PETERSON, Peter. Edinburgh 12.1.1847 — Bombay 28.10.1899. British (Scottish) Indologist in India. Professor in Bombay. Son of merchant John Peterson and Grace Mountford Anderson. Father was a native of Shetland Islands, therefore also the son often described himself as Shetlander. Educated in Edinburgh, then studies of Indology, etc., at Edinburgh (Aufrecht) and, after a brief period in Berlin, at Oxford (Lincoln and Balliol Colleges; Monier Williams and Max Müller). In 1873 he came to India and joined Bombay Educational Department as Professor of Sanskrit at Elphinstone College, taught there Sanskrit and from 1882 English, until his death. Also Registrar of Bombay University. Active in the Bombay Branch of R.A,S., 1897-99 its President. D.Sc. 1883 Edinburgh. Married 1872 Agnes Christall (1847–1900), four children. Died of a short heart disease.
Peterson was a textual scholar who is remembered for the rich harvest of his manuscript searches and for his good editions (their introductions have been specially praised). In a Jaina library he found the manuscript of the Nyāyabinduṭīkā. He appreciated Indian poetry and considered that even with all estranging differences it represented the same poetic sense as European. Together with R. G. Bhandarkar he edited of the Bombay Sanskrit Series.
Publications: Six reports on the Search for Sanskrit manuscripts in the Bombay Circle, 1882-1899, in JBRAS 1883, 1884, 1887, 1894, and separately 1896 & 1899.
– “On the Subhâshitâvali of Vallabhadeva” OC 6 Leiden 1883, 3:2, 1885, 339-465.
– Edited: Kādambarī. 1-2. B.S.S. 24. Bombay 1885-89; Hitopadeśa. 10+63+161+96 p. B.S.S. 33. Bombay 1887; Śārṅgadhara: Paddhati. 1. 7+649 p. B.S.S. 37. Bombay 1888; Nyāyabinduṭīkā. 9+134 p. B.I. 128. Calcutta 1889; Daśakumāracarita. 2. B.S.S. 42. Bombay 1891 (1. by Bühler); Rājataraṅginī. 3. Containing the supplements to the work of Jonarāja, Srīvara and Prājyabhaṭṭa. B.S.S. 54. Bombay 1896 (1-2. by Durgaprasad); Upamitibhava-prapañca-kathā. B.I. 1140. Calcutta 1899 (fasc. 1-3, completed by H. Jacobi, 1906).
– Hymns from the Rigveda. 3+293 p. B.S.S. 36. 1888 (with translations); Handbook to the study of the Rigveda. 1-2. B.S.S. 41, 43. Bombay 1890-92; A Second selection of hymns from the Rig Veda. 297 p. B.S.S. 58. Bombay 1899.
– “Pāṇini, Poet and Grammarian, with some Remarks on the Age of Sanskrit Classical Poetry”, JRAS 1891, 311-336 (with text & tr. of the 18 poems ascribed to P.).
– Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Library of HH the Maharaja of Ulnar. 101+261 p. Bombay 1892.
– “Vātsyāyana on duties of a Hindu Wife”, J. of the Anthrop. Soc. of Bombay 1892, 459-466; “Courtship in Ancient India”, JBRAS 18, 1894, 109-121; Buddhacarita, Canto 1 ed. & tr., JBRAS 18, 1894, 282-315.
– A Collection of Prakrit and Sanskrit inscriptions. 10+233 p. 41 pl. Bhavnagar 1895.
– Articles in JBRAS, etc.
– Edited the Merchant of Venice and Palgrave’s Golden treasury, wrote for the Times of India and other newspapers.
Sources: *R.G. Bhandarkar, JBRAS 20, 1901, xlvi-lii; C. Bendall, D.N.B. Suppl. 1901, 261; Buckland, Dictionary; N. Ganeri in Madras Courier 25.9.2018 with photo; E.J. Rapson, JRAS 1899, 917-919.
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