India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s14.21

c8.s14.21

The *Sāvana* month of thirty days is again referred to by Patañjali as *triṁśadrātra*, consisting of two equal halves of fifteen days each, the first one of which was called *avara pañchadaśa-rātra* or *avara ardhamāsa*, and the second by implication as *para-* (*Bhāshya*, III.3.136, II.162). It is interesting to note that Patañjali uses the term *rātri* for 'day' while referring to the *Sāvana* month of 30 days and its half of 15 days. This practice goes back to Pāṇini, who uses the word *rātri* (=*ahorātra*) in the phrase *shashṭi-rātra*, a period of 60 days, being twice of the *Sāvana* month called *triṁśad-rātra* by Patañjali.