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Distributed for Bodleian Library Publishing

A Sanskrit Treasury

A Compendium of Literature from the Clay Sanskrit Library

With a Foreword by Amartya Sen
This beautiful collection brings together passages from the renowned stories, poems, dramas and myths of South Asian literature, including the Mahabharata and the Ramaya?a. Drawing on the translations published by the Clay Sanskrit Library, the book presents episodes from the adventures of young Krishna, the life of Prince Rama and Hindu foundational myths, the life of the Buddha, as well as Buddhist and Jaina birth stories. Pairing key excerpts from these wonderful Sanskrit texts with exquisite illustrations from the Bodleian Library’s rich manuscript collections, the book includes images of birch-bark and palm-leaf manuscripts, vibrant Mughal miniatures, early printed books, sculptures, watercolour paintings and even early photograph albums. Each extract is presented in both English translation and Sanskrit in Devanagari script, and is accompanied by a commentary on the literature and related books and artworks. The collection is organised by geographical region and includes sections on the Himalayas, North India, Central and South India, Sri Lanka and South East Asia, Tibet, Inner and East Asia, and the Middle East and Europe. This is the perfect introduction for anyone interested in Sanskrit literature and the manuscript art of South Asia – and beyond.

288 pages | 120 color plates | 9.625 x 11.25 | © 2020

Asian Studies: South Asia

Literature and Literary Criticism: Asian Languages, General Criticism and Critical Theory


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Table of Contents

Foreword by Amartya Sen xi
Librarian’s Preface xiv

Introduction 1

Dramatis Personæ 27
Note on Transliteration 35

1 Himalaya and Northwestern Regions 37
2 North India 67
3 Central and South India 123
4 Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia 151
5 Tibet, Central and East Asia 177
6 Middle East and Europe 211

Notes 247
References 254
Acknowledgements 258
Manuscripts and printed books 259
The Clay Sanskrit Library 262
Index of Extracts 265
General Index 267

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