Indian Antiquary Vol 02

SR No.: 032494
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 428
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 157

MAY, 1873.]
HINDU PRONUNCIATION OF GREEK.
143
of Gopâ lasvami in Devandahalli, and fairly represents all similar sculptured figures. The Rishi is represented with a deer's head !
Nårvê is still a village, and goes by that name. It is about 12 miles from the shrine at Kigga, which is itself about 6 miles from Sringeri, the seat of the great Sankaracharya.
It only remains to say that the Linga in the temple is a long cylinder, over three feet above ground, and some part of it must besides be buried under the Pitham. Its surface is rough, and the credulous are asked to believe, with the aid of the light reflected from a large
mirror, that the inequalities on the Linga are nothing less than the actual avatars of Siva, his consort, and his bull!
There are some fine carvings and inscriptions in the vicinity. The shrine is largely endowed with lands, partially free from government revenue. It would be difficult to find lovelier and more enchanting scenery than that which the traveller suddenly comes upon in these re
The Tuñgabhadrâ above referred to is only the Tuñga-far above its confluence with the Bhadrå.
HINDU PRONUNCIATION OF GREEK, AND GREEK PRONUNCIATION OF
HINDU WORDS.
BY DR. A. WEBER, BERLIN,
Translated from the German by E. Rehatsek, M.C.E. It is well known that in consequence of Alexan- India, and conversely many Indian ones came to der's campaigns the Greeks, for a considerable the West. Now, the form in which they appear time, maintained close relations with India. Greek in both localities bears the stamp of the pronunsovereigns reigned during more than two centa. ciation of the time, and may therefore throw a ries in the north-western provinces of India, and certain light thereon; that light cannot of course even far down in Western India; Greek ambas. be very decisive, inasmuch as in general but very Badors were sent to the courts of Hindu kings; scanty auxiliary means, c. g. legends on coins in Greek merchants, Greek art and science, influenced the imperfect and difficult Aryan characters, are at Hindu life directly, partly from the Panjab and our disposal; and further, because in the receppartly through Alexandria. This influence wastion and subsequent transmission of foreign undoubtedly more considerable than is usually
vocables their phonetic values were retained merely supposed; it extended itself not merely to practical
in a general way, while at the same time they sufbranches, e.g. to the coining of money,* to archi- fered considerably both from popular etymological tecture, to dramatic representations, to astrono- assimilation to words current in the vernacular, mico-astrological notions, &c., but also to purely
and from unintentional deterioration in the mouths mental divisions of knowledge, such as the trans- of the unlearned. mission of various western narratives, fables, tra- I desire the following data concerning this subditions, and other legendary or religious matters. ject to be considered merely as a first attempt In return for this, various Indian materials as well waiting for, and in need of, being supplemented in as intellectual products found their way through many ways. It is hoped that the systematic excommerce from the East to the West; but although cavations begun lately in India in the ancibnt the influence of the West upon India may have Greek dominions will produce a rich harvest of dominated in pre-Christian times, it seems, on the coin-legends, and will be lucrative also in other other hand, that in post-Christian ones (exceptions analogous respects. May a propitious star guide of course also existing) Hindu influence upon the the archeological expedition lately started to those West had conversely a stronger current. Many localities under Cunningham's skilful direction, and possessions which had originally come to the may thereby the conception of a Corpus inHindus from the West now again migrated back, scriptionum Indicarum, executable only but in the new shape which they had meanwhile in India, appear so feasible to the leading powers assumed in India.
of the Indian Government that this pium desideThus it could not fail to happen that nnmbers of rium, so long and painfully felt in scientific circles, Greek words and names should find their way to at last be brought to a completion !
• Even the silver coins of the Guptas show Greek oor ers, the shipwrecked Tambalos was bronght, "was & traita.
'friend of the Hellenes and esteemed their science." (Lassen, + The king of Palibothra, to whom, in the first century of Ind. Ait. K. III. 264.)