Samvatsari Tithi Article V4 20120905

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

Page 6

Change of Samvatsari Day from Bhadarva Sud 5 to 4: Ancient Jain literature (ref - Nishitha Bhäsya Churni and Kalpa Sutra Tikä) indicates the following story as the primary reason for changing the Samvatsari day from Bhadarva Sud 5 to 4 by the Shvetämbar Jain Murtipujak Tapa-gachchha sect which is about 70% of the total Jain population. As the king of Ujjayini was the enemy of Jain religion, Jain Acharya Kälak had to migrate immediately from the town of Ujjayin after his arrival, to find a suitable place to stay for the rainy season. The Acharya left the town and traveled during the beginning days of the rainy season. He may have arrived at the town of Pratisthanpur near the end of the 50 days which is close to Bhadarva Shud 5. After reaching Pratisthanpur, he decided to do Samvatsari Pratikraman on Bhadarva Sud 5. The king Satavahan of Pratisthanpur, who was a Jain king, informed the Acharya that the whole town would be celebrating a major social event known as Indra-Mahotsav on Bhadarva Sud 5 and therefore he may not be able to join for the Samvatsari Pratikraman. He requested the Acharya to do Samvatsari Pratikraman on the next day which was Bhadarva Sud 6. The Acharya indicated that the monks must do annual Pratikraman by Bhadarva Sud 5. So to accommodate the king's request he changed the Samvatsari Pratikraman Tithi to Bhadarva Sud 4 (one day earlier) for that year and the King agreed to join on that day. We do not have any knowledge of what happened in the following year as to whether the Jain community continued to do Samvatsari on Bhadarva Shud 4 or on 5. Some literature indicates that Acharya Kälak may have died before the next Samvatsari day.
However, later on (I could not find any documented record) the Shvetämbar Murtipujak Jain community (mostly Tapa-gachchha sect) started doing Samvatsari Pratikraman on Bhadarva Sud 4. They provide one reason - since we have done Pratikraman one day earlier in the past, we need to continue that way and can not go back because Samvatsari Pratikraman must be done within a year but not one year + one day (I cannot find this rule in ancient Jain scripture). New Problem Surfaced due to the Change of Samvatsari Day The original Samvatsari Tithi of Bhadarva Sud 5 is a Parva Tithi (pious day). Now the new Tithi - Bhadarva Sud 4 - which was not a Parva Tithi before, became an additional Parva Tithi only for the month of Bhädarvä. For all other months, shud 4 remained an ordinary Tithi. Hence the following situations may occur in some future Jain calendar.
If in a particular year, Bhadarva Sud 5 becomes a Vriddhi (double) Tithi in the Jodhapur Hindu calendar, then in the Jain calendar Bhadarva Sud 4 can not become a Vriddhi Tithi because it is now a Parva Tithi (new Samvatsari 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 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 Ächäryas 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 situation arises. They insisted that we should continue to use the same