We now proceed to enumerate the copies of the Mudrérakshasa which have been used for this edition. The first is that marked A. it is complete, and includes the text and the commentary of Dhundhirâja here published. It is thoroughly legible and correct. It belongs to Mr. Âpâ Shâstrî Khâdilkar , and was very kindly lent to me by that venerable scholar. From the concluding sentences, it appears that the text and commentary were originally copied in the Vis'vesvaranagarî, or Banâres in the Śaka year 1653, in the month of Âśvin, by उपाध्यायभुकदेव. It is the copy which generally speaking, has been exclusively relied upon for the text of the commentary. and its text of the play itself is that which the commentator had before him, and which has also been mainly adopted in this edition.* There is one circumstance which deserves to be noted here in connection with this MS. It consists of two distinct parts, apparently copied by two different hands. The first of these two parts goes down to नागयूथेश्वराणाम् । द्र (sic.). and then there is a considerable space left blank on that page and on the next page of the same leaf. The words quoted will be found at p. 168 infra, The second part of the MS. does not start from that point. It begins with अपि च आस्वादितद्विरदशोणितशोणशोभमिति पूर्वोक्तं पठति, and then goes on to the end of the work. The words last quoted will be found at p. 99 infra. The two fragments of the play now described are, it may be added, written on paper of different sizes, and the date above given, ---viz. Sáka 1653,-is, ofcourse, found at the end of the second fragment. (See further, p. 11 infra). The second MS. used for the purposes of this edition is that marked P. This MS. forms part of a volume bound in the European style, and containing two plays in MS, the Mudrârâkshasa and the Malatimadhava. This volume, I am informed, is one of a series of volumes containing manuscript copies of various works made several years ago at Jejurî, and now in the possession of Mr. Âpârâo Vaidya of Poona. It was procured for me by my friend
165, with Daśarûpa, pp. 95, 149 respectively. Note that the passage cited from the Malatimdhava . 113 of the Sarasvatîkaņthâbharaņa is again cited at at p. 292 with a variation in one word, and that the same passage is cited at Daśarûpa, p. 149, with a variation in another word.
- I regret that owing to inadvertence the readings of this group of MSS. have
sometimes got into the foot-notes instead of being taken as the text.
