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UpAkarmA in Aani , Aadi and AvaNi : Part 2

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • June 20, 1998 


Dear BhakthAs :

Our AchAryAs have gone over this issues carefully .
The older issues of Nrusimha Priya contain pertinent 
comments on SampradhAya sishtAs like the Azahgaiya Singars
and Sri Melpakkam Narasimhachaar swamy about the 
subject of UpAkaram anushtAna day determinations
and other vrathAnushtAnam days such as Sri Rama Navami,
Nrusimha Jayanthi ,JanmAshtami et al  .The Current
Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt has written one of the most
outstanding monographs on this subject . 

Prior to commenting on the substance of the AchAryA's views 
on UPAAKARMAA alone ,let us get acquainted at a basic 
level with some definitions and background nomenclature .
This is compiled with the view to address the information 
needs of Youngsters based on a discussion I had with 
Sri Kesava PrasAd following the conclusion
of th ePittsburgh Conference on "Sri VenakatEsa MahimA " .

A .First , Let us list the  names of Soura  
and ChAndra Maasams that make up an year :

  Souram(365 days)      Chaandra Maasam (354 days 
                       
1.Mesha : Chittari------Chaithra:Chaithram       
2.Vrushabha:VaikAsi-----VaisAka:VaisAkam
3.Mithunam :Aani--------JyEshta:JyEshtam
4.Karkatakam:Aadi-------- AashAda: AshAdam 
5.Simha: AavaNi-------- SrAvaNa:SrAvaNam 
6.kanyA: PurattAsi----- BhAdrapAdha:BhAdrapAdham
7.TulA: Iyppasi-------- Aasvayuja:Aasvayujam
8.Vruscchika:Kaarthikai-Kaarthika: Kaarthikam
9.Dhanu: Maargazhi------Maargaseersha:Maargaseersham
10.Makara:Tai-----------Pousha:( tEsha:)/Pushyam
11.Kumbha:Maasi---------Maaga: Maagam
12.Meena:Panguni--------Paalguna:Paalgunam 

B.The Two Ayanams :The  6 month time period from Aadi maasam 
start is recognized as DakshiNaayanam and the remaining 
six month starting  from Tai maasam is UttarAyaNam .

C. Ruthus : This 12 month period is split in to six two month 
time divisions : Vasantha ( Chititrai+VaikAsi ) ,
Greeshma ( Aani+Aadi ) , Varsha ( AavaNi+Purattasi) ,
Saraddth ( Iypaasi+Kaarthigai ) ,Hemantha ( Maargazhi+Tai) ,
and Sisira ( Maasi+Panguni ) Ruthus .This is under 
the Soura system or solar calendar . 

D.Maasams( Months) : Three kinds of Mala Maasams:

These are (1) AthimAsam (2)samasarpaMaasam and 
3) amhaspathi maasaam .They have some dhOshams 
fro the observance of selected karmAs .

The above three kinds of months are hence known as 
Mala maasams and there are restrictions on 
doing subha kaaryams in these months or portions
of these Months . Rest of the Months are amalaa (blemishless)
months for performance of subha Kaaryams . In a mala maasam , 
where two Full moons or two New moons occur , then that
month is not fit for any subha kaaryam .Vasantha ruthu is 
the only exception ,where its two months ( Chitthirai
and Vaikaasi) have no mala maasa dhOshams at all and hence
all subha kaaryams can done in these two months .

Another exception is for samskArams like
pumsavanam ( done in the 8 th month of Conception )
or anna prAsanam ( first feeding of solid food for the child 
done after the sixth month of birth) , no mala maasa
restrcitions apply here as well .  

D.1: When two amAvAsyais (New Moon ) occur in any one
of the Soura Maasam , that maasam is called 
an ATHI MAASAM . 

D.2: When there  are two Maasa PiRappu ( beginning
of two months ) in a chAndhra Maasam ,then that
Maasam is known as AMHASPATHI MAASAM .Usually ,
it occurs in the chAndhra maasam of Kaarthikam . 

D.3 : The month before Amhaspathi maasam is
known as Samsarpa Maasam . One can do karmAnushtAnam
in this month ( Karma Samsarpathi ithi) and 
hence  , the name .

E.Kaala VibhAgam( Time Divisions ):

Naazhikai or 24 minutes time intervals from Sunrise to 
Sunset are our units as indicated by Sri Anand .

The whole day has 24 hours or 1,440 minuts . That time 
period is broken up into 60 Naazhikais . The day or pakal
consists of 30 Naazhikais and the night the remaining 30
Nazhikais .

The day is divided into 5 time units of 144 minutes
( six Naazhigais ). These are PrAtha:( Sunrise to 
the next six Naazhikais) , Sangavam (six naazhikais
after Praatha: Kaalam ) , MadhyAhanam , AparAhNam 
and SaayAhanam ( concludes with sunset ) . The 4th
Kaalm ( AprAhNam ) is very important for Sraadhams
and latter must be started after MadhyAnam and ended 
before AprAhNam .

F. The 27 Constellations ( Nakshathrams ):

The sequence is Asvini , BharaNi , Kritthikai ,
RohiNi , Mrugaseersham , ThiruvAthirai ,
Punarvasu , Pushyam, Aayilyam , Makam , Pooram .
Utthiram , Hastham , Chitthirai , SvAthi , VisAkam ,
Anusham , Kettai , Moolam ,Pooradam ,
UTTHIRAADAM , SRAVANAM , AVITTAM ,
Sathayam , PoorattAdhi , UthtirattAdhi , Revathi .

We will not cover Thithi , Thithi Dhvayam,
Soonya Thithi and Athithi here .These are important for 
performance of TarpaNams , Sraadhams and GrahaNa snAnams ,
SangramaNa kaala anushtAnams . The monthly calendar
(panchaangam of  Nrusimha PriyA journal carries 
these details every month ).You can subscribe to 
Sri Nrusimha PriyA ( Tamil or English or Telegu 
editions ) by writing to Sriman Jaganaathan or 
Sriman Dileepan . 

I will focus on the UpaakarmA occuring in Aani or Aadi
or AavaNi in the next posting . 

V.Sadagopan