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Volume 1, No. 2.
The Manuscript Tradition of Sanskrit Across Civilizations

Published December 2, 2025

1. Manuscript Culture in Ancient India

  • Palm-leaf manuscripts (Talapatra) and birch-bark manuscripts (Bhojpatra).

  • Traditional methods of preservation.

  • Scriptoriums and royal patronage.

2. Types of Sanskrit Manuscripts

  • Vedic texts

  • Epics (Mahabharata, Ramayana)

  • Shastras

  • Puranas

  • Ayurvedic manuscripts

  • Astronomical and mathematical works

  • Literary and poetic manuscripts

  • Musical and performing arts manuscripts

3. Manuscripts Found Outside India

  • Tibetan Kangyur and Tengyur collections.

  • Chinese Buddhist Sanskrit texts.

  • Southeast Asian inscriptions.

  • Rare European Sanskrit codices (Oxford, Paris, Berlin).

  • Archaeological discoveries from Silk Route sites.

4. Global Efforts in Preservation

  • UNESCO memory of the world projects.

  • Digitization initiatives (e.g., Muktabodha, National Mission for Manuscripts).

  • Modern paleography and manuscriptology.

5. Challenges in Preservation

  • Deterioration of materials.

  • Climate impact.

  • Lack of trained manuscriptologists.

  • Restricted access to foreign collections.

6. Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Modern Digital Era

  • Digitization technologies.

  • Artificial intelligence for script recognition.

  • Global repositories and open-access Sanskrit archives.

7. Future of Sanskrit Manuscript Studies

  • Renewed academic interest.

  • Potential for international research collaborations.

  • Role of Sanskrit in global cultural preservation.