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OCTOBER, 2006.]
THE ORIGIN OF THE DEVANAGARI ALPHABET.
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The letter pa bears such names as dakshapdriva, 40 right side of the trank; sendnch, the commander of an army; marfchih, ray of light; pavanah, the air; and sanih, the planet Saturn. It is needless to say that in its ancient form this letter has a better resemblance to the right side of the trunk than to the Semitic phe turnod, according to Prof. Bühler, topsy-turvy. As the symbol of the right side of the trank bore the names pdráva or side and parana or the air, it seems to have easily lent itself as a symbol for the Anitial sound of those words. (See Plates I. and VIII.) The suddyak symbols referred to above clearly testify to the existence of two symbols for the right and left sides of the trank.
The Devanagari letter ma is called by such names as viska, poison ; mahdvira, great warrior; mahdkáya, of great belly or body; Meru, &c. It has been shown how the ancient Devanagari ma resembles a serpent, indicating poison. Being called by meru and other names beginning with m, the symbol of a cobra round the waist of the god Siva seems to have lunt itself more easily for the letter ma than the Semitic mem, with its top chopped off and its belly created and swollen, could do.
The letter kha bears the name khátila, beyond the sky or the head which corrresponds to it in the human frame. Accordingly, the ancient Devanagari kha must have been clearly represented by the symbol of unmani or unmandh, to which the letter kha bears a better resemblance than to the "Semitic goph, which indeed might better be the Devanagari chha, turned topsy-turvy. The symbol of khatita or unwani, mind going up, could easily stand for the initial sound of its name.
The letters gha and cha are called ghantadkáriņi and charmamundadhara, respectively. Regarding the goddess Chandi holding a bell in her hand as implied by the first word, and bearing a head with its skin not removed, as conveyed by the last word, the Mantramahodadhi sayo as follows:
खङ्गं चक्रगदेषु चापपरिषान् शूलं भृशुर्डी शिरः चार सन्दधतीं करैत्रिनयनां सर्वाङ्गभूषावृताम् । बामस्तोत्स्वपिते हरी कमलनी हन्तुं मधु कैटभं नीलाइमातिमास्वपाददशनां सेवे महाकालिकाम् ।। भक्षनपरपुंगदेषुकुलिशं पचं धनुः कुण्डिका दण्डं शक्तिमसि च चर्म जलचं घण्टा सुराभाजनम् । शूलं पाशसुवचने च धर्ती हस्तैः प्रवालमभां सेवे सरिभमादनीमिह महालक्ष्मी सरोजोजवाम् ।।
Stanzas 144 and 145, Chap. 18. I adore that great goddess Kal, whose mouth, legs and teeth are as shining as a blue stone, who, possessed of three eyes, is not only decked with all kinds of ornaments all over her body, but is also armed with a sword, a discus, a club, arrows, bow, an iron bludgeon, a lance, a shield, a head, and a conch-shell, and whom the Creator, with a view to destroy the demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, when god Vishnu was asleep, extolled for protection.
I. adore that great goddess of Wealth, who is born of the collected energy of the gods, who bears in her hands such as a rosary, a battle-axe, & club, arrows, the thunderbolt, a lotus flower, a bow,
drinking vessel, a rod, a hatchet, & sword, a skin of water animals, bell, a liquor-bottle, a lance, a noose, and the discus of Vishnu, and who, as bright 12 a coral-stone, destroyed the demon Sairibha.'
The legend of the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha is found described not only in almost all, the Purdras, but also, curiously enough, in the Jaius literature. Hence, the description of the
++ Soo ander Ps, Sabdakalpadruma,
-1 P. 233, Samavayanga Sutra,
