𑀯𑀲

Inherited from Sanskrit वर्ष (varṣa).

𑀯𑀲 (vasa /vassa/) n

1. (especially in the plural) year
   • c. 258 BCE, Aśoka, Minor Rock Edict 1 Brahmagiri.2:

     𑀅𑀥𑀺𑀓𑀸𑀦𑀺 𑀅𑀠𑀸𑀢𑀺𑀬𑀸𑀦𑀺 𑀯𑀲𑀸𑀦𑀺 𑀬 𑀳𑀓𑀁 𑀲𑀓𑁂

     adhikāni aḍhātiyāni vasāni ya hakaṃ […] sake

     • 1925 translation by Eugen Hultzsch

       More than two and a half years (have passed) since I (am) a lay-worshipper (upasaka).

Turner^[1] notes that 𑀯𑀲 (vasa) is almost always used in the plural (except when in a compound, which is where we find the lemma form usually), while the singular form is supplied by 𑀲𑀁𑀯𑀙𑀭 (saṃvachara). This suppletion is similar to the situation in Rigvedic Sanskrit, where संवत्सर (saṃvatsara) (and once परिवत्सर (parivatsara)) is the singular and हिमा (himā) is the plural.

However, some Southern inscriptions attest 𑀲𑀁𑀯𑀙𑀭 (saṃvachara) in the plural as well. See Alternative forms for a detailed breakdown.

Attested at Bahapur, Bairat, Barabar, Brahmagiri, Calcutta-Bairat, Delhi-Topra, Dhauli, Gavimath, Girnar, Jaugada, Kalsi, Lumbini, Maski, Nigali-Sagar, Nittur, Panguraria and Siddapura.

Map of dialectal forms of 𐨬𐨮 (“year”)
𑀯𑀲 (vasa) (17) 𑀲𑀁𑀯𑀙𑀭 (saṃvachara) (13) 𑀲𑀯𑀙𑀭 (savachara) (2) 𐨬𐨮 (vaṣa) (2) 𑀲𑀯𑀙𑀮 (savachala) (2) 𑀲𑀁𑀯𑀙𑀮 (saṃvachala) (1) 𑀙𑀯𑀙𑀭 (chavachara) (1) 𑀯𑀱 (vaṣa) (1) 𑀯𑀰 (vaśa) (1) 𑀯𑀭𑁆𑀲 (varsa) (1)

• Andersen, Paul Kent (1990) “vasa-”, in Studies in the Minor Rock Edicts of Aśoka, Freiburg: Hedwig Falk, page 169
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “varṣá”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press