Indian Antiquary Vol 42

SR No.: 032534
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 400
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 375

CHAPTER III.
THE SCRIPT, THE SCRIBES, AND THEIR USAGES IN
THE BOWER MANUSCRIPT.
A glance at the Tables which illustrate this chapter shows at once that all the seven Parts of the Bower Manuscript are written in an essentially identical script. Considering the fact, which will be proved in the sequel, of a diversity of scribes, the identity of their script is strikingly shown by the occurrence of the same slight variations in the forms of such consonants as k,r and (Table I), and such vowels as i, u, and 1 (Table II, Nos, 5, 7-10). This script is that which prevailed in Northern India from the fourth to the sixth centuries A.D. (both inclusive). It is now generally known as the Gupta script, because its prevalence coincided with the rule of the (Early) Gupta Emperors in whose epigraphic records it is employed. Most of these records, inscribed during the period of the Gupta Empire, are collected in the third volume of the Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum.67 The facsimile Plates, accompanying that volume may be consulted for the purpose of comparing the script used in the Gupta records with that seen in the several Parts of the Bower Manuscript,
During the period of approximately three centuries of its prevalence the Gupta script shows two distinct types, a southern and a northern, their areas being separated by a line running in a north-easterly direction, roughly between N. Lat. 24° and 22.° At Mandasor (Lat. 24°3), Eran (Lat. 24° 5'), and Udayagiri (Lat. 23°32'), there exist inscriptons, side by side, in both types of the script. From the dates of these inscriptions58 it will be seen that, in every case, the records of the southern are earlier than those of the northern type,-& circumstance which points to the gradual advance southwards of the fashion of writing in the northern style. For practical purposes the most useful test for distinguish. ing the two types is the form of the letter m (Fig. 9). Here (a) shows the original form of the letter, in the so-called Asoka script. Gradually the curve at the base was flattened, and the point of crossing shifted, more or less, to the
8 right. In this form (b) the character was preserved in the southern type of the script. In the north-west of India the tendency of straightening the curves was more pronounced. At first it affected only the right side of the letter. This side was made quite straight; and in consequence thereof it was entirely severed from the crossing point. Thus arose the earlier northern Gupta form (c). Soon also the left side was straight Forms of the ened, producing the alternative form (d). In these two forms the character for m prevailed throughout the Gupta period (Table I), gradually spreading castward over the whole of Northern India. From the second of the northern Gupta forms
67 Volume III, Inscriptions of the Early Gupta Kings and their successors, edited by Dr. J. F. Fleet, c. I. E., in 1888. A few additional inscriptions, discovered after that date are published in the Bpigrapkia Indica. These two publications are quoted in the sequel as F. GI, and E.I. respectively.
* Mandasor, northern type, F. GI., No9, 33, 34, 35, dated c. 530-533 A.D., and southern type, F.GI., No. 18, dated 473, A.D. Eran, northern, F.GI., Nos. 19, 20, 36 dated 468, 484, 508 A.D., and southern, F.GI., No. 2, dated 370 A.D. Udayagiri, northern, F.GI., No. 61, dated 425 A.D., and southern, F.GI., No. 3, dated 401 A.D.
Fig. 9.