Vayu Purana

यदा तु चन्द्रसूर्यौ तौ नक्षत्रेण समागतौ। अमावास्यान्निवसत एकरात्रैकमण्डले ।। ५६.

When the moon and the sun come together with a star, they reside in one orb for a single night at the new moon.

स गच्छति तदा द्रष्टुं दिवाकरनिशाकरौ। अमावस्याममावास्यां मातामहपितामहौ। अभिवाद्य तदा तत्र कालापेक्षः प्रतीक्ष्यते ।। ५६.

Then, the sun and moon go to be seen at the new moon, and at the new moon, the maternal and paternal grandfathers are honored; at that time, one waits according to the prescribed time.

प्रसीदमानात् सोमाच्च पित्रर्थं तत्परिस्रवात्। ऐलः पुरूरवा विद्वान् मासि मासि प्रयत्नतः। उवास्ते पितृमन्तं तं ससोमं स दिवास्थितः ।। ५६.

From the moon, as it becomes gracious, flows forth for the sake of the ancestors; Pururavas, son of Ila, wise and diligent, month by month, dwells with the ancestor, with Soma, and with the sun.

द्विलवं कुहुमात्रं तु ते उभे तु विचार्य सः। सिनीवालीप्रमाणेन सिनीवालीमुपासकः ।। ५६.

He considers both the double measure and the measure of Kuhū, according to the measure of Sinīvālī, being a worshipper of Sinīvālī.

कुहूमात्रां कलाञ्चैव ज्ञात्वोपास्ते कुहुं पुनः। स तदा भानुमत्येक कालावेक्षी प्रपश्यति ।। ५६.

Knowing the measure of Kuhū and the lunar phase, he again worships Kuhū; at that time, he observes the single phase in Bhānumatī.

सुधामृतं कुतः सोमात् प्रस्रवेन्मासतृप्तये। दशभिः पञ्चभिश्चैव सुधामृतपरिस्रवैः ।। ५६.

How does nectar and ambrosia flow from Soma for the satisfaction of the months? By ten and five streams of nectar and ambrosia.

कृष्णपक्षे तदा पीत्वा दुह्यमानं तथांशुभिः। सद्यः पक्षरता तेन सौम्येन मधुना च सः ।। ५६.

Then, in the dark fortnight, having drunk, being milked by the rays, immediately he attains the fortnight with that lunar honey.

निर्वापणार्थं दत्तेन पित्रेण विधिना नृपः। सुधामृतेन राजेन्द्रस्तर्पयामास वै पितॄन्। सौम्या बर्हिषदः काव्या अग्निष्वात्तास्तथैव च ।। ५६.

For the purpose of offering, the king, by the prescribed method, with nectar and ambrosia given by the father, indeed satisfied the ancestors; the lunar, the Barhishads, the Kavyas, and the Agniṣvāttas likewise.

ऋतुरग्निस्तु यः प्रोक्तः स तु संवत्सरो मतः। जज्ञिरे ह्यृतवस्तस्मादृतुभ्यश्चार्त्तवाश्च ये । ५६.

The seasonal fire that is spoken of is considered the year; from it are born the seasons, and from the seasons, the half-yearly periods.

आर्त्तवा ह्यर्द्धमासाख्याः पितरो ह्यब्दसूनवः। ऋतुः पितामहा मासा ऋतुश्चैवाभ्दसूनवः ।। ५६.

The half-yearly periods are called the sons of the ancestors, born of the year; the season is the grandfather, the months are the sons of the year, and the season likewise.

प्रपितामहास्तु वै देवाः पञ्चाब्दा ब्रह्मणः सुताः। सौम्यास्तु सौम्यजा ज्ञेयाः काव्या ज्ञेयाः कवेः सुताः ।। ५६.

The great-grandfathers are the gods, the five-year periods are the sons of Brahma; the lunar ones are to be known as born of Soma, the Kavyas are to be known as the sons of Kavi.

उपहूताः स्मृताः देवाः सोमजाः सोमपास्तथा। आज्यपास्तु स्मृताः काव्यास्तृप्यन्ति पितृजातयः ।। ५६.

The gods who are called upon are remembered as born of Soma and as Soma-drinkers; the Kavyas who drink clarified butter are remembered, and the lineages of ancestors are satisfied.

काव्या बर्हिषदश्चैव अग्निष्वात्ताश्च ते त्रिधा। गृहस्था ये च यज्वाना ऋतुर्बर्हिषदो ध्रुवम् ।। ५६.

The Kavyas, Barhishads, and Agniṣvāttas are threefold; those who are householders and sacrificers, the Barhishads of the seasons, are constant.

गृहस्थाश्चापि यज्वाना अग्निष्वात्तास्तथार्त्तवाः। अष्टकापतयः काव्याः पञ्चाब्दास्तान्निबोधत ।। ५६.

Householders and sacrificers, Agniṣvāttas and the half-yearly periods, the lords of the Aṣṭakā, the Kavyas, and the five-year periods—know them thus.

एषां संवत्सरो ह्यग्निः सूर्यस्तु परिवत्सरः। सोम ईद्वत्सरः प्रोक्तो वायुश्चैवानुवत्सरः ।। ५६.

For these, Agni is the year, Sūrya is the parivatsara, Soma is called the idvatsara, and Vāyu is the anuvatsara.

रुद्रस्तु वत्सरस्तेषां पञ्चाब्दा ये युगात्मकाः। लेखाश्वैवोष्मपाश्चैव दिवाकीर्त्याश्च ते स्मृताः ।। ५६.

For them, O Rudra, a year is a single day, and five years are reckoned as a yuga; they are known as Lekha, Ashva, Ushmapa, and Divakirti.

एते पिबन्त्यमावास्यां मासि मासि सुधां दिवि । तांस्तेन तर्पयामास यावदासीत् पुरूरवाः ।। ५६.

These beings drink nectar in heaven on every new moon, month by month; Pururavas satisfied them with that as long as he lived.

यस्मात् प्रस्रवते सोमान्मासि मासि निबोधत। तस्मात् सुधामृतं द्वै पितॄणां सोमपायिनाम् ।। ५६.

Now hear why Soma flows forth month by month: therefore, nectar and ambrosia are for the Pitrs who drink Soma.

एवं तदमृतं सौम्यं सुधा च मधु चैव ह । कृष्णपक्षे यथा चेन्दोः कलाः पञ्चदश क्रमात् ।। ५६.

Thus, that ambrosial, gentle nectar and honey, as the fifteen lunar digits of the moon wane in the dark fortnight, are consumed in order.

पिबन्त्यम्बुमयीर्दे वास्त्रयस्त्रिंशत्तु छन्दजाः। पीत्वा च मासं गच्छन्ति चतुर्द्दश्यां सुधामृतम् ।। ५६.

Thirty-three beings born of the meters, composed of water, drink the nectar and ambrosia on the fourteenth day, and then pass the month.

इत्येवं पीयमानस्तु दैवतैश्च निशाकरः। समागच्छदमावास्यां भागे पञ्चदशे स्थितः ।। ५६.

Thus, as the nectar is consumed by the gods, the moon, situated in the fifteenth part, reaches conjunction at the new moon.

सुषुम्नाप्यायितञ्चैव अमावास्यां यथाक्रमम्। पिबन्ति द्विकलं कालं पितरस्ते सुधामृतम् ।। ५६.

And so, at the new moon, as ordained, the Pitrs who drink Soma consume the ambrosia for two lunar digits, filled by Sushumna.

ततः पीतक्षये सोमे सूर्योऽसावेकरश्मिना। आप्याययत्सुषुम्नेन पितॄणां सोमपायिनाम् ।। ५६.

Then, when the nectar in Soma is exhausted, the sun, with a single ray, replenishes it by Sushumna for the Pitrs who drink Soma.

निःशेषायां कलायान्तु सोममाप्याययत् पुनः। सुषुम्नाप्यायमानस्य भागं भाग महःक्रमात्। कलाः क्षीयन्ति ताः कृष्णाः शुक्लाश्चाप्याययन्ति च ।। ५६.

When all the lunar digits are exhausted, Soma is filled again; as Sushumna fills, the digits decrease in the dark fortnight and increase in the bright, in due order.

एवं सूर्यस्य वीर्येण चन्द्रस्याप्यायिता तनुः। दृश्यते पौर्णमास्यां वै शुक्लः सम्पूर्णमण्डलः। संसिद्धिरेवं सोमस्य पक्षयोः शुक्लकृष्णयोः ।। ५६.

Thus, by the power of the sun, the body of the moon is replenished and appears as a full, bright disc at the full moon; so is the waxing and waning of Soma in the two fortnights.

इत्येष पितृमान् सोमः स्मृत इद्वत्सरः क्रमात् । क्रान्तः पंचदशैः सार्द्धं सुधा मृतपरिस्रवैः ।। ५६.

Thus, this Soma, called the Pitṛmān, is reckoned as a year, passing through fifteen and a half digits with the flow of nectar and ambrosia.

अतः पर्वाणि वक्ष्यामि पर्वणां सन्धयस्तथा। ग्रन्थिमन्ति यथा पर्वाणीक्षुवेण्वोर्भवन्त्युत ।। ५६.

Now I shall explain the Parvans and their junctions, which are knotted like the joints on a stalk of sugarcane.

तथार्द्धमासपर्वाणि शुक्लकृष्णानि वै विदुः। पूर्णामावास्ययोर्भेदैर्ग्रन्थिर्या सन्धयश्च वै । अर्द्धमासास्तु पर्वाणि तृतीयाप्रभृतीनि तु ।। ५६.

Thus, the half-months, both bright and dark, are known as Parvans; the distinctions at full and new moon are the knots and junctions, and the half-months beginning from the third day are the Parvans.

अग्नयाधानक्रिया यस्मात् क्रियते पर्वसन्धिषु। सायाह्ने प्रतिपच्चैव स कालः पौर्णमासिकः ।। ५६.

Because the ritual of kindling the sacred fire is performed at the junctions of the Parvans, in the evening and on the first day, that time is called the full-moon period.