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Introduction
The Mauryan dental sa has an additional hook, pointing downwards, attached to the left in the shape of pa. The verticals of the letter are equalized in pre-Kushāṇa period. In the Kushāṇa period, the form of the letter progressed much and finally developed into a looped variety (Fig. 3). This variety is called eastern, while in the western region the older form persists with prominent head-mark. Both forms of the letter are represented in the Gupta inscriptions. The Aulikara inscriptions reveal a stroke in the place of loop at the left limb. Lower loop of the letter develops into a solid-triangular form in the inscriptions of the Maukharis.
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The shape of the letter ha in the Mauryan Brahmi is like pa with an additional tick on the right. The curves of the letter are angularized in pre-Kushāna period. The Kushāṇa period is a transitional one from the viewpoint of the development. The letter developed under two distinct varieties which can best be understood by the illustrations shown in Fig. 3. The first hooked ha is called eastern variety. Western inscriptions present a form of angular ha with downwards curling right tick. In postGupta period, head-mark becomes solid-triangle and right curve further extends.
Ligatures (Fig. 2b)
In all the developmental stages ligatures do not follow the rule of Sanskrit grammar in which the first letter loses its inherent a to combine with the second letter. Earlier ligatures are normally formed by placing consonants one upon the other in their natural order. For accommodating them in the limited space, in general, the lower letter is made more shorter and cursive. These factors are responsible for the development of some letter forms, such as bipartite type of subscript ya, cursive variety of ñ,
etc.
Development in the medial signs (Fig. 2a)
In the formation of the medial signs, from the time of Aśoka, ā is attached to the right, e and ai left, u and ū in the lower portion of the letter. Medial o is a combination of the signs for ā and e. And au is not
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