I have a lecture to prepare and am conducting a short survey:

I would like to know from the Sanskrit scholarly community what those feel are the utmost most excellent works from the entire corpora and a short line about why.

Think of it as "if there were to be a Pullitzer or Booker Prize for the notable Sanskrit works", who and what would be the nominees and why.

It could be a text that was of exceptional technical value for example Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī or those that have introduced a novel method in a field of science for example the Suśrutasaṃhitā. Then of course a notable poetic marvel such as Śakuntalā.

If there exist some already compiled lists of the same I would most appreciate it.

With warmest wishes,

Martin