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Association of yupa hieroglyph on coins from mints of Vidarbha or Ujjain is an indicator of the correlation which can be traced between a smelter/furnace in a smithy/forge and a sacred fire-altar of a yajna.
Badva yupa inscription
EI, v.XXIV, No. 34.-FOURTH MAUKHARI YUPA INSCRIPTION FROM BADVA.
A. S. ALTEKAR.
A. S. ALTEKAR.
TEXT.
Mîkharår=Hastè-puttrasya Dhanuttràtasya dhèmataõ [|*]
Aptî[r]yy[a]mía[õ] kratîõ yópaõ sahasrî gava-dakshiíà [|*]
__________________________
From an ink impression.
L. 1. Read Hasti-; owing to the carelessness of the mason, the three letters in dhanuttrà have been all joined together.
Mîkharår=Hastè-puttrasya Dhanuttràtasya dhèmataõ [|*]
Aptî[r]yy[a]mía[õ] kratîõ yópaõ sahasrî gava-dakshiíà [|*]
__________________________
From an ink impression.
L. 1. Read Hasti-; owing to the carelessness of the mason, the three letters in dhanuttrà have been all joined together.
L. 2. Read -tîr=yópaõ; read sahasra-gava-dakøiíaõ.
That the Barnala Yupa inscription is hybrid Samskritam is demonstrated attesting to the continuity of Prakritam (spoken Meluhha) in the ancient writing traditions associated with yajna or metalwork.
Theo Damsteegt, 1978, Epigraphical Hybrid Sanskrit, Brill Archive, pp. 145-146
Vidarbha, Sebaka, 100 BC, Copper, 1.70g, 12mm, Bull with Yupa (sacrificial post)
Obv: Standing bull to right facing yupa-in-railing; swastika below
Rev: Double-orbed Ujjain symbol with swastika and nandi-pad above
Rev: Double-orbed Ujjain symbol with swastika and nandi-pad above
Ujjain, anonymous AE 3/8 karshapana, elephant type
Weight: 3.75 gm., Diameter: 16x14 mm.
Obv.: Elephant with raised trunk to right with chakra on top left;
(railed) tree on right.
Rev.: Ujjain symbol with a taurine in each angle.
Reference: Pieper 362 (plate specimen)
Weight: 3.75 gm., Diameter: 16x14 mm.
Obv.: Elephant with raised trunk to right with chakra on top left;
(railed) tree on right.
Rev.: Ujjain symbol with a taurine in each angle.
Reference: Pieper 362 (plate specimen)
Ujjain, 200 BC, Copper, 0.9g, 10mm, Horse (Bull?) type
mēḍhā ‘stake’ rebus: meD 'iron' poLa 'zebu' rebus: poLa 'magnetite ore' jasta 'svastika' rebus: sattva 'zinc, spelter' dhAv 'strand of rope' (dotted circle) rebus: dhA 'red ore, dhAtu 'ore' meDh 'twist' rebus: meD 'iron', med 'copper' (Slavic) gaNDa 'four' rebus: kanda 'fire-altar'
kariba 'elephant trunk' ibha 'elephant' rebus: karb 'iron' ib 'iron'
kuThi 'twig' rebus: kuThi 'smelter'
Samudragupta, Gold Dinar, 7.70g, Ashvamedha type
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Obv: Sacrificial horse facing left tied to a Yupa or post, decorated with ribbons and banners fluttering above; letter ’Si’ (short for 'siddham' or success) in Brahmi between the horse’s leg and double pedestal stand;
Rev: Queen standing left on a lotus holding chauri (fly whisk) and vastra (towel); a suchi (ceremonial spear with ribbons) in left field; Brahmi legend to right: Asvamedha Parakramah (one who is capable of performing the horse-sacrifice)
Ref: BMC pl.V,-1, Altekar pl. IV-1; P. Kulkarni, Asvamedha the Yajna and the Coins, 1.
Obv: Sacrificial horse facing left tied to a Yupa or post, decorated with ribbons and banners fluttering above; letter ’Si’ (short for 'siddham' or success) in Brahmi between the horse’s leg and double pedestal stand;
Rev: Queen standing left on a lotus holding chauri (fly whisk) and vastra (towel); a suchi (ceremonial spear with ribbons) in left field; Brahmi legend to right: Asvamedha Parakramah (one who is capable of performing the horse-sacrifice)
Ref: BMC pl.V,-1, Altekar pl. IV-1; P. Kulkarni, Asvamedha the Yajna and the Coins, 1.
kulya 'fly whisk' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter' mēḍhā ‘stake, pillar’ rebus: meD 'iron'
Malt. kanḍo stool, seat. (DEDR 1179) Rebus: kāṇḍa 'metalware' kaṇḍa 'fire-altar'.
S. Kalyanaraman Sarasvati Research Center December 29, 2015