An Index to the Proper Names Occuring in Valmiki's Ramayana

It is hardly possible to overestimate the value of scientific indexing, especially of works which are considered as forming the basic literature for the cultural study of a nation. From this point of view the Epics and the Puranas occupy the foremost position. Much has been done of late in this direction-though more still remains-for the Mahabharata by such eminent scholars as Hopkins and Sorensesn, but the Ramayana seems to have received but scant attention. The labours of Weber, Jacobi and others in connection with the Ramayana, like those of Holtzmann, Dahlmann, etc, for the sister Epic, are indeed laudable, but they cannot render a thorough Indexing (descriptive, nominal and topical) of these works unnecessary.

So far as Nominal Index is concerned Sorensen's work on the Mahabharata may be taken to be a model. A similar work on the Ramayana has long been felt to be a desideratum. Mr. Manmatha Natha Roy, M. A., Research Scholar of the Govt. Sanskrit College, Benares, whom I entrusted with the compilation of an Index of this kind, has just finished his work, and I am glad to introduce it to the public. In the present work the writer has given a descriptive account of all the proper names that occur in the Epic and in the "Topical Index", which is to follow as a separate work very soon, an attempt has been made to sum up, under specific heads, the entire contents of the Text. It is expected that this will greatly facilitate a closer study of the Ramayana.

The numerical references in the Index are to the Bangavasi Edition of the Text of 1308 B. S, corresponding to the Nirnaya Sagar Edition of 1921.

Government Sanskrit College,
Benares

GOPINATH KAVIRAJ

Preface:

We are privileged to present before the academic world the reprint of the twelve volumes of the famous "The Princess of Wales Sarasvati Bhavana Studies" published between the years 1922 and 1954 under the authority of the Government of the United Provinces with Dr Ganganatha Jha as its first editor. We are thankful to the University Grants Commission for releasing adequate funds for the publication.

The present editor takes upon himself the responsibility of reprinting the volumes according to a principle convenient and commendable to readers by putting together in one separate book the several articles from the pen of a single writer published serially in successive volumes on one subject. To mention, Mm. Ganganatha Jha's 'Studies in Hindu Law', Mm. Gopinatha Kaviraja's 'The History and Bibliography of Nyaya-Vaisesika Literature', 'Notes on Religion and Philosophy' (a collection of Kavirajaji's 24 articles) and Colonel J. A. Jacob's Index to Sabara-Bhasya', which appear in Vols. I-IV and VI, Vols. III-V and VII, Vols. I-X, and Vols. II-III and VI-VIII respectively are printed in four separate books.

Shri Manmatha Natha Ray's articles in this Volume containing an Index to the Proper Names occuring in Valmiki's Ramayana were published in the following volumes of the Old Series:

Vol. V, pp. 163-192

Vol. VI, pp. 45-108

Vol. VII, pp. 109-140

Vol. VIII, pp. 97-153

Vol. IX, pp. 19-84

The plan followed in this book was studied by Professor Sylvain Levi with the remark that the Index in the fitness of things should have been based on a comparative study of the various recensions of the text and not confined to a single redaction only. The learned Editor of the Old Series, Mahamahopadhyaya Gopinatha Kaviraja thought that the adoption of the procedure would have unnecessarily complicated the task of the compiler. Accordingly he suggested that a more simple procedure might be adopted by suffixing a number of appendices at the end, showing the different recensions and adding a supplementary portion of the work treating of the additional matter of the other recensions.

We have reasons to believe that the work could not be completed as envisaged by Mahamahopadhyaya Kavirajaji. The original work, however, was printed upto 'yupaksa'. Thus, this work fulfils a longstanding demand of the academicians to bring it out in a book-form.

I feel very happy to be associated with this University once again to seen this important work printed in a book-form. The task of editing is indeed very difficult. And, in this context I must appreciate the invaluable services rendered by our Librarian, Shri Lakshmi Narayan Tiwari, in helping me in completing this work and seeing it through the press. I bestow my choicest blessings on him.

15th March, 1984

Gaurinath Sastri