar Research Society. MBH : Mahabharat. MSS : Manuscript. MM : Mahamahopadhyay. NIA : New Indian Antiquary. PPM : Prakritpainglam. RT : Ragatarangini. VR : Varnanaratnakara. CHAPTER—I Introductory HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND Mithila is bounded on the north by the Himalayas, and on the south, west and east by the Ganges, Gandaka and the Kaushiki respectively. It comprises the districts of Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Purnea, North Monghyr and parts of the Terai region in Nepal. It forms the north-eastern part of the State of Bihar. The Mithilamahatmya, describes the boundary of Mithila in the following manner; “Between the Himalayas and he Ganges, intercepted by fifteen rivers, lies the most holy land known as Tirabhukti; beginning from the Kosi and running up to the Gandaki, its length is declared to be twenty-four yojanas, that is, 192 miles; beginning from the Ganges and extending up to the Himalayan forests, its breadth is sixteen yojanas, that is, 128 miles. There is situated the city of Mithila.” The name ‘Tirabhukti’ appears in the records of the Gupta period (circa 4th centuary A. D.). Tirabhukti is modern Tirhut. The antiquity of Mithila is proved beyond any shadow of doubt. The story of the Aryan Colonisation of Mithila is narrated in the Shatapatha Brahmana and the name Mithila or Videha is derived from Videgha Mathava. The word Mithila was derived from “Manth” (to churn) by the author of the Unadisutra. According to the Matsyapfurana, Mithila was also the name of a Sage. Mithi was one of the rulers who is said to have carried out Ashvamedha Yajna and thereby rendered it holy. Mithila was originally the name of the capital of the land, which was known as Videha. Mithila and Videha ultimately came to be synonymous. Mithila figures prominently in the Vedic and epic sources. Mithila is associated with the name of Janaka Videha and stands apart pre-eminently as the land given to intellectual pursuits and consequently to speculations about the spiritual well-being of man. Janaka gave impetus to philosophical discussions at his court and that formed the kernel round which the Indian culture had grown, developed and ultimately perfected in later years. “The path of duty can be known from the usages of Mithila”— a passage attributed to Yajnavalkya—is later echoed by Vidyapati in his Purushapariksha, where he says—”the people of Tirabhukti are by nature proud of their merits”. It was here in Mithila that Janaka ruled, Yajnavalkya legislated and Gautama meditated. Mithila was also associated with the leaders of Jainism and 2 | A Survey of Maithili Literature Buddhism. We have no definite information about the ancient ruling dynasties after the Janaka dynasty. For sometime it formed a part of the republic of Vaishali and during the Gupta period, it formed a part of the Gupta empire. It appears that it also formed a part of the empire of Harshavardhana. The period following his death is one of political confusion and the real history of Mithila, as an independent unit, begins in 1097 A. D. when the adventurers of the South, the Karnatas, ushered in a new era of splendid glory and achievements. It was under them that Mithila once again became the centre of philosophy, law and literature. The Karnatas were replaced by the Oinwaras in about 1325 A.D., and under that dynasty, Mithila made further progress in literature and philosophy, Vidyapati flourished under the Oinwaras. The Oinwaras were replaced by the Khandawalas in about 1556 A. D. The contribution of Mithila to the development of a synthetic Indian culture has been immense. Yajnavalkya developed the Madhyanandini branch of Yajurveda (universally know as Shukla and accepted by the whole of northern India)’. The Yajnavalkya smriti came to be duly recognised and formed the bedrock of the Mithila School of Hindu Law. The contribution of Mithila to Smriti is equally important. Mithila has produced illustrious writers and thinkers and India is justly proud of Mithila’s contribution to Nyaya. It was first systematised by Gautama and in the twelfth century A.D., Gangesha gave it a new orientation. In the realm, of philosophy, specially Nyaya and Mimamsa, Udyotakara, Mandana, Prabhakara, Vachaspati. Parthasarthi, Udayanacharya, Murari, Gangesha, Pakshadhara and Shamkara made their valuable contributions, while in the realm of Smriti, Shrikara, Halayudha, Bhavadeva, Shridhara, Aniruddha, Chandeshwara, Ganeshwara, Vachaspati, Vidyapati and others are notable figures.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Yoga in Transformation: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
    Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY-SA 4.0 © 2018, V&R unipress GmbH, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783847108627 – ISBN E-Lib: 9783737008624 Wiener Forumfür Theologieund Religionswissenschaft/ Vienna Forum for Theology and the Study of Religions Band 16 Herausgegeben im Auftrag der Evangelisch-Theologischen Fakultät der Universität Wien, der Katholisch-Theologischen Fakultät der Universität Wien und demInstitutfür Islamisch-Theologische Studiender Universität Wien vonEdnan Aslan, Karl Baier und Christian Danz Die Bände dieser Reihe sind peer-reviewed. Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY-SA 4.0 © 2018, V&R unipress GmbH, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783847108627 – ISBN E-Lib: 9783737008624 Karl Baier /Philipp A. Maas / Karin Preisendanz (eds.) Yoga in Transformation Historical and Contemporary Perspectives With 55 figures V&Runipress Vienna University Press Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY-SA 4.0 © 2018, V&R unipress GmbH, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783847108627 – ISBN E-Lib: 9783737008624 Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.d-nb.de abrufbar. ISSN 2197-0718 ISBN 978-3-7370-0862-4 Weitere Ausgaben und Online-Angebote sind erhältlich unter: www.v-r.de Veröffentlichungen der Vienna University Press erscheinen im Verlag V&R unipress GmbH. Published with the support of the Rectorate of the University of Vienna, the Association Monégasque pour la Recherche Académique sur le Yoga (AMRAY) and the European Research Council (ERC). © 2018, V&R unipress GmbH, Robert-Bosch-Breite 6, D-37079 Göttingen / www.v-r.de Dieses Werk ist als Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der Creative-Commons-Lizenz BY-SA International 4.0 (¹Namensnennung ± Weitergabe unter gleichen Bedingungenª) unter dem DOI 10.14220/9783737008624 abzurufen.
    [Show full text]
  • Place-Making in Late 19Th And
    The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School College of the Liberal Arts TERRITORIAL SELF-FASHIONING: PLACE-MAKING IN LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY COLONIAL INDIA A Dissertation in History by Aryendra Chakravartty © 2013 Aryendra Chakravartty Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2013 The dissertation of Aryendra Chakravartty was reviewed and approved* by the following: David Atwill Associate Professor of History and Asian Studies Director of Graduate Studies Dissertation Adviser Chair of Committee Joan B. Landes Ferree Professor of Early Modern History & Women’s Studies Michael Kulikowski Professor of History and Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies Head, Department of History Madhuri Desai Associate Professor of Art History and Asian Studies Mrinalini Sinha Alice Freeman Palmer Professor of History Special Member University of Michigan, Ann Arbor * Signatures are on file in the Graduate School. ii Abstract My project, Territorial Self-Fashioning: “Place-Making” in Late 19th and Early 20th Century Colonial India, focuses on the province of Bihar and the emergence of a specifically place-based Bihari regional identity. For the provincial literati, emphasizing Bihar as an “organic” entity cultivated a sense of common belonging that was remarkably novel for the period, particularly because it implied that an administrative region had transformed into a cohesive cultural unit. The transformation is particularly revealing because the claims to a “natural” Bihar was not based upon a distinctive language, ethnicity or religion. Instead this regional assertion was partially instigated by British colonial politics and in part shaped by an emergent Indian national imagination. The emergence of a place-based Bihari identity therefore can only be explained by situating it in the context of 19th century colonial politics and nationalist sentiments.
    [Show full text]
  • The Kolkata Municipal Corporation Advertisement Department Borough/Ward Wise Hoarding List
    The Kolkata Municipal Corporation Advertisement Department Borough/Ward Wise Hoarding List Unit Type: Non LUC Paying Unit Unit Sub Type: Private Hoarding Sl. No Br Ward Premises Name of Street Location Unit Code. Size No (SqFt) 1 1 001 56 COSSIPORE ROAD COSSIPORE RD. 08-01-001-003-0001 90 2 1 001 56 COSSIPORE ROAD COSSIPORE RD. 08-01-001-003-0002 200 3 1 001 56 COSSIPORE ROAD COSSIPORE RD. 08-01-001-003-0003 200 4 1 001 BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD SINTHEE MORE 08-01-001-001-0025 200 5 1 001 BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD CROSSING OF B T ROAD/ D 02-01-001-001-0026 200 D ROAD 6 1 001 72 BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD B.T. RD. 08-01-001-001-0002 200 7 1 001 47A BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD B.T.ROAD 08-01-001-001-0001 144 8 1 001 BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD BARACKPORE BRIDGE 08-01-001-001-0022 200 9 1 001 BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD BARACKPORE BRIDGE 08-01-001-001-0023 300 10 1 001 BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD BARACKPORE BRIDGE 08-01-001-001-0024 300 11 1 001 BARRACKPORE TRUNK ROAD B.T.RD. 08-01-001-001-0021 450 12 1 002 7/14A DUM DUM ROAD DUM DUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0003 300 13 1 002 7/14A DUM DUM ROAD DUM DUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0004 288 14 1 002 7/14A DUM DUM ROAD DUMDUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0005 200 15 1 002 7/14A DUM DUM ROAD DUM DUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0006 200 16 1 002 7/14A DUM DUM ROAD DUMDUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0007 300 17 1 002 11/2C DUM DUM ROAD DUM DUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0001 200 18 1 002 11/2C DUM DUM ROAD DUM DUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0002 200 19 1 002 14V DUM DUM ROAD DUM DUM ROAD 08-01-002-004-0008 64 20 1 002 BARRACPORE TRUNK ROAD NEAR CHIRIAMORE BSNLST 02-01-002-001-0001
    [Show full text]
  • Author Name Name of the Book Book Link Sub-Section Uploader ? A
    Watermark Author Name Name of the Book Book Link Sub-Section Uploader ? A http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/15177-bidesher-nisiddho- Bidesher Nisiddho Uponyas (3 volumes) uponyas-3-volumes/ Anubad Peter NO http://bengalidownload.com/index. Abadhut Fokkod Tantram php/topic/12191-fokkodtantramrare-book/ Exclusive Books & Others মানাই http://bengalidownload.com/index. Abadhut Morutirtho Hinglaj php/topic/9251-morutirtho-hinglaj-obodhut/ Others Professor Hijibijbij http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/3987-a-rare-poem-by- Abanindranath Thakur A rare poem by Abaneendranath Tagore abaneendranath-tagore/ Kobita SatyaPriya http://bengalidownload.com/index. Abanindranath Thakur rachonaboli - Part 1 & php/topic/5937-abanindranath-thakur- Abanindranath Thakur 2 rachonaboli/ Rachanaboli dbdebjyoti1 http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/12517-alor-fulki-by- Abanindranath Thakur Alor Fulki abanindranath-thakur/ Uponyas anku http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/12517-alor-fulki-by- Abanindranath Thakur Alor Fulki abanindranath-thakur/ Uponash Anku No http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/5840-buro-angla-by- abanindranath-thakur-bd-exclusive-links- Abanindranath Thakur Buro Angla added/ Uponash dbdebjyoti1 YES http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/14636-choiton-chutki- abanindranath-thakur-53-pages-134-mb- Abanindranath Thakur Choiton Chutki pdf-arb/ Choto Golpo ARB NO http://bengalidownload.com/index. Abanindranath Thakur Khirer Putul php/topic/6382-khirer-putul/ Uponash Gyandarsi http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/6379-pothe-bipothe- কঙ্কালিমাস Abanindranath Thakur Pothe Bipothe abanindranath-thakur/ Uponyas করোটিভূষণ http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/5937-abanindranath-thakur- Abanindranath Thakur Rachonaboli rachonaboli/ Rachanaboli dbdebjyoti1 http://bengalidownload.com/index. php/topic/6230-shakuntala-abanindranath- Abanindranath Thakur Shakuntala tagore/ Choto Golpo Huloo Don http://bengalidownload.com/index.
    [Show full text]
  • Professor KAZI DIN MUHAMMAD (B
    http://www.bmri.org.uk Professor KAZI DIN MUHAMMAD (b. 1927- d. 2011) I have been aware of Kazi Din Muhammad since my youth. I first became familiar with his name as early as 1958 when I read a book of humorous anecdotes titled “Golak Chandrer Antmakatha” (Autobiography of Golak Chandra). As a young student, I found the book very funny and hilarious. The author of this book was born in the district Faridpur (circa 1906), but many years later when I asked Dr Kazi Din Muhammad whether he was the author of that book, he revealed that it was, in fact, written by another Kazi Din Muhammad who was also a prominent writer. Long time after I left Alokdihi Jan Bakhsh High English School in Dinajpur, I heard Kazi Din Muhammad’s name again, thanks to late Professor Mufakhkharul Islam, who taught Bengali Literature at Carmichael College, Rangpur. He told me that he was a classmate of Kazi Din Muhammad in the Department of Bangla at Dhaka University in the late 1940s. He remembered him affectionately, as both of them had studied for their Master’s Degree (MA) in Bengali Literature at Dhaka University in 1949. When the Examination results were published, Kazi Din Muhammad was awarded First Class First Degree and Mufakhkharul Islam had received a Second Class First. They remained good friends and held each other in high regard. In fact, both of them became very prominent scholars of Bengali Literature. When I had an opportunity to speak to Professor Kazi Din Muhammad in 2006, he confirmed that he was indeed a classmate of Mufakhkharul Islam at Dhaka University.
    [Show full text]
  • JOURNAL of the ASIATIC SOCIETY of ·BOMBAY (New Series)
    VOLUME 33 1958 JOURNAL OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF ·BOMBAY (New Series) Edited py P. V. KANE H.D.VELANKAR J.M. UNVALA G. C. JHALA Managing Editor GEORGE M. MORAES C 0 N T EN T S : Page S. P. TOL&:TOV : Results of the work of the Khoresmian Archaeological and Ethnographic Expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences-191H-56 1 H. D. VELANI-$'.AR : Vrttarainii.kara-tiitparya-t1ka of TrivilU"ama : Intro- duction 25 B. G. GOKHALE : Bombay and ~hivaji 69 H. S. URSEKAR : The Moon in the I;tgveda 80 .M. K. DHAVLIKAR : Identification· of the Musikanagara 97 S. L. MALURKAR: Determination of seasons and equinoxes in old India and related festivals ·· 101 . N. G. CHAPEK!AR: Subandhu and Asamati 106 K. H. V. SARMA : Note on Ivlelpadi Inscription of Krishi;iadevarii.ya 112 V. S. PATHAK : Vows and Festivals in Early Medieval Inscriptions of Northern India 116 S. L. MALHOTRA : Commercial Rivalry in the Indian Ocean in Ancient Tim~ 1~ NOTES AND QUERIES : P. V. KANE: Date of Utpala 147 REVIEWS OF BOOKS : Der J;tgveda (H. D. Velankar); The Subh~ita­ Ratnako.~a (H. D. Velankar) ; Chcindogya-Brcihma1.i.am (H. D. Velankar) ; Kadambari: A Cultural Stud11 (H. D. Velankar) ; Development of Hindu Iconography (A. D. Pusalkar); The Evolution of Man (H. D. Sankalia); A Source Book in Indian Philosophy (A. D. Pusalkar); On the Meaning of the Mq.habhtirata (S. S. Bhawe); The Inda-Greeks (P. C. Divanji); Grammar of the Marathi Language (R. K. Lagu); The Pre­ historic Baclcg1·ound of Indian· Culture (A.
    [Show full text]
  • PROCEEDINGS of the ASIATIC SOCIETY of BENGAL SDITED by the Honorary Jsecretary
    : PROCEEDINGS OP THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL. EDITED BT The tfoNoi\AE\Y jSecf^tae\y, JANUARY TO DECEMBER, 1900. rv CALCUTTA 0^ PRINTED AT THE BAPTIST MISSION PRESS, \^ AND PUBLISHED BY THE ASIATIC SOCIETY, 57, PARK STREET. 1901. CONTENTS. Pages. Proceedings for January, 1900 ... ... ^^ -,_g Ditto „ February (including „ Annual Report) ... 9-66 Ditto „ March „ ... .., .,^ "' g^ Ditto April „ „ ... _ 753^ Ditto May & June, „ 1900 ... gl_gg Di to „ Au t „ ... 99-102 -Uitto October „ and November, 1900 ... "'... 103-106 Ditto December, „ 1900 ... ... 107-111 List of Members of the Asiatic Society on the 31st Decem- ber, 1899 (Appendix to the Proceedings for February^' 1900) ... ... ^^^ i-xiv Abstract Statement of Receipts and Disbursements of the Asiatic Society for the year 1899 (Appendix to the Pro- ceedings for February, 1900) xv~xxiii List of all Societies, Institutions, &c., to which the publi- cations of the Asiatic Society have been sent during the year, or from which publications have been received xxiv-xxx J California Academy of Sciences Presented by .A s i atic HocJety o f Bengal. 1907_. Apri l . 2_ _, PROCEEDINGS OF THI ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL For January, 1900, The Monthly General Meeting of the Society, was held on Wednesday, the 3rd January, 1900, at 9 p.m. T. H. Holland, Esq., F.G.S., A R C.S., in the chair. The following members were present : — Major A. Alcock, I.M.S., Mr. J. Bathgate, Mr. H. Beveridgc, Dr. T. Bloch, Babu Nobinchand Bural, Mr. W, K. Dods, Mr. F. Finn, Mr. D. Hooper, Mr. G, W. Kiichler, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • 2. Shanker Thapa Ph.D., Buddhist Sanskrit Literature of Nepal, Seoul: Minjoksa Publishing Company 2005, 194 Pp
    2. Shanker Thapa Ph.D., Buddhist Sanskrit Literature of Nepal, Seoul: Minjoksa Publishing Company 2005, 194 pp. Appendices, Bibliography, Index, Soft cover, Price. US $ 15. Buddhism is very rich for its numerous literatures. Mahayana/Vajrayana literature is written in Sanskrit. Later on, these texts have been translated into Tibetan and Chinese languages also. But, compared to the Hindu texts, Buddhist literature is not so much exposed to the general readers. Only few of them have come in print, and the huge portion of it still exists in the form of manuscripts. Among the numerous Buddhist literature, Nepal is the abode of Sanskrit literature, and in the words of Dr. Rajendra Ram, Nepal is the 'Custodian of the Buddhist scriptures.' Shanker Thapa's book on this important aspect of Nepalese Buddhism gives us a descriptive and analytical view of the Buddhist Sanskrit literature in Nepal. The author, a Ph.D. agrarian history of Nepal has published two books relevant to his research, but after that he switched on to Buddhism and published four books on Nepalese Buddhism within few months in 2005, perhaps a record for a Nepalese scholar. Among them, two are on Newar Buddhism, one on an old Buddhist monastery, ratnakar Mahavihara and the last one is on Buddhist Sanskrit literature of Nepal, which is going to be reviewed here. Divided into five chapters, the book gives us the historical context of Buddhist Sanskrit literature of Nepal and their nature, contributions of different scholars mainly foreign in disseminating these manuscripts in different countries, notably England, and an overview of the catalogues of manuscripts in Nepal and abroad.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards an Encoding for the Maithili Script in ISO/IEC 10646
    L2/09-329 2009-09-30 Towards an Encoding for the Maithili Script in ISO/IEC 10646 Anshuman Pandey University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. [email protected] 30 September 2009 1 Introduction Maithili is the traditional writing system for the Maithili language, which is spoken predominantly in the state of Bihar in India and in the Narayani and Janakpur zones of Nepal. The script is also known as Mithilākṣara and Tirahutā, names which refer to Mithila, or Tirhut, as these regions of India and Nepal are historically known. Maithili is a Brahmi-based script derived from Gauḍī, or ‘Proto-Bengali’, which evolved from the Kuṭila branch of Brahmi by the 10th century .1 It is related to Bengali, Newari, and Oriya, which are also descended from Gauḍī, and became differentiated from these scripts by the 14th century. It remained the dominant writing system in Mithila from that period until the 20th century. Maithili is associated with a scholarly tradition that spans six centuries, as attested by manuscripts and in- scriptional records. Uniquely Maithili manuscripts consist of the vernacular songs of the poet Vidyāpati Ṭhākura (14th century) and Sanskrit treatises on Nyāya philosophy; moreover, Maithili is the traditional script for Sanskrit in the Mithila region. Inscriptions in Maithili are located in Bihar and Nepal. The Maithil Brahmin community has used the script for maintaining pāñjī or genealogical records since the 14th cen- tury. Maithili metal fonts were developed in Kolkata (Calcutta) in the 1920s and books were first printed in the script at that time. Devanagari replaced Maithili in the 20th century; however, Maithili is still used for producing genealogical records, religious texts, and letters.
    [Show full text]
  • Battlefield Banaras
    Battlefield Banaras Few, including sitting MP Narendra Modi perhaps, know of the Mahatma’s enduring relationship with the city. ‐ Ram Chandra Guha Gandhi liked to say that India lives in her villages. Seeing cities as emblematic of the avarice of modern civilisation, he founded two rural settlements in South Africa and two more in India. Yet one of the many paradoxes of Gandhi’s own life was that he was profoundly shaped by cities. It was through the Vegetarian Society of London that he first learnt the value of organised collective action. It was in that society’s journal that he cut his teeth as a published writer. And it was in London that he made his first English (and Christian) friends. Gandhi’s two‐decade‐long stay in South Africa was also radically altered by his experiences of city life. He was based first in the port city of Durban, where he finally succeeded as a lawyer, having previously failed in Bombay and Rajkot. His clients were mostly Muslims and Tamils, thus further expanding his social horizons. Professional success was accompanied by a rising public profile. Living in Durban between 1893 and 1901, Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress, wrote countless petitions to the government, and established himself as the leader of the Indian diaspora. In 1901, Gandhi came back to India, and sought anew to establish a legal practice in Bombay. He failed once more. In December 1902, he sailed back to South Africa. In this, his second stint in the continent, he was largely based in Johannesburg, a city deep in the interior.
    [Show full text]
  • Second Hand Jan 2020
    INTERBOOKS [email protected] www.interbooks.com.au SECOND HAND BOOKS STOCKLIST Wednesday, 1 January 2020 ID AUTHOR TITLE PUBLISHER YEAR PRICE 143055 A. H. Almaas Luminous Night's Journey: An Shambhala 2000 Autobiographical Fragment 143056 A. H. Almaas Pearl Beyond Price: Diamond Books 1988 Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach (Diamond Mind Series, No. 2), The 143057 A. H. Almaas Diamond Heart, Book Four: Shambhala 2000 Indestructible Innocence (Bk. 4) 143058 A. H. Almaas Diamond Heart, Book Three: Shambhala 2000 Being and the Meaning of Life (Bk. 3) 143059 A. H. Almaas Diamond Heart, Book Two: Shambhala 2000 The Freedom to Be (Bk.2) 143060 A. H. Almaas Diamond Heart, Book One: Shambhala 2000 Elements of the Real in Man (Bk.1) 143088 A. P. Elkin Aboriginal Men of High Inner Traditions 1993 Degree: Initiation and Sorcery in the World's Oldest Tradition 143359 A.C. Harwood The Faithful Thinker: Hodder and Stoughton 1961 Centenary Essays on the Work and Thought of Rudolf Steiner, 1861-1925 143348 A.G. Stock, W.B. Yeats: His Poetry and Cambridge University 1961 William Butler Thought Press Yeats 143116 A.G.E. Blake Intelligent Enneagram, The Shambhala 1996 143516 A.G.E. Blake Intelligent Enneagram, The Shambhala 1996 144318 A.J.W. van Voyage to Australia, A Australian Scholarly 2014 Delden,Dorine Publishing Pty, Limited Tolley (Edited and Translated by) !1 ID AUTHOR TITLE PUBLISHER YEAR PRICE 144236 A.L. Where Is Bernardino? Two Rivers Press 1982 Staveley,Nonny Hogrogian 143361 A.L. Stavely Themes: I Two Rivers Press 143362 A.L.
    [Show full text]
  • The Acceptance of Mlearning Amongst the Suburban College Students
    International Journal of English Learning and Teaching Skills; Vol. 3, No. 2; Jan 2021, ISSN: 2639-7412 (Print) ISSN: 2638-5546 (Online) Running Head: THE ACCEPTANCE of mLEARNING AMONGST THE SUBURBAN COLLEGE STUDENTS 1 The acceptance of mLearning amongst the suburban college students: A micro-level study in North 24 Pargana of West Bengal Indrani Sarkar (Ph.D. Research Scholar) Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of Calcutta University of Calcutta 1976 International Journal of English Learning and Teaching Skills; Vol. 3, No. 2; Jan 2021, ISSN: 2639-7412 (Print) ISSN: 2638-5546 (Online) Running Head: THE ACCEPTANCE of mLEARNING AMONGST THE SUBURBAN COLLEGE STUDENTS 2 Abstract The revolution of mobile phones is not merely limited to calling or texting; it has reached almost every sphere of humankind. In this 21st century, studies have claimed that mobile phones' accessibility is comparatively higher than the toilet. Nearly 6 billion people worldwide now are accessing a working mobile handset (UNESCO, 2014). The ubiquitous use of mobile phones brings mobility to its users and helps them accept this ICT based technology worldwide. This new technology of communication also has a remarkable contribution to the educational sector. Its real-time communication makes learning effortless and congenial to the potential learners. This study will explore mobile-based learning technology among the higher education aspirants of suburban colleges in North 24parganas of West Bengal. Suburban students are not getting the same facilitates as metro city students. Besides that, suburban culture and social taboos sometimes make problems to use or access mobile phones by students. However, this will not be focused on the comparison between metro city students and suburban students.
    [Show full text]