Vedic Traditions and the Significance of Akshara

Jain Traditions and Writing

• Jain texts recount the story of Rishavanatha, the first Tirthankara, teaching his daughter Bambi 18 written scripts, with Brahmi being the primary script.
• The preferred language in Jain texts is Prakrit.

Brahmi Script and Indian Writing Systems

• The Lalita Vistara Sutra, a Mahayana Buddhist text, mentions the 64 scripts mastered by young Siddhartha Gautama, with Brahmi and Kharoshti being the first two listed.
• Brahmi and Kharoshti are two ancient Indian scripts that were deciphered during colonial times.
• The story of Indian scripts begins with the Mauryan Brahmi script, which is found in inscriptions from the Mauryan era.

Mauryan Empire and Trade

• During the Mauryan period, trade played a vital role in the economy, contributing to the empire's prosperity.
• The Mauryan Empire established diplomatic ties with major powers, including the Greek Kingdoms, the Persian Empire, and Southeast Asian nations.
• Indian trade routes originated in the Harappan era and were further developed by the Mauryans.
• The regions surrounding trade routes became a melting pot of cultures, languages, and scripts.

Ashokan Inscriptions and Script Systems

• King Ashoka used different scripts in his inscriptions at various trading posts and strongholds.
• Brahmi and Kharoshti emerged as two distinct script systems in Ashokan inscriptions.

The Significance of Akshara

• The term Akshara holds significance in Vedic traditions, representing the eternal aspect of sound or syllables.
• Akshara refers to the set of sounds from A to Ksh in Vedic traditions.
• The study of sounds is an integral part of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

Akshara in Hindu Texts

• Vayu Purana and Bhagavata Purana describe the creation story of sounds and their associations with colors.
• Shakta texts, such as Shri Tattva-nidhi and Sanat Kumara Samhita, describe practices centered around Matrika-nyasa or Akshara-nyasa.
• Ancient grammarians like Patanjali and Panini elaborated on the nature of Aksharas in their works.

Panini's Ashtadhyayi

• Panini's Ashtadhyayi, dated to around 4th to 5th century BCE, describes vowels, consonants, and semi-vowels, and their interactions in word and sentence formations.