What is the writing on the attached image?

[Richard Salomon]

A very strange choice of text for this stamp!

By the way,  I have a small collection of Indian stamps with Sanskrit texts 
or Sanskrit-literature related themes (e.g., Gilgit manuscripts). There are 
quite a few. I could provide a list if anyone is interested.

Rich Salomon

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Lusthaus" <vasubandhu at EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk>
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 5:50 PM
Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] What is the writing on the attached image?


> Madhav,
>
> They appear to be a version of the Brahmi numerals, 1 through 9.
> See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmi_numeral
>
> best,
> Dan
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Deshpande, Madhav" <mmdesh at UMICH.EDU>
>
>>I have attached an image of the Indian postal stamp showing the picture of
>>Pāṇini.  Does the vertical writing to the left of Pāṇini mean anything?
>>
>> Madhav
>