In the last post about Souramaana and Chandramaana Maasa, we talked about the rashi chakra.
“When the earth orbits the sun, it appears as if the sun is moving around the earth. This movement, however, is not real. When using the earth as a reference point for the sun’s “movement”, there is an imaginary area around the earth which extends approximately 9 degrees on each side of the imaginary elliptical path of the sun. This area is known as Rashi Chakra (Zodiac Belt) or Bhachakra. The rashi chakra has a total of 360 degrees and this belt is divided into twelve 30-degree sections, each section is known as a rashi.”
Surya (the sun) takes 30 days to travel from one rashi to another and this movement is called Sankramana. One Chandramaana Maasa consists of 29.5 days, and one Chandramaana year consists of 354 days. One Souramaana year consists of 365 days. In between a Souramaana (solar) and a Chandramaana (Lunar) year there is an 11-day difference. Because of this difference, the Chandramaana year starts earlier than Souramaana year. To compensate this 11-day difference an extra month is added called Adhika Maasa. In Sanskrit Adhika means extra hence its name.
According to Vashishta Maharishi’s Grantha “Vashishta Siddhanta” an Adhika maasa occurs every 32 months, 16 days, and 8 Ghatis. Ghati-phala is an Indian unit of time. One Ghati is equal to 24 minutes. Many experts believe that this calculation is very accurate. In Adhika maasa, there is no Surya Sankramana. Usually, Adhika maasa occurs between two Surya Sankramana. For example, when Adhika maasa occurs in Shravana maasa, it is called Adhika Shravana Maasa. When this Adhika ends and starts a new month, it is called Nija (true) Shravana Maasa. In the Vedas and Puranas there are many stories regarding the Adhika maasa which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This is why the other name for Adhika maasa is Purushottama maasa.
In 2020 Hindu panchanga, there was an Adhika Ashvayuja Maasa. This Adhika Ashvayuja Maasa was from September 18, 2020 to October 16, 2020. Next Adhika Masa is in 2023. It is the Adhika Shravan maasa from July 18, 2023 to August 16, 2023.
To contemporize Souramaana and Chandramaana years, there is process of adding more months over a longer period of time. Therefore our ancient experts created a concept wherein one month is reduced or dropped in the Chandramaana panchanga by ignoring the count of Chandramaana maasa at appropriate time. This concept is known as Kshaya maasa. Kshaya means less in Sanskrit. Kshaya Maasa is very rare and occurs when there are only 11 months in a year. Kshaya Maasa occurs generally once in 141 years and again after 19 years. During Kshaya Maasa, two surya sankramanas or Sankrantis occur in one maasa. Kshaya maasa occurs in Kartika, Margashirsha, or Pushya Maasa. Adhika Maasa occurs from Phalguna to Ashvayuja. However, Kartika Maasa can be an Adhika or Kshaya Masa. Normally, the year which has a Kshaya Maasa also has two Adhika Maasa because the Panchanga has its own self-correcting methods in its system to coordinate with Souramaana and Chandramaana years.
In the last Kshaya maasa was in 1983. The next will be in 2124.
(Source: Dharma Sindhu, Panchsiddantika of Varahamihira)
Jataka Phala Saara 