Exact time of breaking the fast at Janmastami

[Guest guest]

> Dear Bhaktarupa Prabhu,

> Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

>

> Some devotees are asking me for exact time of breaking the fast on

> Janmastami. Is it exact at 0.00 (midnight) as is stated in Vaisnava

> calendar or is it at real midnight which means exact time between sunset

> day before (Janmastami) and sunrise next day (Navami)? For instance in

> Croatia's capital Zagreb for this Janmasami it was at 1.01 am.

>

>

> Thank you very much for you valuable answer,

>

> Your humble servant in the mission of Srila Prabhupada,

> Dina Dayala dasa

 

Thank you for your question!

 

I have added Bhanu Maharaja as a receiver. Perhaps he knows the exact

definition of midnight in our Gaudiya literature.

 

In ISKCON we have traditionally used calendars that state "fasting till

midnight", "fasting till noon", etc. Neither Bhanu Maharaja nor I are very

happy with that terminology, since what really should be stated is the time

during the day at which the public worship (abhishek) should be scheduled.

It is only because the temples do not serve prasad before that public

worship, and do serve anukalpa (non-grain) prasad after it that devotees

think in terms of "fasting till ..." Actually, it is better to use the term

"fasting" on the appearance days of Visnu tattva to refer to the fact that

one does not take grains on the entire day until the next sunrise. Taking

anukalpa prasad does not break a fast in which one is abstaining from

grains.

 

So, the answer to your question is that the exact time to break the

Janmastami fast is after sunrise. Anukalpa prasad can be taken at any time.

Of course, one may take an additional vow to abstain from even fruits and

roots, or even water, until after the abhishek, as per the normal practice

in most ISKCON temples. That is also nice.

 

If due to daylight savings time in a particular location, midnight according

to the clock is actually some time before real midnight then there will be a

dilemma. The public may expect you to have the abhishek at clock midnight.

As a preaching movement we may have to make adjustments in such

circumstances, and there is no harm. If you want to have the abhishek at

"real midnight", which may be clock 1 AM, and you can do so without

complaints, then fine!

 

Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das