The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c11.s8.8

c11.s8.8

The present writer had earlier held the view that the Divine Personage on the obverse should be identified rather with Vishnu than with his *Ayudhapurusha* Chakra, on the ground that, if the king was to be represented as receiving a favour direct from God, he would naturally be represented as Vishnu rather than his *Ayudhapurusha* Chakra.² The new evidence subsequently brought to light by Mr. C. Sivaramamurti³ and Dr. V. S. Agrawala⁴ tends to show that the figure is that of Chakrapurusha rather than that of Vishnu. Vishnu with two hands only is unknown; Chakra-purusha has often two hands, though he sometimes has more. The *Ahirbudhnya-samhitā* shows that Chakra or Sudarśana-chakra, the most effective weapon of Vishnu, was identified with the Golden Purusha inside the Sun and even with the Supreme Being who is the Mover of the Great Wheel of the Universe (*jagachchakra*), i.e. with Vishnu himself.⁵ The glorification of Chakra is carried to the extreme; we are told that whatever can be described as fit to be worshipped is but only a manifestation of Chakra-purusha. This Chakra-purusha is identified with Vishnu himself, *Chakrarūpī svayaṁ Hariḥ*, 41. 37.