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THE CHRONOLOGICAL SYSTEMS OF GUJARAT
through Siddharasa and become Siddharāja.47 Perhaps the king started his era by freeing only the newly conquered territory of Sorath and hence its use was confined to that Mandala of his empire.
The name “Simha' applied to the new era would obviously be taken as the significant name-ending of 'Jayasimha'.
(iii) The Siddha-Hema-Kumāra Era · The Sanskrit Dvyāśraya Kavya by Acārya Hemacandra ends with a hint that King Kumārapāla would start an era of his own.48 We come across no dates given in an era named Kumārapāla Samvat, but there occur two references to Siddha-Hema-Kumāra Samvat, which may probably be the same as the era started by Kumārapāla. One reference to Siddha-Hema-Kumāra Saṁvat is made by Hemacandra as an example of a samvat (era) in his commentary on Abhidhānacintāmaņi.49 The date given in an image inscription on Mount Satrñjaya dated year 4 of Siddha-Hema-Kumāra Samvat50 supplies a concrete example of a date given in this era. These two references testify that an era of this name was certainly in vogue during the time of Hemacandra and Kumārapāla.
47. Dvyāśraya, XV, 50; Vadnanar Praśasti of the time of Kumāra
pāla, V.S. 1208 (El., Vol. I, pp. 293 ff. ) 48, Kşmāpsnyikaraṇāt-pravartaya Nijam Samvatsaram ca. (XX. 102) 49. Saṁvad-Varşe.. yathā Vikrama samvat, Siddha-Hema Kumāra
samvad-iti (vi. 171). 50. Punyavijayajī, "Siddha-Hema-Kumāra Samvat', Jain Satya
Prakāsh, year 8, Vol. IX, rp. 259 ff.
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