________________
330
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1891.
The English equivalent, therefore, is the 28th April, A. D. 705. This day corresponds to Jyêshtha sukla 1 of Saka-Samvat 628 current. And the result answers to the Assumption that, on the analogy of what has been established under B. and C., Gupta-Samvat 386 began with Chaitra sukla 1 of Saka-Samvat 628 current.
It is to be noted, however, that we have as yet no other dates from Nepal, which can be used for purposes of detailed comparison with the present one. Consequently, if this date is taken by itself, and without any comparison with B. and C., there are the possibilities, (1) that Gapta-Samvat 385 may have commenced, in Nepal, with any day from Jyêshtha Bukla 2 of Saka-Samvat 627 current, up to Jyêshtha sukla 1 of S.-S. 628 current; and (2) that, therefore, the year used in Nepal with the Gupta era may have commenced either with the month Kirttika (or with the month Margasirsha) preceding the Chaitra sukla 1 with which, we are to understand, the year used in Central India commenced. This point is one that cannot be decided, until we obtain further dates from Nepal, with details that can be actually tested by calculation. And in the same way it is impossible to say for certain, at present, whether the purnimánta or the amanta arrangement of the lunar fortnights was used with the era in Nepal. But in A. D. 879 the Gupta era (and with it the Harsha era) was superseded in Nepal by a new era, known as the Newâr era, with Kirttika sukla 1 as the initial day of each year, and with the amanta arrangement of the fortnights (see Prof. Kielhorn's paper on “The Epoch of the Newâr Era," ante, Vol. XVII. p. 246 ff.). And by the statement in the Nepal Varníávali, that "in the time of Jayadêvamalla, who esta"blished the Nêwar era, there came from the South, on Sråvana śukla 7, Saka-Samvat 811, & “certain Nânyadêva, who conquered the whole of Nepál, and introduced the Karnataka "dynasty" (ante, Vol. XIII. p. 414, and loc. cit. p. 74), the years of this new era are connected so closely with the Vikrama era in its southern or Kårttikidi variety, and are contrasted so pointedly with those of the eras which preceded it, that I think it must be admitted that, in all probability, the years of the so-called Gupta era, as used in Nepal also, were Chaitrådi years, with the purnimanta arrangement of the lunar fortnights. III.- THE VALABHI ERA OF KATHIAWAD AND THE
NEIGHBOURING PARTS. In the time of Albêrunt, the era with which we are dealing was known both as the Gupta era, and as the Valabhi era; the reason for this being plainly that, after the cessation of the Early Gupta power in Kathiâwâd and the neighbourhood, the use of the era of the kings of that dynasty was continued for about three hundred years by the Mahárájas and kings of the city of Valabht. The reasons for which I now nominally separate this era from the original Gupta era, with which it is practically identical, will become fully apparent further on.
E.- The Kaira grant of the year 880. The first date in the Valabht ern that can be tested, is contained in a copper-plate grant of Dharagêna IV. of Valabhi, obtained at Kaira in Gujarat.
E. The details (loc. cit. p. 93) are: - The year 330; the second Margasira (=Mirgasîrsha); ühe tithi śukla 2. Here, our only definite guide is the intercalary nature of the month Margadirsha, which is shewn by the record. If the year is applied in exactly uniform accordance with the results obtained under B. and C., this intercalary Margasirsha ought to fall in A. D. 649. In that year, however, there was no intercalary month at all. And Dr. Schram's calculations, as well as those made by Mr. Sh. B. Dikshit, shew that the intercalary month fell in A. D. 848 ; when the intercalated fortnights would receive the name of Mârgasirsha, according to the role for mean intercalation.
Accordingly, the (second) MÁrgaáfrsha of Valabhl-Samvat 330, falling in A. D. 648, was the (Second) Margasirsha of Saka-Samvat 571 corrent. And, if we go back on the analogy of this,
