-Dr Simerjit Kaur
Brāhmī is one of the oldest writing systems used in the Indian
subcontinent.
It served as a precursor to many modern Indian script like Devanagari,
Bengali, and Tamil.
Dates back to the 3rd century BCE, during the Maurya Empire.
Probable evolutions as remarked by
scholars from the Semitic scripts
through Aramaic or Phoenician
scripts.
Earliest known examples appear in
the Edicts of Ashoka (3rd century
BCE).
Key role in documenting ancient
texts, including religious inscriptions.
ब्राह्मी तु भारती भाषा गीर्ाा ग्वाणी सरस्वती।
व्याहार उक्तिर्ा पितं भापषतं र्चनं र्चः॥
The personified female energy of Brahman.
Sarasvatī, the goddess of speech.
Written from left to right.
Alphabetical script with consonants and inherent vowels.
Use of diacritics to indicate vowel sounds.
Consonants: Present basic and conjunct consonants.
Vowels: Examples of independent and dependent vowel forms.
(which runs from left to right)
a ā i u e o aṃ
Brāhmī Script in Ashoka’s Pillar at Sarnath (322 B.C.)
Deciphered in the 19th century by James Prinsep in
1837.
Key to deciphering was the Ashokan inscriptions.
Helped to unlock the history and culture of ancient
India.
इयं धंमपर्िी दे र्ानां पियेन पियदपसना राञ्ञा र्ेखापिता ...
यदा अयं धंमपर्िी पर्क्तखता ...
एताये अठाये इयं धंमपर्पि र्ेक्तखता..
अथाय अयं धम्मपर्िी र्ेखापिता प ं च ..
अयं धंमपर्िी दे र्ानां पियेन पियदपसना राञ्ञा र्ेखापिता...
अयं च पर्पि पतसनखतेन सोतपर्या ।
एताये अठाये इयं धंमपर्पि पर्क्तखत.
Influenced the development of modern scripts like Devanagari, Tamil,
Kannada, Telugu, and more.
Spread through Southeast Asia, giving rise to scripts like Khmer and
Thai.
Played a significant role in religious and administrative communication
in ancient India.
Phoenician( 11th B. C) Brahmi Script ( 5th B. C.)
from Aleph a
from heth gha
from mem ma
( Brahmi 3rd B.C. )
(Kushana Brahmi 3rd Century A.D.)
Brahmi
Kushana
Influence
on other
Scripts
Formative
Chart of
all other
Scripts
