Indian Antiquary Vol 16

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 57

JANUARY, 1887.]
MISCELLANEA.
45
243
266
month Kârttika should consist of 30 days; and Turning, however, to Gen. Cunningham's Table the new-moon day should normally be the 266th XVIII. p. 214, we find that the solar eclipse of A.D. day in the year. Dividing this by 7, the result 1026 occurred on the 12th November which duly is 38 weeks exactly, with no remainder; and satisfies the result obtained from his Tables. consequently the week-day would be a Tuesday, The results here are equally applicable to the reckoning from Wednesday, the initial day of two years. Consequently, the priginal record the year. Then
containing no mention of the name of the week3rd March
day, it is impossible to choose between them, 4th to 31st March ....... 28
and to decide, from them, wheth the real date April ...............
intended is that of the Krôdh a rivatsara, May ...................
viz. Tuesday, the 23rd Novembc A.D. 1025, or June ...... .... ....
that of Saka-Samvat 948, viz. S urday, the 12th July
November, A.D. 1026. The probability, however, August .............
is that the record really refers to the Krülhana September....... ..***
samvatsara. October...........
The result for Saka-Sarvat 948, however, is of
interest, as seeming to shew that the initial day of 1st to 23rd November.. 23
that year did fall on the 22nd March, as given by Gen. Cunningham; not on the 23rd, as given by
Mr. Cowasjee Patell. And we also have the The corresponding English date, accordingly, following details in support of Gen. Cunningham's is the 23rd November A.D. 1025, which, a initial day. Both authorities agree in respect of reference to Gen. Cunningham's Table I. shews, the 3rd March, A. D. 1025, as the initial day of was a Tuesday, as required, the 3rd March of the preceding year, Saka-Samvat 947. In that the same year being a Wednesday. And Gen, year the month Bhadrapada was intercalary. Cunningham's Table XVIII. p. 214, shews that This is, theoretically, a 29-day month; consean eclipse of the sun did occur on that day. quently 30 days have to be added to the subsequent
Again, making the calculation for Saka-Samvat portion of the year, thus raising the normal total 948 (A.D. 1026-27) current, the Kshaya sariwat. number of days from 356 to 384. Of these 384 sara,-Gen. Cunningham's Table XVII. p. 171, days, 304 fell in A. D. 1025; and the remainder, shews that it began on Tuesday, the 22nd March, 80, brings us up to the 21st March, A.D. 1026, as A.D. 1026, whereas Mr. Cowabjee Patell's Table I. the last day of Saka-Samvat 'Therefore p. 138, gives (Wednesday) the 23rd March. This Saka-Sarvat 948 ought, underm al circumyear had no intercalary month. Consequently stances, to commence on the 22 March, A.D. according to the southern reckoning, by Mr. 1026, as given by Gen. Cunningen. And this Cowasjee Patell's Table IV., the month Kârttika is further corroborated by the pot that both should consist of 29 days, and the new-moon day authorities agree again in rest of the 12th should be the 236th day in the year. This gives March, A.D. 1027, as the inities of the next 33 weeks and 5 days over; and thus, adopt- year, Saka-Samvat 949. ing Gen. Cunningham's initial day, and counting
No. 2. from, and inclusive of, Tuesday (the initial day The solar eclipse of Saka-Samvat 948 is menof the year), the week-day would be a Saturday. tioned again in the Bhandup grant of the MahdAnd, proceeding as before, we find that the mandalesvara Chhittaraja, of the family of English date is the 12th November A.D. 1026, the Bulaharas of the Konkan. The date (ante, which was a Saturday, as required. Adopting Vol. V. p. 278, 1. 12ff.) runs--Saka-npipaMr. Cowasjee Patell's initial day, the resulting kAl-Atîta-samvatsara-satêshu navagu ashta-chat. English date would be Sunday, the 13th November. varimsad-adhikeshu Kshaya-samvatsar-Antargata.
very distinctly, that it is the dark fortnight which consiata sometimes of 14 and sometimes of 15 days, because the month is sometimes short and sometimes long. This hint requires some consideration. But, if it is accepted and applied strictly, then, in fixing the arrangement of a theoretical Hindu Luni-solar year in which there is no intercalation of a month, the first day of the bright fort. I night of the month Vaisakha, according to the northern scheme, is really the 30th day in the year; not the 81st, as given in the Tables; and a similar correction of one day has to be made all through the bright fortuight of every 29-day month in the your. Of course we must always bear in mind the difference between solar days
and lunar tithis. A tithi being the 30th division (but not the exact 30th part) of a lunation, there are always 30 tithis in the Hindu month; even though, in adjusting them, by expunction and repetition, to the solar days, only 29 of them may actually appear in the calendar And the first tithi of the bright fortnight of Vaisakha will always be the 31st tithi in the year, whether it happens to fall on the 30th or on the 31st day.
Gen. Cunningham's Tablo IV. and C. Patell's Table II. are intended for this part of the process: but the une of them involves certain inconveniences of addition and subtraction that may easily introduce errors.