Manasara Series (I. A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture; II. Indian Architecture according to Manasara-Shilpashastra; III. Manasara on Architecture and Sculpture: Sanskrit Text; IV. Architecture of Manasara: Translation; V. Architecture of Manasara: Illustrations; VI. Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad; VII. An Encyclopaedia of Hindu Architecture) v7.c45.19

v7.c45.19

*Alphabetical order and transliteration*—I could not avail myself of the express advice of Dr. Fleet in his highly appreciative Review of Dr. Sörenson’s masterly Index (*Ind. Ant.*, Vol. XXXIV, p. 92) to arrange the words according to the European alphabetical order, which, in the opinion of the reviewer, has enhanced the value of the work. The European alphabet, being more imperfect than the Sanskrit alphabet with regard to the number of characters, especially the vowels and the phonetical arrangement of them, seemed unsuitable for the terms which are included in this dictionary (encyclopedia.) In either of the alphabets, the transliterated Sanskrit words in some cases would be more or less confusing (e.g. Ṛishi, Ṛiksha, Rintika, Ripu). But for the difficulties of making typewritten copies¹ before the dictionary went to press, I should have preferred to have Sanskrit words written in Sanskrit characters. Following the order of the Sanskrit alphabet, words like ‘vaṁśa,’ and ‘śaṅku’ are given not before ‘vakra’ and ‘śaka’ (as in the *St. Pet. Dict.*, *M. W. Dictionary* and the Vedic Index), but after ‘vahana’ and ‘śashpa.’ The *anusvāra* is derived from at least four nasal characters of the Sanskrit alphabet (ṅ, ñ, ṇ, m). Logically the *anusvāra* should follow the order of the original letters : ‘śaṁku’ should be where ‘śaṅku’ would be placed ; but this is an extremely confusing arrangement (*see Apte’s Dictionary*). There is no reason why ‘śaṁku’ should be read before ‘śaka,’ there is also no reason for its being placed after ‘śashpa,’ although one should be quite justified in doing so when he is following the order of a particular alphabet, and does not hesitate to read in another alphabet *e* after *d*, *i* after *h*, *o* after *n*, and *u* after *t*, or *l* after *k*, *h* after *g*, and so forth.