Tarjuma-yi śāstra | Monography or Translations of known period | Survey | Perso-Indica

Monography or Translations of known period
Zurāvar Siṅgh, Tarjuma-yi śāstra

[Preliminary Entry] Tarjuma-yi śāstra is a Persian translation of the Purāṇaratha parakāśa, a work on Hindu chronology and cosmogony, Hindu śāstras, and the genealogies of Hindu kings. The original work in Sanskrit was written by Pandit Rādhākanta Tarkavākyas for the governor-general Warren Hastings in 1784. This book was translated into Persian by Zurāvar Siṅgh in 1786 at the instance of the same Warren Hastings. It consists of a preface, an epilogue, and six chapters or abwāb, including: (i) on the number of Indian eras; (ii) on the understanding of Brahma (brahma-nirupāna); (iii) on the truth of every śāstra; (iv) on the truth of every religion (maḏhab); (v) on the nature of the world and other things; and (vi) on the history of rajas.

S. Kh.

i) Place of copying; ii) Period of copying; iii) Copyist; iv) Commissioner;
v) Information on colophon; vi) Description of miniatures/illustrations; vii) Other remarks; viii) Information on catalogue(s)
Manuscripts: 

London, British Library, India Office, 1184, 54 ff.

, ii)

1786

, iv) Warren Hastings, vii)

All the Sanskrit words in the text are marked on the margine in Devangari characters.

The Sanskrit text in Bangali characters is preserved in British Museum, Or. 1124.

 

, viii)

Ethé 1980, pp. 1114-1115, Nr. 2003

.

London, British Library, India Office, 458, 69 ff.

, vii)

The six bābs are found on ff. 5a, 13b-14b, 18b-20b, and 44b respectively; the ḫātima is on f. 65a.

The date of the composition of the Sanskrit original, viz. 1706 of the Saka era, is found on f. 66a.

, viii)

Ethé 1980, p. 1115, Nr. 2004

.

Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Library, 328, 25 ff.

, ii)

1189/1775

, iv) Warren Hastings, vii)

This copy is an abridgment of the Purāṇarathaśāstra.

, viii)

Hukk - et.al. 1925, pp. 293-294, Nr. 328

.

London, British Library, British Museum, Add. 5655, 27 ff.

, ii)

rabī‘ al-awwal 1192/1784

, iv) Warren Hastings, vii)

The margins contain notes in the handwriting of Mr. Halhed who translated the Persian version of the book.

, viii)

Rieu 1879, p. 63

.


English translation:  Halhed, ed., London, british Library, British Museum, Add. 5657, ff. 163-194.

Bibliography:

Ethé, Herman, 1980, Catalogue of Persian Manuscripts in the India Office Library, London, India Office Library, pp. 1114-1115.

Hukk, Mohammed Ashraful - Ethé, Hermann - Robertson, Edward, 1925, A descriptive Catalogue of the Arabic and Persian Manuscripts in Edinburgh University Library, Hertford, pp. 293-294.

Mujtabai, Fathullah, 1978, Aspects of Hindu-Muslim Cultural Relations, New Delhi, National Book Bureau, p. 87.

Rieu, Charles, 1879, Catalogue of the Persian Manuscripts in the British Museum, London, vol. 1., pp. 63b-64a.

 

Ernst, Carl W., 2003, "Muslim Studies of Hinduism? A Reconsideration of Arabic and Persian Translations from Indian Languages", Iranian Studies, 36, 2, pp. 173-195, p. 188.


 
Main Persian Title: Tarjuma-yi śāstra
English Translation of Main Persian Title: Translation of shastra
Year / Period of Composition: 1786
Incipit:

پرم ایشوری را از صدق اعتقاد پرنام می کنم که بصورت برهما و بشن و شیو نمودار شده-الخ

Commissioner: governor-general Warren Hastings