The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c14.5.3

v1.c14.5.3

Sylvain Lévi has pointed out that the Nepalese usage still gives the name Kirāta to the country between the Dudh-Kosi, and the Arun, and that there is evidence that the Kirātas once occupied a much more extensive area in Nepal.¹ The passing away of the Kirātas and the reign of the Somavaṁśīs probably marks the definite entry of Nepal into the domain of precise historical tradition. Paśuprekṣa of this dynasty is credited by all the Vaṁśāvalīs, with having introduced the Hindu social system into the Valley. According to Prof. Lévi, the Nepal era, which in his opinion starts from 110 A.D., probably marks the date of the expulsion of the Kirātas from Nepal.² With the rule of next dynasty, the Sūryavaṁśī, Licchavis, we are first introduced to dated epigraphic records. The inscriptions, from the Chāṅgu-Nārāyaṇa pillar inscription of Mānadeva to the Khopasi inscription of Śivadeva, are dated in the years 386 to 520 of an unknown era.³ There has been considerable difference of opinion amongst scholars about the epoch of this era. As early as 1884 Bhagwanlal Indraji suggested the reference of the dates used by the Licchavi Mānadeva to the *Vikrama* era (58 B.C.),⁴ while Fleet in the next year referred them to the *Gupta* era (319-20 A.D.).⁵ The latest theory is that of Prof. Sylvain Lévi, who finds the astronomical data contained in the Kisipiḍi inscription of *Saṁvat* 449 in perfect agreement only with 482 *Śaka* current. Thus according to him the era starts from 110 A.D.