132 N. N. Vasu—Nagaras and the Nagari-alphabet. [No. 2, 
is manifest that some Brahmanas came from very distant parts to 
inhabit Nagara. 
T have said already that Ananda-pura is the ancient name of Nagara 
or Badanagara. The name ‘ Ananda-pura’ is only seen in the copper-_ 
plates of the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries A.D. The Jaina-Kalpa- 
sutra states that in response to the orders of the Valabhi king 
Dhruva-séna, the Kalpa-stitra was read out before the public in 
the city of Ananda-pura. The Chinese pilgrim Hinen Tsiang saw here 
many Buddhist Sayngharamas as well as a good many Hindu temples. 
The Hindu temples described by the Chinese pilgrim might have been 
the temples of Hatakégvara and others which are described in the 
Nagara-khanda. Now the question is, although about the 4th or 5th 
century we find the mention of the Nagari-lipi in the Nandi-sttra, what 
is the cause of the name Nagara not being mentioned in inscriptions or 
‘copper-plates of that time, except in the Nagara-khanda? It seems 
probable that during the rule of the Valabhi kings, none of the royal 
officers who belonged to different religions or orders, recognised this new 
name given by the Brahmanas. They all called it Ananda-pura.! Pro- 
bably the locality came to be denominated Nagara during the reign of the 
Rastrakiita and Caulukya kings who showed great respect and reverence 
towards the Nagara Brahmanas. 
I have already given the description i in the Nagara-khanda which 
says that the Brahmana Trijata and his comrades destroyed the race of 
snakes or drove them away, and thus delivered Hatakecvara-ksétra. 
This I interpret as an allegory. Long before the Valabhi kings, the 
snake-worshipper Naga or the Shah kings had been reigning in Gujarat. 
Probably the Vaivas conquered Anartta after defeating. these Nagas, and 
founded the Hataké¢vara-ksétra in order to establish the supremacy of the 
Caiva faith. This happened towards the end of the 4th century A.D. 
Afterwards many Caiva-Brahmanas gathered there from different coun- 
tries and assumed the common name of Nagara. It is probable that some 
of these immigrants who came from Magadha, Kanyakubja and Gauda, 
brought to their new colony their old alphabet, which in a later period 
became known as the Nagari-lipi. The long residence of these Nagara 
Brahmanas in Nagara, is manifest from a work entitled the Sura- 
a afaaiia Baal sreiaeqa a fear: | 
aaaat Ga: Wis ayfay Vea | 
met sfenragaigetca faa: | 
@ (ATATSW Yor F:) 
1 Tn the Nagara-khanda there is description of Anandécvara Mahadéva: most 
probably this title of Mahadéva refers to the city of Ananda-pura, 
