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The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c18: Appendix I: Imitations of the Gupta Coinage

The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c18

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Appendix I: Imitations of the Gupta Coinage

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The Gupta coinage exercised considerable influence on the coinage of the later Hindu period. Some of the silver and copper types of the Hūṇas are close copies of some of the Gupta types. The coinage of the Maukharis and the Vardhanas is in close imitation of the silver coinage of the Guptas; even the legends are practically the same, only the name of the king changes. The Gadhaia coins and the Pratihāra coins are too rude to show any Gupta influence, but the latter partially reasserted itself with the rise of the Western Chedis, the reverse of whose gold coinage shows the well-known motif of seated Lakshmi of the Gupta coinage. The coinage in the precious metals issued by the Eastern Chedis, the Chandellas, the Tomaras and the Gāhadavālas usually shows the motif of the seated Lakshmi of the Gupta age on the reverse. Nay, she appears on a few gold coins of some Muslim conquerors like Mahmud bin Sam and Allauddin Khilji.

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A detailed discussion of the adoption of these Gupta motifs has naturally to be postponed to a subsequent volume of this series, which will deal with the post-Gupta coinages. There are, however, some stray rulers, mostly of unknown dynasties, ruling between *c.* 525 to 675 A. D. who issued coins in gold, silver and copper in close imitation of some of the Gupta types. These rulers did not belong to the Imperial Gupta dynasty, but it will be convenient to discuss their coinage in this Appendix, as it is influenced by Gupta coinage.

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Bhīmarāja(?), Harigupta, Jayagupta, Virasena, Jaya(nāga), Samāchāradeva, Śaśāṅka and Bhīmavarman are the kings to be considered in this connection. Some rulers of Eastern Bengal also issued crude imitations of the Gupta gold coins, showing standing king on the obverse and standing goddess on the reverse. These also will be considered in this Appendix.

(1) Bhīmarāja (Bhīmasena?)

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Bhīmarāja is known to us from a single silver coin procured by Rivett-Carnac at Ayodhyā and published by Cunningham in his *Archaeological Survey Report*, Vol. IX., Pl. V. 16. This coin is a close copy of the Madhyadeśa type of the silver coinage of Budhagupta. The obverse gives the usual bust of the king, but the head is to left and not to right, as on the coins of Budhagupta. The reverse has the fan-tailed peacock and the usual metrical legend substituting Bhīmarāja's name for that of Budhagupta. We have so far got no evidence to identify this ruler. His time may be between 500 and 550 A. D.

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The reading Bhīmarāja is not free from difficulties. It occurs after VI and the first letter books like *bha* and the next one would be a *ma* of the eastern variety. The next two letters are taken as *sena* by Cunningham and Rapson, but to me they appear to be clearly *raja* i. e. *rāja*. The photograph given by Cunningham in *C.A.S.R.*, IX. Pl. V. 16. is too indistinct to permit the reading of the legend.

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We now describe the coin.

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Silver; .6"; 34.2 grains; *I.C.*, Pl. IV. 14. *Obv*: Bust of the king to l.; no traces of Greek letters. *Rev*: Fan-tailed peacock in the centre. Circular legend, (XII) *Vijitāvaniravanipatiś-śri-Bhīmarājo divam jayati* (after restoration).

(2) Harigupta

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Harigupta is known from his copper coins only. Till recently, only one copper coin of this ruler was known, preserved in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. In 1955, however, I noticed a few more coins of this ruler in the collection of Mr. J. Das of Allahabad. Mr. Das was the Manager of the Court of Wards in U. P. and collected most of his coins from Ramnagar and the adjoining area. The solitary coin in the Indian Museum also hails from the same provenance.

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The question of the identity of Harigupta is not easy to settle. His name suggests Gupta affiliation and one of his types, the Chhatra one, is in close imitation of the same type of the Imperial Guptas. But his gold coins have not yet come to light; it is therefore likely that he was a local ruler in Uttara-Pañchāla (Rohilkhand) ruling over a petty kingdom and not a scion of the Imperial Gupta dynasty.

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Hari is no doubt a synonym for Kṛṣṇa and it is possible to argue that Harigupta of the copper coins may be identical with Kṛṣṇagupta, the founder of the Later Gupta Dynasty of Magadha. The find-spot of his coins would not, however, favour this view. The sway of the Later Guptas never extended to Pañchāla. Harigupta has also to be distinguished from Harirāja, whose copper plate was discovered in Banaras in 1942.¹

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¹ *Pr. of the 12th Oriental Conference*, Banaras, p. 590.

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According to Jain tradition, Toramāṇa, who had his Indian headquarters at Pavaiyya on the Chenab, had a preceptor named Harigupta, who himself was a scion of the Gupta family.² This preceptor may well have been his political adviser rather than spiritual guide. The findspot of the coins of Harigupta in northern Pañchāla would suggest the possibility of the identity of Harigupta, the adviser of Toramāṇa, with Harigupta of these coins. If such was the case, we may regard Harigupta as a scion of a local Gupta family in northern Pañchāla, who had made a common cause with the Hūṇa invader. No definite identification, however, can be proposed in the present state of our knowledge. The palæography of his coins shows a survival of the eastern form of *ha* on the Kalaśa (Vase) type and his Chhatra type closely imitates that type of Chandragupta II; it may therefore be presumed that Harigupta could not have flourished later than the first half of the 6th century A. D.

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² *J.B.O.R.S.*, XIV. 28.

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Harigupta issued copper coins in two types, Chhatra and Kalaśa. We now proceed to describe them.

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(2) Copper; .8"; 78 grains; J. Das's collection. *Obv:* King standing to l., r. hand raised up, l. hand resting on hip; attendant behind holding umbrella; its staff can be seen above the r. shoulder of the king. No traces of any inscription. *Rev:* Upper half : Garuḍa, probably with out-stretched wings; lower half: the legend in two lines, *Maha(ā)-rāja-śra(ī) Hara(i)ga(u)pta*; *ha* is of western form. (Pl. XIXA. 2)

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There is another coin of this type in the collection of Mr. Das, but it is very much blurred. Its weight is 85 grains.

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This is a new type of Harigupta, not so far published any where. It is a copy of the Chhatra type of the copper coins of Chandragupta II; see Pl. XVI. 10. In both cases the obverse has standing figures of the king and the umbrella-bearer but no circular legend. The reverse of both has Garuḍa in the lower half. The only difference is that the legend on the coins of Chandragupta II is shorter and in one line, while that on the coins of Harigupta is longer and in two lines. This difference is probably due to the difference in size of the two types.

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KALAŚA (VASE) TYPE

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Copper; .6"; 41 grains; Indian Museum, Calcutta. *Obv:* Flower vase (*kalaśa*) on a pedestal.¹ *Rev:* Legend in two lines; [Śrī]mahara[ja] [Ha]riguptasya. (Pl. XIXA. 3)

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¹ Cunningham takes this to be the Buddha's bowl on a pedestal; C.M.I., p. 19.

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The letter *ha* in line 1 is of the eastern variety. This type also recalls one of the copper types of Chandragupta II (Pl. XVI. 20). The vase on the present coin is on a pedestal, that on the coins of Chandragupta II is on the ground. The inscription on the present coin is in two lines and gives the royal title of Harigupta. The legend on the coins of Chandragupta II consists only of two letters *Cha* and *ndra*. Probably this abbreviation is due to the fact that the coins of the Vase type of Chandragupta II are much smaller than those of Harigupta.

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There are two coins of this type in the collection of Mr. J. Das also. The obverse of one is completely blurred, but that of the other shows the vase on the stand fairly well. The reverse has the usual legend in two lines, as on the coin illustrated above. Their weights are 59 and 49 grains respectively.

(3) Harikānta (?)

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In *J.A.S.B.*, 1894, p. 195, Pl. VI. 15, V. A. Smith has published a silver coin in the cabinet of Dr. Hoey, which he has attributed to a king named Harikānta. The findspot of this coin is not known, but it is not unlikely that it was obtained along with the remaining two coins published along with it. One of the latter is a coin of the Maukhari ruler Śarvavarman and on the other the king's name has not been preserved.

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The legend on this coin has not been well preserved. Its portion on the right side is illegible. From VI the letters *śri-hara(i)* are clear. What follows is a distinct *ka* followed by another letter, which has been read as *nta* by Smith, but which can also be a *pta*. The following four letters are *vajayata*, being part of the concluding portion *divam jayati*. The letter preceding *va*, however, is not *di* or *da* but looks like *pta* or *nta*. The legend is carelessly engraved. If we take the letter before *va* as *nta*, then we expect it to be preceded by *gu* and not by ka, as is actually the case. So it is only by assuming that there is a mistake in engraving that we can assign this coin to Harigupta written as Harikapta. If this assumption were correct, we can suggest that this Harigupta is the same as Harigupta of the copper coins discussed above.

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This however seems unlikely. The reading Harikānta is also not free from difficulty; for the last letter looks more like a pta than a nta, but nta is not impossible. We may therefore tentatively assume that the king's name is Harikānta.

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Harikānta (?) seems to have been a fairly early ruler, not much later than 500 A. D. On the obverse in front of the king's face there is a date, which has been conjectured as 166 by Smith. If this were a correct reading, Harikānta (?) would have been a contemporary of Budhagupta. The numerals are truncated and the reading is quite uncertain.

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We shall now describe the coin.

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Silver; .6"; weight not recorded; Hoey's Collection. *Obv:* Head of the king to right; ear very large; date in front of the face; numerals truncated and illegible. *Rev:* Fan-tailed peacock to left. Circular legend, beginning at XII, *Viji......*, at VI *Śri-Harikānta(or pta) vajayata*. (Pl. XIX A. 5)

(4) Jayagupta

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Jayagupta is known to us from a singal copper coin, now in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Its findspot has not been recorded; so no conjecture can be hazarded about the locality of the kingdom of this ruler. He, however, copies closely the common copper type of Chandragupta II, having bust of the king on the obverse and Garuḍa and the legend on the reverse. The letter *ya* on his coin is tripartite and not bipartite, as on the coins of Jaya[nāga] and Samāchāradeva, who flourished between 550 to 650 A.D. The copper coinage of the Imperial Guptas was practically given up by the successors of Kumāragupta I. We may, therefore, place Jayagupta not later than the first half of the 6th century A.D. He was probably a small local ruler, who was content to issue copper coins only.

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BUST TYPE

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Copper; .7" X .6"; 19.8 grains;¹ *I.M.C.*, Vol. I, Pl. XVII, 10.

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¹ This coin has been published also in *C.M.I.*, Pl. II. 3.

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*Obv:* Rather blurred, but faint traces of the bust of the king.

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*Rev:* Upper half : Garuḍa standing facing. Lower half : Legend, [*Ja*]yagu[*pta*].

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(Pl. XIXA. 4)

(5) Vīrsena

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² This Virasena is to be distinguished from the homonymous ruler, who issued square copper coins in the Mathurā area. The latter flourished in the 3rd century A.D., and issued coins with the railing on one side with king’s name above, and a rude figure of Lakshmi on the other; see Allan, *B.M.C., A.I.*, pp. 280-1.

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Virasena is known to us from his gold coinage only. One of his coins is in the Indian Museum, Calcutta,³ and one in the British Museum, London. Smith refers to a third coin, but its whereabouts are not known.

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³ *I.M.C.*, I, Pl. XVI. 14.

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The palæography of the legend belongs to the later Gupta period and the fact that two of these coins were found near Banaras and that they show the Bull on the reverse would perhaps indicate that Virasena was ruling over Banaras area.

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The weight of the coins of Virasena varies between 161 and 169 grains. They are obviously issued to the weight standard of a gold Śatamāna, weighing a hundred *rattis*. The metrology, therefore, does not show any Gupta influence; the Guptas never issued any gold coins weighing more than 152 grains. The reverse of Virasena’s coins shows Laksmi seated on a lotus (rather crudely delineated), which is so common on Gupta coins. The *biruda* of Kramāditya was taken by Skandagupta, Kumāragupta II and Ghaṭo(tkachagupta) of the Gupta dynasty. We may, therefore, place Vīrasena sometime in the 6th century.

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We shall now describe one of the coins of Vīrasena.

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Gold; shape, oval .65"X .5"; 162.5 grains; *B.M.C.*, *G.D.*, Pl. XXIV. 11.

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*Obv:* Below, Bull standing to r. Above, the legend *Śrī-Vīrase[na]*.

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*Rev:* Goddess Lakshmī, nimbate, seated on lotus, holding lotus in l. hand and fillet in r. Legend, *Kramādi[tya]*. (Pl. XIXA. 15)

(6) Samāchāradeva Narendravinita

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Only two coins of king Samāchāradeva are known so far; but they have been a centre of several controversies. The difference of view starts with the reading of the name as well as of the *biruda*. While on his Archer type, the name could be clearly read as Samacha, that on the *Rājalilā*¹ type seemed to be Yamadha. The latter reading was proposed by J. Allan and accepted by R. D. Banerji.² In the palæography of this period, *ya* and *sa*, and *dha* and *cha* are similar and can be confused with each other by careless engravers; and since the *biruda* on both the coins is the same, it will be reasonable to assume that the correct reading on the obverse of the *Rājalilā* type is also Samacha, standing for Samāchāra. The latter *rā* is not quite distinct; but its traces can be seen above the Bull standard in the Archar type (Pl. XIXA. 6) and below the feet of the female on the left in the *Rājalilā* type (Pl. XIXA. 7).

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¹ A person sitting at ease on a couch with attendants on either side is said to be in the *rājalilā* pose.

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² A.S.I., A.R., 1913, p. 259.

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The *biruda* on the reverse of both the coins was read as Narendrāditya by J. Allan, N. K. Bhattasali, and R. D. Banerji;¹ the last mentioned scholar had carefully examined these two coins in the Indian Museum, Calcutta and opined that the legend was *Narendravinīta*. A careful examination of the better photographs reproduced in the *I.M.C.*, I, Pl. XVI., Nos. 11 and 13, shows that the legend clearly consists of six letter, as is also shown by the photographs reproduced in the *B.M.C.*, *G.D.*, Pl. XXIV. 4 and 5. It is clear that after *Narendra* there are three more letters, the last two of which cannot be mistaken for a carelessly engraved *tya*. Banerji’s conclusion based upon a microscopic examination of the coins that the last three letters are *vinīta* is borne out by a scrutiny of the facsimiles in the *I. M. Catalogue*² also.

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¹ *B.M.C.*, *G.D.*, p. 150; *J.A.S.B.*, N.S., 1923 pp. 54-6; *A.S.I.*, *A.R.*, 1913-4, pp. 259-60.

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² Dr. R. C. Majumdar has rejected this reading in favour of *Narendrāditya* in *History of Bengal*, I, p. 52. He however does not explain the presence of six letters in the legend on the reverse.

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The identity of king Samāchāra eluded the scholars for a long time, because he was not known from any other sources till *c.* 1909. J. Allan, who read the reverse legend as *Narendrāditya*, was half inclined to identify Samāchāra with Śaśāṅka, because according to Buhler, *Narendrāditya* was another name or *biruda* of that king.³ Bhattasali agreed with the view that *Narendrāditya* was Śaśāṅka, but thought that Samāchāradeva was possibly the father⁴ of Śaśāṅka. This is a difficult view to accept because the type would then be a joint one. Joint coinage is not known in the Gupta age. Hoernle thought that the ruler might be Narasimhagupta II.⁵ The most fatal objection against identifying this ruler either with Śaśāṅka or with Narasimhagupta is the circumstance that the vertical legend on the obverse indicated the personal name in the Gupta numismatic tradition, and so the personal name of the issuer will have to be taken as Samāchāra and not Śaśāṅka.

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³ *B.M.C.*, *G.D.*, pp. lxiv, cvi. In the body of the book, Allan has separated the coins of Samāchāra from those of Śaśāṅka.

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⁴ *J.A.S.B.*, N.S., 1923; pp. 54-6.

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⁵ *J.R.A.S.*, 1893; p. 147.

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It is interesting to note that the name Samāchāra never occurs on any side of any coin of Śaśāṅka. If that was his personal name, why should it not make its appearance at least on some of his pieces?

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At Nalanda a seal was found of king Samāchāradeva,¹ and a copper plate issued by him was discovered at Ghugrahatti in Faridapur district of Eastern Bengal, written in 6th century characters. Both the coins and the plate show some common palæographic features. On the coins the medial ā of mā is denoted by a superscript angular stroke, and of chā by a short perpendicular stroke to right. The plate also shows both these peculiarities. It is interesting to note that Ghugrahatti, where the plate was found, is situated only 30 miles from that place on the bank of the Arunkhali in Jessore district, where the Rajalīlā type coin of Samāchāradeva was recovered along with a coin of Śaśāṅka. We may therefore well presume that Samāchāradeva of the coins is identical with Samāchāradeva of the Ghugrahatti plates and also of the seal found in Nalanda. It would appear that in spite of his Śaiva persuasion, as suggested by the Bull standard on his Archer type, Samāchāra was interested in Buddhism and perhaps patronised the Nalanda establishment like kings Susthitavarman, Avantivarman and Harshavardhana, whose sealings also have been recovered at Nalanda.

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¹ Nalanda and its epigraphic Material, M.A.S.I., Vol. 66; pp. 31-2.

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Though Samāchāradeva is not identical with Śaśāṅka, he did not live far away from him either in space or in time. Śaśāṅka held sway in eastern Bengal; one of the coins of this king was found there is Jessore district, as pointed out above, and in the company of a coin of Śaśāṅka. The Bull standard of Samāchāra and Śiva and Nandī on the coins of Śaśāṅka show that both were Śaivas. Perhaps both belonged to the same dynasty ruling in Eastern Bengal, Samāchāra being a predecessor of Śaśāṅka, ruling in c. 550-575 A.D. He is usually taken to be the latest ruler in the triad of kings Gopachandra, Dharmāditya and Samāchāradeva, who are known from the five charters from Faridpur district and one plate from the Burdwan district; hence the above date is suggested for him.

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The view that Samāchāradeva was a feudatory of Śaśāṅka is untenable. It presupposed that the term *narendra* in the legend *narendravinīta* refers to Śaśāṅka and that its meaning is one who is humble to Narendra (i.e. Śaśāṅka). There is no sufficient evidence for the first assumption. If we accept the second hypothesis, we shall have to admit that the name of the feudatory occurs on the obverse and that of the emperor on the reverse. This also is without a precedent. It is best to hold that Samāchāra was a very near predecessor of Śaśāṅka.

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We now proceed to illustrate the two coins of this ruler known so far.

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(1) Gold; .9"; 148.2 grains; Indian Museum.¹ *Obv:* King, nimbate, standing l. in *tribhaṅga* pose holding bow in l. hand and offering oblations by the r. Necklace round the neck; bull standard behind the r. hand Legend, below the l. arm *samā*; between the feet *cha*.² Probably above the bull there is the letter *ra*. *Rev:* Lakshmi, nimbate, seated facing on lotus, with lotus in l. hand and fillet in the r. which is stretched out. Symbol (?) on left. Legend on the r.; *Śrīnarendravinīta*.

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¹ I.M.C., I, p. 120 and Pl. XVI. 11; *B.M.C., G.D.*, p. 149, Pl. XXIV. 4.

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² In *mā*, the medial *ā* is denoted by a superscript angular stroke; in *cha*, it is a short perpendicular stroke to right. Both the methods are followed in the Faridpur (Ghugrahatti) grant of this ruler.

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(Pl. XIXA. 6)

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RĀJALĪLĀ TYPE

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(2) Gold (alloyed); .8"; 149 grains; Indian Museum.³ *Obv:* King, nimbate, seated on couch in the Rājalīlā pose, with head to l., left hand raised and r. resting at side. Female attendant (or queen?) on either side. Between the king's head and attendant on r. written perpendicularly, *Samā*;¹ under the couch, *chā*. *Ra* is probably beneath the feet of the female on r.

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³ I.M.C., I, p. 122; Pl. XVI. 13; *B.M.C., G.D.*, p. 150, Pl. XXIV. 5; *J.A.S.B.*, 1852, Pl. XII. 1.

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¹ The first letter can be also taken as *ya*, as R. D. Banerji and Allan had done, but the reading *sa* is equally possible. *Sa* and *ma* could at this period be easily mistaken for each other, as also *cha* and *dha*.

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*Rev*: Goddess Sarasvatī, nimbate, standing on a lotus bed in *tribhaṅga* posture. Her left hand rests on a lotus with bent stalk; by her right hand she draws up another lotus with long stalk in front of her face (as if to smell it). A lotus bud with a stalk under the r. hand; below it, is a goose (*haṃsa*) with up-stretched neck trying to snatch at a lotus leaf in its front by its open beak.

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Legend on the l. *Narendravinīta*.

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(Pl. XIXA. 7)

(7) Śaśāṅka

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Śaśāṅka, who ruled in Gauḍa in the first quarter of the 7th century, was a rival and opponent of the Maukharis of Kanauj and Harshavardhana of Thaneshvar. Apparently he issued coins only in gold; at any rate his coins in silver and copper have not so far been found. His gold coins also are of a varying degree of purity; in some, the gold contents are about 58% (*e.g.* B.M. No. 608); in others they are very much less. Some of his coins are in copper plated with gold (*e.g.* B.M. Nos. 610 and 611). Majority of his coins are issued to the *suvarṇa* standard of 80 *rattis* or about 144 grains; a few however weigh only 85 grains and are probably of the half *śatamāna* denomination. Smaller coins, however, have a much lesser dross, though they are rougher in execution. They have a border of big dots both on the obverse and the reverse; this is absent on the bigger coins. The goddess on the reverse has lotus in each hand, but no elephants to give her ablution.

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It is well known that Śaśāṅka was an opponent of Buddhism. His coinage would show that he was a Śaiva, because Śiva invariably appears on the obverse of his coins on his mount Nandī. This side further shows the full round orb of the moon to the left of the king's face. The legend on the obverse was intended to be *Śrī-Śaśāṅko jayati*; but only the letters *Śrī-śaśa* have come on the flan. The first three letters are written vertically behind the haunch of the bull in the usual Gupta tradition; *ja* and *ya* are written below the bull.

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The reverse shows Lakshmī seated on lotus, as on the Gupta coinage. There is an elephant on either side giving her ablution. The legend on the reverse is *Śrī-Śaśāṅkaḥ*.

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COINS ILLUSTRATAD : 4

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CLASS I

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SUVARṆA TYPE

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(1) Gold; .8"; 145 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XXIII. 14. Obv: Śiva, nimbate, reclining to left on bull to l. with l. hand uplifted holding an uncertain object; full moon (*śaśāṅka*) above on l. On r. *Śraśa*; below the bull, *jaya* (from l. to r.). Rev: Lakshmī, nimbate, seated facing on lotus, holding lotus in l. hand which rests on knee; r. hand outstretched and empty; at the top on either side an elephant giving her ablution. On her r. *Śraśa*. No symbol. (Pl. XIXA. 8)

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(2) Gold; .75"; 145.3 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XXIII. 15. Obv: As above, but the legend below is *yaja* instead of *jaya*. (Pl. XIXA. 9)

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(3) Gold-plated; .8"; 133.7 grains; *B.M.C.,G.D.*, p. 147, No. 610. *Obv*: As above; legend, *Śrīśa*. *Rev*: As above; *Śrīśaśāṅka*. (Not illustrated)

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HALF-ŚATAMĀNA TYPE

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(4) Gold; .75", 85 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XXIV. 2. *Obv*: As above, but no trace of the legend *Śrīśa*. Below the bull, *Yaja* and not *Jaya*. *Rev*: Lakshmī holds lotus in r. hand and l. hand rests on thigh; no ablution by elephants. Legend, *Śrīśaśāṅka*. (Pl. XIXA. 10)

Jaya[nāga] Prakāṇdayaśas

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Jaya(nāga) Prakāṇdayaśas is known to us from some gold and gold-plated coins found in Bengal. The full personal name of this ruler is not yet definitely known. Allan had first thought that it might have ended with *gupta*;¹ later on he suggested that the full name might have been Jayanāga and thought that the issuer of the coins was identical with Mahārājādhirāja-paramabhāgavata-śrī-Jayanāgadeva, the donor of the Vappaghoshavaṭa charter, issued from Karṇasuvarṇa, located probably in Murshidabad district.² This view seems most probable.

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¹ *B.M.C., G.D.*, p. 150.

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² *E.I.*, XVIII, p. 63.

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Jayagupta of the copper coin, discussed above (p. 322), is different from this ruler; the earlier tripartite form of *ya* occurs on the coins of the former; whereas the later bipartite form of that letter is used both on the coins of Jayanāga, as also in his Vappaghoshavaṭa plate.

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The palæography of his coins suggests that Jayanāga should be placed between *c.* 550 and 650 A.D. The *Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa* states that the son of Śaśāṅka had a short reign of eight months and five days and was succeeded by a king named Nāga. It is quite probable that this Nāga is identical with Jayanāga; if so, his time may be *c.* 640 to 650 A.D. The reverse of Jayanāga’s coins would support this view. The goddess on his coins folds her feet in the same manner that is to be seen on some coins of Śaśāṅka; (*cf.* Pl. XIXA. 11 with Pl. XIXA. 10); there also occurs the motif of her bath by an elephant, as we see it on most of the coins of Śaśāṅka. Numismatic evidence would thus support the view of Jayanāga being a successor of Śaśāṅka.

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Since Jayanāga takes the title of Mahārājādhirāja in his copper plate, we may well presume that he was a ruler of some consequence; he had some feudatories ruling under him as shown by his charter. He may, therefore, well have thought of issuing gold coins. He was a *paramabhāgavata* or Vaishṇava and, therefore, naturally discontinued the obverse of Śaśāṅka’s coinage, which showed Śiva standing by the Bull; he replaced it by the well-established Archer type. The reverse is a close copy of Śaśāṅka’s coins.

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The weight of Jayanāga’s coins varies from 132 to 139 grains. They are heavily adulterated; one of his coins in British Museum, No. 614, which was tested, had only 34% of gold.

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The coinage of Jayanāga is a close copy of the well-known Archer type of the Gupta dynasty. The obverse shows the king usually standing to *l.* but sometimes facing also, and holding bow and arrow, while the reverse has Lakshmī seated on lotus receiving ablution from an elephant on *l.* The long legend on *r.* probably left no room to show an elephant on *r.* also, as is to be seen on the coins of Śaśāṅka. His *biruda*, however, does not end with *Āditya*; it is *Prakāṇḍayasāḥ*, ‘of wide fame.’ His coinage replaces Garuḍa standard by the Chakra standard, which had made its appearance on the coinage of Kācha (Pl. IV. 1) and on one variety of the Archer type of Chandragupta II (Pl. V. 2). *Chakradhvaja* is quite appropriate for a Vaishṇava.

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We shall now describe two of his coins.

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(1) Gold; .8"; 131.8 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XXIV. 6. *Obv:* King, nimbate, standing to l., holding bow in l. hand and arrow in r. Chakra-standard behind the king's r. hand. Legend *Jaya* under the king's left arm. No traces of any circular legend. *Rev:* Goddess Lakshmī, nimbate, seated facing on lotus, holding lotus in l. hand and fillet in r. hand outstretched; faint traces of an elephant on l. sprinkling the goddess. Legend on r. *Śra(i)prakāṇḍayaśa*. (Pl. XIXA. 11)

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(2) Gold; .8"; 139 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XXIV. 7. *Obv:* As above, but king stands facing. The staff of *Chakra* standard is worked on lathe. *Rev:* As above, but the legend is fragmentary. Only faint traces of the elephant on l. (Pl. XIXA. 12)

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(3) Gold-plated copper; .8"; 117.8 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XXIV. 8. *Obv:* As above. *Rev:* Elephant on l. quite distinct. Legend obliterated. (Pl. XIXA. 13)

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In the Nālandā excavation of 1935-36, a clay mould was discovered, showing the motif of the obverse of the coins of Jaya(nāga). The external diameter of the mould is 1 1/8" and the internal diameter is .75". The name of the king is written under the left arm as Jaya; the *ya* is bipartite as on the coins of this ruler. The figure of the king is similar to that on Pl. XIXA. 11. In front of the king we have the *Chakradhvaja* and not *Garudadhvaja*. The form of *ya* and the presence of *Chakradhvaja* make it almost certain that the king Jaya(nāga) of the coins is identical with Jaya(nāga) of the clay mould. Unfortunately the mould of the reverse has not been found and so we do not know whether the king had the *biruda* of *Prakāndayaśah*.

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Jayanāga was a Vaishnava, as pointed out already. It would appear that he was also connected with Nālandā and he might have sent an officer of his to the University with authority to issue gold coins from earthen moulds in order to donate them to the establishment. For the time being this is a mere conjecture.

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Description of the earthen mould of Jaya(nāga).

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Size; external diameter, 1.12"; internal diameter, .75"; *A.S.I., A.R.*, 1935-6; p. 52, Pl. XVII. d.

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*Obv:* King nimbate standing to left, bow in l. hand and perhaps arrow in the r. *Chakradhvaja* behind the r. hand. No traces of the circular legend.

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(Pl. XIXA. 14)

(9) Ancient Imitations of Gupta Gold Coins in Eastern Bengal

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A fairly large number of rude imitations of Gupta gold coins have come to light in Bograh, Tipperah, Dacca and Faridpur districts of Eastern Bengal. 17 of these have been noticed and described by N. K. Bhattasali in *J.A.S.B., Num. Supp.* 1923, pp. 57-64. Some others are also occasionally offered for sale by coin dealers; the Patna University cabinet has got two of them.

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The obverse of these coins shows the king standing holding a bow and an arrow. The standard in front of the king is surmounted by a counch or spiral penon;¹ on one coin there is also a small horse on the obverse. In most cases the obverse bears no legend; in some cases the letter *Śrī* makes its appearance, followed by what look like the traces of a legend. The goddess on the reverse is standing to r., wearing a flowing robe; on the right there are in some cases traces of an inscription. In some cases the goddess is shown to be eight-handed; in others she has only a pair of hands.

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¹ The view that it may be a horse standard (*B.M.C., G.D.*, p. 154) does not seem to be correct; on the solitary coin, where this horse standard is said to appear, the object is indistinct (*B.M.C., G.D.*, XIV. 7).

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The attribution of these coins is a matter of some uncertainty. N. K. Bhattasali attributed them to the later Guptas of Magadha.¹ There is a horse on one of these coins (Pl. XIXA. 13). King Ādityasena of this dynasty is known to have performed a horse-sacrifice; he may, therefore, be presumed to have issued coins of this variety. Bhattasali admits that the vast majority of the coins of this type show no horse upon them; but he argues that this is so because they were issued by his successors, who had performed no horse-sacrifice. All these coins, with horse and without horse, undoubtedly belong to the same series, as shown by their type, weight and border of thick dots. N. K. Bhattasali, therefore, thought that the series should be attributed to Ādityasena and his successors of the Later Gupta dynasty of Magadha.

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¹ J.A.S.B., N.S., 1923, pp. 62 ff.

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There are, however, serious difficulties in accepting this view. These coins are never discovered in Magadha, the home province of the Later Guptas; they are all found in Eastern Bengal in the districts of Bogra, Tipperah, Dacca and Faridpur, which were never included in the dominion of the Later Guptas. It is, therefore, difficult to accept the view that these coins were the issues of the Later Guptas of Magadha.

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The findspots of the coins as well as their association with those of Samāchāradeva and Śaśāṅka in some finds show that the rulers who issued these rude pieces, held sway in Eastern Bengal. They were considerably influenced by Gupta numismatic traditions, but were not slavishly following them, as is shown by the eight-armed goddess on the reverse. In their weight and border of thick dots, they imitate the half-Śatamāna type of Śaśāṅka. We may, therefore, well attribute them to some local rulers in Eastern Bengal, who ruled after the death of Śaśāṅka. To judge from the uniformity of type, these rulers may well have belonged to one and the same dynasty. S. K. Chakravarti thought that the legend on B. M. No. 620 read Sudhanya standing for Sudhanyāditya. This ruler was, according to him, the founder of this dynasty, who performed the horse-sacrifice; other coins without the horse were issued by his successors, who had not performed the Aśvamedha.¹ The legend, however, is very indistinct; and the reading Sudhanya is very doubtful; Sudhanyāditya as a biruda is hardly known to us from any other source. It is, therefore, not easy to accept the reading Sudhanyā, unless it is confirmed by a clear specimen.

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¹ Transactions of the International Numismatic Congress, 1936, p. 408. N. K. Bhattasali reads Sudhanya and Sukrama on two coins in the Dacca Museum; Num. Supp., 1923, p. 58 n. But as the coins are not illustrated, it is not possible to check the readings.

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Pṛthuvīra is another name read on one of the coins of this series. This reading is quite clear. King Pṛthuvīra is, however, otherwise unknown to us.

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We can, therefore, only assert at present that some members of a local ruling family in Eastern Bengal, who succeeded Śaśāṅka, issued these coins. One of them had probably performed a horse-sacrifice and the name of another was Pṛthuvīra.

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The heaviest of these coins weighs 92.5 grains, (No. 621 of the B.M.); the lightest, (one of the pieces in the Dacca Museum) weighs 75 grains; but the average weight is 85 grains or 50 rattis; i. e. the weight of a half Śatamāna. Most of these coins are heavily debased.

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(With horse)

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(1) Gold; .85"; 86.5 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl.XXIV. 17. *Obv:* Within a border of thick dots, king standing to l., holding bow in l. hand and arrow in r.; a horse below the l. arm. A standard behind the r. hand, its top being indistinct. *Śra* in front of the king's face. *Rev:* Within border of thick dots, eight armed Goddess standing to r. In the first r. hand held up in her front, there is some object, perhaps a fruit. On the r., traces of what looks like a degraded legend. (Pl. XIXB. 1)

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Variety B

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(Without horse)

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(2) Gold; .85"; 92.5 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. XXIV. 18. *Obv:* As above; but no horse. The standard is surmounted by a counch, (*śaṅkha*) or has a spiral penon above it. (Pl. XIXB. 2)

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Variety C

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(Goddess two-armed)

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(3) Gold; .8"; 95 grains; Patna University Collection. *Obv:* As on No. 2. The figure of the king is better and the bow is quite distinct. The standard is crude and appears to be a *Garuḍadhvaja*. *Rev:* Goddess is two armed and holds a fillet in r. hand. No trace of circular legend. Behind the goddess, some indistinct object. Border of dots. (Pl. XIXB. 3)

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Variety D

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(With issuer's name)

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(3) Gold(base); .9"; 88.3 grains; *Num.Ch.*, 1934, Pl.III.5. *Obv:* Within a border of thick dots, a very crude representation of king standing to l.; holding apparently bow in l. hand, bent and raised, and offering oblations by the r.; a standard before the king.¹ Legend on l. in three lines. Śrī Prithu Vi[ra] Between the feet, the letter ja.

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¹ On one coin of this type in B.M.C., G.D., Pl. XXIV. 19. there is a crescent between the standard and the king's head.

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(Pl. XIXB. 4)

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Rev: As in No. 1 above. (Not illustrated)

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