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152
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1891.
13th August, A. D. 1669, when the 12th tithi of the dark half ended 5 h. 15 m. after mean sunrise.
5. - The Deccan College Sârada MS. of the Kúsika-Vritti is dated
Sri-nfipa-Vikramaditya-rajyasya gat-abdâh 1717 sri-Saptarshi-mate samvat 36 Pau [va]ti 3 Ravau Tishya-nakshatre.
Here a Saptarshi year 36 is put down as equivalent to an expired Vikrama year (36 + 81 = 117 =) 17; and the corresponding date, for Vikrama 1717 expired and the půrnimánta Pausha, is Sunday, the 9th December, A.D. 1660, when the third tithi of the dark half ended 16 h. 52 m., and the nakshatra was Tishya up to 17 h. 44 m. after mean sunrise.
6. - The Chambå stone inscription, mentioned in Archæol. Surv. of India, Vol. XXI. p. 136, bears the date
Sriman-nfipati-Vikramaditya-samvatsare 1717 Bri-Salivahana-wake 1582 sri-Sastrasamvatsaré 36 Vaišasha(kha)-vadi trayôdaśyam Vu(bu)dha-vasard | Moshe=rka-samkr[4]ntau ...
The Saptarshi year (which in this date and in the dates under 8, below, is described as the Sastra-year) 36 is here put down as equivalent to a Vikrama year (36 + 81 = 117 =) 17, and to a Saka year (36 + 46 =) 82. And the corresponding date, for the expired northern Vikrama year 1717, or the expired 'Saka year 1582, and the purnimanta Vaisakha, is Wednesday, the 28th March, A. D. 1660, when the 13th tithi of the dark half ended 21 h. 37 m., and the Mosha-samkranti took place 13 h. 1 m. after mean sunrise.
7.- According to a communication received from Professor Bühler, the Sârada MS. of the Karmakanda (or Richaka) of the Vienna Library is dated -
Sri-Vikramadistya)-BA[ka]h 1732 brimach-Chhalivahana-bakah 1597 srimad-Aurangabaha-Akah14 18 sri-Saptarshi chara-matana Samvat 51 Vai suti 10 Sanau.
Here a Saptarshi year 51 is put down as equivalent to a Vikrama year (51 +81 = 132 =) 32, and to a Saka year (51 + 46 =) 97; and the corresponding date, for the expired northern Vikrama year 1732, or the expired Saka year 1597, is Saturday, the 24th April, A. D. 1675, when the 10th tithi of the bright half ended 21 h. after mean sunrise.
8. In connection with the preceding dates I may be permitted to give here also the dates contained in the Chambê copper-plate inscription which is mentioned in Archaol. Suru. of India, Vol. XXI, pp. 136 and 137, and of which Sir A. Cunningham's rubbings have been sent to me by Mr. Fleet. In that inscription we read :
(L. 1)... Brimad-VikramA[rka)-samvatsare 191[5] kri-Sastra-samvatsard 34; (L. 7)... Srimad-Vikramaditya-samvatsard 1917 Sastra-samvatsare 36; (L. 8)... Vikramaditya-samvat 1915 sri-Sastra-sanhvat 34; (L. 18)... Vikramaditya-samvat 1917 Sastra-samvat 36.
These dates, of course, do not admit of verification, but, disregarding the hundreds, the difference between the Saptarshi years and the corresponding Vikrama years is again, what we have found it to be elsewhere, 81.
In the case of Saptarshi dates, from which the corresponding years of other eras as well as the hundreds of the Saptarshi years have been omitted,.extraneots circumstances may sometimes enable us to calculate the proper European equivalents with certainty; in the absence of such circumstances to guide us, we must rest satisfied with a greater or less degree of probability. This may be seen from the two following dates :
14 Aurangalb caused himselt to be proclaimed emperor on the 20th August, A. D. 1658. See Elphinstone's History of India, ed. Cowell, p. 599.
