Jain Digest 2006 07 Vol 24 No 3

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 26

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE,
The monks are required to find a suitable place to stay Samvatsari Pratikraman Tithi to Bhadarva Sud 4 (one day at one place for the rainy season by Ashädh Sud 15 (which earlier) for that year and the King agreed. is the last day of the Jain Ägamic calendar year and also
We do not have any knowledge of what happened in before the beginning of the rainy season), perform annual
the following year, whether Acharya Kälak continued to Samvatsari Pratikraman (ref - Nishitha Bhäsya Sutra) and
do Samvatsari on 4 or earlier or on 5. But we do know that start the New Year on the next day which is Shrävan Vad 1
later on the Shvetämbar Murtipujak Jain community (mostly as per Rajasthan naming convention or Ashädh Vad 1 as
Tapa-gachchha sect) started doing Samvatsari Pratikraman per Gujarati naming convention.
on Bhadarva Sud 4 (one reason - since we have done If the monks can not find the suitable place by Ashädh Pratikraman one day earlier, we need to continue that way Sud 15 then they may continue to travel to find the suitable and can not go back because Samvatsari Pratikraman must place for and up to 50 days (grace period). They must be done within a year but not one year + one day). find a place and settle during this time period and then do Samvatsari Pratikraman. Even if they do not find the suitable place during these 50 days, then also they must do
New Problem Surfaced due to the Change of Samvatsari Pratikraman even under the tree on the 50th day
Samvatsari Day but not to violate the 50 day limit for Samvatsari Pratikraman The original Samvatsari Tithi of Bhadarva Sud 5 is a (ref - Jain Ägams - Samaväyånga and Nishitha Sutras). Parva Tithi (pious day). Now the new Tithi - Bhadarva The 50th day from Ashädh Sud 15 falls on Bhadarva Sud 5. Sud 4 - which was not a Parva Tithi before became an
Since Bhädarvä Sud 5 was the last day for Samvatsari additional Parva Tithi only for the month of Bhädarvä. For Pratikraman, it seems that to keep Jain community united all other months, 4 remain ordinary Tithi. Hence the and properly organized, probably around the 7th to 10th following situations have a potential to occur in some future century time period Jain Acharyas may have decided to do Jain calendar. Samvatsari Pratikraman only on Bhadarva Sud 5. Before
• If in a particular year, Bhadarva Sud 5 becomes a that one may conclude from the ancient literature that monks Vriddhi (double) Tithi in the Jodhapur Hindu calendar, may be doing Samvatsari Pratikraman any time between then in the Jain calendar Bhadarva Sud 4 can not become Ashädh Sud 15 and Bhadarva Sud 5 and common people a Vriddhi Tithi because it is now a Parva Tithi (Samvatsari joined with the monks for the Samvatsari Pratikraman. day). We need to make Bhadarva Sud 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 Change of Samvatsari Day fr Bhadarva Sud 5 to 4:
the Samvatsari day by one day. Ancient Jain literature (ref - Nishitha Bhäsya Churni
• If in a particular year, Bhadarva Sud 5 becomes and Kalpa Sutra Tikä) indicates the following story as the
Kshaya (loss) Tithi, then again Bhadarva Sud 4 can not primary reason for changing the Samvatsari day from
be a Kshaya Tithi but we need to make Bhadarva Sud 3 Bhadarva Sud 5 to 4 by Shvetämbar Jain Murtipujak Tapa
as a Kshaya Tithi. This will bring the actual Samvatsari gachchha sect.
day one day earlier. As the king of Ujjayini was against Jain religion, Jain
In both the situations, we disturb the Samvatsari dayAcharya Kälak had to migrate immediately from the town
Bhadarva Sud 4 - which was not disturbed by Kshaya or of Ujjayin after his arrival to stay for rainy season. The
Vriddhi Tithi of Bhädarvä Sud 5, originally in the Hindu Acharya left the town and traveled during the rainy season
calendar. The clear solution is not defined in the Jain which is after Ashädh Shud 15. He may have arrived at the
literature. Also this type of the problems were not visible town of Pratisthanpur near the end of 50 days which is
in old times because people at various towns may be doing close to Bhadarva Shud 5.
Samvatsari Pratikraman anytime between Ashädh Sud 15 After reaching Pratisthanpur, he decided to do and Bhadarva Sud 4 or 5 (when monks decides to stay Samvatsari Pratikraman on Bhadarva Sud 5. The king during rainy season). Satavahan of Pratisthanpur, who was a Jain king, informed
However the first time the problem surfaced was in the Achärya that the whole town will be celebrating Indra
the year 1896 (Hindu year 1952). A kshaya Tithi of Bhadarva Mahotsav (a major social event) on Bhadarva Sud 5 and he
Sud 5 occurred in Jodhapur Hindu calendar. Some can not join for Samvatsari Pratikraman. He requested the Acharya to do Samvatsari Pratikraman on the next day
Acharyas suggested that we should not disturb Bhadarva
Sud 4 and solve the problem by accepting another Hindu which was Bhadarva Sud 6. The Acharya indicated that
calendar in which Kshaya of Bhadarva Sud 6 found. Other the monks must do annual Pratikraman by Bhadarva Sud
Ächäryas did not agree with the change of Jodhapur Hindu 5. So to accommodate the king's request he changed the
calendar base. They insisted that we continue to use the same calendar with Bhadarva Shud 3 as a Kshaya Tithi.
24/ JAIN DIGEST. Spring 2005