Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. 6: Coffeehouse-Dārā by Ehsan YarshaterReview by: Farhad DaftaryJournal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1996), pp. 162-163Published by: American Oriental SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/606410 .

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Journal of the American Oriental Society 116.1 (1996) Journal of the American Oriental Society 116.1 (1996)

inquiries'). Or perhaps listi fma(a)ldat 'the uses' was the intent tradition, both contributed by H. Algar. Moder Iran is well rep- of the author. resented in many of the volume's topical entries on political and

economic events and developments as well as in articles such as ALAN S. KAYE "Cossack Brigade" (M. Atkin), a cavalry unit in the Persian army

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON established in 1879 on the model of Cossack units in the Russian

army, and "Dar-al-Fonun" (J. Gurney and N. Nabavi), which is an excellent survey of the history and achievements of this famous college of modern learning founded in Tehran in 1851. With the major exceptions of the nine-page entry "Dagestan,"

Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 6: Coffeehouse-Dara. Edited by and the detailed article on "Damgan" contributed by Ch. Adle,

EHSAN YARSHATER. Costa Mesa, Calif.: MAZDA PUBLISHERS, there are few geographical articles in this volume. Similarly, it

1993. Pp. 672 + 38 figures, 62 plates, 39 tables. contains few entries on personalities and dynasties, especially for the Islamic period. Amongst the more significant entries in

General information on the scope and contents of the Ency- the latter category, mention may be made of "Dabuyids" and

clopaedia Iranica (EIr), which covers all aspects of Iranian his- "DaCI ela'l-Haqq" (both contributed by Professor W. Madelung), tory and civilization from pre-historic times to the present, has "Dfimad, Mir" (A. J. Newman), and "Daqiqi" (Dj. Khaleghi- been sufficiently provided by a multitude of reviewers of the Motlagh). As usual, the volume also includes a few biographical previous volumes of this monument of scholarship in Iranian entries on orientalists and Iranologists such as H. Corbin (1903- studies. This review will, therefore, focus on the highlights and 1978) and Franz Cumont (1868-1947), and European statesmen some of the main features of volume 6 of EIr, which is com- like Sir Percy Cox (1864-1937) and Lord Curzon (1859-1925), prised of six fascicles, originally published separately during who played key roles in Iranian affairs. 1992-93. Starting with the present volume, the volumes of EIr The most outstanding feature of the present volume is, how-

will in fact contain only six fascicles each, instead of eight as ever, the dominance of thematic or topical, multi-part, multi-

previously, in order to facilitate the handling of the individual authored entries, many of which represent original contributions.

volumes; and the publisher has adjusted the price accordingly. Some ten major topical articles, ranging from the fifty-four-page The present volume also attests the completion of the letter "C" entry on "Constitutional Revolution" to the seventeen-page en-

(pp. 1-526), begun in volume 4, and the beginning of letter try on "Conversion," occupy a total of 283 pages or 42 per cent

"D" (pp. 527-672). of the volume. Dealing with a diversity of topics, related to pre- The present volume of EIr contains some 196 entries contrib- Islamic as well as Islamic periods, many of these topical entries,

uted by 161 authors. As some entries consist of several articles, some of which are splendidly illustrated, will prove invaluable as

there are altogether some 273 signed articles in this volume, survey articles of their subject matters. Aside from the seven-part which runs from "Coffeehouse" (contributed by 'All Al-e entry on the Constitutional Revolution, dealing with the intellec-

Dawid) to "Dara" (M. Weiskopf). The majority of the authors tual background and the events which led to the establishment

have contributed one or two articles each, while only some of a parliament and a constitution in Persia during 1905-11, twelve authors have been responsible for five to nine articles mention may be made here of the thirty-three page entry on

each, representing less concentration of major authors than in "Commerce," from pre-historic to Pahlavi and post-Pahlavi pe- some of the previous volumes of EIr. The authors with the great- riods; the latter part of this entry (pp. 75-89), contributed by est number of contributions to this volume have been H. A'lam V. Nowshirvani, in fact represents an excellent survey of the eco-

(9 articles), R. Schmitt (8), M. Shaki (8), A. Shapur Shahbazi (7), nomic history of modern Iran since the 1920s; the ten-part entry M. Boyce (6), M. Dandamayev (6), H. Algar (5), W. Floor (5), on "Courts and Courtiers," and the eight-part entry on "Cosmog- G. Gnoli (5), P. Jackson (5), the late CA. SaCidi Sirjani (5), and ony and Cosmology," covering the theories of the origins and

A. Tafazzoli (5). As a result, many of this volume's individual ar- structure of the universe in Zoroastrianism and other Iranian re-

ticles deal with fauna and flora, notably "Crow," "Cumin," and ligions as well as in Twelver and Ismacili Shi'ism, Shaikhism,

"Cypress," or with pre-Islamic subject matters such as the seven- and in the Bahai faith. All these articles are particularly notable

page entry on "Corpse, disposal of, in Zoroastrianism," "Cunei- for their comprehensiveness. Amongst other survey articles of a

form Script," and the six-part entry on "Cyrus" that completes topical nature which are either original or comprehensive, men-

letter "C," as well as a host of non-Islamic terms and works such tion may be made of the twenty-seven-page entry on "Cylinder as "Dadestan i Denig," a Pahlavi work by the high priest of the Seals," contributed by the late Professor Edith Porada, the four-

Persian Zoroastrian community. On the other hand, relatively part entry on "Communism" in Persia and Afghanistan, and

few entries are devoted to specifically Islamic subjects. In the lat- "Conspiracy Theories," contributed by A. Ashraf.

ter category mention may be made of the entries "Dahabiya," a The space allocated to some of the briefer topical articles does

major Sufi order, and "Dajjal," the maleficent figure in Islamic not seem properly justifiable on the basis of the significance of

inquiries'). Or perhaps listi fma(a)ldat 'the uses' was the intent tradition, both contributed by H. Algar. Moder Iran is well rep- of the author. resented in many of the volume's topical entries on political and

economic events and developments as well as in articles such as ALAN S. KAYE "Cossack Brigade" (M. Atkin), a cavalry unit in the Persian army

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON established in 1879 on the model of Cossack units in the Russian

army, and "Dar-al-Fonun" (J. Gurney and N. Nabavi), which is an excellent survey of the history and achievements of this famous college of modern learning founded in Tehran in 1851. With the major exceptions of the nine-page entry "Dagestan,"

Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 6: Coffeehouse-Dara. Edited by and the detailed article on "Damgan" contributed by Ch. Adle,

EHSAN YARSHATER. Costa Mesa, Calif.: MAZDA PUBLISHERS, there are few geographical articles in this volume. Similarly, it

1993. Pp. 672 + 38 figures, 62 plates, 39 tables. contains few entries on personalities and dynasties, especially for the Islamic period. Amongst the more significant entries in

General information on the scope and contents of the Ency- the latter category, mention may be made of "Dabuyids" and

clopaedia Iranica (EIr), which covers all aspects of Iranian his- "DaCI ela'l-Haqq" (both contributed by Professor W. Madelung), tory and civilization from pre-historic times to the present, has "Dfimad, Mir" (A. J. Newman), and "Daqiqi" (Dj. Khaleghi- been sufficiently provided by a multitude of reviewers of the Motlagh). As usual, the volume also includes a few biographical previous volumes of this monument of scholarship in Iranian entries on orientalists and Iranologists such as H. Corbin (1903- studies. This review will, therefore, focus on the highlights and 1978) and Franz Cumont (1868-1947), and European statesmen some of the main features of volume 6 of EIr, which is com- like Sir Percy Cox (1864-1937) and Lord Curzon (1859-1925), prised of six fascicles, originally published separately during who played key roles in Iranian affairs. 1992-93. Starting with the present volume, the volumes of EIr The most outstanding feature of the present volume is, how-

will in fact contain only six fascicles each, instead of eight as ever, the dominance of thematic or topical, multi-part, multi-

previously, in order to facilitate the handling of the individual authored entries, many of which represent original contributions.

volumes; and the publisher has adjusted the price accordingly. Some ten major topical articles, ranging from the fifty-four-page The present volume also attests the completion of the letter "C" entry on "Constitutional Revolution" to the seventeen-page en-

(pp. 1-526), begun in volume 4, and the beginning of letter try on "Conversion," occupy a total of 283 pages or 42 per cent

"D" (pp. 527-672). of the volume. Dealing with a diversity of topics, related to pre- The present volume of EIr contains some 196 entries contrib- Islamic as well as Islamic periods, many of these topical entries,

uted by 161 authors. As some entries consist of several articles, some of which are splendidly illustrated, will prove invaluable as

there are altogether some 273 signed articles in this volume, survey articles of their subject matters. Aside from the seven-part which runs from "Coffeehouse" (contributed by 'All Al-e entry on the Constitutional Revolution, dealing with the intellec-

Dawid) to "Dara" (M. Weiskopf). The majority of the authors tual background and the events which led to the establishment

have contributed one or two articles each, while only some of a parliament and a constitution in Persia during 1905-11, twelve authors have been responsible for five to nine articles mention may be made here of the thirty-three page entry on

each, representing less concentration of major authors than in "Commerce," from pre-historic to Pahlavi and post-Pahlavi pe- some of the previous volumes of EIr. The authors with the great- riods; the latter part of this entry (pp. 75-89), contributed by est number of contributions to this volume have been H. A'lam V. Nowshirvani, in fact represents an excellent survey of the eco-

(9 articles), R. Schmitt (8), M. Shaki (8), A. Shapur Shahbazi (7), nomic history of modern Iran since the 1920s; the ten-part entry M. Boyce (6), M. Dandamayev (6), H. Algar (5), W. Floor (5), on "Courts and Courtiers," and the eight-part entry on "Cosmog- G. Gnoli (5), P. Jackson (5), the late CA. SaCidi Sirjani (5), and ony and Cosmology," covering the theories of the origins and

A. Tafazzoli (5). As a result, many of this volume's individual ar- structure of the universe in Zoroastrianism and other Iranian re-

ticles deal with fauna and flora, notably "Crow," "Cumin," and ligions as well as in Twelver and Ismacili Shi'ism, Shaikhism,

"Cypress," or with pre-Islamic subject matters such as the seven- and in the Bahai faith. All these articles are particularly notable

page entry on "Corpse, disposal of, in Zoroastrianism," "Cunei- for their comprehensiveness. Amongst other survey articles of a

form Script," and the six-part entry on "Cyrus" that completes topical nature which are either original or comprehensive, men-

letter "C," as well as a host of non-Islamic terms and works such tion may be made of the twenty-seven-page entry on "Cylinder as "Dadestan i Denig," a Pahlavi work by the high priest of the Seals," contributed by the late Professor Edith Porada, the four-

Persian Zoroastrian community. On the other hand, relatively part entry on "Communism" in Persia and Afghanistan, and

few entries are devoted to specifically Islamic subjects. In the lat- "Conspiracy Theories," contributed by A. Ashraf.

ter category mention may be made of the entries "Dahabiya," a The space allocated to some of the briefer topical articles does

major Sufi order, and "Dajjal," the maleficent figure in Islamic not seem properly justifiable on the basis of the significance of

162 162

This content downloaded from 91.229.248.187 on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 17:24:50 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Reviews of Books Reviews of Books

their subject matter. Welcome articles on "Coup d'Etat of 1299/ 1921" (p. 351-54) and "Coup d'Etat of 1332 5./1953" (pp. 354- 56), provide very condensed accounts of these controversial events in the moder history of Iran. Similarly, "Concessions," which occupied a key role in economic and political history of Iran during the nineteenth century has been allotted only two pages, as has "Confederations, Tribal," which contains merely a brief sketch of the tribal groupings of the Iranian world. Other forms of omissions and shortcomings are noticeable in some of the topical articles. For instance, the twenty eight-page entry on "Coins and Coinage," which is a comprehensive numismatic his- tory of the Iranian world from Achaeminid times to Safavid and later times by S. Album, M. L. Bates, and W. Floor, completely excludes the coinage of the Pahlavi and post-Pahlavi periods; and the above-noted article, "Constitutional Revolution," fails to consider and evaluate the crucial roles of the British and the Russian governments, which during the same period had divided Persia into respective spheres of influence. The volume also con- tains a number of typographical errors, which will hopefully be corrected in the future. For instance, on p. 354 b, 1. 48, for 1331 read 1332, and 1. 53 for Farfist read Fardust; on p. 555 b, 1.44 for 1959 read 1969, and on p. 650 b, 1. 9 for 1948 read 1949. But these are minor shortcomings and errors. Aside from its

encyclopaedic coverage, the present volume of Elr has made highly significant contributions in terms of its original scholar-

ship, especially to the political and economic history of modern Iran. Professor Ehsan Yarshater, Elr's editor and its moving force, and his small team of assistant editors have indeed main- tained their standard of excellence in producing yet another vol- ume of this indispensable work of reference in Iranian studies.

their subject matter. Welcome articles on "Coup d'Etat of 1299/ 1921" (p. 351-54) and "Coup d'Etat of 1332 5./1953" (pp. 354- 56), provide very condensed accounts of these controversial events in the moder history of Iran. Similarly, "Concessions," which occupied a key role in economic and political history of Iran during the nineteenth century has been allotted only two pages, as has "Confederations, Tribal," which contains merely a brief sketch of the tribal groupings of the Iranian world. Other forms of omissions and shortcomings are noticeable in some of the topical articles. For instance, the twenty eight-page entry on "Coins and Coinage," which is a comprehensive numismatic his- tory of the Iranian world from Achaeminid times to Safavid and later times by S. Album, M. L. Bates, and W. Floor, completely excludes the coinage of the Pahlavi and post-Pahlavi periods; and the above-noted article, "Constitutional Revolution," fails to consider and evaluate the crucial roles of the British and the Russian governments, which during the same period had divided Persia into respective spheres of influence. The volume also con- tains a number of typographical errors, which will hopefully be corrected in the future. For instance, on p. 354 b, 1. 48, for 1331 read 1332, and 1. 53 for Farfist read Fardust; on p. 555 b, 1.44 for 1959 read 1969, and on p. 650 b, 1. 9 for 1948 read 1949. But these are minor shortcomings and errors. Aside from its

encyclopaedic coverage, the present volume of Elr has made highly significant contributions in terms of its original scholar-

ship, especially to the political and economic history of modern Iran. Professor Ehsan Yarshater, Elr's editor and its moving force, and his small team of assistant editors have indeed main- tained their standard of excellence in producing yet another vol- ume of this indispensable work of reference in Iranian studies.

FARHAD DAFTARY FARHAD DAFTARY

INSTITUTE OF ISMAILI STUDIES, LONDON INSTITUTE OF ISMAILI STUDIES, LONDON

The Rdmayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India, vol. IV: Kiskindhdkanda. Translated by ROSALIND LEFEBER. Edited by Robert P. Goldman. Princeton, N.J.: PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1994. Pp. xvi + 397, with glossaries, bibliography, and index. $65.

This is the fourth in the superb series of translations of the books of the Rdmdyana of Valmiki. The previous three volumes have been uniformly significant contributions to our knowledge of this important epic. This one maintains that standard.

The Kiskindhdkanda is, it must be said, less inherently inter- esting than other books of the Rdmayana; nevertheless, Rosalind Lefeber has done a good job extracting the central issue of the kanda in her introductory matter. That issue, of course, is the re- cruitment of Sugriva's monkey army to the task of finding the

The Rdmayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India, vol. IV: Kiskindhdkanda. Translated by ROSALIND LEFEBER. Edited by Robert P. Goldman. Princeton, N.J.: PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1994. Pp. xvi + 397, with glossaries, bibliography, and index. $65.

This is the fourth in the superb series of translations of the books of the Rdmdyana of Valmiki. The previous three volumes have been uniformly significant contributions to our knowledge of this important epic. This one maintains that standard.

The Kiskindhdkanda is, it must be said, less inherently inter- esting than other books of the Rdmayana; nevertheless, Rosalind Lefeber has done a good job extracting the central issue of the kanda in her introductory matter. That issue, of course, is the re- cruitment of Sugriva's monkey army to the task of finding the

abducted Sita. In the process, Rama commits what looks for all the world like an act of treachery, when he kills from ambush the rightful king of the monkeys, Valin, in order to clear the way for his ally Sugriva to assume the throne. This act of perfidy is clearly beneath the likes of Rama, but, as we are told by Le- feber, Rama's promise of friendship to Sugriva was justification enough. Her discussion of this problem and its treatment in the commentaries, other Sanskrit literature, and in secondary litera- ture is thorough but concise.

Lefeber continues the pattern of this series, which gives voice to the commentators. She provides us with a discussion of the at- titudes and purposes they brought to bear on their work. The few pages she devotes to the commentators serve as an excellent brief introduction to their importance for our understanding of the Rdamyana tradition. The discussion would have benefited, I think, had Lefeber referred to the various commentators by their names instead of by the abbreviations that this series has come to use for the commentators. Even though she pays us the cour- tesy of explaining the abbreviations at the beginning of her ex- position, it becomes tiresome trying to figure out who is being referred to by "Cv" "Cg," "Ct" etc. These commentators are im- portant, and at least here they deserve to be discussed under their names-but this is a small point.

As is only right, the critical edition of the Rdmayana comes in for careful scrutiny. As Lefeber says, it is easier to criticize a critical edition than to make one (p. 11), but that is what critical editions allow us to do. Without the compilation of manuscript evidence, we would perpetually be in the dark about the nature and history of a text. We must always recognize that Sanskrit

texts-especially ancient texts such as the epics-will never be finally settled. The best we can ever hope for is continual refine- ment done collectively by scholars who use the initial attempts of editors as the basis for their work. My own experience has been that the best test of editorial choices is to attempt to render the text into comprehensible English, precisely the task at hand for the translators of the Ramayana. As has been the case with the previous volumes in this series, the annotations are a trea- sure trove of insight into the text, with important corrections to the critical edition, accounts of the commentaries, and the reasoning of the translator. The extent of the annotation may be indicated by the fact that 138 pages of printed translation is accompanied by 168 pages of closely printed annotation.

One of the issues raised in previous volumes (specifically, in volume III, Pollock's translation of the Aranyakannda) is that of the divinity of Rama. This volume contributes little to settling the question, beyond the statement by the translator that the vol- ume neither confirms nor denies the divinity of the protagonist. There seems to be a subterranean current of tension between the translator and the general editor of the series. The very first page contains a footnote in which Lefeber complains that she had not been shown the introduction to volume III before it was published, since it might have had some effect on her own

abducted Sita. In the process, Rama commits what looks for all the world like an act of treachery, when he kills from ambush the rightful king of the monkeys, Valin, in order to clear the way for his ally Sugriva to assume the throne. This act of perfidy is clearly beneath the likes of Rama, but, as we are told by Le- feber, Rama's promise of friendship to Sugriva was justification enough. Her discussion of this problem and its treatment in the commentaries, other Sanskrit literature, and in secondary litera- ture is thorough but concise.

Lefeber continues the pattern of this series, which gives voice to the commentators. She provides us with a discussion of the at- titudes and purposes they brought to bear on their work. The few pages she devotes to the commentators serve as an excellent brief introduction to their importance for our understanding of the Rdamyana tradition. The discussion would have benefited, I think, had Lefeber referred to the various commentators by their names instead of by the abbreviations that this series has come to use for the commentators. Even though she pays us the cour- tesy of explaining the abbreviations at the beginning of her ex- position, it becomes tiresome trying to figure out who is being referred to by "Cv" "Cg," "Ct" etc. These commentators are im- portant, and at least here they deserve to be discussed under their names-but this is a small point.

As is only right, the critical edition of the Rdmayana comes in for careful scrutiny. As Lefeber says, it is easier to criticize a critical edition than to make one (p. 11), but that is what critical editions allow us to do. Without the compilation of manuscript evidence, we would perpetually be in the dark about the nature and history of a text. We must always recognize that Sanskrit

texts-especially ancient texts such as the epics-will never be finally settled. The best we can ever hope for is continual refine- ment done collectively by scholars who use the initial attempts of editors as the basis for their work. My own experience has been that the best test of editorial choices is to attempt to render the text into comprehensible English, precisely the task at hand for the translators of the Ramayana. As has been the case with the previous volumes in this series, the annotations are a trea- sure trove of insight into the text, with important corrections to the critical edition, accounts of the commentaries, and the reasoning of the translator. The extent of the annotation may be indicated by the fact that 138 pages of printed translation is accompanied by 168 pages of closely printed annotation.

One of the issues raised in previous volumes (specifically, in volume III, Pollock's translation of the Aranyakannda) is that of the divinity of Rama. This volume contributes little to settling the question, beyond the statement by the translator that the vol- ume neither confirms nor denies the divinity of the protagonist. There seems to be a subterranean current of tension between the translator and the general editor of the series. The very first page contains a footnote in which Lefeber complains that she had not been shown the introduction to volume III before it was published, since it might have had some effect on her own

163 163

This content downloaded from 91.229.248.187 on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 17:24:50 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions