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SEPTEMBER, 1888.]
ALBERUNI ON THE GUPTA ERA.
243
ALBERUNI'S STATEMENT REGARDING THE GUPTA ERA.
BY J. F. FLEET, C.I.E., Bo.C.S., M.R.A.S. THE chief difficulty in arriving at a final set- meaning perfectly clear and consistent with 1 tlement of the true period to which we the usual order of things; viz. that the Guptas, should refer the rise and duration of the Early though wicked and inferentially unpopular, yet Gupta power, was, that according to had exercised so powerful a sway that, even M. Reinaud's translation of Albêruni's when their dynasty came to an end, the era, statements (see unte, Vol. XV. page 189), the that had been used by them, still continued to establishment of the so-called Gupta era be used. commemorated the extermination of the So also, somewhat later, Mr. H. C. Kay, Gupta dynasty.
translating the words by “dating was made by As Albêrûni's further statements shewed that (or, according to them," added the following the era,- the commencement of which is now remarks on the interpretation of them :-"The known to have been in A.D. 320,-evidently author's meaning is not clear. But, taking the dated from a point in or very close to A.D. 319, words as they stand, I think they can mos this translation seemed to fix that point of consistently be understood as signifying an time for the termination of the Early Gupta adoption or continuation of the method of datsovereignty. And this is the view that was ing that had been used by the Guptas. The adopted by one class of students of the subject. preceding words when they came to an end'
This rendering of the leading historical item, suggest the possible meaning that the dating however, from the first attracted special atten- ran from that event. But it seems to me that tion; because of the prima-facie improba- this construction can be properly preferred, bility of the fact that an era, specially only if there be something else in the context, named after a certain dynasty, should date or in the known facts of the case, that would from the downfall of that dynasty. And, make it obligatory; or, at least, that clearly from time to time, various attempts were points to it." made to find an explanation for it; and with The essential error in M. Reinaud's transvery conflicting results.
lation,-"the era which bears their name, is the That the true solution was to be found, not epoch of their extermination,"-is due to the in wrong information given to Albêrûnî or in a introduction of the word "epoch,' which does mistake made by him in reporting correct in- not exist in the original text, and the use of formation, but in an erroneous interpretation which gives his translation a fixed obligatory of his meaning, was first indicated to me by meaning that, at any rate, a literal rendering of Mr. Rehatsek, who, in December, 1886, gave the original does not compel us to adopt. me, from M. Reinaud's published text, the And, in proof of this, I am glad to be able following literal rendering of the crucial pass- to publish the following transliteration, with age :-"and (as regards) the Gupta era, it was, interlinear word-for-word rendering and transas is said, & nation wicked (and) strong; and lation, which Prof. William Wright, of Cam. when they perished, dating was made accord- bridge, has been kind enough to give me, from ing to them." Such a rendering as this, Prof. Sachan's published text, of the original would enable us to give to Albêrûni's words of the whole passage in question :
TEXT AND LITERAL RENDERING. Wa-li-dhalika.
'arada
'an-hå Wa-ja'u
STA And for this they have turned away from them and have come to tawârikh Shri-Hrish Wa-Bigarmadita wa-Shaka wa-Bilaba the eras of Sri-Harsha) and (Vikramaditya and [Saka] and Valabhil 1 Similarly, some thirteen years ago, Mr. Blochmann the bracketed words " (the era commenced P)," the use (see the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. XLIII. Part I. page of which shews why Mr. Blochmann, though giving a 388) proposed to translate " regards the Guptakål, translation capable of a totally different meaning. exthey were, as is related, & people wicked and powerful, pressed himself as not able to see any fault in M. and when they were out off it was dated in them (the era Reinaud's translation. commenced P)."--This translation, however, is spoilt by
