On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet c7.s3.13

c7.s3.13

The absence of a medial vowel between two consonants is expressed by the formation of a ligature, in which ordinarily the second consonant or its most essential portion is attached to the foot of the first. In the Girnār and Siddāpur versions however, the ligatures *ṣṭa*, *tpa*, *vya*¹ as well as those containing a *ra*, like *tra*, *pra* and *vra* show the inverse order and are spelt *ṭṣa*, *pta*, *yva*, *rta* and so forth, while all the others like *sta*, *mha* etc. are formed regularly. Moreover, in the words *brāmhaṇa* (Girnār IV, l. 2) and *drahyitavyaṃ* (Siddāpur, I, l. 9) the first vertical of *ba* and the two vertical strokes of *da* have been converted into wavy *ra*-lines. These irregularities are no [78] doubt due to an artistic feeling and the desire of the clerks to produce regular, shapely signs. The combinations of the consonants with medial vowels furnish analogies. Properly all the vowels ought to stand to the right of the foot of the consonants. If the majority is nevertheless placed at the top, that has been done merely for the sake of convenience. Later inscriptions also furnish a few isolated cases of an inversion of the order of the elements of ligatures. Thus the name of Caṣṭana's father is spelt on the coins *Ysamotika* instead of *Syamotika* and Harṣa's Banskhera Plate of A. D. 628/9 offers *vaṇṇra* for *varṇṇa*.