Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates c21: XVI.—Sri-Harsha Era

Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates c21

Language
English

XVI.—Sri-Harsha Era

c21.1

The *Sri-Harsha-kāl*, or “Era of Sri-Harsha,” is mentioned only by Abu Rihân. Its initial point shows that it was established by the famous king Sri Harsha Vardhana of Kanauj, from the 1st year of his reign. It was used in Mathura and Kanauj, and Abu Rihân gives its initial point from the Almanacs of Kashmir as 664 years posterior to Vikramâditya, or 664—57 = 607 A.D.* I brought to notice some years ago one inscription of Bhoja Deva of Kanauj, which is certainly dated in this era. This inscription is at Prithudaka, or Pehoa, and is dated both in words and in figures in the year 276. Referring this to the era of Sri-Harsha we get 606+276 = 882 A.D.†

c21.2

† See Archæological Survey, X, 101, for other inscriptions of Bhoja Deva ; Gwalior A.D. 876; and Deogarh A.D. 862. The Raja Tarangini also places him between 883 and 901 A.D.

c21.3

But the inscriptions found in Nepâl by Pandit Bhagwân Lâl offer still earlier instances of the use of this era.‡ The earliest of these records, bearing the name of Ansu Varma, are dated in Samvat 34, 39, and 45. Now Ansu Varma was on the throne when the Chinese prilgrim Hwen Thsang visited Nepâl in A.D. 637, which was in the very middle of his reign, as his earliest inscription above quoted is dated in A.D. 640 (606+34) and his latest in A.D. 651, which was near the close of his reign, as an inscription of his successor, Jishnu Gupta, is dated in S. 48, or A.D. 654. Three inscriptions of Siva Deva are dated respectively in S. 119, 143, 145, and one of Jaya Deva in S. 153, or A.D. 759. Now Jaya Deva's mother is said to have been the grand-daughter of the “Great Aditya Sena, the illustrious lord of Magadha,” of whom I have an inscription dated in S. 55, as I read the two figures. This would place Aditya in A.D. 661, or 64 years prior to his grand-daughter, the wife of Siva Deva.

c21.4

∗ Renaud, Fragments Arabes et Persaus, p. 139.

c21.5

‡ Indian Antiquary, Vol. IX, p. 169, et seq.

c21.6

In A.D. 880 the Newâr era was introduced into Nepâl by Râghaba Deva. He is the sixth Prince in the Nepâl list after Jaya Deva; and if Jaya reigned until about 170 of the Harsha era, or A.D. 776, there would remain only 104 years to be divided over the five intervening reigns.

c21.7

None of the inscriptions describe the era by name, but call it simply Samvat. But, from the mention of Ansu Varma as the reigning king of Nepâl by Hwen Thsang, it is quite clear that the dates which I have quoted must belong to the Sri-Harsha era. According to the lists Ansu had one predecessor Siva Deva Varma, who, as he belonged to the old family that had been expelled, was very probably restored by the powerful king of Kanauj, whose era he adopted.

c21.8

There are two copper-plate inscriptions of the family of the Kanauj kings, who reigned from about 750 to 1,000 A.D. The earlier plate is of Mahendra Pâla Deva, the son of Bhoja Deva, whose date I have fixed from several other inscriptions as extending from A.D. 870 to 900. The date of Mahendra’s plate may be read as 315, which, referred to the Sri-Harsha era, would place him in A.D. 921. The later plate is of Sri Vinayaka Pâla Deva, the grandson of Mahendra Pâla. Its date seems to be 386, which would place him in A.D. 992.* Shortly after this, Kanauj was conquered by the Râthors, who introduced the Samvat of Vikramâditya.

c21.9

∗ For the first plate, see Bengal Asiatic Society’s Journal, XXXIII, 321, and for the second plate, see the same Journal, XVII, 71.

Linked texts (2)