Indian Antiquary Vol 14

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 84

66
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(MABCE, 1885.
Paramabhagavata-mahârâjâdhiraja-sri- (See Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. IX. p. 24, and Chandragupta-Vikramaditya ;
Pl. v. Nos. 4 and 5.) “The most devout worshipper of the holy The marginal legend, commencing opposite one, the supreme king of Maharajas, the the left wing of the peacock, isglorious Chandragupta-Vikramaditya.
Paramabhagavata-rajadharaja-bra-KumaraOn one specimen, the syllables chandra are gapta-Mahandradatya, perfectly formed and are very distinct. In the which represents remaining two specimens, the dra is so oramp- Paramabhagavate-râjâdhiraja-sri-Kumkraed, that it might easily be mistaken for kra. gupta-Mahendraditya ;But the preceding syllable is an indisputable "The most devout worshipper of the holy one, cha, not a va; so that, though we might, if the supreme king of Rajas, the glorious Kumarapossessed of no other gnide, read chakra, we gupta-Mahendraditya." cannot possibly read vakra (bakra). The same II.-Four coins examined. Reverse, -rude remarks apply to Mr. Newton's coin, figured peacock, with outstretched wings. (See Archæol. by Mr. Thomas in Archæol. Surv. West. Ind. Surv. Ind. Vol. IX. p. 24, and Pl. v. Nos. Vol. II. p. 63, No. XII.; the correct reading 4 and 5.) is chandra, not bakra as given by him ;-and The marginal legend, commencing opposite also to Sir E. Clive Bayley's coin, described in the left wing of the peacock, isInd. Ant. Vol. VI. p. 57b, where even the litho- Paramabhagavata-maharajadharaja-bragraph, as given, suffices to shew that the first Kumaragupta-Mahandradatya, syllable of the name is cha, not ba. Vakra- which represents gupta or Bakragupta may certainly be dis- Paramabhagavata-maharajadhiraja-sricarded as a purely imaginative person.
Kumfragupta-Mahendraditya ;Two of the specimens examined shew, on “The most devout worshipper of the holy one, the obverse, in front of the king's face, some the supreme king of Maharajas, the glorious marks, lying partly beyond the edge, which Kumâragupta Mahendraditya." may perhaps be completed into the numerical This legend differs from the preceding one, symbols for 80 and 4, or 90 and 4,-or may only in giving the fuller title of mahárdjadhiraja, perhaps be only remnants of what Mr Thomas | instead of rajadhiraja. considers to be a legend, in barbarous Greek
Olass B. characters, constituting a corrupt rendering of Nine coins examined. Reverse--finished the standard Scythian legend of PAO NANO peacock, with outstretched wings and expanded PAO, -or may perhaps be parts of a marginal tail. (See Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. IX. p. 24, pattern round the edge of the coin.
and Pl. v. Nos. 6 and 7.) Sir E. Clive Bayley reads on his coin, on the The marginal legend, commencing above the obverse, behind the king's head, va (for varshế) head of the peacock, is90. This, however, is so purely a Kshatrapa Vijit-ávanir-avanipatio-Kumkraguptô method of expressing the date, that there can
devamo jayati; be no doubt that what he reads as va, is a " Victorious is his majesty,' the lord of the numerical symbol, either 4 or 5, below the 90. earth, Kumaragupta, who has conquered the Class B.-Nil.
earth."
KUMARAGUPTA.
SKANDAGUPTA. Class A.
Olass 4. 1.-Twenty-four specimens examined. Re- I.-One coin examined. Reverse, -rude peaverse, -rude peacock, with outstretched wings. cock, with outstretched wings. (See Archæol. Archæol. Suru. West. Ind. Vol. II. p. 60.
his majesty' (but properly. 'begotten by the gods"), ! We may either accept this reading mit stands, andhere, and in the same legend on the coins of Blanda take avanipati as part of & compound, -or, on the sapta, Bhimsaena, Toramapa, and Tilnavarman. So Analogy of avanipatirjayati on the coin Clan B. III. of also does Mr. Thomas, on the coin of ToramaAnd Skandagapta, inzert a vigorga (which is always liable to they both make these words the commencement of the be omitted before gutturals and sibilanta), and read legend. But the correct reading is daw dayati, with avanipatib as a separate word.
sometimes divash and dina for dut; and the words are • Read dito.-Gen. Cunningham ronds ddua-janita, the conclusion of the legend.
Diva.