In Sanskrit the Śravya Kāvyas are divided into three
- Poetry type kāvyas (Padya)
- Prose type kāvyas (Gadya) and
- Mixture of the both called Campū
These kāvyas too have so many references for writing in ancient India. Raghuvaṃśa Mahākāvya written by the great poet Kālidāsa refers the script as follows
लिपेर्यथावद्ग्रहणेन वाङ्मयं
नदीमुखेनेव समुद्रमाविशत्।
liperyathāvadgrahaṇena vāṅmayaṁ
nadīmukheneva samudramāviśat|
Dilīpa entered into the ocean of knowledge through the correct knowledge of script as somebody enters ocean through the river path.
The Himālaya varṇana of Kumārasambhava too has similar reference.
न्यस्ताक्षरो धातुरसेन यत्र
भूर्जत्वजः कुञ्जरबिन्दुशोणाः।
व्रजन्ति विद्याधरसुन्दरीणाम्
अनङ्गलेखक्रिययोपयोगम्।।
nyastākṣaro dhāturasena yatra
bhūrjatvajaḥ kuñjarabinduśoṇāḥ|
vrajanti vidyādharasundarīṇām
anaṅgalekhakriyayopayogam||
The Birch barks possessing letters made up of minerals and resembling the dots on elephant, became the love letter tools of beautiful ladies of Vidyādhara clan.
The usage of Bhūrjapatra is referred thus. Naiṣadhīya carita too mentions writing in golden leaves.
तलोदरे काञ्चनकेतकस्य क्षणान् मषीभावुकवर्णरेखम्।
तस्यैव यत्र स्वमनङ्गलेखं लिलेख भैमी नखलेखनीभिः।।
talodare kāñcanaketakasya kṣaṇān maṣībhāvukavarṇarekham|
tasyaiva yatra svamanaṅgalekhaṁ lilekha bhaimī nakhalekhanībhiḥ||
Bhaimī (Damayantī) wrote love letter on golden ketaki flower with her nails using ink. Thus usage of golden leaves is well proved.
Kāvyamīmāṃsā, written by Rājaśekhara, gives so many references regarding the writing in ancient India.
फलकेषु वार्तिकमाद्यम्
phalakeṣu vārtikamādyam
Thus refers the work regarding writing in wooden board. Guṇāḍhya, a great poet vanquished in a competition, gave up the languages and got expertise in Paiśācī language. He wrote a poem by his blood. The reference is available in his work Kathāsarit sāgara.
मैतां विद्याधरा हार्षुरिति तामात्मशोणितैः।
अटव्यां मष्यभावाच्च लिलेख स महाकविः।।
maitāṁ vidyādharā hārṣuriti tāmātmaśoṇitaiḥ|
aṭavyāṁ maṣyabhāvācca lilekha sa mahākaviḥ||
Patañjali carita too informs that Candra śarmā wrote the Mahābhāṣya, taught by a Brahmarākṣasa with his nails on the leaves of banyan tree.
अपचितवटपत्रजालगर्भे नखशिखरेण द्रुतं लिलेख तावत्।
apacitavaṭapatrajālagarbhe nakhaśikhareṇa drutaṁ lilekha tāvat|
Prose kāvyas too help in this regard. Kādambarī, a great prose kāvya, refers as follows.
पट्टिकालिखितदुर्गास्तोत्रेण
paṭṭikālikhitadurgāstotreṇa
This informs that Durgā stotra was written in a cloth. Harṣa carita written by the same author refers that the treasury possessions of Kubera was written on a cloth.
सङ्ख्यालेख्यपट्टिकामिव कुबेरकोशस्य
saṅkhyālekhyapaṭṭikāmiva kuberakośasya
Thus the Sanskrit kāvyas give so many references regarding the writing in ancient India.
