A Historical Study of Trika Shaivism
by Haroon Rashid Ganai | 2023 | 41,966 words
This essay studies the philosophy and cultural impact of Trika Shaivism—a unique religious tradition that emerged in Kashmir around the mid-9th century A.D—and examines how it evolved from the religious milieu of ancient Kashmir, which was a melting pot of various traditions. The study further focuses on the origins, philosophical nuances, and scri...
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Part 4 - Numismatics of ancient Kashmir
The study of coins is the focus of the archaeological subfield known as numismatics. They are valuable source of information about the political, economic, and social institutions of the past, though for a lay man they are just means of exchange.[1] Pertaining to the ancient history of Kashmir, good number of coins have been retrieved through exploration and excavation processes. These coins include Punch marked, Indo-Greek, Scythian, Parthian, Kushana, Karkota, Utpala and Lohara coins. These coins are of great importance for the reconstruction of social, political and economic history. In the context of Kashmir’s religious history we are being supplied very valuable information by coins through legends and portraits of gods and goddesses. For example, Indo Greek rulers venerated Greek gods like Zeus, Hercules, and Dioscuri is known to us by their coins. The obverse of Diodotus’s coin bears the head of the king and on the reverse the Greek god of sky (Zeus). Similarly, Euthydemos’s coin on the obverse bear the head of the king and on reverse Greek god of strength (Heracles) seated on rock holding a club whose lower end rests on palm. The coins of Eukratides bear on the obverse bust of the king on right and Greek saviour god (Dioscuri) on reverse.
The presence of these Greek gods on the coins of Indo-greek rulers in Kashmir suggests that people of Kashmir might have been familiar with the Greek pantheon, if not worshipped them. Like that of Indo-Greeks, Parthians coins do possess the portrait of Greek god Zeus known from the coins of Abdagases. The copper coin of this king bears on its obverse King on horseback, corrupt Greek legend and on reverse Zeus holding sceptre. Besides Greek gods they also possess Indian god Siva which is known from the Gondapaharnis’s base metal coin. The obverse of the coin bears king on horseback and on the reverse Siva on bull with a legend in Kharoshti Maharaja Gondopharasa. Kushana ruler Vima Kadaphasis was the worshipper of Siva which is known from his coins. The copper coin of this king on the obverse bear standing king, altar and trident on left, on the reverse of the coin bear Siva standing with bull (Nandi).
Kaniska’s gold coins reveal the portraits of four armed Siva on obverse and on reverse the Iranian god of fire called Athsho. His copper coins bear the Iranian gods of light called like Mithra and fertility goddess Nanaya. Vasudeva Kushana coins reveal the portrait of Siva and bull. Huna Tormana and Mihirkula coins reveal the portrait of Iranian goddess of wealth Ardoksho. Karkota King Durlabhavardhana base metal coins bear the portrait of king on obverse and goddess Lakshmi on reverse. Lalitaditya’s Sri Pratapa coins do have goddess Lakshmi on reverse. Utpala ruler Gopalavarman coins reveal on obverse god Ardoksho and king standing on reverse. Utpala coinage pattern was also carried forward by Loharas; Like Utpalas the coins of Lohara kings like Harsha, Kalasa, and Jayasimha also bear Ardoksho on the obverse and the standing king on reverse.[2]
Coins of various ruling dynasties who ruled Kashmir (field visit collection from S.P.S Museum)
There is no doubt in the fact that the religious representations on the coins of these rulers also substantiate literary narratives. For example, Lalitaditya cherished Vaisnavism is also known from his Sri Pratapa coins which bears Goddess Lakshmi on the reverse. However, on the other side, the portrayal of various gods and goddesses on the coins of a particular ruler needs to be interrogated and interpreted in a very careful manner, because, sometimes rulers continue the coins of previous rulers in circulation. Thus, it would not be wrong to suggest that whatever information we get from numismatics need to be corroborated with other archaeological and literary sources, because sometimes other sources speaks different story. For example, Rajatarangini speaks of Mihirkula as ardent Saivite, but his coins bear portrait of Iranian goddess. There is no literary record which can substantiate that he patronised Iranian religion or ancient Kashmiris worshipped Iranian gods.
Footnotes and references:
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