________________
THE MAITRAKA PERIOD
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53
of Kuvalayamālā by Uddyotanasūri.47 The last known Saka date of this period of the year 705 (783-84 A.C.) occurs as the date of the completion of Harivansa Purāņa by Jinasenasūri.48 Here it is interesting to note that all these dates are expressly ascribed to the Saka era generally represented as the era of the saka king49 or the Sakas50, while the name of the era was left unspecified in the Kșatrapa period. The earliest mention of the name ‘Saka Era’ in the records of Gujarat can thus be traced to the Maitraka period.51
On examining the five dates mentioned above, it is found that three of them (nos. 2, 4 and 5) give only the year and that the two other dates (Nos. 1 and 3) refer to the month, fortnight and lunar day along with the day of solar saikrānti in date No. 3 and nakșatra in date No. 1.
The Visuva samkrānti mentioned in the epigraphic record dated S.E. 679 is Tulā samkrānti which occurred on 23rd September, A C. 757. This date falls two days 47. Sagakāle voliņa varisāņa sachim sattahiṁ gaehim egadiņeņūņ.
chim raiyā avaraṇhavelāe. 26 (Jinavijayaji, 'Kuvalayamālā,'
Vasanta Rajata Mahotsava Smāraka Grantha p. 270) 48. Sākeşvabdaśateșu saptasu diśaṁ pancottareşūttarām (Harivan
sapurānam, sarga 66, verse 52) -49. Sakan;patisamvatsara, Sakanộpasamvatsara, Sakaprpakāla (R. B.
Pandey, IP., p. 191) .50. Saka Samvat, Saka, sāka (Ibid., p. 191) 51. The specific mention of ‘Saka Kāla' occurs in Pancasiddhāntikā
dated 505 A.C. (1-8) written by Varāhamikira in the adjoining region of Ujjain. His Bịhatsamhitā also contains references to Saka-nspa-kāla (BỊhatsaṁhită, cha. VIII, Verses Nos. 20, 21)
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