Arjunayanas - Coins of Arjunayanas

Coins of Arjunayanas

The findspot of Arjunayana coins indicate their territory within the triangle formed by Delhi-Jaipur-Agra. The Arjunayana coins resemble those of the Yaudheya coins which show their contemporariness. They are several varieties. In one type, the obverse shows a bull and a standing goddess on the reverse. On another type, bull is standing before a tree in railing on the obverse and another bull facing a linga symbol and also carrying a legend Arjunayanajaya on the reverse. The third variety has a bull in the obverse and a swastika with taurine symbol at the end of arms and a branch or palm leaf and the legend Janayana on the reverse. These coins show that these people were devotees of the god Siva. Now Siva was the god of the North and also of the Ashvaka land as is attested by Greek chroniclers. With the interpretation of Arrian's Arigaum/Arigaion with Sanskrit Arjunava as suggested scholars like by Dr V. S. Agarwala, the possible origin and descent of Arjunayanas can possibly be traced to this Arigaion (Arjunava) of Swat/Kunar regions and possibly be connected with the Ashvakas of the Indian texts. Like Arjunayanas, the Ashvakas (Aspasioi and Assakenoi) were also a republican people as has been attested by Greek chroniclers. The Ashvakas (q.v.) are believed to be a section of the ancient Kambojas. They are mentioned as Ashvayanas and Ashvakayas by Pāṇini. That the Arjunayanas were devotees of god Siva also alludes to their possible connections with the Swat/Kunar valley, the land of the Ashvakas.