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246
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(AUGUST, 1895.
find by actual calculations whether any other motion of stars is not taken into account in any nakshatra, was on the equator at the time; but, of the statements above. from a rough sketch of the position of the equator The Passaget speaks of the rising of the and ecliptic at that time, I see that one star of
Krittikah due east, as oocurring at the Rohiņi, three of Hasta, two of Anaridha, one of
time, and not as & thing past. And, in my Jyêstha, and one of Asvinf, were near the equator, but not a single star of the 27 or 28
opinion, the statement conclusively proves
that the passage was composed not later nakshatras, except perhaps one or two of Hasta
than 8000 B. C. (Band Corvi), was then on the equator; neither
SANKAR B. DIKSHIT. of these last two, however, is taken as a yoga- Poona Training College, tará of Hasta in later astronomy. The proper 27th April 1895.
NOTES AND QUERIES. A VOLUNTARY POOR RATE BOARD IN INDIA. The objects of expenditure are mainly those of
In Muzaffargarh, especially in the Alipar alms-giving and entertainment of religious guests! tahsil, are found unofficial panchayats in towns, but occasionally & seful work, like a smal, exercising many of the functions of Poor Rate bridge, is taken in hand. The mode in which Boards. They levy a rate, generally assimilated
the members of the panchayat are chosen is not to, or based upon, the Government octroi. Noclear. The institution differs in some respecte one thinks of objecting to pay this. The money from the social panchayats found in Dehlf and is kept by a treasurer, who disburses it on the elsewhere. written order of one or more of the panchayat.
B. M. in P. N. and Q. 1883.
BOOK-NOTICE. Dr. BÜHLER ON THE ORIGIN OF THE Aramaic, partly from Kharôshthi, and partly INDIAN BRAHMA ALPHABET.1
from Greek. THE appearance of one of Dr. Bühler's Indian When Prof. Weber started his hypothesis, Studies is always eagerly welcomed by scholars the list of quotable references in the more ancient on this side of the Arabian Sea : for we are certain Indian literature regarding writing was a short of finding in it something new and original, one, but since that time further explorations have illuminated by the steady light of experience, brought to light various additional pieces of born of ripe knowledge. His essay on the Brahma evidence. Amongst the older dharmaldstras, Alphabet need be no exception to the rule, and that named after Vazishtha, which probably dates probably most of us will be ready to admit after from some centuries before the beginning of our its perusal, that a long.vexed question has been era, and which is older than the Manusamhita, finally set at rest. After an introductory chapter mentions written documents (Ikhya) as proof discussing the various theories hitherto held of ownership; but the most fruitful researches regarding the origin of the alphabet called by have been those in the canonical works of the Europeans, Lath, Southern, Indian Pali, In- Southern Buddhists, especially in the Jatakas. dian or Maurya, and by Hindus Brahmi Lipi, Dr. Bühler quotes several jataka stories in which Dr. Bühler states briefly that the results at which writing is mentioned :- a slave gets himself a rich he has arrived confirm the views of Prof. Weber, wife by means of a forged letter (lékha), a teacher that the Brahma is derived directly from the corresponds with his pupils, a king with a future oldest Phoenician Alphabet, as against the the- Buddha, while in two instances reference is made ories of (1) Cunningham that it is an original to official correspondence between kinga. In the Indian invention, of (2) Deecke that it is descended Ruru-játaka, a debtor invites his creditor to come from the Assyrian cuneiform characters through with his bonds, and in several instances particuan ancient southern Semitic Alphabet, of (3) Dr. larly important records were inscribed on gold Isaac Taylor that it comes from an Alphabet of plates. The Vinaya-pitaka uleo refers to writing South Arabia, and of (4) M. J. Halevy, that it (Lekha) and writers (lékhaka) and to the cutting is of a composite character, partly derived from (chhindati) of inscriptions. In the Mahavagga, we
II do not know whether the passage is noticed by Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet, with a table. Weber in his essays on the nakshatrae. I saw the essaye Vienna, F. Tempsky. in November last; but they, being written in German, ? One instance not mentioned by Dr. Bühler may are a dead letter to me.
be quoted, -the Sambhava-jataka No. 515, Fauaböll, 1 Indian Studies by George Bühler. No. IIT., on the
