Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 24

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JANUARY, 1932
worshipped urddhibhedena, i.e., in order of their of meaning 'ssa, etc., with the addition of a suffix age (growth,' or 'augmentation'), or, in other na (ns in the case of patana, "city,' dealt with worda, in the order of the kalds of the crescent by him in & previous paper in Rocznik Orjentalis moon : and 90 on. This půjd with the 16 Brahman tyczny, V, 174 f.). He further shows how the word and the 16 maidens, occupying the period of the may be equated with the Hittite aruna, sea,' dukla paksa or crescent moon, is the more im- and the god Aruna, who, in the treaty between portant in that it has its counterpart in the well the Hittite and Mitanni kings found at Boghazkoi, known ceremonies connected with divinities re- occupies the place of Varuna. Incidentally M. presenting periodic forces and destined to promote Przyluski regards the first part of the name Bhaincrease and development.
rukaccha, one of the ancient names of Broach, Prof. Tucci goes on to discuss the system of as having the same origin. If this be no, perhaps computation by fours and multiples of four, of the legend Associating it with Bhrgu may merit which so many examples are to be found in the further investigation. (Did the Bhargavas, who ritualistic and mystic literature of the Tantras, are so widely Basociated with this region, come and whether 4 or 16 is the basic number underlying from over sea ?) the system. If computation by 16 be connected Dr. C. O. Blagden presents a translation of a with lunar elements, then the basio number can- valuable little grammatical sketch of the Ple-Temer not be 4. He points out that classification by dialect of Sakai, spoken in the interior of the Malay foure is widely attested in the literature of the peninsula; and Mr. Raghu Vira discusses the lost Vedas and Brdhmanas, and that it seems to have phonetic outras of Panini, seeking to establish, been the more common in the beginning. Con. by a comparison of the Sikad discovered by sidering that a base number is generally derived Svâmi Day Ananda in 1879 with Candragomin's from some concreto object or objects which visibly Varna-sútras, that the latter were based upon the present it, he hazards the suggestion that a base Siksd. of 4 might have been adopted from the four feet Readers of the I.A. will perhape be most inof the cow or ox. While agreeing that the basic terested at the present time in perusing two other number is more likely to have been 4 than 16, we short notes, the one by Prof. S. Langdon on 'A feel that its use goes farther back than the times New Factor in the Problem of Sumerian Origins,' when the cow or ox assumed such importance. and the other by Prof. Pran Nath of the Hindu We might draw attention perhaps in this connexion University, Benares, on 'The Script of the Indus to the combinations of four so frequently notice. Valley Seals. Prof. Langdon prints & photograph able on the seals and inscriptions found at ancient of a seal recently found et Hursagkalamme, Kish, sites in the Indus basin and in Elam, and in the dating from about 2800 B.O., in all respects similar ornamentation of some of the oldest pottery. It to the pools discovered at Harappa and Mohenjois remarkable, it may be added, to what an extent daro, and mines the questions whether the Sumerians counting by four (the gunda) is still followed among are not really the Indus Valley people themselves, the rural and illiterate folk of northern India. or whether the painted ware civilization came from
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, July, 1931. India and found the Sumerian people in the land. -This number starts with a paper by Pandit B. Prof. Pran Nath, who has been making close N. Reu on & sanad granted by Shah Alam II study of the seals found in the Panjab and Sind, to Maharaja Bijay Singh of Marwar, from which has been led to the conclusion that what have it would appear that the village of Rafalna, where hitherto been regarded as pictographs or ideographs New Delhi has now been built, was for long in the 1 are in fact letters or characters (akaaras) closely possession of the Maharajas of Jodhpur se jdgfr. connected with the Brahmf characters, which Mr. E. H. Johnston contributes & series of useful were probably evolved from them. He publishes and suggestive notes on a number of PAli words, & very tentative Key' to the script on the seals, the meanings of which have been regarded as and some selected inscriptions with his proposed doubtful, of which have been misunderstood deciphernet in Devanagar characters beneath. hitherto. M. Fabri of Leyden, in two brief! We understand that he proposes, in view of further
Notes on Indian Head-dress,' emphasizes the researches, to publish shortly an emended and importance of studying costume and fashions in amplified table, which will be awaited with the head-dress, etc., and indicates by certain examples greatest interest. He was induced to publish how an examination of these details may assist his suggestions at this early stage of his work, in dating sculpture. He proposes to pursue this he tells us, "by the hope that they may stimulato subject in & subeequent discussion of the coiffures other scholars to follow up the clues offered and represented on some frescoes et Ajanta.
80 lead eventually to the complete decipherment M. Jean Przyluski, in one of his fascinating of the seals." We hope that a ready response etymological papers entitled 'Varuna, god of the will be given to this appeal. Dr. Pran Nath's BBA and the sky,' propoeee to derive the name suggestions open up & wide vista, and if he has Varuns from & Palæo-Asiatie root bar, enlarged caught the right trail, and this can be followed up in the Austro-Asiatic languagee to baru, capable l by exports in Sumerian, Iranian and Sanskrit lore,