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Voltaire acquired this manuscript from the chevalier de Maudave in 1760 and presented it to the Bibliothèque de roi (now the Bibliothèque nationale de France) in August 1761. The text is a commentary on the Vedas, though rather than being a precious authentic text as Voltaire imagined, it was composed by Jesuits in Pondicherry. He inscribed a title page (f.iir) outlining what he knew and believed about the manuscript and its history.
The text dates to 1759, with Voltaire adding to the manuscript in 1761.
This volume contains four items:
- f.[i] Notice sur le Zozur Bedo et sur sa traduction par Mr Court de Gebelin
- f.[ii] Title page in Voltaire’s hand: ‘L’Ezour-védam ou ancien commentaire du védam traduit de la langue du hanscrit par un Brame de Bénares correspondant de la compagnie des indes […]. This appears to have been written on a pre-existing blank page.
- f.1-29 [The commentary]
- f.30-33 Suite du Zozur Bedo
Repository: Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France
Date: 14 August 1761
CMV: cmv37415
Repository: Private Collection
Date: 23 August 1776
CMV: cmv37405
Repository: Voltaire Foundation
Date: 19 December 1762
CMV: cmv37337
Repository: Voltaire Foundation
Date: 19 September 1761
CMV: cmv37321
Repository: Voltaire Foundation
Date: 15 November 1760
CMV: cmv37305
This is a copy of the letter mentioned in D8832. It was sent to Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov.
Repository: Voltaire Foundation
Date: 1 April 1760
CMV: cmv37296
Repository: Voltaire Foundation
Date: 18 September 1759
CMV: cmv37291
Repository: Voltaire Foundation
Date: 1 August 1758
CMV: cmv37284
Repository: Voltaire Foundation
Date: 17 July 1758
CMV: cmv37282
Repository: Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France
Date: 10 January 1755
CMV: cmv37273