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Indian Calendrical
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| During the past decades
considerable progress has been made in understanding and evaluating Indian astronomy and
mathematics, due primarily to the researches carried out by David Pingree. In this
connection his monumental Census of Exact Sciences in Sanskrit published
in Philadelphia deserves to be mentioned side by side with the "History of
Mathematical Astronomy in India" and many other books printed later on. |
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| In spite of the advanced
knowledge of the the system and the history of the Indian astronomy and mathematics,
comparatively little attention has been paid to the more practical side of astronomy, that
is to say to the calendar. In particular the non-technical literature has hardly been
taken into consideration. The wealth of information found in Buddhist sources reflecting
the difficulties encountered in ancient times, when it becomes necessary to determine and
keep correct dates in every day life, has been almost completely neglected. |
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| Moreover with the growing
demand of Astrology, it became increasingly important to know the accurate date and time.
Moreover this information is useful for compilation of Historical Information,
useful in govt. departments. For finding the year and month of the Christian or any Indian
era corresponding to a given year and month in any of the eras under consideration. |
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| The conversion of any
Indian date - luni-solar (tithi) or solar - into corresponding date A.D. and vice versa. |
| Finding the karana,
nakshatra, and yoga for any moment of any Indian or European date, and thereby verifying
any given Indian date; |
| Turning a Hindu Solar
date into luni-solar date, and vice versa. |
| Conversion of a
Muhammadan Hirja Date into corresponding date A.D. and vice versa. |
| The text given on the
following pages, gives complete details about all these concepts and techniques related to
Hindu calendar and Muhammadan Calendar. |
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| Elements and
Definations |
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| The panchanga :
The panchanga(calendar), that which has five(pancha) limbs(angas), concerns chiefly five
elements of time-division, viz. the vara, tithi, nakshatra, yoga and karana. |
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| The vara or
week-day : The natural or solar day is called savana divasa in Hindu Astronomy.
The days are named as in Europe after the sun, moon, and five principal planets, and are
called varas(week-days), seven of which compose the week, or cycle of varas. A varas begin
at sunrise. The week-days, with their serial numbers as used in this work and their
various Sanskrit synonyms, are given in the following list. |
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| Days of the
week |
|
| 1. Sunday : Adi, Aditya,
Ravi, Ahaskara, Arka, Aruna, Bhattaraka, Aharpati, Bhaskara, Bradhna, Bhanu etc. |
| 2. Monday : Soma, Abja,
Chandramas, chandra, Indu, Nishpati, Kshapakara, etc. |
| 3. Tuesday : Mangala,
Angaraka, Bhauma, Mahisuta, Rohitanga |
| 4. Wednesday : Budha,
Baudha, Rauhineya, Saumya |
| 5.. Thursday : Guru,
Angirasa, Brihaspati, Dhishana, Suracharya, Vachaspati etc. |
| 6. Friday : Sukra,
Bhargava, Bhrigu, Daityaguru, Kavya, Usanas, Kavi |
| 7. Saturday : Sani,
Sauri, Manda. |
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| Time Divisions |
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| The sub-divisions of a
solar day(savana divasa) are as follow: |
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| A prativipala(sura) is
equal to 0.006 of a second. |
| 60 prativipalas make I
vipala (para, Kashtha-kala) = 0.4 of a second. |
| 60 vipalas makes I pala
(vighati, vinadi) = 24 seconds. |
| 60 palas makes I
ghatika(ghati, danda, nadi nadika) = 24 minutes. |
| 60 ghatikas makes I
divasa(dina , vara, vasara) = 1 Solar day. |
|
| Again |
|
| 10 vipalas makes I prana
= 4 seconds |
| 6 pranas makes 1 pala =
24 seconds |
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| The tithi,
amavasya, purnima. : The moment of new moon, or that point of time when the
longitudes of the sun and moon are equal , is called amavasya (the dwelling together of
the sun and moon). A tithi is the time occupied by the moon in increasing the her distance
by 12 degrees; in other words at exact point of time when the moon(whose apparent motion
is much faster than that of the sun), moving eastwards from the sun after the amavasya,
leaves the sun behind by 12 degrees, the first tithi, which is called pratipada or
pratipad ends; and so with the rest, the complete synodic revolution of the moon or one
lunation occupying 30 tithis for 360 degrees. Since, however, the motions of the sun and
moon are always varying in speed, the length of a tithi constantly alters. The variations
in the length of a tithi are as follows, according to Hindu calculations. |
|
gh. |
pa. |
vipa. |
|
h. |
m. |
s. |
| Average or mean length |
59 |
3 |
40.23 |
|
23 |
37 |
28.092 |
| Greatest length |
65 |
16 |
0 |
|
26 |
6 |
24 |
| Least length |
53 |
56 |
0 |
|
21 |
34 |
24 |
|
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| The moment of full moon,
or that point of time when moon is furthest from the sun, astronomically speaking when the
difference between the longitudes of the sun and moon amounts to 180 degrees - is called
purnima. The tithi which ends with the moment of amavasya is itself called
"amavasya", and similarly the tithi which ends with the monent of full moon is
called purnima. |
| Nakshatra :
The 27th part of the ecliptic is called a nakshatra, and therefore each nakshatra
occupies (360º/27) = 13º 20'. The time which the moon(whose motion continually varies in
speed) or any other heavenly body requires to travel over the 27th part of ecliptic is
called a nakshatra. The length of the moon nakshatra is : |
|
gh. |
pa. |
vipa. |
h. |
m. |
s. |
| Mean |
60 |
42 |
53.4 |
24 |
17 |
9.36 |
| Greatest |
66 |
21 |
0 |
26 |
32 |
24 |
| Least |
55 |
56 |
0 |
22 |
22 |
24 |
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| It will be seen from the
above table that moon travels nearly one nakshatra daily. The daily nakshatra of moon is
given in every panchang. The names of 27 nakashtra are as follows : |
| Asvini, Bharani,
Krittika, Rohini, Mrigasiras, Ardra, Punarvasu, Pusya, Aslesha, Magha, Purva Phalguni,
Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Svati, Visakha, Anuradha, Jyestha, Mula, Purva Ashada,
Uttara Ashadha, Abhijit, Sravana, Dhanistha, Satabhishaj, Purva Bhadrapada, Uttara
Bhadrapada, Revati. |
| The Yoga : The
period of time during which the joint motion in longitude, or the sum of the motions of
the sun and moon is increased by 13º20', is called a yoga. Its length varies thus |
|
gh. |
pa. |
vipa. |
h. |
m. |
s. |
| Mean |
56 |
29 |
21.75 |
22 |
35 |
44.7 |
| Greatest |
61 |
31 |
0 |
24 |
36 |
24 |
| Least |
52 |
12 |
0 |
20 |
52 |
48 |
|
| The names of the Yogas
are as follows : |
| Vishkambha, Priti,
Ayushmat, Saubhagya, Sobhana, Atigandha, Sukarman, Dhriti, Sula, Gandha, Vriddhi, Dhruva,
Vyaghata, Harshana, Vajra, Siddhi, Vyatipata, Variyas, Parigha, Siva, Siddha, Sadhya,
Subha, Sukla, Brahman, Indra, Vaidhriti. |
| The Karana : The
karana is half a tithi, of the time during which the difference of longitudes of the
sun and moon is increased by 6 degrees. |
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| In this chapter we have
discussed few of the basic definitions. The following chapter will have some more basic
defintions along with the concept of tithi calculation and other basic principles. |
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