Sambodhi 2012 Vol 35

SR No.: 520785
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2012
Total Pages: 224
Language: English, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Sambodhi, & India
File Size: 37 MB

Page 90

Dinanath Sharma
SAMBODHI
According to Vedic tradition Brhma created scripts for the betterment of human being and because man forgets the things after six months
नाकरिष्यद्यदि ब्रह्मा लिखितं चक्षुरुत्तमम् । तत्रेयमस्य लोकस्य नाभविष्यच्छुभा गतिः ॥ नारदस्मृति षाण्मासिके तु समये भ्रान्तिः संजायते यतः । धात्राक्षराणि सृष्टानि पत्रारूढान्यतः पुरा ॥
मनुस्मृति-आह्निकतत्त्व (वार्तिककार बृहस्पतिकृत) Apart from these Indian references, there are so many foreign travelers who give testimony to the prevalence of palaeography in India.
- Chinese visitor Huen Tsang has mentioned the writing system to be popular in India. (Bill Ciyuki Part 1 page-77).
- Chinese ecyclopaedia namely “Fa Va Shulin” has stated that Brahma has created Brahmi script which is written from left to right. (Babilonian and Oriental Records 1.59).
- According to Alberuni from Arab Hindus had forgotten script then Vyasa, the seer one evolved it. (Sakhau Alberuni's India 1.171).
- Niyarkasa, the Commander in chief of the Army of Alexander has written that Indians knew to make paper cotton and rotten cloths. (Strabau - 15.717).
- Magasthanese, an ambassador of Alexander in kingdom of Chandragupta Maurya says that mile stones were fixed on every ten stadia along the roads so that the travelers could know halt stations. He has said that Indian used to prepare astrological data of persons on the basis of Smriti. He misunderstood the word Smriti as memory which was actually the law book of the Hindus. (Indica of Magasthanese 91, 125-126)
- Ouints Cartius says that Indians utilize the barks of some trees for writing. (Meccrindle History of Alexander's Invasion of India 8.9)
(N.B. All these references have been taken from the “Bharatiya Prachina Lipimala” page-3,4)
In light of these descriptions, references and evidences, it is very much explicit that palaeography in India originates to the inception of the Vedas. We see that the hymns of the Vedas are in metres. Brahmana treatises, Aranyakas are just like the commentaries on the Vedas. Upanishads, grammars,