3rd. The independence of the native princes of Gujrat between 157 and 57 B. C. is completely at variance with the Greek accounts of Menander's conquest of Sarioustos or Surashtra, between 160 and 130 B. C., which is further authenticated by the longprotracted currency of his coins at Barygáza or Baroch.

4th. The alphabetical characters of the Surashtran coins * are so widely different from those of the Pillar and Rock inscriptions, and at the same time are so much similar to those of the Guptas, that it is impossible not to conclude that there must have been a long interval between Asoka and the independent Sáh kings, and an almost immediate succession of the Sáh kings by the Guptas. But Mr. Thomas's proposed chronology exactly reverses this conclusion, by making the interval between Asoka's death and the earliest date of the Surashtra coins not more than sixty-five years, while the interval between the last of the Sáh kings and the rise of the Guptas is one hundred and thirty-five years, or more than double the other.

Another evidence in favour of the later date of the Sah kings of Gujrat is furnished by the gateway inscriptions at Sánchi. These date in the early part of the first century of our era (see No. 190); and though they show the nearest approach to the forms of the Sah alphabet, yet the latter is certainly posterior to the Sánchi inscriptions. This result agrees with the period which I have assigned to them, from A.D. 222 (the beginning of the Indo-Scythian decline) to A.D. 380, the accession of Samudra Gupta.

5th. The author of the Periplus of the Erythræan sea, who lived between 117 and 180 A. D., states that ancient drachmas of Apollodotus and of Menander were then current at Barygáza.* This prolonged currency of the Greek drachmas points directly to the period of the Indo-Scythian rule; for though we have some hundreds of their gold coins, and many thousands of their copper coins, yet only one solitary specimen of their silver coinage has yet been discovered. The Indo-Grecian silver probably continued current until after 222 A. D., when the IndoScythian power began to decline. From this period, about 250 A. D., I would date the independence of the Sáh kings, and the issue of their silver coinage, which was a direct copy in weight, and partly in type, from the Philopater drachmas of Apollodotus.

9.* We have thus a continued series of silver currency in Gujrat for upwards of six hundred years, from Menander's conquest, in B. c. 150-140, to Budha Gupta's death, in about 510 A. D. From this period thick silver pieces of the same type and of the same value, but one half more in weight, were issued by the Balabhi kings down to the Mahomedan conquest. In the more precious metal the coinage of the Indo Scythians was immediately succeeded by the golden dinars of the Guptas, whose earliest pieces are almost

Hudson, Geogr. Min., i. 87—“ Vixit, teste Suida, Hadriani, Marci et Antonini temporibus;" that is, between 117 and 180 A.D., or about 160 A.D.

exact copies of the well-known Ardokro coins of Kanishka and his successors.*

10. The importance of establishing the correct era of the Guptas becomes apparent when we learn that Chandra Gupta was most probably one of the last paramount sovereigns of India who professed the Buddhist faith. The inscriptions of his reign, which still exist at Sánchi and at Udayagiri, confirm the account of the contemporary traveller Fa-Hian; that Buddhism, though honoured and flourishing, was certainly on the decline, and that temples of the Brahmans were rising on all sides. The earliest inscription of Chandra Gupta is dated in 82 of the Gupta era, or A. D. 401. It consists of two lines carved on a rock tablet at the foot of the Udayagiri hill, which was intended for a longer inscription. There is room for five more lines; and, as no event is commemorated, it is evident that the record is incomplete. The tablet is placed to the right of the entrance of a cavetemple apparently dedicated to Surya, whose image is represented on each side of the doorway. Immediately to the left of the cave there is a large altorelievo of the Varáha or Boar Avatár, ten feet and a half in height. The inscription is partially injured by the peeling of the rock on the right hand; but the

See Prinsep, in Journal iv. 629, and Plates XXXVIII. and XXXIX., in which the imitation is clearly developed; but I was the first to point out to James Prinsep the seated Ardokro on the Indo-Scythian coins, which figure afterwards became the most common reverse of the early Gupta coins.

date is perfect, and the only part that is completely lost is the name of the Raja who excavated the cave. A fac-simile of the inscription will be found in Plate XXI., No. 200. The following is a transcript in Roman characters :

Siddham samvatsare 82 Sravana-mása suklekadasya

parama-bhattáraka Mahárájadhi CHANDRA-GUPTA pádánadátasya Mahárája CHAGALIGA potrasya, Mahárája VISHNU-DÁSA putrasya Sanakánikasya Mahá (ràja

"Finished in the year 82, on the 11th of the bright half of the month of Srávana; [the cave] of him, bowing to the feet of the paramount, homage-receiving, Supreme Maharaja CHANDRAGUPTA, the grandson of Maharaja CHAGALIGA, the son of Maharaja VISHNU-DÁSA, Maharaja (name obliterated) of Sanakánika."

11. Sanakánika is included by Samudra Gupta amongst his tributary provinces,* but unfortunately the name of its Raja is not given. The position of Sanakánika is, however, now placed beyond all doubt; as it must have included Udayagiri, Bhilsa, and Sánchi. It is even possible that Sanakánika may have some connection with the names of SánchiKánakhera.

12. The Vaishnava faith of this petty royal family

• Allahabad Pillar inscription, in Prinsep's Journal, vi. 973. The name of Chagaliga or Chaglig recalls those of Kutlugh, Toghlak, and others of undoubted Tartar origin, so strongly, that one can scarcely help assigning this petty family to the Indo-Scythian stock.

is shown by the name of Vishnu Dás, the "slave of Vishnu;" and by the Vaishnava subjects of all the rock sculptures at Udayagiri. The Boar Incarnation of Vishnu has already been mentioned. On the top of the hill there is a colossal figure of Vishnu himself, twelve feet in length, reposing on the folds of the serpent Sesha or Ananta, the emblem of eternity. The worship of Vishnu, which then prevailed at Udayagiri, has been supplanted by that of Siva; and the votaries of the lingam have occupied the cavetemples of Vishnu. In the principal temple, now dedicated to Mahadeo, there is a native inscription on a pillar dated in the Samvat year 1093, or A. D. 1036, in which the votary records his "adoration at the feet of Vishnu."

13. The second inscription of Chandra Gupta is carved on one of the railings of the colonnade of the great Tope at Sánchi. It was translated and published by James Prinsep in 1837;† but its date was not properly ascertained. Since then, Mr. Thomas has satisfactorily shown that the Samvat date is 93; but he has failed to see that the day of the month is likewise represented in figures. I have given a facsimile of this date in Plate XXI., No. 197. It reads S. 93, Bhadrapada 14 "the year 93, the 14th (of the month) Bhadrapada." This inscription records a grant of money by the money by the paramount sovereign Chandra Gupta, through his local agent, to the Srámanas of the Mahá-Vihára, or Great Monastery at Sánchi.

=

* Vishnu-pádo-nityam. + Journal, vi. 455, 456.