Meitei translations and literary adaptations of the Mahabharata
| Meitei Mahabharata | |
|---|---|
| Manipuri Mahabharata | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Manipuri Vaishnavism |
| Language | Meitei language (officially called Manipuri) |
| Period | 18th century AD |
The Mahabharata is one of the epics of Sanskrit literature that is translated as well as literarily adapted into Meitei language (officially called Manipuri), thereby creating a space for Hindu literature within the granary of Meitei literature (Manipuri literature).
As Meitei language uses both Meitei script as well as Eastern Nagari script (Bengali script), the literary works are written in either of the two scripts.
History
[edit]Parikshit
[edit]in 1724, Meitei King Pamheiba, also known as Gharib Nawaz, having converted from Sanamahism to Hinduism by Guru Gopaldas, composed his version of the Parikshit, a Meitei-language version of an episode he found appealing from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The work was actually a translation of a Bengali literary work, the History of Bengali Language and Literature by Gangadas Sen. Later, the Meitei version was retouched by Angom Gopi.[1][2][3]
Virat Santhuplon
[edit]The Book of Virata (Meitei: Virat Santhuplon) is a translation of the Bengali Virata Parva, by Ramkrishna Das. The translation work was done by the Meitei prince Nabananda in 1780. The prince was formally made heir apparent when his father Ching-Thang Khomba ascended the throne of Manipur in 1763. Prince Nabananda spent around two months in the woods for carrying out a royal task of cutting down large trees for working on his translation.[4][5]
Unlike other Meitei literary works on Hinduism, this text is free from the usual mixing of words of Indo Aryan languages.[4]: 139
Modern works
[edit]Kalachand Shastri
[edit]Between 1956 and 1989, Kalachand Singh Shastri translated 37 volumes of the Mahabharata into Meitei language, for which he was bestowed the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for translation.[6]
Other translators
[edit]| Author(s) | Title | Year of publication |
|---|---|---|
| Singh, Ayekpam Syamsunder | ꯁꯝꯂꯞꯄ ꯃꯍꯥꯚꯥꯔꯠ, Eastern Nagari script: সম্লপ্পা মহাভারত, romanized: Shamlappa Mahabharat[7] | 1964 |
| Ningthoujam Haridas Singh | ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯗꯥ ꯂꯤꯅꯔꯤꯕꯥ ꯋꯥꯔꯤꯒꯤ ꯃꯍꯥꯚꯥꯔꯠ ꯑꯥꯗꯤ ꯄꯔꯕꯒꯤ ꯄ꯭ꯔꯕꯟꯙ, Eastern Nagari script: মণিপুরদা লিনরিবা রাগীগী মহাভারত আদি পরবাগী প্রবন্ধ, romanized: Manipurda Linariba Warigi Mahabharat Aadiparbagi Prirbadh[8] | 1976 |
| ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯗꯥ ꯂꯤꯅꯔꯤꯕꯥ ꯋꯥꯔꯤꯒꯤ ꯃꯍꯥꯚꯥꯔꯠ ꯁꯚꯥꯄ꯭ꯔꯕꯥ ꯇ꯭ꯔꯤꯇꯤꯌꯥꯔꯙ, Eastern Nagari script: মণিপুরদা লিনরিবা ৱারীগী মহাভারত সভাপ্রবা তৃতীয়ার্ধ, romanized: Manipurda Linariba Wareegee Mahabharat Sabhapraba Tritiyardh[9] | 1984 | |
| ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯗꯥ ꯂꯤꯅꯔꯤꯕꯥ ꯋꯥꯔꯤꯒꯤ ꯃꯍꯥꯚꯥꯔꯠ (ꯕꯅꯄꯔꯕꯥ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯕꯤꯔꯥꯠꯄꯔꯕꯥ), Eastern Nagari script: মণিপুরদা লিনরিবা রারিগী মহাভারত (বন পর্ব অমসুং বিরাৎ পর্ব), romanized: Manipurda Linariba Wareegee Mahabharat Banpraba Amasung Biratappraba[10] | 1989 | |
| Aheibam Dhananjay | ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯗꯥ ꯂꯤꯅꯔꯤꯕꯥ ꯋꯥꯔꯤꯒꯤ ꯃꯍꯥꯚꯥꯔꯠ (ꯚꯤꯁ꯭ꯃ ꯄꯔꯚ), Eastern Nagari script: মণিপুরদা লীনরিবা বারীগী মহাভারত (ভীষ্ম পর্ব, romanized: Manipurda Leenariba Wareegee Mahabharat Bhisma Parva[11] | 2010 |
See also
[edit]- Andhra Mahabharatam - the Telugu language version of the Mahabharata
- List of Tirukkural translations by language
- Mahabharata#Translations, versions and derivative works
- Versions of the Ramayana
- Moirang Shayon
References
[edit]- ^ Singh, Ch Manihar (1996). A History of Manipuri Literature. India: Sahitya Akademi. p. 135. ISBN 978-81-260-0086-9.
- ^ "Translation in Manipur". e-pao.net. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ "Manipuri Literature in History 5". www.e-pao.net. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ a b Singh, Ch Manihar (1996). A History of Manipuri Literature. India: Sahitya Akademi. p. 138. ISBN 978-81-260-0086-9.
- ^ "Manipuri Literature in History 5". www.e-pao.net. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ "'Kalachand is a rare personality': 23rd jun16 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ Singh, Ayekpam Syamsunder (1964). Shamlappa Mahabharat.
- ^ Haridas Singh, Ningthoujam Ed. (1976). Manipurda Linariba Warigi Mahabharat Aadiparbagi Prirbadh.
- ^ Haridas Singh, Ningthoujam Ed. (1984). Manipurda Linariba Wareegee Mahabharat Sabhapraba Tritiyardh.
- ^ Haridas Singh, Ningthoujam Ed. (1989). Manipurda Linariba Wareegee Mahabharat Banpraba Amasung Biratappraba.
- ^ Dhananjay Singh, Ahaibam Ed. (2010). Manipurda Leenariba Wareegee Mahabharat Bhisma Parva.
