PANDYAN COINS. 
143 
Fig. 9. Obcerse. — Two fishes perpendiciilar; between tliem 
a sceptre of peculiar form, and above the sceptre, the moon. 
The legend in Tamil is in five letters peculiarly arranged. 
The first two letters are on opposite sides of the margin ; 
then the third, fourth, and fifth letters follow the first in 
consecutive order around the margin, reading from left to 
right. The legend is sSeweuj^rr^ Visvanatha. 
In the Grovernment Central Museum is a specimen of this 
coin in which the order of the same letters is different! j 
given. The coin is the first in which the Sanscrit form of 
S is used as if it had become a recognized Tamil letter. 
Be verse. — Cejlon-man. 
This Visvanatha was the first of the Nayak rulers of 
Madura (1559-1563). He took the coiintry from his father 
Nagama, who as the successful general of the Vijayanagar 
king had already subdued it, and himself proceeded to 
administer it with credit to himself and advantage to the 
country. Though entirely independent of Vijayanagar, 
he always owned a nominal allegiance to that sovereign. 
His reign is memorable as the period from which the modern 
architectural works which distinguish the city of Madura 
date. 
Fig. 10. Obverse. — Two fishes perpendicular : between 
them a tall standard having probably some sacrificial signifi- 
cance. 
Reverse. — A bull or dragon, having before it a sacrificial 
lamp from which flames are rising : above the lamp an 
indiscriminate object perhaps meant for another bull or 
dragon. 
Probably refers to some threatened invasion or to some 
famous religious discussion or revolution. 
Fig. 11. Obverse. — Recumbent bull upon a platform ; 
above, the moon : and on either side tall standing lamps. 
Reverse. — The same as obverse, except that two parallel 
fishes placed in opposite directions are substituted for the 
recumbent bull. 
