The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c16.s1.1

c16.s1.1

Skandagupta had a brother named Purugupta, but it is not yet certain as to when he ruled. Purugupta is known to us from the seals of his descendants Kumāragupta II¹ and Viṣṇugupta.² These seals, while giving the genealogy, refer to Kumāragupta I and then immediately pass on to Purugupta as a *Mahārājādhirāja*, omitting his brother Skandagupta altogether. Owing to the absence of conclusive evidence, it is possible to argue that (1) Purugupta of the Bhitari and Nālandā seals is identical with Skandagupta, or (2) that he is his half-borther, who unsuccessfully contested his succession in *c.* 455 A. D., or (3) that he succeeded Skandagupta after his death, the latter having no son of his own. It is not possible for us to discuss these different theories in this work; nor is it necessry to do so. It is very unlikely that Skandagupta and Purugupta could have been identical; why should the name Purugupta occur only on seals and not in any of the inscriptions ? Since Purugupta is expressly described as *Mahārājādhirāja* in two seals, he may be presumed to have ruled after the death of Skandagupta for the short period of a year or two during *c.* 468-9 A.D. He is not likely to have contested Skandagupta’s succession. The question we have to consider now is whether he had issued any coins.