Determination of Lunar Days

Determining the Lunar Day 19

...by those who remember [the gods]. A person should cast off annual obstacles on the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Margashirsha Margashirsha Shukla Ashtami Margashirsha roughly corresponds to November–December. According to the Hemadri A 13th-century legal digest, the worship of the Nagas serpent deities is to be performed on the eighth day of the bright half of Margashirsha. This Naga worship on the fifth day should be performed when it is combined with the sixth day. The serpents are pleased by such a sequence, whereas others prefer the fourth day.

On the sixth day of the bright half of Margashirsha occurs the Champa Shashti; this is famous in the Maharashtra region and is preferable when it continues into the following day. This same conjunction is discussed regarding the tenth day. On the first day of the bright half of Margashirsha, it is said that if it is joined with a Sunday or Monday, that Champa [vow] is truly victorious. This same day is also known as Skanda Shashti dedicated to the deity Kartikeya/Skanda. It should be observed when joined with the previous day. The eighth day of the dark half is also a Skanda Shashti of three types. As before, the hospitality for the conclusion of the fast parana should be performed quickly.

On the fourteenth day of the bright half of Margashirsha, the ancestral rite shraddha at the Pishacha-mochana pilgrimage site A sacred tank in Varanasi believed to liberate souls from a 'ghostly' state; original: "pishāca-mocana-tīrtha" is performed. For the sake of the ancestors and others, the afternoon period aparāhṇa should be chosen. For the unknown dead or those who have become ghosts pishachas, the midday period madhyāhṇa is prescribed. According to family tradition kuladharma, the later period is preferred.

On the full moon of Margashirsha Margashirsha Shukla Purnima, the presence of Dattatreya is celebrated Dattatreya is considered a combined incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. This is observed during the evening hours pradosha. In the clear month of Margashirsha, on the tenth day... joined with the Mrigashirsha constellation on the full moon day... a son was born to Anasuya The OCR reads 'Devahi', likely a transcription error for Anasuya when Vishnu arrived at the hermitage of the sage Atri. Therefore, because he was given as a son [to Atri], he is named Dattatreya.

After the Margashirsha full moon comes the eighth day of the dark half, known as Ashtaka. This ritual sequence is the same in the month of Pausha. In Margashirsha, Pausha, Magha, and Phalguna, the eighth days of the dark halves are the four Ashtakas. For these, the afternoon period should be chosen. If one fails to perform the ancestral rites shraddha during these times, an atonement prayaschitta is prescribed. In the Krishnidhana a ritual text, it is said one should recite the sacred verse one hundred times on that day. According to the experts of the Law Books Dharmashastra, this fulfills the duty. Rituals such as those for the ancestors mahalaya or the beginning of Vedic study upakarma are specifically prescribed for these months. Thus ends the month of Margashirsha.

Rama 19

Now, the month of Pausha

Pausha roughly corresponds to December–January

When the sun enters the sign of Sagittarius Dhanu Sankranti, the following sixteen hours nadis are considered meritorious. Here, the vow should be observed. The decision regarding the conclusion of the ritual should be given based on the Kalpataru and Bhavishya Purana. The vow of Budhashtami occurs in the bright half of Pausha when the eighth day falls on a Wednesday Budha. On that day, bathing, chanting, and fire offerings yield the merit of a horse sacrifice vajapeya. If the goddess is present, the merit is a hundred thousand-fold. If this coincides with the Rohini constellation, it is especially significant.

The eleventh day of the bright half of Pausha is known as Putrada Ekadashi. On the full moon of Pausha, the seventh, eighth, and ninth days are as previously mentioned. On the New Moon of Pausha Pausha Amavasya, a special conjunction called Ardhodaya the "Half-Rise" conjunction occurs. If this New Moon is joined with a Sunday, the Shravana constellation, and the Vyatipata yoga during the months of Pausha or Magha, it is known as Ardhodaya, and it is equal to millions of solar eclipses. This occurs between the full moon of Pausha and the new moon of Magha. This is explained in the Madanaratna.

According to the Hemadri, citing the Skanda Purana: "When the Sun is in the month of Magha, on the conjunction vyatipata on a Sunday... this is called Ardhodaya." It is equal to a thousand eclipses. This conjunction must occur during the day, never at night. At the arrival of Ardhodaya, all water is considered as sacred as the Ganges, and all virtuous Brahmins are considered equal to the creator Brahma. Whatever gift is given then is equal to the Great Mountain Meru. Thus ends the month of Pausha.

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Now, the month of Magha

Magha roughly corresponds to January–February

Here are the rules for the bathing vows. One should begin on the eleventh day of the bright half of Pausha and complete it on the twelfth day or the full moon. Or, one may complete the thirty-day fast during this auspicious month. Regarding the timing of the bath: it should be performed from the first light of dawn arunodaya for as long as the Magha bathing period lasts. This provides happiness.

Regarding the Sun's entry into Capricorn Makara Sankranti: according to the Hemadri, the period of merit consists of the following forty hours ghatikas. In the transition to Capricorn, thirty hours before and after are particularly sacred.