| Content : | Divination tables, means to find auspicious or inauspicious days and hours for intended activities. The conjunction of items belonging to the different chronological systems known in Java is the basis of the calculations. The systems described in the text are called Palak Miladuni Panca Buwana, Palak Jarak Malékatan and Palak Raja Pati Dina. Palak means calculation in Javanese (see SB. Or. quarto 2126), and miladuni is a Javanese corruption of ladunī (with Me), a Quranic expression referring to secret knowledge reserved to God. The name Malékatan (Angel) divination belongs to the schematical incomplete human figures in the manuscript. Each figure misses one limb or part of the body; the missing part is called suwung (empty); anything or any activity connected with this part is particularly ominous on the indicated times. The Arabic loan words are indications of the influence of Arabic Islamic influence on the development of Javanese divination systems.
A German translation of Soegiarto’s description of the manuscript is pasted on the inside of the binding. |
