Manuscript cover depicting the Nine Planetary Deities

The inside of this manuscript cover depicts deities symbolizing celestial bodies. From left to right, they are: the Sun, seated on a horse; the Moon riding a swan; Mars on a goat; Mercury holding a bow and arrow; Jupiter carrying a book; Venus with prayer beads and a vase; Saturn with sword and beads; Rahu, responsible for eclipses, holding the sun and moon; and Ketu, a comet or meteor, brandishing a sword. The front is covered by a sheet of gilded copper.

Book covers protect the loose pages of a book, and the two pierced holes allow for a cord that strings the pages together. This narrow type of cover is used specifically for sacred books written on palm leaves, which are found not only in Nepal but also in South and Southeast Asia.