Papers Relating to the Collection and Preservation of Ancient Sanskrit Literature in India
Overview
Archibald Edward Gough’s 254-page report, published in Calcutta in 1878 by order of the Government of India, documents systematic efforts to locate, catalog, and preserve Sanskrit manuscripts throughout India. As Anglo-Sanskrit Professor at Government College Benares (1868-77) and later Professor of Philosophy at Presidency College Calcutta, Gough surveyed manuscript collections in temples, monasteries, private libraries, and royal collections, documenting their condition, cataloging contents, and recommending preservation measures. This work represents early recognition of India’s manuscript heritage as requiring systematic conservation and provides invaluable documentation of 19th-century manuscript locations and conditions.
About Archibald Edward Gough
Archibald Edward Gough (1845-1915) was one of the few early Western scholars seriously engaging with Indian philosophy. After serving as Anglo-Sanskrit Professor at Benares, he became Professor of Philosophy at Presidency College and Principal of the Madrasa in Calcutta (1877-86). He translated Mādhavācārya’s Sarva-darśana-sangraha with E. B. Cowell, making this important philosophical compendium accessible to English readers. His manuscript survey combined philological expertise with conservation concern, documenting India’s textual heritage during a period when many manuscripts faced neglect or destruction.
The Manuscript Crisis
By the late 19th century, traditional systems of manuscript preservation were deteriorating. The decline of royal and temple patronage, changing educational systems, and the introduction of print technology meant that manuscript collections were increasingly neglected. Many manuscripts deteriorated from climate, insects, and lack of care. European scholars and Indian reformers recognized the urgent need for systematic preservation before irreplaceable texts were lost.
Survey Methodology
Gough’s survey involved:
- Visiting major manuscript repositories across northern India
- Cataloging manuscript contents and physical condition
- Assessing preservation needs and threats
- Documenting rare or unique texts
- Recommending acquisition and conservation priorities
- Identifying manuscripts suitable for publication
His reports provided the Government of India with information needed to develop preservation policies and allocate resources for manuscript acquisition and conservation.
Significance for Textual Studies
This documentation proved invaluable for later scholars researching Sanskrit literature. Gough’s catalogs identified manuscripts subsequently edited and published, located unique witnesses to important texts, and preserved information about manuscripts that have since been lost or relocated. The work exemplifies how 19th-century colonialism, despite its exploitative character, sometimes facilitated cultural preservation through systematic documentation.
Digital Preservation
This 254-page government publication has been digitized and is freely accessible through the Internet Archive, providing contemporary scholars access to Gough’s documentation of 19th-century manuscript locations and the early history of Sanskrit manuscript preservation in India.