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Siddhasena Divākara and Vikramāditya
161
with regard to the ‘Vikrama Era’, but to the much discussed 'Gupta Era 2017 Referring to the Nālandā and Gayā Copper-plates of Samudragupta, D. C. Sircar says : "If however it may be assumed that this charter and No. 5, infra, were forged to make up the loss of genuine charters of Samudragupta dated in year 5 and year 9, it should be suggested that the Gupta Era began from the 1st year of this king”212. As R. C. Majumdar has recently shown203 that these charters are indeed most probably exact copies of spoilt originals, this latter assumption would be a fact. Therefore, St. 27 of the Guņavacanadvātrimśikā might be taken as a most significant reflection of this important historical event !
In this paper, it has been attempted to disentangle, out of the jumble of the three heterogeneous : ‘Vikramādityas' which the tradition of the Jainas presents, at least those two bearers of that title who functioned as the patrons of Siddhasena Divākara. It seems a thankless task to try to say anything new re the third one, the ‘Vikramāditya' kat'exochen, on the basis of the expedients available so far, since, after deducting these two Gupta Vikramādityas, it is only a dreary skeleton what remains of the much discussed ‘Vikramāditya' of the Jainas, alleged contemporary of Kālakācārya and dislodger of the ‘Sāhāņusāhis' whom the latter Ācārya had piloted to Gardabhilla's capital Ujjayinī from far-off 'Sakakula 204 : it is not much more than a name, which, though sanctified by a hoary tradition, no scholarly acumen has been able to bring to life up-to this day! It is just possible that excavations undertaken on the site of ancient Ujjayini may some day perform the miracle : yet who would a priori guarantee even their success 2205
References 1. In some texts, somewhat deviating figures are found : vide
infra. 2. महाकविश्रीकालिदासविरचितं ज्योतिर्विदाभरणम् भावरत्नविरचितसुखबोधिका
HHS4, Published by Nārāyaṇaśarmana ( Bombay, 1908 ).
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