brahmi? (was Re: Origin of Dravidian languages)

[DEVARAKONDA VENKATA NARAYANA SARMA]

At 10:12 PM 2/9/98 +0100, you wrote:
>Can you tell me what the earliest attested use of brahmi is?
>
>I've always thought the earliest specimens of brahmi writing
>were azoka's. But last December someone posted an article from the
>"MP Chronicle" where I've found: "Archaeologists discover remains
>of temple in Sehore [...] A 6th century BC punch mark coin with an
>elephant and inscription in Brahmi on one side and svastika and Ujjaini
>signs and tree on the reverse was found at Ninnaur"
>
>
>
>
>And something completely different:
>
>I was surprised (given the metaphore) to read in some translation
>of azoka's edicts he styled himself deevaanaaMpriya. What's the earliest
>attested metaphorical use?
>
>

It was a practice of that age. Alexander considered himself to be the
son of a greek god. Darius I claimed that he was favoured by gods.
The grandfather Asoka was Chadragupta who was a contemporary of
Alexander, knew about the Alexander legend. In addition we have
"na aviSnuH prithvIpatiH". So it is no wonder that Asoka claimed
himself to be dEvAnAmpiya.

regards,

sarma.