In 1940, archaeologist M.S. Vats discovered three Shiva Lingas at Harappa, dating more than 5,000 years old. This rare archival photo shows that ancient Shiva Linga as it was being excavated from the Harappa site. Lingam, grey sandstone in situ, Harappa, Trench Ai, Mound F, Pl. X (c) (After Vats). "In an earthenware jar, No. 12414, recovered from Mound F, Trench IV, Square I... in this jar, six lingams were found along with some tiny pieces of shell, a unicorn seal, an oblong grey sandstone block with polished surface, five stone pestles, a stone palette, and a block of chalcedony..." (Vats,MS,  Excavations at Harappa, p. 370)Two decorated bases and a lingam, Mohenjodaro.
After Fig. 8.305 RS Bisht. Dholavira. Details of free standing columns.
Five-headed Mukhalinga embedded in a yoni;Budanilkantha, Nepal

Photograph from Malleret, L., L'archaeologie du delta du Mekong, Paris, 1959;

Ekamukhalinga from JaiyA, National Museum, Bangkok

Ekamukhalinga from Vat Sak Sampou

“The JaiyA ekamukhalinga is divided into three parts in accordance with the prescriptions in the Siva Agamas. The base, BrahmabhAga, is cubic in form and is 47.8 cms. High. The middle section, the ViSNubhAga, is octagonal in shape and is approximately 43 cm. High. The topmost section, the RudrabhAga, is cylindrical and is approximately 51 cms high, while the superimposed face measures 29.5 cms from the bottom of the chin to the top of the jaTA. The two lower sections of the linga would not normally be visible, since they would be enclosed in the pedestal (pIThikA)...One of the singular features of these pre-Angkorian mukhalingas is the fusing of the jaTA with the filet on the gland of the RudrabhAga (fig.2)...There is, however, an ekamukhalinga from Vat Sak Sampou (fig. 3) which displays a coiffure which is very muh like that worn on the JaiyA linga.” (O'Connor, SJ, 1961, An ekamukhalinga from Peninsular Siam,  The Journal of the Siam Society. The Siam Society. pp. 43-49).

http://www.siameseheritage.org/jsspdf/1961/JSS_054_1e_OConnor_EkamukhalingaFromPeninsularSiam.pdf

Linga with One Face of Shiva (Ekamukhalinga), Mon–Dvaravati period, 7th–early 8th century. Thailand (Phetchabun Province, Si Thep) Stone; H. 55 1/8 in.

Octagonal form of ViSNubhAga and the occurrence of pancamukhalinga is consistent with the tradition of pancaloha 'five dhAtu or five mineral alloy' images as utsavaberas.

I suggest that the mukha on the linga is read rebus from the hieroglyph: 

mũh 'a face' Rebus: mũh,muhã 'ingot' or muhã 'quantity of metal produced at one time in a native smelting furnace.' This reaffirms the association of the octagonal brick of Binjor fire-altar with the Skambha as linga or vajra which participates in the process of smelting dhAtu, 'ores'.

Face on Bhuteswar sivalinga & face with body of a hunter on Gudimallam sivalinga

Worship of Shiva Linga by Gandharvas - Shunga Period - Bhuteshwar - ACCN 3625 This is worship by kharva 'dwarfs' gaNa of Siva, celebrating Kubera's nidhi also called kharva Rebus: karb 'iron' (Tulu)

Relief with Ekamukha linga. Mathura. 1st cent. CE

Worship of a fiery pillar,Amaravati

Naga worshippers of fiery pillar, Amaravati stupa  Smithy is the temple of Bronze Age: stambha, thãbharā fiery pillar of light, Sivalinga. Rebus-metonymy layered Indus script cipher signifies: tamba, tã̄bṛā, tambira 'copper' On top of the skambha are fish-fins linked together: Hieroglyph: khambhaṛā 'fish-fin' rebus: kammaTa 'mint, coiner, coinage' . Cobra hood: phaNi'cobra hood' rebus; phaNi'lead or zinc'; paNi 'merchant, marketplace'.meḍ 'step' rebus: meḍ 'iron'

 Sarasvati-Sindhu Script seal. Binjor

Source: http://muktalib5.org/VEDIC_ROOT/vedic_library.htm

ॐ गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे
कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् ।
ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणाम् ब्रह्मणस्पत
आ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिःसीदसादनम् ॥
ॐ महागणाधिपतये नमः ॥

Meaning:

1: Om, O Ganapati, To You Who are the Lord of the Ganas (Celestial Attendants or Followers), weOffer our Sacrificial Oblations,
2: You are the Wisdom of the Wise and the Uppermost in Glory,
3: You are the Eldest Lord (i.e. ever Unborn) and is of the Nature of Brahman (Absolute Consciousness); You are the Embodiment of the Sacred Pranava (Om),
4: Please come to us by Listening to our Prayers and be Present in the Seat of this Sacred Sacrificial Altar.
5: Om, our Prostrations to the Mahaganadhipati (the Great Lord of the Ganas).


Pañcāyatana pūjā  is worship of Gaṇeśa, Vishnu, Shiva, Devī, and Sūrya.
Gaṇeśa Nrtya Walters Art Museum.

Bera Utsav is a regional festival celebrated in the Murshidabad district of the state of West Bengal. The annual event is organized at the historical and picturesque location of Lalbagh, which at one time was the home of the Nawabs and is located on the banks of River Bhagirathi. People throng the district of Murshidabad to witness this magnificent event.  The event is held on the last Thursday of the Bhadra month of the traditional Bengali calendar.

utsavá m. ʻ enterprise ʼ RV., ʻ festival ʼ MBh. [√sū] Pa. ussava -- m. ʻ festival ʼ, Pk. ucchava -- , °chaa -- , ussava -- , ūsa°, ōsa° m., K. wŏċhav, °ċhuwu m.; S. uchaü, och°, ocho m. ʻ feast given to brahmans ʼ; Or. ucha ʻ festival ʼ, osā ʻ festival, vow ʼ. dīpōtsava -- , mahōtsava -- .(CDIAL 1876) 9979 mahōtsava m. ʻ great festival ʼ MBh. [mahā -- , utsavá -- ]Pk. mahocchava -- , °hōsava -- , °hussava -- , °hūsava -- m.; P. mahocchā m. ʻ celebration, appointment of a new mahout ʼ; H. mahochā m. ʻ great festival ʼ, OG.mochava m.(CDIAL 9979)dīpōtsava m. ʻ festival of lights ʼ BhavP. [dīpa -- , utsavá -- ]

Pk. dīvūsava -- m. ʻ new moon of Kārtik ʼ; N. deusi ʻ festival beginning on the 5th day of Diwāli ʼ.(CDIAL 6359)

Source: agnyāyatanaṁ and agnihotrahomaḥ colophon: punarādheyam 

http://muktalib5.org/VEDIC_ROOT/TEXTS/JOGLEKAR/JOGLEKAR-PDF/J0045.pdf

गणा f. N. of one of the mothers in स्कन्द's retinue MBh. ix , 2645 (cf. अहर्- , मर्/उद्- , व्/ऋष- , स्/अ- , सप्त्/अ- , स्/अर्व- ; देव-,महा- ,andविद-गण्/अ.) गण [p=343,1] m. a flock , troop , multitude , number , tribe , series , class (of animate or inanimate beings) , body of followers or attendants RV. AV.&c troops or classes of inferior deities (especially certain troops of demi-gods considered as शिव's attendants and under the special superintendence of the god गणे*श ; cf. -देवता) Mn. Ya1jn5. Lalit. &c a single attendant of शिव VarBr2S. Katha1s. Ra1jat. iii , 270N. of गणे*श W.a company , any assemblage or association of men formed for the attainment of the same aims Mn. Ya1jn5. Hit.m. a particular group of सामन्s La1t2y. i , 6 , 5 VarYogay. viii , 7

I do NOT know when the iconography of Gaṇeśa emerged. There are indications that the rūpa of dhātu  (hieroglyph components of the hypertext called  Gaṇeśa) can be explained in R̥gveda metaphors.

In the laukika-lokottara research methodology of unraveling the traditions handed down to us from time immemorial, it is seen that the written documentation in Indus Script Corpora and the traditions enshrined in annual festivities of people in the Indian sprachbund continuum can be correlated. 

This may perhaps provide clues to an understanding of why the unique iconography of Gaṇeśa emerged. 

This may perhaps provide clues to an understanding of why the unique iconography of Gaṇeśa emerged. 

Ligatured glyph on copper tablet. m571B (serpent-like tail, horns, body of ram, elephant trunk, hindlegs of tiger). 

Slide 63 Elephant trunk ligatured to a winnowing fan Material: terra cotta. Dimensions: 4.8 cm height, 5.4 cm width, 4.6 cm breadth. Harappa Museum, H87-348 Elephant trunk LUS winnowing fan: karibha 'elephant trunk' rebus: karba 'iron' ibha 'elephant' rebus: ib '''iron' PLUS kulA 'winnowing fan' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter' kolle 'blacksmith'. Alterntive: phaṇi 'cobra's hood' rebus: phaṇi 'lead or zinc'. This hypertext may thus signify an alloly of lead or zinc PLUS karibha, ibha 'elephant' rebus: karba, ib 'iron' PLUS dAnt 'tusk' rebus: dhAtu 'mineral ore'.

Slide 44 harappa.com Elephant figurine head with painted designs from Harappa.. It is unknown whether elephants were domesticated in the Indus Civilization. However, one of the few elephant figurines from Harappa is a head with large stylized ears and red and white stripes painted across the face. This may mirror the custom of decorating domesticated elephants (red and white are common colors) for ceremonies or rituals that is still practiced in South Asia. Elephant bones have also been found at Harappa. Approximate dimensions (W x H(L) x D): 5.4 x 4.8 x 4.6 cm. (Photograph by Richard H. Meadow)

Terracotta. 

Tiger, bovine, elephant, Nausharo NS 92.02.70.04 h. 6.76 cm; w. 4.42; l. 6.97cm. kola 'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter' kolle 'blacksmith' barada, balada 'bull' rebus: bharata 'alloy of pewter, copper, tin'; karibha 'trunk of elephant' ibha 'elephant' rebus: karba 'iron' ib 'iron'

Centre for Archaeological Research Indus Balochistan, Musée Guimet, Paris.

The orthographic style of creating 'composite animals' is also evident from the following examples of artifacts:

Three-headed: elephant, buffalo, bottom jaw of a feline. NS 91.02.32.01.LXXXII. Dept. of Archaeology, Karachi. EBK 7712

Hieroglyph: karibha 'trunk of elephant' (Pali) ibha 'elephant' (Samskritam) Rebus: karba 'iron' ib 'iron'; rango 'buffalo bull' Rebus: ranga 'pewter, solder' kola 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron'

Une tête d'éléphant en terre cuite de Nausharo (Pakistan)

In: Arts asiatiques. Tome 47, 1992. pp. 132-136. Jarrige Catherine

http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/arasi_0004-3958_1992_num_47_1_1330

The elephant head ligatured with a buffalo at Nausharo is a curtain-raiser for the practice of ligaturing in Indian tradition for utsava bera 'idols carried on processions'. The phrase utsava bera denotes that processions of the type shown on Mesopotamian cylinder seals or Mohenjo-daro tablets are trade processions for bera 'bargaining, trade'. Thus, the processions with hieroglyphs may be part of trade-exchange fairs of ancient times. It is significant that the utsava bera of Ganesa is shown together with a rat or mouse -- as vāhana: ibha 'elephant' Rebus: ib 'iron'. mūṣa 'rat, mouse' Rebus: mūṣa 'crucible'.  Thus both rat/mouse and elephant face ligatured to a body, are Meluhha hieroglyphs related to metallurgical processes.

Utsava bera pōḷā (zebu, bos indicus) may be seen in the processions during festival days of Utsava Nandi and veneration in temples on days of pradosham.

బేరము [ bēramu ] bēramu. [Skt.] n. An image. ప్రతిమ. "పంకములోని హైమబేరము." పర. v.

బేరము [ bēramu ] bēramu. [Tel.] n. Trade, dealing, a bargain, బేరముసారము or బేరసారము trade, &c. (సారము being a mere expletive.)బేరకాడు bēra-kāḍu. n. One who makes a bargain, a purchaser, buyer. కొనువాడు, బేరమాడువాడు. బేరకత్తె bēra-katte. n. A woman who bargains or purchases. బేరమాడు or బేరముచేయు bēram-āḍu. v. n. To bargain. బేరముపోవు to go on a trading journey. బేరి bēri. n. A man of the Beri or merchant caste.

उत्-सव b [p= 182,2] m. enterprise , beginning RV. i , 100 , 8 ; 102 , 1

पोळा [ pōḷā ] m (पोळ) A festive day for cattle,--the day of new moon of श्रावण or of भाद्रपद. Bullocks are exempted from labor; variously daubed and decorated; and paraded about in worship. 

Tiger or leopard figurine with incised facial features, including punctated dots on the face that could be whisker marks. This figurine depicts a normal feline without horns or human face and therefore probably represents the actual wild animal. Hand formed with applique eyes.

Material: terra cotta
Dimensions: 5.7 cm height, 11.9 cm length, 4.5 cm width
Harappa, Lot 59-17
Harappa Museum, H87-339
Dales and Kenoyer 1990: fig. 62.3, Dales and Kenoyer 1991: fig. 13.14, 1

https://www.harappa.com/slide/tiger-figurine

Two composite anthropomorphic / animal figurines from Harappa kola 'woman' kola 'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter' kolle 'blacksmith'.

harappa.com "Slide 88. Three objects (harappa.com) Three terra cotta objects that combine human and animal features. These objects may have been used to tell stories in puppet shows or in ritual performances. 

On the left is a seated animal figurine with female head. The manner of sitting suggests that this may be a feline, and a hole in the base indicates that it would have been raised on a stick as a standard or puppet. The head is identical to those seen on female figurines with a fan shaped headdress and two cup shaped side pieces. The choker with pendant beads is also common on female figurines. Material: terra cotta Dimensions: 7.1 cm height, 4.8 cm length, 3.5 cm width Harappa, 2384 Harappa Museum, HM 2082 Vats 1940: 300, pl. LXXVII, 67 

In the center is miniature mask of horned deity with human face and bared teeth of a tiger. A large mustache or divided upper lip frames the canines, and a flaring beard adds to the effect of rage. The eyes are defined as raised lumps that may have originally been painted. Short feline ears contrast with two short horns similar to a bull rather than the curving water buffalo horns. Two holes on either side allow the mask to be attached to a puppet or worn as an amulet. 

Material: terra cotta

Dimensions: 7.1 cm height, 4.8 cm length, 3.5 cm width

Harappa, 2384 Harappa Museum, HM 2082 Vats 1940: 300, pl. LXXVII, 67

In the center is miniature mask of horned deity with human face and bared teeth of a tiger. A large mustache or divided upper lip frames the canines, and a flaring beard adds to the effect of rage. The eyes are defined as raised lumps that may have originally been painted. Short feline ears contrast with two short horns similar to a bull rather than the curving water buffalo horns. Two holes on either side allow the mask to be attached to a puppet or worn as an amulet. 

Material: terra cotta

Dimensions: 5.24 height, 4.86 width

Harappa

Harappa Museum, H93-2093

Meadow and Kenoyer, 1994

On the right is feline figurine with male human face. The ears, eyes and mouth are filled with black pigment and traces of black are visible on the flaring beard that is now broken. The accentuated almond shaped eyes and wide mouth are characteristic of the bearded horned deity figurines found at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro (no. 122, 123). This figurine was found in a sump pit filled with discarded goblets, animal and female figurines and garbage. It dates to the final phase of the Harappan occupation, around 2000 B. C.

Harappa, Lot 5063-1 Harappa Museum, H94-2311

Material: terra cotta Dimensions: 5.5 cm height, 12.4 cm length, 4.3 cm width 

http://www.harappa.com/indus/88.html

Slide72. Two composite anthropomorphic / animal figurines from Harappa.Whether or not the attachable water buffalo horns were used in magic or other rituals, unusual and composite animals and anthropomorphic/animal beings were clearly a part of Indus ideology. The ubiquitous "unicorn" (most commonly found on seals, but also represented in figurines), composite animals and animals with multiple heads, and composite anthropomorphic/animal figurines such as the seated quadruped figurines with female faces, headdresses and tails offer tantalizing glimpses into a rich ideology, one that may have been steeped in mythology, magic, and/or ritual transformation. Approximate dimensions (W x H(L) x D) of the larger figurine: 3.5 x 7.1 x 4.8 cm. (Photograph by Richard H. Meadow)

Nahali (kol ‘woman’) and Santali (kul ‘tiger’; kol ‘smelter’)

त्रि--धातु [p= 458,3] mfn. consisting of 3 parts , triple , threefold (used like Lat. triplex to denote excessive) RV. S3Br. v , 5 , 5 , 6

Folio from a Bhagavatapurana Series: King Yudhisthira Performs the Rajasuya Sacrifice, 1825-50 India: Himachal Pradesh, Kangra Workshop, 1825-1850 Opaque watercolor and gold on paper image: 10-1/2 x 15-5/8 in. (26.7 x 39.7 cm); sheet: 12-1/4 x 17 in. (31.1 x 43.2 cm) Norton Simon Museum, Gift of Ramesh and Urmil Kapoor P.2003.02.02

[quote]Rajasuya (Imperial Sacrifice or the king's inauguration sacrifice) is a Śrauta ritual of the Vedic religion. It is a consecration of a king.^[1] It is described in the Taittiriya corpus, including Apastamba Srauta Sutra 18.8–25.22.^[1] It involves soma pressing, a chariot drive, the king shooting arrows from his bow, and a brief cattle “raid.”^[1] There is a telling of the tale of Shunahshepa, a boy who was nearly sacrificed to Varuna on behalf of the sonless king Harishchandra.^[1] Also included is a game of throwing dice by which the king is enthroned and the cosmos is regenerated...This yagya (sacrifice) can be included under the list of other complex yagyas like ishti, pashuyagya, somayagya darvihoma etc. This is a very complex yagya including 129 ishti yagya, 2 pashu yagya, 7 darvi homas and 6 soma yagyas. There are most amazing type of gifts that are given to the priests ( purohitas) who are performing this yagya.Two gold-coated mirrors should be given to the "adhwaryu", who is one of the main priest in this yagya. A Golden chain should be given to the "Udgatha", another type of priest in this yagya.Another type of priest called "Hotha" should be given a Golden ornament called "rukma" as presentation.A white horse each for "Prathihartha" and "Prasthotha" two types of priests performing this yagya. The main priest called "brahma" should ge given 12 healthy cows . "maithra varuna" -the second most important priest should be presented by a "pregnant cow". The "brahmanajhamsi" priest should be presented by a healthy "Ox" . "neshta" and "potha" should be given a couple of two precious "silks". The "achavaka" priest should be presented by a cart full of "yava" a type of cereal. Finally the "agneeth" priest should be presented by a healthy "ox". There are special fees that should be given to the priests who are performing this yagya for the king (Satapatha Brahmana Second adhyaya Third brahmana onwards 13 chapters)...In Yudhishtira's Rajasuya,agra puja was given to Lord Krishna. Another yajna equivalent to this yajna is called as "vaishnava yajna". Rajasuya is performed by king Yudhishtira in mahabharatha and "Vaishnava yajna" is performed by king Duryodhana in mahabharatha [unquote] 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasuya

• Knipe, David M. (2015), Vedic Voices: Intimate Narratives of a Living Andhra Tradition, Oxford: Oxford University Press

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/

S'Br. 5.5.5.6 tásya yo yóniraashaya aása | támanuparaamR!shya saMlúpyaachinatsai&SéSTirabhavattadyádetásminnaashaye trídhaaturivaiSaá vidyaásheta tásmaattraidhaatavii naáma

And that which had been his (Vritra's) seat, his retreat, that he shattered, grasping it and tearing it out 1: it became this offering. And because the science (the Veda) that lay in that retreat was, as it were, a threefold (tridhâtu) one, therefore this is called the Traidhâtavî (ishti).

Rājasūya

5.5.5.1  He prepares a cake on twelve potsherds for Indra and Vishnu. Now as to why he makes this offering. Of old, everything here was within Vrit
...
5.5.5.7. And as to why the oblation is one for Indra and Vishnu, it is because Indra raised the thunderbolt, and Vishnu stood by him.
5.5.5.8. And why it is (a cake) on twelve potsherds,--there are twelve months in the year, and the offering is of equal measure with the year: therefore it is one of twelve potsherds.
5.5.5.9. He prepares it of both rice and barley. He first puts on (the fire) a ball of rice, that being a form (symbol) of the Yagus-formulas; then one of barley, that being a form of the Rik-verses; then one of rice, that being a form of the Sâman-hymns. Thus this is made to be a form of the triple science: and this same (offering) becomes the Udavasânîyâ-ishti (completing oblation) for the performer of the Râgasûya.
5.5.5.10. For, verily, he who performs the Râgasûya gains for himself (the benefit of) all sacrificial rites, all offerings, even the spoonful-oblations; for him the sacrifice becomes as it were exhausted, and he, as it were, turns away from it. Now the whole sacrifice is just as great as that triple Veda; and this (offering) now is made a form of that (Veda, or sacrifice); this is its womb, its seat: thus he commences once more the sacrifice by means of that triple Veda; and thus his sacrifice is not exhausted, and he does not turn away from it.
5.5.5.11. And, verily, he who performs the Râgasûya gains for himself all sacrificial rites, all offerings, even the spoonful-oblations; and this offering, the Traidhâtavî (ishti), is instituted by the gods: 'May this offering also be performed by me, may I be consecrated by this one also!' thus he thinks, and therefore this is the completing offering for him who performs the Râgasûya.

5.5.5.12. And also for him who would give (to the priests) a thousand (cows) or more 1, let this be the completing offering. For he who gives a thousand or more becomes as it were emptied out; and that triple Veda is the thousandfold progeny of Vâk (speech): him who was emptied out he thus fills up again with a thousand; and therefore let it be for him also the completing offering.
5.5.5.13. And also for those who would sit through (perform) a long sacrificial session 2, for a year or more, let this be the completing offering. For by those who sit through a long sacrificial session, for a year or more, everything is obtained, everything conquered; but this (offering) is everything: let it therefore be for them also the completing offering.
...
5.5.5.16. Three gold pieces of a hundred mânas each are the sacrificial fee for this (offering). He presents them to the Brahman; for the Brahman neither performs (like the Adhvaryu), nor chants (like the Udgâtri), nor recites (like the Hotri), and yet he is an object of respect. And with gold they do nothing 3, and yet it is an object of respect: therefore he presents to the Brahman three gold pieces of a hundred mânas each. (Note: According to Sâyana, these 'satamânas' are similar to the round plate worn by the king during the Consecration-ceremony...These plates (as the 'rukmas' generally, were apparently used for ornament only, not as coins.)



त्रि tri-धातुः an epithet of Gaṇeśa; -तुम् 1 the triple world. -2 the aggregate of the 3 minerals or humours. (Apte lexicon)  त्रि--धातु [p= 458,3] mfn. consisting of 3 parts , triple , threefold (used like Lat. triplex to denote excessive) RV. S3Br. v , 5 , 5 , 6; m. (scil. पुरोड्/आश) N. of an oblation TS. ii , 3 , 6. 1 ( -त्व्/अ n. abstr.); n. the triple world RV.; n. the aggregate of the 3 minerals or of the 3 humours W.; m. गणे*श L.

hēramb हेरम्बः [हे शिवे रम्बति रम्ब्-अच् अलुक् समा˚ Tv.] 1 N. of Gaṇeśa; जेता हेरम्बभृङ्गिप्रमुखगणचमूचक्रिणस्तारकारेः Mv. 2.17; हे हेरम्ब, किमम्ब, रोदिषि कथं, कर्णौ लुठत्यग्निभूः Subhāṣ. लुठत् [p= 904,1] mfn. rolling , falling down W.; flowing , trickling (?) ib.

RV_2,023.01a gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ havāmahe kaviṃ kavīnām upamaśravastamam |
RV_2,023.01c jyeṣṭharājam brahmaṇām brahmaṇas pata ā naḥ śṛṇvann ūtibhiḥ sīda sādanam ||
RV_2,023.02a devāś cit te asurya pracetaso bṛhaspate yajñiyam bhāgam ānaśuḥ |
RV_2,023.02c usrā iva sūryo jyotiṣā maho viśveṣām ij janitā brahmaṇām asi ||
RV_2,023.03a ā vibādhyā parirāpas tamāṃsi ca jyotiṣmantaṃ ratham ṛtasya tiṣṭhasi |
RV_2,023.03c bṛhaspate bhīmam amitradambhanaṃ rakṣohaṇaṃ gotrabhidaṃ svarvidam ||
RV_2,023.04a sunītibhir nayasi trāyase janaṃ yas tubhyaṃ dāśān na tam aṃho aśnavat |
RV_2,023.04c brahmadviṣas tapano manyumīr asi bṛhaspate mahi tat te mahitvanam ||
RV_2,023.05a na tam aṃho na duritaṃ kutaś cana nārātayas titirur na dvayāvinaḥ |
RV_2,023.05c viśvā id asmād dhvaraso vi bādhase yaṃ sugopā rakṣasi brahmaṇas pate ||
RV_2,023.06a tvaṃ no gopāḥ pathikṛd vicakṣaṇas tava vratāya matibhir jarāmahe |
RV_2,023.06c bṛhaspate yo no abhi hvaro dadhe svā tam marmartu ducchunā harasvatī ||
RV_2,023.07a uta vā yo no marcayād anāgaso 'rātīvā martaḥ sānuko vṛkaḥ |
RV_2,023.07c bṛhaspate apa taṃ vartayā pathaḥ sugaṃ no asyai devavītaye kṛdhi ||
RV_2,023.08a trātāraṃ tvā tanūnāṃ havāmahe 'vaspartar adhivaktāram asmayum |
RV_2,023.08c bṛhaspate devanido ni barhaya mā durevā uttaraṃ sumnam un naśan ||
RV_2,023.09a tvayā vayaṃ suvṛdhā brahmaṇas pate spārhā vasu manuṣyā dadīmahi |
RV_2,023.09c yā no dūre taḷito yā arātayo 'bhi santi jambhayā tā anapnasaḥ ||
RV_2,023.10a tvayā vayam uttamaṃ dhīmahe vayo bṛhaspate papriṇā sasninā yujā |
RV_2,023.10c mā no duḥśaṃso abhidipsur īśata pra suśaṃsā matibhis tāriṣīmahi ||
RV_2,023.11a anānudo vṛṣabho jagmir āhavaṃ niṣṭaptā śatrum pṛtanāsu sāsahiḥ |
RV_2,023.11c asi satya ṛṇayā brahmaṇas pata ugrasya cid damitā vīḷuharṣiṇaḥ ||
RV_2,023.12a adevena manasā yo riṣaṇyati śāsām ugro manyamāno jighāṃsati |
RV_2,023.12c bṛhaspate mā praṇak tasya no vadho ni karma manyuṃ durevasya śardhataḥ ||
RV_2,023.13a bhareṣu havyo namasopasadyo gantā vājeṣu sanitā dhanaṃ-dhanam |
RV_2,023.13c viśvā id aryo abhidipsvo mṛdho bṛhaspatir vi vavarhā rathāṃ iva ||
RV_2,023.14a tejiṣṭhayā tapanī rakṣasas tapa ye tvā nide dadhire dṛṣṭavīryam |
RV_2,023.14c āvis tat kṛṣva yad asat ta ukthyam bṛhaspate vi parirāpo ardaya ||
RV_2,023.15a bṛhaspate ati yad aryo arhād dyumad vibhāti kratumaj janeṣu |
RV_2,023.15c yad dīdayac chavasa ṛtaprajāta tad asmāsu draviṇaṃ dhehi citram ||
RV_2,023.16a mā na stenebhyo ye abhi druhas pade nirāmiṇo ripavo 'nneṣu jāgṛdhuḥ |
RV_2,023.16c ā devānām ohate vi vrayo hṛdi bṛhaspate na paraḥ sāmno viduḥ ||
RV_2,023.17a viśvebhyo hi tvā bhuvanebhyas pari tvaṣṭājanat sāmnaḥ-sāmnaḥ kaviḥ |
RV_2,023.17c sa ṛṇacid ṛṇayā brahmaṇas patir druho hantā maha ṛtasya dhartari ||
RV_2,023.18a tava śriye vy ajihīta parvato gavāṃ gotram udasṛjo yad aṅgiraḥ |
RV_2,023.18c indreṇa yujā tamasā parīvṛtam bṛhaspate nir apām aubjo arṇavam ||
RV_2,023.19a brahmaṇas pate tvam asya yantā sūktasya bodhi tanayaṃ ca jinva |
RV_2,023.19c viśvaṃ tad bhadraṃ yad avanti devā bṛhad vadema vidathe suvīrāḥ ||

r.s.i: gr.tsamada (a_n:girasa s'aunahotra pas'ca_d) bha_rgava s'aunaka; devata_: br.haspati, 1-5,9,11,17,19 brahman.aspati; chanda: jagati_, 15,19 tris.t.up

2.023.01 We invoke the Brahman.aspati, chief leaderof the (heavenly) bands; a sage of sage; abounding beyond measure in (every kind of) food;best lord of prayer; hearing our invocations, come with your protections, and sit down in the chamber of sacrifice. [Brahman.aspati = brahman.o annasya parivr.d.hasya karman.o va_ pa_layita_, the protector or cherisher of food,or of any great or solemn acts of devotion; he has other attributes in the text, as, gan.a_na_m gan.apatih, chief of the gan.as (inferior deities); jyes.t.hara_jam brahman.a_m, the best lord of mantras, or prayers: pras'asyam sva_minam mantra_n.a_m].
2.023.02 Br.haspati, destroyer of the asuras, through you the intelligent gods have obtained the sacrificialportion; in like manner as the adorable sun generates the (solar) rays by his radiance, so are you the generator of all prayers. [Br.haspati = Brahman.aspati; perhaps Br.haspati is of a more martial character; his protection is souhght for against enemies and evil spirits; perhaps, br.hata_m veda_na_m pa_lakah: br.hat = mantra, br.hato mantrasya, sva_min].
2.023.03 Having repelled revilers and (dispersed) the darkness you stand Br.haspati, on the radiant chariot of sacrifice, (which is) formidable (to foes), the humiliator of enemies, the destroyer of evil spirits, the cleaver of the clouds, the attainer of heaven.
2.023.04 You lead men, Br.haspati, by virtuous instructions; you preserve them (from calamity); sin will never overtake him who presents (offerings) to you; you are the afflicter of him who hates (holy) prayers; you are the punisher of wrath; such is your great mightiness. [Him who hates holy prayers: brahmadvis.ah = those who hate either the bra_hman.as,or the mantras or prayers].
2.023.05 The man whom you, Brahman.aspati, a kind protector, defend, neither sorrow nor sin, nor adversaries nor dissemblers ever harm, for you drive away from him all injurious (things).
2.023.06 You, Br.haspati, are our protector and the guide of (our) path; (you are) the discerner (of all things); we worship with praises for your adoration; may his own precipitate malice involve him (in destruction) who practises deceit against us.
2.023.07 Turn aside from (the true) path, Br.haspati, the arrogant and savage man who advances to injure us, although unoffending and keep us in the right way for (the completion of) this offering to the gods.
2.023.08 Br.haspati, defender (from calamity), we invoke you, the protector of our persons, the speaker of encouraging words and well disposed towards us; do you destroy the revilers of the gods; let not the malevolent attain supreme felicity.
2.023.09 Through you, Brahman.aspati, (our) benefactor, may we obtain desirable wealth from men destroy those (our) unrighteous enemies, whether nigh or far off, who prevail against us.
2.023.10 Through you, Br.haspati, (who are) the fulfiller of our desires; pure, and associated (with us), we possess excellent food; let not the wicked man who wishes to deceive us be our master; but let us, excelling in (pious) praises, attain (prosperity).
2.023.11 You, Brahman.aspati, who have no requiter (of your bounty), who are the showerer (of benefits), the repairer to combat, the consumer of foes, the victor in battles, you are true, the discharger of debts, the humiliator of the fierce and of the exulting.
2.023.12 Let not, Br.haspati, the murderous (weapon) of that man reach us, who, with unrighteous mind, seeks to harm us; who, fierce and arrogant, designs to kill (your) worshippers; may we baffle the wrath of the strong evil-doer].
2.023.13 Br.haspati is to be invoked in battles; he is to be approached with reverence; he who moves amidst combats, the distributor of repeated wealth; the lord Br.haspati has verily overturned all the assailing malignant (hosts), like chariots (overturned in battle).
2.023.14 Consume with your brightest (weapon) the ra_ks.asas, who have held your witnessed prowess in disdain; manifest, Br.haspati, your glorified (vigour), such as it was (of old), and destroy those who speak against you.
2.023.15 Br.haspati, born of truth, grant us that wonderful treasure, wherewith the pious man may worship exceedingly; that (wealth) which shines amongst men; which is endowed with lustre, (is) the means of (performing holy) rites, and invogirates (its possessor) with strength. [dravin.am citram = lit., various or wonderful wealth; in the Bra_hman.as it is interpreted as brahma varcas or tejas, brahmanical virtue or energy (cf. Yajus. 26.3; dravin.am = dhanam (Aitareya Bra_hman.a 4.11)].
2.023.16 Deliver us not to the thieves, the enemies delighting in violence, who seize ever upon the food (of others); those who cherish in their hearts the abandonment (of the gods); (they), Br.haspati, who do not know the extent of (your) power (against evil spirits). [Who do not know the extenf of your power: na parah sa_mno viduh = ye puma_msah sa_mnah sa_maya_t tvattah parah parasta_d anyadukr.s.t.am sa_ma yad raks.oghnam na ja_nanti, those men who do not know anything greater than the faculty of destroying ra_ks.asas, derived from you made up of that faculty; sa_ma vai raks.oha = sa_ma is the killer of ra_ks.asas].
2.023.17 Tvas.t.a_ engendered you (chief) amongst all beings, (whence) you are the reciter of many a holy hymn: Brahman.aspati acknowledges a debt to the performer of a sacred rite; he is the acquitter (of the debt), and the destoyer of the oppressor. [When you are the reciter: sa_mnah sa_mnah kavih, the reicter or another of every sa_ma, sarvasya sa_mnah ucca_rayita_ karta_si; or kavi refers to tvas.t.a_, further explained as the sage who created Brahman.aspati by the efficacy of the sa_ma: sa_mnah sa_ren.a tvam aji_janat; acknowledges a debt: r.n.acit stotr.ka_mam r.n.am iva cinoti, he takes the intention of the praiser as if it was a debt, or obligation; acquitter of the debt: r.n.aya is explained as the discharger or remover of the debt which is of the nature of sin: pa_paru_pasya r.n.asya pr.thak karta_].
2.023.18 When Br.haspati, descendant of An:giras, for your glory, Parvata had concealed the herd o fkine, you did set them free, and with thine associate, Indra, did send down the ocean of water which had been enveloped by darkness.
2.023.19 Brahman.aspati, who are the regulator of this (world), understand (the purport) of (our) hymn, and grant us posterity; for all is prosperous that the gods protect; (and therefore) may we blessed with excellent descendants, glorify you at this sacrifice. [Yajus. 34.58; vadema = may we declare or glorify you; or, let us speak, let what we ask be given to us;let it be enjoyed by us: di_yata_m bhujyata_m ucca_rayema].

Tiger casting made of copper, inlaid with carnelian and sapphire from Kodumanal (After Fig. 30, R.Mohanty) This signifies a tiger in the round in the hieroglyhic tradition of Indus Script. kola 'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter' kolle 'blacksmith'. The infixing of gems (carnelian and sapphire) indicates the artisanal work of kundar  'turner'.

Hieroglyph: Joined animals (tigers): sangaḍi = joined animals (M.) 

Rebus 1: sãgaṛh m. ʻ line of entrenchments, stone walls for defence ʼ (Lahnda)(CDIAL 12845) 

Rebus 2: sang संग् m. a stone  (Kashmiri) sanghāḍo (G.) = cutting stone, gilding; sangatarāśū = stone cutter; sangatarāśi = stone-cutting; sangsāru karan.u = to stone (S.), cankatam = to scrape (Ta.), sankaḍa (Tu.), sankaṭam = to scrape (Skt.) 

kol 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron'. Thus, the multi-headed tiger yields one reading: rebus: kol sangaḍi 'fortified place for metal (& ore stone) workers'.

Rebus 3: saMghAta 'caravan'

Thus, the three tigers together with wings reads: eraka kol saMghAta 'moltencast metal, iron worker caravan'.

सं-घात b [p= 1130,1] a company of fellow-travellers , caravan VP. close union or combination , collection , cluster , heap , mass , multitude TS. MBh. &c (Monier-Williams)

Three entwined winged tigers (Sanchi)  kola ‘tiger, jackal’ (Konkani.) kul ‘tiger’ (Santali); kōlu id. (Telugu) kōlupuli = Bengal tiger (Te.) कोल्हा [ kōlhā ] कोल्हें [kōlhēṃ] A jackal (Marathi) Rebus: kol, kolhe, ‘the koles, iron smelters speaking a language akin to that of Santals’ (Santali) kol ‘working in iron’ (Tamil)

 Phonetic determinant glyph: kola, kōlu ‘jackal, jackal’ (Kon.Telugu) kul ‘the tiger, felis tigris’ (Santali) कोला [ kōlā ] m (Commonly कोल्हा) A jackal. कोल्हें [ kōlhēṃ ] n A jackal. Without reference to sex. Pr. अडलें कोल्हें मंगळ गाय Even the yelling jackal can sing pleasantly when he is in distress. कोल्हें लागलें Applied to a practical joke. केल्हेटेकणें or कोल्हेटेकण [ kēlhēṭēkaṇē orṅkōlhēṭēkaṇa ] n Gen. in obl. cases with बस or ये, as कोल्हेटेकण्यासबसणें To sit cowering; to sit as a jackal.कोल्हेटेकण्यास येणें To be arrived at or to be approaching the infirmities of age. 2 To be approaching to setting;--used of the sun or the day, when the sun is conceived to be about that distance from the horizon as a jackal, when he rests on his hinder legs, is from the ground.कोल्हेभूंक [ kōlhēbhūṅka ] or -भोंक f (कोल्हा & भुंकणें To bark.) The yelling of jackals. 2 Early dawn; peep of day. कोल्हेहूक [ kōlhēhūka ] f The yelling of jackals. 2 fig. Assailing or setting upon with vehement vociferations. (Marathi) 

See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2011/10/itihasa-and-eagle-narratives.html

kul tiger; kul dander den of tiger; an.d.kul to become tiger; hudur. to growl as tiger; maran. d.at.kap kul a big-headed tiger (Santali.lex.) kolo, kolea_ jackal (Kon.lex.) ko_lhuya-, kulha- jackal (Pkt.)[cf. kul.l.a-nari jackal (Ta.)(DEDR 1839)]; kolha_, ko_ jackal; adj. crafty (H.); kohlu~, kolu~ jackal (G.); kolha_, kola_ (M.)(CDIAL 3615). karaj a jackal (Santali.lex.) kudke fox (Kor.); kudike jackal (Tu.); kudka id. (Ka.); kor-o naka jackal (small in size, opposed to peri naka)(Kond.a)(DEDR 1851). kulaippu barking, snarling (Ta.)(DEDR 1811). ko_lupuli = big tiger (Te.)

Allograph: kola ‘woman’ (Nahali); kolami ‘forge’ (Te.).kolhe ‘iron smelter’ (Santali) kol, kolhe ‘the koles, an aboriginal tribe of iron smelters akin to that of the Santals’ (Santali) 

Furnace: kola_ burning charcoal (L.P.); ko_ila_ burning charcoal (L.P.N.); id. (Or.H.Mth.), kolla burning charcoal (Pkt.); koilo dead coal (S.); kwelo charcoal (Ku.); kayala_ charcoal (B.); koela_ id. (Bi.); koilo (Marw.); koyalo (G.)(CDIAL 3484). < Proto-Munda. ko(y)ila = kuila black (Santali): all NIA forms may rest on ko_illa.] koela, kuila charcoal; khaura to become charcoal; ker.e to prepare charcoal (Santali.lex.) kolime, mulime, kolume a fire-pit or furnace (Ka.); kolimi (Te.); pit (Te.); kolame a very deep pit (Tu.); kulume kanda_ya a tax on blacksmiths (Ka.); kol, kolla a furnace (Ta.); kolla a blacksmith (Ma.); kol metal (Ta.)(Ka.lex.) kol iron smelters (Santali.lex.) cf. kol working in iron, blacksmith (Ta.)(DEDR 2133). Temple; smithy: kol-l-ulai blacksmith's forge (kollulaik ku_t.attin-a_l : Kumara. Pira. Ni_tiner-i. 14)(Ta.lex.) kollu- to neutralize metallic properties by oxidation (Ta.lex.) kole.l smithy, temple in Kota village (Ko.); kwala.l Kota smithy (To.); kolmi smithy (Go.)(DEDR 2133). kollan--kamma_lai < + karmas'a_la_, kollan--pat.t.arai, kollan-ulai-k-ku_t.am blacksmith's workshop, smithy (Ta.lex.) lohsa_ri_ smithy (Bi.)(CDIAL 11162). cf. ulai smith's forge or furnace (Na_lat.i, 298); ulai-k-kal.am smith's forge; ulai-k-kur-at.u smith's tongs; ulai-t-turutti smith's bellows; ulai-y-a_n.i-k-ko_l smith's poker, beak-iron (Ta.lex.) Self-willed man: lo_hala made of iron (Skt.); lohar, lohariyo self-willed and unyielding man (G.)(CDIAL 11161). cf. goul.i, goul.ia_ herdsman (Kon.lex.) goil cowhouse, hut, pasture ground (P.); gol drove of cattle sent to another village (P.); go_uliya herdsman (Pkt.); goili_ (P.)(CDIAL 4259). kol brass or iron bar nailed across a door or gate; kollu-t-tat.i-y-a_n.i large nail for studding doors or gates to add to their strength (Ta.lex.) Tool-bag: lokhar bag in which a barber keeps his tools (N.); iron tools, pots and pans (H.); lokhar. iron tools (Ku.); lokhan.d. iron tools, pots and pans (H.); lokha~d. tools, iron, ironware (G.); iron (M.)(CDIAL 11171). lod.hu~ pl. carpenter's tools (G.)(CDIAL 11173). karuvi-p-pai instrument-case; barber's bag (Ta.lex.) cf. karuvu-kalam treasury, treasure-house (Ta.lex.) Cobbler's iron pounder: lohaga~ga_, lahau~ga_ cobbler's iron pounder (Bi.); leha~ga_ (Mth.); luha~_gi_ staff set with iron rings (P.); loha~_gi_ (H.M.); lavha~_gi_ (M.); laha~_gi_, loha~gi_ (M.)(CDIAL 11174). Image: frying pan: lohra_, lohri_ small iron pan (Bi.)(CDIAL 11160). lo_hi_ any object made of iron (Skt.); pot (Skt.); iron pot (Pkt.); lo_hika_ large shallow wooden bowl bound with iron (Skt.); lauha_ iron pot (Skt.); loh large baking iron (P.); luhiya_ iron pan (A.); lohiya_ iron or brass shallow pan with handles (Bi.); lohiyu~ frying pan (G.)(CDIAL 11170). lauhabha_n.d.a iron pot, iron mortar (Skt.); lo_habhan.d.a copper or brass ware (Pali); luha~_d.ir.i_ iron pot (S.); luha~_d.a_ (L.); frying pan (P.); lohn.d.a_, lo~_hd.a_ (P.); luhu~r.e iron cooking pot (N.); lohora_ iron pan (A.); loha~r.a_ iron vessel for drawing water for irrigation (Bi.); lohan.d.a_, luhan.d.a_ iron pot (H.); lod.hu~ iron, razor (G.)[cf. xolla_ razor (Kur.); qole id. (Malt.); hola'd razor (Santali)(DEDR 2141)]; lod.hi_ iron pan (G.)(CDIAL 11173).

Rebus: kolimi 'smithy-forge'; kola 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelters' kole.l 'smithy, temple'; eraka 'wing' Rebus: eraka 'copper'.

The artistic entwining of three tigers is seen on a seal with Indus Script from Mohenjo-daro. 

This can be seen as a precursor model for the three tigers/lions shown on a Sanchi torana (gateway). Out of the seven friezes showing a hieroglyph-multiplex of three winged tigers, one frieze adds hieroglyphs 'leafless stalks' as horns of two tigers; two riders are also added to signify the artisans at work:

Thus, tigers with wings joined reads: eraka kol saMghAta 'moltencast metal, iron worker caravan'. With  karaṇḍā 'stalks' as koD 'horns' and artisans (carrying goads or weapons or काण्डी kANDI 'little stalk or stem') hieroglyph components added: karaḍā eraka kol saMghAta 'hard alloy moltencast copper working in iron caravan' PLUS kuThAru 'armourer', or kamar 'artisan' PLUS koD 'workshop'. [In Udipi and coastal Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka, there is a practice of ‘Pili Kola’ worshiping Tiger. The festival is conducted once in every two years in Muggerkala Temple in Kaup.  http://www.bellevision.com/belle/index.php?action=topnews&type=3842

http://www.mangalorean.com/specials/specialnews.php?newsid=481755&newstype=local] Rebus: खांड (p. 202) [ khāṇḍa as in lokhaṇḍa  'metal tools, pots and pans, metalware' (Marathi). Thus the two riders of the hieroglyph-multiplex of stalk-as-horn PLUS winged tigers can be read as: armourers working in a smithy-forge, kolimi and with hard alloy, karaDa; moltencast metal, eraka. The riders seem to be arrying: कुठार (p. 167) [ kuṭhāra ] m S An ax or a hatchet. Hence, they are kuThAru 'armourers'.

mAtri is a knower, one who has true knowledge; hence, mahAmAtra is an elephant trainer. A mahout is a person who rides an elephant. The word mahout comes from the Hindi words mahaut (महौत) and mahavat (महावत), which eventually goes back to Sanskrit mahamatra (महामात्र). Another term for mahout is cornac (as in French, from the Portuguese; kornak in Polish, also a rather current last name). This word comes form Sanskrit term karināyaka, the compound of Sanskrit words karin (elephant) and nayaka (leader). In Tamil, the word used is "pahan", which means elephant keeper, and in Sinhalese kurawanayaka ('stable master'). In Malayalam the word used is paappaan.In Burma, the profession is called oozie; in Thailand kwan-chang; and in Vietnam quản tượng. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahout

The 'horns' are 'stalks', hieroglyphs: कारंडा [ kāraṇḍā ]करंडा [ karaṇḍā ]  m A chump or block. the stock or fixed portion of the staff of the large leaf-covered summerhead or umbrella. A clump, chump, or block of wood. करांडा [ karāṇḍā ] m C A cylindrical piece as sawn or chopped off the trunk or a bough of a tree; a clump, chump, or block. करोळा [ karōḷā ] m The half-burnt grass of a Potter's kiln: also a single stalk of it. Kalanda [cp. Sk. karaṇḍa piece of wood?] heap, stack (like a heap of wood? cp. kalingara) Miln 292 (sīsa˚) (Pali) करण्ड [L=44277] n. a piece of wood , block Bhpr.

Rebus: fire-god: @B27990.  #16671. Remo <karandi>E155  {N} ``^fire-^god''.(Munda)

Allograph: करडी [ karaḍī ] f (See करडई) Safflower: also its seed.

Rebus: karaḍa ‘hard alloy’ (Marathi) See: http://tinyurl.com/qcjhwl2

It is notable that the 'stalks' as 'horns' of tigers on Sanchi South stupa architrave pillar are comparable to the three leafless stalks displayed on Sit Shamshi Bronze:

Why three? kolmo 'three' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'; kole.l 'smithy, temple'.

A JEMDET NASR RED STONE CYLINDER SEAL CIRCA 3000 B.C.With a procession of four animals, including a lion, a bull, a human-headed winged animal, and a goat, a crescent, circle, plant, and two animal heads in the field.

1 in. (2.5 cm.) high  http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/ancient-art-antiquities/a-jemdet-nasr-red-stone-cylinder-seal-5478177-details.aspx

Detail of three winged tigers on Sanchi Stupa as centre-piece on the top architrave and on left and right pillars (in three segments): Torana from Mathura and Mathura lion capital which incorporates many hieroglyph elements later to be found in Bharhut-Sanchi: Pair of tigers (lions?), molluscs, srivatsa (Pair of fish-fin tied)

Sanchi Stupa. West gateway

Bharhut. Capital of Gateway post (After Cunningham)

Left pillar:

 

Right pillar:

Banawari. Seal 17. Text 9201. Hornd tiger PLUS lathe + portable furnace. Banawali 17, Text 9201 Find spot:  “The plan of ‘palatial building’ rectangular in shape (52 X 46 m) with eleven units of rooms…The discovery of a tiger seal from the sitting room and a few others from the house and its vicinity, weights ofchert, and lapis lazuli beads and deluxe Harappan pottery indicate that the house belonged to a prominent merchant.” (loc.cit. VK Agnihotri, 2005, Indian History, Delhi, Allied Publishers, p. A-60)

Message on metalwork: kol ‘tiger’ (Santali); kollan ‘blacksmith’ (Ta.) kod. ‘horn’; kod. ‘artisan’s workshop’ PLUS śagaḍī  = lathe (Gujarati) san:gaḍa, ‘lathe, portable furnace’; rebus: sangath संगथ् । संयोगः f. (sg. dat. sangüʦü association, living together, partnership (e.g. of beggars, rakes, members of a caravan, and so on); (of a man or woman) copulation, sexual union. sangāṭh संगाठ् । सामग्री m. (sg. dat. sangāṭas संगाटस्), a collection (of implements, tools, materials, for any object), apparatus, furniture, a collection of the things wanted on a journey, luggage, and so on. --karun -- करुन् । सामग्रीसंग्रहः m.inf. to collect the ab. (L.V. 17).(Kashmiri) 

m0295 Mohenjo-daro seal

    This is a good example of hypertext with two categories of hypertext components: 1. pictorial motif hieroglyphs; 2. text hieroglyphs called signs in Indus Script Concordances such as those of Parpola and Mahadevan.

cāli 'Interlocking bodies' (IL 3872) Rebus: sal 'workshop' (Santali) Did the Bharhut architect who designed the Western Torana (Gateway) with hieroglyph multiplex of 3 tigers (winged) intend to send the message that the precincts are: Hieroglyph: cAli 'interlocking bodies' Rebus: sal 'workshop'?

śāˊlā f. ʻ shed, stable, house ʼ AV., śālám adv. ʻ at home ʼ ŚBr., śālikā -- f. ʻ house, shop ʼ lex.Pa. Pk. sālā -- f. ʻ shed, stable, large open -- sided hall, house ʼ, Pk. sāla -- n. ʻ house ʼ; Ash. sal ʻ cattleshed ʼ, Wg. šāl, Kt. šål, Dm. šâl; Paš.weg. sāl, ar.šol ʻ cattleshed on summer pasture ʼ; Kho. šal ʻ cattleshed ʼ, šeli ʻ goatpen ʼ; K. hal f. ʻ hall, house ʼ; L. sālh f. ʻ house with thatched roof ʼ; A. xāl, xāli ʻ house, workshop, factory ʼ; B. sāl ʻ shed, workshop ʼ; Or. sāḷa ʻ shed, stable ʼ; Bi. sār f. ʻ cowshed ʼ; H. sāl f. ʻ hall, house, school ʼ, sār f. ʻ cowshed ʼ; M.sāḷ f. ʻ workshop, school ʼ; Si. sal -- a, ha° ʻ hall, market -- hall ʼ.(CDIAL 12414) *kōlhuśālā ʻ pressing house for sugarcane or oilseeds ʼ. [*kōlhu -- , śāˊlā -- ]Bi. kolsār ʻ sugarcane mill and boiling house ʼ.(CDIAL 3538) *kōlhu ʻ machine for pressing sugarcane or oilseeds ʼ.

Pk. kolluga -- , kolhua -- m. ʻ sugarcane press ʼ, S. kolū m., P. kolhū, kuhulū m. ʻ oilpress, sugarcane press ʼ; WPah. bhal. kōˋlū m. ʻ oilpress ʼ, N. kol; Or. kohliā, kolihā, °liā ʻ sugarcane press ʼ; Bi. kolh, °hū, (Gaya) kelhū ʻ oilpress ʼ, Mth. kōlh, Bhoj. kōlhu; H. kolhū, kolū m. ʻ sugarcane press, oilpress ʼ; G.kohlu m. ʻ sugarcane press ʼ. -- Deriv.: B. Or. kalu ʻ oil -- man (by caste) ʼ, H. kolū m. WPah.kṭg. kóllhu m. ʻ sugar -- cane or oil press ʼ.(CDIAL 3536)

Hieroglyph: kul 'tiger' (Santali) कोल्हें [ kōlhēṃ ] A jackal (Marathi) kol 'tiger, jackal' (Konkani.) kOlupuli 'tiger' (Telugu) కోలు [ kōlu ] kōlu. [Tel.] adj. Big, great, huge పెద్ద. కోలుపులి or కోల్పులి a royal tiger. Rebus: kolimi 'smithy, temple'; kol 'working in iron'. Thus kol(m) could have connoted a tiger. 

*ut-- śāla ʻ leaping up ʼ. (CDIAL 1846) śāˊlā f. ʻ shed, stable, house ʼ AV., śālám adv. ʻ at home ʼ ŚBr., śālikā -- f. ʻ house, shop ʼ lex. Pa. Pk. sālā -- f. ʻ shed, stable, large open -- sided hall, house ʼ, Pk. sāla -- n. ʻ house ʼ; Ash. sal ʻ cattleshed ʼ, Wg. šāl, Kt. šål, Dm. šâl; Paš.weg. sāl, ar. šol ʻ cattleshed on summer pasture ʼ; Kho. šal ʻ cattleshed ʼ, šeli ʻ goatpen ʼ; K. hal f. ʻ hall, house ʼ; L. sālh f. ʻ house with thatched roof ʼ; A. xāl, xāli ʻ house, workshop, factory ʼ; B. sāl ʻ shed, workshop ʼ; Or. sāḷa ʻ shed, stable ʼ; Bi. sār f. ʻ cowshed ʼ; H. sāl f. ʻ hall, house, school ʼ, sār f. ʻ cowshed ʼ; M. sāḷ f. ʻ workshop, school ʼ; Si. sal -- a, ha° ʻ hall, market -- hall ʼ.(CDIAL 12414) *kōlhuśālā ʻ pressing house for sugarcane or oilseeds ʼ. [*kōlhu -- , śāˊlā -- ] Bi. kolsār ʻ sugarcane mill and boiling house ʼ.(CDIAL 3538)  karmaśālā f. ʻ workshop ʼ MBh. [kárman -- 1, śāˊlā -- ]Pk. kammasālā -- f.; L. kamhāl f. ʻ hole in the ground for a weaver's feet ʼ; Si. kamhala ʻ workshop ʼ, kammala ʻ smithy ʼ.(CDIAL 2896) 2898 karmāˊra m. ʻ blacksmith ʼ RV. [EWA i 176 < stem *karmar -- ~ karman -- , but perh. with ODBL 668 ← Drav. cf. Tam. karumā ʻ smith, smelter ʼ whence meaning ʻ smith ʼ was transferred also to karmakāra -- ] Pa. kammāra -- m. ʻ worker in metal ʼ; Pk. kammāra -- , °aya -- m. ʻ blacksmith ʼ, A. kamār, B. kāmār; Or. kamāra ʻ blacksmith, caste of non -- Aryans, caste of fishermen ʼ; Mth. kamār ʻ blacksmith ʼ, Si. kam̆burā. Md. kan̆buru ʻ blacksmith ʼ.(CDIAL 2898) *karmāraśālā ʻ smithy ʼ. [karmāˊra -- , śāˊlā -- ] Mth. kamarsārī; -- Bi. kamarsāyar?(CDIAL 2899)

I suggest that the three tigers with interlocked bodies DOES connote cāli 'interlocked bodies' Rebus-metonymy layered cipher yields the plain text message : kola 'tiger'> kolom 'three' PLUS cāli 'interlocked bodies' :kammasālā 'workshop' (Prakritam) < kol(m) PLUS śāˊlā, i.e. smithy workshop.

Obverse of m1395 and m0441 had the following images of a multi-headed tiger.

m1395B, m0441B

Terracotta sealing from Mohenjo-daro depicting a collection of animals and some script. Hieroglyphs. Centrepiece is a scorpion, surrounded by a pair of oxen (bulls), rhinoceros, monkey, elephant, a tiger looking back, a standing person with spread legs. This hieroglyph cluster is duplicated on six tablets.

Hieroglyphs. Centrepiece is a scorpion, surrounded by a pair of oxen (bulls), rhinoceros, monkey, elephant, a tiger looking back, a standing person with spread legs. This hieroglyph cluster is duplicated on a six tablets.

m02015 A,B, m2016, m1393, m1394, m1395, m0295, m0439, m440, m0441 A,B On some tablets, such a glyphic composition (hypertext) is also accompanied (on obverse side, for example, cf. m2015A and m0295) with a glyphic of two or more joined tiger heads to a single body. In one inscription (m0295), the text inscriptions are also read. bica ‘scorpion’ rebus: bica ‘haematite, ferrite ore’ kola ‘tiger’ rebus:kol ‘furnace, forge’ kol ‘metal’ PLUS krammara ‘look back’ rebus: kamar‘smith’ karabha ‘trunk of elephant’ ibha ‘elephant’ rebus: karba ‘iron’ ib‘iron’ ibbo ‘merchant’ kaṇḍa ‘rhinoceros’ rebus; kaṇḍa ‘implements’kuThAru ‘monkey’ rebus: kuThAru ‘armourer’ dula ‘two’ rebus: dul ‘metal casting’ dhangar ‘bull’ rebus; dhangar ‘blacksmith’. .barada, balad 'ox' rebus: bharata,baran 'factitious alloy of copper, pewter, tin'.

m2015, m0295

kola ‘tiger’ rebus: kol ‘furnace, forge’ cāli 'Interlocking bodies' (IL 3872) Rebus: sal 'workshop' (Santali) Hieroglyph of joined, interlocked bodies: cāli (IL 3872); rebus: śālika (IL) village of artisans. cf. sala_yisu = joining of metal (Ka.)

Hieroglyphs and rebus readings: mũh 'face' Rebus: mũhe 'ingot' kola 'woman' kola 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron' Nahali (kol ‘woman’) and Santali (kul ‘tiger’; kol ‘kolhe, smelter’)

Thre metaphor of a three-headed signifier occurs in reference to त्वाष्ट्र , as author of RV. x , 8. Samskrtam lexis also attests to this metaphor for Kubera, divinity of wealth. त्वाष्ट्र also signifies copper. त्वष्टा tvaSTA is a priest for a yajna. Tvaṣtṛi has a son named  Triśiras, 'three-headed' and a daughter called संज्ञा, who was given in marriage to the sun. 

saṁjñāˊ f. ʻ agreement, understanding ʼ ŚBr., ʻ sign ʼ MBh. [√jñā]Pa. saññā -- f. ʻ sense, sign ʼ, Pk. saṁṇā -- f.; S. sañaṇu ʻ to point out ʼ; WPah.jaun. sān ʻ sign ʼ, Ku. sān f., N. sān; B. sān ʻ understanding, feeling, gesture ʼ; H. sān f. ʻ sign, token, trace ʼ; G. sān f. ʻ sense, understanding, sign, hint ʼ; M. sã̄j̈ f. ʻ rule to make an offering to the spirits out of the new corn before eating it, faithfulness of the ground to yield its usual crop ʼ, sã̄jẽ n. ʻ vow, promise ʼ; Si. sana, ha° ʻ sign ʼ; -- P. H. sain f. ʻ sign, gesture ʼ (in mng. ʻ signature ʼ ← Eng. sign), G. sen f. are obscure.saṁjñā -- : WPah.J. sā'n f. ʻ symbol, sign ʼ; kṭg. sánku m. ʻ hint, wink, coquetry ʼ, H. sankī f. ʻ wink ʼ, sankārnā ʻ to hint, nod, wink ʼ Him.I 209.(CDIAL 12874) sañjñā

संज्ञा 1 Consciousness, अकरुण पुनः संज्ञाव्याधिं विधाय किमीहसे Māl.9.42; रतिखेदसमुत्पन्ना निद्रा संज्ञाविपर्ययः Ku.6.44. संज्ञा लभ्, आपद् or प्रतिपद् 'to regain or recover one's con- sciousness, come to one's senses'. -2Knowledge, under- standing; नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान् व्रवीमि ते Bg.1.7; Mb.12.153.63. -3 Intellect, mind; लोकतन्त्रं हि संज्ञाश्च सर्वमन्ने प्रतिष्ठितम् Mb.13.63.5. -4 A hint, sign, token, gesture; मुखापिंतैकाङ्गुलिसंज्ञयैव मा चापलायेति गणान् व्यनैषीत् Ku.3.41; उपलभ्य ततश्च धर्मसंज्ञाम् Bu. Ch.5.21; Bhāg. 6.7.17. -5 A name, designation, an appellation; oft. at the end of comp. in this sense; द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञैः Bg.15.5. -6 (In gram.) Any name or noun having a special meaning, a proper name. -7 The technical name for an affix. -8 The Gāyatrī Mantra; see गायत्री. -9 A track, footstep. -1 Direction. -11 A technical term. -12 N. of the daughter of Viśvakarman and wife of the sun, and mother of Yama, Yamī, and the two Aśvins. [A legend relates that संज्ञा on one occa- sion wished to go to her father's house and asked her husband's permission, which was not granted. Resol- ved to carry out her purpose, she created, by means of her superhuman power, a woman exactly like herself --who was, as it were, her own shadow (and was therefore called Chhāyā), --and putting her in her own place, went away without the knowledge of the sun. Chhāya bore to the sun three children (see छाया), and lived quite happily with him, so that when Saṁjñā returned, he would not admit her. Thus re- pudiated and disappointed, she assumed the form of a mare and roamed over the earth. The sun, how- ever, in course of time, came to know the real state of things, and discovered that his wife had assumed the form of a mare. He accordingly assumed the form of a horse, and was united with his wife, who bore to him, two sons--the Aśvinīkumāras or Aśvins q. v.] -Comp. -अधिकारः a leading rule which gives a parti- cular name to the rules falling under it, and which exercises influence over them. -विपर्ययः loss of conscious- ness; रतिखेदसमुत्पन्ना निद्रा संज्ञाविपर्ययः Ku.6.44. -विषयः an epithet, an attribute. -सुतः an epithet of Saturn. -सूत्रम् any Sūtra which teaches the meaning of a technical term.
triśiras त्रि--शिरस् [p= 460,3] mfn. three-headed (त्वाष्ट्र , author of RV. x , 8.) Ta1n2d2yaBr. xvii Br2ih. KaushUp. MBh. Ka1m.(ज्वर) BhP. x , 63 , 22 three-pointed MBh. xiii R. ivn. (with रक्षस्) id. R. i , 1 , 45 n. कुबेर L.(Samskrtam) The meaning 'jvara, 'fever' is explained in Bhagavatam: fever. त्रिशिरस्ते प्रसन्नो$स्मि व्येतु ते मज्ज्वराद्भयम् Bhāg.1.63.29.

triśiras त्रि--शिरस् may be a metaphor of Rigvedic times to signify three high points or foreparts or principals, say, minerals or components (i.e. three firsts of a classs).  In the context of metalwork, it is appropriate to construct morphemes with  tri- prefix:
त्रि num. a. [Uṇ.5.66] (declined in pl. only, nom. त्रयः m., तिस्त्रः f., त्रीणि n.) Three;-धा ind. in 3 parts, ways or places; triply, ˚त्वम् tripartition; Ch. Up. -धातुः an epithet of Gaṇeśa; -तुम् 1 the triple world. -2 the aggregate of the 3 minerals or humours.  -शीर्षः Śiva. -शीर्षकम्, -शूलम् a trident. ˚अङ्कः, ˚धारिन् m. an epithet of Śiva. Thus, if three 'heads' of animals, say, elephant, buffalo, tiger are ligatured to create a hypertext, the rebus words may constitute three minerals aggregating to produce an alloy.

Thus, three heads of tigers (winged) on Sanchi stupa torana:

Hieroglyphs: 

kola, kōlu ‘jackal, tiger (Konkani.Telugu) rebus: kola_ burning charcoal (Lahnda.Punjabi.);kol, kolla a furnace (Tamil); kolla a blacksmith (Malayalam); kol metal (Tamil); kol 'working in iron'; kolhe 'smelter' (Santali); kolimi 'smithy-forge'(Telugu) kole.l 'smithy, temple'(Kota)

dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'cast metal'

eraka 'wing' Rebus: eraka 'copper'. kambha 'wing' rebus:  kammaTa 'mint, coiner, coinage'.

Artistic style: Joined animal Hieroglyph: sangaḍi = joined animals (Marathi)

Rebus: saMghAta 'caravan' also 'adamantine metallic glue' (vajra)

Dholkal, Bastar, Chattisgarh. Ganesa with pine-cone.  Three hieroglyphs of metalwork class: 

trunk of elephant, pine cone, rat: karibha, kaNDe, MUSa 

rebus: karba 'iron';kaṇḍa 'implements' mUSa 'crucible'

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2016/02/ganesha-indus-script-tradition.html

mūṣa 'rat, mouse' Rebus: mūṣa 'crucible'. 

kandə 'pine cone' Rebus, signified metalwork: khaṇḍa. A portion of the front hall, in a temple;  kaṇḍ 'fire-altar' (Santali) kāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans and metal-ware' (Marathi) 

Hieroglyph: Ash. piċ -- kandə ʻ pine ʼ, Kt. pṳ̄ċi, piċi, Wg. puċ, püċ (pṳ̄ċ -- kəŕ ʻ pine -- cone ʼ), Pr. wyoċ, Shum. lyēwič (lyē -- ?).(CDIAL 8407). Cf. Gk. peu/kh f. ʻ pine ʼ, Lith. pušìs, OPruss. peuse NTS xiii 229. The suffix –kande in the lexeme: Ash. piċ-- kandə ʻ pine ʼ may be cognate with the bulbous glyphic related to a mangrove root: Koḍ. kaṇḍe root-stock from which small roots grow; ila·ti kaṇḍe sweet potato (ila·ti England). Tu. kaṇḍe, gaḍḍè a bulbous root; Ta. kaṇṭal mangrove, Rhizophora mucronata; dichotomous mangrove, Kandelia rheedii. Ma. kaṇṭa bulbous root as of lotus, plantain; point where branches and bunches grow out of the stem of a palm; kaṇṭal what is bulb-like, half-ripe jackfruit and other green fruits; R. candel.  (DEDR 1171). Rebus: kaṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans of metal’.

Hieroglyph: కండె [ kaṇḍe ] kaṇḍe. [Telugu] n. A head or ear of millet or maize. జొన్నకంకి.

Rebus:Tu. kandůka, kandaka ditch, trench. Te.  kandakamu id.   Konḍa kanda trench made as a fireplace during weddings. Pe. kanda fire trench. Kui kanda small trench for fireplace. Malt. kandri a pit. (DEDR 1214). 

लोखंड (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍa ] n (लोह S) Iron लोखंडकाम (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍakāma ] n Iron work; that portion (of a building, machine &c.) which consists of iron. 2 The business of an ironsmith.

लोखंडी (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍī ] a (लोखंड) Composed of iron; relating to iron लोहोलोखंड (p. 723) [ lōhōlōkhaṇḍa ] n (लोह & लोखंड) Iron tools, vessels, or articles in general.

śiram शिरम् 1 The head. -2 The root of the pepper plant (m. also according to some, in these senses). -रः 1 A bed. -2 A large serpent. -Comp. -जम् hair. śiras शिरस् (ifc.) the head , leader , chief , foremost , first (of a class) BhP. n. [शॄ-असुन् निपातः Uṇ.4.193] 1 The head; शिरसा श्लाघते पूर्वं (गुणं) परं (दोषं) कण्ठे नियच्छति Subhās. -2 Skull. -3 A peak, summit, top (as of a mountain); हिमगौरैरचलाधिपः शिरोभिः Ki.5.17; Śi.4.54. -4 The top of a tree. -5 The head or top of anything; तेनाहृतो महातालो वेपमानो बृहच्छिराः Bhāg.1.15.33; शिरसि मसीपटलं दधाति दीपः Bv.1.74. -6 Pinnacle, acme, highest point. -7 Front, forepart, van (as of an army); पुत्रस्य ते रणशिरस्ययमग्रयायी Ś.7.26; U.5.3. -8 Chief, principal, head (usually at the end of comp.)

Does the metphor of three heads signify form (orthography), function (language) and meaning (artha) wealth-creation (mũh 'face' Rebus: mũhe 'ingot'; muhA 'the metal taken out of the furnace')?

 The abiding memory of this divine form tvaṣṭṛ त्वष्टृ is celebrated as Cernunnos in the Celtic tradition of metalwork and chariotry. The decipherment of the Mohenjo-daro seal m0304 which signifies the hieroglyph of three-headed tvaṣṭṛ त्वष्टृ or Kubera -- as the creative power of wealth -- links the Gundestrup cauldron hieroglyphs to the celebration and veneration of metalcasting work by Purve yajnikas,  forefathers, ancestors; अभिजनाः पूर्वे बान्धवाः

tvaṣṭiḥ त्वष्टिः f. Carpentry; Ms.1.48. tvaṣṭṛ त्वष्टृ m. [त्वक्ष्-तृच्] 1 A carpenter, builder, workman, त्वष्ट्रेव विहितं यन्त्रम् Mb.12.33.22. -2 Viśvakarman, the architect of the gods. [Tvaṣtṛi is the Vulcan of the Hindu mythology. He had a son named Triśiras and a daughter called संज्ञा, who was given in marriage to the sun. But she was unable to bear the severe light of her husband, and therefore Tvaṣtṛi mounted the sun upon his lathe, and carefully trimmed off a part of his bright disc; cf. आरोप्य चक्रभ्रमिमुष्णतेजास्त्वष्ट्रेव यत्नो- ल्लिखितो विभाति R.6.32. The part trimmed off is said to have been used by him in forming the discus of Viṣṇu, the Triśūla of Śiva, and some other weapons of the gods.] पर्वतं चापि जग्राह क्रुद्धस्त्वष्टा महाबलः Mb.1.227. 34. -3 Prajāpati (the creator); यां चकार स्वयं त्वष्टा रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम् Mb.3.274.9. -4 Āditya, a form of the sun; निर्भिन्ने अक्षिणी त्वष्टा लोकपालो$विशद्विभोः Bhāg.3.6.15.  tvāṣṭra त्वाष्ट्र a. Belonging or coming from त्वष्टृ; त्वाष्ट्रं यद् दस्रावपिकक्ष्यं वाम् Rv.1.117.22. -ष्ट्रः Vṛitra; येनावृता इमे लोकास्तमसा त्वाष्ट्रमूर्तिना । स वै वृत्र इति प्रोक्तः पापः परमदारुणः ॥ Bhāg.6.9.18;11.12.5. -ष्ट्री 1 The asterism Chitra. -2 A small car. -ष्ट्रम् 1 Creative power; तपःसारमयं त्वाष्ट्रं वृत्रो येन विपाटितः Bhāg.8.11.35. -2 Copper.

M0304 (Reconstructed) A person is shown seated in ‘penance’. 

kamaḍha ‘penance’ (Pkt.) Rebus: kammaṭi a coiner (Ka.); kampaṭṭam coinage, coin, mint (Ta.) kammaṭa = mint, gold furnace (Te.) Thus, the over-arching message of the inscription composed of many hieroglyphs (of glyphic elements) thus is a description of the offerings of a ‘mint or coiner (workshop with a golf furnace)’.

kūtī = bunch of twigs (Skt.) Rebus: kuṭhi = furnace (Santali) Vikalpa: clump between the two horns: kuṇḍa n. ʻ clump ʼ e.g. darbha—kuṇḍa—Pāṇ.(CDIAL 3236). Kundār turner (A.)(CDIAL 3295). : kundār turner (A.); kũdār, kũdāri (B.); kundāru (Or.); kundau to turn on a lathe, to carve, to chase; kundau dhiri = a hewn stone; kundau murhut = a graven image (Santali) kunda a turner’s lathe (Skt.)(CDIAL 3295) Vikalpa: kūdī, kūṭī ‘bunch of twigs’ (Skt.) Rebus: kuṭhi ‘smelter furnace’ (Santali)

Rebus reading of glyphic elements of the ‘bristled (tiger’s mane) face’:

There are two glyphic elements denoted on the face. 
mũh ‘face’; rebus
: metal ingot (Santali) mũhã̄ = the quantity of iron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace of the Kolhes; iron produced by the Kolhes and formed like a four-cornered piece a little pointed at each end; mūhā mẽṛhẽt = iron smelted by the Kolhes and formed into an equilateral lump a little pointed at each end; kolhe tehen me~ṛhe~t mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day produced pig iron (Santali.lex.) 
Shoggy hair; tiger
’s mane. Sodo bodo, sodro bodro adj. adv. Rough, hairy, shoggy, hirsute, uneven;sodo [Persian. Sodā, dealing] trade; traffic; merchandise; marketing; a bargain; the purchase or sale of goods; buying and selling; mercantile dealings (G.lex.) sodagor = a merchant, trader;sodāgor (P.B.) (Santali.lex.) The face is depicted with bristles of hair, representing a tiger’s mane.cūḍā, cūlā, cūliyā tiger’s mane (Pkt.)(CDIAL 4883).Rebus: cūḷai ‘furnace, kiln, funeral pile’ (Te.)(CDIAL 4879; DEDR 2709). Thus the composite glyphic composition: ‘bristled (tiger’s mane) face’ is read rebus as: sodagor mũh cūḷa ‘furnace (of) ingot merchant’.
Reading the glyphic elements on the chest of the person and arms:

kamarasāla = waist-zone, waist-band, belt (Te.) karmāraśāla = workshop of blacksmith (Skt.) kamar ‘blacksmith’ (Santali)

sekeseke, sekseke covered, as the arms with ornaments; Rebus: sekra those who work in brass
 and bell metal; sekra sakom a kind of armlet of bell metal (Santali) Vikalpa: bāhula n. armour for the arms (Skt.) Rebus: బంగల bangala. [Tel.] n. An oven. కుంపటి. (Telugu) Vikalpa: cūri ’bangles’ (H.) Rebus: cūḷai ‘furnace, kiln, funeral pile’ (Te.)(CDIAL 4879; DEDR 2709).
Thus, together, the glyphic elements on the chest of the person and arms are read rebus
: sekra karmāraśāla ‘brass/bell-metal workshop of smith (with) furnace’.

Glyphic compositions on the base on which the person is seated; hence, the rebus readings of glyphics: stool, pair of hayricks, pair of antelopes.

From Pillar of boatmen, Mohenjo-daro seals, ganweriwala tablet

Is the artisan signifying a three-headed  tvaṣṭiḥ त्वष्टिः f. Carpentry?

Is the boatman on the Boatman's pillar कर्ण--धार [p= 256,3] m. a helmsman , pilot Sus3r. BhP. &c; a sailor , seaman Katha1s. xviii , 300 -- wearing the dhamma samjna stoneware ring on his ears as signifiers of his responsibility?

Examples of compositions of composite animals with human face; many component parts of 'animal' body types used in the orthography are: body of a ram, horns of a bison, trunk of elephant, hindlegs of a tiger and an upraised serpent-like tail: 

Indus script hieroglyphs: composite animal, smithy

Composite animal on Indus script is a composite hieroglyph composed of many glyphic elements. All glyphic elements are read rebus to complete the technical details of the bill of lading of artifacts created by artisans.

m1177 Mohenjo-daro seal.

m1180 Mohenjo-daro seal. Human-faced markhor.

m0301 Mohenjo-daro seal.

m0302 Mohenjo-daro seal.

m0303 Mohenjo-daro seal.

m0299. Mohenjo-daro seal.

m0300. Mohenjo-daro seal.

m1179. Mohenjo-daro seal. Markhor or ram with human face in composite hieroglyph.

h594. Harappa seal. Composite animal (with elephant trunk and rings (scarves) on shoulder visible).koṭiyum = a wooden circle put round the neck of an animal; koṭ = neck (G.) Vikalpa: kaḍum ‘neck-band, ring’; rebus: khāḍ ‘trench, firepit’ (G.) Vikalpa: khaḍḍā f. hole, mine, cave (CDIAL 3790). kanduka, kandaka ditch, trench (Tu.); kandakamu id. (Te.); kanda trench made as a fireplace during weddings (Konda); kanda small trench for fireplace (Kui); kandri a pit (Malt)(DEDR 1214) khaḍḍa— ‘hole, pit’. [Cf. *gaḍḍa— and list s.v. kartá—1] Pk. khaḍḍā— f. ‘hole, mine, cave’, ḍaga— m. ‘one who digs a hole’, ḍōlaya— m. ‘hole’; Bshk. (Biddulph) "kād" (= khaḍ?) ‘valley’; K. khŏḍ m. ‘pit’, khö̆ḍü f. ‘small pit’, khoḍu m. ‘vulva’; S. khaḍ̱a f. ‘pit’; L. khaḍḍ f. ‘pit, cavern, ravine’; P. khaḍḍ f. ‘pit, ravine’, ḍī f. ‘hole for a weaver's feet’ (→ Ku. khaḍḍ, N. khaḍ; H. khaḍ, khaḍḍā m. ‘pit, low ground, notch’; Or. khãḍi ‘edge of a deep pit’; M. khaḍḍā m. ‘rough hole, pit’); WPah. khaś. khaḍḍā ‘stream’; N. khāṛo ‘pit, bog’, khāṛi ‘creek’, khāṛal ‘hole (in ground or stone)’. — Altern. < *khāḍa—: Gy. gr. xar f. ‘hole’; Ku. khāṛ ‘pit’; B. khāṛī ‘creek, inlet’, khāṛal ‘pit, ditch’; H. khāṛī f. ‘creek, inlet’, khaṛ—har, al m. ‘hole’; Marw. khāṛo m. ‘hole’; M. khāḍ f. ‘hole, creek’, ḍā m. ‘hole’, ḍī f. ‘creek, inlet’. 3863 khā́tra— n. ‘hole’ HPariś., ‘pond, spade’ Uṇ. [√khan] Pk. khatta— n. ‘hole, manure’, aya— m. ‘one who digs in a field’; S. khāṭru m. ‘mine made by burglars’, ṭro m. ‘fissure, pit, gutter made by rain’; P. khāt m. ‘pit, manure’, khāttā m. ‘grain pit’, ludh. khattā m. (→ H. khattā m., khatiyā f.); N. khāt ‘heap (of stones, wood or corn)’; B. khāt, khātṛū ‘pit, pond’; Or. khāta ‘pit’, tā ‘artificial pond’; Bi. khātā ‘hole, gutter, grain pit, notch (on beam and yoke of plough)’, khattā ‘grain pit, boundary ditch’; Mth. khātā, khattā ‘hole, ditch’; H. khāt m. ‘ditch, well’, f. ‘manure’, khātā m. ‘grain pit’; G. khātar n. ‘housebreaking, house sweeping, manure’, khātriyũ n. ‘tool used in housebreaking’ (→ M. khātar f. ‘hole in a wall’, khātrā m. ‘hole, manure’, khātryā m. ‘housebreaker’); M. khā̆t n.m. ‘manure’ (deriv. khatāviṇẽ ‘to manure’, khāterẽ n. ‘muck pit’). — Un- expl. ṭ in L. khāṭvā̃ m. ‘excavated pond’, khāṭī f. ‘digging to clear or excavate a canal’ (~ S. khātī f. ‘id.’, but khāṭyāro m. ‘one employed to measure canal work’) and khaṭṭaṇ ‘to dig’. (CDIAL 3790) •gaḍa— 1 m. ‘ditch’ lex. [Cf. *gaḍḍa—1 and list s.v. kartá—1] Pk. gaḍa— n. ‘hole’; Paš. gaṛu ‘dike’; Kho. (Lor.) gōḷ ‘hole, small dry ravine’; A. garā ‘high bank’; B. gaṛ ‘ditch, hole in a husking machine’; Or. gaṛa ‘ditch, moat’; M. gaḷ f. ‘hole in the game of marbles’. 3981 *gaḍḍa— 1 ‘hole, pit’. [G. < *garda—? — Cf. *gaḍḍ—1 and list s.v. kartá—1] Pk. gaḍḍa— m. ‘hole’; WPah. bhal. cur. gaḍḍ f., paṅ. gaḍḍṛī, pāḍ. gaḍōṛ ‘river, stream’; N. gaṛ—tir ‘bank of a river’; A. gārā ‘deep hole’; B. gāṛ, ṛā ‘hollow, pit’; Or. gāṛa ‘hole, cave’, gāṛiā ‘pond’; Mth. gāṛi ‘piercing’; H. gāṛā m. ‘hole’; G. garāḍ, ḍɔ m. ‘pit, ditch’ (< *graḍḍa— < *garda—?); Si. gaḍaya ‘ditch’. — Cf. S. giḍ̱i f. ‘hole in the ground for fire during Muharram’. — X khānī̆—: K. gān m. ‘underground room’; S. (LM 323) gāṇ f. ‘mine, hole for keeping water’; L. gāṇ m. ‘small embanked field within a field to keep water in’; G. gāṇ f. ‘mine, cellar’; M. gāṇ f. ‘cavity containing water on a raised piece of land’ WPah.kṭg. gāṛ ‘hole (e.g. after a knot in wood)’. (CDIAL 3947) 3860 *khāḍa— ‘a hollow’. [Cf. *khaḍḍa— and list s.v. kartá—1] S. khāṛī f. ‘gulf, creek’; P. khāṛ ‘level country at the foot of a mountain’, ṛī f. ‘deep watercourse, creek’; Bi. khārī ‘creek, inlet’; G. khāṛi , ṛī f., ṛɔ m. ‘hole’. — Altern. < *khaḍḍa—: Gy. gr. xar f. ‘hole’; Ku. khāṛ ‘pit’; B. khāṛī ‘creek, inlet’, khāṛal ‘pit, ditch’; H. khāṛī ‘creek, inlet’, khaṛ—har, al m. ‘hole’; Marw. khāṛo m. ‘hole’; M. khāḍ f. ‘hole, creek’, ḍā m. ‘hole’, ḍī f. ‘creek, inlet’. The neck-bands hung above the shoulder of the composite animal may thus read rebus: trench or fire-pit (i.e. furnace) for the minerals/metals described by the glyphic elements connoting animals: elephant, ram (or zebu, bos indicus).

m1175 Composite animal with a two-glyph inscription (water-carrier, rebus: kuti 'furnace'; road, bata; rebus: bata 'furnace'). m1186A Composite animal hieroglyph. Text of inscription (3 lines).

There are many examples of the depiction of 'human face' ligatured to animals:

Ligatured faces: some close-up images.

The animal is a quadruped: pasaramu, pasalamu = an animal, a beast, a brute, quadruped (Te.)Rebus: pasra ‘smithy’ (Santali) Allograph: panǰā́r ‘ladder, stairs’(Bshk.)(CDIAL 7760) Thus the composite animal connotes a smithy. Details of the smithy are described orthographically by the glyphic elements of the composition.

Rebus reading of the 'face' glyph: mũhe ‘face’ (Santali) mũh opening or hole (in a stove for stoking (Bi.); ingot (Santali)mũh metal ingot (Santali) mũhã̄ = the quantity of iron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace of the Kolhes; iron produced by the Kolhes and formed like a four-cornered piece a little pointed at each end; mūhā mẽṛhẽt = iron smelted by the Kolhes and formed into an equilateral lump a little pointed at each of four ends; kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽt ko mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day produced pig iron (Santali.lex.) kaula mengro ‘blacksmith’ (Gypsy) mleccha-mukha (Skt.) = milakkhu ‘copper’ (Pali) The Sanskrit loss mleccha-mukha should literally mean: copper-ingot absorbing the Santali gloss, mũh, as a suffix.

A remarkable phrase in Sanskrit indicates the link between mleccha and use of camels as trade caravans. This is explained in the lexicon of Apte for the lexeme: auṣṭrika 'belonging to a camel'. The lexicon entry cited Mahābhārata: औष्ट्रिक a. Coming from a camel (as milk); Mb.8. 44.28; -कः An oil-miller; मानुषाणां मलं म्लेच्छा म्लेच्छाना- मौष्ट्रिका मलम् । औष्ट्रिकाणां मलं षण्ढाः षण्ढानां राजयाजकाः ॥ Mb.8.45.25. From the perspective of a person devoted to śāstra and rigid disciplined life, Baudhāyana thus defines the word म्लेच्छः mlēcchḥ : -- गोमांसखादको यस्तु विरुद्धं बहु भाषते । सर्वाचारविहीनश्च म्लेच्छ इत्यभिधीयते ॥ 'A person who eatrs meat, deviates from traditional practices.'

The 'face' glyph is thus read rebus: mleccha mũh 'copper ingot'.

It is significant that Vatsyayana refers to crptography in his lists of 64 arts and calls it mlecchita-vikalpa, lit. 'an alternative representation -- in cryptography or cipher -- of mleccha words.'

The glyphic of the hieroglyph: tail (serpent), face (human), horns (bos indicus, zebu or ram), trunk (elephant), front paw (tiger),

moṇḍ the tail of a serpent (Santali) Rebus: Md. moḍenī ʻ massages, mixes ʼ. Kal.rumb. moṇḍ -- ʻ to thresh ʼ, urt. maṇḍ -- ʻ to soften ʼ (CDIAL 9890) Thus, the ligature of the serpent as a tail of the composite animal glyph is decoded as: polished metal (artifact). Vikalpa: xolā = tail (Kur.); qoli id. (Malt.)(DEDr 2135). Rebus: kol ‘pañcalōha’ (Ta.)கொல் kol, n. 1. Iron; இரும்பு. மின் வெள்ளி பொன் கொல்லெனச் சொல்லும் (தக்கயாகப். 550). 2. Metal; உலோகம். (நாமதீப. 318.) கொல்லன் kollaṉ, n. < T. golla. Custodian of treasure; கஜானாக்காரன். (P. T. L.) கொல்லிச்சி kollicci, n. Fem. of கொல்லன். Woman of the blacksmith caste; கொல்லச் சாதிப் பெண். (யாழ். அக.) The gloss kollicci is notable. It clearly evidences that kol was a blacksmith. kola ‘blacksmith’ (Ka.); Koḍ. kollë blacksmith (DEDR 2133). Ta. kol working in iron, blacksmith; kollaṉ blacksmith. Ma. kollan blacksmith, artificer. Ko. kole·l smithy, temple in Kota village. To. kwala·l Kota smithy. Ka. kolime, kolume, kulame, kulime, kulume, kulme fire-pit, furnace; (Bell.; U.P.U.) konimi blacksmith; (Gowda) kolla id. Koḍ. kollë blacksmith. Te. kolimi furnace. Go. (SR.) kollusānā to mend implements; (Ph.) kolstānā, kulsānā to forge; (Tr.) kōlstānā to repair (of ploughshares); (SR.) kolmi smithy (Voc. 948). Kuwi (F.) kolhali to forge (DEDR 2133) கொல்² kol Working in iron; கொற்றொழில். Blacksmith; கொல்லன். (Tamil) mũhe ‘face’ (Santali); Rebus: mũh '(copper) ingot' (Santali);mleccha-mukha (Skt.) = milakkhu ‘copper’ (Pali) கோடு kōṭu : •நடுநிலை நீங்குகை. கோடிறீக் கூற் றம் (நாலடி, 5). 3. [K. kōḍu.] Tusk; யானை பன்றிகளின் தந்தம். மத்த யானையின் கோடும் (தேவா. 39, 1). 4. Horn; விலங்கின் கொம்பு. கோட்டிடை யாடினை கூத்து (திவ். இயற். திருவிருத். 21). Ko. kṛ (obl. kṭ-) horns (one horn is kob), half of hair on each side of parting, side in game, log, section of bamboo used as fuel, line marked out. To. kwṛ (obl. kwṭ-) horn, branch, path across stream in thicket. Ka. kōḍu horn, tusk, branch of a tree; kōr̤ horn. Tu. kōḍů, kōḍu horn. Te. kōḍu rivulet, branch of a river. Pa. kōḍ (pl. kōḍul) horn (DEDR 2200)Rebus: koḍ = the place where artisans work (G.) kul 'tiger' (Santali); kōlu id. (Te.) kōlupuli = Bengal tiger (Te.)Pk. kolhuya -- , kulha -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ < *kōḍhu -- ; H.kolhā, °lā m. ʻ jackal ʼ, adj. ʻ crafty ʼ; G. kohlũ, °lũ n. ʻ jackal ʼ, M. kolhā, °lā m. krōṣṭŕ̊ ʻ crying ʼ BhP., m. ʻ jackal ʼ RV. = krṓṣṭu -- m. Pāṇ. [√kruś] Pa. koṭṭhu -- , °uka -- and kotthu -- , °uka -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ, Pk. koṭṭhu -- m.; Si. koṭa ʻ jackal ʼ, koṭiya ʻ leopard ʼ GS 42 (CDIAL 3615). कोल्हा [ kōlhā ] कोल्हें [ kōlhēṃ ] A jackal (Marathi) Rebus: kol ‘furnace, forge’ (Kuwi) kol ‘alloy of five metals, pañcaloha’ (Ta.) Allograph: kōla = woman (Nahali) [The ligature of a woman to a tiger is a phonetic determinant; the scribe clearly conveys that the gloss represented is kōla] karba 'iron' (Ka.)(DEDR 1278) as in ajirda karba 'iron' (Ka.) kari, karu 'black' (Ma.)(DEDR 1278) karbura 'gold' (Ka.) karbon 'black gold, iron' (Ka.) kabbiṇa 'iron' (Ka.) karum pon 'iron' (Ta.); kabin 'iron' (Ko.)(DEDR 1278) Ib 'iron' (Santali) [cf. Toda gloss below: ib ‘needle’.] Ta. Irumpu iron, instrument, weapon. a. irumpu,irimpu iron. Ko. ibid. To. Ib needle. Koḍ. Irïmbï iron. Te. Inumu id. Kol. (Kin.) inum (pl. inmul)iron, sword. Kui (Friend-Pereira) rumba vaḍi ironstone (for vaḍi, see 5285). (DEDR 486) Allograph: karibha -- m. ʻ Ficus religiosa (?) [Semantics of ficus religiosa may be relatable to homonyms used to denote both the sacred tree and rebus gloss: loa, ficus (Santali); loh ‘metal’ (Skt.)]

miṇḍāl markhor (Tor.wali) meḍho a ram, a sheep (G.)(CDIAL 10120)bhēḍra -- , bhēṇḍa -- m. ʻ ram ʼ lex. [← Austro -- as. J. Przyluski BSL xxx 200: perh. Austro -- as. *mēḍra ~ bhēḍra collides with Aryan mḗḍhra -- 1 in mēṇḍhra -- m. ʻ penis ʼ BhP., ʻ ram ʼ lex. -- See also bhēḍa -- 1, mēṣá -- , ēḍa -- . -- The similarity between bhēḍa -- 1, bhēḍra -- , bhēṇḍa -- ʻ ram ʼ and *bhēḍa -- 2 ʻ defective ʼ is paralleled by that between mḗḍhra -- 1, mēṇḍha -- 1 ʻ ram ʼ and *mēṇḍa -- 1, *mēṇḍha -- 2 (s.v. *miḍḍa -- ) ʻ defective ʼ](CDIAL 9606) mēṣá m. ʻ ram ʼ, °ṣīˊ -- f. ʻ ewe ʼ RV. 2. mēha -- 2, miha- m. lex. [mēha -- 2 infl. by mḗhati ʻ emits semen ʼ as poss. mēḍhra -- 2 ʻ ram ʼ (~ mēṇḍha -- 2) by mḗḍhra -- 1 ʻ penis ʼ?]1. Pk. mēsa -- m. ʻ sheep ʼ, Ash. mišalá; Kt. məṣe/l ʻ ram ʼ; Pr. məṣé ʻ ram, oorial ʼ; Kal. meṣ, meṣalák ʻ ram ʼ, H. mes m.; -- X bhēḍra -- q.v.2. K. myã̄ -- pūtu m. ʻ the young of sheep or goats ʼ; WPah.bhal. me\i f. ʻ wild goat ʼ; H. meh m. ʻ ram ʼ.mēṣāsya -- ʻ sheep -- faced ʼ Suśr. [mēṣá -- , āsyà -- ](CDIAL 10334) Rebus: meḍ (Ho.); mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)mẽṛh t iron; ispat m. = steel; dul m. = cast iron (Mu.) Allograph: meḍ ‘body ' (Mu.)

The composite animal (bovid) is re-configured by Huntington. http://huntington.wmc.ohio-state.edu/public/index.cfm Components of the composite hieroglyph on seal M-299. A ligaturing element is a human face which is a hieroglyph read rebus in mleccha (meluhha): mũhe ‘face’ (Santali) ; rebus:mũh metal ingot (Santali). Using such readings, it has been demonstrated that the entire corpora of Indus writing which now counts for over 5000 inscriptions + comparable hieroglyphs in contact areas of Dilmun where seals are deployed using the characeristic hieroglyphs of four dotted circles and three linear strokes.  

Zebu is ligatured as distinctive high horns to create a composite hieroglyph ‘composite animal motif’ as in m0301: human face, body or forepart of a ram, body and forelegs of a unicorn, horns of a zebu, trunk of an elephant, hindlegs of a tiger and an upraised serpent-like tail:

A truly fascinating paper by Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale on composite Indus creatures and their meaning: Harappa Chimaeras as 'Symbolic Hypertexts'. Some Thoughts on Plato, Chimaera and the Indus Civilization at a.harappa.com/...

On this seal, the key is only 'combination of animals'. This is an example of metonymy of a special type called synecdoche. Synecdoche, wherein a specific part of something is used to refer to the whole, or the whole to a specific part, usually is understood as a specific kind of metonymy. Three animal heads are ligatured to the body of a 'bull'; the word associated with the animal is the intended message.

Mohenjo-daro Seal 1927 with epigraphs on two-side is a confirmation that the horns ligatured to the composite animal on m1927b are horns of zebu.

The pictorial motif hieroglyphs message on the seal:

khũṭ  ‘zebu’ Rebus: ‘(native metal) guild’ This refrain is detailed by the zebu horns affixed to the compositive animal hieroglyph. A synonym is aḍar ḍangra read rebus: aduru ḍhangar ‘blacksmith’(Santali)

The composite animal hieroglyph can thus be seen as an expansion of the message conveyed by the zebu hieroglyph expanding the blacksmith guild activities to other minerals and metals beyond aduru ‘native, unsmelted metal’. The text message seems to be identical on both sides of the seal m1927: bronze workshop; metal smithy castings; forge. The zebu side a of the seal seems to denote the work of a native-metal-smith; the composite animal side b of the seal seems to denote the expanded work of a blacksmith working with stones, minerals and metals. The composite hieroglyph on m1927b was perhaps called:व्याळ [ vyāḷa ] m (व्याल S) A serpent. Ex. जैसें पायास दंशिलें महा व्याळें ॥ तों मस्तकासीं वृश्चिकें दंशिलें ॥. 2 Applied popularly to the नाग or भुजंग.व्याल [ vyāla ] m S A serpent. (Marathi) யாளவரி yāḷa-vari n. < vyāḷayāḷi யாளி yāḷi, n. < vyāḷa. [K. yāḷi.]  A mythological lion-faced animal with elephantine proboscis and tusks; யானையின் தந்தமும் துதிக்கையுஞ் சிங்கத்தின் முகமுமுடையதாகக் கருதப் படும் மிருகம். உழுவையும் யாளியு முளியமும் (குறிஞ் சிப். 252). 1 A vicious elephant; व्यालं बाल- मृणालतन्तुभिरसौ रोद्धुं समुज्जृम्भते Bh.2.6. -2 A beast of prey; वसन्त्यस्मिन् महारण्ये व्यालाश्च रुधिराशनाः Rām.2.119. 19; वनं व्यालनिषेवितम् Rām. -3 A snake; H.3.29. -4 A tiger; Māl.3. -5 A leopard. व्यालकः A vicious or wicked elephant.

The text message on the seal:

kanac ‘corner’ Rebus:  kañcu ‘bronze’

sal ‘splinter’ Rebus: sal ‘workshop’

|| dula ‘pair or two’ Rebus: dul ‘cast metal’

||| kolom ‘three’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’

kolmo ‘paddy plant’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’

Bronze alloy workshop kañcu sal starting with bronze which is a tin + copper alloy or tin bronze (as distinguished from arsenical bronze, i.e. naturally occurring copper + arsenic).

dula ‘two’ Rebus: dul ‘cast metal’

dolom ‘three’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’

kolmo ‘paddy plant’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’. Vikalpa: mogge ‘sprout, bud’ Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’

m0300  Zebu horns on composite animal. Native metal smith guild. Text 2521

ingot (from) iron smelter, tin smelter merchant guild. 

Focus on ‘serpent’ tail: nāga ‘snake’ Rebus: nāga ‘lead’ (Sanskrit) anakku ‘tin’ (Akkadian)Kur. xolā tail. Malt. qoli id. (DEDR 2135). Focus on human face: mukha, mū̃h  ‘face’ Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’. Zebu horns: khũṭ ‘zebu’ (Gujarati) Rebus: khũṭ ‘(native metal) community, guild’ (Santali) kola ‘tiger’ Rebus: kolhe ‘smelters’ kol ‘working in iron’ ibha ‘elephant’ Rebus: ib ‘iron’ body of an ox: balad ‘bull’ Rebus: baran, bharat ‘mixed alloys’ (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin) (Punjabi) dhatu ‘scarf’ Rebus: dhatu ‘mineral ore’.

āra 'spokes' Rebus: āra ‘brass’. cf. erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Kannada) Glyph: eraka’nave of wheel’ Rebus: eraka ‘copper’; cf. erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Kannada)

 Read in context, the composite hieroglyph is assumed to be a combination of a slanted stroke ligatured to a notch,which provide possible rebus readings of a smithy/forge: notch+slanted stroke reads rebus:ḍhālako kāṇḍa ‘ingot, tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’

dhāḷ ‘a slope’; ‘inclination of a plane’ (Gujarati); ḍhāḷiyum = adj. sloping, inclining (Gujarati) Rebus:ḍhālako = a large metal ingot (Gujarati) ḍhālakī = a metal heated and poured into a mould; a solid piece of metal; an ingot (Gujarati)

PLUS

खांडा [ khāṇḍā ] m  A jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon). Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’

Thus, the first pair of sign hieroglyphs from r. read rebus: copper, bronze ingots, metalware

| खांडा [ khāṇḍā ] m  A jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon). Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’

ranku ‘liquid measure’ Rebus: ranku ‘tin’

kanka ‘rim of jar’ Rebus: karṇīka ‘account (scribe)’ karṇī ‘supercargo’

kolmo ‘paddy plant’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’.

balad m. ʻ ox ʼ, gng. bald, (Ku.) barad, id. (N. Tarai) Rebus: bharat (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin)(Punjabi)pattar ‘trough’ Rebus: pattar ‘guild’. Thus, copper-zinc-tin alloy (worker) guild.

खोंड [khōṇḍa] m A young bull, a bullcalf. (Marathi) Rebus: kõdār ‘turner’ (Bengali); कोंद kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary  setting or infixing gems’ (Marathi) G. sãghāṛɔ m. ʻlathe’ ; संघाट joinery; M. sãgaḍ ‘double-canoe’ Rebus: sangataras ‘stone-cutter, mason’

kola 'tiger' Rebus: kolhe 'smelter'; kol 'working in iron'; kole.l 'smithy'; kole.l 'temple' dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'

akho m. ʻmesh of a netʼ Rebus: L. P. akkhā m. ʻ one end of a bag or sack thrown over a beast of burden ʼ; Or. akhā ʻ gunny bag ʼ; Bi. ākhā, ã̄khā ʻ grain bag carried by pack animal ʼ; H. ākhā m. ʻ one of a pair of grain bags used as panniers ʼ; M. ã̄khā m. ʻ netting in which coco -- nuts, &c., are carried ʼ, ā̆khẽ n. ʻ half a bullock -- load ʼ (CDIAL 17)  అంకెము [ aṅkemu ] ankemu. [Telugu] n. One pack or pannier, being half a bullock load.

अक्षः [अश्-सः] 1 An axis, axle, pivot; अक्षभङ्गे च यानस्य....न दण्डं मनुरब्रवीत् Ms.8.291,292; दृढधूः अक्षः Kāś. V. 4.74; Śi.12.2, 18.7; ज्योतिश्चक्राक्षदण्डः Dk. 1Axle-pole. -2 The pole of a cart. Rebus: -पटलः[ष. त.] 1 a court of law. -2 depository of legal documents. -3 = अक्षि- पटलम्, q. v. -लः [अक्षाणां व्यवहाराणां पटलमस्त्यस्य अच्] a judge. -4 record-office (GI). -5 account-office (RT). -पटलाधिकृतः superintendent of records and accounts. Thus, the gloss 'akho' also connotes that the writing system was a method of accounting for materials produced from smelters/furnaces/smithy/forge. அக்கசாலை akka-cālai, n. < arkaW.)

*அக்கசாலையர் akka-cālaiyar

, n. < id. +. Goldsmiths, jewellers; தட்டார். (பிங்.) The cognate arka  relates to smithy work: eraka 'copper'

Mohenjodaro seal (m0302).

The composite animal glyph is one example to show that rebus method has to be applied to every glyphic element in the writing system. 

The glyphic elements of the composite animal shown together with the glyphs of fish, fish ligatured with lid, arrow (on Seal m0302) are:

--ram or sheep (forelegs denote a bovine)

--neck-band, ring

--bos indicus (zebu)(the high horns denote a bos indicus)

--elephant (the elephant's trunk ligatured to human face)

--tiger (hind legs denote a tiger)

--serpent (tail denotes a serpent)

--human face

All these glyphic elements are decoded rebus:

meḍho a ram, a sheep (G.)(CDIAL 10120); 

kaḍum ‘neck-band, ring’ 

adar ḍangra ‘zebu’

ibha ‘elephant’ (Skt.); rebus: ib ‘iron’ (Ko.)

kolo ‘jackal’ (Kon.)

moṇḍ the tail of a serpent (Santali) Rebus: Md. moḍenī ʻ massages, mixes ʼ. Kal.rumb. moṇḍ -- ʻ to thresh ʼ, urt. maṇḍ -- ʻ to soften ʼ (CDIAL 9890) Thus, the ligature of the serpent as a tail of the composite animal glyph is decoded as: polished metal (artifact).

mũhe ‘face’ (Santali); mleccha-mukha (Skt.) = milakkhu ‘copper’ (Pali)

கோடு kōṭu : •நடுநிலை நீங்குகை. கோடிறீக் கூற் றம் (நாலடி, 5). 3. [K. kōḍu.] Tusk; யானை பன்றிகளின் தந்தம். மத்த யானையின் கோடும் (தேவா. 39, 1). 4. Horn; விலங்கின் கொம்பு. கோட்டிடை யாடினை கூத்து (திவ். இயற். திருவிருத். 21). 

Ta. kōṭu (in cpds. kōṭṭu-) horn, tusk, branch of tree, cluster, bunch, coil of hair, line, diagram, bank of stream or pool; kuvaṭu branch of a tree; kōṭṭāṉ, kōṭṭuvāṉ rock horned-owl (cf. 1657 Ta. kuṭiñai). Ko. kṛ (obl. kṭ-) horns (one horn is kob), half of hair on each side of parting, side in game, log, section of bamboo used as fuel, line marked out. To. kwṛ (obl. kwṭ-) horn, branch, path across stream in thicket. Ka. kōḍu horn, tusk, branch of a tree; kōr̤ horn. Tu. kōḍů, kōḍu horn. Te. kōḍu rivulet, branch of a river. Pa. kōḍ (pl. kōḍul) horn (DEDR 2200)

meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.)

khāḍ ‘trench, firepit’

aduru ‘native metal’ (Ka.) ḍhangar ‘blacksmith’ (H.)

kol ‘furnace, forge’ (Kuwi) kol ‘alloy of five metals, pancaloha’ (Ta.)

mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)

mūhā mẽṛhẽt = iron smelted by the Kolhes and formed into an equilateral lump a little pointed at each of four ends (Santali)

koḍ = the place where artisans work (G.) 

Orthographically, the glytic compositions add on the characteristic short tail as a hieroglyph (on both ligatured signs and on pictorial motifs)

xolā = tail (Kur.); qoli id. (Malt.)(DEDr 2135). Rebus: kol ‘pañcalōha’ (Ta.)கொல் kol, n. 1. Iron; இரும்பு. மின் வெள்ளி பொன் கொல்லெனச் சொல்லும் (தக்கயாகப். 550). 2. Metal; உலோகம். (நாமதீப. 318.) கொல்லன் kollaṉ, n. < T. golla. Custodian of treasure; கஜானாக்காரன். (P. T. L.) கொல்லிச்சி kollicci, n. Fem. of கொல்லன். Woman of the blacksmith caste; கொல்லச் சாதிப் பெண். (யாழ். அக.) The gloss kollicci is notable. It clearly evidences that kol was a blacksmith. kola ‘blacksmith’ (Ka.); Koḍ. kollë blacksmith (DEDR 2133). Vikalpa: dumbaदुम्ब or (El.) duma दुम । पशुपुच्छः m. the tail of an animal. (Kashmiri) Rebus: ḍōmba ?Gypsy (CDIAL 5570). 

Ligaturing of glyphs on the Indus script is paralleled by sculpted ligatures of Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization


Glyphs on Indus script: Ligatured human body, metal wheelwright

There are many variants of this human body glyph (Sign 1, Mahadevan Indus script corpus). There are many composite glyphs with many ligatures to this human body frame.

meḍ ‘body’ (Santali) Rebus: meḍ ‘iron (metal)’ (Ho.) koṭe meṛed= forged iron (Mu.) (cf. glyph: Ka. kōḍu horn)

Vikalpa: kāṭhī = body, person; kāṭhī the make of the body; the stature of a man (G.) Rebus: khātī  ‘wheelwright’ (H.)

eṛaka 'upraised arm' (Ta.); Ka.eṟake wing; rebus: eraka = copper (Ka.); eraka ‘metal infusion’ (Tu.)

Characteristic ligatures are:  scarf on hair-pigtail, armlets on arms, raised arm, seated (hidden, spy?) on a tree, ligatured to buttocks (back) of a bovine, horned (often with a twig betwixt horns).

All these orthographic glyptic elements can be explained rebus as mleccha smith guild token glyphs, all in the context of a smithy/forge/smithy guild. This decoding is consistent with rebus readings of other glyphs such as ligatured tiger + eagle, tiger+ wings, tiger+ human body.

Bauddham tradition explains the expression Tridhātu at an ādhyāmikā level as three realms of cyclic existence.

Three realms (Skt. tridhātu; Tib. ཁམས་གསུམ་, kham sum; Wyl. khams gsum) — the desire realm, the form realm and the formless realm, all within cyclic existence.

• the desire realm,
• the form realm, and
• the formless realm.

Three realms The three levels within samsara: the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. The desire realm is the environment of hell beings, hungry spirits, animals, human beings, demi-gods, and the gods who enjoy the five objects of desire. The form realm is the environment of the gods who possess form. The formless realm is the environment of the gods who do not possess form. Beings of the desire realm have powerful delusions, beings of the form realm have more subtle delusions, and beings of the formless realm have very subtle delusions.

These realms are all within the domain of samsara.

http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Three_realms

Kalyanaraman

Sarasvati Research Center

May 18, 2017