This is why Hindu traditions in India have a "parampara" which means disciplic succession or tradition of teaching from guru (teacher) down to disciple. Writing

This is why Hindu traditions in India have a "parampara" which means disciplic succession or tradition of teaching from guru (teacher) down to disciple. Writing only started with palm leaf manuscripts, before that everything was passed by word of mouth which is why Indic scholars say its hard to date things by written word as things were not written, just spoken and handed down. This is not the same as Chinese whispers, the oral tradition was very important and had to be word for word.