Indian Epigraphy c11.t6.1

c11.t6.1

Generally a charter opens with a *mangala* or auspicious invocation.² Early records³ often begin with the auspicious word *siddham* which means the same thing as *siddhir=astu*, ‘Let there be success.’⁴ Sometimes the word *svasti* was used instead of *siddham*.⁵ Later on, *siddham* began to be expressed by a symbol⁶ which was often followed by the word *svasti*.⁷ Medieval records sometimes show *Om* at the beginning generally along with the *siddham* symbol and other invocatory passages.⁸