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The madhyandina
recension of the áatapathabrˇhma¸am, edited by Weber, and that
with the commentaries of Sayana and Hariswamin are available to the
scholars. Its English translation with copious notes has been made
available by J. Eggling.
Prof. Caland edited
and published the Kˇ¸va recension of the áatapathabrˇhma¸am,
upto the first seven kandas only. Of the remaining ten kandas,
he pointed out, only such readings as were found different from the madhyandina
recension.
For preparing this
fresh edition of the Kˇ¸vażatapathabrˇhma¸am,
C.R. Swaminathan has carefully rechecked the original Telugu or grantha
manuscripts obtained by Caland in Devnagari transcription. As a result,
the editor could rectify the errors which crept in Devnagari transcription
available to Caland, which had posed difficulties before him.
Secondly, the editor
also utilised the text of Kˇ¸vażatapathabrˇhma¸am,
printed (in Telugu script), at a time (1923) when the tradition of the
oral recitation was still a living practice. Similarly the manuscript of Kˇ¸vażatapathabrˇhma¸am
was obtained from Pandit Martanda Sastri Diksitar, who hails from a
renowned swadhyayi family of the late Cidambara Dixitar of Hubli.
Besides this
valuable material, some other manuscripts from Pune, Varanasi, Nasik,
Belgaum, Wai and Pandharpur were also collected.
All this material
helped in approaching the authentic oral tradition of the text, which was
alive till the first few decades of this century. Consequently succeeding
in solving the riddles in respect of accentuation and also in solving the
problems faced by Caland. In the appended chapter of Patha-Vimarsa,
the editor has critically assessed the text, ably discussing as to how the
readings preferred by him to those accepted by Caland are more tenable or
claim to be original. Thus the manuscript - material utilised, has
enhanced the critical value of the text and has justified the claim and
efforts of the IGNCA, for bringing out a fresh edition of this text.
Translating into
English the intrigue and technical Sanskrit texts related to the time-old
rituals, is by no means an easy job. It requires a thorough grasp of the
rituals which are now rarely demonstrated. Translating technical terms
often needs additional explanation. Otherwise the word to word translation
does not satisfy the demands of the students, since, in cases, such
translation is liable to be more unintelligible than the original text,
and defies the very purpose of translating the text. With unusual command
over both the languages, viz. the Sanskrit and modern English, and with
laborious studies of rituals, C.R. Swaminathan has succeeded in presenting
the lucid but faithful translation of the text.
The edition is
blessed by the scholarly note of Kapila Vatsyayan, elucidating how the
foundations of the texts lie in articulation of a world-view in the Vedas
and surveying the efforts of the earlier scholars like Eggling and Caland.
The IGNCA has no
doubt kept the scholars of Vedas and the admirers of the oriental
disciplines, under deep obligation, by bringing out this very satisfying
and useful edition, for which we heartily congratulate them and extend our
heartfelt and sincere thanks. We also cogratulate M/s Motilal Banarsidass,
for associating themselves with the publication of this very useful
volume.
T.N. Dharmadhikari
(Pune) |
