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NOVEMBER, 1906.] THE ORIGIN OF THE DEVANAGARI ALPHABET.
(roaring).
giftoft (making or abiding in dham). णामिनी (?).
तामसी (dark as night). थामिनी (?).
बन्धिनी (binding ).
* (auspicious goddess of that name). महाकाया (possessed of a large body).
वरदा (bestowing gifts).
शशिनी (having the moon).
हंसवती ( having a goose P ).
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
I
दाक्षायणी (daughter of Daksha). धात्री (protector). नन्दा (pleasant ).
Traft (daughter of a mountain). फट्टारिणी (making a noise like phat ).
Brahmâ.'
aufert (famous). रक्ता (red).
at (with projected lip).
षण्डा ( ? ).
सरस्वती (goddess of that name).
क्षमावती +3 (merciful ).
P. 3, Purvashodhányása.“
There can, therefore, be nothing to prevent us from accepting as true the idea that is embodied in the following verses :
semufteraturaemikengezin.
Chap. 16, Dakshinamûrtisamhita (p. 59).
(I bow to) that goddess who is brilliant with her bodily members formed of the letters from a to ksha.'
315
पञ्चाशन्निज देहजाक्षरभवैर्नानाविधैर्धातुभिः बह्वथैः पदवाक्यमानजनकैरर्थादिनाभावितैः
efmarÍRÁKwè: quâce=âte
विश्वं व्याप्य चिदात्मनाहमहमित्युज्जृम्भसे माटके 145 Mahinmastotra by Krodhabhaṭṭaraka.
Having as knowledge pervaded the whole of the Universe with verbal roots which are of various form and meaning, which are the product of the fifty alphabetic letters born of thy body, which give birth to words, phrases, and sentences inseparably combined with their senses and which are immensely famous for having given rise to philosophic discussions and texts, dealing with rituals and ceremonial merits, dost thou, O Picture of the Mother of the World (alphabet), exhibit thyself as "I and I alone."'
Can we not, then, say Amen to the following prayer of the Jainas who, as apostates from Brahmanism, hated almost every thing that was Brahmanic, but still, in appreciation of the benefits conferred on them, as on others, by the invention of the Brahmi alphabet by Brahmans, readily bowed to that Lipi?
नमो बम्मीए लिप्पीए. 48
'Salutation to the alphabet which originated from (the hieroglyphics, representative of)
48 Compare p. 74, Varivasyarahasya and Nyasa in Yoginidipika.
44 AK these words are collected in six groups.
45 Compare st. 81, oh. I., Mantramah, and Part III., Tripuratapini Upanishad. **Introductory passage, Bhagavati Bútra.
