 Bhagavad-Gita
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteThe Bhagavadgita is an episode recorded in the great Sanskrit poem of the Hindus, the Mahabharata. It occupies chapters 23 to 40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata and is composed in the form of a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Krishna, an incarnation or avatar of the god Vishnu. Composed perhaps in the 1st or 2nd century CE, it is commonly known as the Gita. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. (http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9079023) Retrieved 5/13/2009. Nasta'liq script was the predominant style of Persian calligraphy during the 15th and 16th centuries. The inventor was Mir 'Ali of Tabriz, the most famous calligrapher of the Timurid period (1402-1502). A cursive script, nasta'liq was a combination of the naskhi and ta'liq styles, featuring elongated horizontal strokes and exaggerated rounded forms. The diacritical marks were casually placed, and the lines were flowing rather than straight. Nasta'liq was frequently incorporated into the paintings of the early Safavid period (16th century) and is traditionally considered to be the most elegant of the Persian scripts. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. (http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9054925) Retrieved 5/14/2009. Scope and ContentThe collection consists of a manuscript copy of the Bhagavad-Gita, "The Song of the Divine One," which was written in Nasta'liq by Muhammad Ali Kashmiri and is dated 1770 A.D. It includes 67 miniatures in addition to the gold, red and blue borders on each page. The case is contemporary red morocco with stamped panel and fiber stitching. Administrative InformationConditions Governing AccessItem is restricted. For further inquiry contact Head of Manuscripts Dept. Preferred CitationBhagavad-Gita, ms930, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||||