Sivaratrikaumudi of Pitambara Siddhantavagisa

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The book Sivaratrikaumudi has been divided into three parts viz. Introduction, Critical Editing of the Sivaratrikaumudi and Exposition of the Sivaratrikaumudi. The first part deals with the life and works of the author Pitambara Siddhantavagisa. As Pitambara is found completely silent regarding his own identity so author had to go through many historical works like Brhatrajavamsavali, Darangarajavamsavali, etc. to know him authentically. This part also deals with detailed information of the two manuscripts of Sivaratrikaumudi. The second part is the editing of the text of the Sivaratrikaumudi. The text has analytically been edited depending on two available manuscripts. The third part is the exposition of the subject matter of the Sivaratrikaumudi. This exposition has been prepared according to the sequence of the topics found in the text. The topics are - Tithi of Sivaratri, Importance of Akhandacaturdasi, Importance of Akhanclitagivacat-urdai, Importance of Jagarana, Sivaratrivrata in Akhanclacaturdasi, Vidhi for different tithis, Sivaratrivrata, Sivaratrividhi, Parana ceremony, Application of Sivaratrivratavidhi, Pancaratravidhana, The story related to Sivaratripuja etc.

Miss Hiramoni Goswami is a Research Scholar of Gauhati University, Dept. of Sanskrit. She passed M.A. in Sanskrit with first class first position from Gauhati University in 2013. She obtained the MPhil. Degree from the same University in 2015. Miss Goswami also passed the Degrees of Kavya Shastri and Vyakaran Shastri (Panini) from Assam Sanskrit Board in 2013 and 2016 respectively. At present she has been pursuing her Ph.D. Degree on the topic The Sanskrit Novel Avinasi of Biswanarayan Shastri : A Critical Appreciation.

Miss Goswami has received educational award from Shree Shree Kamalakanta Deva Goswami Sanskritik Nyas, Uttar Kamalabari Satra, Majuli on 18th Nov. 2013 and Archana Chakravarty Sowarani Nyas award, 2013 from Assam Sahitya Sabha on 26th March 2013. She has in her credit a few published Research papers and also attended a few National International Seminars and Conferences.

Pitambara Siddhantavagisa is one of the famous smrtinivandhakaras of 18th century Assam. He authored several works, and among those this Sivariitrikaumudi is one of the most popular ones. But unfortunately most of the works of Pitambara have not yet been published and are in manuscript forms, which include the Sivaratrikaumudi also.

Ms. Hiramoni Goswami being sincere research scholar had taken up the work of decoding the manuscript of the Sivaratrukaumudi and successfully done the job as a part of her MPhil course. Thus, this book of Ms. Goswami is basically a developed form of her M.Phil dissertation under my supervision. Hope this vulgate edition of the Sivardtrikaumudi will be appreciated by scholars and researchers.

It gives me immense pleasure to get the opportunity to edit the precious 'work Sivaratrikaumudi as it had not been edited or trans scripted from manuscript form to printed form prior to this. The present work is an extended form of my M.Phil dissertation. Prof. (Dr.) Shrutidhara Chakravorty madam, the mentor of my M.Phil, suggested me to edit any one of the unpublished manuscripts of Assamese scholars. I still 'remember the conversation when madam said that it is our duty to bring out the works of Assamese scholars which are still in manuscript form and we should work on it. The words of madam motivated me a lot and then we decided to work on the Sivaratrikaumudi of Pitambara Siddhantavagisa. It was completely a new as well as a challenging task for me as I had never gone through any manuscript before. I will remain ever grateful to Prof. Shrutidhara Chakravorty madam for her guidance and assistance in reading out properly the text of the Sivaratrikaumudi. The work has been divided into three chapters viz. Introduction, Editing of the Sivaratrikaumudi, Critical Exposition of the Sivaratrikaumudi. The first chapter deals with the life and works of the author Pitambara Siddhantavagisa. As Pitambara is found completely silent regarding his own identity so we had to go through many historical works like Brhatrajavansavali, Darangarajavansavali etc. to know him authentically. This chapter also deals with detailed information of the two manuscripts of Sivaratrikaumudi. The second chapter is the critical editing of the ,Sivaratrikaumudi. Since, we got only two manuscripts of the Sivaratrikaumudi so the text has analytically been edited depending on these two manuscripts. The third chapter is th the exposition of the subject matter of the Sivaratrikaumudi. df As the physical condition of the two manuscripts is not so at good so we faced difficulties while editing them. We failed to find out some letters in the two manuscripts and hence not Pi been able to give proper exposition of certain sentences on re this work. This exposition has been prepared according to the sequence of the topics found in the Sivaratrikaumudi. The topics are - Tithi of Sivaratri, Importance of Sivardtrivrata, Importance of Akhanditasivacaturdasi, Importance of jagarana, Sivardtrivrata in akhandacaturdasi, Vidhi for different tithis, Sivaratrivrata, Sivaratrividhi, Parana ceremony, Application of Sivaratrivratavidhi Pancaratravidhana, The story related to Sivaratripuja. At last a conclusion has been given on the work.

Through this work I offer my sincere gratitude to Dr. Shrutidhara Chakravarty, Professor of Sanskrit Department, Gauhati University, madam for her kind help and valuable suggestions during the preparation of the book.

I would also like to offer my sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Sujata Purkayastha, the former Head, Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University, madam for giving her precious time and teaching me the technical knowledge of editing manuscripts.

I offer my special thanks to Dr. Basanta Goswami Sir, the secretary of Karr rup Sanjivini Sabha Library, Nalbari, for providing the Xerox copies of the manuscript of Sivaratrikaumudi.

I offer my special thanks to Sri Hemanta Kumar, brother for helping me in the Sanskrit DTP.

I convey my special thanks to my family members and P friends for their inspiration offered to me in publishing the book.

Last but not the least I convey my heartiest thanks to Dr. Radheshyam Shukla Sir, the owner of Gayan Bharati Publications, for publishing the book with great effort.

I would like to offer my sincere apology if anything written in this book is inappropriate or hurt any sentiments. I heartily welcome constructive suggestions on this which will motivate me to pen down more such books.