I. The Mahābhārata in Mediaeval Javanese

D. van Hinloopen Labberton

doi:10.1017/S0035869X00044026

I. The Mahābhārata in Mediaeval Javanese

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011

D. van Hinloopen Labberton

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D. van Hinloopen Labberton: Affiliation:
Lecturer on Javanese at the Government College, Batavia, late Member of the Directorium of the Batavian Society for Arts and Sciences, etc

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Among the languages of the Austronesian stock, formerly called the Malayo-Polynesian family, several are entitled to the name of literary languages, languages with a literature of their own in refined prose and poetry.

Type: Articles
Information: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , January 1913 , pp. 1 - 22

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00044026 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1913

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^{page 1 note 1} The Old Javanese language is often denoted by the Sanskrit term Kavi, though the literary output by no means consists exclusively of poetry.

^{page 2 note 1} The premature death of this keen and assiduous scholar was the reason why only two (out of three) parts have as yet appeared. The work bears the title: Beschrijving der Javaansche, Balineesche, en Sasaksvhe Handschriften, etc. Batavia, Landsdrukkerij, 1903.

^{page 3 note 1} In the Bijdragen, published by the Royal Institute, The Hague.

^{page 4 note 1} Only lately, after the recent subjection of Bali by the Dutch forces, another copy of this was obtained, which is now in the collections of the Batavian Society for Arts and Sciences.

^{page 5 note 1} The first in Bijdragen, ser. III, vol. vi, pp. 92–5, the last in the Verhandelingen of the Royal Academy, 1877.

^{page 5 note 2} In Bijdragen, ser. VI, vol. i, p. 79 seq.Google Scholar

^{page 5 note 3} In Bijdragen, ser. VI, vol. v, p. 187 seqGoogle Scholar. From the same hand appeared a scholarly paper in Tijdschrift of the Batavian Society, vol. lxiv, which goes far to prove a great similarity between the Old Javanese Ādiparva and Kṣemendra's Bhāratamañjarī.

^{page 5 note 4} In Tijdschrift of the Batavian Society for Arts and Sciences, 1908.

^{page 7 note 1} Edited at Kumbhakonam by Krishnacharya, T. R. and Vyasacharya, T. R.. (Printed at Bombay, 1906.)Google Scholar

The name B. or Bombay edition we would apply to the earlier edition with Nīlakaṇṭha's commentary. The C. or Calcutta edition shows but slight differences from B. K. has added much matter which is also to be found in the Grantha edition, published at Sarabojirājapuram, Tanjore district.

^{page 8 note 1} See the list of manuscripts in the prospectus of the work.

^{page 8 note 2} The correction of “Prācinvat” to “Pracinvat” by the editor of Wilson, 's Viṣṇupurāṇa (iv, p. 127Google Scholar, note) is corroborated by the Old Javanese MSS.

^{page 8 note 3} Loc. cit., iv, ch. xix.

^{page 8 note 4} K. 63. 27; Gr. 78. 15; K. has in 88. 14, again Taṃsu!

^{page 8 note 5} Viṣṇupurāṇa, loc. cit., iv, p. 129Google Scholar, n. 2; this is the Arrah MS.: see p. 130, n. 2.

^{page 9 note 1} The uncertainty between y and w is well known; see for the derivation Colebrooke, , Misc. Essays, vol. i, p. 42.Google Scholar

^{page 9 note 2} K. has Pariśravas, but identifies him with Pratīpa.

^{page 9 note 3} K. has Suveṣā (Magadha's d.).

^{page 9 note 4} K. has Pariśravas, but identifies him with Pratīpa.

^{page 10 note 1} Vol. iv, p. 148, n. 2.

^{page 10 note 2} K¯lidāsa's date (fifth century A.D.) is discussed in JRAS. 1909, p. 731 seqGoogle Scholar. A Dutch translation of his Abhijñāna-Śākuntalam, by DrKern, H., appeared in 1862. Haarlem.Google Scholar

^{page 11 note 1} These letters refer to the end of this article.

^{page 12 note 1} Tapa (from ) is the most common term in Java to denote: (1) any kind of mental exercise, yoga, etc.; (2) every hermit, yogī. etc.

^{page 12 note 2} Superfluity of polite expressions is still common among the Javanese, who may indeed be styled one of the most polite and well-mannered peoples in the world.

^{page 12 note 3} It is the custom among the Javanese to accost one another, even strangers, with an appropriate designation of relationship: “younger brother,” “older brother,” “father,” “uncle,” “grandfather,” etc. “Mother” (ibu) is used here even to a young maiden as a token of respect to her ascetic garb. “Fair one” (yu or ayu) has become a common word to address any housewife or elderly lady not belonging to the Javanese nobility.

^{page 13 note 1} With a Javanese prefix and suffix used to form abstract nouns: kamahātmyan.

^{page 13 note 2} Viku! This word, used indiscriminately with tapa, yogī, vipra, etc., is a Prākṛtic transformation of bhikṣu, and may be a Buddhistic reminiscence. The original sense of living on begged food has wholly disappeared, and only the connotation of holiness and wisdom is left.

^{page 14 note 1} Acacia farnesia. In modern Javanese generally called nayasari, the young leaves of which resemble locks of hair.

^{page 14 note 2} Bhujanga = serpent, is still in use in Java to denote accomplished doctors.

^{page 14 note 3} With Javanese infix sinangaskāra to denote a passive mood of saṃskāra, which may mean here performing the birth-rite (janmakarma), cleansing the child, etc.

^{page 16 note 1} So I propose to read instead of Dr. Juynboll's .

^{page 16 note 2} The verb umom means “by uttering om” = yes.

^{page 16 note 3} Dr. Juynboll has .

^{page 16 note 4} An exclamation to drive away a blackmailer.

^{page 17 note 1} I offer this translation tentatively, some words in the text being not quite certain. The Old Javanese sentence runs: nāhan tānakta juga prasiddha sariba niṅ tapa tan hana maṅde suka.

^{page 18 note 1} Read in the Javanese text suka ri for sakari. The following ng we is probably a clerical error.

^{page 21 note 1} The Javanese text says here that Kaṇva has gone out in search for fuel (samidāharaṇāya). Now in the S. Mahābh. the ṛṣi is said to have gone out in search for “fruits”. In Kālidāsa's Śākuntalam the expression Samidāharaṇāyaprasthitā vayam = “we went out to fetch fuel”, occurs (ed. Böhtlingk, , p. 7)Google Scholar; but Kaṇva himself is said to have gone to Somatīrtha to neutralize a bad fate threatening his daughter.

^{page 22 note 1} After due consideration of argument I cannot quite agree with my learned friend Dr. Hazeu, who tries to prove in his paper on “The Old Javanese Ādiparva and its Sanskṛt Original” (Tydschrift Batav. Soc., vol. xlivGoogle Scholar, cited above) that the Old Javanese version must have come from Kashmīr, or at least from North-West India, because a certain number of similarities are proved to exist between the Old Javanese ādiparva and the Bhāratamāñjarī of the quasi-coeval Kashmīrian poet Kṣemendra, since we have no proof whatever that about the eleventh century in other parts of India the M. Bh. text differed in these points from the Kashmīr traditions.

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I. The Mahābhārata in Mediaeval Javanese

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