1896.] N. N. Vasu— Nagaras and the Nagari-alphabet. 125 
exemplified by the alphabet, made use of by other Nagara Brahmanas 
long inhabiting different countries. 
Origin of the Nagari-alphabet. 
Most of.our Indian Pandits hold that the origin of the Nagari- 
alphabet date’ from the invention of the system of writing. Pandita 
Gauri-cankara Hiracand of Udayapura, author of the Pracina-lipi-mala, 
also asserts the same theory. Butin my humble opinion, this theory 
is quite without any foundation. 
The books which describe all the earliest lipis of India do not 
speak anything at all of Nagari. In support of this, I quote here some 
proofs. 
In the early Buddhist work named the Lalita-vistara, it is 
stated that when Vicvamitra Darakacarya came to teach Siddhartha the 
art of writing, the prince previous to his inculcation, spoke of the 
following 64 kinds of lipis!:—1 Brahmi, 2 Kharésti, 3 Puskarasari, 4 
Anga, 5 Vanga, 6 Magadha, 7 Mangalya, 8 Manusya, 9 Anguliya, 10 
Cakari, 11 Brahma-vall?, 12 Dravida, 13 Kinari, 14 Daksina, 15 Ugra, 16 
Sankhya, 17 Anuléma, 18 Darada, 19 Khasya, 20 Cina, 21 Huna, 22 
Madhyaksara-vistara, 23 Puspa, 24 Déva, 25 Naga, 26 Yaksa, 27 Gan- 
dharva, 28 Kinnara, 29 Mahdraga, 30 Asura, 31 Garuda, 32 Mrga-cakra, 
33 Cakra, 34 Vayumarut, 35 Bhauma-déva, 36 Antariksa-déva, 37 Uttara- 
kuru-dvipa, 38 Apara-gauda, 89 Purva-vidéha, 40 Utksépa, 41 Niksépa, 42 
Viksépa, 43 Praksépa, 44 Sagara, 45 Vajra, 46 Lékha-pratilékha, 47 
Anudruta, 48 Castrdvarta, 49 Ganand-vartta, 50 Utksepd-vartta, 51 
Niksépavartta, 52 Padalikhita, 53 Dviruttarapadasandhi, 04 Dacéttara- 
padasandhi, 55 Adhyaharini, 56 Sarvaruta-samgrahant, 57 Vidyanuloma, 58 
Vimierita, 59 Rsitapastapta, 60 Rocamanad, 61 Dharani-préksana, 68 
Sarvausadhi-nisyanda, 63 Sarvasira-samgrahani, and 64 Sarvabhita-ruta- 
grahani.} 
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ate BUSt Gat se-fety as-fett any-fety ave-felt wy-fety 
aye fary watcfett aqaal-fefi sfas-fett fant -feti <fru-fetr 
wi fafd dqrfett saeia-feti sivafett <xe-fafi ae-fafi sla-fatt 
sufeft agracfaactefd gu-fefd ea-fefy ama-fefi aa fetid aa-feti 
faqctefa agia-fafa sqcfefi aw-fefi waqa-fefd sm-feti ary 
aefatd waes-fati euduesfetiguigeny fet suuteie-fett wa- 
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