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SOME PHONETIC PECULIARITIES
37
Sk. bhikṣu -> *Shikkhu bhiku - EZ 1.6.2,3 and
EZ 3. 1622. Sk. Dharmarakṣita -> Damarakita - EZ 1.18.1.
Sk. V khan -> kaņa - EZ 1.211.
As against this general.tendępcy in Ceylonese inscriptions, we have only one instance of similar change from South India. Sk. pakşa -> *pakkha -> pakka - Maļavalli
(L 1195 ). $4. The guttural aspirate gh: This aspirate is also changed to g. e. g.
Sk. sangha -> [sa] ga - EZ 1.18.12 and 62.3. But it is preserved in sagha - EZ 1.147. IIIa.
This change is also found in an instance from a Kharosthi inscription cf. Sk. ghatika > gad( 7 )iglr)a — Wardak vase. $5. The palatal c: It is changed to j in,
Sk. prácina - > pajina --- EZ 3, 250'. This change is also found in the Brāhmi inscriptions from early times but the later tendency there is to change it to y, It may be added that this latter is the only treatment obtained in the Kha roșthi inscriptions.
$6. The palatal j: The change of j jh in a solitary instance is very peculiar. cf.
Sk. jāyā ->jhaya -- EZ 1. 19.6. $7. The cerebral th: Due to the tendency towards deaspiration it becomes ļ.
Sk. jyestha -> * jetha -> jeta - EZ 3. 1542.
Sk. artha --> * atha --> ata- EZ 3. 116'. It is interesting to note a similar change, though in a solitary instance, in as early as the Asokan inscriptions.
Sk. Kamatha -> kaphata - Pilla'r edicts. ( The aspiration is not lost here but transferred to the neighbouring syllable).
Madhu Vidyā/236
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