Oldest Sanskrit Manuscript

The oldest Sanskrit manuscript

The oldest Sanskrit manuscript, in Brahmi script, of a drama written by an Indian author, found in China is dated to the 2nd century CE.

Text – शारिपुत्रप्रकरण (Shariputraprakaran)
Author – अश्वघोष (Ashwaghosha)
Place – Kizil, Turfan (Xinjiang region, China)

Sanskrit reached India to China through the Silk Route.

The Spitzer Manuscript (80–230 CE) holds the distinction of being not only the oldest surviving philosophical manuscript in Sanskrit, but also potentially the oldest Sanskrit manuscript related to Hinduism ever found. It contains startling revelations about the Mahabharata and a few key concepts.

Some of the Important keywords found in Spitzer Manuscripts Anu & Paramanu, Krtsna, Krisna, Gita, Puja, Buddha, Jati, brahmana, brahmacarrya, Bhikshu, Yoga, sunya, Stri, Sanatana, Anuloma, Arthashastra, Indra, Ishwara, Upanishad, Grahsta, Danava, daitya, Dharma (not Dhamma), Naraka, Niyoga, Nirvana, Paraloka, Pandita, Patita, bhagavatpuja, buddhabhagavat, Maya, mleccha, Lavana, vastu, Vishnu, Veda, Saka, Sakya, sakyarnuni, sruti, satphita, Sangati, Samgha, Sita, Sukha, skandha, svapna, Swarga, hindikadi.

The significance of the list in the Spitzer manuscript was first highlighted by Dieter Schlingloff in 1968 and 1969. He underscored its importance for understanding the evolution of the Mahābhārata text. Notably:

He observed the absence of the Virāṭaparvan and the Anuśāsanaparvan.
He noted the limited number of parvans between the Bhīṣma and Śānti parvans, suggesting the probable inclusion of the Āśvamedhikaparvan (Schlingloff 1969: 335).

Eli Franco also emphasizes the absence of the Anuśāsanaparvan, implying it might not have been part of the epic initially. He proposes that the Virāṭaparvan is likely a later addition (Franco 2004: 10).

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