2023-02-16 06:08:34 by ambuda-bot
This page has not been fully proofread.
Her appropriately Rajyaśrī or Rajyalakshmi. This is
further emphasised by the cornucopia and noose in Her
hands, the one symbolic of treasure kośa, and the other
of power, danda, kośadaṇḍāviva kshitiḥ as Kalidāsa has
put it in his Raghuvamsa, 15, 13. This is prominent in
Kushāṇa and Gupta coins (Fig. 5), one of the finest
examples being on the reverse of the Chandragupta I
and Kumāradevī type of the fourth century A.D.
But still earlier it occurs on first century Kushāṇa
coins.
An interesting representation and probably a unique
type to illustrate Dhanalakshmi is Śrī standing on lotus,
flanked by lotus and conch (Fig. 6), symbolising the two
principal treasures, nidhis, already famous in their
occurrence at the root of the Kalpa or wishfulfilling tree
as the crowning piece of banner of a derelict temple of
Kubera or Lakshmi at Besnagar, and now preserved in
the Indian Museum (Fig. 7). This form of Lakshmi occurs
on the reverse of Kumāragupta's elephant rider type of
coin, where the umbrella held over the monarch
suggests his enjoying imperial status as a sovereign of
ekachhatrā status, as a samrat or emperor, as the one
for whom alone was the only umbrella on earth, even
as the poet puts it, that over his head alone was raised
an umbrella, and by that umbrella of spotless lustre the
affliction of the entire world on account of separation
from the former worthy kings was removed: tāsyai-
kasyochchhritam chhatram mūrdhni tenāmälatvishā, pur-
varājaviyogaushmyam kritsnasya jagato hritam, Raghu-
vamsa 17,33.
The nidhis, particularly Sankha and Padma, are
shown at the roots of the Kalpa or the celestial wishful-
hilling tree as the tree itself is a botanical symbol of
Laksmhi The bags of gold beside the nidhis, also at
further emphasised by the cornucopia and noose in Her
hands, the one symbolic of treasure kośa, and the other
of power, danda, kośadaṇḍāviva kshitiḥ as Kalidāsa has
put it in his Raghuvamsa, 15, 13. This is prominent in
Kushāṇa and Gupta coins (Fig. 5), one of the finest
examples being on the reverse of the Chandragupta I
and Kumāradevī type of the fourth century A.D.
But still earlier it occurs on first century Kushāṇa
coins.
An interesting representation and probably a unique
type to illustrate Dhanalakshmi is Śrī standing on lotus,
flanked by lotus and conch (Fig. 6), symbolising the two
principal treasures, nidhis, already famous in their
occurrence at the root of the Kalpa or wishfulfilling tree
as the crowning piece of banner of a derelict temple of
Kubera or Lakshmi at Besnagar, and now preserved in
the Indian Museum (Fig. 7). This form of Lakshmi occurs
on the reverse of Kumāragupta's elephant rider type of
coin, where the umbrella held over the monarch
suggests his enjoying imperial status as a sovereign of
ekachhatrā status, as a samrat or emperor, as the one
for whom alone was the only umbrella on earth, even
as the poet puts it, that over his head alone was raised
an umbrella, and by that umbrella of spotless lustre the
affliction of the entire world on account of separation
from the former worthy kings was removed: tāsyai-
kasyochchhritam chhatram mūrdhni tenāmälatvishā, pur-
varājaviyogaushmyam kritsnasya jagato hritam, Raghu-
vamsa 17,33.
The nidhis, particularly Sankha and Padma, are
shown at the roots of the Kalpa or the celestial wishful-
hilling tree as the tree itself is a botanical symbol of
Laksmhi The bags of gold beside the nidhis, also at