Indian Antiquary Vol 18

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

Page 68

56
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(FEBRUARY, 1889.
Again, in Saka-Samvat 790 Current (789 expired), the púrnimánta Jyêshtha krishna 15 ended at about 46 gh. 28 p. on Wednesday, 7th May, A.D. 867; on which date there was no solar eclipse. But the amanta Jyoshtha krishna 15 ended on Friday, 6th June, A.D. 887, at about 2 gk. 48 p.; and on this day there was an eclipse of the sun, which was perhaps visible in the most northern parts of India.
This last result, obtained by applying the given Saka year as an expired year, is the one that was given, on the authority of Prof. Jacobi and Dr. Burgess, by the editors of the inscription. And, on the analogy of the results for No. 22 above, it is in all probability the correct one. But the point to which attention is to be paid, is, that, whichever of these two eclipses is selected, this record proves that, by A.D. 866 or 887, the amanta southorn errangement of the lunar fortnights had been applied to the years of the Saks era in Gujarat.
J. F. FLEET.
Friday and the Saturday. This actual moment would be coupled with the tithi śukla 6, which ended on the Friday, at about 59 gh. 37 p. Bat, owing to the late hour at which it occurred, any rites and ceremonies connected with the sankranti would be performed on the next day; and the tithi ending on that day would be coupled with them. And the given tithi, Åsvayuja sukla 7, did end on the next day, Saturday, 24th September, at about 53 gh, 54 p. This, therefore, is evidently the English equivalent of the given date.
This date is of interest, in giving, as far as I can find, the earliest reliable instance of the use of the Saks era in Gujarat, in & date that affords details for calculation.
No. 23. In the Bagumra copper-plate grant of the Rashtrakata Mahasamantadhipati Dhardvarsha-Dhruvaraja III. of Gujarat, from the Nausari District in the Baroda State, published by Dr. Bübler and Dr. Haltzsch in this Journal, Vol. XII. p. 179 ff., the date (from the published text; Plate ii. b. line 16 f.) is-Sakanpipa-kal-atîta-samvatsara-satêsha saptasu ékOna-navaty-adhikeshy-ankatah 789 Jyêshthamâvâsyâyâmiditya-grahaņa-parvasi, "in seven centuries, increased by ninety less by one, of the years that have gone by from the time of of the Saka king ; (or) in figures, 789 (years); on the new-moon téthi of (the month) Jyêshtha; at the conjunction of an eclipse of the fun." And the charter records the grant of a village by Dhruvarkja III., on this occasion, after bathing in the NarmadA at the Mülasthana-tirtha at Bhrigukachohhs or Broach.
Here a satisfactory result is obtained, whether the given Saka year 789 is taken 88 current or as expired. Thus, in Saka-Samvat 789 current, the půrnimánta Jy@ehtha krishna 15 ended at about 2 ghalis, 2 palas, after mean sunrise (for Bombay), on Saturday, 18th May, A.D. 868; on which date there was no eclipse of the sun. But the amanta Jyoshtha krishna 15 ended on Sunday, 18th Juno, A.D. 806, at about 20 gh. 18 p.; and on this day there was an eclipse of the sun,' visible in India.
THE DATES OF THREE COPPER-PLATE GRANTS OF GOVINDACHANDRA OF KANAUJ.
In the Journ. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. LVI. Part I. pp. 106-123, Dr. Führer bas published, with photolithographs, three new copper-plate grants of Govindachandradeva of Kankuj. That Dr. Führer has adopted, without a word of acknow. ledgment, my translations of the grants of Jayachchandra, published ante, Vol. XV. pp. 6-13, as well as certain suggestions and conjec." tures of mine, is a matter which concerns only himself. Of more general interest are the datet of these grante.
According to Dr. Führer, the grant No. I. " was made on Monday, the full-moon day of the month Margasiraba, in the (Vikrama) year 1180, answering it appears to Monday, the 21st Novem, ber, 1123 A.D."--In reality, (1) the 21st November, A.D. 1123, was a Wednesday; (2) in A.D. 1123, the full-moon day of Märgadirsha was Tuesday, 4th December; (3) Dr. Führer's photolithograph, if it is worth anything, shows that the grant was made in 1187, not in 1180; and (4) Dr. Führer takes no notice whatever of the sariakranti, mentioned apparently in connection with the date.
• Bee a separato note on the spurious Garjars granta of the Saka yaara 400, 416, and 417.
+ Von Oppolser's Canon der Finsternisso, pp. 198,
199, and Plato 99.-This eclipse is also mentioned in the Sirur rooord, see ante, Vol. XVII. p. 149.