Historical Perspective of Samvatsari Day and Jain Calendar

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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3 as a Vriddhi Tithi (the rule defined in above Gätha is applied twice as is done in case of 15). By doing this we have delayed the Samvatsari day by one day.
• If in a particular year, Bhadarva Sud 5 becomes Kshaya (loss) Tithi, then again Bhadarva
Sud 4 can not be a kshaya Tithi but we need to make Bhadarva Sud 3 as a Kshaya Tithi.
This will bring the actual Samvatsari day one day earlier. In both the situations, we disturb the new Samvatsari day - Bhadarva Sud 4. The clear solution is not defined in the Jain literature. Also these types of the problems were not visible in old times because people at various towns may have been doing Samvatsari Pratikraman anytime between Ashädh Sud 15 and Bhadarva Sud 4 or 5 when monks decide to stay during the rainy season. However the first time the problem surfaced was in the year 1896 (Hindu year 1952). A kshaya Tithi of Bhadarva Sud 5 occurred in the Jodhapur Hindu calendar. Some Swetambar Jain Acharyas suggested that we should not disturb Bhadarva Sud 4 and solve the problem by accepting another Hindu calendar in which Kshaya of Bhadarva Sud 6 was found. Other Acharyas did not agree with the change it is not proper to change the Jodhapur Hindu calendar every time such unique situation arises. They insisted that we should continue to use the same calendar and make Bhadarva Shud 3 as a Kshaya Tithi. Hence, for the first time, the Shvetämbar Murtipujak Jain community observed Samvatsari on two separate days in that year. For the past 120 years, since 1896 to 2005 (Hindu year 1952 to 2061), twelve times Bhadarva Sud 5 was either Kshaya Tithi or Vriddhi Tithi in the Hindu calendar.
The following list summarizes the occurrence of the above situation.
Year CE Hindu Year 1896 1952 Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya 1905 | 1961
Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya 1933 1989
Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya 1936 | 1992
Bhadarva Sud 5 Vriddhi 1937 1993
Bhadarva Sud 5 Vriddhi 1948 2004
Bhadarva Sud 5 Kshaya 1957 2013
Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya 1958 2014
Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya 1972 2028
Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya 1977 2033
Bhadarva Sud 5 Kshaya 1986
| 2042 | Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya 2005
2061 Bhadarva Sud 5 Vriddhi
In all of the above years, the Shvetämbar Jain Murtipujak community was divided in India and performed Samvatsari Pratikraman on two separate days. To resolve this problem, Jain Achäryas, other learned monks and scholars had about 9 major conferences from 1920 to 1988 (Hindu year 1976 to 2044). In the year 1958 (Hindu year 2014), the Hindu calendar had Bhadarva Sud 5 kshaya. Shvetämbar Murtipujak Tapa-gachchha Jain Sangh decided to let go of the Jodhapur Hindu calendar and adopted the Janma-Bhumi calendar of Mumbai as a base because it had Bhadarva Sud 6 kshaya Tithi. Since then they have used the Janma-Bhumi calendar as their base. The other Jain sects continued to use the Jodhapur Hindu calendar as their base. In the last conference (year 1988) a majority of the Jain Shvetämbar Murtipujak Acharyas agreed to do Samvatsari as follows (compromised solution by two parties):
• If Bhädarvä Sud 5 is a Kshaya Tithi then make Bhädarvä Sud 6 as a Kshaya Tithi. • If Bhädarvä Sud 5 is a Vriddhi Tithi then make Bhädarvä Sud 3 as a Vriddhi Tithi.