People offer prayers as confetti is showered during the display of the original manuscript of Shikshapatri at a temple in London. The Shikshapatri, one of the world’s most significant and rare Hindu scriptures, marks its 200th anniversary this year with a tour of Swaminarayan temples across the UK. Image credit/PTI
The University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries has launched a UK-wide tour of the Shikshapatri, a rare and significant Hindu scripture, to mark its 200th anniversary.
The manuscript began its bicentenary journey earlier this year and will travel to major Swaminarayan temples across the country in partnership with faith leaders, offering an estimated 20,000–30,000 people a chance to view the sacred text.
Composed in Vadtal, Gujarat, in 1826 by Sahajananda Swami, Lord Swaminarayan, the Shikshapatri—literally “a letter of teachings”—was written as a guide to ethical and spiritual living. The manuscript contains 212 Sanskrit shlokas that distil key principles from Hindu scriptures and is recited daily by followers of the Swaminarayan faith. The text has been printed millions of times worldwide.
“By sharing this historic manuscript with temples and communities across the UK, the Bodleian Libraries hope to honour both its cultural significance and its enduring message,” said Dr Gillian Evison, Keeper of Asian and Middle Eastern Collections at the Bodleian. Oxford University noted that two centuries on, the Shikshapatri’s call for compassion, ethical living and social harmony continues to resonate.
The Bodleian says its copy holds particular historical importance as one of the oldest known manuscripts provided by the author himself. On February 26, 1830, Sahajananda Swami personally presented this copy to Sir John Malcolm, then Governor of Bombay. The university adds that the text has historically offered guidance for ethical conduct and living and today continues to influence millions, promoting principles such as non-violence, vegetarianism, honesty and the avoidance of sinful behaviour.
Usually housed in the Bodleian’s Weston Library, the manuscript’s 2026 tour is a rare opportunity to share the object directly with the communities for whom it holds deep spiritual meaning. The tour, running until August, will visit Swaminarayan temples across London and Wales and is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors.
The Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford form the largest university library system in the UK, comprising the principal Bodleian Library as a legal deposit library for 400 years and 23 other libraries across Oxford. Together they hold more than 14 million printed items, over 80,000 e-journals and extensive special collections, including rare books, manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
PTI
London, Updated At: 03:05 PM Apr 05, 2026 IST
