________________
46
46. दिद्विवायस्स णं छायालीसं माउयापया पण्णत्ता। बंभीए णं लिवीए छायालीसं माउयक्खरा पण्णत्ता। पभंजणस्स णं वातकुमारिंदस्स छायालीसं भवणावाससतसहस्सा पण्णत्ता।
Of [the twelfth Anga text] Destivāda forty-six mātska alphabets are expounded. Of Brāhmi script forty-six mātặka alphabets are expoundedB. Forty-six lac dwelling mansions of Prabhañjana, lord of Vāyukumāra gods, are expounded.
Notes
A While alphabets 'a' 'a' etc. are mātskāpadas of the whole literature, origination, decay and permanence are the mātřkāpadas of Drsţivāda. With respect to siddhaśreņi and manusyaśreņi etc. these are of forty-six types'. B. Brāhmi script has forty six alphabets (mātskās) from 'a' to 'kşa'. Abhayadeva' has enumerated these alphabets in his commentary as follows:
'a' to 'ah' (excluding R, L) 12 vowels K to M (5x5)
25 consonants y, r, 1, v,
4 aspiral ś, ș, s, h,
4ūsma kșa ::
1
Total : 46 Dr. G. H. Ojha also accepted these 46 alphabets. Adding jña to this list a Chinese pilgrim has maintained that this list included forty-seven alphabets. According to Dr. Ojha Brāhmi script of Vedic age has generally 64 alphabets. This number also includes long and plut category of alphabets.
1. Samavāo, p. 208. 2. ibid.
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