The General's Collection Ancient coins, stamps and first day covers: Ancient Indian symbols on coins, (Nandipada, Srivatsa, Triratna, Tree-in-railing and Indradhwaj)

Symbols are part of religious and cultural beliefs since ancient times. We come across various symbols, but when they appear on coins the whole definition, perception and its explanation changes.

Ancient Symbols on Coins

Nandipada (foot of Nandi) is an ancient Indian symbol, also called "taurine" symbol, representing a bull's hoof or the mark left by the foot of a bull on the ground. The Nandipada and the zebu bull are associated with Nandi, Lord Shiva's humped bull in Hinduism. This symbol is similar to the Brahmi letter 'ma'.

Nandiapda Symbol

Greek Warrior as "dvarapal", Bharhut, 100 BC, Calcutta Museum. The sheath of his broadsword is decorated with a Nandipada.

Sheath of the broadsword decorated with a Nandipada.

Sanchi stupa 1, northern torna, east pillar, 1st century BC, a pair of fish tails ligatured to form a nandipada

Apollodotus, 174-165 BC, drachm, with a nandipada on the hump of the Zebu bull

Siri Satavahana, 101-1 BC, Satavahana empire, weight 3 g, with a bold nandipada/ taurine symbol, with Brahmi legend, "Rajno Siri Satavahanas"

Saurashtra, 1st century BC, weight 1.7 g, Swastika with a taurine/nandipada on top

Triratna. A Buddhist symbol, thought to visually represent the three jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha). The symbol is composed of a lotus flower within a circle, a diamond rod or vajra, an ananda-chakra, a trident or trishul with three branches, representing the three jewels of Buddhism. The triratna symbol is also called nandipada, by Hindus

Triratna symbol

The Triratna or "Three Jewels" symbol on a Buddha footprint, with a dharamachakra symbol on top, 1st century CE

Nandipada symbol appears at the top of the arch, cave no 9, Udayagiri Jain Caves, 100 BC-100 AD

Stupa showing Triratna symbol and Srivatsa symbol at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India

Worship of Triratna, relief at Calcutta Museum.

Gautama Buddha delivering his first sermon at Sarnath, Varanasi with his right hand turning the Dharmachakra, resting on the Triratna , flanked on either side by a deer. On display at Chhatrapati Shivaji Sangrahalaya, Mumbai

Bharhut stupa, Satna, 2nd -1st century BC, Sunga period, sandstone, Triratna, at Allahabad Museum

A number of examples of this symbol appear on historical coins of Buddhist kingdoms in the Indian subcontinent. It appears on Kuninda, Indo-Parthian and Kushan coins

Silver drachm, Kuninda kingdom, 200 BC-100 AD, weight 2,2 gm

Obverse, Deer standing right, symbol behind deer's horn, crowned by two cobras above the horn, Goddess Lakshmi standing holding a long stemmed lotus, with Brahmi legend Rajnah Kunindasya Amoghabhutisya Maharasya

Reverse, six arched hill with nandipada above, swastika with split standard at left, a tree in railing at right, wavy lines representing a flowing river below the stupa and kharoshthi legend around

The reverse has, all the symbols, Triratna, Indradhwaj, Tree-in-railing and six arched hill

Gondophares, 40-60 CE, Abdagases, King on horseback with a Triratna on right field

Srivatsa. The Srivatsa is an ancient symbol considered auspicious in Indian religious traditions. Srivatsa means "beloved of Sri", the goddess Lakshmi. It is a mark on the chest of Vishnu where Lakshmi resides. It is said that the tenth avtar of Vishnu, Kalki, will bear this mark on his chest. In Buddhism, the Srivatsa is depicted as a triangular swirl or an endless knot. In Chinese tradition, Buddhist prayer beads are tied at the tassels in this shape. In Jainism, Srivatsa marks the chest of the Tirthankara image. It is one of their auspicious symbol . This symbol is seen on coins of a number of Southeast Asian countries, to include Burma, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia

Divinity Narayana is shown with srivatsa motif on his chest on a bronze statue, weighing 9.6 Kg

Srivatsa, Kushan period, 1st-3rd century CE, Manoharapura, Mathura, currently at Lucknow State Museum

Twin fish and Srivatsa, Manohapura, Mathura, 1st-3rd century CE, Kushan period, red sandstone, National Museum, Delhi

Srivatsa, swastika and Indradhwaj, Khandagiri caves, 2nd century BC, cave 3.

Taxila, Pushkalavati, 180-175 BC, weight 7.9 g, with Srivatsa, nandipada, three-arched hii and swastika on obverse and Lotus standard, Indradhwaj, hollow cross and three-arched hill on the reverse.

Saurashtra Janapada, 200-100 BC, Karshapana, weight 0.9 g, with a large Srivatsa above a square tank with two fishes inside, and flanked by a dotted circle between two nandipada symbols on each side

Ananda dynasty of Banavasi , 30 BC- 345 AD, unlisted, lead, weight 3.0 g, with Nandipada on obverse and srivatsa on reverse

Burma, Mon Kingdom of Hamsavati, Srivasta, 5th -6th century AD

Tree-in-railing . This symbol is considered to be one of the most important symbols in the Indian Numismatics. Tree-in-railing symbol is connected to Buddha, as in the ancient times, homage to Buddha was paid by worshipping Bodhi as it was in ancient custom not to depict Buddha in person. The Bodhi tree is a tree under which he sat and gained enlightenment at Buddha Gaya. The railing represents a kind of fence around the tree to prevent pilgrims from seeking cuttings.

Symbol of Tree-in railing on coins

Shunga dynasty, 200 BC, cast copper, weight 3.2 g,

Obverse: Elephant to left, Indradhwaj on platform left, swastika and nandipara above the elephant

Reverse: Tree-in railing, hollow cross and three-arched hill, with nandipada above

Indra Dhwaj. Dhvaja is a banner or flag, is composed of the "Ashtamangala", the eight auspicious symbols. Indra Dwaja is considered to be the flag of Indra. Dhavajas are probably depicted since the Indus Valley Civilization seals, and later depicted on coins in ancient India. Indra is an ancient Vedic deity in Hinduism, a guardian deity in Buddhism and the king of the highest heaven called Saudharmakalpa in Jainism and is known as the "King of Gods". Indra is the most referred to deity in the Rigveda. He is the deity of the heavens, lightening, thunder, storms, rain, river and war.