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The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c9.s3: Battle-Axe Type

The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c9.s3

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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.