218 W. Theobald — Notes on some of the symbols found on the [No. 3, 
with a long recurved horn. E^ig. 14. The coin is round and very thick, 
and of a later type than the bulk of these coins, and is probably from 
Ujain, as it is impressed with symbol 202 which seems to belong to that 
mint in the opinion of Sir A. Cunningham. 
38. Humped Bull, coucuant before the symbol op Mahadev. Fig. 15. 
The Indian bull (or cow) is a common symbol on these coins and 
where the animal is associated with the ‘ Ungum,’ there can be no doubt 
that the Bull Nandi, the ‘vahan’ of /Sfm is intended, as the attitude 
of the animal on the coins is that in which ‘ Nandi ’ is represented 
in almost every temple of Mahadev. I am not aware if the allied 
animal the yak, which figures on the coins of ‘ Kunanda ’ is also met 
with on the earlier issues, but I think it possible that some of the stand- 
ing figures of a bovine typo may refer to that animal. See ‘Note on 
some symbols on the coins of Kunanda’ J. A. S. B., 1886, Part I, p. 
161).* And here I would draw attention to an unaccountable statement 
of Mr. Rhys Davids in his essay on the ancient coins and measures of 
Ceylon, in Numismata Orientalia, p. 30. Speaking of a temple at 
Pulastipura Mr. Rhys Davids remarks, — “ That the temple is sacred 
to Vishnu is certain, from the four stone bulls on its summit, which are 
couohant like the bull on the coin.” The conte.'ct goes to show that 
this is no accidental mistake of the pi'inter, and yet nothing can be more 
certain than that in Hindustan the couchant bull is the emblem of Siva 
his appropriate ‘ vahan,’ as ‘ Garuda ’ is of Vishnu. Therefore so far 
from proving that the temple belongs to Vishnu, the four couchant bulls 
would seem indisputably to prove its dedication to Siva ! 
Mr. Rivett-Carnao in his paper on the snake symbol in India, 
throws out the ingenious query, if the prominent hump on the back of 
the Indian bull may not have led to the selection of that animal as the 
‘ vahan ‘ of Siva from the resemblance of the hump to one of the ordi- 
nary symbols of the god a dark round stone, and I think there is much 
truth in the idea. The material knowledge of the present day and the 
unsympathetic spirit of Western culture blinds us and deprives us of 
the capacity for viewing trivial objects in the light in which they pre- 
sented themselves to untutored men in the childhood of the earth. As 
Gubernatis remarks in reference to the genesis of myth from ordinary 
solar and atmospheric phenomena : “ When faith was pure, when 
science did not exist, such illusions must have been continually awaken- 
* For considerations of strict accuracy, I regret having used (in common with 
other writers) the Tribal name for these coins, in place of the King’s name who 
issued them, but having used the term Kunanda’s, I prefer (with this explanation) 
still retaining it. 
