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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: F.A.Q. 24
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The Indian (Hindu) Calendar QUESTION: Does Yoga prescribe the use of a
particular calendar? ANSWER: The Holy Land of India is the sacred
ground on which Yoga Dharma has flourished for millennia. It is only natural, therefore, that Yoga has close links to Indian
culture and civilisation. In consequence, the calendar used in Yoga is
practically the same as the one currently used in India. Solar and Lunar Years The Traditional Indian Calendar is one of the most beautiful
and fascinating calendars known to Mankind. It is also the oldest in use
today, being mentioned in the Ancient Scriptures of India (Rig Veda). It
ingeniously combines solar and lunar references to accurately calculate the
passage of time. The basis for this is provided by two naturally occurring,
parallel cycles: 1. The progression of the Sun along the twelve
Constellations of the Zodiac from Aries to Pisces. This Solar
Cycle determines the Year and the Seasons. Thus the Year commences with
the Sun's entrance into the Constellation of Aries, which translated into
Western time-reckoning falls on the Spring Equinox (22 March). This is known
as Yugadi or the First Day of the Solar Year which consists of twelve
months ending on the day before the next Spring Equinox. 2. The phases of the Moon. The Moon has four
basic Phases: New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon and Last Quarter, occurring
at intervals of approximately seven days. A set of four such Phases
constitutes one "Moon" or Lunar Month of thirty lunar days or
Tithis (Digits). Twelve such Months make up one Lunar Year. The Lunar Cycle is calculated as commencing with the
last New Moon before the Spring Equinox (22 March). This is known as the
First Day of the Lunar Year which ends with the New Moon before the next
Spring Equinox. (Lunar New Year's Day may also be calculated as the fourth
New Moon from Winter Solstice - 22 December). The Indian Solar Year has a duration
of 365.258 days which are divided into twelve months of varying lengths
(29-31 days). As the Lunar Month lasts 29.5 days it is shorter than most
Solar Months. To harmonise the Lunar Year with the Solar Year, an extra month
(Adhika Masa) is added to the Lunar Cycle every thirty months. The Months of the Indian Year Solar Months are reckoned as lasting from one Zodiac
Sign to the next. Thus the Sun's passage through one Zodiac Sign determines
the length of each month. All Indian months are named after the Sanskrit name
of Constellations. They are indicated below alongside their Western
equivalent:
Lunar Months are reckoned as lasting from one New Moon to the next and are
named after the Solar Months in which they begin. For example, if New Moon
falls on February 8th, then the Lunar Month beginning on that date will take
the name of the Solar Month Magha (which lasts from 21 Jan to 19 Feb, see
chart). The following Month will take the name of Phalguna, etc. An alternative method is to count from Full Moon to Full Moon
and name each Lunar Month after the following Solar Months. In practice, it
makes little difference which method we use as each Lunar Month is divided
into two halves or fortnights, one called "bright" and the other
"dark" according as the Moon is waxing (growing) or waning
(diminishing), and the days are counted from the beginning of each fortnight.
The main difference is Spiritual or religious in nature, as New Moon, in
Yoga, is especially sacred to Lord Shiva - as will be explained later. Adhika Maasa All lunar and luni-solar
calendars are faced with the fact that the Lunar Year on which they are based
is shorter than the Solar Year and therefore falls out of synchrony with the
latter, unless adjustments are made. The Jewish Calendar solves
the problem by alternating months of 29 and 30 days and by adding a 30-day
month to the regular twelve, every two or three years. However, this Calendar
involves a complicated system which results in the length of the year varying
from 353 to 385 days. Like its Jewish counterpart, the Muslim
Calendar alternates months of 29 and 30 days each. Apart from this, the
Months are allowed to fall out of synchrony with the natural rhythm of the
seasons. This leads to the awkward situation of celebrating historical events
– such as the birth of Prophet Mohammad – on dates that are out of tune with
real time, as well as relying on the Western, Solar Calendar for agricultural
and other purposes. The solution provided by the Indian
Calendar is more elegant and more natural than the above examples. To begin
with, it remains true to the Lunar Cycle, its Days (Tithis) being lunar and
not solar. Thus all Months consist of 30 Lunar Days. This makes the Indian
Calendar both more strictly lunar and more harmonious. The Indian Calendar also harmonises
the Lunar Year with the Solar Year by the addition of an Intercalary Month to
the Lunar Cycle. As Lunar Months have an average duration of 29 days and 12
hours, this makes a Lunar Year 354 days long, that is to say about 11 days
shorter than the 365-day Solar year. The shortage amounts to 33 days over a
period of three years (or 36 months). Therefore, an Additional or Intercalary
Month (Adhika Maasa) is added to the Lunar Year every three years. This calendrical adjustment must not
be regarded as artificial or arbitrary. Adhika Maasa is in fact a naturally
occurring phenomenon as once every three years there are two New Moons in one
Solar Month. On such occasions, the Month beginning with the first New Moon
is called Adhika (Abundant) and the one beginning with the second New Moon is
called Nija (True) or Shuddha (Pure) on account of its immediately preceding
the Sun’s entrance into an Astrological Constellation or Sign (Raashi). Adhika Maasa is also known as Mala
Maasa (Impure Month). Only obligatory rites such as funerals are observed
during this time while others like weddings are generally postponed. Kshaya Maasa Another feature of the Indian
Calendar is the Kshaya or Deficient Month. This is based on the
fact that occasionally – once every century or so – a Lunar Month completely
covers a Solar Month which results in the absence of a New Moon during that
month. As Lunar Months are reckoned
from New Moon to New Moon and are named after the Solar Month in which they
begin, there will be no Lunar Month to name after a Solar Month devoid of New
Moon. Such a Lunar Month is therefore described as Kshaya,
that is, “Deficient” or “Suppressed”. The Week The Solar Month is divided into approximately four
seven-day Weeks, just as in the Western Calendar. Similarly, the days of the
Week are named after the Celestial Bodies, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter,
Venus, Saturn and the Sun. The Lunar Month, on the other hand, has no weeks.
Instead, it is divided into Fortnights or Half Months (Ardha Masa) which are
also known as Paksha (Wings). The two halves of the Month (1) from New Moon
to Full Moon and (2) from Full Moon to New Moon are conceived of as the two
"wings" of the Moon: one called Bright (Shukla Paksha) and the
other Dark (Krishna or Bahula Paksha). As the two Half Months have 15 days each, Lunar Days are named
after their corresponding Sanskrit ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, etc.) with the
exception of the 15th which is called Full Moon (Purnima) and the 30th which
is called New Moon or Conjunction (Amavasya). What is New Moon? An important point that requires clarification at this stage
is the exact definition of "New Moon". In everyday language,
New Moon means the First Crescent when seen after the Moon's
Conjunction with the Sun. However, in astronomical terms, "New
Moon" means the Day of Conjunction itself, on which No Moon is
seen in the Sky. It is in this, second sense that "New Moon" is
used here. This is also the meaning of the Indian term, "Amavasya". The reason why no Moon is seen on New Moon or Conjunction Day
(Amavasya), is because at the moment of New Moon,
the Moon is positioned right between the Sun and Earth in such a way as for
the Moon's sunlit half to be facing the Sun while her dark half is facing the
Earth. This special position of the Moon means that both Sun and Moon
rise at approximately the same time (the Moon being slightly earlier than the
Sun) in the same place on the Eastern horizon, travel across the sky
together, and finally set in the West, the Moon remaining all the while
positioned between the Sun and Earth. This is why New Moon in Sanskrit is called the Conjunction
or Dwelling-together (Amavasya) of Sun and Moon. The
visual effect of this is that the disc of the Moon is outshone by the Sun.
Thus the normally visible Moon is consumed, as it were, by the Sun's fiery
embrace to be released one or two days later in a purified and rejuvenated
form when the First Crescent or Digit of the Moon becomes visible again. In consequence, New Moon, or more accurately, No
Moon occurs at the end of the Lunar Month when the Last Crescent of the
Waning Moon, which was visible on the Eastern horizon, say a couple of hours
before sunrise on the previous day, is no longer seen. What about Full Moon? Full Moon is the opposite of New Moon. At Full Moon, the Moon
stands on the opposite side of the Earth and reflects the light of the Sun in
such a way as to appear as a circular disc in the sky. Unlike New Moon, which
rises and sets simultaneously with the Sun, Full Moon rises at sunset and
sets at dawn, thus being "at Opposition" rather than Conjunction. To return to New Moon. Strictly speaking, the moment of New
Moon in the Indian Calendar marks the end of one Month and the beginning of
the next. In practice, however, while New Moon Day (Amavasya) is
reckoned as the last day of the expiring Month, the following day is called
the First (Pratipada or Prathama) of the beginning Month. The second day is called the Second, and so on up to the
fifteenth day which is called Full Moon (Purnima). This makes a complete
Fortnight or Half Month (Paksha or Ardha Masa) of fifteen days. After Full
Moon, the second Half Month commences with day First (Pratipada), and so on,
until the next New Moon or last day of the Month. Thus the basic unit of time
after the Day, is the Fortnight.
The date
of Maha Shivaratri would be given as "Magha Krishna
Chaturdashi" or "the Fourteenth of the Dark Half of
Magha"; Teej (Tritya Tithi) would be "Bhadrapada Shukla
Tritya" or "the Third of the Dark Half of Bhadrapada",
etc. If we wish to indicate the year, we need to add, for instance, Kali
Yuga (the Current Indian Age) 5106 before the month: (1) KY 5106,
Magha Kr. 14 or short (2) 5106, Magha 29 (the 14th of the Dark
Fortnight being the same as the 29th of the Month); (3) Shorter still would
be 5106. 11. 29. However, the first example would be the clearest,
unless the intended reader is familiar with the calendar used. Holy Days The most frequently observed holy days of the Indian Calendar
are the Eighth and the Fifteenth of every Half Month. Thus counting from the first
day after New Moon, we have: (1) the Eighth of the Bright Half (First
Quarter), (2) the Fifteenth of the Bright Half (Full Moon), (3) the Eighth of
the Dark Half (Last Quarter) and (4) the Fifteenth of the Dark Half (New
Moon). As they occur at intervals of approximately seven days, they are
comparable to the weekly holidays of Western faiths. In addition to these weekly holidays there is a very important
monthly one, namely, Shiva Ratri, which takes place on the 14th day of
the Dark Half of the Month or the day before New Moon (Amavasya, as defined
above). Both Shiva Ratri (the Night of Shiva) and New Moon are sacred
to the Supreme Lord and are celebrated together as part of a two-day festival
that marks the end of one month and the beginning of the next. Traditionally,
Shiva Ratri is a three-day (or 36-hour) festival lasting approximately from
midnight on the 13th to midday on the 15th or New Moon Day (Amavasya). Are any Ashtamis or Amavasyas inauspicious? In popular Indian tradition, days such as Ashtami (8th),
Chaturdashi (14th) and Amavasya (New Moon), are sometimes held to be
"inauspicious" ("ashubha") on account of certain Spirits
(Ganas) said to become active at this time, rendering these days perilous to
man. The truth of the matter is that physical activities such as
manual labour were originally prohibited at important points in the lunar
cycle in order to provide an opportunity for man to commune with the Divine
through worship, prayer and meditation. The original holy day was without doubt New Moon or New Moon
Eve and Day, taken together. Due to a decline in man's Spiritual faculties,
it subsequently became necessary for this to be observed more frequently,
that is, once a week instead of once a month. The observance of Saturdays,
Sundays or Fridays in Western faiths is based on the same Original Tradition
(Adi Dharma) that was once prevalent throughout the World. As for the Ganas or Spirits, they are in fact but the children
of Lord Shiva and man's brothers and sisters. They only threaten those who
reject their own Lord and Creator, the Lord of Unity and Goodness, Shiva
Mahadeva Himself. Indeed, if we think about it, those who consciously or
unconsciously leave the fold of Unity and Harmony with the Supreme, Who is
the Lord and Protector of all Souls, naturally make themselves vulnerable to
attacks by malign and destructive forces. Those who adhere to Unity with the
Supreme, on the other hand, have nothing to fear. What is important to understand in this context is that Lord
Shiva Himself, in His capacity as Lord of Spirits (Ganapati) punishes by
means of the Ganas those who reject or otherwise neglect or disobey His
Command and Teaching (Shiva Shaasana) so that they may come to their senses
and embrace and follow His Supreme Eternal Law. Whereas, as Lord of Unity
(Yogeshvara), He welcomes into His infinite embrace all those who obediently
follow the Glorious Path of Unity with Him. This is only natural. After all, a man wouldn't be happy with
his feet, hands or other parts of the body assuming a will of their own and
doing what they pleased against his own wishes. Again, if a man were to
abandon rational thought and give free rein to his feelings and thoughts, he
would undoubtedly sink into confusion and insanity. Indeed, insanity is one
of the most frequent punishments for disunity with Spiritual Truth. This is
why it is so prevalent in the materialistic and un-Spiritual World of today.
It is clear, therefore, that the Supreme Being (Parama Shiva) of Whom Mankind
is but a small part, will not tolerate human disobedience to His Command. The same forces that, at the Command of Shiva, assume the form
of Ganas to haunt and harass the unbelievers and the sinners, reveal their
true nature divine in the form of Angels, Nymphs and Gods (Apsaras, Surasundaris,
Devas) to the pious and the right believers. Thus the Lord of Supreme Justice
punishes or rewards each Soul according to his merits or demerits. This is
the Eternal Law of Heaven. In consequence, humans are right to fear the Ganas but only if
they disobey their Lord. This, in short, is the true meaning of
Kaala-Bhairavaashtami (Karttika bahula 8), Naraka Chaturdashi (Ashvina bahula
14) and, ultimately, Shiva Ratri itself. At any rate, the practice of Yoga, in particular Meditation, is designed precisely to enable the right
believer to attain a state of Unity with the Divine and the Spiritual
entities who are His manifestations, so that he may enjoy a happy, prosperous
and peaceful life. The Half Year In the same way as Lunar Months are divided into bright and
dark Fortnights or Half Months, Solar Years are divided into Half Years of
Six Months each. The Year is conceived of as a wheel consisting of the circular
movement of the Sun in relation to Earth. The first half of the wheel or Half
Year is that during which daylight increases. The Sun is then said to take a
northward course for which reason this Half Year is called the Northern
or Higher Path (Uttara Ayana). The second half of the Year is that during which daylight
decreases and the Sun is said to take a southward course. For this reason, it
is known as the Southern or Lower Path (Dakshina Ayana). Days, Hours and Minutes As in the calendars of Ancient Sumer, Egypt and China, the Day
in Indian timekeeping is always calculated as commencing at sunrise as
opposed to midnight (as in the West) or sunset (as in certain Middle Eastern
traditions). A Solar Day (Vara) as a 24-hour unit of
time, therefore, lasts from one
sunrise (6 a.m.) to the next. The Standard Indian Time used in the traditional calendar is
called Lanka Time. It is based on the longitude of the Central-Indian
City of Ujjain (75 46 6) and the latitude of an island situated on the
equator in the Indian Ocean and having the same longitude as Ujjain, called Lanka
(after Shri Lanka). There are three basic methods of time keeping in India.
According to the first, the Day is divided into eight Praharas
or Watches of three hours each. Thus the day proper lasts four Watches
from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the night lasts a further four Watches from 6 p.m.
to 6 a.m., giving a total of eight Watches per Day. Midnight, for example,
falls on the beginning of the 3rd Watch (or Prahara) of the night, sunrise in
the first Watch of the day, etc. The Prahara in turn consists of six Naadikaas
of thirty minutes each. There are thus 8 Praharas and 48 Naadikaas in a Day
(24 hrs.).
The second method divides the Day (24 hrs.) into thirty
Muhurta of 48 minutes. Apart from this, the Western and Indian systems
are very much the same in that they are both sexagesimal, that is, they reckon
by the 60th part of a unit. Thus one Muhurta equals two Ghatika (2x24 min.);
one Day (30 Muhurta) equals sixty Ghatika (60x24 min.); one Ghatika
equals sixty Chashaka (60x24 sec.) and one Chashaka equals
sixty Nimesha (Twinklings) (60x0.4 sec.). The Indian Muhurta (48 min.) is roughly the equivalent of the
Western hour; the Ghatika the equivalent of half an hour; the Chashaka half a
minute and the Nimesha half a second. As the Western system is known to have evolved in the East, it
is obvious that both systems have a common origin. A third method is employed for religious purposes. The Day,
that is, the period of time from sunrise to sunset, is divided into five
equal portions of six ghatikas each, starting from sunrise:
Religious observances
such as fasts, worship, ceremonies and rituals are often held in accordance
with this fivefold division of time. The Lunar Day (Tithi) In order to understand the Lunar
Calendar, it is important to bear in mind that Lunar Day is not the same as
Solar Day. While the Solar Day represents a roughly 24-hour period
between one sunrise and the next, the Lunar Day is measured by the position
of the Moon in relation to the Sun and its duration may vary considerably
from day to day. The Moon’s apparent movement in
relation to the Sun may be said to describe a circle of 360 degrees in one
Month. As the Lunar Month consists of thirty days, a Lunar Day is defined as
the amount of time required by the Moon to gain twelve degrees over the Sun.
Such a time period may last from 19 to 26 hours (23h 37m 28s on average) and
is known as Tithi or Digit. Thus the First Day (Pratipada) of
the Lunar Month begins at 0 degrees (when Sun and Moon are in Conjunction)
and ends at 12 degrees. The Second Day (Dvitya) begins at 12 and ends at 24,
and so on. The Last Day (Amavasya or New Moon) of the Month begins at 348
degrees and ends at 360. The Lunar Day (Tithi) is that which
is current at Sunrise on a given Day. Thus a Tithi must start before the
moment of Sunrise, and it gives its name to that Solar Day. If a Tithi
begins after Sunrise and ends before the next Sunrise, it is
omitted and the Day is called Avama. If, on the other hand, a Tithi begins before
Sunrise and ends after the next Sunrise, both Solar Days are named
after it. The above information represents a general outline of
the main elements of the Indian Calendar, only. Exact measurements require
detailed calculations based on data obtainable from specialist publications.
Indian Calendars (Panchangams) outside India may also be obtained in
Indian-owned shops and online. Correspondence of Western and Indian dates The Western (Christian) calendar begins with year one AD (Anno
Domini) or CE (Curent Era). Anything before that is reckoned backwards in years
BC (Before Christ) or BCE (Before the Current Era). The traditional Indian
(Hindu) calendar has no retrograde reckoning. In the Indian system, time runs
naturally from the beginning of creation to the end and is divided into World
Ages. The current World Age is Kali
Yuga which began on the night of 17th to 18th
February 3102 BC. The World Age before the current is called Dvapara Yuga. As Kali Yuga begins with year zero, this gives a difference of
3101 years between the Indian and Western calendars. However, the Indian year
begins not with the 1st of January as the Western year, but with 1st
of Chaitra which can fall, approximately, on any day between the 20th of
March and the 20th of
April. In consequence, to convert a Western year into a Kali Yuga year,
we need to add 3101 for the part of the Western year before
the 1st of Chaitra (20 March-20April) and 3102 for
the part after the 1st of Chaitra. To convert a
BC (BCE) year into a Kali Yuga one, the Western year is subtracted from 3102. To convert a Kali Yuga Year into a Western one, we need to
subtract 3102 for the part of the Indian year before the 31st of December and 3101 for the part after the 31st of December. For example, CE (AD) 2005
+ 3101 = KY 5106, expired (that is, before the 1st of Chaitra)
but CE (AD) 2005 + 3102 = KY 5107
current (after the 1st of Chaitra). If exact correspondence is not
important, then adding or subtracting 3102
will give us a date that covers most of the Indian or Western year for all AD
(CE) dates and this should be acceptable for every-day purposes. In Kali Yuga dates,
the year comes first, followed by month and day. Thus the day of Shiva Ratri 2005 which fell on 8th
March, would be given as: KY 5106,
Magha Kr. (Krishna or dark half of the month) 14. 2005 dates after this
would be KY 5107. See also the paragraph on Full Moon, above. The Four World Ages One of the fundamental fallacies of Western and
Western-influenced scholars when studying Indian culture,
is their inability to grasp the fact that it is essentially Spiritual. The
Indian Calendar is no exception. Far from being a mere instrument for
calculating time, it represents a living expression of the timeless
Spirituality of India. The Ancient Scriptures of India (Rig Veda) compare life to the
rolling wheels of carts, bringing sometimes good, sometimes bad fortune, as
it revolves. Just as night and day follow each other, so also everything,
from an individual person to the whole of Mankind, goes through alternating
periods of prosperity and decline, of decay and regeneration. In the Yoga Tradition, Time is divided into World Ages
or Yugas. The first of these is known as “Satya Yuga”, the Golden
Age of Enlightenment and Truth which is the longest, lasting 4,800
Celestial Years. (One Celestial Year equals 360 terrestrial years.) The
second World Age is “Treta Yuga”, the Silver Age
of Devotion lasting 3,600 Celestial Years. The third World Age,
called “Dvapara Yuga”, is the Copper Age of Reason which
lasts 2,400 Celestial Years. The fourth and last World Age is the
shortest. It lasts only 1,200 Celestial Years and is known as “Kali
Yuga” or the Iron Age of Action. Being a time of growing
Spiritual decline, it is also known as the Age of Darkness. This Four-Age Cycle repeats itself many times over till the
End of the World when Material Creation is reabsorbed into the Universal
Spirit (Parama Shiva). As we are only 5100 years into the Last World Age, the
End of the World is not imminent. Although Western Scriptures like the
Christian Bible and the Muslim Quran declare it to be "near", the
End of the World has clearly not happened and it will not happen for a long
time to come. Kali Yuga - the Age of Darkness This, of course, does not mean to say that Mankind is
"safe". As already indicated, the World is going through a phase of
Spiritual decline. To be sure, within the main downward course, there are
brief periods of rising and falling. Individuals, groups of people and even
entire nations may, indeed, temporarily prosper. Yet the general state of the
World is indisputably one of decline. The real threat is not that God will wipe out the World
out of the blue. The Enlightened Yogis and Prophets (Rishis) of India assure
us that there is no danger from God Who is Our Creator and Friend. The World
will come to an end one day, but not yet. The true danger comes not from God
but from man himself. Materialism, immorality, crime, violence, war, genocide,
disease, overpopulation, poverty, the destruction of natural resources and
environmental disasters are not the work of God but the result of man's own
actions. And they are on the rise. Even the most sceptical among us cannot
deny what is patent fact. In this context, it is worthwhile to observe that the name, occurrence
and duration of each particular World Age have been disputed time and again
by various scientists, scholars and “experts”. For example, it has been
suggested that the Ages (Yugas) only last 500 years or that the current Age
is Dvapara Yuga, etc. What is imperative to understand is that “Satya”,
“Treta”, “Dvapara” and “Kali”, are names given to the respective Ages by convention and not from any
intrinsic necessity. The fact is that the World Ages are known by different
names in different traditions. It is irrelevant what we call them provided
that we acknowledge their existence. Nor can we reasonably deny that Humanity
is at a critical point in its existence on Earth. Any suggestion to the
contrary must be rejected as inconsistent with factual and Spiritual truth
and an attack on the Supreme Eternal Law of Heaven. India herself provides an adequate illustration of this truth.
Rich in natural resources and blessed with an ideal, life-promoting climate,
she was a true Paradise on Earth in prehistoric times. Historical and archaeological records show that early in her
history India was a great nation that extended from Thailand in the East to
Afghanistan in the West and from Tibet in the North to Shri Lanka in the
South. Close cultural and economic ties with Ancient Europe, Egypt and East
Asia, made India one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations on Earth up
to the 10th and 11th centuries of the current era. Subsequent material and
economic decline was preceded by a long Spiritual decline with roots in the
distant past. Today, much of Ancient India is under the brutal occupation of
foreign powers and her people are either enslaved or divided by cultural,
political and religious conflicts. Kashmir, Afghanistan and Pakistan, once
home to many a renowned centre of Yogic, Hindu and Buddhist learning, are now
hotbeds of international terrorism. The same applies to many other places on Earth, mainly in Asia
and Africa but increasingly also in the Americas and Europe. According to the
time records of the Ancient Yoga Masters and Prophets (Rishis) this global
process of human degradation and degeneration began with the present World
Age in the year 3102 BC (before the current era), that is over 5100 years
ago, in the third watch of the night on New Moon Day in the Month of Magha
(midnight between 17th and 18th February). As Scripture declares, Karma produces its fruit slowly, like
the Earth. The fruits of past sins are now slowly engulfing the World like
the shadow of death. Light shall return to Earth only when Mankind embraces
Yoga Dharma which is the Eternal Path of Unity with the Supreme. The historical proof Chronologically speaking, the traditional Indian Calendar is
obviously far ahead of its modern Western counterpart. It is equally ahead in
terms of World history. It is noteworthy that the date of 3102 BC or the approximate
equivalent thereof, appears to have been important in the traditions of
Ancient Egypt, Central America and other Ancient Civilisations. Thus, in the
Egyptian tradition, the year 3101 BC commemorates the conquest of Upper and
Lower Egypt by King Menes. Similarly, in the Maya tradition of Central
America, 3114 BC marks the beginning of a New World Age. (In common with the
traditions of India - Yogic, Hindu, Jain, Buddhist - the Maya believed in
recurring cycles of World Renewal, Preservation and Degeneration.) The exception to this is the Jewish tradition, where 3761 BC
represents the beginning or creation of the World. However, as the World was
clearly created long before that date, it cannot mark the creation itself but
the beginning of a New World Age. The Jewish tradition
therefore represents a deviation from both the universally accepted, original
date and its significance. It is difficult to reconstruct the exact circumstances and
events that occasioned this corruption of the Original Teaching. Perhaps
internal and external conflicts made it difficult for the Spiritual leaders
of the Jewish people to preserve the Original Teaching in all its details.
The fact remains that this deviation was later inadvertently adopted by the
Christian and Muslim traditions and resulted in the Western World's
separation from, and opposition to, the Original World Faith (Adi Dharma).
This confusion and conflict is, of course, the distinctive characteristic of
the Age of Darkness (Kali Yuga) as predicted by the Prophets of India. Which again proves our point. The concordance between the chronological traditions of the
various Great Civilisations of the World (Indian, Egyptian, Central
American), constitutes proof that some extraordinary event must have occurred
at that time, which marked the beginning of a New Era in the history of
Mankind. In consequence, the question that may be raised at this
point is, why was the 18th February 3002 so
important as to calculate time from that date? There are a number of reasons
of which we shall enumerate but a few: (1) Regarding the day, Shiva Ratri, Shiva's Fourteenth, or New
Moon Eve marks the advent of the New Moon which is the end of a month and the
beginning of a new one. (2) Regarding the month or time of the year, Shiva Ratri in
the Month of Magha falls on the end of February and the beginning of March,
giving or taking a fortnight - according to the phases of the Moon. This is
the time of the year when Winter comes to an end and Spring arrives bringing light and warmth. Many plants now begin
to give new leaves. It is therefore a celebration of new life and the
appropriate time to begin a new year. (3) At the same time, the Month of Magha (late February -
March) is the end of the agricultural year when, in many parts of India, food
crops such as barley and wheat are reaped and gathered in. It therefore
represents an occasion to celebrate harvest time and the generosity of God's
Creation. The year, therefore, had began at that
time since earliest prehistoric time. (4) Regarding the century, it represents the beginning of a
New World Age, in which Mankind enters a new and critical phase in its
history. Modern scientists have confirmed that some 5,200 - 5,100 years ago
there was a shift in the Earth's axis which resulted in major climate changes
affecting the lives of people all over the World. Many Ancient Civilisations perished as a result of excessive
cold or heat, floods, drought, crop failure, war and disease. To the West of
India, the century immediately preceding the fifth millennium before the
present day, marked the fall of Sumer (Ancient Mesopotamia) to foreign powers
and the beginning of a steady decline of its unique civilisation. India
herself was, and still is, similarly affected. (5) Regarding the year, the most important reason for the
calendar itself to begin in 3102 BC, is not material but Spiritual. From
a purely Spiritual point of view, Maha Shivaratri celebrates the Supreme
Lord's Revelation or Re-Introduction of the Eternal Teachings of Yoga (Yoga
Dharma) to Mankind, which occurs at the beginning of each World Age,
including the current Age, Kali Yuga. Says Scripture: "In every World Age, Lord Shiva
incarnates as Teacher of Yoga (Yogacharya) and propagates its wisdom for the
Salvation of His devotees" (Shiva Purana, Vayaviya Samhita I, 32:14; II,
8:43, etc.). Thus the Shiva Ratri festival reminds us of the fact that human
life has a Spiritual purpose and that we must be grateful to the Supreme Lord
for showing us the Right Way in which we may fulfil that purpose. This is the
true meaning of that date. As we shall presently demonstrate, the intent and
purpose of the Indian Calendar is primarily Spiritual. The Calendar of Ancient India The traditional Indian Calendar was originally lunar -
"The Moon is that which shapes the years" says the Rig Veda - and
it remains essentially unchanged even today. The movement of the Sun - or his position relative to Earth -
was undoubtedly employed for determining the seasons and marking important
activities such as sowing and harvesting, from prehistoric times. Regular occurrences like the solstices and equinoxes
are closely connected with weather conditions such as changes in daylight,
air temperature, etc. In consequence, they couldn't have escaped ancient
man's keen sense of observation. Likewise, the Sun's path across the
firmament linked him with certain constellations giving rise to the twelve
Signs of the Zodiac. For this reason, the Indian Solar Year commences with the
Sun's entrance into the Sign of Aries (Ram) which is variously calculated as
falling on 21st of April (traditional) or 22nd of March (reformed calendar,
see above). However, apart from astrology and agriculture, the Solar Year
has never attained much importance in India. Religious holidays continue to
be observed according to the phases of the Moon. The Lunar Cycle, therefore,
remains the most important, religiously and Spiritually speaking. The
calendar described in the Ancient Gospels of India (Puranas) is essentially
lunar. The Rig Veda on its part, speaks of a 360-day, twelve-month
year which may refer to a solar calendar. Thus it is written: "The holy
priests, by their seasons know, O Sun God! those two
wheels of yours: one kept concealed, those only who are skilled in highest
truths have learned" (X 85:16). And again, "Formed with twelve
spokes, by length of time, unweakened, rolls round the Heaven this wheel of during
Order. Herein established, joined in pairs together, seven hundred Sons and
twenty stand, O Fiery One!" (I 164:11). The twelve spokes of course are the twelve Months. The Wheel
is the Solar Year. The seven hundred and twenty Sons (or Children) of the Sun
God are the 360 Days and 360 Nights which are "joined together in
pairs". Interestingly, during excavations carried out in the 1980's
near Karachi, there was found a jar containing jewellery from the Indus
Valley period (2000 BC), including a string of thirty-six elongated carnelian
(reddish stone) beads interspersed with bronze beads. It would seem
reasonable to surmise that it represented a form of portable calendar, one
bead symbolising a period of ten days. As in the lunar calendar, the solar
year had 360 days divided into 12 months of 30 days each. The months in turn
were divided into three ten-day periods prior to the introduction of the
seven-day week. Solar calendars based on a 360-day year, no doubt existed in
India as in Ancient Egypt, Sumer and elsewhere. Such a calendar, however,
would have required the addition of five extra days at the end of each year
to match the actual duration of a solar cycle. And it would have required a
further addition of one day every four years to maintain its synchrony with
the Sun. The Lunar Calendar, on the other hand, requires no such
adjustements. It may be harmonised with the Solar Cycle as in the present-day
Indian Calendar, by the addition of an extra month every three years (36
months). Yet it can equally well run indefinitely on its own, the sole
requirement being the regular observation of the phases of the Moon as they
naturally occur. For this reason, it is the preferred method of religious
time keeping in Yoga as in Hinduism and Buddhism. To determine a lunar date
in advance, lay people usually rely on priests and astrologers. Monks on the
other hand, often use their own personal calendar. The Calendar as a Path to Enlightenment We have seen, during our discussion on Kali Yuga, that
the Kali Yuga Calendar reckons the passage of time from the midnight of New
Moon Day in the Month of Magha (17-18 February). Now the New Moon Eve of
Magha happens to be the Holy Night of Shiva (Shiva Ratri). This can only mean one thing: that Maha Shivaratri
originally marked the end of a year and the beginning of the next. Thus
in the year 2004 CE, Maha Shivaratri fell on the 18th of February,
just two days prior to New Moon (20th of Feb.) almost exactly as
at the beginning of Kali Yuga. Indeed, if Kali Yuga solar year zero began on
18th of February 3102 BC, year one began on 18 February 3101 BC,
and so forth down to the present day, then every Kali Yuga solar year ought
to commence on the 18th of February or somewhere thereabouts. If this is the case, why does the Indian solar year start on
the 21st of March or even on the 14th or 21st
of April? The answer is that the 21st of March has been chosen for the
modern, official calendar of India because it falls on the Spring Equinox, a
date that is universally recognised, enabling the harmonisation of the Indian
year with its Western counterpart. Moreover, even Maha Shivaratri which marks
the end of the year, falls between 18th February and 18th
March, that is, within 30 days prior to the Spring Equinox. The Indian calendar, therefore, clearly
revolves around the Spring Equinox.
As for the 14th or 21st of April, this
is to do with the precession of the Spring Equinox. The traditional Indian
solar year currently begins with the entrance of the Sun into the
constellation of Aries (Ram). It may be asked here, why is Aries (Ram) so
important? It is because the first
sign of the Zodiac after the Spring Equinox is supposed to be Aries (Ram). In
reality, however, this is not the case at present. The fact is that the heavens at the time of the Spring Equinox
(21 March) when day and night are of equal length,
are in a slightly different position, when observed from the Earth, from that
in the previous year. In the West, this knowledge was apparently lost only to
be rediscovered again by the astronomer Copernicus in the 16th
century. However, as Professor H. V. Hilprecht of the University of
Pennsylvania discovered back in 1906, the precession of the equinoxes was
already known to the Ancient Babylonians. It must have been known to the Ancient
Indians, too. This must be the reason why the beginning of the year was moved
backwards to coincide with the retrograde movement of the Zodiac. Thus the
centre of attention was shifted from the Spring Equinox itself to the
beginning of Aries (Ram). Indeed, it is an observable fact and the annual difference in
equinoctial position results in a slow movement of the Sky around the Earth
which amounts to one degree in seventy-two years and as much as 30 degrees in
2160 years. In consequence, while the Sun at the time of the Spring
Equinox began to enter into the sign of Aries (Ram) in about 1875 BC, it is
in the sign of Pisces (Fishes) today.
5100 years ago, at the beginning of Kali Yuga, it would have been in Taurus (Bull), a constellation
associated with Shiva. The beginning
of the year would have been at the end of the month of Magha and the
beginning of Phalguna. This is why Kali Yuga year zero began on Magha New Moon and this has remained
the most sacred festival of Shiva down to this day. This means that the
notion of the year’s beginning in Aries (Ram) must be a later introduction
which occurred sometime between 1875 and 1500 BC, when the Spring Equinox was
in Aries. Subsequently, the beginning of the year continued to be observed as
falling on the Sun’s entrance into Aries (Ram) even though this currently
occurs in April. The above is confirmed by the fact that, as evidenced by
historical records, the Indian year in the 1830s began on the 11th
(as opposed to the 13th or 14th) of April, which demonstrates
that the traditional Indian Calendar moves slowly forward in relation to the
true Spring Equinox (21 March) at a rate of approximately two days in 150
years corresponding to the equinoctial precession of one degree in 72 years ( 2 degrees in 144 years or just over 2 days in 150
years). By contrast, Maha Shivaratri which marks the end of the year
is always held between 18th of February and 18th of
March. Being invariably the New Moon Eve before the Spring Equinox, it
remains constant irrespective of equinoctial or zodiacal precession. Maha
Shivaratri or Magha New Moon, therefore, is the correct date for the
beginning of Kali Yuga and, by extension, of every Kali Yuga year. In
consequence, as far as the devotees of Shiva, in particular, Yogis are concerned, the year begins with the 1st of
Phalguna (Phalguna Shukla Pratipada). Thus in Professor Mircea Eliade’s
Encyclopedia of Religion it is stated that: “Mahashivaratri, the Great Night
of Shiva, the climax of the religious
year, is celebrated on the fourteenth lunar day of the dark half of the last
month of the Lunar Year.” The first month of the year, therefore is Phalguna which is the
first month of Spring. This is only natural, as Maha Shivaratri takes
place at the end of Magha, the last Winter month. Indeed, Lord Shiva has
always been associated with Spring. The Holy Scriptures of India describe
Mount Kailasa, Shiva's abode on Earth, as a place where Spring eternally
reigns, where forests resound with the passionate song of Indian cuckoos (heralds
of Spring), etc. Moreover, Spring (Vasanta Panchami) is celebrated in the
same month as Maha Shivaratri, namely, on Magha Shukla 5. It follows from
this that the lunar year and by extension, the Lunar Calendar itself, was
dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Lord of Spring and Master of Time. This is
evidenced by the fact that throughout India every New Moon Eve (the end of
every month) is observed in honour of Lord Shiva. Nor is this surprising. For the Supreme Lord (Parama Shiva) is
the Lord of Eternity or Endless Time (Mahaa Kaala) Mahaakaaleshvara. As Lord
of Time (Kaala-Naatha) He rules over past, present and future. His Emblem is
the Crescent Moon which He wears in His Crown. The Moon (Masa) is that which has measured time from the
beginning of the World. As Scripture puts it, "The Moon is that which
shapes the years". Time itself (Kaala) is the Power whereby the Supreme
Being measures up or divides His Undivided, Unmeasured Eternal Self
(Nishkala) into measured, limited portions of time (Kala) thereby giving life
to the Universe of phenomena. Time (Kaala), Moon Digit (Kalaa, the sixteenth part of the
Moon's diameter) and Atom (Kalaa, unit of existence) all come from the root
Kal, to count, to measure. For this reason, the Supreme Lord, the Lord of
Time, is known as "He Who bears the Digit of the Moon" (Kala-Dhara)
and "Lord of Destiny" (Kala-Yogin). All created things are determined by Time. Time brings things
into the World and Time takes them away. By understanding Time we understand
how the Creation, Maintenance and Dissolution of all things come about.
Finally we understand the Highest Mystery of all: the Holder of the Power of
Time, Supreme Lord Shiva Himself. As the great Marathi poet and Saint,
Jnanadeva, has said in his Amritanubhava: "Where there are flames, there
is also fire; when we catch hold of Shakti (Divine Power), we have Shiva as
well" (I, 24). Shiva Mahadeva - Lord of Time and Lord of
Life To be Lord of Time means to be Lord over Life and Death. Yama
Rajah, the God of Death, is a Manifestation of the Supreme Lord. He is
Shiva's Divine Messenger (Dutah) who summons the Souls to start on their
journey of return to their Creator, when their time has come. This is why
Shiva is sometimes erroneously regarded as the God of Destruction. In reality,
He is the Lord of Everything (Vishvanatha). As death is part of life, the
Lord of Life is also Lord of Death. The death of the physical body is
necessary for the Soul to start a new life. Thus Death is not destruction but
a new beginning. This is the secret of life. Lord Shiva is not only Lord of Eternal Time,
He is also Lord of Enlightenment. He who knows the
secret of Time, knows everything. The Moon, therefore, which symbolises
knowledge of Time, also symbolises Spiritual Knowledge in general. Indeed,
the Crescent Moon, Shiva's Sacred Emblem, means growing light (from Latin
crescere, to grow). This fact is borne out by Yogic Scriptures with such
titles as "Moonlight of Consciousness and Being", "Moon
Wisdom", etc. The Shiva Samhita advises Spiritual seekers to contemplate on
the sixteen-digit (i.e., Full) Moon shining in the place between the eyebrows
where resides the Great White Lord of Time (Shukla Mahaakaala). By
doing this without interruption for three days the Yogi becomes free of sin,
he knows the future and is endowed with magic powers (V, 96,148). The Moon, therefore, represents the Pure, Spiritual Knowledge
(Shuddha Vidya) of Enlightenment. Becoming enlightened means to allow Shiva's
Infinite Light (Ananta Prakasha) into our life so that our entire existence
is filled by it in the same way as the disc of the Moon is full of light when
the Moon is Full. When that happens, man sees the World as it really is and
his Soul becomes united with the Supreme Light like the flame of a candle
joining a larger flame. Man begins his life on Earth by breathing in his first and
departs from this World by breathing out his last breath. In Yoga, therefore,
breath is equated with both life and time. The air we breathe in represents
the past and the air we breathe out the future. The interval between inbreath
and outbreath is the present moment. The outbreath (prana) represents the day
and the inbreath (apana) the night. The intervals between them are the
moments of dusk and dawn. The outbreath is the dark fortnight when the Moon empties
herself to nourish the World with her light while the inbreath is the bright
fortnight when the Moon is nourished by the Sun of Counsciousness in our
heart. The interval between is the sixteenth digit of the Moon on which the
two half months of fifteen days revolve. The outbreath is the half year from Capricorn to Gemini and
the inbreath is the half year from Cancer to Sagittarius. Or the half years
from the Month of Phalguna to Shravana and from Bhadrapada to Magha. The
intervals between the two are the winter and summer solstices, the beginning
and end of Spring and Autumn, etc. Says Scripture: "Within every breath there is contained
every period of time: the hours, the days, the months, the years and the
space of many years". Such is the glory of the Sacred Calendar of India,
which, when properly understood by means of the Eternal Wisdom of Yoga,
becomes a stairway to the Highest Heaven! The awareness of the correspondence between inner biological
processes and outer natural phenomena leads to the experience of Unity
between the personal and Cosmic dimensions of existence, enabling the Yogi to
enjoy Union with the Supreme (Shiva-Samyoga). By contrast, he who fails to
develop this awareness is a failed Yogi. Thus it is written: "Without knowledge of the true nature
of creation, maintenance and dissolution, there can be no Liberation for as
has been said in the Yogasamchara Tantra, Liberation is caused by the
knowledge of all things. The Yogis who ignore this are not liberated, for
they are bound by the fetters of their own ignorance" (Tantraloka). |