Like the Christian monastery of the medieval times, a Satra was not
only a religious centre but also a school and a library. Every Satra possessed a library consisting of manuscripts to the extent of a few thousand copies. Not only were the existing books preserved with utmost care, but books were also imported from other parts of India. Big Satras like Āuniāti and Dakkhinpāt once contained more than a thousand manuscripts, some of which are now being preserved by the different antiquarian institutions. It is not that only religious scriptures were preserved, but books on music and dance, medicine, literature, philosophy and even painting were carefully preserved.
Some rare Sanskrit manuscripts like the Srihastamuktāvali, Sātvata-tantra, Hastividyārnava have been recovered from the Satra libraries of Assam. The books that were preserved were not left to lie fallow. They were industriously and assiduously copied and worn-out ones were replaced by new copies. A set of persons were specially entrusted by the affluent Satras to do the necessary work of preparing manuscripts. The copying of manuscripts was considered to be a meritorious deed.
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