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The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c9: Chapter IV. Coinage of Samudragupta

The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c9

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Chapter IV. Coinage of Samudragupta

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Numismatic activity, which started late in the reign of Chandragupta I, was continued with renewed zest and vigour by his illustrious son and successor Samudragupta. The political conditions which compelled Chandragupta I to confine himself only to one coin-type did no longer exist in the reign of Samudragupta, who was an heir to both the Lichchhavi and the Gupta kingdoms. The new king therefore issued a number of coin-types during his long reign. Of these the Standard type was the most popular; it was an adaptation of the late Kushāṇa type prevailing in the eastern Punjab, as already pointed out earlier (pp. 29-30). The Archer and the Battle-axe types were further modifications of the Standard type, where the king is shown as holding a bow and a battle-axe respectively, instead of the standard. These three types may be labelled as the military types. As a natural consequence of the victories in the battle-field, he performed the Aśvamedha sacrifice, which resulted in the issue of the Aśvamedha type. The emperor was a great sportsman and a gifted musician; he decided to proclaim these hobbies of his to his subjects as well as to posterity on some of his coins, and the result was the Tiger-slayer and the Lyrist types.

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Of these types the Standard type is the most popular one, while the Aśvamedha and the Battle-axe types rank next. The coins in the remaining types are rather scarce.

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It is not possible to determine with certainty the relative chronology of the different types issued by Samudragupta. The Standard type, which is most common, was probably the earliest; it seems to have been continued throughout the reign. The Archer type may be slightly later; it shows a greater degree of originality than its predecessor. The Battle-axe type presupposes considerable numismatic experience and may be the third in the chronological order. The Tiger-slayer type shows very high artistic merit and may be the fourth in order of time. The Lyrist and the Aśvamedha types are artistically of very high order and seem to be interconnected by the use of the letter *si* on the obverse. And since the Aśvamedha sacrifice was performed towards the end of the reign, we may well assume that both these types were issued at that time. We must add before concluding that the above relative chronology of the types is purely tentative.

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The emperor issued no silver or copper coins. R. D. Banerji no doubt refers to two copper coins discovered near Katwa in the Burdwan district of Bengal, which bore on the obverse the figure of Garuḍa above and the name *Samudra* below, the reverse being completely illegible. These coins, however, have not been published, and therefore it would be hazardous to assert that Samudragupta had really issued a copper currency. As silver coins were not current earlier in the territories over which Samudragupta was ruling, he issued no currency in the white metal.

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We now proceed to describe the different types of the gold currency of Samudragupta.

Standard Type

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The Standard type is the most popular type of Samudragupta, as will be seen by a glance at the published catalogues of the Gupta coins of most museums. The Bayana hoard had 183 coins of Samudragupta, of which as many as 136 belonged to the Standard type. The British Museum has 17 coins of this type, the Indian Museum 19, the State Museum Lucknow 29 and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 10.

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Coins of this type have been found all over the Gupta empire from Saharanpur to Calcutta. They vary in size from .75" to .9" and in weight from 104.5 grains to 122. Some of the weights like 104.5 are abnormal. It appears that the coins of this type were normally issued to three weight standards, 115, 118 and 121 grains; see Chap. XIIB.

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In this type, we have on the obverse the king standing to 1., holding a standard in the left hand and offering oblation by the right. There is a Garuḍa standard in his front. On the reverse we have a goddess seated on a throne, holding cornucopiæ in left hand and noose in the right.

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The designation of this type is not free from difficulty. Smith thought that the object in the king's 1. hand was a javelin and so he described the type as Javelin type. Mr. Allan thought that the object was a standard and so he described the type as the Standard type. Mr. P. L. Gupta¹ and Dr. B. C. Chhabra² have described the type as *rājadaṇḍa* (sceptre) type. No definite preference can be shown to any of the above names, because the object is not uniformly represented. On some coins (*e.g.*, Pl. I. 14; II. 2) the object has a pointed end and distinctly resembles a javelin, but on others (*e. g.*, Pl. II. 1, 2, 5) it is clearly a sceptre or *rājadaṇḍa* with a thick and flattened end. In favour of the Javelin theory, it may be pointed out that on other types of Samudragupta, we find him wielding weapons like the bow and the battle-axe in his left hand; we should therefore conclude that he has a javelin in this type, especially since it clearly resembles that weapon in the majority of cases. As against this view, it may be pointed out that the object has a flag-like ribbon or a fillet attached to it in its upper half (Pl. I. 14; II. 1, 5, 6 etc.), which we do not see in the case of a spear. As against Mr. Allan's view that the object is a standard, it may be pointed out that the obverse shows the official Gupta standard, *Garuḍadhvaja* in front of the king; would not then a second standard in the king's left hand have been superfluous? The king as his own standard-bearer is also not in consonance with Indian tradition of propriety and dignity. The third view suggests that the object is a sceptre or rājadaṇḍa and it undoubtedly looks like one in Pl. II, 1, 2, 5, 8. But rājadaṇḍa also has not a ribbon or a fillet or a flag attached to its upper half, and in majority of cases the object has a pointed end like a javelin. If the object was really looked upon as a rājadaṇḍa, one cannot understand why the majestic motif of the king appearing with his rājadaṇḍa should not only have become unpopular but should have altogether disappeared in later times. Since each view is beset with difficulties, we propose to continue the designation of Standard type, simply because it is well-established.

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¹ *J. N. S. I.*, IX. 146.

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² *Ibid*, XI. 25.

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The close resemblance, which the Standard type bears to its prototype, has been already discussed (p. 30). It is however necessary to draw attention to the conscious effort that the mint-masters were making to Indianise the type. The Kuṣāṇa peaked head-dress is replaced by a close-fitting cap, decorated in the Hindu fashion by a pearl-border (Pl. II. 2. 5). Triśūla (trident) in front of the king is replaced by a Garuḍa banner which was the insignia of the Guptas.¹ Above all, the corrupt and unmeaning Greek legend on the obverse is replaced by a Sanskrit metrical inscription in Brāhmī characters. Perhaps the only remnant of the Greek legend may be detected in a solitary crescent, that we sometimes see near the Garuḍa-standard or over the king’s head (Pl. I. 15; II. 1). The crescent may, however, not be the remnant of a Greek letter and have had its own significance, because the crescent-standard appears on many types (cf. Pl. I. 8; III. 3; III. 13). The Greek legend Ardoxsho, which appears on some of the coins of the late Kushāṇa type (Pl. I. 3), has been replaced by the Brāhmī legend Parākramaḥ, giving the biruda of the emperor. It is clear that the Gupta mint-masters were trying to nationalise the foreign type as much as numismatic conservatism would permit. The workmanship of their coins is also much superior to that of their prototype. The metal is almost pure gold, with an alloy of about 10% only, instead of about 50% which was in the late Kushāṇa coins.

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¹ The Allahabad inscription describes how the charters of Samudragupta used to be stamped with the Garuḍa seal. We cannot therefore accept the opinion of Smith that the Garuḍa standard was copied on the Gupta coins from the Roman eagle. The Garuḍa standard was well known in India even in the 2nd century B. C., as is shown by the Besnagar pillar of Heliodorus.

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On some coins of the Standard type, the back of the throne has been dispensed with (Pl. II. 5, 8). It is likely, but by no means certain, that these may have been issued in provinces like Magadha, where the Kushāṇa numismatic influence was not very strong. Its disappearance marks a further progress in Indianisation.

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The identity of the goddess on this type is difficult to determine. The mint masters have deliberately expunged her Roman name Ardoxsho. It is clear that they desired to identify her with an Indian deity, which was most probably Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, whose mount Garuḍa appears on the standard on the obverse. She, however, has no peculiar symbols of that goddess, and we cannot exclude the possibility of the goddess being Durgā, who figured on the reverse of the coins of Chandragupta I, as indicated by her mount, the lion.

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The king on the obverse is seen offering oblations at the altar. This was of course a motif borrowed from the coins of the late Kushāṇa type (see Pl. I. 3-5). It is however interesting to notice how the motif was gradually further and further Indianised. On some coins of Samudragupta (Pl. I. 14, 15; II. 1) the object in the king's hand is clearly seen to be a round puroḍāśa (sacrificial offering resembling a ball). The conventional altar, however, looks in some cases like a flower pot with a plant; it may have been a tulasīvṛndāvana with that sacred plant (see Pl. II. 5, 8, 9). Tulasī is sacred to the followers of Vishnu and the Guptas were undoubtedly Vaiṣṇavas. Whether there was a deliberate intention to vary the motif, we do not know. In some cases the object looks like Śiva-liṅga with Archā (Pl. VIII. 8), but this resemblance is probably purely accidental.

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To Samudragupta belongs the distinction of being the first Indian king to introduce a metrical legend on coins.¹ The Allahabad inscription describes how he had acquired the title of kavirāja (poet-laureate) on account of his excellent poems. Whether this was actually the case we do not know; for no poems of his have been handed down to us.² There can be, however, no doubt that the interesting decision to give the obverse legend in a metrical line must have been due to the poetic vein in the warrior king; we may presume that he himself was the author of at least some of the metrical hemistiches occurring on his coins.

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¹ Mr. Allan was the first to point out that many of the legends on the Gupta coins were metrical. The discovery of this fact facilitated very much the task of completing the fragmentary legends, or the legends where medial vowel marks were off the flan.

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² A Kṛṣṇacharitra has been ascribed to him by some persons, but without sufficient evidence.

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The Allahabad inscription (l. 17) shows that Parākrama was the special biruda of Samudragupta and the legend Parākramaḥ and Aśvamedhaparākramaḥ occurring on the Tiger-slayer and the Aśvamedha types respectively must be taken as referring to him. On one of the Standard type coins of Samudragupta found at Bamnala in Indore state (now Madhyabharat state) the legend on the reverse is clearly Śrī-Vikramaḥ (Pl. II. 10). As the biruda Vikrama is so far known to occur only on the coins of Chandragupta II, and as the Allahabad inscription issued towards the end of his reign expressly states that Parākrama was the special biruda of Samudragupta, it is very likely that this solitary Standard type coin of the Bamnala hoard may be due to an accidental mistake committed early in the reign of Chandragupta II; the obverse die of the Standard type of the late king was by oversight used along with a reverse die of one of the varieties of the Archer type of the new king. This mistake must have been soon detected, and hence we have so far got only one coin of this type. If we do not assume the occurrence of such a mistake, we shall have to suppose that Samudragupta assumed the biruda of Vikrama along with Parākrama. This appears to be very improbable, for Gupta kings had usually one biruda only. We have, however, tentatively accepted the evidence of the Bamnala coin at its face value and included it among the Standard type coins of Samudragupta.

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On a solitary gold coin of the late Kushāṇa type of very crude workmanship, we unexpectedly come across the legend Samudra under the king's arm (Pl. II. 11). There is no doubt that the coin belongs not to the Gupta series, but to the Late Kushāṇa series of the Punjab. There is a trident and not a Garuḍadhvaja in front of the king; there is a solitary Brāhmī letter śa near the right foot of the king, as is to be seen on several other coins of this series (Pl. I. 3, 4). Outside the standard or spear, there is a perpendicular legend, read as Gaḍahara by Cunningham. Its reading, however, is uncertain, as the letters are interlocked with one another. The first letter ga is, however, definite.

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The only plausible explanation that we can offer of this type is that it may have been issued by some Kushāṇa feudatory of Samudragupta. The Allahabad inscription describes how the Śaka and Kushāṇa chiefs attended upon him and prayed for charters confirming them in their dominions. One of them may have decided to show his loyalty by issuing coins with the name of the emperor in the place of honour and his own name or the name of his tribe outside the spear.

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Samudragupta's Standard type is no doubt a close imitation of the Kushāṇa prototype. But this rare coin shows that it was in its turn imitated by some of his Kushāṇa feudatories in the Punjab. Perhaps more coins of this type may have been issued; but unfortunately we have only one specimen handed down to us.

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A large number of symbols occur on the Standard type in the upper left quadrant. In some cases however we get an additional symbol on right as well. The significance of these symbols is still unknown; see Chap. XIIA.

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Well preserved coins of Chandragupta I all weigh about 120 grains and thus conform to the Kushāṇa and Roman weight standard. We have, however, several well-preserved coins of Samudragupta, some of which weigh 115 grains, some 118 grains and some 121 grains. They appear to have been issued to these three weight standards. A few rare coins of Samudragupta are seen to weigh only about 108 grains. We get such rare light coins in the case of all Gupta emperors. They are freak coins and represent no normal weight standard.

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Three different types of *ma* are used on the Standard type coins, illustrated in Pl. I. 14-15 and II. 19. We, however, sometimes see two of these forms, the so-called eastern and western ones together not only on the same piece but also on the same side; Pl. I. 15. This would show that all these forms were current, all over the Gupta empire. The nomenclature ‘eastern’ and ‘western’ is not strictly correct; see Chap. XIIC.

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On the Standard type of Samudragupta, the king is always seen facing left. In *Asiatic Researches*, Vol. XVII, Pl. I. fig. 5 a coin is, however, published, where the king is standing to *right* and offering oblations by his left hand. Gupta mint-masters could have issued no such coin, for Hindu tradition never permits the offering of sacred oblations by the *left* hand. We have reproduced this coin on Pl. II. 4 and a glance at it will make it clear that the drawing in the *Asiatic Researches* is from the negative side of the normal coin.¹ There is no reason to hold that the king was ever represented as standing to right on any coin of the Standard type.

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¹ *J. N. S. I.*, XII. 116.

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The Standard type coins may be divided into three classes; class I where the *biruda* is *Parākrama*; class II where it is *Vikrama* and Class III, where we find the type imitated by a Kushāṇa feudatory of the emperor. Class III was not issued from the Gupta mints and class II may have been due to a mistake in the mint, as pointed out above at p. 43. Classes II and III are known from single specimens only.

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In class I, we have distinguished seven varieties. In variety A, the legend begins at XI and the name under the arm is simply *Samudra* (Pl. I. 14). This is most common variety. In variety B, we have a crescent in addition near the king's head (Pl. I. 15; II. 16). Variety C is like variety A, but it is small in size and neat in execution, having a uniform weight and symbol (Pl. II. 3). Variety D is like variety A, but the king has a dagger by his side (Pl. II. 6). Only one coin of this type has so far come to light. In varieties E and F the legend begins on the left, but in variety E it is circular (Pl. II. 5), and in variety F, (Pl. II. 2) the legend on the right is in a straight line. In variety G the name of the king under the arm is *Samudragupta*, the last two letters being written outside the standard (Pl. II. 8-9). We now give below the full description of this type.

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*Obv:* King standing l., nimbate, wearing earrings, necklace, armlets, close-fitting cap, coat and trousers. The coat is tailed and often shows several ornamental buttons. He is holding standard in l. hand and offering incense with the r. hand on an altar at his feet, behind which there is a standard decorated with fillet and surmounted by Garuḍa facing. Beneath king's l. arm, written vertically, *Samudra*; outside the standard, *gupta*, on some coins. Circular legend; *Samara-śata-vitata-vijayo jita-ripurajito* divaṃ jayati; (Pl. XX. 3.) ‘The invincible (king) who had won victories on a hundred battle fields and conquered the enemies, wins the heaven.’ Metre; Upagīti.

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*Rev:* Goddess (Lakṣmī ?) nimbate, seated facing on throne with lathe-turned legs, wearing a *sārī*, a bodice, an upper garment, a necklace, armlets and a circular pearl-bordered ornament round the face. She holds cornucopiæ in l. hand and a noose in r. Her feet rest on a circular mat. Back of the throne is visible in most cases but not all its four legs. Border of dots all round.

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Symbol always on l. but sometimes on r. also.

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On r., *Parākramaḥ*; (Pl. XXIII. 44).

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We now describe the different varieties of the Standard type.

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COINS ILLUSTRATED : 14.

Class I

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(King facing left.)¹

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¹ *B. M. C. G. D.*, Pl. I. 5-10, 12, 13, 16, 17; *J. A. S. B.*, 1884, i, Pl. II. 3-4.

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Variety A

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(Legend beginning at I, and *Samudra* only under the left arm.)

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(1) Gold.; .8″.; 117.5 grains; *B. H.* Pl. II. 7.

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*Obv:* The king is nimbate and the expression of his face is smart. Staff of the Garuḍa standard not visible. Circular legend, *Samaraśatavitata*; the legend on the left is off the flan. Standard has a pointed end like a javelin.

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*Rev:* Back of the throne is visible. Legend, *Parākramaḥ*. (Pl. I. 14).

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Variety B

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(As above, but with a crescent.)¹

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¹ (As above, but with a crescent.)

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(2) Gold; .9"; 116.5 grains; *B. H.*, Pl. II. 1. *Obv:* Crescent is above the *Garudadhvaja*, whose staff is visible. The standard has a round flat top and looks like a sceptre. Circular legend, on the right, *Samaraśatavata*, on the left at IX, *jatarapa*. (Pl. II. 1) *Rev:* All four legs of the throne are visible, as also its back which is too much inclined. Symbol on right also, consisting of a cluster of four dots. Legend, *Parākramaḥ*. (Not illustrated).

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(3) Gold; .85"; 113.7 grains; *B. H.*, Pl. II. 12. *Obv:* King wears high boots and a crescent is above his head. Legend, on r., *Samaraśama(ta)vata*, on l. *tavajaya jatarapara*. *Ma* is misengraved for *ta*, *va* has a round lower limb; *ma* of Samudra is in the eastern variety and *ma* of samara in the western one; thus two varieties occur on the same side. *Ma* on the reverse is in the western variety. *Rev:* Legend, *Parākrama*, *ma* being in the western variety. (Pl. I. 15)

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(4) Gold; .8"; 116.4 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. II. 7. *Obv:* Crescent above king's head. The obverse is double struck and shows two Garuḍa standards and two figures of the king. Traces of the circular legend of the first striking are faintly visible between the two Garuḍa standards. *Ma* under arms is of the eastern variety. (Pl. II. 7) *Rev:* Legend, *Parakramaḥ*, *ma* being in the western variety. (Not illustrated).

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2. There are 12 coins of this variety in the Bayana hoard and 4 in the *B. M. C.*, *G. D.*, Pl. I. 1-4.

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Variety C

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(Same as above, but small in size)¹

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¹ There are 18 coins of this variety in the Bayana hoard and two in the *B. M. C., G. D.*, Pl. I. 14-15. The special circumstances that justified the attribution of these coins to a new variety were not clear at the time when the *B. M. C., G. D.*, was published.

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(5) Gold; .72"; 121.6 grains; *B. H.*, Pl. III. 2. *Obv:* Circular legend, on the l., *Samaraśatavatata*, on r., *tarapurajito diva jayata*. *Rev:* Folds of the *sāri* of the goddess are collected between her legs.

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(Pl. II. 3)

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Variety D

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(Similar to variety A, but the king has a dagger.)

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(6) Gold .85"; weight not known; from Ajit Ghose Collection; *N.S.*, XLVI, p. 23. *Obv:* Legend is blurred. Dagger is to be seen hanging on the right side. *Rev:* Not published.

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(Pl. II. 6)

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Variety E

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(Similar to variety A, but the legend begins on l.)

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(7) Gold: .9"; 119. 4 grains; *B. H.*, Pl. III. 12. *Obv:* The object in l. hand looks like a sceptre. Three flames above the altar look like the branches of a plant; it may be *Tulasi-vṛndāvana*. Legend, on l. *Samaraśatavata*; on r., *tavaja(ya) jata*. Crack at IV. *Rev:* Back of the throne not visible. Legend, *Parākrama*.

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(Pl. II. 5)

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Variety F

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(Same as variety E, but the legend on r. is in straight line l.)¹

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¹ It is claimed that the coin published in *J.N.S.I.*, Vol. VIII. Pl. III. 3 has also the legend on the right in a straight line. The line however is more circular than straight. Otherwise that coin would have been a sub-variety of this type having the legend beginning on the r.

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(8) Gold; .8"; 118. 2 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. I. 11. *Obv:* On l. *Samaraśa* truncated; on r., *tatavijayo ji* are in a straight line. *Rev:* Legend, *Parākramaḥ*. (Pl. II. 2)

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Variety G

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(As above, but king's name is full, *Samudragupta*)²

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² *B. M. C., G. D.*, Pl. II. 1-5; *J.A.S.B.*, 1884, i. Pl. II. 5; *J.R.A.S.*, 1889, Pl. I. 9.

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(9) Gold; .9"; 119.³ grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. II. 4. *Obv:* The altar looks like a flowerpot with a plant with three branches on either side. *Ma* of *Samudra* is of the eastern variety. Legend begins at VII, but the letters *Samaraśatavitata* are truncated; *vajayo* is clear at X; on r. *jatarapurajato dava*. *Rev:* Back of the throne not visible. Legend, *Parākramaḥ*. (Pl. II. 8)

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(10) Gold; .85"; 122.³ grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. II. 5. *Obv:* Altar looks like a flowerpot. Legend on l. quite distinct, [*Sa*]*maraśatavatata*. *Rev:* As above, but blurred. (Pl. II. 9)

Class II

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(with the *biruda*, Vikrama)

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(11) Gold; .8"; 112 grains; Bamnala hoard.³ *Obv:* Legend, [*Sa*]*maraśatavatata*.

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³ *J. N. S. I.*, Vol. V. Pl. IXa. 7.

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*Rev:* Legend, *Śrīvikramaḥ*.

Class III

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(Issued by a Kushāṇa feudatory ?)

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(13) Pale gold; size, .8"; weight, not recorded; *C.L.I.S.*, Pl. II. 11.

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*Obv:* King, nimbate, with crude features, standing to l., wearing Kushāṇa coat and a flat hat surmounted by a circle with a dot flanked by two wing-like objects. The king holds standard in l. hand and offers incense over an altar by r. Behind r. hand, a trident. Under l. arm, *Samudra* written perpendicularly. Outside the spear another perpendicular legend read as *Gaḍahara* by Cunningham; this reading is, however, uncertain. To the l., near the king's right foot, *pa* or *pu*.

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*Rev:* Goddess seated on high-backed throne. No legend.

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(Pl. II: 11.)

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A non-existing variety of the Standard type.

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(Showing king standing to r.)

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(14) Gold; .8'; weight not recorded; *Asiatic Researches*, XVII. Pl. 1, 5.

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*Obv:* King standing to the r., holding standard in r. hand and offering oblations by left hand over an altar in his front. Garuḍa standard on r. (instead of l.); *Samudra* under r. arm (and not l.). Inverted letters of the legend on l.

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*Rev:* Goddess seated on throne holding cornucopiæ in right hand and noose in left. Symbol on right (and not on left). Legend on left (and not on right) *Parākramaḥ* in inverted letters.

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It is obvious that this variety was postulated wrongly owing to the failure to notice that the drawing of the coin was from the negative side.

Archer Type

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The coins of the Archer type vary in size from .8" to .9" and in weight from 110 to 120 grains. Their recorded find-spots are Bharsar (Banaras district), Jaunpur, Bodhagaya and Bayana. There are three coins of this type in the Bayana hoard; the British Museum and the Indian Museum possess four each and the Lucknow Museum and the Ashmolean Museum only one.

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The Archer type is an adaptation of the Standard type. The king is usually shown as holding a bow by the left hand and an arrow by the right. In this type, there is a conscious effort to Indianise the Standard type. The notion of a king offering oblations, while dressed in coat and trousers, was foreign to Hindu tradition. The motif was adopted from the Kushāṇa proto-type on account of the persistant conservatism, which is so characteristic of Indian numismatics. We, however, see the mint-masters gradually improving upon the prototype by representing the king as *dhanurdhara* or bowman in the case of the Archer type and as *Kṛitāntaparaśu* or wielder of the battle-axe of Kṛitānta, God of Death, in the case of the Battle-axe type. The obverse legend is a metrical one, and proclaims the king's conquest of the earth by his prowess and of the heaven by his good deeds. The *biruda* on the reverse is *Apratiratha*, matchless chariot-warrior. The emperor was obviously proud of this epithet, because we find him described as *prithivyāmapratiratha* also in his Allahabad inscription.

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The Archer type persisted longest in the gold currency of the Guptas, and it became extremely popular in the reign of Chandragupta II. Samudragupta, however, appears to have issued only few coins of this type.

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*Ma* of the eastern variety is more common on this type than that of the western one. This may suggest that the type was more common in the eastern provinces, where the influence of the Kushāṇa numismatic tradition was naturally not very strong. But we cannot draw any safe conclusions from the form of *ma*, for we find both eastern and western forms of this letter on the same side of the same coin in some cases; see Pl. I. 15.

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The coins of this type are usually divided into two classes. In Class I, the emperor is holding an arrow in the right hand; in class II he is offering oblations by that hand. No coins of Class II, however, have been illustrated, and they can no longer be traced. Three specimens of it are stated to have been found in the Bharsar hoard.¹ It is indeed strange that all the three coins of the Archer type of this hoard should have shown the king as offering oblations, and that it should have had no specimen of the usual type showing the king as holding an arrow. It may be pointed out that, if carelessly observed, a coin like Pl. II. 12. produces a fleeting impression that the king is offering oblations, the transverse fingers touching both arrow and the staff of the Garuḍa standard appearing like an altar. Whether the so-called altar on the Bharsar specimens was of this type, we do not know, as no photographs of theirs have been published and the coins are now untraceable. Since, however, the reverse legend is definitely stated to be *Parākramaḥ* and not *Apratirathaḥ*, we may perhaps presume that class II of the Archer type does exist. It represents a transition from the Standard type to the Archer type Class I. For, while the king is shown as holding a bow in the left hand, he is shown as offering oblations by the right, as on the Standard type.

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¹ *J. A. S. B.* i, 1852, pp. 390-400.

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In class I, we can distinguish two varieties based on the difference in the legend. In var. A, the legend reads *Apratiratho vijitya kṣitiṃ sucaritair divaṃ jayati* (Pl. XX. 9). In var. B the word [*m*]avaniśo (Pl. XX. 10.) supplants the word *sucaritaiḥ*. The reading *mavaniśo* is, however, conjectural. only its first two letters are visible and their reading is not distinct on the photographs published as yet. Only two coins of this variety are known so far.

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We shall now give full description of this type.

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*Obv:* King standing left, nimbate, dressed as on the Standard type, holding a bow with string inwards by l. hand, and r. hand either holding an arrow or offering oblations on altar. Garuḍa standard with fillets on l. in front of the king; crescent between the king’s head and the banner in some cases. Legend, *Samudra* under the king’s l. arm; circular legend, commencing at I, *Apratiratho vijitya kṣitiṃ sucharitair* (or *avaniśo*) *divaṃ jayati*; (Pl. XX. 9.) ‘Having conquered the earth, the invincible one (or lord of the earth) wins heaven by meritorious deeds.’ Metre, Uapagīti.

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*Rev:* Goddess (Lakṣmī ?) seated as on the Standard type, holding cornucopiæ in l. and noose in r. hand. Symbol on l. only. Legend, *Apratirathaḥ*.

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COINS ILLUSTRATED : 3

Class I

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Variety A

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(With *sucharitaiḥ* in the legend)¹

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¹ *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. IV. 1-7; *P.E.*, Pl. XXIII. 19; *J.R.A.S.*, 1889 p. 71; *J.A.S.B.*, 1852., pp. 395-400.

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(1) Gold; .85"; 116.4 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. IV. 1.

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*Obv:* The king holds bow in l. hand and arrow in right. Note how a momentary impression of the altar is produced by the transverse fingers of the king touching both the arrow and the staff of the *garuḍadhvaja*. Legend, on r. truncated, *rathavaja* is visible between II and IV; on l. *sucharitairdivaṃ jayati*. *Ma* in *Samudra* is of the western variety.

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*Rev:* Back of the throne visible on the r. Legend, *Apratirathaḥ*. Symbol on l.

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(2) Gold; .9"; 108.² grains; *B.H.*, Pl. VI. 1. *Obv:* *Ma* in *Samudra* is of the eastern variety. Legend on r., *Apratiratho vijitya kshata*; on l., off the flan. *Rev:* As above. (Pl. II. 14)

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(With *avaniśo* in the legend)¹

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¹ J.A.S.B., 1884, i., Pl. II. 6; J.R.A.S., 1889, Pl. I. 10. In both these cases, the letters *mava* are distinct.

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(3) Gold; .9"; 118 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, IV. 6. *Obv:* The king is apparently wearing shorts. A crescent above Garuḍa. *Ma* is of the eastern variety. Circular legend on l., *Apratiratho vajitya kshtamava*. (Pl. XX. 16.) Note that the last two letters of *vajyata* on the r. are slightly blurred, but *mava* is fairly distinct. *Rev:* As above, but the cornucopiæ in l. hand is crudely engraved. (Pl. II. 15.)

Class II

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(4) Gold; size not known; weight of two coins was 110 grains and that of the third 114; Bharsar hoard.² *Obv:* King as above, but offering oblations on altar by r. hand and not holding an arrow by it. *Rev:* Legend, *Parākramaḥ*. No coins of this class have been illustrated.

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² J. A. S. B., 1852, pp. 395-400.

Battle-Axe Type

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The coins of the Battle-axe type vary from .75" to .85" in diameter and from 111.8 to 123.4 grains in weight. The average weight of good specimens is 118 grains. Kanauj, Banaras and Bayana are among the recorded findspots of this type. There are nine coins of this type in the British Museum, one in the Indian Museum, four in the Lucknow Museum and nine in the Bayana hoard.

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On the obverse of this type, we have the king standing with battle-axe in his left hand. There is a dwarf in his front looking up to him, and a crescent-topped banner between them. The reverse shows the goddess seated upon a throne.

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The epithet Kṛitāntaparaśu is given to Samudragupta in the inscriptions of his successors, but not in his Allahabad record. The latter inscription describes the king as a deity residing on the earth (l. 28) and compares him to Kubera, Varuṇa and Antaka or Kṛitānta. It is possible that the idea underlying this type may be to claim a kind of quasi-divinity to the king. It, however, appears more probable that the type was intended merely to emphasise the prowess of the king which is described to be as irresistible as that of Kṛitānta or the God of Death, and which enabled him to conquer the kings, till then regarded as invincible.

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The scene on the obverse probably represents the king as taking the survey of a battle-field from a vantage point. On one specimen the dwarf is definitely represented as a fully accoutred soldier (Pl. II. 15).¹ Probably he has come to report the successful issue of the battle to his master, surveying and directing it from a point of vantage.

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¹ N. Ch. 1921, p. 321.

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Further stages of the Indianisation of the reverse motif can be seen on this type. In majority of cases the goddess holds a cornucopiæ in the l. hand and a noose in the right. But on some specimens, the cornucopiæ is supplanted by the lotus; see Pl. II. 15, III. 3-5. It is clear that the mint-masters had decided to represent her as Lakshmī; they supply also a lotus footstool for her.

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The coins of this type are divided into two classes,—class I having the king looking left and the attendant to the right (Pl. II. 16, III. 1-5) and class II being *vice versa* (Pl. II. 15, 17.). The coins of the latter class are very rare. In class I, several varieties may be distinguished. In variety A, which is most common, the name of the king *Samudra* is written under his left arm (Pl. II. 16, III. 1). In variety B, *Kṛi* is substituted for *Samudra* (Pl. III. 2); it is obviously an abbreviation of *Kṛitāntaparaśu*. In variety C, we have the full name of the king *Samudragupta*, *Samudra* being written between the king and the attendant and *gupta* under his left arm (Pl. III. 4). The goddess on the reverse holds a lotus bud in the left hand. In variety D, *Samudra* is written under the king's left arm and *gupta* outside the staff of the battle-axe (Pl. III. 3). Coins of the varieties B, C and D are rare.

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We now give a full description of the type.

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*Obv:* King standing l. or r., nimbate, dressed as in the Standard type, but usually with sword at the belt; r. hand rests on the waist, l. hand holds a *paraśu* (battle-axe); on l. or r. a dwarf attendant, standing before the king and looking up to him; crescent-topped banner between the two, with a dot within the crescent in some cases. Legend, commencing at I or VII; *Kṛitāntaparaśur-jayatyajitarājajetajitaḥ*. (Pl. XX. 7.) ‘Wielding the battle-axe of Kṛitānta, the unconquered conqueror of (till then) unconquered kings, is victorious.’ Metre, Pṛithvi.

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*Rev:* Goddess Lakshmi seated on throne holding noose in r. hand and a cornucopiæ or lotus bud in l. Her legs rest on a lotus. Sometimes the back of the throne is visible and sometimes not. Sometimes the entire throne is invisible being apparently covered by the lotus, and is to be inferred from the posture of the feet of the goddess. The idea may have been to represent the throne as lotus covered. Symbol on l., sometimes on r. also. Legend, *Kṛitāntaparaśuḥ*.

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COINS ILLUSTRATED : 8

Class I

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(King looking to l. and attendant to r.)

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Variety A.

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(Samudragupta under the arm.)¹

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¹ *B. M. C.*, *G. D.*, Pl. IV. 8-12, *I. M. C.*, Pl. XV. 9; *J. R. A. S.*, 1894, Pl. I. 11.

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(1) Gold; .9"; 114.4 grains. *B.H.*, V. 6. *Obv:* King's personality is majestic and imposing and sword by his side is distinct. A dot in the crescent. *Ma* of *Samudra* under arm is of the eastern variety. Circular legend begins at VII on l., *Kṛitāntaparaśurjayatya*; on r. traces of truncated letters. *Rev:* Goddess holds lotus-bud in her l. hand. Legend, *Kṛitāntaparaśuḥ*. (Pl. II. 16.)

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(2) Gold; .8"; 116. 6 grains; *B.M.C.*, *G.D.*, IV. 8. *Obv:* As above, but the legend begins at I. A dot in the crescent. *Kṛitāntaparaśuḥ*. *Rev:* Goddess holds cornucopiæ in l. hand. A small symbol on r. also above the back of the throne. Legend, *Kṛitāntaparaśuḥ*. (Pl. III. 5.)

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(3) Gold; .8"; 115. 5 grains; *B. H.*, V. 12. *Obv:* Sleeves of the king's coat are rolled up and ends of the diadem are visible behind his head. Legend beginning at I, *Kṛitāntaparaśu*. Two cracks in the edge.

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*Rev:* Lotus under the feet of the goddess completely conceals her throne; it is to be inferred only from the posture of her feet. This is a transition stage, anticipating the *padmāsana* type of Chandragupta II.

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(*Kṛi* under l. arm.)¹

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¹ *B. M. C., G. D.*, IV. 13-14; *J. R. A. S.*, 1894, Pl. I. 12; one in Bayana hoard.

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(4) Gold; .85"; 113.² grains; *B. H.*, V. 13. *Obv:* As above, but *Kṛi* under the l. arm. Circular legend on r. off the flan; on l. traces of *tarajajeta*. *Rev:* As above, but the lotus under feet, though large, does not cover the throne. Legend, *Kṛitāntaparaśuḥ*. (Pl. III. 2.)

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Variety C

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(With *Samudra* between the king and attendant and *gupta* under l. arm.)²

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² *B. M. C., G. D.*, IV. 15; *J. A. S. B.*, 1904, Pl. I. 1.

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(5) Gold; .85"; 117.7 grains; *B. M. C., G. D.*, IV. 15. *Obv:* No dot within the crescent. *Samudra* between the king and the attendant and *gupta* under king's l. arm. Circular legend; only faint traces visible on r.; on l., *tyajatarājajetajataḥ*. *Rev:* Goddess holds lotus bud in l. hand. Legend, *Kṛitāntaparaśuḥ*. (Pl. III. 4.)

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Variety D.

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(*Samudra* under l. arm and *Gupta* outside the staff.)

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(6) Gold; .85"; 116.7 grains; *B. M. C., G. D.*, IV. 16. *Obv:* King has no sword. *Samudra* under his l. arm and *gupta* outside the staff of the battle-axe. Legend on r. off; on l. *rajajatajata*.

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*Rev:* (Goddess holds a lotus bud in l. hand. Legend, *Kṛitāntaparaśu*.)

Class II

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(King looking to r. and attendant to l.)¹

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¹ Only four specimens of this type are known; two of them are published here. The third is published in *A. A.*, Pl. XVIII. 10. and the fourth is in Jaipur treasury collection. (*J. N. S. I.*, Vol. VII, p. 48.)

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(7) Gold; .8"; grains; *A.S.I.A.R.*, 1926-7., Pl. XXIII. (b) *Obv:* King on left standing to r. with battle-axe in r. hand, left one resting on waist; dagger by his r. side; dwarf in his front, and the legend *Samudra*, blurred, between them. Circular legend, beginning at I, *Kṛitāntaparaśurjjayatya*, on the r. *rajajatajata*. *Rev:* Goddess holds a lotus in l. hand and a noose in the right; legend, *Kṛitāntaparaśu*. (Pl. II. 17.)

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(8) Gold; .8"; weight not known; *N. Ch.*; 1921, p. 321 Pl. IX. 1.² *Obv:* King as above, but he wears a necklace; the dwarf before him is a fully accoutred soldier apparently grasping the crescent banner; *Samudra* under l. arm is clear. Legend beginning at I; *Kṛitāntaparaśu*; on l. it is blurred and truncated. *Rev:* Goddess as above. (Pl. II. 16.)

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² The photograph is from a cast in the British Museum; the original coin belonged to the Swiney collection and is now lost. There is a coin of this type in the Punjab Museum also.

Aśvamedha Type

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(To celebrate his memorable victories in Northern and Southern India, Samudragupta performed an Aśvamedha sacrifice, probably late in his reign. He took particular pride in the revival of this ritual and it is no wonder that he should have issued gold coins to commemorate this event in a fairly extensive quantity.¹ The coins of this type are fairly numerous. The British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, the Indian Museum and the Lucknow Museum possess seven, three, two and five pieces of this type repectively; *B. M. C.*, *G.D.* refers to six more. The Bayana hoard contained twenty Aśvamedha coins.

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¹ He appears to have later adopted the Aśvamedha device for his seal also. Rapson is probably right in ascribing to Samudragupta the clay seal in the British Museum, which shows a horse tied to a post in the upper half and has the legend Parākrama in the lower half; *J. R. A. S.*, 1901. p. 102, Pl. 3.

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The coins of the Aśvamedha type vary in size from .75" to .9" and in weight from 112.5 grains to 119 grains. The average weight of a normal coin is 115 in some cases and 118 in others. They have been found from Patna to Saharanpur.

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The obverse design of the Aśvamedha type shows the sacrificial horse standing before a decorated *yūpa* (sacrificial post) enclosed within a platform; a penon is flying over it from the top of the *yūpa*. The reverse shows the crowned queen standing on a circular pearl-bordered mat,² with *chouri* in r. hand and towel in l. There is a spear-like object in her front.

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² On some coins *e. g.* Pl. III. 6. it looks like a lotus, but it is probably a mat with a lotus design.

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The Aśvamedha coins are among the best specimens of the numismatic art of ancient India. The horse on the obverse looks noble and graceful and seems to be resigned to its impending doom. The figure of the queen is slim and graceful; her attitude is one of alertness, as befits her role in the sacrifice. Obviously the best artists were selected to cut the dies and they were fully conscious of the importance of the event they were called upon to commemorate on the imperial coins.

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The horse on all the coins is uncaparisoned. In rare cases, however, a strap is shown round its neck (Pl. III. 8). On some specimens (Pl. III. 11-12) beads are pleated into its mane; this was in accordance with the directions of the sacred texts which require a hundred golden beads to be strung on the head in the mane and in the tail of the doomed horse.¹ The coins, however, nowhere show the beads strung in the tail. In addition to the beads strung in the mane, some coins show a string of beads a little above the back of the horse (Pl. III. 7, 9, 10). Probably it is merely a decorative motif, suggested no doubt by the pleating of the horse’s hair by beads enjoined in the Vedic texts.

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¹ अभ्रश्यमानान्मणीन्सौवर्णानिकशतमेकशतं केशपुच्छेषु श्रावयन्ति भूर्भुवः स्वरिति । *Kātyāyana Śr. Sū.* 23. 8. The commentator adds:—भूरिति महिषी अश्वस्य शिरोरomesु भुव इति वावाता ग्रीवारomesु स्वरिति परिवृक्ता पुच्छromesु ।

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Every coin shows the letter *si* under the standing horse; it is obviously an abbreviation of the word *siddham*. The platform on which the horse is shown as standing is the *vedi* or altar; the base of the *yūpa* (sacrificial post) to which it was tied, is usually seen partly within the altar and partly outside it. The *Taittirīya Saṃhitā* (VI. 6. 4.) states that if the *yūpa* was fixed entirely within the *vedi*, the sacrificer will win only the world of gods, if it was completely outside the *vedi*, he will win the world of men, but that if it was partly within and partly outside the *vedi*, the sacrificer will win both the worlds. The mintmasters were obviously anxious that the emperor should win both the worlds; hence they have usually shown the *yūpa* as partly within and partly outside the *vedi*. In a few cases, owing obviously to artistic considerations, they have shown the *yūpa* as connected with the *vedi* by a perpendicular line (Pl. III. 10). On some rare coins there appears to be a low pedestal above the platform of the *vedi* (Pl. III. 12). Mr. Allan is inclined to think that this object may be the slab of gold on which the *hotṛ* sat.² One however fails to understand why it should be shown as placed under the horse. The nature of this pedestal is still a mystery.

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² *B. M. C., G. D.*, p. lxxvii.

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In their representation of the *yūpa*, the Gupta engravers were moved partly by artistic considerations and partly by a regard for the sacred texts. In every case the *yūpa* is shown as having a base or platform usually in two tapering steps. This is not required by the sacred texts; they on the other hand lay down that the ground round the *yūpa* was to be made smooth and even by being beaten down.¹ Artistic considerations, however, dictated that the *yūpa* should have a proper platform and the mint-masters were bent upon supplying it, whether the sacred texts permitted it or not.

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¹ ब्रह्म वनित्वा इति पांसुभिः पर्यूहति । *Kātyāyana Śrauta Sūtra*, vi, 3, 3. The commentator says, कुट्टनेन च पांसूनवटेऽधः प्रवेशयेत् ।

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Penons of cloth flying from the top of the *yūpa* are also obviously due to the artistic impulse of the mint-masters. The Vedic texts do not require them, but we find the *Rāmāyaṇa* describing how each of the twenty-one *yūpas* erected at the time of the Aśvamedha of king Daśaratha were decorated with a piece of cloth.²

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² शोभाथं तस्य यज्ञस्य काञ्चनासंस्कृता भवन् । एकविंशतिरूपास्ते एकविंशत्यरत्नयः । वासोभिरेकविंशतिभिरैकैकं समलंकृताः । *Rāmāyaṇa*, I. 14. 22.

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In other details of *yūpa*, the mint-masters closely followed the requirements of the sacred texts. The coins being small, the staff of the *yūpa* was not big enough to be shown as eight-cornered. But it is shown as bent both in the middle and at the top, as required by the Vedic texts.³ The *yūpas* are all duly provided with a *raśanā* (girdle), which is seen tied near their middle with its two ends hanging down. That direction of the sacred texts which enjoins⁴ that the two ends of the *raśanā* should be tied togther enclosing the *yūpaśakala*¹ was perhaps difficult to be complied on the coin device, as the coins were too small. The mint-masters have, however, duly shown the *chashāla* or the wooden ring with which the *yūpa* was adorned near its end. It is denoted by two dot-like objects to be seen near the upper curved end of the *yūpa* almost on all specimens. *Chashāla* was narrow at the centre² and so it is represented by two contiguous dots, the space between them showing its narrow centre.

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³ अथ य एष आनत उपरिष्टादुपन्नतो मध्ये सोऽवाचस्य रूपं तस्मातादृशमनायकामः कुर्वीत । *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa*, XI. 7. 3. 2.

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⁴ यूपशकलमस्यामवगृहति । *Kātyāyana Śr. Sū.* VI. 3. 13.

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¹ *Yūpaśakala* was a small piece of the branch of the tree from which the *yūpa* was cut out.

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² अग्राच्चपालं पृथामात्रं अष्टाश्रि मध्यमसंगृहीतम् । *Kātyāyana Śr. Sū. VI. 127. 8.*

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The obverse legend on this type had been read by Mr. Allan as *Rājādhirājaḥ pṛthivīmavitvā divaṃ jayatyaprativāryavīryaḥ*.³ The concluding letters however were not distinct on any specimen published by him. In 1914 a new coin was discovered, on which Dr. Venis detected the traces of the letters *ta, va, ja, ma* and *dha* at the end; he therefore restored the legend in its concluding portion as *divaṃ jayatyāhṛtavājimedhaḥ*.⁴ Several specimens are now discovered in the Bayana hoard where the concluding word *vājimedhaḥ* is absolutely clear (Pl. III. 6.). We must therefore hold that the legend ends with *divaṃ jayatyāhṛtavājimedhaḥ*.

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³ B. M. C., G. D., p. 21.

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⁴ *J. A. S. B.*, 1914, p. 205.

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Mr. Allan has pointed out that on one specimen of Dr. Hoey and on another coin in the Bodleian collection the first line ended with *pṛthivīm vijitya*. Neither specimen has been illustrated. On one coin in the Bayana hoard, however, after the word *pṛthivīm*, we have clear traces of *ja, ta, da* and *va* (Pl. III, 9). It is therefore clear that on some coins of this type, the legend was engraved as *Rājādhirājaḥ pṛthivīm vijitya divaṃ jayatyāhṛtavājimedhaḥ*.

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The queen on the reverse is shown as holding a *chourī* in her right hand, which rests on her right shoulder and a piece of cloth or towel in the left, which hangs down by her side. The queen was required to fan and wash the horse,¹ and so she naturally has a *chourī* and a towel with her. On the coin published in *B. M. C., G. D.*, Pl. V. 14. Mr. Allan thinks that there is probably a gourd near the feet of the queen. The object is very indistinct on the plate. If it was really a gourd, it would obviously refer to the queen’s duty to wash the horse. On no coin, however, is she shown as carrying a pitcher in her hand as required in the Vedic texts, probably because this part of the job was actually done by menial servants. The queen was regarded as having done her appointed duty when she washed the horse, as others poured the water, and then cleansed it with a towel.

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¹ धावित्रेणोपवीजयति । पात्रेजनहस्तां वाचयति । *Kāt. S. S.* VI. 6. 1.

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The pointed staff before the queen has been interpreted as a standard or a sacrificial spear.² It has, however, no flag at its top and so cannot be regarded as a standard. It undoubtedly looks pointed like a spear, but the latter weapon was not required in the sacrifice. After the horse was killed, the sacred texts lay down that the three queens were to extensively puncture its body by *sūchīs* or needles in order to facilitate the passage of the sword into its body. The crowned queen was to use a golden needle, the favourite one a silver one and the discarded one a copper one.³ It appears that the spear-like object before the queen is this ‘needle’; its circular appendages may have been intended to enable the queen to grasp it firmly when piercing the tough skin of the horse. To us this appears to be the most plausible explanation of the object in front of the queen.

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² *J. R. A. S.*, 1889. p. 65; *B. M. C., G. D.*, p. 21.

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³ तिस्रः पत्न्यः असिपथान्कल्पयन्ति अश्वस्य सूचिभिस्ताम्रराजतसौवर्णीभिः मणि-संख्याभिः । *Kātyāyana Śr. Sū.* XX. 7. Com. says, अश्वस्य शरीरे असेः सुखेन प्रवेशार्थं सूचिभिर्वितुद्य तनुं जर्जरां कुर्युः ।

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We now describe the Aśvamedha coin type.

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¹ *B. M. C.*, Pl. V, 9-14; *J. A. S. B.*, 1884, i. Pl. II, 9; *J. R. A. S.*, 1889, Pl. I. 4; *A. A.*, Pl. XVIII, 2; *P. E.*, Pl. XXIII, 31; *J. A. S. B.*, 1915, p. 478.

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*Obv:* Uncaparisoned horse, in some cases with a strap on the neck, to l. before the sacrificial post (*yūpa*) adorned with a pedestal; penon flies over the horse from the top of the post. The mane of the horse is sometimes plaited, and there is a string of beads and a crescent above the back in some cases. Beneath the horse is the letter *si*, and below also a pedestal in some rare cases. Circular legend, commencing at XII, IX or VI, *Rājādhirājaḥ pṛthivīmavitvā* (or *vijitya*) *divaṃ jayatyāhṛta-vājimedhaḥ*, (Pl. XX. 4-5). ‘The king of kings, who had performed the Vājimedha (Aśvamedha) sacrifice, wins heaven after protecting (or conquering) the earth. Metre, Upajāti.

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*Rev:* The crowned queen (Dattadevi) standing to l. on a pearl-bordered circular mat, dressed in a *sārī* and bodice; earrings, necklace, armlets and anklets on her person; she holds a *chourī* over her right shoulder in her right hand and a towel in her l. hand, hanging by her side. In her front is an ornamental *sūchi* bound with fillet. On some coins, the ends of the *sārī* look like a rope round the feet. No symbol. Legend; *Aśvamedhaparākramaḥ* (Pl. XXIII. 45). ‘One powerful enough to perform Aśvamedha sacrifice.’

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COINS ILLUSTRATED : 7

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(1) Gold; .92"; 115.7 grains; *B. H.*, IV. 6. *Obv:* Mane of the horse is pleated; a string of beads above its back. Legend begins at XI, *Rajadharāja pṛthava-avatva dava ja*, on left at IX, *vajamedha*; indistinct traces of the legend below the platform. Note that the last letters of the legend *vajamadha* (*vājimedha*) are distinct. Some letters are truncated. *Rev:* Queen’s figure is slim and graceful. The carpet under her feet somewhat resembles a lotus. Legend, *Aśvamedhaparākramaḥ*. (Pl. III. 6.)

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