Page:The Origin of the Bengali Script.djvu/108

74 21. Śa does not occur.

22. In Ṣa we find a diminution in the breadth of the lower part of the letter and a slanting cross bar. ''Cf. Varṣeṇa'' (L. 3).

23. In Sa the closing in of the sides has caused a fresh formation of the wedge. ''Cf. Prāsādo'' (L. 3).

24. Ha shows a top stroke—the transformation of the upper angle into a curve, and the curved line below the lower angle. ''Cf. Graho'' (L. 2).

The Nālandā (Baragaon in the Patna District) image inscription shows:

1. That in the west the older form of Bha was still being used. ''Cf. Paramabhattāraka (L. 1), and Bhattārikā'' (L. 2) and

2. That the later form of Śa is used in all cases: Āśvina, Śudi, Parameśvara, Śrī (L. 1), and Śrī Vāgīśvarī (L. 2).

The Bodh-Gayā image inscription also shows the exclusive use of:—

1. the older form of Bha

2. the later form of Śa and

3. the later Bengali form of ''Kha. Cf. Khaḍga (L. 1), Duḥkha'' (L. 2).

In the Bāngarh inscription of Mahīpāla we find the latest form of the 10th century alphabet of the North East. In this inscription we come across the pure Proto-Bengali alphabet for the first time which is further developed in another century. We find that all earlier forms have gone out of use. The points to be noted are:—

1. The initial i, still consisting of a wedge at the top, and two dots or circles below. ''Cf. iv-aiko'' (L. 18).