Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32)
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Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32): Preface to the First Edition...

I had for a time some hope that MSS. written in Grantha or other South-Indian alphabets might have preserved an independent text of Sâyana, but from some specimens of a Grantha MS. collated for me by Mr. Eggeling, I do not think that even this hope is meant to be realised. The MS. in question contains a few independent various readings, such as are found in all MSS., and owe their origin clearly to the jottings of individual students. when at the end of verse 6, I found the independent reading, vyutpannas tâvatâ sarvâ riko vyâkhyâtum arhati, I expected that other various readings of the same character might follow. But after a few additions in the beginning, and those clearly taken from other parts of Sâyana's commentary, nothing of real importance could be gleaned from that MS. I may mention as more important specimens of marginal notes that, before the first punah kîdrisam, on page 44, line 24 (1st ed.), this MS. reads: athavâ yagnasya devam iti sambandhah, yagñasya prakâsakam ityarthah, purohitam iti prithagviseshanam. And again, page 44, line 26, p. xxxii before punah kîdrisam, this MS. adds: athavâ ritvigam ritvigvid (vad) yagñanirvâhakam hotâram devânâm âhvâtâram; tathâ ratnadhâtamam. In the same line, after ratnânâm, we read ramanîyadhanânâm vâ, taken from page 46, line 2. Various readings like these, however, occur on the first sheets only, soon after the MS. follows the usual and recognised text. [This opinion has been considerably modified after a complete collation of this MS., made for me by Dr. Winternitz.] For the later Ashtakas, where all the MSS. are very deficient, and where an independent authority would be of real use, no Grantha MS. has as yet been discovered.

xxxii:a They have since been printed, but the translation has in consequence been delayed.

xxxiv:a In the new edition, Langlois’ translation has been omitted, and those of Ludwig and Grassmann have been inserted occasionally only.

xxxviii:a See also Sûtra 937 seq. I cannot find any authority for the statement of Professor Kuhn (Beiträge, vol. iii, p. 114) that, according to the Rik-prâtisâkhya, it is the first semivowel that must be dissolved, unless he referred to the remarks of the commentator to Sûtra 973.

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