Difference between Solar Calendar and Lunar Calendar

[gauranggroups]

To add to the above post..

In many parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Vaakya Siddhanta (Vaakya Panchangam) is followed with Chandramana Varsha (Lunar Calendar). Similarly they\'re following Surya Siddhanta with Lunar Calendar and Drik Ganitha with Lunar Calendar too. Almost all over India, Surya Siddhanta is followed with Lunar Calendar. Similarly many people now are following Drik Ganitha Siddhanta with Lunar Calendars too.

In Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Orissa, Vaakya Siddhanta is followed with Solar Calendar, Surya Siddhanta is followed with Solar Calendar and Drik Ganitha Siddhanta is followed with Solar Calendar.

So try to understand one thing. Calendar is different from Siddhanta. Any Siddhanta can be observed with any Calendar. Also the Astrologers following Vaakya Panchangam are also following the same Vimshottari Dasa system(360 days Solar Year) as us. That\'s also different from Calendar.

[gauranggroups]

Siddhanta is used to calculate the transits of Planets. But Calendar is used to calculate only the start / end of the Months / Years. Drik Ganitha Siddhanta is the most accurate Siddhanta available. In this site itself, it\'s proved many times with KP. There\'s no second thought about that.

Regarding Calendar, I would like to point out one thing. Lord Rama incarnated on a Shukla Navami thithi of Chaitra month. Chaitra month was described as the month when Sun is exalted in Aries. These descriptions were given by Sage Valmiki itself. But many people are celebrating Sri Rama Navami in the month of March or in the beginning of April itself as they\'re following Lunar Calendar. Sun will enter Aries only on April 14 / 15. But people following Solar Calendar will celebrate the same Sri Rama Navami in the Shukla Paksha Navami thithi of Chaitra month(mid April - mid May).

But once in 3 years, both Calendar people will celebrate on the same day. This will happen normally as 1 month will be added once in every 3 years in Lunar Calendar to compensate their lagging behind the Solar Calendar.

[gauranggroups]

When Solar Calendar has 365.25 days and Lunar Calendar has 354 days, why we are using 360 days Solar year in Vimshottari Dasa system?

The main reason is it\'s easy for calculations. 12 * 30 = 360. The second reason is we are always obsessed with numbers. We would always like to have round numbers and that too in 3, 6 & 9 series.

The Vimshottari Dasa cycle is of 120 years duration. In terms of solar years this would amount to 43830 days, whereas, using the 360 days years, this amounts to 43200 days. This number has resemblance to the smallest of the four yugas, Kaliyuga that lasts for 432000 years, the next three, Dwapara, Treta and Krita being twice, thrice and four times as long as Kali. The total of these four yugas comes to be 4320000 years, whereas, one Kalpa is 4320000000 years. It is interesting to see the recurrence of the exponents of 432. Though, I may add that this numeric \'coincidence\' is hardly proof of the 360 day year being the correct one for Vimshottari Dasa!

There is a popular ready-reckoner which is used in calculating Bhuktis in a Dasa. Multiply the number of Dasa years assigned to the Dasa Lord with the Dasa years assigned to the Bhukti Lord. Take the right most digit of the product and multiply it by 3, call that the number of days in the Bhukti, take the remaining digits to the left (the more significant digits in computer parlance!) and treat them as months. This system works only if you consider the months as being 30 days long, each. If not, one must convert the months into days and add to the calculated days to get the solar year equivalent from there.

By the way of an example, if we wish to calculate the Bhukti of Mars in the Dasa of Sun, then we would multiply the Dasa years of Sun (6) by Dasa years of Mars (7), and we would get:

6 x 7 = 42

We multiply the right most digit (2) by 3 and get 6 days We treat the remaining left digit (4) as months (of 30 days each) and get 4 months. The Bhukti of Mars in the Dasa of sun, therefore, is 4 months and 6 days long, or of 126 days in duration. This is why the 360 days Solar year has been favored in Vimshottari Dasa system by all types of Astrology and Panchangam followers.

[chkasarma]

Wow! Interesting topic. A traditional Panchangam beautiful explains various systems (Chandra, Saura, Savana, Nakshtra and Barhaspatya) and their formation; hence I don't repeat the same. One of the famous controversy in Mahabharatam was that which system should be taken in to consideration while calculating the end of Agnata-vasam of Pandava (As per Chandra mana, Agnata-vasm was finished the day before the Gograhana war, but Dhuryodhana objected by saying it wasn\'t concluded, if I remember right, he was referring Barhasptya-manam.

Anyway,  to cut the long story short, what I have learnt (by listening Pravachanams and by reading our traditional panchangam) is that, as everyone knows, traditionally, different parts of Indian follows different system of Panchangam and the each one is significant while taking a specific event or thing in to consideration, irrespective of the place we live. For instance Chandramana has to be followed, while calculating the certain time periods (As in Pandava \'s case) Moreover, anyone who travels to Varanasi or in that case any place, while taking a holy dip in Ganga, has to tell (tithi, wara and Nakstra) Barhasptya system , the local one, in the Sankalpam besides one\'s own system, either Chaandra or Saura.

Very interesting point about Srirama navami Gaurang, you are right on the money about the Exalted sun. I am just curious which part of India Valmiki used to live and the system he must have followed while mentioning the time frame in Ramayanam.Just a thought, perhaps it's something to do with the drift of a Graha, in particular Moon, while orbiting. Yet to understand myself though

Apart from Adhika (Extra) masam, we have one Kshayamasam in Chandramanam.While the Chandramana month, when there is no Sankramanam is Adhikamasam(comes for every 38 or 39th month), where as the (shortened) Kshayamasam comes in a month when there are two Sankramana(which seems to be happen for every 19 or 141 years) interestingly (as per the Panchagam) the Kshayamasam happens only on Karthika, Mrugasira or Pushya months but not on any other months.  

Cheers

[chkasarma]

To add little more, beautiful explanation about Vimshottari Dasa system Gaurang, I will really appreciate, if you could please give the source for your explanation for further reading.

Well, as per the TTD Panchangam  (the explanation part-which is one of the common feature of traditional Panchangams) describes the 360 days system is called as Savanavatsara system, where each month is 30 days and this system is useful to explain the Yuga calculations as you were mentioned in your post.

Basically, I mean to say, your explanation is supporting the Savana system of calculation.So now I assume there is a good reason why we use 360 days-year in certain calculations (the Savana year) and definitely it\'s  not just to round up the numbers.

Great posts, Cheers

[VBC]

[JayTee]

ayanamsa is not calculated by satellites.
it has become more like an opnion and everyone has an unique one.

since we\'re proved succesfully in many horoscopes and sports predictions like cricket, soccer etc that krishnamurthi ayanamsa is most accurate available, we better follow it

[gauranggroups]

Guys,

In KP Reader 1, KSK has clearly given about 5 different types of Calendars available like Souramana, Chandramana, Savanamana, Nakshatramana and Brahaspthyamana. He has clearly stated that we should follow only Souramana Calendar as it is the most accurate and also it\'s prescribed in Shastras too. He has also clearly stated that we are using 360 days year only for convenience and easy calculations.

For reference, read page no.s 96 & 97 in the KP Reader 1. So people who are confused with Souramana is only for Vaakya Panchangam and KP is using Chandramana and all can read that and get their doubts clarified. So it\'s very clear that KP System should be used with Souramana Varsha.

All the Best!

[gauranggroups]

Regarding Ayanamsa, as JayTee has said above KP Ayanamsa is the most accurate Ayanamsa available and hence one should follow that only. Few people now are using KP New Ayanamsa which has a very less variation from the original KP Ayanamsa. But Virinchi advised me to use only KP Original Ayanamsa as it\'s more accurate. Hence I\'m following that only.

[phemanth]

For North Indians Karthika masam begins on Oct 28 ends on Nov 28.

gujarat, telugu, Kanada, Goa, marathi people, karthika masam from 12th nov -Dec 11

For tamilians and Malayalam people: No idea about exact date .

Can any one please clarify which dates are correct to follow to do karthika masa vrat??