In January 2020, Kenji Takahashi visited the National Archive of Nepal in Kathmandu to obtain digital reproductions of several manuscripts.
In the National Archive, one can first check the manuscript in microfilm format and then ask the staff to take photos of the original manuscript if the manuscript is still available. Kenji would like to express his sincere gratitude to Mr. Rubin Shreshta, a staff member of the National Archive, for his invaluable assistance during his visit.
Within the framework of the Śivadharma project, Kenji is exploring the influence the Mahābhārata exercised on the composition of the Śivadharma corpus. More specifically, he is investigating the relationship between three versions of the Umāmaheśvarasaṃvāda (The Dialogue between Umā and Maheśvara). The Mahābhārata has two different versions of the Umamaheśvarasamvāda, the Northern and the Southern versions, while the Śivadharma corpus contains a version of its own. Although the three texts bear the same title, there are significant differences between them; nevertheless, the Śivadharma Umāmaheśvarasamvada indeed seems to borrow from the two versions of the Mahābhārata.On this visit, Kenji obtained a manuscript of the Mahābhārata written in Bengali script in order to study the two versions of the Mahābhārata transmitted in medieval Nepal.
An initial survey reveals that the Bengali Mahābhārata manuscript Kenji obtained preserves the Northern version of the Umāmaheśvarasaṃvāda. He is planning to read this manuscript carefully with a view to forming a better understanding of the transmission of the three Umāmaheśvarasaṃvādas.
Moreover, he did not fail to utilize his days off to see different facets of Nepal. He visited the Svayaṃbhunāth temple in Kathmandu and enjoyed the rich nature and spectacular views of the Himalaya mountains while trekking. These experiences deepened his love for his field of study.
