The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c13.s3: Lion-Slayer Type
The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c13.s3
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Lion-Slayer Type
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The Lion-slayer type of Chandragupta II was continued by his son Kumāragupta I, but it does show neither the striking variety nor high artistic merit, which is the characteristic of the coins of this type issued by the father. The king generally faces to right; on only one coin discovered in the Bayana hoard, we find him facing left. That pleasing and interesting variety, which we saw on the reverse of this type of Chandragupta II, is altogether absent here; the mount of the goddess is always couchant; it is never walking. The goddess also is invariably seated facing, with one leg folded up and the other hanging down; she does not sit astride the lion, nor does she face to right or left. The legends are usually indistinct; only in two varieties we have succeeded in deciphering them. Neither the body of the king nor that of the lion shows any artistic beauty. There is thus a distinct artistic deterioration in this type. It must be, however, added that the reclining posture of the goddess in variety A of class I (Pl. XII. 1) is graceful.
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This type is similar to that of Chandragupta's Lion-slayer type, and so no general description is necessary. Coins were generally issued to the weight standard of 127 grains, but about 15% coins follow 124 grains standard. One coin, however, weighs as high as 131 grains.
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The coins of this type can be divided into two classes, Lion-combatant and Lion-trampling. The Lion-retreating class, which we had seen in the Lion-slayer type of Chandragupta II, is absent in this reign; nor do we find the king attacking the beast with the sword, as Chandragupta II is shown to be doing on one specimen.
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It will be convenient to divide the coins of each class into different varieties according to their legends.
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(LION-COMBATANT)
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In variety A of class I (Pl. XII. 1), the legend begins with *Kshitipati*, but cannot be yet completed. Such traces, as can be seen, seem to show that the legend was ‘*Kshitipatirajitamahendraḥ Kumāragupto divaṃ jayati*’ (Pl. XXII. 32); ‘Kumāragupta, unconquered Mahendra, being (already) the lord of earth, wins heaven.’ The metre is Upagīti. The goddess on the reverse is in a beautiful *tribhaṅga* pose, reclining on her left arm and holding a lotus in the right. There is no symbol.
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In variety B (Pl. XII. 2), the legend cannot be so far completed; it begins with *Kumāra*. Mr. Allan has restored it as *Kumāragupto vijayī siṃhamahendro divaṃ jayati*; ‘The victorious Kumāragupta, lion-like Mahendra, wins the heaven.’ There are, however, hardly any letters visible after the word *Kumāra* either on the coin illustrated by Mr. Allan (*B. M. C., G. D.*, Pl. XIV. 9), or on the other coins of this type discovered in the Bayana hoard. Mr. Allan’s reading of the legend must be regarded as conjectural. The right hand of the goddess on the reverse is open and empty in this variety and the left one is bent up, holding a lotus. There is a symbol on the left.
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In variety C (Pl. XII. 3-4), the legend is ‘*Kumāragupto yudhi siṃhavikramaḥ*’ (Pl. XXII. 31); ‘Kumāragupta, who is as valorous as lion in the battle.’ The metre is *Vaṃsthavila*. On the reverse, the goddess is seen scattering gold coins by right hand and holding a lotus in the left. There is a symbol on the left.
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In variety D (Pl. XII. 5), the legend is too indistinct to be deciphered; the king is to right and the object in the right hand of the goddess is indistinct.
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(Lion-trampler)
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In clsss II the king is trampling upon the lion. In variety A (Pl. XII. 6-8), the legend is ‘Sākshādiva narasimho simhamahendro jayatyaniśam’ (Pl. XXII. 30); ‘Narasimha as it were incarnate, the lion-like Mahendra, is ever victorious.’ The metre is Upagīti. In variety B (Pl. XII. 9-10), the legend begins with Kumāra, but cannot be so far completed. The goddess on the reverse holds a curions garland in the r. hand and a lotus in the left. The symbol of this variety is also peculiar. This variety first came to light in 1925.
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CLASS I
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(Lion-combatant)
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Variety A
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(Legend beginning with Kshitipati)¹
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¹ B.M.C., G.D., Pl. XIV, 6-8; I.M.C., I, Pl. XVI. 6.
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(1) Gold; .75"; 126.5 grains; B.H., Pl. XXVIII. 9.
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*Obv:* King not nimbate, standing to r., wearing diadem, sash, jānghiā, necklace, earrings, wristlets and armlets shooting at lion in his front; arrow visible above the arm. Circular legend, beginning at I, Kshatapa(ti).
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*Rev:* Goddess seated on lion couchant to r., reclining on arm resting on waist and holding lotus stalk with leaves in outstretched r. hand. No symbol; legend on r., Śrīmahendrasimhaḥ.
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(Pl. XII. 1)
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(Legend beginning with Kumāra)¹
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¹ *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XIV. 9.
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(2) Gold; .8"; 127.4 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XXVIII. 11. *Obv:* King as above. Circular legend beginning at I, *Kumāra*. *Rev:* Goddess seated as above, but l. hand, bent up, holds a flower with long stalk; r. hand opened out and empty. Symbol in the l. corner. Legend, *Saṅha-mahendra*. (Pl. XII. 2)
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Variety C² (Legend, *Kumāragupto yudhi siṅhavikramaḥ*)³
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² *B.M.C.,G.D.*, Pl. XIV, 10-14; *I.M.C.*, I., Pl. XVI. 5.
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³ There is a difference in the spelling of the last word; sometimes we have *siṅha*, and sometimes *siṅha*, sometimes *vikrama* and sometimes *vikkrama*.
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(3) Gold; .8"; 125.9 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XXVIII. 7. *Obv:* King standing to r., as above. Legend, beginning at VII, ..*ragupto yudha*, at I, *saṅhavikrama*. Traces of the lower portion of *ku* and *ma* can be seen at VII; *sa* is between the top of the bow and the head of the king. *Rev:* Goddess as above, but holding lotus with long stalk in l. hand resting on thigh, and scattering coins by r., which is opened out. Symbol on l. Legend, *Siṅhamahendra* blurred. (Pl. XII. 3)
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(4) Gold; .8"; 123.8 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XXVIII. 5. *Obv:* As above. King’s torso graceful. Legend on l. off the flan; on r. *yudha saṅhavikra*. Reading of the legend is slightly doubtful. The first letter at I can be taken as *yu* only if we suppose that its left limb is off the flan. and the medial *mātrā* of *yu* is shown differently. The next three letters *dhasaṅha* are fairly clear. *Rev:* As above, but lotus stalk is twisted at the centre. (Pl. XII. 4)
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(King to r. and lion to l.)
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(5) Gold; .85"; 126 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XXVIII. 13. *Obv:* King standing and facing left, with frizzled hair, wearing a beautiful coat with short sleeves, half-pant and sash and shooting arrow at lion in his front. Legend is blurred and illegible. *Rev:* Goddess seated on lion couchant to l. holding lotus with long stalk in l. hand resting on waist and some indistinct object in r. hand bent up. Symbol at IX. Legend, *Śrāmahendrasiṅha*. (Pl. XII. 6)
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CLASS II
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(Lion-trampler)
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Variety A
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(*Sākshādiva narasiṅhaḥ siṅhamahendro jayatyaniśam*)¹
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¹ *B.M.C.*, G.D., Pl. XIV. 1-3; *J.R.A.S.*, 1893, Pl. III. 7.
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(6) Gold; .75"; 127.5 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XXIX. 1. *Obv:* King to r., bare-bodied, wearing a head-dress and *jānghiā*, trampling upon and shooting at lion in front, which falls back from a leap. Legend from I, *Sākshādiva na*..., ....at VI, *ndra jayatyanaśam*, last letter being just near kings head. *Rev:* Goddess seated on lion couchant to r., holding noose in r. hand and lotus in l., which is treated as a cornucopiæ. Symbol on left. Legend, *Śrīmahendra-siṅha*. (Pl. XII. 7)
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*Obv:* As above; at I *Sakshā*, from VII, *saṁmahandra jayatyanaśam*, partly truncated. (Pl. XII. 8) *Rev:* As above.
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(Incomplete legend beginning with *Kumāra*)¹
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¹ *J.A.S.B.*, *N.S.*, 1925.
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(8) Gold; .8"; 125.6 grains; *B.H.* Pl. XXIX. 10. *Obv:* King to r. trampling upon lion by l. foot; arrow on the bow distinctly visible. Tense action noticeable in king's body. Legend at I, *Kumāra*, blurred. *Rev:* Goddess seated on lion couchant to r., holding a peculiar garland in r. hand and lotus in l., resting on thigh. Can the garland be one of sculls (*muṇḍamālā*) ? Symbol on l.; legend, *Siṁhamahendraḥ*, blurred. (Pl. XII. 9)
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(9) Gold; .8"; 125.9 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XXIX. 11. *Obv:* As above, but *Kumāra* is fairly clear at II. *Rev:* As above. (Pl. XII. 10)
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(10) Gold; .8"; 126.3 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XXIX. 15. *Obv:* The king does not fall back so much as on the two earlier coins; grim and tense action well depicted. Arrow visible over the king's arm. Legend, *Kumara* at I, rather blurred. *Rev:* Symbol is blurred. Garland is distinct. Legend, as above, but blurred. (Pl. XII. 5)