A Sanskrit Reader : Text and Vocabulary and Notes/Charles Rockwell Lanman

Contents: Introductory suggestions. I. A. From the Maha-bharata: 1. The story of Nala and Damayanti. B. From the hitopadeca: 2. Preface and introduction. 3. The old tiger and the traveller. 4. The deer and the crow, and the jackal. 5. The blind vulture, the birdlings, and the cat. 6. The ass, the dog and the thief. 7. The lion, the mouse, and the cat. 8. The crows and the serpent. 9. The lion, the old hare, and the well. 10. The birds and the apes. 11. The ass in the tiger-skin. 12. The elephant, the hares, and the moon. 13. The blue jackal. 14. The two geese and the tortoise. 15. The three fishes. 16. The herons, the serpent, and the ichneumons. 17. The hermit, and the mouse that was changed to a tiger. 18. The heron, the fishes, and the crab. 19. The Brahman and his jar. 20. The Brahman with the goat, and the three rogues. 21. The Brahman and his faithful ichneumon. C. From the Katha-sarit-sagara: 22. King Putraka and the seven-league boots. 23. Story of mousey, the thrifty merchant. 24. King Cibi, the falcon, and the dove. 25. Story of Ahalya. 26. The king who didn't know his Sanskrit grammar. 27. The pathetic history of the stories. D. From the Manava-dharmacastra: 28. (a) The creation. (b) The four ages of the world. (c) The Brahman's life, etc. (d) The transmigration of souls. 29. Riddle. 30. Riddle. E. From the Rigveda: 31. Hymn to Agni, the fire-god. 32. Indra slays the dragon. 33. To Surya, the Sun-god. 34. To Agni. 35. Indra and the Maruts. 36. To Savitar. 37. Indra contests the supremacy of Varuna. 38. To Ushas, the Dawn-goddess. 39. To Agni. 40. Indra and Atri, and the Sun eclipsed by the demon. 41. Magic spells to produce sleep. 42. To the Maruts or gods of the storm-winds. 43. To Varuna. 44. To Varuna. 45. To Varuna. 46. To Indra.-Indra and Namuchi. 47. Indra and the Maruts, and Vritra. 48. To Agni. 49. To the waters. 50. Funeral-hymn. 51. Funeral-hymn. 52. Funeral-hymn. 53. Funeral-hymn. 54. The aged priest to the young prince. 55. Wedding-stanza. 56. The gods install Agni as oblation-bearer. 57. Burial and wedding-stanzas. 58. The wedding-hymn. 59. Exorcism for a sick person. 60. To Yama.-Funeral-hymn. 61. Burial-stanza. F. From the Maitrayani: 62. Hiranya-garbha.-The god Ka or Who. 63. Legend of Yama and Yami.-The creation of night. 64. Legend of the winged mountains. 65. The potency of the sacrifice. G. Other Brahmana-pieces: 66. Legend of Agni the oblation-bearer, and of the fish. 67. Legend of Indra and the Maruts, and Vritra. 68. Legend of Indra and the god Ka or Who. 69. The two kinds of deities, the gods and the Brahmans. 70. Truth, untruth, and silence. 71. How the gods got immortality and how death got his share. 72. Legend of Indra and Namuchi. 73. Nirukta on RV.i.32.10, selection xxxii. H. From the Grihya-sutras: 74. Wedding-customs and the wedding-service. 75. The customs and ritual of cremation and burial. II. 1. Vocabulary. 2. Explanations and abbreviations. 3. List of abbreviations. III. Notes.

"The results of comparative philology are now so generally in corporated into our modern classical grammars, lexicons, and text/books, that even a slight knowledge of Sanskrit, if it be accurate so far as it goes, is of great service to the classical teacher in making his instruction interesting and effective. As independent disciplines, moreover, Sanskrit and comparative philology, and the literatures and religions of India, are constantly gaining in importance.
"The design of this work is twofold. In the first place, it is to serve as an introduction to these subjects for the students of our colleges and universities. What the beginner needs is an elementary work comprehending both text and vocabulary in a single volume. And accordingly the reader is meant to furnish ample material for about fifty weeks reading, in a course of three hours a week, and, with the text, the appropriate lexical apparatus.

"This reader is designed, in the second place, to render a knowledge of Sanskrit accessible to the classical teaches of high-schools, academies, and colleges. These teachers, if they pursue this study at all, usually do so without the aid of an instructor. And it is especially the requirements of unaided private study that the author has taken constant pains to meet."  (jacket)