Hindu Rajas of Kashmir, Utpala Dynasty, Gopala Varman, r. 902–904 CE, Denomination: AE Stater or Dinar, Composition: Copper, Weight: 5.5 grams, Diameter: 18.03 mm, Kashmir region, Reference: MNC 161–163, About Very Fine, + Rare

Obverse: Goddess Lakshmi seated facing; Nagari/Śāradā legend “GA PA LA / Gopala” to right.

Reverse: King standing, sacrificing at altar; Nagari/Śāradā legend “Varma”, legend “Deva” appears below the arm.

Gopala Varman was a short-reigning ruler of the Utpala dynasty of Kashmir, governing between 902 and 904 CE during a period of political fragility. He ascended the throne as a minor after the death of his father, the expansionist king Sankara Varman, with real authority exercised by his mother, Queen Sugandha, as regent. His reign reflects the transitional phase of early 10th-century Kashmir, when royal power was increasingly challenged by nobles and court factions. The coinage issued in his name follows established Kashmiri Hindu traditions, emphasizing divine sanction and royal duty. The depiction of Goddess Lakshmi symbolizes prosperity and legitimacy, while the sacrificial king motif reinforces the ruler’s role as a protector of dharma. These coins serve as important historical evidence of continuity in administration and ideology despite the brevity and instability of Gopala Varman’s rule.

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