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EPITHETS OF SKANDA GUPTA.: 577
and actually fought for the crown. There is nothing to show that Skanda shed his brothers' blood and that the epithets “amalātmā," "pure-souled,' and parahitakārī, 'the benefactor of others,' applied to him in the Bhitari inscription and coin legends,' were unjustified.
The view that Skanda Gupta was the immediate successor of Kumara Gupta I seems to be confirmed by a verse in the Arya-Manjusri-müla-kalpa? which runs thus :
Samudrākhya nipaśchaiva Vikramaśchaiva kīrtitah Mahendranripavaro mukhyah
; Sakārādyam atah param .
*Devarājākhya nāmāsau yugādhame It is impossible not to recognise in the kings (nripa) Samudra, Vikrama, Mahendra and "Sākārādya” mentioned in the verse, the great Gupta emperors Samudra Gupta, Chandra Gupta II Vikramāditya, Kumāra Gupta I Mahendrāditya, and Skanda Gupta. 3
Skanda Gupta assumed the titles, of Kramāditya and Vikramaditya.* The passage from the Manjuśrī-mula-kalpa quoted above refers to his appellation Devarāja. The titles Vikramāditya and Devarāja were apparently assumed in imitation of his grandfather. The latter
1 Allan, Gupta Coins, cxxi.
2 Vol. I, ed. Ganapati Sāstri, p. 628. Cf. the Rewa Ins, of 141 = A.D. 460/61. Attention was drawn to this record by Mr. B. C. Chhabra at the Oriental Conference, Twelfth (Benares) Session, Summaries of Papers, part II. p. 39. and later by Dr. Majumdar and Sircar.
3 IHQ. 1932 p. 352. 4 Allan, Catalogue pp. 117, 122 ; cf. Fleet, CII, p. 53 :
"Vinaya-bata-sunitair-vvikramena kramena
pratidinam-abhiyogād ipsitain yena labdhvā." The epithet Kramāditya is found on certain gold coins of the heavy Archer type as well as on silver issues of the Garuda, Bull and Altar types. The more famous title of Vikramāditya is met with on silyer coins of the Altar type. 0. P. 90-73
