Ancient Indian coins and symbolism

Prior to Buddhist era no written records unfortunately are available to throw light on the sociopolitical history of ancient India. Puranic texts are loaded with myths and heavy corruption, making
them mostly unreliable. The Vedic religious texts though boast of their religious supremacy, the
physical proofs talk otherwise. Lets have a look at the ancient coinage those were found in various
excavations to try to know what could be the religious beliefs of those times.
India was divided in about 16 Mahajanapadas in ancient times. Every Mahajanpada would be group
of Janpadas (small kingdoms or Republics) spread within the Mahajanpadas. Till rise of Nanda
dynasty (5th Century BC) and later on Mauryan dynasty, the system prevailed to some extent. The
coins found from almost every Mahajanpada prior to approx. 350 BC, bear no letters hence it is
impossible to know the names of the issuers of the coins. But from banker-marks punched on the
coins indicate that coins of different denominations (weights) used to be issued by individual
bankers (Shreni or Nigam) of those times, and not the rulers.
Most significant factor that can be observed from those coins is that every Mahajanpada coin bear
unique symbol, no matter who the banker is. The symbols used by Maha Janpada's are diverse in
nature, have been retained over the time, at least from seventh century BC till third century BC. The
symbolism doesn't seem changed over the period of almost four hundred years despite political
upheavals.
This continuance of the coin symbolism in every Mahajanapada for such a long time suggests that
the commercial system was comfortably stable. Also it suggests that every Maha Janpada was
represented by the specific symbol punched over the coin.
Symbolism is an ancient trait of mankind. Symbolism reflects faiths, beliefs of the people those
invented them. In the pagan world symbolism had mystic values. Certain shapes, figures,
geometrical signs played a vital role in religious practices of those times all over the world. In India,
especially in Tantric (Occult) sect, symbolism has greater importance over texts or idols. Shivlingam
too is an ancient symbol worshipped from 3500 BC at the least, which became the foundation of the
major Shaivait religion of India. Most of the religious practices were associated with male-female
sexual organs those were considered to be divine for their ability of reproduction.
Let us have a look at the ancient coins and significance of the symbols embedded into them.
Gandhara Janpada:
Gandhara was a part of India in ancient times, stretching from modern north-west Pakistan to
Kabul, till it was conquered by Darius in sixth century BCE. We have no clue as to who issued the
coins, still the carbon dating confirms that the various coins were issued from 7 th century BC till 350
BCE.

The coins of the earlier time are peculiar in shape, not round, but silver bent bars having punchmarks of two six petalled flowers at both ends of the coin with bankers mark in the middle. There
also are square and oblong coins as well having single six-petalled flower of the same design. The
flower signs are peculiar, having dotted round with trident shaped petals. Reverse side of the coins
are blank.
Gandhara was close to or part of the Indus valley civilization. If we trace back history of the similar
six petalled flowers at Kot Dijji excavations (2600 BC) have been found on the seals and pottery.
Finding six petalled flowers, petal having trident shape on all the coins found in Gandhar Janpada,
suggests that the symbol represented geographical identity as well represented religious beliefs of the
region.
Six petalled flowers in Shaivait tradition has been a symbol of female sexual organ from ancient
times. Presence of trident shaped petals too suggests influence of Shaivait tradition of those times.
This symbol cannot be confused with Sun motif. Dotted circle and sprouting six petal like tridents
indicates fertility symbol.
Kuntala Janpada
Kuntala region was located between present South Maharashtra and north part of the Karnataka.
The coins found in this region are timed from sixth century to 450 Century BCE. The coins are of
dotted circle at the center having attached a triskelion design above between the two angular shapes
having solid dots on the head.

Circle having solid dot at centre represents sun motif that is in use even today as a logo by corporate
houses, but two angular shapes having solid dot on the head connected to the circle suggests
otherwise. Scholars call it Pulley design. However if looked carefully it doesnt represent pulley.
Presence of triskele between the dotted angular shapes doesnt suggest other being pulley design.
The triskele above represents constant motion or revolution. Not exactly same, but triskelic symbols
are found in Celtic paganism and in Indus valley civilization also. However no symbol alike this has
been found elsewhere hence makes it unique. However there must be close connection between both
the symbols and may be representing some occult religious practice of those times, which is
unknown to us so far.
Kuru Janpada
Kuru Janpada is famous from ancient times. This region is located around modern Delhi. Many
historical episodes have been unfolded on this land. However Janpada coins found here belong to the
period from 450 to 350 BC.
On the coins found in this region bear dotted Triskelion sign. Triskelion sign is an ancient sign used
by almost all the ancient cultures like Celtic, Gaulish etc. However finding the sign on the coin with
unique design makes the symbol an indegenous development.

On few coins we find Three Arrow sign as well on reverse side of the coin. As you can see the arrows
are attached to the dotted circle in symmetric arrangement. Also you can notice Y signs between the
arrows.
Although Triskelion signs mostly represent constant motion or spirit, the present sign is not similar
to the sign present on Kuntal coins. We do not know for sure what these signs meant to the people of
those times. But sign seems to have been in use since Indus culture era. But looking at the unique set
of human mind the way it works, the sign may mean the same thingperpetuality constant motion
and continuation of the human life through reproduction.
Three arrow sign having three Y signs placed between the arrows make another unique symbol not to
find elsewhere. Dotted circle is a common feature as we have seen on Kuntal and Gandhara coins,
the petals or angular objects or arrows or triaskeles make them unique symbols. Three arrow sign too
is unique because of Y shapes present within the corpus of the sign.
Dotted circles normally are considered to be sun signs but with the geometry that symbol makes with
attached objects like arrows it doesn't seem to be a sun sign.
Magadha Janpada

Magadha Janpada, present Bihar, is rich with its history and culture, has given birth to two religions
like Jainism and Buddhism. The coins found here dates back from 7 th century BC till 5th century BC.
The coins bear various signs. Central sign on the Coin is dotted circle surrounded by three arrows
and three circles. Other punches are sun sign, Pipal sign, Moon sign, dotted triangle or circle with
handle sign. Dotted circle with arrow sign is common on all signs suggesting the symbol of the
region.

The distinct feature is the three arrow sign found on some Kuru coins and the three arrow sign on the
Magadha coins are quite different in arrangement. Sun sign is clear enough on every coin suggesting
sun worship cult was dominant in Magadha region in those times. Maga people have been ancient
inhabitants of Magadh region and like others were alien to Vedic culture.
Though it has been tried to prove that Maga people migrated to India from central Asia, there have
been no physical proof so far to prove this claim. Anyway, sun worship had been Magadhas oldest
tradition. Vedic literature finds mention ofKikata (Magadhi) people as foreigners to their culture and
religious practices.
Shakya Janpada
Shakya (or Vajji/Licchavi) Janpada was located on the northern region of Indo-Nepal. In Shakya
dynasty Lord Buddha was borned hence it would be interesting to see what symbol Shakyas used as
their identity.
Shakya Coins date back to sixth century BC to 450 Century BC. The coins are too crude, having no
particular shape, but every coin bears Pentagonal symbol.

Pentagon is a symbol that almost every ancient civilization (and even at present) has used in their
occult practices. Pentagon not only suggests geometric perfection but representative of five basic
elements in occultism as well as in ancient science. According to Sankhya philosophers Earth, Water,
Wind, Energy and space are the five elements that makes the universe. In Shaivait Occultism too five
style worship of the Goddess was widely practiced. The similar thought, like sankhyas, about five
elements can be traced in Greek science and even in Free-mason occultism of Europe. It also has
been symbol of underground womb in Egyptian iconography. In later Buddhist Gnosticism also we
find pentagram symbol.
Saurashtra Janpada
Saurashtra coins too date back from 6th century BC to 4th Century BC. Unique feature of the
Saurashtra coin is most of the coins have been punched with image of fertility goddess. Also elephant
and bull signs too are found on many coins.

Fertility Goddess symbol we find on abundant seals found in Indus valley civilization. If we look
carefully at the headdress of the deity is quite similar to the mother goddesss images of Indus
culture. The image is attributed to Shakti. Bull and Elephant symbols too have been abundantly
found in Indus civilization.
We thus can infer that the flow of Indus valley civilization was continued uninterruptedly till fourth
century BC.
Conclusion:
Every region (Maha Janpada) shows some unique symbol (motif) been representing its identity for
over four hundred years.
The symbols, at the least in the five cases discussed above, though diverse in nature, still possess one
similarity that the presence of centrally dotted circle, pentacle or triangle. This indicates thought
process of the civilization as a whole being unique.

The symbols moreover represent Gnosticism prevailing in the civilizations of those times along with
Shiva-Shakti (fertility) worship.
we have seen on every triangle, petal or pentagram centrally a solid dot is positioned. In Shaivait
occultism (Yogic practice) centred dot signifies the focalized energy and its intense concentration. It can
be envisaged as a kind of energy deposit which can in turn radiate energy under other forms.
Presence of trident and arrows, weapons of Shiva suggests Shaivait religious practices of those times.
There seems no influence of Vedic religious thought and practices in any symbolism on the coins.
We also are going to have a look in next chapters at the coinage of later times till second century
AD to understand whether symbolism changed with the introduction of empirical political system
and what was the language being used in those times.
Also we have observed that many symbols like triskele, six petal flower, and pentagram with few
others are found in the ancient paganism worldwide. Though there are slight differences in design,
the striking resemblance shows that to some extent inner force of the human mind works similarly,
no matter how geographically far apart.
We cannot attribute the similarities in the symbolism worldwide to borrowings or exchanges as
symbolism is an innate expression of the human being that carries its unique identity. Though
symbols are same, meaning or purpose attached to it may differ from one region to the other and
also may change with the time.
If language too is made of vocal symbols, same applies to it also. It needs no single source for
evolution of the languages. Hence there cannot be any group of the language those have single
source. Independent Evolution Theory, which I am proposing for species, symbols and languages
only can answer the vital questions those still keep on baffling us about our ancient civilizations and
remote past.
We will discuss more on this in next instalment!
-Sanjay Sonawani
(Image Courtesy: coinindia.com)