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(ii) In case of vrddhi of Parvatithi in the Laukika Panchanga the tithi preceding the parvatithi should be treated as vrddha tithi.
(iii) When Purnima and Amavasya occur as ksina or vrddha in the Laukika Panchanga, it is Trayodashi that should be treated as ksina or vrddha in as much as the preceding Chaturdashi is also a parvatithi; similarly, in case of ksaya or vrddhi of the Panchami in the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada, it is Trtiya that should be treated as ksina or vrddha, because the preceding Chaturthi is also a parvatithi.
Acharya Sagarananda Suri says further that this is the established practice of the Devasura sub-sect of the Tapagaccha as distinguished from Anasura (Ananda Suri) sub-sect of the same Gaccha, and has thus the sanction of Jitavyavahara for the last three centuries.
We shall examine in due course whether these principles of so-called Devasura Tapagaccha' have the backing of the Shastras of the Tapagaccha, and whether it is possible to hold that the view is supported by documentry evidence so as to establish a long and continued practice of the school. I must however say here that the right course for Acharya Sagarananada Suri, who seems to have been prompted by the noble motive of restoring the practices as found in the Shastras, and who, by his just claim to the title Agamoddharaka obtained on the strength of his scholarship and work, should have been to prepare a Panchanga on the data supplied by the Shastras, and induced the Jain community to accept that Panchanga in place of the Panchanga of the Hindus. This would have eliminated the vrddhi of tithis altogether, and would have avoided ksaya at the time of Paryusanaparva. For other Tithis, he might have used Umasvati's Rule and arranged for them. I do not, however, recommend this course to him as there are other dangers that would create dissensions in the community.
In deference to the learning and scholarship of Acharya Sagarananda Suri, I myself tried to see if from the existing Panchangas a suitabie date of Yugarambha on the first day of the dark half of Sravana could be found so that a new calender system for the Jains should be evolved, but I am sorry I could not discover any such suitable starting point.
Issue No. IV
My findings on this issue are in the affirmative. I have examined Chandamshuchandu Panchangas of several years and one Jain Dharma Panchanga for 1945 V. E. ( 1888 A. D.) published by a Shravaka of Tapagaccha. All these Panchangas contain about ten ksina tithis and about four to six vrddha tithis. These Panchangas also contain intercalary months like Sravana, Bhad
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