Indian Antiquary Vol 18

SR No.: 032510
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 454
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 292

272
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
.
SEPTEMBER, 1889.
given year, 944, as an expired year. But I find, with Prof. K. L. Chhatre's Tables, that in this year the winter solstice, as represented by the Makara-Sankranti, occurred, not on s Sunday, but on Monday, 24th December, A.D. 1022, at about 5 ghafís, 19 palas, after mean sunrise, for Badami ;' and this must, apparently, have been the proper day for the celebra tion of any rites connected with it. For, the general rale regarding the punyakála- of the Makara-Sankranti is that, lasting according to some for twenty ghatis and according to others for forty ghatis, it comes after the sankranti; and, though there are certain exceptions to this, and though there is a rule that, at the solstices and at the equinoxes, the rites of bathing, making & grant, &c., should be performed after fasting for either three nights or one night beforehand, yet this seems to refer only to the fast, and neither in the Nirnayasindh nor in the Dharmasindhusára can I find any authority by which, as this sankranti occurred after sonrise on the Monday, the making of the grant could properly have been performed on the Sunday. The term vystipata ought to help in explaining the date; but what it may mean in this passage, is not apparent; and all that I can say is that it does not seem to denote the Vyatîpâta yoga. For, by Prof. Jacobi's Tables, at sunrise on Sunday, 23rd December, the yoga was Vriddhi, No. 11; and at sunrise on Monday, 24th December, the yoga was Dhruva, No. 12; so that the Vyatîpâta yoga, No. 17, did not occur even on this day. Later on the Monday there commenced the Vyagbâta yoga, No. 13; but the vyatipata of the text is very distinct, and can hardly be a mistake in writing for vyágháta. In the preceding year, however, Saka-Sarvat 944 current, the Makara-Sankranti oocarred at about 49 gh. 47 p. on Saturday, 23rd December, A.D. 1021 ; and it must apparently have been then celebrated on the Sunday, in accordance not only with the general rules, but also with a special role in the Dharmasindhusára which states that, if the Makara-Sankranti occurs in the night, in the present instance about 43 minutes after midnight, - its punyalála is always on the following day. This date, accordingly, Sunday, 24th December, A.D. 1021, may perhaps be the day that is intended. This solution entails the application of the given year as a current year; but to this there is no obstacle in the expression that is used in the text. And as regards the sasivatsara, it is at least a curious point that, by the southern Vikrama luni-solar system, if it can be established and can be carried back so far, the Dundubhi sarvatsara would coincide with Saka-Samvat 944 current; for, by the mean-sign system, with Mr. Sh. B. Dikshit's Tables, it commeneed on the 5th December, A.D. 1019, in Saka-Samvat 942 current; and by the northern lani-solar system it coincided with Saka-Samvat 943 current. But here, again, the term vystipata fails to help in deciding the question; for, at sunrise on Sunday, 24th December, A.D. 1021, the yoga was either Priti, No. 2, or Ayushmat, No. 3. This date, therefore, must remain for further consideration, when the rules regarding the punyakála of sarikrántis have been fully elucidated, and when we can determine what is meant by the use of the word vyatipata in this passage.
• The exact meaning of the mention of Vikramaditya V. in this record, seems to call for some remark. His name is introduced in line 32, where it stands in the dative case, and is apparently governed by the immediately following word pardksham. This word in Sanskrit governs the genitive, and means out of sight, behind one's back, in the absence of, without the knowledge of. And we have met with it in a rather peculiar passage in the Miraj grant (ante, Vol. VIII. p. 17; see also Vol. XVI. p. 19), where Vikramaditya V. himself is mentioned as supporting the earth behind the back, or in the absence (paroksham)," - 1.e., as I take it, “in succession after the death," -of Satyasraya II. Now, the latest certain date that we have for Vikramaditya V. is Saka-Samvat 933, in an inscription at Galagnath in the Ranibennur Talaka (Elliot MS. Collection, Vol. I. p. 40), which mentions him as then reigning. While, in an inscription at Hirur in the Hangal Taluka (id. Vol. I. p. 44), Jayasimha III. is mentioned as the reigning king in Saka-Samvat 940. The inference is that Vikramaditya V.
The difference of time for Bombay is only 30 palas earlier; so that nowhero in India did the sashinanti ooour on the Sunday. • See my remarks, ante, Vol. XVII. p. 119 1.
. Seo page 928 ft. above.