History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.314

v6.c81.314

The rule is that the pratipad to be celebrated is that which exists at the time of sunrise. If pratipad exists at sunrise on two days, then the earlier of the two is to be chosen or if there be no pratipad at sunrise on any day then the one which is pūrva-viddhā should be chosen. For example, if there is amāvāsyā for four ghaṭikās after sunrise, then there is pratipad for 56 ghaṭikās and one ghaṭikā more on the next day, then the pratipad though affected by amāvāsyā will have to be chosen for the beginning of the year and not the pratipad intermixed with second tithi the next day. If Caitra be an intercalary month then²¹² the opinion of many writers is that the pratipad of the intercalary month should be held to be the beginning of the year. The Samayamayūkha holds that when Caitra is an intercalary month the year and spring commence with it, but the ceremonial bath with oil and listening to the recital of the śaka year should be done in the pure month. The²¹³ Dharmasindhu makes a difference by saying that the ceremonial bath with oil should be taken on the occasion of the commencement of the new year and repeating the name of the new year should be done on the first day of the intercalary month, but the raising of the pole, eating of nimba leaves, listening to the recital of the almanac should be done in the pure month. In popular belief caitra-śuddhapratiipad is one of the 3½ most important muhūrtas (auspicious days) of the year The Sāmrājya-lakṣmīpīṭhikā (pp 128-133) gives a very elaborate description of the great festival on caitra-śuddha first performed by a king or a chieftain or a zamindar owning several villages