Mahabhasya Pradipa
Kaiyata 11th Century
Kaiyata 11th Century
According to Paul Thieme, the oldest proof of Backgammon in India is a verse of Kaiyata's commentary about Mahabhasya written by the grammarian Kashmirian Patanjali.
sasahāyasya śārasya parair nākramyate padam
asahāyas tu śāreṇa parakīyeṇa bādhyate
The place of a piece that has a companion is not entered by adversaries
A stone that has no companion, however, is ousted by an adverse stone