[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Indian Chronology (Solar, Lunar and Planetary): A Practical Guide to the Interpretation and Verification of Tithis, Nakshatras, Horoscopes and other Indian Time-records, B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911) › c19 # Indian Chronology (Solar, Lunar and Planetary): A Practical Guide to the Interpretation and Verification of Tithis, Nakshatras, Horoscopes and other Indian Time-records, B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000 c19: Chapter XIV. The Varttamana, Purnimanta and Karttikadi Systems of Citation Indian Chronology (Solar, Lunar and Planetary): A Practical Guide to the Interpretation and Verification of Tithis, Nakshatras, Horoscopes and other Indian Time-records, B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000 c19 - **Language:** English ### Chapter XIV. The Varttamana, Purnimanta and Karttikadi Systems of Citation ### [c19.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.2) 107. The ordinary or normal mode of citing an Indian date is by means of \*gata\* or 'expired' years (already explained, sec. 5 supra), \*amanta\* months (or months beginning with the first \*tithi\* after new moon or \*amâvâsyâ\*), and \*Chaitrâdi\* years (or lunar years beginning with \*Chaitra\*). The lunar year can begin with \*Chaitra\* only when the solar year begins with \*Mesha Sankrânti\*. Therefore a reckoning by \*Chaitrâdi\* lunar years is the same as reckoning by \*Meshâdi\* Solar Years. ### [c19.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.3) 108. Exceptional modes of citation, used at certain epochs of history, or still used in certain parts of India, are:— ### [c19.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.4) \*Varttamâna\*, or current years, opposed to \*gata\* (expired); \*Pûrnimânta\* months, beginning with the tithi after full moon; and \*Kârttikâdi\* lunar years (or "southern" years) beginning with the lunar month \*Kârttika\*. ### [c19.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.5) 109. In the \*Pûrnimânta\* system, each month beginning with a full moon is named after the next \*amânta\* month, but takes the dark fortnight preceding each new moon. It is to this system that we owe the name \*paksha\*, lit. a wing, the dark and bright fortnights being the wings on either side of a new moon. ### [c19.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.6) 110. In the \*Kârttikâdi\* lunar year system, the year beginning with lunar \*Kârttika\* takes the number of the \*Meshâdi\* solar year then running, and has in common with it the five months, Lunar \*Kârttika\* to Lunar \*Phâlguna\*. ### [c19.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.7) \*Canons.\* ### [c19.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.8) I. A dark fortnight in \*nth\* \*Amânta\* month is in (\*n\* + 1)th \*Pûrnimânta\* month. II. Any month or \*tithi\* in \*N\*th year, expired, is in (\*N\* + 1)th year current. III. Any of the months named in the margin in \*N\*th year \*Chaitrâdi\*, expired, is ascribed to the (a) (\*N\*−1)th year \*Kârttikâdi\*, expired, or to (b) \*N\*th year, \*Kârttikâdi\*, current. ### [c19.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.9) \*N.B.\*—Conversely, any of the above months in \*nth\* year \*Kârttikâdi\*, expired, is ascribed to (\*n\*+1)th year \*Chaitrâdi\*, expired. ### [c19.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.10) For clearness' sake, we will present these three rules under three aspects, one of which, when we are in doubt, every problem before us must assume. ### [c19.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.11) \*First Aspect.\*—If we have before us a dark fortnight or \*bahula\* tithi of the \*n\*th month in the \*N\*th year, known to be an expired year, but do not know whether the system is \*amānta\* or \*pūrṇimānta\*, we must search for the tithi both in the \*n\*th and the (\*n\*−1)th month in our ordinary (\*Amānta\*) tables. ### [c19.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.12) \*Second Aspect.\*—If we have before us a dark fortnight or \*bahula\* tithi of the \*n\*th month in the \*N\*th year, and do not know whether the month is \*amānta\* or \*pūrṇimānta\*, nor whether the year is expired or current, we must, in using our tables, look for the tithi— ### [c19.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.13) (1) in the \*n\*th month, \*N\*th year, expired ; (2) in the (\*n\*−1)th month, \*N\*th year, expired ; (3) in the \*n\*th month, (\*N\*−1)th year, expired ; and (4) in the (\*n\*−1)th month, (\*N\*−1)th year, expired. ### [c19.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.14) \*Third Aspect.\*—If we have before us a dark fortnight or \*bahula\* tithi of the \*n\*th month (from Chaitra to Āśvina, inclusive) in the \*N\*th year and do not know whether the month is \*amānta\* or \*pūrṇimānta\*, nor whether the year is expired or current, \*Chaitrādi\* or \*Kārttikādi\*, we must, in using our tables, look for the tithi— ### [c19.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.15) (1) in the \*n\*th month, \*N\*th year, expired ; (2) in the (\*n\*−1)th month, \*N\*th year, expired ; (3) in the \*n\*th month, (\*N\*−1)th year, expired ; (4) in the (\*n\*−1)th month, (\*N\*−1)th year, expired ; (5) in the \*n\*th month (\*N\* + 1)th year, expired ; and (6) in the (\*n\*−1)th month (\*N\* + 1)th year, expired. ### [c19.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.16) \*N.B.\*—For bright fortnight or \*Sukla\* dates in any month, no search need be made in any case in the (\*n\*−1)th month ; and whether for bright or dark fortnight dates in the months of Karttika to Phalguna inclusive, no search need be made in any case in (\*N\* + 1)th year, expired. ### [c19.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.17) Readers who prefer Professor Kielhorn's mode of stating the same rules will find it in \*Ind. Antiq.\*, Vol. XIX, p. 22 or at p. 406 of \*Ep. Ind.\*, Vol. I. Any rules must be somewhat perplexing at first sight and should be carefully reasoned out by those interested in such investigations. ### [c19.18](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.18) \*\*111.\*\* The Lunar year beginning with lunar Chaitra of any solar year \*n\* is itself (\*n\* + 1). Thus, Chaitra 1265 may mean:— ### [c19.19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.19) (a) Lunar Chaitra at the end of current solar 1264, \*i.e.\*, at the end of expired solar 1263. ### [c19.20](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.20) (b) Do. do. do. expired solar 1264 and before the beginning of solar 1265 (expired) ### [c19.21](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.21) (c) Do. do. do. do. do. 1265 and do. 1266 do. ### [c19.22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19.22) This ambiguity is independent of the difference between Chaitrādi and Kārttikādi systems, and is peculiar to the lunar month Chaitra. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.pillai-1911.c19) · Pramāṇa