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occupation of Malwa before the beginning of the second century A. D. Hence the theory of the Saka domination over Malwa in the second century B. C., as propounded by Bajpai, seems to be untenable.
Against taking the legends on the Mälava coins in question as personal names one may point out, as Allan has done, that they are without any normal genitive suffix. But actually there are definite instances of personal name in coinlegends having no genitive suffix. The Nāga coinage, to which some of the Mālava coins are closely related, is an illustration on the point. The non-use of the genitive sign is a feature shared by both the Mālava and the Nāga coinages generally unnoticed by scholars. Names like Hamuguma, Vataka, Mahu as found on coins recently discovered and noted above furnish another example of the non-use of genitive suffix. Hence there is no strong case against the view of the legends being regarded as personal names.
Further, it will be an oversimplification of the chronological problem presented by these coins if they are assigned without any differentiation to one specific period, the third-fourth century A. D. Some of these coins, as we have mentioned before, are earlier than the rest. Thus there is no question of accommodating so many rulers in a limited period, a difficulty which some scholars have experienced in recent times.
To sum up, the coins bearing enigmatical legends like Bhapaṁyana, Mapojaya, Magaja, Jamaka etc. should be attributed to Mālava chiefs. Some of them such as the one bearing Yama may be placed in pre-Christian centuries, while others such as the one bearing Magojava may be assigned to the third-fourth century A. D.
८२ : अगरचन्द नाहटा अभिनन्दन-ग्रन्थ
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