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148
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1890.
the sun; for, his position, at the same time, would be in Punarvasu, No. 7, by all three systems. I should remark here that in P. S. and O.-K. Inscriptions, p. 12, and in Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts, p. 27, note 10, I have given the date of this grant as being "at the time of the sun's commencing his progress to the north," i. e. at the winter solstice; in consequence of then reading dakshinayana-vimukhé, "when the sun is facing away from the dakshinayana." And it happens that, for the winter solstice, as represented by the Makara-Samkranti or entrance of the sun into Capricornus, an almost equally good result is obtainable; though not in any respect a better one. Thus, in the same year, Saka-Samvat 615 current, the Makara-Samkrânti occurred at about 41 gh. 48 p., on Friday, 20th December, A.D. 692; and, in consequence of the lateness of the hour, any rite connected with it would probably be celebrated on the next day, Saturday; on which day there was current the tithi Pausha sukla 8, which commenced at about 56 gh. 2 p. on the Friday, and ended at about 40 palas on the Sunday. But, here again, the nakshatra does not work out correctly; for, at sunrise on the Saturday, 21st December, by all three systems of the nakshatras, the moon, instead of being in Rôhinî, No. 4, was in Rêvatî, No. 27, and the sun would be in Uttarâ-Ashâḍhâ, No. 21. From my examination of the negative, I find that, as originally taken by me (ante, Vol. VI. p. 94), and as given by Mr. Rice in his Mysore Inscriptions, p. 241, note, and as given also in the transcription sent to me by him, the reading undoubtedly is dakshinayan-ábhimukhé; indicating the summer solstice, when the sun was commencing his progress to the south.
There is a slight doubt as regards the regnal year that is mentioned in this inscription; and it is chiefly on this account that I have desired to obtain a sight of the original plates. In the Kanarese transcription sent to me by Mr. Rice, it is given as the eleventh year (ékádase); while in his published translation it is shewn as the twelfth year (dvádase), but with a query attached to it. And in my original notice, as well as in my subsequent references to it, I took it to be the thirteenth year (trayôdaśé). The word stands at the beginning of line 19. The syllables daść are quite distinct; and for this reason, as well as for others, the possibility of the fourteenth year (chaturddaść) is excluded. What stands before them is almost quite illegible in the negative, and is perhaps much damaged in the original. But there is ample space for two aksharas; which seems to exclude the reading dvádasé. On the other hand, the space is not properly sufficient for the trayó of trayôdasé. While, such traces as can be made out, certainly indicate the éká of ékádasé. And this, accordingly, is the reading that I have now adopted. Unfortunately, the point cannot be determined by means of Vinayâditya's other dated records. We now have (1) the Lakshmêshwar inscription (ante, Vol. VII. p. 112), apparently engraved on stone at some later period from an original record on copper, in which the full-moon of Magha, 'Saka-Samvat 608 expired, is stated to be in either the fifth or the seventh current year of his reign; here the reling in the tracing sent to me, seemed to be panchama; but I suggested then that it might perla be saptama; and I think now, that when a proper impression can be obtained, this will be found to be really the case. (2) The Togarchêdu grant (ante, Vol. VI. p. 85 ff.; and Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. XVI. p. 231 ff.), in which the full-moon of Kârttika, Saka-Samvat 611 expired, is unmistakably stated to be in the tenth current year of his reign. (3) A grant from the Karnûl District (ante, Vol. VI. p. 88 ff.) in which the full-moon of Magha, Saka-Samvat 613 expired, is unmistakably stated to be in the eleventh current year of his reign. (4) The present Sorab grant, in which the second Ashâḍha sukla 2, 'Saka-Samvat 614 expired, is indicated as being in, as I take it, the eleventh current year of his reign. And (5) the Harihar grant (ante, Vol. VI. p. 91 ff., and Vol. VII. p. 300 ff.) in which the full-moon of Kirttika, Saka-Samvat 616 expired, is unmistakably stated to be in the fourteenth current year of his reign. These dates point to some day between Ashadha śukla 2 and Karttika sukla 15, 'Saka-Samvat 602 expired, for the accession of Vinayaditya and the commencement of the first current year of his reign. But, whether the current year in the present record is taken to be the eleventh, or the twelfth, or the thirteenth, it is impossible to find an initial day for the regnal years which will satisfy the conditions of all these five dates. And, what is more remarkable, two of them, in which the readings are unmistakable, and in which
