Varsha Pratipada- Its Historical Importance

Varsha Pratipada- Its Historical Importance
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Varsha Pratipada- Its Historical Importance, 31 March is the first day of Yugabadha-5116; and Vikram samvat 2071

31 March is the first day of Yugabadha-5116; and Vikram samvat 2071

The new year of the Yugabadha, Shalivahan and Vikram samvat, the Indian calendars in vogue since the ancient time, begins from Pratipada [the first day of Chaitra Shukla. Where Yugabadha samvat marks the day when Brahmaji created the Universe, then the Shalivahan and Vikram samvats are commemorative of those glorious moments of national history when the king Shalivahan gained the victory over Sakas; and, then, Vikramaditya expelled them [Sakas] out of the Bharat bhoomi for ever. It is because of this that saffron flags are hoisted on house to house on this day. Thus, besides spirituality, Varsha Pratipada symbolizes the national victory, either.

The first ever foreign invasion that India saw was in 372 B.C. by Alexander, the Greek king. It was the time when entire Europe was overrun by Greek warriors led by Alexander. After the conquest of Iran when Alexander marched forward to invade India he gained some success initially and extended his empire to some of the pockets of Sindha. But, later, the small Indian republics lying beyond it [Sindha] formed an alliance and gave tough fight to him; and ultimately Alexander, effete and dejected, gave up his expedition to India and retreated to go back to Babylon, his native place. And then, Salukas Nicator, the brave king to succeed Alexander, again mounted an attack on India; but owing to his defeat in the hands of Chandragupta Mourya, he thought it wise to come to peaceful accord with him. And he established blood relationship with Chandragupta Mourya by marrying his daughter with him. Yet this peace couldn’t last long. And when Brahmadatta Mourya succeeded Ashoka to ascend the throne of Patliputra another of Greek commanders Demetrius and, then, Menander[Milind] again attempted to invade India, taking the advantage of internal weakness of Mourya kingdom wrought by the over emulating of the much paraded principles of non-violence under erstwhile king Ashoka. But Kharwel, the King of Kalinga, defeated Demetrius; and, Pushyamitra, who rose to kingship of Patliputra by dethroning imbecile Brahamdatta Mourya, defeated Menander and pushed the Greeks beyond the river Sindhu forever.

But, now when India just got relief from Greeks that another of barbaric nomadic race- Saka, living near China rose to haunt it. And, by the inception of Christian era, they had extended their empire in and around Baluchistan, Sindha, Gujrat and Ujjain. But before they could spread their tentacles beyond it into the South India, the brave king of Andhrapradesh, Shalivahan, courageously stopped them from making inroads into it; and in commemoration of this remarkable success he started a new samvat after his name called Shalivahan samvat. At the same time Chandragupta Vikramaditya was crowned as the king of Maghad. It was at his hands that Sakas’ 100-150 years of dominance over India came to an end. Vikramaditya freed and merged the territories captured from them [Sakas] to his Indian empire, providing ultimately a much sought-after relief to the people from the torments of recurrent barbaric invasions of Sakas. And it was in the memory of this glorious national victory that Vikramaditya consecrated Malwa Samvatsar, calendar already in vogue then, as the Vikram Samvatsar.
From 300 B.C. to 300 A.D. India continued to suffer the fury of invasion after invasion unleashed by the alien-powers in their utter whims and fancies; Sakas had even founded a vast empire, as we saw above. But, the blow dealt by Vikramaditya on Sakas was so lethal that for the next 700 years [barring the brief spell of Hunas’ invasions] none of the alien invaders could dare to raise eyes yet again on our motherland. Thus Varsha Pratipada reminds us of the valiant efforts made by our ancestors in the cause of winning back the enduring national freedom and honor. Notably, so also, coronation of Ramchandraji; beginning of Navratra from the day of birth of Rama; the birth of Bhagwan Jhulelal, Dayanand Saraswati and Dr.Hedgawar and such other events of national and religious importance are related with Varsha Pratipada.

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