History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c7.s4.2.1

v1.c7.s4.2.1

We must lastly take into consideration the fact noted in the account given by Mr. Burn of "some coins of the Maukharis" in J. R. A. S. 1906 at page 843 referred to by Sir V. A. Smith in a foot-note here. These coins were found in a village named Bhitaura in the Zilla of Fyzabad in Oudh. They are coins of Iśānavarmā, Śarvavarmā and Avantivarmā and of Harsha, Pratāpaśila and Śilāditya as deciphered from the legends. They also contain dates which with dates on coins previously found are for Iśānavarmā 54, 55 for Śarva 58 (formerly found) 234, 23 (now found) and 57 which may be read as 67 and 71 (formerly found) and 250 (now found) for Avantivarmā. On the coins of Harsha, Pratāpaśila and Śilāditya the figures in the opinion of Mr. Burn "stand for regnal years." The three digit figures on the Varmâ coins now found are clearly Gupta years. The previous figures are not well explained and Mr. Burn seeks to explain them by reference to a supposed era started by Brahmagupta in 499 A. D. when exactly 3600 years had expired from the begnining of the Kali age. Whatever that era may be, the dates extending over three digits, now found, are clearly Gupta era figures and in the opinion of Mr. Burn this use of the Gupta era may indicate a temporary subjection to, or alliance with Guptas. But it seems to me that no such inference is necessary. Indeed independent kings use the era of an empire which has just passed away, simply because the people are accustomed to use that era.