384 On the Epoch of the Gupta Dynasty. [No. 5. 



period of Indian history that he may desire, subsequent to the date 

 of the prominent individuals who made both name and title common 

 in the land, but I am not prepared to concede that sufficient cause 

 has been shown either to authorize Chandra Gupta II. being brought 

 down to the 5th century — or to justify his being converted into a 

 special Vikramaditya. The former point has been already suffi- 

 ciently discussed, the latter calls for further remark. In the first 

 place I must observe, that in the whole series of the Gupta inscrip- 

 tions, in which the name of Chandra Gupta II. occurs — in no one 

 instance is that name associated with any such title as Vikramaditya.* 



Indeed, in the Sanchi inscription, he is expressly mentioned as 

 being "known among his subjects" by another designation, that 

 "of Deva rdja!"f 



These very significant facts may have escaped Major Cunningham's 

 notice, but to indicate — apart from these, how much of special 

 pleading is involved in his argument on this head — I may note, that 

 he relies mainly, for his proof of the exclusive right of Chandra 

 Gupta to the honorific title of Vikramaditya— on the occurrence of 

 the words Sri Vikrama, &c. on the reverses of some of his coins — 

 altogether ignoring the rather damaging incident, that the full title 

 of Vikramaditya is found also upon the coins of Skanda Gupta. J 



After the concession I have offered above, it will be useless for 

 me to follow the attempted identification, as tested either by the 

 pretended prophecies of the Puranas, by Tod's very dubious inscrip- 

 tion, by the contributions of Jain authorities, or by the shadowy 

 indications afforded by the Haja Tarangini. 



In regard to Major Cunningham's third point,§ i. e. the notice 

 on the Kuhaon pillar of Skanda Gupta's death — this simply proves 



* Bhitari Lat, p. 4, J. A. S. B. vi.; Udayagiri Inscription Bhilsa Topes, p. 151. 



f J. A. S. B. vi. p. 456. 



X J. A. S. B. v. pi. xxxvi. fig. 17 ; Jour. Roy. As. Soc. xii. pi. iii. 



§ *■* 3rd. The date of Skanda Gupta's death, which is found on the Kuhaon pillar, 

 is the year 133. No era is stated ; but it must of course be that era which was 

 used by the ' royal race of Guptas,' of which he is said to have been born ; and 

 which could only have been the Gupta kal, or Gupta era. 



His death therefore occurred in 319 -f- 133 = 452 A. D. as given in my Table. 

 p. 144." — Bhilsa Topes, p. 144. 



