The Vikram era, or Vikram samvat is an Indian calendar starting in 57 BCE. Year 57 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther The date is supposed to mark the victory of king Vikramaditya over the Sakas, who had invaded Ujjain. For the Gupta king see Chandragupta II Vikramāditya Vikramaditya ( Sanskrit: विक्रमादित्य The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ujjain ( Hindi:उज्जैन (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti To the new era was established to commemorate this event. Alternatively, it is thought to correspond to the Azes era, of the Indo-Scythian king Azes I. The Indo-Scythians are a branch of the Indo-Iranian Sakas ( Scythians) who migrated from southern Siberia into Bactria, Azes I ( 57 - 35 BCE) was an Indo-Scythian ruler who completed the domination of the Scythians in northern India

Kalakacharya and the Saka King (Kalakacharya Katha-Manuscript,Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai

The story is described in "Kalakacharya Kathanaka", a work by a Jain sage called Mahesara Suri (Probably circa 12th century CE). Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. The Kathanaka (meaning, "an account") tells the story of a famed Jain monk Kalakacharya. It mentions that Gardabhilla, the then powerful king of Ujjain, abducted a nun called Sarasvati who was the sister of the monk. The enraged monk sought help of the Saka ruler, a "Sahi", in Sakasthana. The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, Sakastan, Sakasthana or Sakasthan is a term indicating the south and western regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan, partly corresponding to the Despite heavy odds (but aided by miracles) the Saka king defeated Gardabhilla and made him a captive. Sarasvati was repatriated. Gardabhilla himself was forgiven though. 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 (in modern Maharashtra). Maharashtra ( Marathi: mahārāṣṭra, IPA) is a state located on the western coast of India. Later on Vikramaditya invaded Ujjain and drove away the Sakas. To commemorate this event he started a new era called the Vikrama era.

Bhoja, another great Indian king also wanted to start a calendar on his name. But his wise ministers and courtiers denied him the right to start an era, because he could not equal Vikramaditya's greatness. Vikramaditya's greatness was measured by the fact that nobody in Vikramaditya's rule had any debt or loan, i. e. all the public was debt-free during his reign.

References

• "The dynastic art of the Kushan", John Rosenfield.