It is likely that the poem formed part of a letter to Frederick II of Prussia.

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

Voltaire opens by begging Dr. Maty to accept his respects. He then proposes abbé Coyer as a member of the Royal Society. He writes that Coyer is known for several highly esteemed works that will repair the harm that his own inadequacy causes such an illustrious society, but adds that Coyer will not be more devoted to it than he is.

A note on the MS at Chapter 26 suggests that the leaves have been preserved in the wrong order when the MS was brought into a larger collection in 1876.