The article focuses on Nepali words sabhyata (civilization) and unnati (progress) as they were used in Rana era Nepal. It is argued that while sabhyata and unnati antecede bikas they were not the equivalent of bikas (development). The author contextualizes pre-bikas ideas embodied in the words sahhyata and unnati in order to chronicle the antecedence to the modem concept of bikas.