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Sri Gurubhyo Namaha




PANCHANGAM & DHARMA SASTRA SADAS– AUGUST 2007


Vakya Siddhantham and Drik – Ganitham (or Drik- Suddham) are the two major principles followed to generate Panchangams (Almanacs). Practically these are two distinctly different means adopted to achieve the same end results of determining Thithi, Nakshatram, Yogam, Karanam etc besides the occurrence of eclipses etc. Based on such details, the calendar of events towards the observance of Vrathams, Festivals, Upakarma, Pradhosham, Tharpanam etc is charted out. The Dharma Sastra stipulates the norms towards the fixation of day and time elements for the observance of the afore-stated events. Further, glossaries like “Vaidyanatha Deekshitham”, “Nirnaya Sindhu”, “Dharma Sindhu” etc act as supplement to the strictures provided in Dharma Sastra.


All these aspects bring forth, the essentiality of co-ordination, discussion and mutual interaction between the personnel who generate Panchangams of various hues on one side and the erudite scholars of Dharma Sastra on the other side. With this objective in mind, Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Sri Sankaracharya Swamigal Mutt organizes “Panchangam and Dharma Sastra Sadas”, an annual conference, convened during Chaturmasya wherein, Panchangam details are finalized well ahead for the on-coming Hindu calendar year. During the current Chaturmasya, the sadas was held on 20th, 21st and 22nd August 2007 at the premises of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Sankara Mutt, Kanchipuram with the divine blessings of Their Holiness Sri Sri Sri Sankaracharya Swamigals of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam to discuss and finalize details for the ensuing year Sarvadhari (2008-09 A.D.)

The participants included the following 11 Dharma Scholars and 12 authors who generate Panchangams :

Dharma Sastra Scholars

Sarvasri

  1. E. Balasubramania Sastrigal

  2. K.V.Seshadrinatha Sastrigal

  3. Sivaramakrishna Sastrigal

  4. V.Rajagopala Ganapatigal

  5. Mahadeva Satrigal

  6. Chandrasekara Sastrigal

  7. Dinakara Sarma

  8. Bringi Venkatrama Sastrigal

  9. Sundararama Deekshitar

  10. Balakrishna Sastrigal and

  11. Ramakrishna Deekshitar


Authors who generate Panchangams

Authors Panchangam

Sarvasri

1. Narasimhan Matam Panchangam

2. L.V.S.Mani Bharat Drik-Ganitha Panchangam

3. Kutti Sastrigal Srirangam Temple Panchangam

4. K.N.Narayanamoorthy Arcot Seetharama Iyer Panchangam

5. M.S.Pachiappa Mudaliar 28 No. Pambu Panchangam

(Printer, Manonmani Vilas Press)

6. T.Vijaya raghava Iyengar 28 No. Pambu Vakhya Panchangam

7. N.R.Mahalingam Sivasakthi Panchangam

8. K.V. Kuppuswamy Hanuman Panchangam

9. M.V. Narayanan Hayagreevar Panchangam

10. G.S.Subramaniam Maruthukudi Panchangam

11. Patti Veerabhadra Dhyvagnyan Srisailam Panchangam

12. S. Gopalakrishnan Raghavendra Panchangam



The deliberation of the conference and important resolutions adopted are furnished below:


  1. The proposed contents like thithi, nakshatram etc were presented in chronological order by the authors who generate Panchangams belonging to Vakyam and Drik siddhantham. Mismatch, ambiguity or inconsistency vis – a-vis dharma sastra were analysed, debated and resolved with the co-ordination of Dharma Sastra scholars.


  1. Details worked out by both the schools (Vakhyam & Drik) tallied with each other with respect to the following: Vinayaka Chaturthi, Saraswathi Poojai, Varalakshmi Vratham, Deepavali, Karthikai Makara Sankramanam, Sarada Navarathri, Vasantha Navarathri, Dhakshinayana Punyakalam, Rg Upakarma and Sama Upakarma.


  1. Yajur Upakarma: The 1st day in the month of Avani of Sarvadhari year will be a ‘Pournami’ and that in the normal course, Yajur Upakarma has to be performed on this full –moon day. But the dates projected by Vakhyam and Drik Siddhanthams differs from one another. This is on account of the two events simha- Ravi Sankramanam and the Lunar Eclipse occurring on the same Pournami day.


3 a. Drik-Ganitha School’s Interpretation:

Contention:

On the 1st day of Avani, Sarvadhari, simha- Ravi Sankramanam (entry) is at 51 nazhigai: 39 vinadi and the Lunar eclipse begins at 47 nazhigai : 42 vinadi . Nazhigai and Vinadi are conventional measurement of time; 60 nazhigai makes 24 hours and 60 vinadi makes 1 nazhigai. The span of a day in terms of nazhigai is counted from sunrise to sunrise. On account of these simha –Ravi Sankramanam and Lunar Eclipse, this Pournami day attracts sankramana dhosham and as such it is prohibited to observe Yajur Upakarma on this day of Avani.


Conclusion:

Drik – Ganitha School is of the view that Yajur Upakarma has to be postponed to Badrapada Pournami.


3 b. Vakhyam school’s interpretation -:


Contention:

The policy is that, on the principle of “Udayad Udayam Varam”, centering around mid-night, if the lunar eclipse occurs before midnight, only then the day attracts dhosham; and if the lunar eclipse occurs after midnight, the day is not afflicted by dhosham. On this specific day, the 1st day of Avani, the mid-night will be at 45 nazhi : 44 vinadi. The Lunar eclipse begins after midnight at 47 nazhi: 42 vinadi. The sankramana will be at 51 nazhi : 59 vinadi. Hence the day does not attract sankaramana dhosham.


Conclusion:

Yajur Upakarma has to be performed on the same Pournami i.e. on the 1st day of Avani, Sarvadhari.




3 c. No concensus was reached between the two systems, Vakhyam and Drik.


4. Surya Grahana Tharpanam

Whenever a solar eclipse occurs after noon (after mid-day) is it required that both ‘Amavasya Tharpanam’ and also the ‘Grahana Tharpanam’ have to be performed or only the Grahana Tharpanam is stipulated to be performed? This query was raised in the sadas. The following are the details.

4 a. View – 1:


“ NITHYA NIEMITHAKAYOHO MADYE NIEMITHAKASYA PRADHANYAM”

Amavasai Darsa Tharpanam is Nithyam while Grahana Tharpanam is Niemithakam and that between the two, importance has to be attached to Grahana – Tharpanam. And so Grahana Tharpanam alone is needed to be performed.


4 b. Views –2:

There are three attributes associated with tharpanam, they being i. Kalam ii. Nimitham (Purpose) and iii. Devathai. While performing Tharpanam, even if one of the attributes differs, we need to perform both Amavasya and Grahana – Tharpanams.


The Kalam for Darsa Tharpanam is “Madyannam” while for Grahana Tharpanam, it is after madhyannam (after mid-day). Secondly Amavasya Tharpanam is “Darsa Nimiththam while Grahana Tharpanam is “Uparaga Nimiththam”.

CONCLUSION :


Both the Tharpanams have to be performed on the same day on account of differences in Kalam and Nimiththam.


Another situation where a Solar Eclipse occurs on ‘Mahalaya Paksha Amavasai’, Paksha Tharpanam, Darsa Tharpanam and Grahana Tharpanam have all to be performed. This has been already discussed during the ‘Panchanga Sadas – 2003’ and the afore- stated clarification was provided by Dharma Sastra Pandits.


5. All these apart, the subject of discussion encompassed many more related topics of common interest.


* * * SUBHAMASTHU * * *