Indian Antiquary Vol 20

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

Page 429

DECEMBER, 1891.)
THE VIRANA EBA.
397
EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE VIKRAMA ERA.
BY PROFESSOR F. KIELHORN, C. L. E.; GÖTTINGEN,
(Concluded from page 142.) T TRUST that my lists of dates will show, in a fairly accurate manner, the practice of dating 1 followed in connection with the Vikrama era from the earliest to the most modern times, and that the materials brought together will be regarded a sufficiently full and trustworthy, to warrant their being used in an attempt to answer some of the questions which have been indicated in an earlier part of these notes.
In the following I shall first endeavour to show what conclusions are suggested by the dates, regarding the questions of current and expired years, of northern and sonthern years, and of the purriminta and amunta schemes of the lunar months. I shall then indicate in what part of India we find the Vikrama era first employed, and where and by which dynasties it was used during the millennium suoceeding the earliest known date. I shall examine and try to account for the names under which the era has been known at varions times. And I shall conclude these notes with some matters of detail which either concern the Vikrama era only or have reference to the practice of dating generally. Current and Expired Years; Northern and Southern Years; Parnimanta and
Amante Schemes, As any conclusions under these heads should, in the first instance, be drawn only from regular dates, I would here summarize the results of my calculations of the 150 dates, the details of which have been given ante, Vol. XIX. pp. 22-40 and 166-187, as follows: Total number of dates examined : 150.
A.-Dates in bright fortnights. Number of dates : 80 (from V. 898 to V. 1874).
1.---Dates in the months Karttika to Phalguna. Number of dates: 26 (from V. 1016 to V. 1729).
Results: (a).--Dates in current years: 2 (V. 1304 and V. 1397); i.e. 7.7 % (b).-Dates in expired years: 24 (V. 1016 to V. 1729); 1.e. 92.3 %
2.-Dates in the months Chaitra to Åbvina. Number of dates : 54 (from V. 898 to V. 1874).
Results: (a).-Dates in northern current years: 3 (V. 1311, 1380, and 1587); i.e. 5.6°/ (b).-Dates in north. exp. (or south. curr.) years: 27 (V. 919 to V. 1874); i.e. 50°/.. ©).-Dates in southern expired years: 23 (V. 898 to V. 1746); i.e. 42.6°. (d).-Uncertain, but probably in south. exp. year: 1 (V. 1200); 1.e. 1.8°%.
B.-Dates in dark fortnights. Number of dates : 70 (from V. 960 to V. 1877).
1.-Dates in the months Karttika to Phalguna. Namber of dates: 27 (from V. 1043 to V. 1875).
Results: (a).-Dates in current years: 2 (V. 1209 and V. 1296); vie. 7.4 %
(půrņimanta: 2; amânta : 0.]