Significance of Shaka year
The Shaka year is a specific calendar system referenced in the Bitragunta grant, integral for historical records and time reckoning in Ayurveda. It serves to measure the degrees of precession by subtracting 445 from the current Shaka year and dividing by 60. Notably, the Shaka year 1550 marks the beginning of Jagatsimha's reign, equivalent to 1628 CE, and is essential for determining elapsed years since that reign. Additionally, the accurate reading of the Shaka year is identified as 1571 in the text.
The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.
Hindu concept of 'Shaka year'
The Shaka year in Hinduism is a calendar system noted in the Bitragunta grant, utilized for tracking time and historical events, emphasizing its significance in historical record-keeping within the Hindu context.
From: Hayanaratna: The Jewel of Annual Astrology
(1) This refers to a specific year within the Shaka calendar, utilized for astronomical calculations, serving as a fundamental unit for measuring the passage of time.[1] (2) This is a system of dating mentioned in the Hayanaratna, which is used to determine the date of completion of the book, and it is calculated through a mathematical riddle.[2] (3) The Shaka year serves as another reference point when determining the beginning of the year, playing a role in the process of creating an annual horoscope, alongside other measurements.[3] (4) The text provides a table with the Shaka year (shakanka) as a reference point, which is used in conjunction with other values, such as the ruler of the year and the remaining Shaka years, for calculations.[4] (5) A specific year that is used in calculations, and when subtracted from another Shaka year, yields elapsed years, which are used in various astrological computations, and is also used in birth year calculations.[5]
The concept of Shaka year in local and regional sources
The Shaka year is a time reckoning system indicating significant historical events, such as the start of Jagatsimha’s reign in 1550 Shaka (1628 CE), and is also used to measure precession and date calculations like the Hayana ratna.
From: History of Science in South Asia
(1) This is the year of interest for calculation, and it is used in the process of determining the Kali year number.[6] (2) The Shaka year is a system of time reckoning, and the text mentions Shaka year 1550 (purnabanavishayendu) as the beginning of Jagatsimha's reign, which is equivalent to 1628 CE, and it is used to determine the number of years elapsed since the beginning of the reign of Jagatsimha.[7] (3) The Shaka year is used to calculate the date of the Hayana ratna, and the provided text discusses the correct reading of the Shaka year, which is 1571, according to the provided text.[8] (4) The Shaka year is used to determine the degrees of precession, where 445 is subtracted from the current Shaka year and divided by 60 to find the degrees of precession.[9]