C 583 3 
XXIV. A Catalogue of Sanscrita Manuscripts presented to the 
Royal Society by Sir William and Lady Jones. By Charles 
Wilkins, Esq. F. R. S. 
Read June 28, 1798. 
1 . a. J\4^aha'-bha'rata.* 
A poem in eighteen books, exclusive of the part called Raghu- 
vansa; the whole attributed to Crishna Hwaipdyana Vyasa; with 
copious notes by Nila-canta. This stupendous work, when per- 
fect, contains upwards of one hundred thousand metrical verses. 
The main subject is the history of the race of Bharata, one of 
the ancient kings of India, from whom that country is said to 
have derived the name of Bharata-varsha ; and more particu- 
larly that of two of its collateral branches, distinguished by the 
patronymics, the Cauravas and the Pauravas, (so denomi- 
nated from two of their ancestors, Curu and Puru,) and of 
their bloody contentions for the sovereignty of Bharata-varsha , 
the only general name by which the aborigines know the coun- 
try we call India, and the Arabs and Persians Hind and Ilin- 
dostan. But, besides the main story, a great variety of other 
subjects is treated of, by w r ay of introduction and episode. The 
part entitled Raghu-vansa , contains a distinct history of the 
race of Crishna. The Maha-bhdrata is so very popular through- 
out the East, that it has been translated into most of its nu- 
merous dialects ; and there is an abridgment of it in the Per- 
* The Sanscrita words are spelt according to the method practised by Sir Wil- 
liam Jones, in his works. 
