confusion with ekadasi

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> Dear Devotees

> Hare Krishna

>

> Every year, one day before The Appearance of Vamanadeva in September is

> Parsva Ekadasi. In order to observe the appearance we dry fast for half

> day on Ekadasi and then continue with Ekadasi prasad for those who cannot

> maintain a complete fast on Ekadasi. Then on Vamanadeva's Appearance day,

> we break the ekadasi fast with a feast for the appearance day as well.

> This is how we have been taught to practice all these years. Even the

> Vaisnava Calendar mentions this way:

> 17 Sep 2002 Tu Suddha Ekadasi G Atiganda

> Uttara-asadha

> *

> Fasting for Parsva Ekadasi

> ----------------- Kanya Sankranti (Sun enters Virgo) -----------------

> 18 Sep 2002 We Dvadasi G Sukarma Sravana

> Break fast 06:27 - 10:31 (Daylight saving not

> considered).

> Sri Vamana Dvadasi: Appearance of Lord Vamanadeva

> (The fast is observed till noon on the Ekadasi.)

> (Feasting is done today.)

> Srila Jiva Gosvami -- Appearance

>

> But recently i came across this article "Srila Prabhupada explains the

> Vaisnava Calendar" on the The Bhaktivedanta Archives Site. This is what

> Srila Prabhupada says:

>

> " The next important day is ........12th September, 12th September, 1970,

> the advent day of Sri Jiva Gosvami Prabhu. (pause) On that day there are

> three functions. First of all, Ekadasi, a special Ekadasi called Parsvaika

> Ekadasi. Then on that day, actually, Ekadasi according to calendar,

> Ekadasi was to be observed on the 11th September, but because the next day

> is Vamana Dvadasi.... Vamana Dvadasi means the advent of Lord Vamanadeva.

> Therefore we have fast., Ekadasi fasting, and we observe two fastings in

> one day, Ekadasi and Vamanadeva, Vamana Dvadasi. The same process as we

> observe Ekadasi, and the evening there should be a meeting discussing on

> the life and work of Srila Jiva Gosvami. He is one of the very important

> acaryas in our sampradaya, so especially his Sandarbhas should be

> discussed. If there is no such book, then the following discussion may be,

> take place. (Srila Prabhupada then outlines many of the important events

> in the life of Srila Jiva Gosvami)"

>

> So here it seems that Ekadasi should be observed on Vamana Dvadasi! Please

> correct me if my interpretation is wrong. Does anyone have any comments on

> this?

>

>

> your servant

> Sacidevi dasi

 

 

The fast for Vamanadvadasi is observed on the Ekadasi day previous to it.

The reason is because in order to properly observe Ekadasi it must be broken

at the proper Parana time in this case between 06:27 - 10:31 AM of the next

day which is Vamanadeva's appearance day. The rule for calculating Paran

time is given thusly:

 

 

Determination of Parana Time

 

There are several factors in determining the breaking of a fast. The

fast should be broken on the day after the fast, i.e. AFTER THE SUNRISE.

The parana must also occur after the first quarter of the dvadasi tithi is

completed, in the case of ekadasi fasting. This rule will have relevance

only where the first quarter of the tithi or some portion of that quarter

falls after the sunrise on the dvadasi day. In many cases the whole first

quarter of the dvadasi tithi falls in the ekadasi day. The first quarter of

the dvadasi is considered to be part of ekadasi.

 

The parana must also occur before the dvadasi tithi ends. If the

dvadasi ends shortly after sunrise on the dvadasi day, one should break

fast within that time limit, having first completed one's puja for the day.

(One cannot eat and then do puja.) If it is not possible to finish one's

puja, one should perform parana by taking caranamrta after which one is

still permitted to perform puja. These are the rules stated in Hari Bhakti

Vilas.

 

In addition, the breakfast should occur before one third of the

daylight hours (purvahna) have passed on the dvadasi day. The breakfast

should occur before one third of the time between sunrise and sunset has

passed. This rule will apply only if the first quarter of the dvadasi tithi

falls before the one third, and if the end of the dvadasi occurs after that

one third. Because of this rule, the parana usually falls between nine and

ten in the morning. This rule isn't stated in the Hari Bhakti Vilas but is

used by most pancanga makers.

 

_____________________________

 

 

If we observed the fast till noon on Vamanadvadasi we would be breaking

Ekadasi by not observing the parana time. To circumvent this we fast for

Vamanadeva the previous day. Hence, on the Ekadasi day we are actually

observing two fast days, one for Ekadasi and the other for Vamanadeva.

 

Now coming to the example that was given in the quote above by Mataji. In

this case it is a special situation because there was no sudha ekadasi and

instead there was a Trisprsa Mahadvadasi as seen below.

 

 

11 Sep 1970 Fr Dasami G Saubhagya Purva-asadha

12 Sep 1970 Sa Trisprsa Mahadvadasi G Sobana Uttara-asadha *

Fasting for Parsva Ekadasi

Sri Vamana Dvadasi: Appearance of Lord Vamanadeva

(Fasting till noon.)

Srila Jiva Gosvami -- Appearance

13 Sep 1970 Su Trayodasi G Atiganda Sravana

Break fast 05:23 - 09:29 (Daylight saving not considered).

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura -- Appearance

(The fast is observed till noon on the Mahadvadasi.)

(Feasting is done today.)

 

In this situation both the fast for Ekadasi and Vamanadeva (and

Bhaktivinode's appearance) are held at the same time along with the

observance for Jiva Gosvami. Before explaining what Trisprsa Mahadvadasi is

one must understand Vedic calendric conventions.

 

A tithi--lunar day-- is defined as the length of time it takes the Moon to

move multiples of 12 degrees from the Sun. Because of various pertubations

Lunar motion is very erratic, hence during the course of a month a tithi

will stretch from as little as (approximately) 19 hours in length to up to

26 hours in duration. This means that a tithi can and does start at any and

every possible time of day.

 

For civil, practical purposes the following convention is adopted. Since the

Vedic day begins at sunrise the name of whichever tithi is prevalent at

sunrise is given to the whole solar day. Thus if X tithi start 5 minutes

before sunrise the whole day is named after X. If X tithi ends 5 minutes

after sunrise the whole solar day is still named after it.

 

Remember that I said a tithi can be of variable durations over the course of

a month because of the irregular motion of the Moon. Because of this feature

peculiar situations can occur. What occured on September 11, 1970 (Calcutta)

is the following: Dasami tithi was present at sunrise so the day was named

after it. However the Dasami tithi ended shortly after sunrise followed by

ekadasi tithi, however the ekadasi tithi ended before the sunrise of the

following day and hence no day was named after it. Rather the dvadasi tithi

started before the sun rose and hence it touched the dawn of the next day

Sept 12, 1970. This dvadasi is called Trisprsa Mahadvadasi because the

previous solar day beginninig at sunrise on the 11 and ending at sunrise of

the 12th is touched (sprsa) by 3 (tri) tithis namely dasami, ekadasi and

dvadasi. Hopefully this rough diagram will stay intact and be of help.

" ^ " shows junction points of tithis, " | " the start of solar days.

 

 

Sunrise Sept 11 Sunrise Sept 12

| |

| |

-------dasami----|-^--------ekadasi--------^|------dvdasi--------^

 

Sometimes a tithi can stretch over two sunrises. Suppose that the Amavasya

or Purnima tithi is so long that it starts before the sunrise of one day and

ends after the sunrise of the next day. That means that there will be two

days named Amavasya (or Purnima). If this were to occur then the ekadasi

(even if pure in every way) that comes before it is deemed impure and the

dvadasi following it is called Paksavardini Mahadvadasi and the Ekadasi

vrata is observed on that day. Paksavardini refers to the fact that the

Amavasya or Purnima touches two solar days.

 

There are 8 types of mahadvadasi, I will save the explanations of the other

6 types for another time. (-:

 

I hope this answer clarifies the situation.

 

Yours in the service of my eternal master Srila Prabhupada

 

Shyamasundara Dasa

 

www.ShyamasundaraDasa.com