On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet c7.s2.6

c7.s2.6

The cases in which a borrowed or derivative sign has been mutilated, are those of the lingual *tenuis*, *tenuis aspirata* and *media*, all of which Professor Weber has already explained correctly. The lingual *ḍa* under No 4, Col. VI, c, which occurs occasionally in Kālsī and commonly in the later inscriptions of the Nānāghāt and the other Western caves etc., is derived, by the removal of the lower end, from the Bhaṭṭiprolu *da* (Col. VI, a), which had not yet been turned from the right to the left. The angular *ḍa* (Col. VI, h) comes in like manner from an angular *da* (not yet turned to the left), of which the known inscriptions do not offer any example. The *ṭha* (No 9, Col. VI, a) is of course the dental *tha* minus the central dot, and the *ṭa* (No 9, Col. VI, b) has probably been obtained by halving the *ṭha*, as Professor Weber conjectures. To a Hindu this process probably appeared very natural. For he formed several aspirates by adding curves. Hence he may be supposed to have considered a round sign, denoting an aspirate, as equivalent to an unaspirated letter *plus* a curve of aspiration. Thus the division of the sign would be quite legitimate. In the Edicts both *ṭha* and *ṭa* are frequently made smaller than the other letters.