Sanskrit, Prakrit and Hindi manuscripts collected by E. Hultzsch

Sanskrit, Prakrit and Hindi manuscripts collected by E. Hultzsch, some written on birch-bark, 15th-19th century. The manuscripts include Veda, Purana, Kavya, Vyakarana, Kosa, Alamkara and Chhandas, Dharma, Vedanta, Nyaya and Vaisheshika, Jyotisha, and Jaina.

The full shelfmarks of the collection are: MSS. Sansk. b. 1, 3-4, c. 45-60, 61 (R), 62-70, 71 (R), 72-121, 124, 126-8, d. 42-9, 51-124, 126-8, 130-208, 210-28, 230, 232, 238, 250-1, 253-6, 259-61, 263-5, 267, 270-2, 274-6, 278, 280-1, 283-90, 292-7, 299-306, 310-11, 315-21, 323-4, 326-31, e. 41-88, f. 14-21; MSS. Hindi d. 1, 3-6; Prakrit c. 1-3, d. 1-29, 31-6.

Eugen Hultzsch (1857-1927) became an epigraphist to the government of Madras in 1886. He was also made a fellow of the University of Madras. In 1903 he returned to his native Germany to become Professor of Sanskrit at Halle University until 1927. See the Neue Deutsche Biographie for details.

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk).

Bought by the Library in 1887.

A description of Hultzsch's collection was published by him, 'Ueber eine Sammlung indischer Handschriften und Inschriften' in Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlndischen Gesellschaft, vol. 40, 1886. Not all of the manuscripts described were bought by the Library.

Collection level description created by Susan Thomas, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

Brief descriptions are in Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series, with references to the oriental and other manuscripts (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vol. V, nos. 27120-556.

The manuscripts are also summarily described in the card catalogue, arranged by language, located in the Oriental Reading Room.

The Sanskrit manuscripts are described in Theodor Aufrecht, M. Winternitz, A.B. Keith Codices Sanscriticos complectens, 2 vols. (Oxford, 1864-1909), vol. 2.

The Prakrit manuscripts are described in A. Keith Catalogue of Prakrit manuscripts in the Bodleian librar (Oxford, 1911).