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intercalations, eclipses, samkrāntis and sometimes even muhārtas. These particulars supply various data about the chronological systems of the respective periods.
Comparatively dates begin to appear in literary records at a very later stage. These dates are generally found to be of three types : (1) dates of earlier events96 recorded in later works, (2) dates of the composition of the particular works, (3) dates of the copying of: manuscripts.
The known dates of the composition commence from the beginning of the 7th cent. A.C.97, while those of the copying appear from the end of the 11th cent. A.C.98. The earlier events recorded in the old literary works of Gujarat are found dated since the 1st cent. A.C99. 96. Some of these dates belong to events of the near past, while
some other dates refer to the events of the remote past. 97. Vide the date of S.E. 531 (609 A.C.) given in the palm-leaf
Ms. of Viseșāvas’yakabhașya by Jinabhadragani Kşamas'ramaņa
(B.J. Sändesara, Jain Agama Sāhityāmān Gujarāt. p. 75). 98. One of the earliest known extant manuscripts copied in Gujarat
seems to be that of Yogadrstisamuccaya copied at Anahilapāțaka in V.S. 1140 = 1083-84 A.C. (Jain Pustaka prasasti Sangraha.
P.I. p. 99). 99. The Harivansapurāņa (A.C. 783) by Jinasenasuri and the Mari
aviracariya (A.C. 1084) by Nemicandrācārya date the (reign of) Saka king 605 years after the death of Mahāvira, i.e. in A.C. 78.
In his Vicāraśreņi (circa A.C. 1310) Merutungasūri dates the commencement of the Vikrama era counted from that of Vikrama's reign 470 years after the commencement of the Vira era counted from Vira's death, i.e. in 57 B.C.
The date of the composition of this work falls slightly later than the lower limit of our period.
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