The Extraction of Determinations for Lunar Days

6Regarding the opinion on the dark fortnight original: kṛṣṇapūrvā; the waning half of the lunar month, if a fast is to be observed on both possible days, the latter day is preferred. In the Great Night of Shiva vow Sanskrit: Śivarātri-vrata, according to the opinion of Hemadri A famous 13th-century scholar and administrator who wrote the Chaturvarga Chintamani, a massive compendium on Hindu law, the day that spans the majority of the night should be chosen. Some others contend that the day covering the evening term: pradoṣa; the first part of the night, approximately 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM should be taken.

If both days are equal in their coverage, the former day is chosen. In the Nirnayasindhu “The Ocean of Decisions,” a standard 17th-century text on religious law, it is stated that the decision should be made based on the day covering both the evening and midnight term: niśītha; the period around midnight, usually considered the most sacred time for Shiva worship, similar to the determination for the Great Night of Shiva in the month of Magha February-March.

In the matter of the New Moon Sanskrit: amā or Full Moon Sanskrit: pūrṇā for the "weight-donation" term: tulādāna; a ritual where a person gives gifts equal to their own body weight to charity and for fasts intended to please the ancestors and gods, the latter day should be chosen. Regarding ancestral rites Sanskrit: śrāddha, for those who maintain a sacred fire Sanskrit: sāgnika, the day is divided into three parts; the third part is called the afternoon Sanskrit: aparāhṇa, and the day covering that period should be chosen. If that period exists on both days, the day that fully encompasses the afternoon is taken. If the afternoon is not fully covered on either day, then in the case of a shortened lunar day Sanskrit: tithi-kṣaya, Hemadri states that the former day should be selected. 6

If the afternoon is covered on both days for a duration of at least three muhurtas A muhurta is a unit of time equal to 48 minutes; three muhurtas equals 2 hours and 24 minutes, then the former day is chosen. For those who do not maintain a sacred fire Sanskrit: niragnika, the period known as the Kutupa-kala The eighth muhurta of the day, roughly 11:30 AM to 12:20 PM, considered the most auspicious time for starting a Shraddha should be the determining factor.

The day that covers the afternoon is the primary choice in everyone’s opinion. In cases where the lunar days are of equal length or if there is an increase in the lunar day's duration, the latter day is preferred. However, Madhava A 14th-century philosopher and prime minister of the Vijayanagara Empire, author of the Kalanirnaya argues that if the afternoon is touched on both days, the day covering the Kutupa-kala should be selected.

If the Kutupa-kala is covered on both days, the latter is chosen. The "Kutupa" itself is defined when the day is divided into five parts the day is split into five equal portions to identify the specific ritual windows.