Page:The Origin of the Bengali Script.djvu/111

Rh (1) The Akṣayavaṭa inscription of the 5th year and (2) the Āmgāchhi copper plate grant. So also of the reign of Rāmapāla we have the Chandimau image inscription of the 42nd year. But these inscriptions are useless to us as trustworthy facsimiles have not been published or are not easily obtainable. The impression of the Krishṇa-Dwārikā temple inscription of Nayapāla was obtained after a good deal of trouble through the kind services of Pandit Parameswar Dayal of Gayā.

In the Sārnāth inscription of Mahīpāla I we find that a mixed alphabet has been used. There is not the slightest chance of the entire alphabet being called Nāgarī, as a comparison with the Benares grant of Karṇṇadeva, the Cedī ruler, would prove at once that the western variety of the North-eastern alphabet was something altogether different.

The following are the peculiarities of the alphabet used in the Sārnāth inscription of Mahīpāla I:

(1) Ā in ārādhya and ī in īśāna (L. 1) have the western variety form. In Ā the comma shaped curve in the lower part of the left limb of the letter has lost its knob or head and has acquired the form of a semi-circle.

(2) In ī we find that the letter consists of a horizontal straight line above the two dots below and under them a slight curve indicates the length of the vowel Cf. Īśāna (L. 1).

(3) We find Eastern variety forms in Śa, Ha, La, Ṇa.

(4) E in etāṁ (L. 2) has the modern Bengali form in which the loop has opened. So also is Ja.