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that of Sarvvanaga, the vishayapati of Antarvēdi (the country lying between the Ganges and the Jamuna) in 146 G.E. Another feudatory ruler, perhaps of some central province under Skanda-gupta, who may be mentioned in this connection, was Bhimavarman, ruling in 139 G.E. There is no evidence to show that Bevgal, especially Pundravardhana, was not a Gupta province under Skanda-gupta. The discovery of coins of Skanda-gapta in some of the Lower Ganges districts may be regarded as a proof, though somewhat insufficient, that his sway prevailed in Bengal also.
Before discussing the historical data deduced from the contents of Plates Nos. 3-5, we should here very shortly refer to the emperor who reigned immediately after Skanda-gupta, whose last recorded date (on silver coins) is 148 G.E. The Gadhwa stone inscription, which bears the same date, but has the ruler's name broken away, may be regarded as having reference to the "augmenting victorious reign" (pravarddhamāna-vijaya-rajya-saivvatsara) of Skanda-gupta. The three Sārnāth inscriptions engraved on the pedestals of three Buddha images discovered by Mr. Hargreaves of the Archeological Department, one of which bears the date 15+ G.E., while Kamara-gupta was ruling the earth (bhūmii śāsati Kumāragupte), and the other two of which are dated in 157 G.E., while Badha-gupta was ruling the earth (vrithivani Bodhaguptē prasāsati), were examined by me in March 1916 at the Sārnāth Museum. I found the stone inscription, belonging to Kumāra-gupta's reign and bearing date 15+ G.E., marked as 22E amongst the archwological relics preserved in that Museuin, and one of the two inscriptions belonging to Badha-gupta's reign and bearing the date 157 G.E. marked as 39E. This Kumāra-gupta of the Sārváth inscription, whose reign has hitherto been unnoticed, appears to have succeeded Skanda-gupta on the imperial throne, and was, in all probability, followed by Budha-gupta ; he should now be called Kumaragupta II. It may be supposed that, like Chandra-gapta II, grandson of Chandra-gupta I, Kumāra-gupta II (of the Sārnāth inscription) was a grandson of Kumāra-gupta I, -and this view receives the support of dates also. It may also be right to think that his reign was a short one, circa 150-156 G.E. In all probability the relation between Skanda-gupta and Kumāragupta II was that of father and son, and Budha-gupta, reigning in 157 G.E., 1.0. within only three years of the Sarnath inscription (22E), may also be regarded as the son and successor of Kumāra-gupta II. The Kumāra-gupta of about 530 A.D., son and successor of Narasimha-gupta and grandson of Pura-gupta of the Bhitari seal inscription, now becomes Kumāra-gupta III. The usual viow, hitherto held by Nr. V. Smith, Mr. Allan and others, that Skanda-gupta died childless about 480 A.D., and was succeeded by his brother Para-gupta, is now to be abandoned. The numismatic evidence obtained from the Bharsar hoard, which contained coins of Samudragupta, Chandra-gupta II, Kumära-gupta I, Skanda-gupta and Prakāśāditya led Mr. Allani (rightly, I should suppose) to draw "a natural deduction that Prakāśāditya succeeded Skandagupta, and that the hoard was buried in his reign." After refuting Dr. Hoernle's view that Skanda-gupta and Pura-gupta were identical, Mr. Allan thus concluded, 6 - " It is highly improbable that Para-gupta was called both Vikramaditya and Prakasüditya, so that we must attribute these coins (Prakaśāditya coins) to some king, probably a gupta whose name is not yet known, and who must be placed about the end of the fifth century A.D." It may now be supposed tentatively that it was perhaps Kumāra-gupta II, presumably son and successor of Skandagupta, who used the Prakasāditya title in his coins. If this supposition proves after future discoveries to be true, the last clause of Mr. Allan's conclusion quoted above will have to be
Fleet, C. I. I., Vol. III, No. 16. • Ibid, No. 66, p. 268.
Allan, Indian Coins, Gupta Dynasties, Introduction, p. li.
· Ibid, No. 65. * J. 4. 8. B., Vol. LVIII, Part I, p. 89. • Ibid, Introduction, p. lii.
