Ekadasi on Monday for US

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Dear Bhagavathas:

 

Determining when a thithi/nakshatram begins and when it ends is

essential for proper observance of upavasam, naimithika karmas etc.

For this the following points are important.

 

1. The start of a particular thithi is based on the position of moon

and sun with respect to earth. Where you live on earth has no

bearing. The thithi starts exactly at the same instant, and lasts for

exactly the same duration for everyone on earth.

2. There are rules based on what thithi exists at sun rise, or some

hours before sun rise, or the duration of the thithi, that determine

whether a particular rite must be observed on a given day. For

example, in order to observe Ekadasi vradham dasami must not be

present from four nAzhigais before sun rise, i.e. arunodayam.

3. We must apply these rules for each time zone for determining on

which day a given rite must be observed.

4. Since these rules are referenced by sun rise the observance of a

given rite will occur only during day time, not during night time.

The problem cited by Sri Anbil Swamy will not be present.

 

Let us take the upcoming Ekadasi. The Ekadasi Vradham falls on

Tuesday for Indai, but it must be observed on Monday in the U.S. As

mentioned above, the rule for observing Ekadasi Vradham is that

dasami must expire before Arunodayam. Arunodayam is 4 nAzhigais

before sun rise.

 

The following computation is based on Pambu panjangam. In this

example we calculate the start and end time for Ekadasi for Thanjavur

first. The reason for choosing Thanjavur is simply because the

pambuu panjangam gives the details for Thanjavore. If it gave these

details for Timbucktu we can make the computations based on Timbuktu

time.

 

At Thanjavur

--------------------------

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

30-Jul 31-Jul 1-Aug

Dasami Ekadasi Dwadasi

Sun rise (SR) : 6:04 AM 6:04 AM 6:04 AM

Duration after SR : 2 nA. 56vi 2 nA. 47 vi 3 nA. 54 vi.

Next thithi begins: 7:14 AM 7:10 AM 7:37 AM

--------------------------

 

US Eastern Daylight Time zone

--------------------------

Time difference -9.5 hours -9.5 hours -9.5 hours

Next thithi begins 9:44 PM 9:40 PM 10:07 PM

Date 29-Jul 30-Jul 31-Jul

Day Sunday Monday Tuesday

--------------------------

 

From the above table, sun rise in Thanjavur is at 6:04 a.m. on July

30th and Dasami is present for 2 nA. 56 vi. after sun rise.

Therefore, the birth of Ekadasi is on July 30th at 6:04 a.m. + 2 nA,

56 vi. = 7:14 a.m. Thanjavore time. That marks the start of Ekadasi

not only in Thanjavore, but everywhere else. That instant in time in

Eastern US Daylight time zone is 7:14 a.m. - 9.5 hours = 9:44 p.m. on

July 29th. (For other time zones simply adjust by the appropriate

time difference.) By a similar calculation we find that Dwadasi

starts at 7:10 a.m. on July 31st in Thanjavur, i.e. 9:40 p.m. in

Eastern Daylight time in US. on Monday July 30th.

 

Thus, in Thanjavur Ekadasi starts at 7:14 a.m. on Monday and lasts

till 7:10 a.m. on Tuesday. This corresponds to a Ekadasi start time

of 9:44 p.m. on Sunday and an end time of 9:40 p.m. on Monday in the

US Easter Daylight Time zone.

 

Now, let us apply the rule for determining when to observe vradham.

Remember, the rule is, vradham must be observed only if there is no

dasami between arunodayam and suryodayam. For Thanjavur, Ekadasi

begins only at 7:14 a.m. on Monday. That is, dasami is present even

after sun rise, let alone between arunodayam and suryodayam.

Therefore, Monday is not the day for observing vradham in Thanjavur.

It must be observed on Tuesday.

 

However, in the U.S. for Eastern Daylight time zone, Ekadasi starts

at 9:44 p.m. on Sunday. Thus, on Monday we do not have Dasami at or

after arunodayam. Therefore Monday is the day for us to observe

Vradham. Paranai, then is on the day following Ekadasi Vradham.

More about Dwadasi paranai later.

 

As can be seen, the problem of observing Ekadasi at night mentioned

by Sri Anbil Swamy is solved.

 

I don't know what the rule is for reckoning Amavasya. I will enquire

about it. Please let me know if there is any problem with this

analysis.

 

-- adiyEn

 

p.s. I wish to thank Sri Anand Srinivasan for pointing out the error

in converting nAzhigai to minutes in my Upakarma post. Fortunately,

that error did not change the reckoning of when to perform upakarma

and Gyathri japam. After I return home I will post the correct

time. Again, please be assured that the observance of Upakarma must

be on Friday and Gayathri Japam mustbe on Saturday.