The scribe is a professional copyist who copies a manuscript or document for others. He is sometimes confused with the author. Lipikara, Lipikāra, Lekhaka are the Sanskrit terms for scribe. Official scribes were also there in the past. They were called as Karaṇika, Kāyastha, Rājalekhaka and Rājalipikara. The keeper of records were called as…
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According to the nature of the instruments, the writing instruments are divided into three types. Instruments with hard and sharp tip to incise Instruments with soft tips to write and Brush to paint 1.The stylus is called as “Loha Kaṇṭaka” or “śalākā” in Sanskrit. It is a rod made up of iron with 10-30…
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We have already seen the metals gold, silver, copper and Brass to write manuscripts. The metals that are left are Bronze, Iron and Tin. BRONZE This “Bell metal” is rarely used for utensils. The bells made up of bronze contain inscriptions regarding the donors. A Human head in bronze is recovered from Peshawar and…
Continue readingWe have already seen the evidences for writing in ancient India from Vedas, Vedāṅgas, Itihasas, Purāṇas, Dharma, Artha, Kama śāstras and Kāvyas. Even foreigners who visited India from centuries even before the common era noted and documented the writing system of their period. Such notes are available and act as the evidences. Greek writers…
Continue readingThe Dramas in Sanskrit are called as “śravya Kāvyas”. They too possess evidences on ancient writing. Bhāsa, the earliest dramatist known, is dated as 4th BCE. He gives so many references on writing. Avimāraka, the play written by him, mentions “Pustaka” – book. विदूषकः भवति, इदमक्षरं नाम पुस्तके नास्ति। The vidūṣaka answers…
Continue readingIn 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…
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