गुप्त अभिलेख संग्रह (जे. एफ. फ्लीट - गुप्त सम्राटों एवं परवर्ती नरेशों के ऐतिहासिक पाषाण व ताम्रलेख)

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; INTRODUCTION. 115
On the analogy of the Kaira grant of Dharasêna IV., of the year 330, and with a
year beginning with the month Kârttika next before the commencement of the northern
Śaka year, the given date of Mâgha krishṇa 3, in Gupta-Saṁvat 191, would belong to
Śaka-Saṁvat 432. It would then fall about eight months and a half before the commence-
ment of the recorded saṁvatsara on Âśvina śukla 11 of Śaka-Saṁvat 433. This record,
therefore, like A. above, disproves the possibility of our being concerned with the
scheme of the southern Vikrama year, beginning with the month Kârttika next
before the commencement of the northern Śaka year.
Again, on the analogy of the same grant, and with a year beginning with the month
Mârgaśîrsha next before the commencement of the northern Śaka year, the given date
would similarly belong to Śaka-Saṁvat 432; and would similarly fall about eight months
and a half before the commencement of the recorded saṁvatsara. This record, therefore,
also disproves the possibility of our being concerned with a year, northern or
southern, beginning with the month Mârgaśîrsha next before the commencement
of the northern Śaka year.
By the mean-sign system, the Mahâ-Chaitra saṁvatsara commenced on Mârga-
śîrsha śukla 1 of Śaka-Saṁvat 433 current, corresponding to Thursday, the 18th Novem-
ber, A.D..510; and it was followed by Mahâ-Vaiśâkha on Mârgaśîrsha śukla 8 of Śaka-
Saṁvat 434, corresponding to Monday, the 14th November, A.D. 511. Accordingly, by
this system also the Mahâ-Chaitra saṁvatsara was current on the given date.
With General Cunningham's epoch of A.D. 166-67, the given date would belong
to Śaka-Saṁvat 280 current; and its English equivalent would be Tuesday, the 16th
December, A.D. 357. Mr. Sh. B. Dikshit finds that Jupiter's rising, next before the given
date, took place on Mârgaśîrsha śukla 4 of the same year, Śaka-Saṁvat 280, correspond-
ing to Sunday, the 2nd November A.D. 357; or, by the English calendar, on Monday,
the 3rd November. His longitude then was 213° 31'. By all three systems, he was then
in Anurâdhâ; and the saṁvatsara which then began, must nave been named Mahâ-
Vaiśâkha. Jupiter's next following rising took place on Pausha krishṇa 2 of Śaka-Saṁvat
281, corresponding to Friday, the 4th December, A.D. 358; or, by the English calendar,
on Saturday, the 5th December. His longitude then was 244° 49. By the system of
equal spaces, and by the Garga system of unequal spaces, he was then in Mûla; and the
saṁvatsara which then began, must, according to these two systems, have been named
Mahâ-Jyêshṭha. By the Brahma-Siddhânta system of unequal spaces, he was then in
Pûrvâ-Ashâḍhâ; and the saṁvatsara which then began, must, according to this system,
have been named Mahâ-Âshâḍha; the intervening saṁvatsara, Mahâ-Jyêshṭha, being
omitted. Accordingly, with this epoch, the Mahâ-Chaitra saṁvatsara was not current on
the given date. For the commencement of the Mahâ-Chaitra saṁvatsara, we have to go
back to Jupiter's rising on Kârttika krishṇa 7 of Śaka-Saṁvat 279, corresponding to
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