Samvatsara


Samvatsara is a Sanskrit term for a "year" in Vedic literature such as the Rigveda and other ancient texts. In the medieval era literature, a samvatsara refers to the "Jovian year", that is a year based on the relative position of the planet Jupiter, while the solar year is called varsha. A jovian year is not equal to a solar year based on the relative position of Earth and Sun. A Jovian year is defined in Indian calendars as the time Brihaspati takes to transit from one constellation to the next relative to its mean motion.
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, one of the named samvatsara is expunged, to synchronize the two calendars. However, the details of the synchronization varies slightly between the north and south Indian calendars.

List of Samvatsaras

The sixty Samvatsaras are divided into 3 groups of 20 Samvatsaras each. The first 20 from Prabhava to Vyaya are assigned to Brahma. The next 20 from Sarvajit to Parabhava to Vishnu and the last 20 to Shiva.
NumberName नामதமிழ்సంవత్సర నామంಸಂವತ್ಸರಗಳುCurrent cycle -
Vikram Samvat		Current cycle
Prior cycle 1Prior cycle 2
1.Prabhavaप्रभवநற்றோன்றல்ప్రభవಪ್ರಭವ20441987-1988 CE1927-1928 CE1867-1868 CE
2.Vibhavaविभवஉயர்தோன்றல்విభవವಿಭವ20451988-1989 CE1928-1929 CE1868-1869 CE
3.Śuklaशुक्लவெள்ளொளிశుక్లಶುಕ್ಲ20461989-1990 CE1929-1930 CE1869-1870 CE
4.Pramodadūtaप्रमोदபேருவகைప్రమోద్యూతಪ್ರಮೋದೂತ20471990-1991 CE1930-1931 CE1870-1871 CE
5.Prajāpatiप्रजापतिமக்கட்செல்வம்ప్రజోత్పత్తిಪ್ರಜಾಪತಿ20481991-1992 CE1931-1932 CE1871-1872 CE
6.Āṅgīrasaअंगिरसஅயல்முனிఆంగీరసಅಂಗಿರಸ20491992-1993 CE1932-1933 CE1872-1873 CE
7.Śrīmukhaश्रीमुखதிருமுகம்శ్రీముఖಶ್ರೀಮುಖ20501993-1994 CE1933-1934 CE1873-1874 CE
8.Bhāvaभावதோற்றம்భావಭಾವ20511994-1995 CE1934-1935 CE1874-1875 CE
9.Yuvaयुवஇளமைయువಯುವ20521995-1996 CE1935-1936 CE1875-1876 CE
10.Dhātṛuधाताமாழைధాతಧಾತೃ20531996-1997 CE1936-1937 CE1876-1877 CE
11.Īśvaraईश्वरஈச்சுரம்ఈశ్వరಈಶ್ವರ20541997-1998 CE1937-1938 CE1877-1878 CE
12.Bahudhānyaबहुधान्यகூலவளம்బహుధాన్యಬಹುಧಾನ್ಯ20551998-1999 CE1938-1939 CE1878-1879 CE
13.Pramāthiप्रमाथीமுன்மைప్రమాధిಪ್ರಮಾಥಿ20561999-2000 CE1939-1940 CE1879-1880 CE
14.Vikramaविक्रमநேர்நிரல்విక్రమವಿಕ್ರಮ20572000-2001 CE1940-1941 CE1880-1881 CE
15.Vṛushaprajāवृषप्रजाவிளைபயன்వృశాప్రజాವೃಷಪ್ರಜಾ20582001-2002 CE1941-1942 CE1881-1882 CE
16.Chitrabhānuचित्रभानुஓவியக்கதிచిత్రభానుಚಿತ್ರಭಾನು20592002-2003 CE1942-1943 CE1882-1883 CE
17.Subhānuसुभानुநற்கதிர்స్వభానుಸ್ವಭಾನು20602003-2004 CE1943-1944 CE1883-1884 CE
18.Tāraṇaतारणதாங்கெழில்తారణತಾರಣ20612004-2005 CE1944-1945 CE1884-1885 CE
19.Pārthivaपार्थिवநிலவரையன்పార్థివಪಾರ್ಥಿವ20622005-2006 CE1945-1946 CE1885-1886 CE
20.Vyayaअव्ययவிரிமாண்புవ్యయವ್ಯಯ20632006-2007 CE1946-1947 CE1886-1887 CE
21.Sarvajitसर्वजीतமுற்றறிவுసర్వజితಸರ್ವಜಿತ್20642007-2008 CE1947-1948 CE1887-1888 CE
22.Sarvadhāriसर्वधारीமுழுநிறைவுసర్వధారిಸರ್ವಧಾರಿ20652008-2009 CE1948-1949 CE1888-1889 CE
23.Virodhiविरोधीதீர்பகைవిరోధిವಿರೋಧಿ20662009-2010 CE1949-1950 CE1889-1890 CE
24.Vikṛtiविकृतिவளமாற்றம்వికృతిವಿಕೃತಿ20672010-2011 CE1950-1951 CE1890-1891 CE
25.Kharaखरசெய்நேர்த்திఖరಖರ20682011-2012 CE1951-1952 CE1891-1892 CE
26.Nandanaनंदनநற்குழவிనందనನಂದನ20692012-2013 CE1952-1953 CE1892-1893 CE
27.Vijayaविजयஉயர்வாகைవిజయವಿಜಯ20702013-2014 CE1953-1954 CE1893-1894 CE
28.Jayaजयவாகைజయಜಯ20712014-2015 CE1954-1955 CE1894-1895 CE
29.Manmathaमन्मथகாதன்மைమన్మధಮನ್ಮಥ20722015-2016 CE1955-1956 CE1895-1896 CE
30.Durmukhaदुर्मुखவெம்முகம்దుర్ముఖದುರ್ಮುಖ20732016-2017 CE1956-1957 CE1896-1897 CE
31.Hevilambiहेविळंबिபொற்றடைహేవిళంబిಹೇವಿಳಂಬಿ20742017-2018 CE1957-1958 CE1897-1898 CE
32.Vilambiविळंबिஅட்டிవిళంబిವಿಳಂಬಿ20752018-2019 CE1958-1959 CE1898-1899 CE
33.Vikhāriविकारीஎழில்மாறல்వికారిವಿಕಾರಿ20762019-2020 CE1959-1960 CE1899-1900 CE
34. Śhārvari शार्वरी வீறியெழல் శార్వరి ಶಾರ್ವರಿ20772020-2021 CE1960-1961 CE1900-1901 CE
35.Plavaप्लवகீழறைప్లవಪ್ಲವ20782021-2022 CE1961-1962 CE1901-1902 CE
36.Śubhakṛtaशुभकृतநற்செய்கைశుభకృతಶುಭಕೃತ20792022-2023 CE1962-1963 CE1902-1903 CE
37.Śobhanaशोभकृतமங்கலம்శోభకృతಶೋಭನ20802023-2024 CE1963-1964 CE1903-1904 CE
38.Krodhiक्रोधीபகைக்கேடுక్రోధిಕ್ರೋಧಿ20812024-2025 CE1964-1965 CE1904-1905 CE
39.Viśvāvasuविश्वावसुஉலகநிறைவுవిశ్వావసుವಿಶ್ವಾವಸು20822025-2026 CE1965-1966 CE1905-1906 CE
40.Parābhavaपराभवஅருட்டோற்றம்పరాభవಪರಾಭವ20832026-2027 CE1966-1967 CE1906-1907 CE
41.Plavaṅgaप्लवंगநச்சுப்புழைప్లవంగಪ್ಲವಂಗ20842027-2028 CE1967-1968 CE1907-1908 CE
42.Kīlakaकीलकபிணைவிரகுకీలకಕೀಲಕ20852028-2029 CE1968-1969 CE1908-1909 CE
43.Saumyaसौम्यஅழகுసౌమ్యಸೌಮ್ಯ20862029-2030 CE1969-1970 CE1909-1910 CE
44.Sādhāraṇaसाधारणபொதுநிலைసాధారణಸಾಧಾರಣ20872030-2031 CE1970-1971 CE1910-1911 CE
45.Virodhakṛtaविरोधकृतஇகல்வீறுవిరోధికృతವಿರೋಧಿಕೃತ್20882031-2032 CE1971-1972 CE1911-1912 CE
46.Paridhāviपरिधावीகழிவிரக்கம்పరిధావిಪರಿಧಾವಿ20892032-2033 CE1972-1973 CE1912-1913 CE
47.Pramādiप्रमादीநற்றலைமைప్రమాదీచಪ್ರಮಾದಿ20902033-2034 CE1973-1974 CE1913-1914 CE
48.Ānandaआनंदபெருமகிழ்ச்சிఆనందಆನಂದ20912034-2035 CE1974-1975 CE1914-1915 CE
49.Rākṣasaराक्षसபெருமறம்రాక్షసರಾಕ್ಷಸ20922035-2036 CE1975-1976 CE1915-1916 CE
50.Nala/Analaआनलதாமரைనలನಲ 20932036-2037 CE1976-1977 CE1916-1917 CE
51.Piṅgalaपिंगलபொன்மைపింగళಪಿಂಗಲ20942037-2038 CE1977-1978 CE1917-1918 CE
52.Kālayuktaकालयुक्तகருமைவீச்சுకాళయుక్తిಕಾಲಯುಕ್ತ20952038-2039 CE1978-1979 CE1918-1919 CE
53.Siddhārthiसिद्धार्थीமுன்னியமுடிதல்సిద్ధార్థಸಿದ್ಧಾರ್ಥಿ20962039-2040 CE1979-1980 CE1919-1920 CE
54.Raudraरौद्रஅழலிరౌద్రిರೌದ್ರ20972040-2041 CE1980-1981 CE1920-1921 CE
55.Durmatiदुर्मतिகொடுமதிదుర్మతిದುರ್ಮತಿ20982041-2042 CE1981-1982 CE1921-1922 CE
56.Dundubhiदुन्दुभीபேரிகைదుందుభిದುಂದುಭಿ20992042-2043 CE1982-1983 CE1922-1923 CE
57.Rudhirodgāriरूधिरोद्गारीஒடுங்கிరుధిరోద్గారిರುಧಿರೋದ್ಗಾರಿ21002043-2044 CE1983-1984 CE1923-1924 CE
58.Raktākṣiरक्ताक्षीசெம்மைరక్తాక్షిರಕ್ತಾಕ್ಷಿ21012044-2045 CE1984-1985 CE1924-1925 CE
59.Krodhana/Manyuक्रोधनஎதிரேற்றம்క్రోధనಕ್ರೋಧನ21022045-2046 CE1985-1986 CE1925-1926 CE
60.Akshayaअक्षयவளங்கலன்అక్షయಅಕ್ಷಯ21032046-2047 CE1986-1987 CE1926-1927 CE