A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Collections of the Asiatic Society, vol. XIV
Summary
Reviewing the final volume of the Asiatic Society’s Descriptive Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts, this article describes the scope and features of the publication. The volume, one of the smallest in the series, contains 63 pages and catalogues 89 manuscripts. It covers a wide range of subjects, including Kamaśāstra, Vastu‑śāstra, Saṅgīta‑śāstra, Yuddha‑śāstra, Śyainika‑śāstra, Caturanga‑śāstra, Ratna‑śāstra and Caurya‑śāstra. The reviewer notes that the editors avoided repetition by grouping information under the first entry of each work and listing only distinctive features for subsequent manuscripts. An introduction surveys the owners, copyists and significant manuscripts and provides a thematic overview. The reviewer praises the inclusion of indices of authors and works and commends the volume’s usefulness for scholars. He observes that three more volumes remain to be published, but the series is nearing completion.
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Conclusion
The review notes that the final volume of the Asiatic Society’s catalogue succinctly describes 89 manuscripts across diverse sciences, avoids repetition by consolidating descriptions, and provides helpful indices. It lauds the series’ near completion and emphasises the value of such catalogues for researchers.