History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c7.s5: 4.—The Date of Harsha's Birth.
History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c7.s5
- Language
- English
4.—The Date of Harsha's Birth.
v1.c7.s5.1
The date of the birth of Harsha can be definitely determined from data given by Bāṇa in his Harsha-Charita. Being given by a person, who was himself at the court of Harsha, these data may be looked upon as reliable. At page 183 H. C., we find ततश्च प्राप्ते ज्येष्ठमूलीये मासि बहुलासु बहुलपक्ष-द्वादश्यां व्यतीते प्रदोषसमये समारूक्षति क्षपाद्यौवने सहसैवान्तःपुरे समुदपादि कोलाहलः स्त्रीजनस्य. This shows that Harsha was born in the month of Jyestha, on the 12th of the dark fortnight, when the moon was in the Krittikās, and at the hour when night was entering on her youth (i. e., about 10 p. m.) Astronomical calculations made on the basis of these data, by my friend Professor Apte of the Victoria College, Lashkar, show that the moon was at 10 p. m., in the Kṛttikās on the 12th of Jyestha Vadya Śaka 511 (589 A. D.) as also on the 12th of Jyestha Vadya Śaka 512 (590 A. D.) The latter year seems the more probable of the two, as in the former the Dvādaśī set in after sunrise. If we accept the latter year Harsha was 16 years complete in October 606 A. D. when he ascended the throne of Thanesar and from which date his era is believed to have commenced. The month Jyestha mentioned by Bāṇa must here be taken to be an Amānta month, i. e., month ending with the new moon; which seems somewhat strange as Bāṇa coming from Northern India should have used the northern reckoning with the Pūrṇimānta months ending with the full moon. But the Pūrṇimānta month Jyestha Vadya would be Amānta Vaishākha Vadya 12, on which day neither in 589 nor in 590 A. D. as Professor Apte has found the moon was in the Kṛttikās. There is another point also rather suspicious as neither in 589 nor in 590 A. D. on Jyestha Vadya 12 were all the planets in their Uccha or Ascendant as Bāṇa says they were (See मान्धाता क्लिलेवंधिधे व्यतीपातादिसर्वदोषामिषंगरहिते सर्वैरुच्च स्थानस्थितैर्येवं ग्रहेष्विदशग्मे भेजे जन्म page 184, H. C.). Perhaps this was the exaggeration of the court astrologer or else when Harsha was born his future greatness was not known and only when his subsequent greatness entitled him to a good horoscope was one manufactured for him by the court astrologer. The position of the planets as calculated for Jyestha Vadya 12, 589 and 590 A. D. are as follows, according to Professor Apte's calculations :—
v1.c7.s5.2
Jyestha Vadya 12, 589 A. D. (40 ghati) 10 P. M., Tuesday.
v1.c7.s5.3
| र. | २—२०—२४ | २—१०—५६ |
| चं. | १— ५—४२ | १— १—५४ |
| मं. | १—४ —४१ | ४—१८—३६ |
| बु. | २—१५—५३ | २—१३— ६ |
| गु. | १—२१—२७ | २—१६—१५ |
| शु. | ४— ०—४६ | २—१६—५४ |
| श. | २—१०— ७ | २—१९—३७ |
| रा. | १—१२—४८ | ०—२३—२९ |
| के. | ९—२६—५७ | ९—१६—२० |
v1.c7.s5.4
Jyestha Vadya 12, 590 A, D. (40 ghati) 10 P. M. Sunday.
v1.c7.s5.5
Although from the above, Bāṇa's testimoney regarding the position of the planets is found to be unreliable, his date of birth cannot be so as Harsha's birthday celebrations must have taken place every yoar as emperor's birthdays usually are and there could have been no mistake about it.
v1.c7.s5.6
To find the exact English date and for the purpose of corroboration I myself made calculations from Sewell and Dexit's tables for the years A. D. 588, 589, 590 and 591. I also found that Vaishākha Vadya would not suit as Krittikas and Dvādashī do not fall together in any of these years but they come together on Jyestha Vadya in the years 589 and 590. Particularly in 590 A. D. there is Dvādashī from sunrise and the Tithi lasts for 22 hours and more, Krittikānakshatra beginning at about 4 hours after sunrise. This year, therefore, suits the requirements most correctly and the corresponding English date and day are Sunday 4th June 590 A. D.
Linked texts (1)
- Harṣacarita — Bāṇabhaṭṭa, Sanskrit