The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c19.94

c19.94

The legend on this coin, it seems, begins at II. The first five letters are *Prarathamathā*. Then the legend is broken by the figure of the king and restarts at VIII. The first six letters on the left are *kshitimabhipāta*; we have to supply suitable medial vowels. These letters are followed by faint traces of *da* and *va*. I am inclined to assume that some letters of the legend are off the flan below the feet of the king and we have therefore to supply them. I take them to be *dhiruhya*. The whole legend was most probably *Prarathamathā[dhiruhya]kshitimabhipāta (divaṃ jayati)*, ‘Ascending the excellent chariot (*praratha*), the pre-eminent protector (*abhipāta*) of the earth conquers heaven also.’ The reading *(m)abhipāta* is certain; we have to supply the medial vowel only to the last letter. In terms like *abhidharma*, *abhitāmra*, *abhi* denotes intensity or superiority; the same is the case with the term *abhipāta*. The context shows that the three missing letters after *Prarathamathā* can hardly have been any others than *dhiruhya*.