• Rāmacandracandrikā (Moonlight on Ramachandra)
  रामचन्द्रचन्द्रिका

Author:

• Keśavadāsa, 1555?-1617?

Contributor:

• Princeton University. Library. Manuscript. Garrett Indic Manuscript no. 1.

Publisher:

• [India?], Saṃ. 1776 [1719]

Extent:

• 115 leaves : paper ; 269 x 191 mm.

Format:

• Manuscript
• Book

Abstract:

• Keśavadāsa's poetry. Part of prakāśa 15, all of 16, and part of 17 omitted.

Description:

• Ms. codex.
• Collation: Paper ; fol. iii + 115 + iii ; foliation in ink using Devanagari numerals, numbering skips from 48 to 57 ; modern foliation in pencil using Western numerals.
• Layout: 24 lines per page ; frame-ruled in red.
• Description: Rubricated.
• Decoration: Contains 47 colored miniatures, Mogul school of art.

Binding note:

• Modern binding. Earlier full binding in red leather. Gold-stamped mandorla with pendants and cornerpieces and gold-tooled inner and outer frame.

Subject:

• Manuscripts, Sanskrit—New Jersey—Princeton
• Manuscripts, Marathi—New Jersey—Princeton
• Poetry
• Gold tooled bindings
• illuminated manuscripts
• illuminations (paintings)

Provenance:

• Deposite 960.

Edm rights:

• Copyright Not Evaluated

View in catalog:

• https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/99131475933706421

Curator's notes:

• Keśavadāsa केशवदास (1555–1617)

  Sanskrit, Marathi, in Devanāgarī script
  India, 1776, paper

  Under Persian influence, the codex form using paper also came to be used for Hindu works in Sanskrit, as is shown by this Rāmacandracandrikā. According to Keśavadāsa’s own account, the sage Vālmīki appeared to him in a dream, and he undertook the sacred task of singing the praises of Rāma. The poem is based on the Rāmāyaṇa, a text central to many of the cultures in Asia.

  Gift of Robert Garrett, Class of 1897, 1942
  Garrett Indic Manuscript 1

  For further reading

  Bahadur, K.P. (tr.) Selections from Rāmacandrikā of Keśavadāsa. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1976.

Exhibit category:

• The codex tradition
• The spread of the codex