A number of ancient and medieval inscriptions used the Vikram Samvat. Although it was reportedly named after the legendary king
Vikramaditya (
Chandragupta 2), the term "Vikrama Samvat" does not appear in the historical record before the 9th century; the same calendar system is found with other names, such as Krita and Malava. In colonial scholarship, the era was believed to be based on the commemoration of King Vikramaditya expelling the
Sakas from
Ujjain. However, later epigraphical evidence and scholarship suggest that this theory has no historical basis. During the 9th century, epigraphical artwork began using Vikram Samvat (suggesting that the Hindu calendar era in use became popular as Vikram Samvat);
Buddhist and Jain epigraphy continued to use an era based on the Buddha or the
Mahavira.
Kalakacharya Kathanaka and the origin ,
Mumbai) According to popular tradition, King
Vikramaditya of
Ujjain established the Vikrama Samvat era after defeating the
Śakas.
Kalakacharya Kathanaka (
An account of the monk Kalakacharya), by the
Jain sage Mahesarasuri, gives the following account: Gandharvasena, the then-powerful king of Ujjain, abducted a nun called Sarasvati, who was the sister of the monk. The enraged monk sought the help of the Śaka ruler, King Sahi in
Sistan. Despite heavy odds but aided by miracles, the Śaka king defeated Gandharvasena and made him a captive. Sarasvati was repatriated, although Gandharvasena himself was forgiven. The defeated king retired to the forest, where he was killed by a tiger. His son, Vikramaditya, being brought up in the forest, had to rule from
Pratishthana (modern Paithan in
Maharashtra). Later on, Vikramaditya invaded Ujjain and drove away the Śakas. To commemorate this event, he started a new era called the "Vikrama era". The Ujjain calendar started around 58–56 BCE, and the subsequent Shaka-era calendar was started in 78 CE at Pratishthana.
Origins and historical development The association of the era beginning in 57 BCE with Vikramaditya is not found in any source before the 9th century CE; earlier sources call the era "Kṛṭa" (343 and 371 CE), "Kritaa" (404), "the era of the
Malava tribe" (424), or simply "Samvat". A number of authors believe that the Vikram Samvat was not started by Vikramaditya, who might be a legendary king or a title adopted by a later king who renamed the era after himself.
V. A. Smith and
D. R. Bhandarkar believed that
Chandragupta II adopted the title of Vikramaditya, and changed the era's name to "Vikrama Samvat". According to
Rudolf Hoernlé, the king responsible for this change was
Yashodharman. Hoernlé believed that he conquered Kashmir and is the "Harsha Vikramaditya" mentioned in
Kalhana's
Rajatarangini. The theory was discredited by Falk and Bennett, who place the inception of the Azes era in 47–46 BCE. == Usage and regional significance ==