Thread by @Jainismrevival

As we enter the year Veer Nirvan Samvant 2548, wishing u all a #HappyNewYear! 💐

"Nutan Varsh Abhinandan"

We have heard of Vikram Samvat, Saka era, but how many #Indians know of one of the oldest calender system called Vir/Veer Nirvan Samvat?

Vir Nirvan Samvat is a calendar era beginning on 7th Oct 527 BCE. It commemorates Nirvan of Mahavir swami, the 24th #Jain Tirthankar. It is one of the oldest system of chronological reckoning which is still used by #Jains. On 21st Oct 1974, 2500th Nirvan Mahotsav was celebrated.

The earliest text to mention 527 BCE as the year of Lord Vardhaman Mahaveer's Nirvan is Yati Vrishabha's 'Tiloya Pannatti' (6th century CE). The relationship between the Veer & Saka era is given in 'Titthogali Painnaya' and 'Dhavalaa' by Acharya Virasena.

Acharya Jinasena's Harivamśa (783 CE) mentions Veer Nirvan Samvat & gives the difference between Saka era (beginning in 78 AD) as 603 years, 5 mths & 10 days.

पंच य मासा पंच य वास छच्चेव होन्ति वाससया | परिणिव्वुअस्स अरिहितो तो उप्पन्नो सगो राया ||

Jain Panchāng is lunisolar just like the traditional Vikram or Saka calendars. Months are based on position of the Moon with respect to Earth, & it is adjusted by adding an extra month (adhik maas) once every 3 years, to coincide with the Sun to bring month in phase with Season.

The day is known as Tithi, a Paksha is a lunar fortnight consisting of 15 tithis, the month indicates the approximate season of the solar year.

Hebrew, Hindu lunar, Buddhist & Tibetan calendars are all lunisolar & so were the Japanese & Chinese calendars until 18-19th century.

JAIN CALENDER 2021:

Kartak कारर्तक् Oct-Nov
Magsar माग्सर् Nov-Dec
Posh पोश् Dec-Jan
Maha महा Jan-Feb
Phaagan फ़ागन् Feb-Mar
Chaitra चैत्र Mar-Apr
Vaishakh वैशख् Apr-May
Jeth जेथ् May-June
Ashadh आषाढ़ June-July
Shravan श्रावण July-Aug
Bhadarvo भदर्वो Aug-Sep
Aso आसो Sep-Oct

The day after Mahaveer's Nirvan a new era began called 'Vir Nirvan Samvat' in short - Vir Samvat. It is different from Vikram Samvat or Saka era. Many celebrate the New year even today based on this dating. Barli inscription has the earliest mention of the Nirvan of Mahavir swami

According to historian G.H. Ojha, who discovered the Barli inscription in 1912 CE, the inscription contains the line 'Viraya Bhagavate chaturasiti vase', which can be interpreted as "Dedicated to Lord Vir in his 84th year". Vir/Veer is one of the epithets of Mahaveer

Based on this reading, Ojha concluded that the record was inscribed in 443 BCE means 84 Years after the Nirvan of Tirthankar Mahavir. On Paleographic grounds, the inscription can be assigned to the 2nd-1st century BCE, Shunga period.

Veer Samvat 2548 corresponds to Vikram Samvat 2078. It is obtained by adding 470 years to the Kartikadi Vikram samvat. The new Chaitradiadi Vikram samvat (common in North India) starts 7 months earlier in Chaitra, thus during Chaitra-Kartika Krishna, the difference is 469 years.

The earliest mention of the Vikram Samvat era comes from the Barnala inscription of King Jaikadeva. The origin of Vikram Samvat is not clearly established, though it is accredited to the story of a Parmar King Vikramaditya of Ujjain.

In #India the reformulated Saka calendar is officially used (except for computing dates of the traditional festivals). A call has been made for the Vikram Samvat to replace the Saka calendar as India's official calendar. Ideally India should adapt the Veer Nirvan Samvat era. 🙏🏼