Determination of Lunar Days

Decision on Lunar Days 10

...the prohibition of dropping the funeral cakes Pinda-patanathe ritual act of offering rice balls to ancestors during the year of the [Lord's] sleep referring to Chaturmas, the four months when Vishnu sleeps. When the Sun is in the constellation of Virgo original: "Kanyagata" during the month of Bhadrapada, the father stays as long as the new moon lasts. One should not offer the funeral cake in the river. Regarding the Sun's entry into Virgo: the sixteen ghatikas a unit of time; 1 ghatika is 24 minutes following the transition are considered the holy time; the rest is as previously stated.

Now, the Great Forefather Fortnight

Now, the Mahalaya original: "Atha Mahalayah"; the "Great Abode," the most important period for honoring ancestors:
When the Sun has entered Virgo, for fifteen or ten days, the funeral rite Shraddhaa ceremony performed in honor of a deceased ancestor is prescribed by the rules. According to the Kaladarsha, if the Sun is in Virgo for five days or more, the rite is performed. On the eighth day, if a maiden has died, the ritual is specifically for her. According to Hemadri a 13th-century prime minister and author of the famous legal digest 'Chaturvarga Chintamani', the rite is performed with a single offering of a funeral cake.

In the fifth fortnight after the full moon of the month of Ashadha, when the Sun stays in Virgo: whichever man performs the Shraddha rite even for a single day during this period, his ancestors will surely remain satisfied for an entire year.

In the Smriti-sangraha, several varieties are mentioned: four types of rituals are prescribed for widows. Then, the same applies to the maternal grandfathers and mothers-in-law. In the Smriti-ratnavali, four [days] are mentioned; such is the doubt regarding the Ajamada a specific ritual technicality. In the Prithvichandrodaya and the Prayoga Parijata, the sage Vashishtha states: On the Nanda days the 1st, 6th, and 11th lunar days, on a Tuesday, or on the fourteenth day, [performing certain rites] causes the loss of sons or the destruction of the household's wealth. The Nanda days are the first, sixth, and eleventh.

Regarding the three types: the birth star Nakshatrathe lunar mansion/star under which one was born, the birth day of the week, and the birth lunar day. One should avoid performing [wealth-diminishing rituals] on days associated with the stars Rohini, Magha, or on a Friday original: "Bhargava". This is the half-measure; some say: "Nanda days, the day of one's birth star, and the anniversary of a father's death should be avoided."

The seventh day is associated with horses; the thirteenth is associated with Desire original: "Kama". Monday, Wednesday, and Friday [are mentioned]. The star Krittika is associated with Agni the Fire god and the two Bhairavas. Here, the funeral cakes should be abandoned, so they say. This applies to the entire Mahalaya period. One should consider all these factors when performing the Mahalaya rite or any Shraddha for the deceased.

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Rama 10

Regarding the performer of the Shraddha on the New Moon Amavasyathe last day of the dark fortnight: In the dark fortnight of the month of Nabhas another name for Bhadrapada, if the second day is joined with the third, it is like the moon's crescent and brings joy to the ancestors. In this view, a specific combination on the sixth day is known as the Kapila Shashti.

As stated in the Varaha Purana: In the dark fortnight of the month of Nabhas, when the Moon is in Rohini, the day is Tuesday original: "Bhauma", and the Sun is in the constellation of the Sun meaning Virgo, that sixth day is traditionally called the Kapila Shashti. One should worship the Sun there with vows, fasting, and rules.

In the Purana-samuccaya: In the month of Bhadrapada, during the bright fortnight, when the Sun is in the [specified] position, and the stars are Krittika or Rohini, that is known as the Kapila Shashti. This sixth day is the most excellent and should be observed when it overlaps with sunrise. If it occurs on both days, the earlier one is preferred. Similarly, for the sixth day vow in the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada, the earlier overlap is praised. The sixth day should always be observed when it coincides with moonrise, whether in the morning or the afternoon.

The Vow of Great Lakshmi

The Mahalakshmi Vrata:
On the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada, the Mahalakshmi Vow should be taken when it overlaps with moonrise. If on the next day the moonrise lasts for two muhurtas a muhurta is 48 minutes, it should still be performed on the earlier day. In other cases, the earlier day is preferred. When the morning is pierced by the later day, it is always the moonrise that determines the worship. If the lunar day continues past midnight, then that transition original: "Sankranti" is when the Mahalakshmi Vow should always be performed.

The Rite for the Mothers

Now, the Great Ninth original: "Mahanavami" Shraddha:
Regarding this, Katyayana says: For others, the Shraddha is declared to be performed on the ninth day without the funeral cakes. For the mother, the rite is performed on the anniversary of her death. If a son’s mother has died but his father is still living, he should perform the mother's Shraddha [on this day]. For all mothers, when the Sun is in Virgo, the offering should be given on the ninth day this is Avidhava Navami, for women who died before their husbands. This must be written as a necessity. By saying "for all mothers," it means that even if one's own mother is living, one should give offerings to the step-mothers if they are deceased.