128 N.N. Vasu— Nagaras and the Nagari-alphabet. [No. 2, 
sareat fava: gaagmi afwaner <faat aaeaa qt 
ufatata efstar | 
The lipis mentioned in the Nandi-sttra are the following :— 
1 Hamsa-lipi, 2 Bhita-lipi, 3 Yaksa-lipi, 4 Raksasi-lipi, 5 Uddi-lipi, 6 
Yavani-lipi, 7 Turakki-lipi, 8 Kiri-lipt, 9 Dravidi-lipi, 10 Saindhavi-lipi, 
11 Ma@lavi-lipi, 12 Nadi-lipi, 13 Nagari-lipi, 14 Parasi-lipi, 15 Lati-lipi, 16 
Animitta-lipi, 17 Canakki-lipt and 18 Mauladévi.’ 
‘(Lipis vary in different countries ; the names of them are these) :— 
1 Lati, 2 Caudi, 3 Dahali, 4 Kanadi, 5 Gajari, 6 Sorathi, 7 Marahathi, 8 
Kaunkani, 9 Khurasani, 10 Magadhi, 11 Simhali, 12 Hadi, 13 Kiri, 14 
Hammiri, 15 Paratir?, 16 Masi, 17 Malavi and 18 Mahayodhi.’ 
Jainacarya says that the Nandi-stitra was issued a few years 
before the Kalpa-sitra. The Kalpa-sitra was published in Ananda- 
pura (Badanagara) 980 years after the death (nirvana) of Mahavira 
(453 A.D.) under the orders of the Valabhi king Dhruva-séna. 
So we find that the first mention of Nagari-lipi is in the 4th 
or 5th century A.D. As there is no mention of Nagari-lipi in any | 
book of a date earlier than the 4th century, and as there is no certainty 
of the time when this lpi first came into use, it is necessary to look 
into all the ancient inscriptions, copper-plates, and manuscripts, 
engraved or written in the Nagari, that have been discovered in differ- 
ent parts of India. It therefore requires much investigation and time 
to ascertain the gradual development of the Nagaraksara. I regret 
that I have not had enough leisure to devote to this research, but 1 may 
mention that I have recently learned that Dr. Buhler is going to 
publish an elaborate work on the Development of the Nagari-alphabet ; 
and hence for detailed information, I can commend my readers to his 
learned article on that subject. 
Of all the Nagari copper-plates, inscriptions, and manuscripts that 
have been discovered up to date, the copper-plate of the Gurjara king 
Dadda-praganta-raga, which has been found in Bagumra and which 
bears the date of 415 Caka is the most ancient.! The whole of the 
copper-plate is inscribed in the then-used Gujarati (cave-character) 
except towards the close where there is the king’s sign manual in 
Nagari :— 
eeatsd aa Bifsaragqat AIMALAT | 
From: the fact that only the royal signature is inscribed in the 
Nagaraksgara, it is obvious that although other characters were current 
in Gujarata about and before that time, the royal personages were then 
1 Indian Antiquary, Vol. XVII. 
