Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates c18.1

c18.1

The *Gupta-kâl*, or Gupta era, is not mentioned by any native writer, although it is found in several ancient inscriptions, as well as on the coins of the Gupta kings. It is however noticed by Abu Rihân, who makes the singular mistake of dating it from the epoch of their extermination, and of confounding it with the era of Balabhi. Now the initial point of the Balabhi era is known absolutely from Colonel Tod’s inscription, which makes the year 1 = 319 A.D., which is precisely the same date that is assigned to it by Abu Rihân, who says, that it is posterior to Sâka by 241 years, or 241 + 78 = 319 A.D. But as he goes on to say “Apparemment Ballaba suivit immediatement les Guptas,” it is clear that the Guptas must have reigned before A.D. 319.