Dr. J.S.R.A. PrasadDept. of Sanskrit StudiesUniversity of Hyderabad

Dasapadartha sastra is a text that belongs to the Vaiseshika School of philosophy. In 648 A.D., it was translated into Chinese by H. Ui. Later, very unfortunately, we lost the original ms. in Sanskrit.

A Sanskrit scholar restored it back to Sanskrit based on the foreign version. This was possible only as the Chinese translator has maintained the originality of the base text.

Today, as there is no such scholarship or expertise to recreate the content, it is a threat once the manuscript treasure diminishes by sheer neglect.

Most of the mss., are inaccessible for various reasons. In the Oriental collection of the Osmania University, if one approaches in regard of an unpublished text, one’s effort will end in acquiring a mere 20% content of the desired text. In many other institutions also, one can experience similar plight.

One of the reasons may be that some researchers misuse the content of these unpublished mss.

Many of the custodians or curators are not informed of the process of digitization of mss., and catalogs. Also, we still follow the age old preserving techniques which resulting in gradual disappearance of the unveiled knowledge.

Statistical methods are not applicable.

For the last 200 years these ancient manuscripts remained a subject of study and research by Indian and Western scholars. But despite the best efforts made by them only 25% of Indian ancient and classical literature could be published. It is, therefore, a desideratum that more and more texts on various branches of Indian literature, particularly those bearing on sciences and arts, should be brought out in good text-critical editions.

Many of the mss. were destroyed by the insects or by the hostile weather conditions. Such a way, in numerous places, hundreds of our precious mss., are lost.

Out of the thousand branches of the Samaveda, our access is now restricted to a mere eleven branches. Similarly we lost many shastric texts ranging from vyakarana to sangeetha, partly or fully due to lack of knowledge of preservation.

This author has himself found for his dismay, how the mss., get destroyed of sheer ignorance. One of his friends has informed him about the treasure of mss., available in a village near Hyderabad. After two months of continuous efforts, ultimately the custodian comes online only to confirm that out of six hundred mss., which they bequeathed from their father, now, only six mss., are in usable condition.

इतति ककाललिदकासकक तितौ वकत्तससहकाररे गग्रीष्मवररनमम् ।सकामकान्यकानलधिकररत्वस सकामकान्यकादग्रीनकामम्..पकलथिवग्रीत्वकाद्यपरेक्षयका द्रव्यत्वकादरेरलधिकदरेशकावकलत्तत्वकातिम्

व्यकापकत्वकातिम् परत्वमम् ।अत्र तितु ननोकस तित्रकातप ननोकतमतति तद्विरुकमम् । अथिरवकादनो वका । 1.2.43

We should take care of mss., because they are the valuable sources of knowledge. They are the main sources of our ancient history and culture.

They are national propertiesColophons reveal the aspects of the

history of manuscripts. Paleographical details reveal the period

of manuscritps

Mss., also furnish valuable information regarding contemporary calendar. Thus we come accross sakabda, samvat, vikrama samvat, gupta samvat, saptrarshi samvatsara, saura and chandra samvatsara etc. in the colophons at the end of the mss., (Basu and Das: 2005)

In the year 2003, the Govt. of India has started a project called 'National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM)' for the ms. collection, preservation, trainings and seminars. The NMM has worked tirelessly to realize the goal by collecting five lakh mss., through their partner manuscript resource centers (MRCs) and manuscript conservation centers (MCCs).

National Electronic Database (of 1.5 million ms.)

Oral tradition Manuscripts Print Media Digital Media

Sl. No.

Name of the Institution

Diploma

P.G. Diplom

a

Degree Masters

Degree

M.Phil.

1. University of Pune - - - -2. Tamil University - - - -3. Osmania University - - - -4. University of Hampi - - - -5. University of Madras - - - -6. Twin Cities P.G.

College- - - -

7. University of Mysore - - - -8. The Institute of

Advanced Studies- - - -

9. Dr. BR Ambedkar Univ.

- - - -

10. J.N.U. - - - -11. Vrindavan Res. Inst.,

Agra- - - -

12. Kerala University - - -

13 Madurai K University - - - -

Sl. No.

Name of the Institution

Diploma

P.G. Diplom

a

Degree Masters

Degree

M.Phil.

14. Bangalore University - - - -15. SLBSRS Vidyapeetha - - -

16. K.J. Somayya Center for Buddhist Studies

- - - -

17. SSUS, Kalady - - - -

18. Sagar University - - - -19. University of

Rajasthan- - - -

20. RSkS, New Delhi - - - -21. University of Mumbai - - - -22. Jadavpur University - - -

23. University of Culcutta

- - - -

24. Utkal University - - - -

25. University of Hyderabad

- - - -

National debate competitionsGurukula Fellowships after basic and advanced

coursesProject positions with various digitizing agenciesResearch assistant positions in Vidyapeethas,

Sanskrit Academies, ORIs and Voluntary organizations

NCC Project, ChennaiSurveyors, Copyists in MRCsIndological Research Institutes