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138
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
1st, Sun; 2nd, Venus; 3rd, Mercury; 4th, Moon; 5th, Saturn; 6th, Jupiter; 7th, Mars.
The 25th hour from Sunday will be the 1st hour of Monday, and is 3 times 7 plus 4. The 4th is the Moon. So again the 25th hour from Monday will be the 1st hour of Tuesday. Commencing with the Moon, it will be found that the 25th hour falls to its proper planet, Mars, and so on for the other days of the week.*
In the Almanac it will be found that the våra, as is the tithi, is divided into 60 ghaliges (ghatikas), each ghalige being subdivided into 60 vighaliges (vighatikas). The duration of the våra is always expressed in ghaliges and vighaliges. Every two or three days after "Ahâ" we find certain figures. These denote the day-time, i.e. give the time that the Sun is above the horizon. Sunday, Tuesday, and Saturday are, as a rule, considered unlucky days, Sunday being not quite so bad as the other two. The remaining four are generally lucky; but Wednesday, when Mercury is in the same constellation with either Mars or Saturn, is unlucky.
2nd. Tithi is the lunar day, and does not necessarily correspond in time with the Vâra. We may have 3 tithis, i.e. the end of one, the whole of the second, and the beginning of the third, in one våra, when it is called "ávamá;" or one tit hi, called "triduspok," may be found in 3 vâras. The length of a tithi varies from a maximum of 66 ghaliges to a minimum of 54, and is "one-thirtieth part of the Moon's synodical month or relative period, and varies in length according to the inequality of the Moon's motion from the Sun."
Although we have 30 lunar days, yet we have names for 16 tithis only; because, the month being divided into two fortnights, 14 of the names are common to both fortnights. From new-moon till full-moon is called the bright (Sudha) fortnight, because the light goes on increasing. From full-moon to new-moon is called the dark (Vadya or Krishna) fortnight, because the light decreases.
The following is said to be the Purânic account of the reason for the moon's increase and decrease. Once upon a time, the moon, when cn his (with the Hindus the moon is masculine) way through the 27 Nakshatras into which his course is divided, stayed for a longer time
with Rohini than he ought to have done; her sisters the Nakshatras are supposed to be the daughters of Daksha-irate, appealed to their father, who cursed the moon and doomed him to waste away. This was too much for the Rishis and gods. The Nakshatras also, when they saw their lord and master becoming small by degrees and beautifully less, repented. All agreed to ask Daksha to revoke his curse. This he said was impossible, but he relented so far as to allow the moon, alternately for fifteen days at a time, to increase and decrease.
The names of the tithis, and the gods to whom they are more especially sacred, are as follows:
Bright fortnight. Amavasya (New Moon) ...9-10, Pitri(galu). 1. Padyamior Prathamâ.11-1, Agni.
2.
Bidige or Dvitiyâ
2-3, Brahma.
Tadige or Tritiyâ
Chauti or Chaturthi. Panchami ........ Sastigi or Sashṭhi
Saptimigi or Saptami. 5-6, Surya.
Astimigi or Astami... 7-1, Siva.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Navami
10. 11. 12. 13.
Trayodasi
14. Chaturdasî
Dasami.. Ekadasi Dvadasi
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
...
Dark fortnight. Purnima (Full Moon)
Padyami or Prathama
Bidige or Dvitîya
Tadige or Tritiyâ
Chauti or Chaturthi
Panchamî
Sastagi or Sashthî
4-5, Pârvati.
6-7, Vighnesvara. 1-2, Ádisesha.
Saptamigi or Saptami
Astimigi or Astami..
3-4, Kumar Svâmi.
2-8, The 8 Vasûs. 4-5, The8Elephants. 6-7, Yama.
1-2, Vishnu.
3-4, Manmatha. 5-6. Kâli.
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[MAY, 1874.
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7.
8.
2-3,
9. Navami
4-5,
10. Daśami
6-7,
11. Ekadasi
1-2,
3-4,
5-6, 7-8,
12. Dvadasi 13. Trayodâsi 14. Chaturdasî The figures opposite each ti thi show the proper Karanâs for such. It will be observed that the names of the tithis for the dark and bright fortnight are the same, yet the Karanis differ. See ante, p. 22.
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7-1, Chandra.
2-3, 7
4-5,
6-7,
1-2,
3-4,
5-6,
7-1,
(Same gods as bright fortnight.)
