Palm Leaves – Medium of Ancient Wisdom and Knowledge

Today we have some more interesting information to share! Last time we talked about the preparation of palm leaves, as long as they had not yet fallen into the hands of an author. In this post, we’ll talk about what palm leaves contain, the different languages that were used, and the authors who wrote the palm leaves.

What was written on the palm leaves?

Literature:

Literary works on palm leaf manuscripts contain a lot of information about writing, poetry grammar and prose. There were also literary works from epic to short stories. Authors wrote about events in real time and there were also fictional works. In those days, many kings commissioned authors to create such works. Sangam literature was a very ancient literary work in Tamil language.

Fine arts:

Many talented artists wrote about their skills in palm leaf manuscripts to pass on their knowledge to future generations. Nowadays, we have various platforms and resources to spread knowledge, but 1000 years ago this is what palm leaf manuscripts were used for. These talented people also had periodic meetings to share their skills with others, similar to the way we have conferences these days. For example, the Natyaya Shastra, an ancient treatise, was written by a scholar named Bharata Muni. The Natyaya Shastra was about the Indian classical dance Bharathanatyam.

Mathematics:

Great mathematicians passed on their knowledge to future generations through manuscripts on palm leaves. We may find information ranging from complex concepts to simple terms, and we might be surprised that they wrote such simple solutions to such complex problems. There are manuscripts dealing with decimal systems, number notations, measurements and algorithms.

Science:

Palm leaf libraries contain a wide variety of literary works, from nano-science to macro subjects. There are works on medicine, physics, chemistry and astronomy. Siddha Ayurveda and Unani manuscripts contribute to medical writings and there are also books on construction (Vastu Shastra), architecture, atom theory, metallurgy, etc.

Philosophy and the science of life:

In ancient times, people led a simple and disciplined life. There are many literary works about different types of people who lived in different geographical landscapes. The authors wrote about the life, food and lifestyle of the people who lived in those places. Also, when kings, leaders, or people went down the wrong path, the authors felt it was their duty to guide them. To do this, they wrote philosophical works to keep order in society.

What languages were used?

There are palm leaf manuscripts written in Tamil, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali, Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Marathi, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada.

Who were the authors of the palm leaf manuscripts?

Among the authors were Maharishis, Siddhis, and scholars from various fields. Maharishis wrote treatises on spirituality as well as on mundane subjects. Siddhis were scholars, saints, doctors, alchemists and mystic writers. Scholars wrote about art, architecture, music, dance and sculpture. Although many palm leaf manuscripts still exist and are preserved in libraries, unfortunately many have been lost in wars, natural disasters or destroyed by insects.

We now know that there are many palm leaf manuscripts written on a large number of different topics, in different languages and by different authors of different ages. Palm leaf libraries are rich in knowledge and stories that have much to teach us and can also surprise us with their wisdom.

If you want to learn more about how palm leaf libraries store ancient palm leaves that tell us about our future and karma, read on here.

published: 12/11/2021