SAURAMAANAM, CHAANDRAM, NAAKSHATHRAM,
SAAVANAM, AND BAARHASPATHYAM
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Friends,
I had been explaining about APAHARA, CHHIDRA, SOOKSHMA AND PRAANA DASAS to the best of my knowledge and ability. There are FIVE types of MAANAAS. We have yet to know whether we are to use SAURAMAANA, SAAVANAMAANA, CHAANDRA MAANA ETC to calculate the DASAA SAMVATSARAS. There is a difference of opinion among the Pundits in Astrology and even among the traditional ACHARYAS who differ in their opinions on this subject. Before I go further, let us find out the types of Years as per Vedic Astrology:
Now it is time to say about Indian Astrology:
Time taken by the Planets to move in the Orbit
The Indian Astrological concept of Sun moving round the Earth and all planets referred around the Earth is called Geo-centric model. This concepualisation is needed to understand the fundamentals of Astrology thoroughly. The modern concept of Earth and all other planets are moving around the Sun is called Helios-centric model. In fact, this was made when there was no much advancement in science. It was based on visual method. As we see the trees houses move fast in opposite direction due to the speed when we travel in a train, the scientist of yore also thought that the Sun was moving round the earth.
All the planets (except the shadow planets) move forward. Rahu and Kethu are Shadowy Planets which move backward. Direction of movement is with reference to the tracking of planetary positions depicted in the form of a horoscope (two dimensional) on paper. Forward movement is clock-wise and backward movement is anti-clock-wise. Backward movement is also known as Vakra or Retrogression.
The Earth moves around the Sun completing one full revolution in 365.256374 days. [Earth rotates around its axis. For one such rotation (causing day and night) it takes 23 hours and 56 minutes. This will cause an observer on Earth to see Sun as rising in the East and setting in the West. Moon completes one revolution around the Earth in 27.32966 days. Duration of other planets for one revolution around the Sun is: Budha 87.969 days,Shukra 224.7 days, Bhouma 686.98 days, Guru 4332.585 days, Shani 10759.22 days. Shani is the slowest of the planets and has acquired the name Manda (very slow) and Sthira (permanent). Rahu and Kethu move backwards at the rate of one revolution in 6793.394774 days.
Positions of Planets
Each planet is at a different distance from the Sun and each is having its own orbit. The orbits or paths are elliptical say oval for simplicity. By observing the above picture, the possibility of different planets during their movement, lying scattered around the Earth can be visualised. For the purpose of Panchangam, the angular positions of all planets with Earth as centre are calculated for each day. Each planet’s angular speeds vary from day to day. The Angular Positions are expressed in Degrees, Minutes and Seconds. Degrees are also expressed as Rashis and Bhagas (each Rashi being equal to 30 degrees, each Bhaga being equal to one degree). These calculations are complex.
1. SAURAM (सौरं) : One year as per SAURAMAANA is , the time taken by SUN to go through all the 12 RAASIS from MESHA to MESHA which is 365 ¼ days.
The RAASIS are MESHA, VRISHABHA, MITHUNA, KARKKIDAKA, SIMHA, KANYA, THULA, VRISCHIKA, DHANUS, MAKARA, KUMBHA AND MEENA.
2. CHAANDRAM (चान्द्रमान) : This is from Prathama ( प्रथम) of the Full Moon (शुक्लपक्ष) to the end of New Moon (अमावास्य) . A Year consists of 354 Days only. The Months are:-
1. CHAITHRA (2) VAISHAAKHA (3) JYESHTA (4) ASHAADA (5) SHRAAVANA (6) BHAADRAPADA (7) ASVINA (8) KAARTIKA (9) MAARGASHEERSHA (1O) PAUSHA (11) MAAGHA (12) PHAALGUNA.
3. NAAKSHATHRAM (नाक्षत्र) : This is counted from ASINI NAKSHATHRA TO REVATHI NAKASHATHRA If it goes from Aswini to Revathi ones , it is called a month. But when all these nakashathras come one by one , 12 times it is NAAKSHATHRA MAANA which is 0nly 324 days. I am not aware other names of the months.

4. SAAVANA MAANA ( सावन मान) : One DAY is from the SUN RISE to the NEXT SUN RISE. Thus as per SAAVANA MAANA it contains 360 days. I am not aware of the names of the months. One Savana day is reckoned from Sunrise to next sun rise. 30 such Savana days are called one Savana month. 360 such daysor 12 SAVANA MONTHS are one Savana year

5. JUPITARIAN YEAR ( BARHASPATHYA ) (बार्हस्पत्य मान)

One Barhaspathya is time taken by Jupiter to traverse app.30 degrees of a sign. The duration is 361 days and a Jupiterian Cycle is roughly 12 years.
Savana Year. I am not aware of the names of the months.
.
These are the Panchavidha Samvatsara as per Vedic Astrology
“Each has its own significance in astrology. For mass regulation solar year is best suited. for day today affairs lunar year should be adopted. For shanti nakshatra year is adopted . For political forecast brahaspatya is used, forBirthdays,longevity,dasasvrata,niyama,yagna,Savana year is used.”
Friends,
There is one more which the VAISHNAVATES use. They call the 12 months for a GAURAABDA. Gaurabda is the name of moon calendar used by Gaudiya as part of the liturgy
I am giving for the information of all the names of the months of GAURAABDA:-
NAMES OF DEITIES AND MONTHS
Following Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition, the years are counted from the appearance of Krishna's incarnation as Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya is also known as Gaura, so the year is called "Gaurabda," "the year of Lord Caitanya."( गौर + अब्द = गौराब्द)
Each month, or "मास," is known by a name of Lord Vishnu. The months, the Sanskrit names by which they are commonly known in India, and their rough equivalents according to the Gregorian calendar are listed as follows:
DIETY’s NAME MONTH APP. ENGLISH MONTHS
KESHAVA ……………. MARGASHIRA( AGRAHAYANA) NOV. – DEC.
NARAYANA…………...PAUSHA DEC. – JAN.
MADHAVA…………… MAGHA JAN. – FEB.
GOVINDA……………. .PHALGUNA FEB. – MAR.
VISHNU………………. CHAITHRA MAR. – APR.
MADHUSUDANA……. VAISHAKHA APR. – MAY.
THRIVIKRAMA……… JYESHTA MAY. – JUN.
VAAMANA………… . AASHAADA JUN. - JUL.
SHREEDHARA……… SHRAVANA JUL. – AUG.
HRISHEEKESHA BHADRA AUG . - SEPT.
PADMANABHA AASHVINA SEPT. – OCT.
DAAMODARA KRITHIKA OCT. – NOV.
PURUSHOTHAMA ADHIKA MAASA INTER-CALARY
MONTH.

Regards & Namskarams,
P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN
(KINDLY SEND ME IF ANY CORRECTIONS ARE TO BE MADE . I AM ONLY AN AMATURE)