xiv
for corroboration of the readings, particularly in 'Udayanodayamu'. The A S P Manuscript is a transcript of the Tanjore manuscript copy available with Sri Manavalli (as evident from Sri Kottapalli Surya Rao's note dt 18-10-38 left at the end of the A S P copy) The date on which Sri Manavalli copied the Tanjore Manuscript is not known as it was not recorded in the Tanjore Manuscript Library1 However, the A S P copy, when compared to the microfilm copy of Tanjore Manuscript available in thus department, appears to contain a number of corrections, with a few omissions supplied and blanks filled in Since the A S P copy is a true replica of Manavalli's copy, it is to be presumed that these corrections etc, must have been made by Manavalli Kavi himself And therefore this copy has been very helpful to me for comparing the corrections etc, made by me with those of Manavallı Kavi I am extremely happy that a good number of corrections tally with those of S Manavalli. My job became a little easier in finalising the conection and textual icadings The pre-requisite of an editor, in my opinion, is to have a sympathetic vibration with the poet's heart and then catch his cechiul nerve It is this sincerity and honesty which help the editor to discharge his duties creditably. I humbly say that this is the only reason for the similarities, if any, in some of the corrections etc, made by me and those made by the great veteran manuscript-hunter and scholar-poet, Sri Manavalli. I have pointed out such instances of similarity in the footnotes of the text in detail.
While concluding my prefatory remarks I am reminded of Sri Manavalli's observations made in his introduction to Vol I of Natyasastra p 63 on Abhinavagupta's original reading
The originals are so incorrect that a scholar fiend of me is probably justified in saying that even if Abhinavagupta descended from heaven and saw the Manuscript he would not easily restore his original reaching It is in fact an impenetrable jungle through which a rough path now has been traced
In response to my enquiry, the Administrative Officer of the Tanjore Manuscupts Library, wrote to me in his letter dt 10-11-1981, that as per the records available with them It was one Mr T S Venkatramayyar who copied the palm-leaf manuscript on 11-11-1921
I presume that Manavalli Kavi must have copied the Tanjore palm-leaf manuscript sometime earlier than 1912 as he included Udayanodayamu also in the list of books got ready by him for print even by 1912 (vide introduction by Sri N Venkata Rao to Prabandhamanibhushanamu-- second edition p 39 foot-note)
For about 63 poems of the first canto of 'Udayanodayamu' the A S P pandits prepared two more copies on loose sheets in which a few corrections were made and omissions supplied to the textual readings of Sri Manavalli The propriety of these changes has carefully been examined and to the extent acceptable in this critical edition, they have also been incorporated with clear footnotes
