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THE PERIOD OF THE WESTERN KSATRAPAS
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The stone inscriptions of the Kārdamaka Kșatrapas and their successors are dated from years 6 to 228.6 The dates of these inscriptions generally consist of years, months, fortnights, days and sometimes nakşatras? also. The coins of these Kșatrapas are generally dated. The dates given on these coins contain only the number of years which range at least from year 102 to at least year 3108 or 3129 or 32010. The years mentioned in the stone inscriptions as well as on the coins of these kings obviously belong to some continuous era. The inscriptions do not specify the name of this era. But on chronological grounds the era is identified with the Śaka era.
. When the unspecified era used in the records of the Western Kșatrapas was chronologically identified with the Saka era, early scholars were naturally tempted to ascribe its origin to the Western Kşatrapa King 6. G. V. Acharya, HIG., Part 1, Nos., 2 to 8 and 10.; Dr.
Shobhana Gokhle, 'Andhau Inscription of Caştana, “Saka' 11, JAH., Vol II, pp. 104 ff; Dr. V. V. Mirashi, 'Daulatpur Inscription of the Reign of Caştana : year 6', JOI., Vol. XXVIII
no. 2, pp. 34 ff. 7. D. C. Sircar, SI, Book II, No. 69 8. E. J. Rapson, CIC., p. 101 9. G. V. Acharya read this date on coins struck by Swāmi
Rudrasena III (JASB, Numismatic Supplement, No. XLVII, p. 96). But the reading is hardly acceptable as Rudrasena III was already succeeded by Simhasena in or before year 304. Pos
sibly, the coins may belong to Swāmī Rudrasena IV (ibid). 10. Recently the date on a coin of the last Kşatrapa King Rudra
simha III is read to be year 320 (Dr. Rasesh Jamindar, Kşatrapakälaum Gujarāt, p. 109, f.n. 61 & 62).
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