Sankraanti: A detailed Perspectives by Murthy

Sankraanti: Detailed Perspectives by KRS Murthy

Including etymological roots of the keywords

Sankranti only means crossing an important point by the earth in its elliptic orbit around the sun. There are 4 points all called Sankranti or sankramaNa. kramaNa in samskritam means orderly sequence or motion of an object. sam in sankramaNa qualifies with the expanded reference to samyak a samskritam word. On all the 4 sankramaNa days, the Brahmanas offer tarpaNa to their ancestors, not just the parents. In general brahmaNa and all following Sanatana dharma give away a variety of things to others in the society, called daana in samskritam. The word tarpaNa comes from the etymological seed root alphabet or Eka beejaakshara moola tRu, where the "Ru" in tRu refers to the 7th vowel or Svara Akshara Ru, NOT the ra that comes in the ya series after ya ...ra la va etc. 

In general, any crossing across a point is sankramaNa. In the sidereal calendar followed in the Sanatana dharma is a sankramaNa. There are actually 12 sankramana crossings as seen from the earth vantage point corresponding to the 12 zodiacs, called the 12 rashis: mEsha, vRishabha, Mithuna, karkaTaka, Simha, Kanya, Tula, Vrishchika, Makara, Kumbha, and Meena. Please see the Rashi or the zodiac diagram below. 

Each of those crossings is the sankramaNa, even though four of the 12 days in the year when tarpaNa (religious “memory and thank you” offering ritual is performed to the ancestors and daana as well to the community around in the society. In the southern part of India, for example, Karnataka state, it is harvest time on Jan 14 of every year. People give sugar cane, sesame seeds or til (samskritam), peanuts, other savories. These and other items are decoratively and gourmet made from these items are shared with sometimes cloths, sugar and jaggery candies carried in silver plates and utensils on Jan 14 of the year. In Tamil Nadu state, milk is cooked or heated on the stoves, and let it boil over, as a significance for overflowing wealth. A sweet dish called Pongal is made with boiled milk, moong beans daal, aromatic flavors of saffron, cardamom, plus toasted cashew nuts and rice, similar to moong daal kichaDi in the northern part of India, but both slightly spicy with crushed pepper all ingredients toasted in ghee. It is a celebration of plenty of harvest in a festive mood.

Sankranti Calendar is the collection of all 12 Sankranti dates in one place which is found out as per the Hindu Solar Calendar. When Sun enters from one to another Rashi or Zodiac, the event is called ‘Sankranti’ that is literally the ‘transmigration’ or ‘migration’ or ‘transmission’ or simply ‘change’.

The certain time duration, that is before and after the moment of Sankranti, is believed to be auspicious for donating the clothes, food, cow, and other stuff to the needy one. People follow this all as part of their rituals, tradition, and culture. Some celebrate it as a festival, and some see this as an opportunity to perform righteous acts.

Many of us who have lived far from our grandparents in a nuclear family, or have not got the traditional background, or have always lived out of their country, it becomes tough for them to understand even the basic terms like panchaanga, mahoorta, or Rashi.

I have given and nonexhaustive basic terms of astrology, which are necessary to understand the system of finding the Sankranthi time and getting the complete Sankranti calendar.

Sankranti Calendar: Sankranti in Sanatana Calendar

For introducing the dates and time of Sankranti and the auspicious mahoorta for charitable activities, people use two terminologies- "Sankranthi Calendar" and "Sankranti in Sanatana Calendar".

What is the difference between these two terminologies? Technically, nothing!

The Sankranti calendar, as mentioned above, includes all the Sankranti(s) in one place.

Sankranti in the Sanatana (Hindu) calendar specifies or highlights the Sankranti moment along with all the other special days.

Sankranti is observed as per the Sanatana calendar system. When one says Hindu or Sanatana calendar, a few of the following names come to our mind- Panchanga, Hindu Lunar Calendar, and Hindu Solar Calendar. 

Here, Panchanga is the samskritam and also Hindi or other languages of the Indian word for the Lunar Calendar which relies on the phases on the moon.

On the other hand, the Sanatana solar calendar depends on the movement of the Sun.

Astrological Terminologies

Sanatana Astrologers Vs Western Astorlogers

As we know there are 12 Sankranti in total which fall in a year as per the Hindu calendar, yet they can be classified into four categories which are named as- Ayan, Vishnupadi, Vishuva, and Shashitimukhi Sankranthi(s). The etymological root alphabet or Akshara for the word aayana is ya which encompasses space-time plus super dimensions. Aayana means incoming space-time plus all potential super dimensions. Just as additional information, aaya, and vyaya refer to incoming and outgoing respectively. These two words are applicable for ledger accounting purposes to refer to incoming and outgoing financial entries. Another context to use these words is in import and export.

Technical Terms of Astrology

Before we proceed to understand the categorization of all Sankranti(s), let’s take some information about the related terminologies to understand further information with ease.

Sanatana or Hindu Astrologers: Breaking the Complicated Terms!

Hindu Astrologers follow the Hindu calendar. It is based on Sidereal Astrology (Nirnaya Astrology) in which the precession (Ayanamsha or Ayan-ansha) of the earth is considered. One precession round happens every 26000 days.

Axial Precession

In astronomy, axial precession is a gravity-induced, slow, and continuous change in the orientation of an astronomical body's rotational axis. In particular, it can refer to the gradual shift in the orientation of Earth's axis of rotation in a cycle of approximately 26,000 years. The cycle of apsidal precession spans about 112,000 years. Apsidal precession changes the orientation of Earth's orbit relative to the elliptical plane. The combined effects of axial and apsidal precession result in an overall precession cycle spanning about 23,000 years on average

Here, sidereal time means the time that relies on the movement of planet Earth in the context of the stars.

Precession means the traveling line which is in the same formal direction.

The vernal equinox, two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length; also, either of the two points in the sky where the ecliptic (the Sun’s annual pathway) and the celestial equator intersect. In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox falls about March 20 or 21, as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going north. In the Southern Hemisphere, the equinox occurs on September 22 or 23, when the Sun moves south across the celestial equator. According to the astronomical definition of the seasons, the vernal equinox also marks the beginning of spring, which lasts until the summer solstice (June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, December 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere).

Seasonal Configuration of Earth and Sun

Earth's orbit around the Sun, with the positions of solstices and equinoxes.

Encyclop?dia Britannica, Inc

Western Astrologers: What They Follow?

Western Astrologers follow Sayana or Tropical Astrology, in which the counterpart of Sidereal Astrology is considered.

Types of Sankranti

Clashes between the Positions of Sun, Seasons, and Sankranthi Calendar

Let’s understand the significance of dividing the 12 Sankranti(s) into four types.

Ayan Sankranti or Ayani Sankranthi

As per the Hindu calendar, there are two Sankranti(s) which fall into the category of Ayan Sankranti, which are- Makar Sankranti and Karka Sankranti.

Makar Sankranti is also known as Uttarayana Sankranti and is conceptually considered to be equivalent to the Winter Solstice.

Here, Uttarayana is the duration of those six months when the Sun travels into Northern hemisphere.

The term Uttarāya?a (commonly Uttarayan) is derived from two different Sanskrit words "uttara" (North) and "ayana" (movement) thus indicating a semantic of the northward movement of the Earth on the celestial sphere. This movement begins to occur a day after the winter solstice in December which occurs around 22 December and continues for a six-month period through to the summer solstice around June 21 (dates vary ). This difference is because the solstices are continually precessing at a rate of 50 arcseconds/year due to the precession of the equinoxes, i.e. this difference is the difference between the sidereal and tropical zodiacs. The Surya Siddhanta bridges this difference by juxtaposing the four solstitial and equinoctial points with four of the twelve boundaries of the rashis.

The complement of Uttarayana is Dakshinayana, i.e. the period between Karka sankranti and Makara Sankranti as per the sidereal zodiac and between the Summer solstice and Winter solstice as per the tropical zodiac.

Difference between Uttarayana and Makar Sankranti

There is a common misconception, that Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of Uttarayana. This is because at one point in time Sayana and Nirayana zodiac were the same. Every year Sidereal and Tropical equinoxes slide by 50 seconds due to Axial precession, giving birth to Ayanamsha and causing Makar Sankranti to slide further. When equinox slides it will increase ayanamsha and Makar Sankranti will also slide. This misconception continues as there is not much difference between the actual Uttarayana date which occurs a day after the winter solstice (of Dec 21) when the sun makes the northward journey, and January 14. However, the difference will be significant as equinoxes slide further. In 272 BC, Makar Sankranti was on Dec 21. In 1000 AD, Makar Sankranti was on Dec 31 and now it falls on January 14. After 9000 years, Makar Sankranti will be in June. Then Makar Sankranti would mark the beginning of Dakshinayana.

The sun is called the Surya Deva (Devta) or Lord Surya which begins the movement into the Northern hemisphere before 24 days of Makar Sankranti. It simply means that the Sun starts to move on the 21st or 22nd of December and enters on the 14th or 15th of January. And thus the Makar Sankranti occurs on January 14 or 15 of the year.

Karka Sankranti is also known as Dakshinayana Sankranti and is conceptually considered to be equivalent to the Summer Solstice.

Here, Dakshinayana is the duration of those six months when the Sun travels into the Southern hemisphere.

Sun God begins commences moving into Southern hemisphere before 24 days of Karka Sankranti. It means that the Sun begins to move on 21st or 22nd June and enters on the 15th or 16th of July. Thus the Karka Sankranti occurs on July 15 or 16, drifting itself apart from the Summer Solstice with a difference of 24 days.

The Contradiction between Hindu Calendar and Seasons

In the case of Makar Sankranti, the Sun corresponds with the background stars as per the original concept for spotting the day of Makar Sankranti. But in the case of Karka Sankranti or Winter Solstice, the Sun God does not correspond with the same background stars, which ideally should have been for marking the day.

Thus we find the contradiction between the Hindu calendar system and the seasons in real. For marking the Sankranti days, the seasons are being drifted apart, maintaining the same state of the Sun in corresponds to the stars in the background.

Vedic Astrologers Know This

Technically, the definitions of Ayan Sankranti(s) are incorrect in the present scenario, and the Vedic Astrologers, Hindu Astrologers, and Panchang Karta has the knowledge, information, and awareness about it. However, they do not think of correcting this all because of considering the precession.

Let’s Go to the Basics of Hindu Calendar

Precession is the basic foundation of Panchang or Hindu calendar, which means-

• Precession has to mark the right place for stars.
• The positioning of stars has to be correct.
• No minute correction can be performed as it will invalidate the entire concept and indeed foundation of the Sidereal Astrology.

What will Happen in the Future?

Although these Ayani Sankranti(s) are traveling distantly from seasonal solstices because of the precession of our planet Earth, yet they will again coincide with the seasonal solstices after thousands of years.

Are We Following the Wrong System?

No, as per the above-explained fact, Hindus observe the Makar Sankranti at the right time and date. With the passing time, most of the Indians or Hindus have started considering the Uttarayana is a misnomer. They accept and realize this by avoiding Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice for performing any kind of religious deeds.

What is the Right Mahoorta of Sankranti?

Interestingly, the religious Hindu texts guide rightly about the auspicious time periods and Ayan Sankranti. For performing righteous activities like Daan Punya or charity related deeds, the auspicious time is considered to be-

• 40 Ghati(s) after Makar Sankranti
• 30 Ghatis(s) before Karka Sankranti.

Vishuva or Sampat Sankranti

There are two Sankranti that come under the category of Vishuv Sankranti-

• Mesha Sankranti is also known as Vasant Sampat, which is equivalent to Vernal Equinox as per the concept.
• Tula Sankranti is also known as Sharad Sampat, which conceptually is equivalent to Autumnal Equinox.

These two Vishuva Sankranti(s) are traveling distantly from the seasonal Equinoxes because of the precession of our planet Earth. The seasonal Equinoxes and the Vishuva Sankranti(s) will again coincide together after thousands of years.

Right time of Performing Righteous Acts

The time duration of fifteen Ghati(s) before and after the Mesha and Tula Sankranti is believed to be very auspicious for donation-related acts.

Vishupadi Sankranti

There are four Sankranti(s) that fall under the category of Vishupadi Sankranti; they are- Kumbha Sankranti, Vrishabha Sankranti, Simha Sankranti, and Vrishchika Sankranti.

Auspicious Time Durations

The time period of 16 Ghati(s) before the Vishupadi Sankranti is believed to be the best for performing Sankranti related charitable rituals.

Shadshitimukhi Sankranti

The rest of the four Sankranti(s)- Meena Sankranti, Mithuna Sankranti, Kanya Sankranti, and Dhanu Sankranti falls in the category of Shadshitimukhi Sankranti.

Best Time for Sankranti Related Daan Punya

The duration of 16 Ghati(s) after the Shadshitimukhi Sankranti is considered as the right time for auspicious activities