Colophon Date

[Jenni Cover]

Greetings,

 

I am wondering if anyone can help me ascertain if a manuscript colophon date is valid. My knowledge of Indian dates is very limited.

 

The list of the sixty year names I have is Prabhav, Vibhav, Shukla, Paramoda, Prajapati, Angira, Shrimukha, Bhava, Yuva, Dhatu, Ishwar, Bahudanya, Pramathi, Vikrama, Vrisha, Chitrabhanu, Subhanu, Taran, Prartiva, Vyaya, Sarvajit, Sarvadhari, Virodhi, Vikriti, Khara, Nandana, Vijaya, Jaya, Marmath, Durmikha, Hemalambi, Vilambi, Vikari, Sharvar, Plava, Shubakrit, Shobhana, Krodhi, Vishvavasu, Parabhava, Plavanga, Kilaka, Saumya, Sadharana, Virodhikrita, Paridhavi, Pramadi, Ananda, Rakshasa, Nala, Pingala. Kalayukta, Sitdharti, Raudri, Durmati, Dundubhi, Rudhirodgari, Raktakshi, Krodhana, and Akshaya.

 

There are 4 manuscripts where the śaka date given matches the name of the year. These are:

 

śake 1711 saumya nāma saṁvatsare

śake 1731 śuklanāma saṁvatsare

śake 1754 nandananāmasaṁvatsare

śake 1817 manmathasaṁvatsare

 

Another manuscript however, according to my limited knowledge, doesn't match. It is hard to read, so some of the letters may not be correct.

 

śake 1626 vikṛtināmasaṃvatsare akhāṭhamāsesittapakṣedaśamyāyāṁcaṁdravāsare

 

According to my list saumya is number 43, so śake 1626 would be number 18, which is taran, or tārana, (not vikriti). Am I missing something here? 

 

If the year and year-name don't match does that mean that the date is unreliable? (The 6 in 1626 is written differently from the other 6 – which is what made me suspicious in the first place).

 

Thankyou,

Jenni Cover

PhD Student

University of Sydney

Australia