Javanese Literature - Pigeaud

Now that I have read Braginsky's tome on Malay literature, a "natural" next step is to understand Javanese literature. The best book on this still seems to be Pigeaud's Literature of Java Vol 1, Synopsis of Javanese Literature 900-1900AD. Of course, since then, many more manuscripts have been catalogued and published (especially by Nancy Florida). I have tracked down a copy of Pigeaud's work from 1970 in a library. Below are some notes I took by flipping through the work.

 

1. Classification into 4 types of works:

I. Religion and Ethics p.47-113 - 12 sub-headings

II. History and Mythology p. 114-173 - 15 sub-headings

III. Belles-Lettres p.175-263 - 27 sub-headings

IV. Science, Arts, Humanities, Law; Folklore, customs and Miscellanea p.254-319 - 9 sub-headings

Miscellanea p.321-325 - 3 sub-headings

 

2. 4 Eras and 5 idioms

A. Pre-Islamic ~900-1500, mainly in East Java (1. Old Javanese)

B. Javanese-Balinese period ~1500-1900, Bali & Lombok (2. Javanese-Balinese)

C. Javanese North Coast (Pasisir) period, ~1500-1700 (3. East / Central Java; 4. West Java)

D. Renaissance of classical literature, ~1700-1900 (5. modern Javanese, Surakarta standard)

 

3. I looked at Belles-Lettres section, 3 sub-headings:

 

> First are two works: (2 works, 59 MSs - could have double count in MSs, same below)

30.000 Ramayana, 27 MSs

30.010 Bharata Yuddha, 32 MSs

 

> Major Old Javanese Kakawin: (15 works, 99 MSs)

30.020 Arjuna wiwaha, 31 MSs

30.030 - 30.134 - 14 "codes", for each code, number of MSs are at most 10.

30.050 Smara Dahana, 10 MSs

30.060 Bhoma Kawya, 10 MSs

30.125 Arjuna wijaya, 8 MSs

30.130 Suta Soma, Purusada Santa, 8 MSs

What surprises me was that the supposingly famous Nagara Kertagama has only a single MS known to Pigeaud in 1970.

 

> Then I skip to the Panji Romance sub-heading: (15 works, 101 MSs)

30.361 Malat Kung, 52 MSs (this is a collection of Panji stories)

30.371 Waseng Seri, 11 MSs

30.372-373 Wangbang Wideha, 9 MSs

30.374 Undaka Rangrus, 9 MSs

Then there are 11 other works, each with between 1-4 MSs

 

I thought it is a book I should acquire - but when I check Amazon, the cheapest is over $200! Oh well, I guess I should find several good long days and try to read it through in the library (I don't have rights to check the book out ...)