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DECEMBER, 1888.)
SUMMARY OF RESULTS FOR THE GUPTA ERA.
859
SUMMARY OF RESULTS REGARDING THE EPOCH AND ORIGIN
OF THE GUPTA ERA.
BY J. F. FLEET, Bo.C.S., M.R.A.S. C.I.E. W HILE treating more fully and systemati- of placing the period of the Early Gupta
cally of the question of the so-called supremacy anterior to A.D. 319, and the terGupta era in my Introduction to “The Gupta mination of it in that year. And the most that
nscriptions," Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, can be said against it, is, that it is the literal Vol. III., I have given from time to time por rendering of an ambiguous original, the real tions of the discussion, and the results of the meaning of which must be determined by calculations of the dates, in this Journal. And extraneous considerations. for this reason, as also because many readers of | The Mandasor inscription of Mâlavathis Journal, who are interested in the subject, Samvat 529 expired shews that we must look will possibly not be in possession of the volume to somewhere about A.D. 319 for the startingof inscriptions, it seems desirable to give here point of the era in which are recorded the the concise statement of the final results dynastic dates of Kumâragupta and the arrived at by me.
other kings of the Early Gupta dynasty (see
the accompanying genealogical Table), and The Epoch of the Era.
any others that are to be referred to the same Albérant tells us that there was an era,
uniform series with them. known both as the Gupta era and the Valabhi The dates in the records of the Early Guptas era, the years of which were to be converted
themselves, as far as the time of Skandagupta, into years of the Saka era by adding, accord
do not afford details for computation. But, ing to his most explicit statement, two
clearly belonging to the same uniform series of hundred and forty-one years to the Gupta
years, is the date contained in the Eran pillar Valabhi dates. This fixes the starting point
inscription of Budhagupta. And, converting of the era, approximately, as having occurred this date into a Saka date, in the manner indiwhen Saka-Samvat 241 had expired, and, by cated by Albêrûnî, we have found that, the the epoch of the well-known Saka era, when
resulting Saka year being taken as an expired
resulting Saks vear being taken A.D. 319-20 was carrent; leaving only the year, the details work out quite correctly. 6 determination of the exact epoch by the calcu- Sach dates, also, are those contained in the lation of recorded dates. And, as regards a records of the Parivrajaka Maharajas; special point in his statements, of extreme im- which, moreover, include a specific declaration portance, with the help of Prof. Wright, we have
that the Gupta sovereignty was then still connow obtained a translation which,-if it does tinuing. And, calculating them in precisely not actually mean only that the Early Gupta the manner that is indicated by the results for kings had exercised so powerful a sway that, the date in the Eran pillar inscription, we heve even when their dynasty came to an end, the obtained equally correct and uniform results. era that had been used by them still continued Also, the latest of these records, the Khôh in use, - is yet fully capable of that interpreta- grant of the Mahárája Samkshobha, Corp. Inscr. tion. At any rate, this translation frees us Indic. Vol. III. No. 25, page 112, shews that from the obligation under which we lay, by the Gupta sovereignty continued for at least reason of M. Reinand's rendering of the same two hundred and nine years. And this fact is passage, of connecting the establishment of an amply sufficient to explain why, whatever era with the extermination of the dynasty, and may have been its historical origin, - the era
See page 243 ff. above. ? See page 205 ff. above. S ante, Vol. XV. page 191 ff.
• In this Table, below the unbroken succession, I insert the names of Budhagapta and Bhinugupta because there is at least a strong possibility that they were descended from the same stock, though their connection with each other, and with Skandagupta, has not as yet been made clear; and because the date of
Budhagupta, at least, has always been secepted as bear. ing on the chronological question. For the birudas or second names given in brackets under the names of Chandragupta I. and Samudragupta, and for a few other points, I must refer to my remarks in Corp. Inacr. Indic. Vol. III. Introduction, page 18. 5 ante, Vol. XVI. page 151 f.
Page 331 ff. above.
