Panchratre Jayakhya Samhita

SR No.: 020424
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Embar Krishnamacharya
Publisher: Orental Institute
Publication Year: 1967
Total Pages: 588
Language: Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 23 MB

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32
FOREWORD
century A.D. In all these variations the letter 'V' maintained its form of a pot.
The letter' DH' () is designated in this work as Sarngadhṛt or the holder of a bow. It is a patent fact that the letter 'DH' used to be represented in the time of Aśoka and centuries afterwards by a vertical line with a semi-circle joined to it either on the right or the left side but more often on the left, and this gives it the clear appearance of a bow. But, of course, in this case the holder is absent.
The letter 'T' (a) is called Sragdhara or the holder of a garland. The letter used to be represented in the time of Asoka by a short vertical line with a cone attached to its lower end. But this lower end which was in the form of an acute angle gradually assumed the shape of a small semi-circle from the Sunga times and continued practically in the same form with very slight modifications right up to the present day. This gives the letter the appearance of a hand holding a garland.
The letter 'GH' () is here designated as Diptimän or brilliant, blazing or flaming. This letter in ancient Brahmi script used to be represented by three parallel vertical lines joined together by a horizontal or a curved line underneath. The three vertical lines thus resemble the three flames of fire and it can easily be conceived why the letter should be called 'brilliant.' With slight modifications the letter continued in the same form up to the middle of the 10th century.
The letter 'P' () is called here Pascimanana or Westfaced. The letter used to be represented in early times by a vertical line with a small semi-circle attached to its lower end towards the right. Gradually, in the course of time it took the shape of two parallel lines joined below by a horizontal bar. This happened in the Sunga script and it became definitely left-faced in the Samudragupta's Allahabad inscription (375 A.D.) and continued in the same form for several cen