CHRONOLOGY of the Research of ancient SANSKṚIT & PRĀKṚIT MSS. [5]
CHRONOLOGY of the Research of ancient SANSKṚIT & PRĀKṚIT MSS. [5]
Extract from the Proceedings of the Government of India in tlie Home Department (Public), - No. 4338-48, dated Simla, the 3rd November 1868.
READ—
Extract from a letter from Paṇḍit Rādhākṛiṣṇa of Lahore, to His Excellency the Viceroy, dated the 10th May 1868, suggesting the compilation of a catalogue of all the Sanskrit MSS. preserved in the libraries of India and Europe, and stating that anything done towards the encouragement of Sanskrit learning would be gratefully appreciated by scholars.
Note by Mr. Whitley Stokes, dated the 6th August 1868, containing his opinion as to the best course to be followed by Government in order to give effect to the recommendation of Paṇḍit Rādhākṛiṣṇa.
RESOLUTION.—Mr. Stokes is of opinion that such a catalogue as the Paṇḍit contemplates could be satisfactorily compiled only in Europe, and that any attempt to produce it at present would be premature. The following are the principal features of the scheme which he proposes for rendering the production of such a catalogue possible, and otherwise for the encouragement of Sanskrit learning:
To print uniformly all procurable unprinted lists of the Sanskrit MSS. in Indian libraries, and to send them to the various learned Societiesof Europe, and to individual scholars in Europe and India, with an intimation that the Government will carefully attend to their suggestions as to which of the MSS. therein mentioned should beexamined, purchased, or transcribed;
To institute searches for MSS., and, to this end, to prepare lists of desirable codices ; to distribute these lists among scholars and other persons willing to assist in the search, with a request that they will report their discoveries to such officer as may from time to time be appointed by the Government of India ; and to depute competent scholars on tours through the several Presidencies and Provinces to examine the MSS. reported upon, to seek new MSS., to purchase MSS. procurable at reasonable rates, and to have copies made of such MSS. as are unique or otherwise desirable, but which the possessors refuse to part with; and
To grant to the Asiatic Society of Bengal an additional allowance for the publication of Sanskrit works hitherto unprinted.
2. The statement given in the margin (it is given above in the whole) shews the financial result of the scheme; and the total cost, R 24,000 a year, which it would entail on the Imperial revenues, is not extravagant when compared with the importance of the object in view.
His Excellency in Council, therefore, accords his general approval to the scheme, and requests that the Secretary in the Home Department will, in communication with Mr. Stokes, draw up such further instructions as may be necessary for carrying it out.
ORDER.—Ordered, that copy of this Resolution, and of the papers referred to, be forwarded to the Governments of Madras, Bombay, Bengal, North-Western Provinces,
and Punjab ; the Chief Commissioners of Oudh and Central Provinces ; and the Commissioners of Mysore and Coorg.
Ordered also, that a copy of this Resolution, and of the papers referred to, be forwarded to the Financial Department and to the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Ordered further, that a copy of this Resolution, and of the papers referred to, be forwarded to the Foreign Department for communication to the Political Officers under its control.
[next part → … https://www.om-arham.org/blog/view/170/chronology-of-the-research-of-ancient-sansk%E1%B9%9Bit-prak%E1%B9%9Bit-mss]
