Samvatsara

Samvatsara

Samvatsara (संवत्सर) is a Sanskrit term for a “year” in Vedic literature such as the Rigveda and other ancient texts. It can be referred as “Jovian year”, as the time Brihaspati (Jupiter) takes to transit from one constellation to the next relative to its mean motion.

It is different from the Solar Year or Varsh which is based on the relative position of Earth and Sun.There are 60 samvatsara mentioned in the historic Indian calendars, and these are called Brihaspati samvatsara chakra.

These are not numbered but each has been given a name. Once all 60 samvatsaras are over, the cycle starts over again.

The ancient text Surya Siddhanta calculates the Jovian year to be about 361.026721 days or about 4.232 days shorter than the Earth-based solar year. This difference requires that about once every 85 solars years (~ 86 jovian years), one of the named samvatsara is expunged (skipped as a shadow year), to synchronize the two calendars.

Names of Samvatsars

Samvatsaras
Number	Name	Name	Vikram Samvat	Current cycle
				(Gregorian)
1.	Prabhava	प्रभव	2044	1987-1988 CE
2.	Vibhava	विभव	2045	1988-1989 CE
3.	Śukla	शुक्ल	2046	1989-1990 CE
4.	Pramodadūta	प्रमोद	2047	1990-1991 CE
5.	Prajāpati	प्रजापति	2048	1991-1992 CE
6.	Āṅgīrasa	अंगिरस	2049	1992-1993 CE
7.	Śrīmukha	श्रीमुख	2050	1993-1994 CE
8.	Bhāva	भाव	2051	1994-1995 CE
9.	Yuva	युव	2052	1995-1996 CE
10	Dhātṛu	धाता	2053	1996-1997 CE
11	Īśvara	ईश्वर	2054	1997-1998 CE
12	Bahudhānya	बहुधान्य	2055	1998-1999 CE
13	Pramāthi	प्रमाथी	2056	1999-2000 CE
14	Vikrama	विक्रम	2057	2000-2001 CE
15	Vṛushaprajā	वृषप्रजा	2058	2001-2002 CE
16	Chitrabhānu	चित्रभानु	2059	2002-2003 CE
17	Svabhānu	स्वभानु	2060	2003-2004 CE
18	Tāraṇa	तारण	2061	2004-2005 CE
19	Pārthiva	पार्थिव	2062	2005-2006 CE
20	Vyaya	अव्यय	2063	2006-2007 CE
21	Sarvajit	सर्वजीत	2064	2007-2008 CE
22	Sarvadhāri	सर्वधारी	2065	2008-2009 CE
23	Virodhi	विरोधी	2066	2009-2010 CE
24	Vikṛti	विकृति	2067	2010-2011 CE
25	Khara	खर	2068	2011-2012 CE
26	Nandana	नंदन	2069	2012-2013 CE
27	Vijaya	विजय	2070	2013-2014 CE
28	Jaya	जय	2071	2014-2015 CE
29	Manmatha	मन्मथ	2072	2015-2016 CE
30	Durmukha	दुर्मुख	2073	2016-2017 CE
31	Hevilambi	हेविळंबि	2074	2017-2018 CE
32	Vilambi	विळंबि	2075	2018-2019 CE
33	Vikhāri	विकारी	2076	2019-2020 CE
34	Śhārvari	शार्वरी	2077	2020-2021 CE
35	Plava	प्लव	2078	2021-2022 CE
36	Śubhakṛta	शुभकृत	2079	2022-2023 CE
37	Śobhakṛta	शोभकृत	2080	2023-2024 CE
38	Krodhi	क्रोधी	2081	2024-2025 CE
39	Viśvāvasu	विश्वावसु	2082	2025-2026 CE
40	Parābhava	पराभव	2083	2026-2027 CE
41	Plavaṅga	प्लवंग	2084	2027-2028 CE
42	Kīlaka	कीलक	2085	2028-2029 CE
43	Saumya	सौम्य	2086	2029-2030 CE
44	Sādhāraṇa	साधारण	2087	2030-2031 CE
45	Virodhakṛta	विरोधकृत	2088	2031-2032 CE
46	Paridhāvi	परिधावी	2089	2032-2033 CE
47	Pramādi	प्रमादी	2090	2033-2034 CE
48	Ānanda	आनंद	2091	2034-2035 CE
49	Rākṣasa	राक्षस	2092	2035-2036 CE
50	Nala/Anala	आनल	2093	2036-2037 CE
51	Piṅgala	पिंगल	2094	2037-2038 CE
52	Kālayukta	कालयुक्त	2095	2038-2039 CE
53	Siddhārthi	सिद्धार्थी	2096	2039-2040 CE
54	Raudra	रौद्र	2097	2040-2041 CE
55	Durmati	दुर्मति	2098	2041-2042 CE
56	Dundubhi	दुन्दुभी	2099	2042-2043 CE
57	Rudhirodgāri	रूधिरोद्गारी	2100	2043-2044 CE
58	Raktākṣi	रक्ताक्षी	2101	2044-2045 CE
59	Krodhana/Manyu	क्रोधन	2102	2045-2046 CE
60	Akshaya	अक्षय	2103	2046-2047 CE