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Observations on Some Variants in Harṣacarita

By Tapasvi Shambhuchandra Nandi

Vol. 11 · No. 1-41982-1983pp. 217–230English

Summary

This philological essay analyses variant readings in Bāṇa’s Harsacarita, a celebrated prose romance. The author reviews manuscripts from different regions and notes how scribes introduced changes in vocabulary, grammar and narrative sequence. By comparing these versions, the study identifies which readings may belong to the original text and which are later innovations. It discusses possible reasons for variation, including attempts to simplify complex sentences or to align the narrative with local legends. The article also comments on the challenges of editing ornate Sanskrit prose, where stylistic flourishes may obscure meaning. Ultimately, the essay stresses the importance of critically evaluating manuscript evidence when establishing authoritative editions of classical works.

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Conclusion

Through detailed examination of textual variants, the article highlights the fluidity of manuscript traditions. It emphasises that responsible editing must balance respect for the transmitted text with scholarly judgement.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “This twin tendency, with the passage of time, bas resulted in giving rise to a formidable array of variants in the text of Harsacarita (Hc), with the scribes admitting what they thought best, according to their lights.”
  • “The reading, retained in the Bombay edition, means that the messanger has round his throat a portion of a rigged garment, and the rest was allowed to hang on his back.”
  • “The reading ajs- as however, does not ysicld this sequence. It should therefore be emended to MARX.”

Works cited in this article

  1. Harsacarita, edited with the commentary Sanketa, by K.P. Parab, Nirnaya Sagat Press, Bombay, 1946
  2. Notes, Part I. P. 20-21.
  3. Notes, Part H, 210
  4. Madbuban Copperplate of Harsa
  5. Commentary on Chapter VI.V.1.

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In this issue

Vol. 11 · No. 1-4
1–4A Note on ViśeṣaR. D. Hegde5–10Free‑Will and DestinyM. P. Lakhani11–16Śokaḥ Ślokatvam Āgataḥ (Dhv. I. Sd)Tapasvi Shambhuchandra Nandi17–28The Pañcagranthi‑Vyākaraṇa of Buddhaghoṣa (V. Sam. 1080)Narayan M. Kansara29–36On the Variant Readings in AVS 3.12 as Noted in Sāyaṇa‑BhāṣyaNeelima Mane37–38Vijayarāja Paramār of JaloreRam Vallabh Somani39–47Critical Survey of the Jaina PurāṇasDevi Prasad Mishra48–50A Note on Brick ArchitectureT. N. Mishra51–56A Note on the Matṛkā Figures from the EME Dakṣiṇa‑mārti TempleMaruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari, Kamal Giri57–81Avidyā in VedāntaEsther A. Solomon82–104Sanskrit AestheticsV. M. Kulkarni105–112Number of PramāṇasR. D. Hegde113–120Tantra and Shahrazād (The 360 and the 1001 Nights)A. K. Warder121–132The Childhood Exploits of KṛṣṇaHarivallabh Chunilal Bhayani133–146Social Thought of Yājñavalkya (I)Ramesh S. Betai, Jayaben R. Betai147–153Is Vastu‑Dhvani an Expendable Form of Poetic Excellence?S. Meera154–165Fixing up of Some Variants from KālidāsaTapasvi Shambhuchandra Nandi166–175The Contribution of Jain Authors to Sanskrit Chandaḥ ŚāstraG. S. Shah176–179A Unique Bodhisattva Head from MathurāLalit Kumar180–192Tatpurvakam in Tatpurvakam Trividham Anumānam (NS 1.1.5) in Bhāṣarvajña’s ViewLaxman V. Joshi193–216Reappraisal of Degrees of Reality in Jainism, Buddhism and VedāntaYajneshwar S. Shastri217–230Observations on Some Variants in HarṣacaritaTapasvi Shambhuchandra NandiCurrent article231–270Review

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