Rebus principle in IVC scripts

Abstract

Indus scripts are generally written in a logo-graphic way. However, there are few cases of a logo-syllabic way of writing and writing using the rebus principle. In this article, I would like to present the rebus writing I have encountered.

The first case -the Istika ceremony

The above-given symbol indicates ‘three bricks’ tied together with an offering on the top. (Or) it could be a brick-making mould. The symbol does not mean mere ‘brick’; it indicates the Istika ceremony. Istika means ‘brick’. Since the word ‘Istika’ (brick) is similar to the Istika ceremony, the brick symbol has been used. It is a clear-cut case of using the rebus principle in Indus script writing. Read the article, ‘brick symbol indicates istikrta ceremony’, for more information. (1)

Rudra’s name is on one side of the copper tablet, and the other side shows the symbol of Rudra (i.e. crab within a pipal tree). Pictures reference and courtesy –book of Asko Parpola (Page-no. 112)

The second case – Sastha (God)

The word ‘Sastha’(god) is still used in Tamil and Malayalam. God Ayyapan is generally called ‘Sastha’. Wikipedia article on ‘Ayyappan’ says that ‘Sastha’ means ‘teacher’, but Sanskrit dictionaries do not attest to this idea. (2) The word is likely derived from the word ‘zakhastha’, which means ‘branch living God’. (15) This name ‘Zakhstha’ could have been transformed into the word ‘Sastha’ today. The word ‘Zakha’(Branch) had been used for ‘Zakhastha’(branch living god) using the rebus principle because both sound similar.

Bibliography

1. Jeyakumar(Brick_symbol). Brick symbol indicates Istikrta ceremony. Academia.edu. [Online] 2015. https://www.academia.edu/8119582/Brick_symbol_indicates_Istikrta_ceremony.

2. wikipedia(Ayyappan). Ayyappan. wikipedia. [Online] May 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayyappan.

3. spokensanskrit.de. zakhastha. spokensanskrit.de. [Online] May 2016. http://spokensanskrit.de/.