1040 Specimens of Buddhist Inscriptions [Dec. 



It may be a question whether or not the symbol is the original of 

 that ^ found on so many other coins whether Indoscythic, Canouj, or 

 Hindu, — or it may be, that the initial symbol of inscription No. 2, 

 has a greater claim, with its four points. I do not perceive any sym- 

 bol on the coins exactly corresponding to the initial emblem of inscrip- 

 tion No. 3, but the male figure in coin 16, plate 38, vol. iv., is point- 

 ing downwards to a form not very far removed from it. One of the 

 emblems observed on the Canouj series of coins is a pole, on the top of 

 which is a compound object not referable to any known form ; an 

 erect male figure, called by you the sacrificing raja, with a glory round 

 his head, or the crescent behind his shoulders, looks towards this 

 emblem : on the reverse is a female either seated on a stool, on a bed, 

 or on a couchant lion. I beg of you to bear this remarkable emblem 

 on the one side, and the female seated on a lion on the other side, par- 

 ticularly in mind, for they will assist to connect the Canouj series of 

 coins with a Buddhist dynasty. In illustration of the emblem I trans- 

 mit a sketch of the principal figure of Buddh in alto relievo in the cele- 

 brated cave temple of Karleh. You will perceive that Buddh is seated 

 on a lotus flower, supported by the identical emblem met with on the 

 coins, vide plate 38, coins 16, 17; plate 39, coins 18, 19, 20, etseq. That 

 the emblem is sacred is evident from its supporting Buddh ; and the 

 figures holding up the pole are no sublunary personages, for their heads 

 are shrouded by the seven-headed snake which shrouds Buddh himself 

 in some of the sculptures at Ellora. In coin 24 G. pi. 39, vol. iv. 

 the emblem is placed between a male ond female (probably the raja and 

 his wife of the coins) both of whom are looking up to it ; and the female 

 appears to be making an offering. You state this emblem to be 

 a standard having a bird at the top, somewhat resembling the Roman 

 eagle; and you read the name of the raja to be Kumara Gupta. A 

 relook at coin 20, pi. 39, vol. iv., in which the outline of the emblem 

 appears to be quite perfect will probably induce you to compare it 

 again with other coins, to ascertain what changes of form the emblem 

 undergoes. In the sketch I have sent you will observe the associa- 

 tion of Buddh with lions, (odd as they look) antilopes and snakes. 



I now come to a remarkable coincidence. On coin 25, pi. 39, vol. 

 iv. a female is represented seated on a couchant or reposing lion. 

 This coin you call the CGnolly coin, from that gentleman's discovery of 

 it, and the legend is read Sri Sinha Vikrama. I beg of you to take 

 up the 3rd volume of the Transactions of the Literary Society of Bom- 

 bay, and turn to my account of the caves of Ellora and you will there 

 find a sketch absolutely identical with the figure on the coin. We have 



