[Solved] Agathocles Coins: Sankarshana and Vasudeva Depictions

Both Sankarshana and Vasudeva are depicted on the coins of which of the following rulers?

[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]

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Correct Option: D

The Greco-Bactrian king Agathocles depicted both Sankarshana and Vasudeva on his coins. These are among the earliest human depictions of these Hindu deities.

A. Havishka

B. Kanishka

C. Samudragupta

D. Agathocles

Analysis & Evidence

Concept

The Indo-Greek period was a significant era of syncretism where foreign rulers adopted Indian religious motifs and deities on their currency to gain local legitimacy.

Authentic Source Evidence

Coins found at Ai-Khanoum from the reign of Agathocles (c. 190–180 BCE) depict Balarama-Sankarshana with a plow and Krishna-Vasudeva with a Sudarshana Chakra.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Agathocles was an Indo-Greek king who issued commemorative coins that blended Greek artistic style with early Bhagavata/Vaishnava religious symbols.

Logic 2: These coins are the earliest known anthropomorphic depictions of these deities, showing Sankarshana on the reverse and Vasudeva on the obverse.

Historical Logic Quest

"What do the Agathocles coins reveal about the spread of Bhagavatism?"

They prove that the worship of Vrsni heroes like Vasudeva and Sankarshana was well-established in the Northwest by the 2nd century BCE.

The Topper's Edge

"The use of Hindu deities by a Greek king highlights the practical 'localization' strategies of foreign dynasties in India."

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