1995 - "The bhale symbol of the Jainas," in: Berliner Indologische Studien (BIS) 8, pp. 201-228

The bhale symbol of the Jsinac Gouriswar Bhattacharya It is customary to an Indian while writing down a text, religious or secular, to wish that the writing, the addresse, the reader and he himself be blessed by a sacred sym- bol or expression, or both, which he accordingly employs at the beginning of the tea. Ln North India, for example, the expressions used are, om, om d*, Sri-$+ ir~-harih, ha$^ furp~am,Sri-g~eSdyanmnah, etc. Some of the expressions used in Tamil Nadu are, om, mmgan tunailSivan tunai,' etc. Until recently, a symbol was used in Bengal which was called Gji, and was pronounced as ory siddhih or om siddhir=amc. In Tamil Nadu the symbol used, is now calledpilCaiydr&Ci or "GweSa's curln, and the children are even today taught to draw it before they begin to learn the alphabet. In Gujarat this symbol is called bhde meaning perhaps "be blessedn and it is pronounced as such by the ~ainas.*This symbol invariably occurs at the beginning of the Jaina rnanu- scripts from Gujarat and R a j ~ t h a nBut . ~ the earlier scholars who prepared the cata- logues of the Jaina manuscripts had a great difficulty to follow the meaning of this symbol, and they therefore suggested a wrong interpretation of i t Sometime back I had the opportunity to go through the catalogue of the Jaina manuscripts from SW- bourg4 prepared by Chandrabhal Tripathi (TRIPATHI 1975), professor at the Free University of Berlin. I have selected a few items from his catalogue to show how the symbols were used at the beginning of a Jaina manuscript from the south Rajasthan and Gujarat areas. These manuscripts are written in the ndgmMor devmrdgmMscript. and are dated between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. Ln these manuscripts we find,at the Ste BHAT~ASALI 1923-24: 35% note; SIRCAR 1965:91,The exprtssious, m u n r p tuna and fivm mean urnay Murugan (ie. M e y a ) be pleasedn, amay ~ i v abe pleasedn. See nuPAvi 1975: 39. The Gujarati urprwsion, bhde is derived from the Sanskd expressios bhadrmn. I am thankful to ?&us Bnrhn for this sugeestioa This symbol occurs invariably also at the beginning of manuscripts from other parts of India, but we are concerned here with the Jaina manusaipts from Gujarat and Rajasthan. 'These manuscripts belong to the Bibliothtque Nationale et Univcrsitaire de Strasbo~rk BERLINER INDOLOGISCWESTUDIEN (BIS) 81995, pp. 201-228. LW.. G. Bhattacharya beeinning, two types of the .symbol: 1. Symbol containing WO fipres. and 2. Symbol containing three figures. And in each case the symbol is followed by the invocation, fi-\~itm&pma c .nomalt, etc. It is relevant to mention here that the symbol containing two fipres is earlier to the symbol containing three figures. Examples: Plate I: TR~PATH~ 1975, No. 57 @. 116). Leumann: S 204,Wickersheimer: 4381. Sr~ddha~ratikramanas~tra (Pkt.) with the Vandrnvtti of Devendra, dated Smvat 1467 ( = 1410 AD). Symbol with two figures in between double dandas. TRIpJiTHj: < < B e ~ n (1) s A: > > $0namah ~ri-vitar3g3yaS Plate LT: TRIPATHI 1075. No. 200 (p. 3 7 ) , h ~ m a n n :S 442, Wickersheimer: 4539. Padmacaritra (Pkt.) by Vimala sfiri, dated Samvat 1473 (= 1416 AD).Symbol with two figures followed by two dandns. TRTPATH~:< <Begins (1) B: > > 9 0 narno vitar2_eZiya Plate ITE T R I P A 1975. ~ No. 210 (p. 269). Leumann: S 414. Wickersheimer: 4500. M ~ p a t i - c a r i t a(Pkt.) of Haribhadra, no date (before Samvat 1788 = 1731 AD). S y b o l with two figures in between double dandas followed by om, etc.b TFupAmi: < <Begus (1) A: > > $001%namo bhagavate ~ a h ~ v i r ~ ~ a ~ Plate TV: ?k~Ami1975, No. 46 (p. 106), Leumann: S 301, Wickersheimer: 4383-84. ViSesavavaka-bhwa (Pk) of Jinabhadra gaqi k.$amSramaqa with the Sisyahita by Hemacandra maladhwn, dated Samvat 1818 ( = 1761 AD).Symbol with t h e e figures in between double dandas8 followed by om namah, etc. T ' I P A ~ : < < Begins (1) B: > > 9 0 om narnah Sri-GaudipWanathSya. Plate V: TRIPATHI 1975, No. 162, (p.E l ) , Leumann: S 433, Wickersheimer: 4529. Sarvajiia-Sataka (Pkt.) by DharmasBgara, no date (after Samvat 1818 = 1761 AD).Symbol with three figures in between double d d a s ? TRIPATHI: < <Begins (1) ~ ~ P A ' I Hhas T not idenrified the symbol at the beginning of a manuscript, but has referred to the identifications made by other scholars. He has made this remark (TRP.&mi 1975: 39). uSomc Indian publications print the s i p in DC-- numerals "60" or On). We always reproduce it as 40." His reference to D.C.Sircar's remark is not correct. See SIRCAR1965: E-%. The presence of om indicates that the symbol should not be identified as om. TR.IPATHi has omitted fri before Mah&ri@a. The sign for om is rather strange. It appears to that the mb ' chas wrongly written double o with cmdrovindu. (Compare Pls. TV and VI). TRIPXVT puts (crmdtcrvindu) on o, but reads it as om and not as om. 8 This is the final shape of the siddhmn symboL In several cases one has doubt about the first Figure of the symbol (compare for example, PL XX below), but in this case it is d e a r that the first figure is quite different hom the double dundas. The second tigure cannot be read as 9 as has been done by m e Indian editan. Set TRIPAWs mnarlr on Punyavijaya's Cat Jesalmer ( T R I P A ~ 1975: I 39, note 10). 7% symbol was equated with the expression d a m by Biihler (as mentioned by us below), but the second figure arnaot be read as h a , for the letter ha see the exprwsioa mah&nohm in h e 6. 9 In this case also the f i t figure of the symbol is quite different than the double dmtdas. That the m a d figtllz a m o t be read as h a . is d w from the letter ha in line 2. It also not be read as 8 or 9 (as the Indian editon do, set TRIPAM 1975: 39), because the numeral s i w for 8 and 9 are quite different in Lines eight and nine respectiveb. A: > $0Sri-gunbhyo namah. Plate W:T a W A m i 1975. No. 146 (p. 205), bumann: S 431, Wickersheirner: 4519, SodaSaka (Skt.) by Haribhadra with the commentary of YaSobhadra s ~ r i no , date (perhaps S w a t I869 = 1812 AD). Symbol with three figures in between double d&as followed by om, etc." 0~amATHi: < <Begins (1) B: > > 9 0 om namah ~ a m a j f i a v a<~<Commentary:> ~ > 50 orn namah sarvajiisya Rate VII: T I U P A 1975,~ No. 170 (p. 227),LRumm: S 382, Wickersheirner: 4467, Vidatisthmakacaritra (Skt.) by Jinaharsa, dated Samvat 1952 (= 1895 AD). ~ p b o Pwith two figures in between double dandas fobwed by mtrmn m&, etc.lZ WAm: c c Begins (1) B: > $0arhaiii n a ~ n a h . ' ~ Tripathi has not equated the symbol with any expression but has denoted it by 60 throughout. He nevertheless gives an explanation of his rendering in the following way ( ~ X I P A ~p.? 39,$7.3. , 1 (l)), USymbols. Nearly all the ~ v e t h b a r aManuscripts 6om North and Western India start with am auspicious symbol which is now called Ubhalenby the lain%. Keith calls it uJaina-diagramn and his explanation has been recorded by mpadiH (on the basis of a letter received from Keith). Weber suggests a derivation born Ya-rha-m",and in our Ser. No. 179 bhde is in fact followed by the word w h q . The form of sign yaries a good deal. However it consists basicdly of two elements. The first of these elements shows a remote similarity to what D.C. Sircar d s the "siddham" symbol (resembting the figure u9n as written in modern Deva- nsgari), while the second element resembles a s i p taking the shape of the letters tha - cha etc. Weber, Schubring and Janert drop the bhale from their citations. Some lndian publications print the sign hDevanagari numerals ("5Ow, U60nor U90"). We always reproduce it as §0."14 It is very unfortunate that the European scholars, such as Weber, Schubring and Janert completely ignored a symbol invariably ernplsved by the Indian scribes at the beginning of a manuscript. Surely they were not sure of the '' Athough the first F i e of the symbol is not joined on top it is different from b e double dmtdas. It is the later, usual s i & m symbol of Northern India which is open to tbc right. T h e om nI, bere is different than it is on PI. but it is similar to om on PE.W . ~ K w - is right to read cm& vindu and not musviiro on o, but his transcription as orn h nor justified. Is this Plate (wo similar rygcs ofthe symbol occur. l' The reading is om n m a (visarga r n h i q ) smNriiiyo n m d . l' This is a very interesting example of the s k M m symbol. lnsttad of the wual kt f i w m for this type of symbol we haw two f i p the ~ middle has been omined in this case. Tbis is an excel- Ient a m p l e for our argument that tbt symbol with thfec figures c s o t stand for &m, because the kvoc-atory formula &m nmnuh foUm the symbol with two ligures, ln InPlatt the numeral for 6, 8 and 9 occur (compare b w 7, 8 and 10 and U aad 14 rwptdvely). 7RIPAWT (1975: 2273 reads and renders h u m with a c&&& sign but rendering of m is mmtly without a cwdravindu. l4 T W R T H ~ reference S ta SlRCAR is unfortunately wrong, see T R J P ~ ~1975: w ~ 39. note 9 @.C. SIRCAR, Ind Epigruphy, p. 92). 204 G. Bhattacharya .- sip@icance of this svmbol. But the scholars who had a certain knowledge of Nonh Indian Epiqaphv should not have remained silent about the presence of a sign or symbol at the beginning of a writing. In his U V o ~ o nto" Vmeicl~lliss - M t - H a n d s c h n f t e n (Zweiter der S L ~ T Mwrd Band. Dritte Abtheilung) WEBERcommented on this symbol as "Jede Jaina-Handschrift b e m t mit einem Diagramm von etwa folgender . Gestalt: Q ~ Uwelches den sonstipn Einleite-Formeln, wie: m h m . om, aim, nmalt noch vorhergeht. Buhler hat darin wohl rnit Recht das Wort: a rho m erkannt,welches im Verlauf mehrfach sich noch dahinter findet." (S. xvi) And further. UE.5 ist eipenthiimlich, daI3 sich ein fihnliches Diagramm gelegentlich auch bei brghmapischen Werken, so z. B. in dem schiinen Mspt. des Catupatha- btizhmana 1464-70 vorfindet. Entweder weil dasselbe wirklich etwa von einem Jmna selbst geschrieben ist?, oder etwa weil der kalligraphische Ein- fluB der schonen und guten Jaina-Handschriften bei einem solchen allmag unverstiindlich gewordenen heiligen Schnorkel auch auf die b r w a s c h e n Schreiber sich geltend rna~hte."'~ But Weber's UDiagarnrn" is not only the invention and property of the Jainas but also of the Hindus of Central and Western India as it will be evident from our dis- cussion below. It is quite amusing to read WEBER'Sargument that the manuscript of the Satapatha-bramaqa mentioned by him was written either by a Jaina or influ- enced by the Jaina calligraphy because of the employment of the Jaina diagram(?) by the Brahmins without understanding the inner significance of it. It is quite interest- ing to quote in this connection the remark made by the eminent and experienced epigraphist KIELHORNon this Diagram used in the North Indian Sanskrit manuscripts to be dated in the 11th 12th and 13th centuries AD (KIELHORN 1969: 71). "The sign for 9 is generally the old sign for ziff , but in one or two MSS. the Anusvka is omitted. [...l That the s i p for 9 is nothing but the syllable JiS. , is clear also from the fact that many Sanskrit MSS. begin with what looks like &. but is really the word oii. In most MSS. + is repeated after the sign& . because the meaning of the latter had ceased to be understood." But Kielhorn was wrong. Neither the sign for 9. nor %hat looks like 'stands for om. That the Indians perhaps forgot the meaning of the symbol quite early is evi- dent from the statement made by the famous Muslim scholat, AI Binini (11th cen- tury). AI B-Wild said (SACHAU1971: 173),  T h e bhale symbol of the Jainas 205 U7he Hindus begin their books with h,the word of creation, as we 'begin them with "In the name of God." The figure of the word om is a. This figure does not consist of letters; it is simply an image invented to repre- sent this word. which people use, believing that it will bring them a bless- ing. and meaning thereby a confewion of the unity of God." Poor AT Bimni had no occasion to h o w that the simple image was not hvented bv the Hindus, but by the Buddhists and the Jainas. Scholars of Indian Epigraphy met for the first time with a symbol which occured, instead of the earlier expression a I ~ m nin, the Mankuwa (Allahabad Dist., U.P.) Buddhist stone image inscription of the time of Kurnaagupta (I), Year 129 C = 448 AD).'6 This symbol is followed by the mangala, namo b d h m . FLEET, while editing the epigraph read the symbol as Om (which is impossible in an early Buddhist epigraph) but commented in tbe footnote, "As was usual throughout the whole of the period coveted by this volume. this word is represented by a symbol, not by letters. Om is not of frequent occurrence at the commencement of Buddhist inscriptions." (FLEEI" 1888:46E) N.K B m n w was the first scholar to identify the symbol assisdhir=mm (i.e. siddhmrt) and adduced the following points in support of his identification: 1) *In Bengal, this symbol was largely used in at1 ancient documents and manuscripts and in teaching alphabets to the beginners they were taught to draw this symbo1 to start with. This custom was prevalent as Iate as twenty-five years ago, but has disappeared by this time. Tbjs symbol was d e d &ji and was supposed to sign& the god GanCSa. the giver of suc- cess. being drawn to represent his elephant's trunk. In reading it was read Si$dhir=astu." 2) "In the Gupta inscriptions this symbol only appears in those ia which the customary benediction Siddharil is left out, and no where does it appear with it, Consequently it must have stood for Siddhmir, and as time went on it must have become more and more customary to represent the word by this sy-mboLn 3) uIn some inscriptions the symbol is found to precede &z, which would never have been the m e if the hvo were identical. Ln such cases the read- ing given is Dm Dm which is c e d n l y not reasonable. Reference mav be made to Epig~ephinJndica, Vol. m, p. 8, Bid, Vol. W ,p. 159, for examples of the joint use of om and this symbol." uIa the view of these facts, the symbol, I think should be read S i S S h h or Siddhir=artu." ( B H A ~ ~ A S A1923-24: LI 352). BHAITASALI'S arguments for the identification of the symbol are perfedy convincing.  206 G. Bhattacharya It is the eminent epipphist, D.C.SIRCARwho f ~ l l vageed with BHATI'ASALIand riprously followed his identifiation." Plate Vm. In support of our statement we illustrate a stone inscription from Bala (Ajmer Dist.. Rajasthan) belonc&g to the time of PrthvTraja (m) and dated in the (Viluama) Samvat 1234 ( = 1178 AD). (Ep. Ind., )(XXTI: 303). The inscription opem with a symbol followed by mmigda or the invocatory formula which has been read bv Snm (1962b: 303) as Siddhmn [I*] Om namllh Sivdya I I. Earlier editon of the inscription would have read it as Om Orn namah $iv@a.18 The s i d d I m svmbol in this inscription is open to the right a small curve is added to it below to give it an ornamental shape. Excepting a few early symbols, the siddltam symbol born the fifth century onwards is represented by a figure which is open to the l e k and this symbol is used all over Northern India from Gujarat to Assam. In a later period. i.e. from about the ninth century onwards the SiddItam sym- bol is open to the right. Rate IX We illustrate the siddham symbol open to the left from the Indragadh (Mandasaur Dist, M.P.) stone inscription of Nannappa, MAava Year 767 (= 710-11 AD)." (Ep. Ind., XXW: 115). The inscription written in the siddhamdlrkii script opens with the siaifham symbol open to the left, followed by the invocatory phrase, nmnah f i q a and double &as (partial illustration). The learned editor, KRISHNA DEVAwrongly read the symbol as om, perhaps because be was influenced by the pre- velent invocation to the god as om m& iivaya during daily worship. He also wrong- ly called the characters of writing as "the North Indian Kutila script of the early 8th century A "AS an editor of the Epignrphia Indica D.C.SCRCARintroduced the system to render the symbol with the expression M m , but after he had left the Govt. Epigraphist Ofice this system was not strictly followtd. Still there are scholars who preferred to render the siddhmn symbol as om, because om is so sacred to them. l8 UOlOrtunate!y it is h p e n t a r y . It is quite important to point out that the verses of this Sanskrit insaiption arc numbered, a fact which shows that the numbering of the verses was prevelent in the Uth antury (VS. EM). The full date of the inscription is given as Samvat 1234 Caihasudi 4 (line 13). The week-day is missing. The symbol used in this Rajasthani inscription is the forerunner of the first w e of the symbol used in the R a j a s U Jaina manuscripts of the 18th-19th century. Iq The MFdava Year is same as the Vikrama or Krta Year, see SIRCAR 1965: 253. Tbe date is given h a vme as (lines lS14): sqtu-~atly-odhike9 1 e vaqi&iim Jaa-saptake / rnZluvh3m nmznbiindm p * i M vihtt5bnanfh //, i.e. 'When seven hundred years exceeded by sixty-seven of the era of the world-famous MZlava kings had elapsedn (KRJSHXADEVA 1962;1U). On the d e d Kutila script B - (1m76) remarks, "Mr. Prinsep has called the alphabet of this W p t i o n the W I a alphabet It seems to me, however, that there is no sufficient reason for doing so.I.] I would, therefore. remow the term kbtilu alphabet from Indian palaeography and describe the letters of the D d inscription as Nlgan' of the North ~ n dtype.w i ~ uBt ~ E isRabsolutely wrong to call the letters of the Dewal insaiption as N W The expression k u t i f m a r i n i occurs in the Dewal prdusti written in the s i d d h m W script in verse 36 ( h e 26) as: M j n l r h - = ~ m r ~ u ca likhilz  The bh& symboI of the Jainas 207 The Candella dynasty of Kanauj of the 12th-14th centuries AD employed the &ham symbol open to the right in such an artificial shape that one is able to say immediately that the record belongs to the Candellas. For example, compare Plate X Tehri (Bundelkhand Dist., M.P.) copper plate inscription of the CandelLa Trai- lokyavannan, Samvat 1264 (= 1208 AD).2' Ln this case also the awtbor, Sant CaE KAT~RE (1960: 72) read the symbol as om. The symbol is followed by the expression svu5ri. Plate XI.h the Chinchani (Tfiana District, Bombay) copper plate of Vijjdadeva belonging to the Modha family and dated in Saka 969 (= 1048 AD) the sidshmn symbol open to the right is employed but in a peculiar shape. The symbol is followed by the expression svcrsti, SIRCAR (1962a: 70) read the symbol as siddhm. To the sisdham symbol open to the right a zero was added in a later period, i.e. not earlier than the tenth century AD,and this symbol was specially used in the epi- graphs of the central and western parts of India and in the large number of m u - scripts coming £ram those areas. This is evident in the Jaina manuscripts of Rajasthan and ~ u j a r a t . ~ Compare, for example, the Ghiimli (Hakar Dist., Kathiawad) plate of Bskala- deva (Plate XIQ, dated in lirl-wpa-vikmma-smvaf 1045 (= 989 AD).The symbol is followed by two drmdas and the expression svd. SIRCAR (1960a: 14) read it as Siddham I I m&. This symbot cannot be equated with the numerak S0 because the gaudena b m i k n =&Z / kurir-&tv&i !&U+iibhi&~mo, it. YAndthis (*) has been written by the son of Vishauhari, a Gauda derk, calted Takshditya, who hows crooked letters.- @€W- LER 1892' 85).Also see SIRCAR 1971: 1s-116,"In North India, the regional alphabets developed hom B r h i of the Late stage through a &ha step. The alphabet of this intermediate stage may be spied Sfddharnltrk. Scholars have @vcn various names to this alphabet. two of them, often used being Kutila and 'Early NW. But the name Siddhamatrk5 is more aurboritativc since Al4-m- (clewnth century A. D.)uses rhis name for Ihc alphabets of ccfiain region$ and the Chinese applied Ihe name Siddham to the same script. The alphabet wed in North Indian records of Be period between the sixth and tht tenth century A.D.may bt regarded as SiddharnHtrka spxially in [he wide a r w where N W and Gaudi developed out of it." 21 n e date is given as (Lines 10-12): c ~ ~ ~ ~ a ( f a ) t u - d ~ q v - o ~ u - ~ o h a r u ( m s t r m v ~ m cbhiidraptuia-miisi @gu-p&e d v i w =ti&m=&mo =pi siunvato(vat)l I266 b h ~ m a d2i srt(fu)ba-v&, i.e. in the (Vilrrama) Year 1264,on Friday, the 2nd day of &c dark half ofthe month of Bhidrapada = 29th August, 1208AD. The s i d d h m symbol appears to I x quite pemhat here, but it is the later siddhmn symbol open to &c right which has been engraved borizoatallv.The symbol has no&- h g to do with om. TRIPATHI is wrong h quoting SrRC4R about this zero, %Me the second ettmtnt resembles a taking the shapt of tbe letters thq &a etc" (TRfPATHf, p. 39, note 9). SIRCAR (1965: 94)remarks, early medieval epigraphs and manuscripts, a circle, with a smaller circle or dot (or dots) imidc, sometimes indicates fullstop. As the cude with a central dot is the old BrZhmi letter tha, moditied forms of the same letter came to be used in later times. In some mtdievd records the symbol stands midmy m n tha and h md this confusion 3td to h e growth of the popular use of the letter cha as the concluding mark at the :t wor epigraphic records md -ions thereof." 208 G. Bhattacharya first fimre dots not look like the nil@ numeral 5. It is utterly wrong to say that this we of m b o l was a Jaina inovation. This is a Brahmanical r e c ~ r d . ~ The Yajvapala rulers of Nanvar (Shivapuri Dist., M.P., old Gwalior State) also used this type of symbol with two fipres in their records. For example, (Shivapun Dist., M.P.)stone inscription of the YajvapBla Gopgla, dated SW 1338 ( = 1281 AD) (Plate Xm). In this case the siddham symbol looks like the nagm numerals 50. Surprisingly the symbol is followed by two dandas and the expression . d I ~ i bfollowed by two dandas. SIRCAR(1960~:330, NO. 2, pl. II) read it as Siddhm I I Siddhih I I. It appears that the writer of the record was not aware of the meaning of the symbol, or perhaps took it to stand for om." Plate XIV. Bagla (Shivapuri Dist, M.P.) stone inscription of the Yajvapda Gopaa, dated Samvat 1338 (= 1281 AD). The siddham symbol, in this case, looks like the ndgm- numerals 60. The beginning of the inscription here is rather interesting. SIRCAR(1960d: 331. No. 3) read S i d d l m [I '1 Samvat 1338 sta(svawh l I Plate XV.Sesai (Shivapuri Dist. MP.) stone inscription of the time of Yajvapaa Gopda dated Sqvatu 1341 (= 1284 AD). The siddham symbol cannot be equated either with the ndgmMnumerals SO or 60. StRcAR (1960b: 325, No. 1, p]. I) read Siddham s v d frf[h8] This inscription is quite interesting. It is a memorial inscription engraved to record the death of Malayadeva who fougbt in connection with cattle-lifting in the street or ward of Sesai-grdma. Plate XVL Prince of Wales Museum (Bombay) plate of Jaitrasimhadeva, dated Vikrama Samvat 1347 ( = 1290 AD)." The siddham symbol with two figures is put -? Tbe first vcm of the inscription is in praise of Vyomaktja (or h a ) and the object of the inscription is to record the grant of a village in favour of a Brahmin. The full date of the inscription reads (line 6): J r i - ~ p o - v i k a ( k o ) m e s m v a ( ~1015 ) vm($e)-vm(fWa)-nnu(iu)di 15 some, ie. on Monday, the fiftreenth day of the bright half of V a a , in the V i a m a Year 1045. This is perbaps the earliest document recording the siddhmn symbol in two figures. " Tbe first figure of the symbol a p p w s to have some similarity to the symbol of our PI.XI.This is not a Jaina but a Herestone insaiption. Tbe full date reads (lines 8-9) smn 1338 caitra-hdi 7 M- &, i.e. on Friday, the 7th day of the bright half of Caiba, in the V i a m a Y w l338. This is also a Hemstone insaiption. The year is given in h e l, while the detail foUows in lines 8-9, v i z sumvat 1338 cai~a-hid;2 sa(fa)nau dine, it. on the day of ~ a n (i.e. i Saturday), the sccond day of the bright halfof Caitra, in the Vikrama Year l33.8. 26 Tbe full date is given as (line U) smnvont(vai) 1341praqa-(va)di l soma-dine, i.e. on Monday, the fmt day of the dark half of Pausa, in the Vikrama Year m1.Tbe siddhum symbol here has some similarity with the symbol of our PI. XU. All the three inscriptions, Pls. W1,XTV and XV are not either from Gujarat or Rajasthan, but from Madhya Pradesh. and the siddhmn s~mbolsengraved on them appear in the Jaina manuscripts from those two areas later. This is also a Br2unanic.l insaiption recording the gift of the village to the Brahmins of the S r i m Z h caste by the ruler. The date is given in words as (line X):sumvmrmr furaga-vedagrn-enh- smnkhyc. a n d 0 i n c s ~ 3 l ) J l i m m ( d ) - ~ ~ y ~ - a + ~ l a=taikmtwpts4p1~~mviinh.fad (d) = rrdhikylr w w d s m~v m m c ~ u// 1347 cvmnmvidhe kilfe(le), i.e. in the V i a m a year counted as (1)-  The bhde symbol of the Jaina.5 209 - - in between double dqdus. St~anpelyenough each line of this inscription starts after double dandas. SADHU RAM read the svmbol as 80 and commented (1962: 222, f.n. 51, "This n itended for a synnbol for h." This symbol cannot be read as R0 because thr numeral sign for 8 in Iine eight looks different than the first figure of the symbol. Plate XVIII Surw%y.yB(Shivapwri Dist., MP.) stone inscription of the time of Gmapati, dated Samvat 1350 (=l293 AD)." This is an h p o n m t imcription for our discussion. The symbol with two figures is followed by double dmuias and the invoca- tory phrase, om n m & fives. The verses are numbered in this inscription The numeral sign for 5 in line live is similar to the first figure of the symbol. That the symbol cannot be read as om is clear in this record. SIRCAR (1962a: 341) read siddhmn I I 0m m&Sbii;'~ Plate X W l Narwar (Shivapuli Dist., M.P.)stone inscription of the time of Gapapati, dated Sawvat 2355 (= 1298 T h i s inscription is also quite interest- ing, because it belongs to the same ruler and originated in the same district (compare PI. m), but the symbol is different. The first figure of the symbol is neither the niigm- numeral 5 , 8 or 9 (compare lines 4 , 6 and 7 respectively). The verses are num- bered in this inscription also. Similar to the previous inscription (see PI. X W ) the sisdham symbo! with two figures is followed by double dn&s and the invocatory phrase, om nmnnh JivQa. T3e symbol cannot be read as ory. SIR- (1962.d: 345) read Siddham 13 Orn m& Sivi?ya II. p n a (3, wdu (4) and hrraga (7). For the List of words used in denoting the numbem, sec SIRCAR 1965: 230-233. This is also a Brhapical inscription recording the construction of a stepwe1 ( q i ) during the d e of the monarch. The f31 date is given as ( h e 22) s m v m 1350 kSmla-vadi 7 vu(bu)dha-Woe, i.e. an Wednaday, the 7th day of the dark half of W i k a , in the V i a Year BM. The date is foE- hwcd by double dmdas and the auspiaous lcner cha. On this feature sec the remark made by SIRCAR (1%5: 94) and quoted by us above. It is interwting to point out here that the use of va for ba is generally considered to be a feature of the eastern Mian inscriptions of the medieval period, but that it was aka a feature in the central Indian records is evidenced from this iasaiptioo, for example d o for budho. La this inscription the qmbl looks like 50. Qnc has to observe that om is still written with m w b a , dtbough it is not so dear as on our PI. Vm.ALro the Ecttcr o is not slnglt as it is on PL Vm. It appears that the symbol for prmova here is in a transitional fom. The wrses are n m k d in this inscription; therefore, one may compare the numerical figure 5 in line five. But we should categorir;ilhr point out that this similarity is by chance, the Grst figure of the symbol is the usual siddtmn symbol of North India. This is a Saivaitc inscription, The versa are numbered in zhis iasaiptioa. The symbol m o t be read either as $0 or 90, because tbc numerical figures for 8 (line 6) and 9 (Line f ) arc quite differ- ent. The learned editors of the Jaina maawxipts should have had howledge of t b u t symbols engraved at the 'bcgimbgs of inscriptions. The full date reads ( h e 21) samvm 1355 M k o - w a d i 5 gwmr, i.e. on Thursday, the 5rh day of 2hc dark hall of in the Vibama Year U55 ( = 25th September, U98 AD). 210 G. Bhattacharya Plate XIX K a l m a (Bidar District. Karnatdka, fomerly the Hyderabad State) stone inscription of Sultan ~uhammad". dated $aka 1248 ( = 1326 AD). The bol with two figures is followed by double dandas and the expression W&. The sym- bol cannot be read as 80 because the numeral 8 in the date (line 1) looks different. DEM (1962: 168) read Siddham l l S v d . Plate XX Champaner (Panch Mahals Dist., Gujarat) step-well inscription of the time of Sultan ~ a h r n u d dated ~ , Samvat 1554, Saka 1419 ( = 1497 AD)P3 This is an interesting inscription, but we have no knowledge whether it is published or not. The symbol with three figures reaches its final form in Western India. The symbol with three figures is followed by double W a s and the invocatory phrases, o?n m o M hi-gm,eCdya namah ~ - s nmnah. ~ " The first figure of the symbol creates a bit confusion with the double d@as following the symbol. This figure is also engraved in this inscription at the beginning of all the lines (excepting line 4). Generally the double W a s are joined on top and the left vertical line is slanting to the right. We should compare our P1. XVI where all the lines of the inscription begin with double d d a s , also the symbol at the beginning is preceded and followed by double damins. There is no chance to be confused with the double w a s . This is an earlier inscription also (dated V.S. 1347). But in the case of PI. XX we should take the first double dandas which are joined on top as a part of the symbol containing three figures. This is perhaps the earliest example of this type of symbol which we encounter at the beginning of the Jaina manuscripts written in the 18th-19th centuries and illustrated by us above. Even all the figures engraved at the beginning of each 31 D- (1962: 167) remarks, "The inscription is of unique historical importance. The ruling king introduced as M&5jZdhirZja-in'-Smatr@ must no doubt be Sultan Muhammad Shah bin Tughluq." The FuIl date runs as (lines 1-2) fri-Jiikc 1248 kyqvasamvatrme // M k e fudi I5 some. it. on Monday, the 15th day of the bnght half of m t i k a , in the w y a cyclic year of the illusmous aka Year 1248 (= 10th November, U26 AD). D W remarks (p. 166, note l), "The name of the cyclic year is given as Akshaya in verse 2 (line 19).n Another important information is being supplied by the inscription. D W says (p. 168), 'It is stated in verse 1that the temple of Madhukeivara which became a victim of ~ d d - ism during these disturbances was situated at Kd-a itself. The maguanimous view taken by the Mus- Lim govtrnor of K a l m in resped of the reinstallation of the Hindu deity and the resumption of tradi- tional worship therein, particularly at the time when the communal fee- ran so high, deserves high appreciationn 32 This Sultan Mahmud should be a ruler of Gujarat. The inscription written in corrupt Saw record..the donation of a stepwell, a mosque and a hajra of two plough land (see In& Archocofw 1970-71 - A M e w , p. 15). 33 Tbe full date reads (lines 4-6)s ~ v o t u1554vme fizke ~4~9prma~ttam&1e u n ~ r m hemamto- e r i m p ~ o m i i s eJukla-pa&se S p ~ c m y i i m z i ~ h rgwudine m e t c (in w m p t Sanskrit), it. on Thursday. the fifthday of the bright half of the month of Pausa, in the winter season, in the U t t a r g ~ a in , the year 1419 and the V h a m a Year 1554. " Correctly namah. Correctly s ~ f r e a i .  The bhale symbol of the Jainas 211 line (excepting tine 4) of PI. W(: should be taken as a symbol and not simply double dandas. We will see from our following discussion that we have a justification in doing that. AS a cornparison for a symbol with three figures we should refer to the Jaina manuscript pages. our PIS. m, V and W.In PI.VI the first figure of the symbol is not joined on top but at the same time it is different 6orn the double -5. In PIS. IV and V the first figure is joined on top and is just similar to the first figure of PI. XX. In any case the Champaner (Panch Mahals Dist., Cujarat) step-well inscrip- tion is an impartant document for the siddham symboI with three figures which was carried out faithfully by the scribes of the later Jaina manuscripts and respehlly pronounced as bhale by the pious Jainas. For PI.XX see I d i n n Archaeologv 197@71 - A R&PW, pl. m n and p. 15. BOFUER was absolutely wrong to read this p b o l with three figures as a rha rn3= It should be mentioned in this connection that none of the extant Jaina manuscripts beginning with this type of symbol: can be dated earlier to t6e 18th century. Quite similar to the first figure of the symbol, Pl. XX which may create doubt whether this is not the case where the double w a s have not been joined on top to form this symbol compare PIate X X l This is the inscribed. brass Jaina M a k a m a r b - image from Gujasat/Rajasthan, now in the collection of the Museum fiir Lndische Kunst Berlin ( M K I 10167b,height 165 m),dated Smvat 1541 ( = 1484 The inscription an the back-side of the image starts with a symbol before the date. This syrnboP is similar to the first figtlre of the symbol in PI.XX, and should be read as siddbm. That the double d q h s preceeding the symbol with two fiwa were not joined on top but the first d&a was dready slanting is to be noticed on the pedestal inscription of the Nerningtha image, now at the Glenbow Art Gallery, Calgary, Canada, dated in Samvat 1311 (= 1254 AD).3%See Plate XXIT. h this case the double dm&s, perhaps form a part of the fobwing siddham symbol with two figures, otherwise the first double dq&s would have been engraved quite similar to the double d&us following the symbol. We compare a late example of a foot-print inscription of Mahavira VardbarnZtna born the Pawapuri (Rajgir Dist, Bihar) temple. The inscription is dated Sarpvat 1698 ( = 1641 AD).^ See NAHAR1918: 46, No. 190. The inscription begins with double &q&s described above by us (compare PIS. XX See our discusion above. "This k an h a i i Jaina Mahisamardinl image published by BHA~AQ.IARYA 1992: 501-933, figs. 34. The full dare reads: sum 1541 wwt iQEdh~-Sudi 2 r m , ic. on Sunday, the 7th day of the bright half of .&Adha, io &c Y i a m a Ycar W1. The pedwtd inscription has not yet been published. The full date reads (line 1): smn Ullphagwrn-m. 12 h&, ie. on Friday. the 12th day of the bright half of Phdguna, in tbc Vkama Year n11.It is itcresting to point out that the inscription on the pedestal of the image ends with the auspiaous letter c h ~Tbe . insaiption has not been published. 39 The full reaQ (lines 2-3): ramva& 1698 v o i f i S W I C , OII Monday. Iht ( ~ - ~ d5i ~ ~ m a - V & I Pit. fifih day of the b e t half of V&i.kha. in the V i a Ycar 1698. 212 G. Bhattacharya and XXIT) followed bv the symbol with two figures and double dandos. See Plate m -CL. In this case, perhaps the double d q d a s at the beginning form part of the symbol. m e first figure of the symbol cannot be read either as 8 or 9, because these two nu1m e n d s i p s occur in the date. The inking of the second figure of the symbol is not satisfactory as it does not look like a zero. NAHAR had difficulty to identify the svmhol. he equates it as I I Fa. I I. According to BI~HLERit should be a rha m, which is also wrong as we have shown in our discussion. This is just the developed form of the siMltmn symbol with three f i ~ r e s . ~ It is quite relevant to mention here that altho* the find-spot of the inscription is in Bihar this type of siddhmn symbol was never used in Eastern India. This was imported by the Jainas from Western India, either Gujarat or Rajasthan. Plate X X N . Finally we illustrate an inscription on the foot-prints of Mallinatha and Naminatha from Mithila (Darbhanga Dist., Bihar), see NAHAR 1918: 39, No. 166. The inscription is dated SW. 1875 (= 1818 The siddham symbol is very inter- esting and quite decisive here. The symbol with three figures is preceded and followed by double dandas. The first double dandos arc clearly different from the first f i w e of the siddham symbol and this feature is a great help to us to be free from doubt about the siddham symbol of three figures. NAHARhad perhaps no knowledge of the siddham symbol. He reads the symbol as I I e 9 0 I I which does not give any sense. besides the second figure is not similar to the niTgrm- numeral figure 9. References Gouriswar BHATTACHARYA, 1992 Two Inscribed Images of the Jaina Mahimardini. Em and West, 42 (24), pp. 501-508. BHAITASALI.N.K. 1923-24 Some image inscriptions from East Bengal. Epigmphia Indica, 17, pp. 349- 362, td. H. Krishna Sastri. Calcutta. Reprinted 1983, New Delhi. B ~ H L E RG. , 1892 The Dewal PraSasti of Lalla the Chhinda. Epigtaphia Indica, 1, pp. 75-85, ed Jas. Burgess. Calcutta * Now to the second figure of the symbol a curved line has been added on top which lead B- to read the f w e as rho. This is generally tbe case with the symbol at the beginning of the manusaipts (sce our Plates IV, V and VI, aU dated in the 19th century). Our PI. XXII belongs to the 17th otatury. " The full date reads in words: samvad =v& = ~ - n ~ @ m r&iha-Juk&hfi b h q a (corrupt San- fit), i.e. on Friday, the 10th day of the b@t half of Vai- and sum 1875 mih' v o i t W 4 - f u d 10 h, in the V i a m a Year 1875 (bifna=S,6 x 7 , naga=8 and in&-1). See SIRCAR 1965: 230-233.  T h e b h d ~symbol of the Jainas 213 DL~AI,P.B. 1962 Kalyana Inscription of Sultan Muhammad, Saka 1248. Epigrdphia Trrdica, 32 (1957-1958), pp. 165-170, eds. D.C. Sircar, B.Ch. Chhabra. Delhi. FLEET,John Faithful 1888 imcrjgtions of the Early Gupta f i g s and lheir Successors (Corpm Imeriptio- num hdicarum. 31, Calcutta. Reprint 1963, Indo!o@d Book House. Dehi. indian ArchaeoSop 1970-71-A Review (Archaeological Survey of India). New Delhi, 1974, ed. M.N.Deshpande. KATARE, Sant J A 2960 Tehri Plate of Chandella Trailokyavarman, Sasnvat 1264. Epigraphia Indica, 31 (1955-561, pp. 70-73, ed. D.C. Sircar. Delhi. ~ L H O R N F,. 1969 Meine Schnjcen - Mit einer Auswahl der epigraphischen Aufi&ze, Teil I. Wiesbaden (Herausgegeben von W i l h e h Rau). KR~SHNA DEVA 1962 Indragarh Inscription of Nannappa, V. S. 767. Epigrraphia Jndica, 32 (1957- 581, pp. 112-117, eds. D.C. Sircar and B.Ch. Chhabra. Delhi. N A H . Puran Chand '1983 Jaina 1mcn'ption.s(ContainingInder off'luces, Glossary ofNmnes of Shrmaka Casts and Gotrm of Gachchhas wui ifchihyas with Rates). Part I (with Plates). 2nd edition. 1st edition 1918. Indological Book Gallery. Delhi. SACHAW, Edward C. 1888 A&-? India. Abridged Edition, 1971. Edited with Entroduction and Notes by Ainslie T. EMBREE,The Norton Library, New York. SADm RAM 1962 Grant of MaharajakuEa Jaitrasimhadeva, V. S. 1347. Epigraphia Jndica, 32 (1957-58),pp. 220-228, eds. D.C. Sircar and B.Ch. Chhabra. Delhi. S R W , D.C. 1960a Ghumli Plates of Bashkaladeva, V. S. 1045. Epipuphia Indica, 31 (1955-56), pp. 11-16, ed. D.C.Sircar. Delhi. 1960b Inscriptions of the time of Yajvapala Gopala, Plate I, 1. Inscription from Sesai, V.S. 1341. Epigmphia Idica, 31 (1955-561, pp. 325-326. Delhi. 1960c Inscriptions of the time of Yajvapala Gopala, Plate I& 2. Znsctiptions from Bangla, V.S. 1338, Inscription No. 2. Epigmphin Indica, 31 (1955-56), p. 330, ed. D.C. Sircar. Delhi. 1960d Inscriptions of the time of Yajvapala Gopala, Plate K 2 . lnscrfptions from Bangla, V. S. 1338, hscription No. 3. Epigrnphin I d c a , 31 (1955-56), p. 331, ed. D.C. S i r w . Delhi. 1962a Three Grants from Chinchani, 2. Grant of Vijjala, Saka 969. Epigruphia Indica, 32 (1957-581, pp. 68-71, eds. D.C. Sircar and B.O. Chhabta. Delhi. 1962b Barla Inscription of the time of Prithviraja Q V. S, 1234, Epigmphiu I d i c a , 32 (1957-58), pp. 299-304, eds. D.C. Sircar and B.Ch. Chhabra Dehi. 1962~Two Inscriptions of the time of Ganapati, Plate I, 1. Sunvaya hcriptioas of V. S. 1350. Epigmphia Inditu, 32 (1957-58), pp. 339-342. Delhi. 1962d Two Inscriptions of the time of Ganapati, Plate H, 2. Narwar Inscription of  V . S. 1355. Epigraphin Indica. 32 (1957-58). pp. 343-346. Delhi. 1065 Indian Ep[qropltv. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi : Varanasi: Patna. 1071 Introduction to Indian Epigraphy and Palaeography. Part 11: Pdaeogapby. Journal of Ancient Indian History,4 ( 1 4 , 1970-71, pp. 104-136, ed. D.C. Sircar. University of Calcutta, Calcutta. TRPATH~, Chandrabhal l075 C~raIogueof the Jaina h~anuscriptsat S t m s b o q (Indologia Berolinensis Band 4). Giden, E. J. Brill. WEBER, A 1891 Die Hanakchriften-Verreichnirse der koniglichen Bibliothek m Berlin. Fiinfier R 4 Verzeichnirs der Sansluit- und P&'I-Hmdschn'fien. Zweiter Band fiqfSchn'~afelnDritte Abrheilung, Berlin, A. Asher & Co. The bhale symbol of the Jainaq T h e hhale qmbol of the Jainac 219 220 G.Bhattacharya The h h l e symbol of the Jainas 221 G.Bhattacharya The hhale symbol of the Jainas 223 224 G. Bhattacharya The hhale symbol of the Jainas 225 Plate XlCl The hhde symbol of the Jainas 227 228 G.Bhattacharya