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NOVEMBER, 1896.] ON THE DATES OF THE SAKA ERA IN INSCRIPTIONS. 291
Nakshatras, Yogas, Karanas, and Lagnas.
Of these, nakshatras by themselves are quoted in 39 dates. The earliest correct mention of one in an Indian Saka date occurs in the date No. 7 of S. 851 expired (Vol. XXIII. p. 114). Before that year we find nakshatras quoted incorrectly in the two Indian dates45 Nos. 160 and 161 of S. 614 and 735 (Vol. XXIV. p. 9); and nakshatras are also quoted in three earlier dates from Cambodia, in one from Java, and in four dates from spurious Indian inscriptions. Beginning with the date of S. 851 expired, the nakshatras are correctly quoted in 23 dates, while six other dates which mention them either are irregular or do not admit of exact verification.46 Yogas by themselves are quoted in the two dates Nos. 27 and 50 of S. 1121 and 1556 (Vol. XXIII. pp. 117 and 121), and in two other quite incorrect dates. In three out of the four dates the yoga quoted is Vyatipata. Nakshatras and yogas together we have in six dates; nakshatras, yogas and karanas in ten. In the latter, the earliest of which is the date from Java No. 5 of S. 782 expired (Vol. XXIII. p. 114), nearly all the items given by the dates are correct. In the former, which give the nakshatra and yoga only, the items quoted are correct in four dates, the earliest of which is No. 140 of S. 1063 (for 1064 expired, Vol. XXIV. p. 4); in one date, No. 162 of S. 822 (for 824 expired, ibid. p. 9), they are incorrect; and one (quite incorrect) date, No. 166 of S. 169 (ibid. p. 10), is from a spurious inscription.
As regards nakshatras, it may be noticed that dates with solar months from South-Indian inscriptions generally contain some such phrase as on the day of (the nakshatra) Punarvasu,' on the day of (the nakshatra) Krittikâ,' etc. The calculations shew that in these cases, as might be expected, that nakshatra is quoted in which the moon happened to be at sunrise and during a considerable portion of the day, or which she entered shortly after sunrise. It may also be mentioned that in the date No. 51 of S. 1644 (Vol. XXIII. p. 121) the nakshatra Ardra is described as the constellation under which the great reformer Ramanuja was born.47
Among the yogas, Vyatipata and Vaidhriti are generally described as most auspicious occasions for making donations, etc. This is distinctly indicated in the date No. 27 of S. 1121 (Vol. XXIII. p. 117) by the words Brihaspativára-vyatipáta-punya-dinado!-á vyatipáta-nimittam, and in No. 32 of S. 1171 (ibid. p. 118) by Vaidhriti-yogé itthambhúta-punyakálé.
Another item, mentioned in ten of the dates here collected, is the lagna which, denoting the rising on the horizon of a sign of the zodiac, gives us the time of day when the action to which the date refers was performed. The earliest Saka date from a genuine Indian inscription in which the term occurs is No. 62 of S. 867 expired (ibid. p. 123), from an Eastern Chalukya inscription. Before that year, we find it in inscriptions from Cambodia and in the spurious Indian date of S. 169, above referred to.
Eclipses.
The number of eclipses mentioned in the 400 dates here collected is 69. Of these, 34 are solar and 35 lunar eclipses.
Solar eclipses. Of the 34 dates with solar eclipses, one, No. 179 of S. 948 (Vol. XXIV. p. 13), is a date on which a solar eclipse could not take place, and which is
45 The three dates Nos, 160-162 in Vol. XXIV. p. 9 are the earliest Indian Saka dates that quote nakshatras, from inscriptions which are not obviously spurious, and it is a curious fact that in all three the nakshatra, which according to the ordinary rules we should expect to be quoted, is the 5th or 6th after the nakshatra that is actually mentioned.
46 A nakshatra by itself only rarely enables us to verify a date, for the same tithis of the same months ver frequently have the same nakshatras.
47 See Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 6, note 1. Like the tithis, the nakshatras also have their deities. Thus, Anuradha is called the Maitra-nakshatra in the date No. 62 (Vol. XXIII. p. 123), Uttara-phalguni the Aryamarksha in No. 44 (ibid. p. 120), and Magha the nakshatra pitri-daivatya in No. 149 (Vol. XXIV. p. 7).
48 On a peculiar use of the word vyatipáta in Kanarese inscriptions see below.
In the two dates Nos. 65 and 102 of S. 972 and 1136 (Vol. XXIII. pp. 124 and 130) and in two other dates of my lists, not published here, the solar eclipse is denoted by the term surya-parvani.
