Page:The Origin of the Bengali Script.djvu/85

Rh vertical straight line, attached to its right end a curve attached to the left end of the top-stroke and the lower part of the vertical.

19. Pha is denoted by the absence of the top stroke. It resembles a pa without the top stroke and a small curve attached to the upper part of the right vertical line, cf. phani (L. 15).

20. In bha, there is no change beyond the sharpening of the lower angle.

21. In ma also there is no change save the decrease in the size of the acute angle.

22. In ya the vertical straight line is slightly projected downwards beyond the point of the junction with the curve.

23. In ra the arrow-head of the wedge becomes distinct.

24. Another remarkable change is to be found in la. The base line of this letter, which became slanting in the inscriptions of the later Guptas of Magadha, has been entirely suppressed in the majority of cases. In this record the hook or curve in the left limb of this letter is attached to the middle of the right vertical straight line by another curve and the letter becomes what it is in modern Nāgarī or Bengali. It should be noticed in this connection that the older form is preserved in the sea where the base line is distinct.

25. In va, we find a similar downward prolongation of the right vertical straight line.

26. In sa, we find the looped form in all cases. The later forms, used in the Bodh-Gayā inscription, are not in evidence.

27. In śa, we find the older form, in which the crossbar touched the right vertical straight line, instead of the later form to be found in the Bodh-Gayā inscription.