The Chronological History of Indian Cycle of Sixty Years
Vedveer Arya
According to the traditional Panchangas, the current year i.e. 28th Mar 2017 to 17th Mar 2018 is
the Hevilambi samvatsara, the 31st year of sixty-year cycle. On this auspicious occasion of Nava
Samvatsara, let us survey the chronological history of ancient Indian cycle of sixty-year.
South-Indian origin of the Sixty-year cycle
Entire Vedic literature, Ramayana and Mahabharata have no reference of the Sixty-year cycle. The use of this cycle came into practice around Gupta period in North India. The inscriptions of Gupta era referred to the Jovial year as Maha-Māgha “a atsara , Maha-Karttika Samvatsara etc. The South Indian inscriptions have referred to the cycle of sixty years starting from 5th
century BCE. Evidently, the literary and epigraphic evidence clearly suggests that the concept of Sixty-year cycle based on five revolutions of Jupiter (Jovian years) was originated in South India. Kusumapura was not only the ancient capital of Ashmaka Janapada of South India but also the capital of South Indian astronomy. Vriddharyabhata (Aryabhata I), the junior contemporary of
Parāsara and Aryabhata II, the author of Aryabhatiyam, were the first who referred to the cycle of sixty-year. Unfortunately, the original work of Vriddharyabhata is not available today but
Arya hata III, a later I dia astro o er, o piled Mahārya-“iddha ta i his ords. Most probably, Aryabhata III lived in 4th or 5th century.
Lātadeva, the pupil of Aryabhata II and the author of Surya Siddhanta, gives the method for calculation of the sixty-year cycle starting from the epoch of Kaliyuga (3102 BC). Many later works like Brihatsamhita of Varahamihira, Jyotishatattva, Ratnamala of Sripati, etc. also give the methods of calculation with reference to the epoch of the Saka era.
Aryabhata II indicates the epoch of the sixty-year cycle to be 6774 BCE
Aryabhata II himself mentions that he was born in Prabhava Samvatsara, the first year of 61st
cycle of sixty years. He was born in the first year of fourth yugapada when 60 x 60 = 3600 years including three yugapadas had elapsed. He himself states that three yugapadas had elapsed before Mahabharata war. Evidently, the fourth yugapada commenced before 3162 BCE i.e. the traditional date of Mahabharata war.
Aryabhata II followed a simple cycle of 60 years without any expunged samvatsaras. Traditionally, Prabhava Samvatsara began based on the zodiac position of Jupiter. Varahamihira says Ādya
Dha ishthā sha a hiprapa o Māghe yadā yātyudaya surejyah | Shashtyabda-purvah
pra ha ah sa a a prapadyate hutahitastadā dah || (Brihat Samhita, 8-27). When Jupiter
e ters i to the first Pāda of Dha ishtha Nakshatra i Māgha o th, it marks the beginning of the Prabhava Samvatasara of the Sixty-year cycle.
Jupiter entered into Dhanishtha around 22/23 November 3175 BCE. Therefore, Karttikadi year 3175-3174 BCE and Chaitradi year 3174-3173 BCE was the Prabhava Samvatsara. According to Aryabhata II, 3600 years and three yugapadas elapsed in the year 3175-3174 BCE. Thus, we can conclusively establish that Aryabhata II was born in Prabhava Samvatsara in 3174-3173 BCE and wrote Aryabhatiyam at the age of 23 in 3151 BCE. Since the cycle of 60 year began 3600 years before the birth of Aryabhata II, we can also assume that the first cycle of 60 year began in 6774 BCE.
Thus, the epoch of ancient Indian cycle of 60 years commenced in 6774 BCE and total 146 cycles have been completed in 1986. The present cycle is 147th and the current year is the Hevilambi
samvatsara, the 31st year.
Mahārya-Siddhanta
Aryabhata III records that Parashara and Vriddharyabhata siddhantas were established in the beginning of the Kaliyuga. The Siddhanta of Vriddharyabhata gives the method for calculation of Samvatsaras as Multiply the expired Kali year by 22. Subtract 11 from the product. Divide the result by 1875. To the quotient excluding fractions add the expired Kali year + 27. Divide the sum by 60. The remainder, counted from Prabhava as 1, is the current samvatsara. Since Aryabhata III recompiled Maharya-siddhanta in his words in 4th century, he takes the epoch of Kaliyuga as
3102 BC.
Surya-Siddhanta
the expired Kali year + 27. Divide the sum by 60. The remainder, counted from Prabhava as 1, is the current samvatsara.
Surya-Siddhanta and Maharya-Siddhanta, both consider the 0 year of Kaliyuga (3102 BC) as Vijaya Samvatsara. Evidently, both siddhantas indicate that Prabhava samvatsara commenced in 3127 BCE. Jupiter entered into Dhanishtha around 12/13 January 3127 BCE. Therefore, 3127-3126 BCE was the Prabhava Samvatsara. Both Siddhantas also consider that Nandana, the 26th year was
the expunged samvatsara. Therefore, 3102-3101 BCE was Vijaya Samvatsara, the 27th year.
In Surya-Siddhanta and Maharya-Siddhanta, the Prabhava Samvatsara will be the same. Only expunged samvatsara may vary in the sixty-year cycles. According to Surya Siddhanta, the current year 2017-2018 is Sadharana Samvatsara, the 44th year whereas Maharya Siddhanta indicates
Virodhakrit Samvatsara, the 45th year. But the next year i.e. 2018-2109 will be Paridhavi
Samvatsara in both Siddhantas because Paridhavi the 45th year is the expunged samvatsara in
Surya Siddhan whereas Parabhava the 40th samvatsara is the expunged samvatsara in Maharya
Siddhanta in the current sixty-year cycle.
Varahamihira’s method
Multiply the expired Saka year by 44. Add 8589. Divide the sum by 3750. To the quotient, excluding fractions, add the number of the expired Saka year plus 1. Divide the sum by 60. The remainder, counted from Prabhava as 1, is the current samvatsara. It is similar to Surya Siddhanta. Varahamihira evolved this method for calculation wrt the expired Saka year instead of expired Kali year.
Jyotishatattva’s method
Multiply the current Saka year by 22. Add 4291. Divide the sum by 1875. To the quotient, excluding fractions, add the number of the current Saka year. Divide the sum by 60. The remainder, counted from Prabhava as 1, is the current samvatsara. It is similar to Maharya Siddhanta. Jyotishatattva evolved this method for calculation wrt the current Saka year instead of expired Kali year.
The Conclusion
As discussed above, there are mainly the following three traditions:
1. The sixty-year cycle without any expunged years: The epoch of this tradition is very ancient. Aryabhata II indicates the epoch of 6774 BCE. He also tells us that 3174 BCE was the first year of fourth yugapada and the Prabhava Samvatsara. Interestingly, we are following the same tradition and the current year (2017-2018) is Hevilambi Samvatsara, the 31st year.
2. Surya Siddhanta method with expunged years: Lātade a rote “urya “iddha ta arou d
3100 BCE and established that 3127 BCE was Prabhava Samvatsara, the 1st year and
3102-3101 BCE was Vijaya Samvatsara, the 27th year. Nandana Samvatsara was the 1st
expu ged sa atsara. A ordi g to “urya “iddha ta, the urre t year is “ādhāra a samvatsara, the 44th year. Virodhikrit, the 45th year will be the expunged samvatsara in
the current cycle. Therefore, the next year (2018-1019) will be Paridhavi Samvatsara, the 46th year.
3. Maharya-Siddhanta method with expunged years: According to this Siddhanta, the current year is Virodhikrit samvatsara, the 45th year. Parabhava, the 40th year was the
expunged samvatsara in the current cycle.
