________________
FEB. 2, 1872.]
SANSKRIT NUMERALS.
the present one; and we now know the values father and son holding between them the oftice of of the symbols for 10, 20, 40, 80, and 90. The minister to all the kings for 84 years. second figure in Mr. Wathen's plate which resembles Mr. Thomas and Dr. Bhau Daji think the æra used Done of these, must then be 30, 50, 60, or 70, and, in these dates is the Shaka, and we find the words as the las. figure in it cons:sting of two simple Shaka-Kala used in those records of the period strokes clearly represents 2, the most probable date in which the æra is specified; and the name Shakawould be 272-giving a value of 70. the second sym- Dripa-kala and the very existence of such an epoch
ure of 54 years would not be too long for & show that there was a great king from whom it single holder of a hereditary office. The symbol too originated and who belonged to a tribe known 48 bears & sufficient resemblance, making allowance for Shakas. Now from cave inscriptions and coina, the difference of age, to that for 70 in Rudra it appears that Gujarat and a great part of Maharashtra Dama's Girnar inscription, in which the date 72 is were for about three centuries governed by kings calling given in words and figures.*
themselves Kshatrapas-a name of foreign origin, Mr. Wathen's second plate, in the Museum of the and the same as the Persian word Satrap. The Bombay Society, resembles Dr. Burn's No. 4: the earliest known of these is Náhapana, the Kshagrantor in both cases is the same-Shiladitya II., trapa of a king named Kshahar&t&, and another the third king after Dharasena IV. and the date was called Chaghtana-all three names of foreign in botht is the same, viz.
origin, as is also the name s 4 h of the Satrap dynasty of Surashtra. Nahapana, or his sovereign, or whcever conquered this part of the country, and established the dynasty, must have been the Shaka king with whom the
æra originated. And Ushavadata, the son-in-law The first figure is equal to 300, and the second symbol
of Nahapana, is called a Shaka in one of the Nasik has generally been taken for 70-& value just assigned
inscriptions. When the Satraps were superseded by to a different one. Now the minister who prepared
the Valabhis in Surashtra, the same bra must have Shiliditya's deed was Madana Hala, the
continued in use. From what has taken place in later son of Skanda bhata; but there is probably
times, after the Marathas succeeded the Muhammadans no instance in history of a father and son holding
we should also expect to find the Valabhis and the an oftice for 104 years, which period the date 376
Chalukyas using the æra of the Satraps whom they here would place between Dharagena II, and
succeeded-especially when they had no other. Shiliidity & II. ; and the only tens now avail
And if we refer the Valabh i dates to the ara of able for the symbol are 30, 50, and ). Now 30 would
the Shaka king, we arrive at an intelligible starting limit the duration of three reigns to ten years ; 60
point for the Valabh i ara itself, ascertained ly Col. would give too long & period to Skandabhata's son ;
Tod to have commenced in 319 A.D. If the date 272 of but if not, the dates on the Sah coins support the in
the grant of Dharasena II. be referred to the Shakaterpretation of the symbol as 50 rather than 60. For
küla it corresponds to 350 A.D., and shows that he was after Rudra Sah, the 12th in Mr. Newton's list,
reigning in the 31st year of the family wra. Now reigned his two sons Vishva Sinha and Atri
Bhatark and his first sou did not assume the D4 m a, then Vish va S&h the son of Atri Dama,
title of king, but were called Senapatis or com. and, after an interval, Rudra Sah's third son, Asha
manders of forces.' Drona-sinha the second Då ma. One of Rudra Såh's coins is dated 197, one
son ie the first to whom the title of Maharaja of Atri Dama's 214, one of Vishva Sah's 227, and one
is given in Mr. Wathen's first plate, and he is of Asha Dama's a date, the second symbol in which is
spoken of as having been crowned by the only the one under consideration. The value of 30 has been
sovereign of the whole world whoever he may rejected on other grounds ; 50 ranks next in probability,
have been. The independence of the Valabhi kings as 60 would render Asha Dama's reign too long and make
therefore dates from this event. Drona-sinha also him live at least 33 years after his second brother.
must have received the title of Maharaja some years The date on Mr. Wathen's 2nd plate and of Dr. Burn's
after he succeeded his brother; and therefore 31 years thus appears to be 356. The conclusions here drawn
is a sufficiently long period for a portion of the reiga are-that stands for 50, and
of Drona-sinha and the reigns of his two brothora for 70 ; that
and Guhasens. the date of the grant of Dhardsena II. discovered The conclusions then are,--that the date of the by Mr. Wathen is 272; of Dharasena IV, 326; and grant of Dharasena II. discovered by Mr. Wathen is of Shiladitya II. is 356. The interval between Dhard- 272 Shaka, or 350 A.D., that of the present grant is sena II, and Shiladitya II. is thus 84 years, and 326 Shaka, or 404 A.D. and that of those of Shfl. there is no impossibility in the circumstance of a Aditya II. is 356 Shaka or 434 A.D. • Jour, Beng. As. Soc., Vol. VII., p. 384 lith, Jour. Bom. B. B. AA. Soc., Vol. I, p. 149, th. 4; and Vol. VII, P. 118, Itu. + Jour. Beng. As. Soc., Vol. VII., p. 349.
Joar. Bom. B. R. A. Soc., Vol. VII., P. 28. No. 14, Jour. Bom. B. B. A. Soc., Vol. VII., P. 52.
