Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Fwd: Re: Digest bhakti.v003.n315

From the Bhakti List Archives

Kadambi Srinath • March 29, 1999 


     Sri vEnkateso vijayate
Srimathe rAmAnujAya namah:

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan 

Sriman mani raised a very good question about pAncarAtra sri rAmanavami.
Before I answer this question I would request that my efforts are just
go through the facts and not to refute any tradition.

Generally all festivals will be celebrated according to the pancAnga
which we follow.According to Lunar calendar(cAndramAna) rAmanavami is
celebrated a month before sri pAncarAtra sri rAmanavami.Let me give you
some of the Agamic refereces.pAdma samhita,viSnutilakasamhita,sATvata
samhita and other samhitas stat that:
chaitre mAsi punarvaso:
janma rAmasya mangalam
titHou navamyAm lagneca
kuLIrE  kamalAsana (pAdma samhita)
auspicius birth of rAma is on the day of 
chaitra(is it lunar or solar ?),punarvasu star,navami tithi in shukla
paksha and in karkataka lagna(cancer ascendant).Here we have to consider
all together.This cannot be poossible according to lunar calendar which
is already celebrated.The other samhitas of pAncarAtra speaks same
above.The temples in Andhra pradesh and Karnataka where pAncarAtra is
stricly followed,already celebrated SrirAmanavami,why?

The second reference what vAlmiki bhagavan speaks about rAma's birth:

tatascha dwAdase mAse
chaitrE nAvamike tithou
nakstre aditi daivatye
svocca samsthEshu pancasu
grahEshu karkate lagne 
vAkpatA indunA saha
prOdyamAne jagannAtham
sarvalOka namaskritam
 
chaitra shukla navami punarvasu and karkataka lagna are common.The
special reference is while five plannet were exhaulted (sun,mars saturn
venus and jupitor).Sun is exhaulted in Aries.That can be possible only
after April 14 i.e. soura samvatsarAdi.Hence it is clear from the above
lines, it should be chaitra and sun should be in Aries(Mesha).Is it
possible? Yes,it is.Once in four years when adhika masa comes according
to lunar calendar both chandramana,souramana rAmanavami  comes together.
Let us go to another reference
Generally, the vratas and jayanti will be decided as it is directed by
DharmasAstras.Nirnayasindhu is one of the authentic dharma sAstra
Text.Let us see what it speaks about rAmanavami: chaitrE navamyAm
prAkpakshE
divApunyE punarvasou
udayE gurugourAsvO
*svocchasthe graha panchake
*meshEpushani samprApte
lagne karkatakAhvaye
AvirAsit sa kalayA
kousalyAyAm parah: pumAn.

In the above stanza * to be noted. It clearly states that while sun
(pUsha) is in Mesha(Aries).Hence it should be after Apr 14 th.
One more interesting thing is : karkataka
lagna is common in all references.Noon 
karkataka lagna is possible only after
 Apr 14 th.
To consolidate, from above facts it seems 
rAmanavami is celebrated taking either of the facts,but not all
together.But the other common fact is to be keely observed i.e. sun
should be in Aries& noon should be karkataka lgna.  Since pAncarAtra
Agama clearly follows all above facts,it is beleived  that  pAncarAtra
Sri rAmanavami is in next month i.e. after sun's transitory into
Aries.My intention is not to hurt any tradition and my request is to
consider all the facts with regard to the birth of SrirAma. Please enjoy
one more rAmanvami,i.e.
on  Apr 24.
adiyEn rAmAnuja dasan,
kadambi srinathacharya.