Rituals and Observances of Dark Moon
In the Vedic tradition, the phases of the moon dictate the schedule for religious duties. The "dark moon" (amāvāsyā), or the night of the new moon, is not merely an absence of light but a potent time for specific observances. Śrīla Prabhupāda details how this timing is used for auspicious festivals like Dīpāvalī, solemn ancestral rites, and even the regulated performance of animal sacrifices for those in lower modes of nature.
Festivals and Holy Days
The dark moon features prominently in the Vaiṣṇava calendar. The festival of Dīpāvalī (Diwali) is celebrated on the dark-moon night of the month of Kārttika. Immediately following this, the Govardhana-pūjā festival is observed. Additionally, the dark moon of the month of Māgha is a major occasion for bathing in the Ganges.
- The Dipavali festival takes place on the dark-moon night in the month of Kartika (October-November).
- From the statements of previous chapters, it appears that the festival of Govardhana-puja was performed just after the dark-moon night of the month of Karttika.
- There are two great occasions for bathing in the Ganges during Magha-mela. One is on the day of the dark moon, and the other is on the day of the full moon during the month of Magha.
Ancestral Rites and Recitation
The dark moon is considered the appropriate time for offering oblations to forefathers (śrāddha). Specific scriptures and mantras are recommended to be recited on this day to invoke auspiciousness and purification.
- A brahmana who is sufficiently rich must offer oblations to the forefathers during the dark-moon fortnight in the latter part of the month of Bhadra.
- Specifically, recitation is recommended on the full moon or dark moon day, on the day after Ekadasi, on the appearance of the Sravana star, at the end of a particular tithi.
Rituals in Ignorance
Vedic culture regulates all classes of men, including those in the mode of ignorance. For those addicted to flesh-eating, animal sacrifice (bali-dāna) is permitted under strict conditions: it must be done on a dark-moon night, and the animal must be killed instantly so no noise is heard.
Cosmic and Philosophical Significance
Astronomically, the dark moon is described as the time when the planet Rāhu, an eternal enemy of the sun and moon, attempts to cover them. Philosophically, Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the dark moon as an analogy for potentiality that is currently unmanifest, such as the consciousness of a child in the womb.
- Rahu is inimical toward both the sun and the moon, and therefore he always tries to cover the sunshine and moonshine on the dark-moon day and full-moon night.
- When one is a youth, all the ten senses and the mind are completely visible. However, in the mother's womb or in the boyhood state, the sense organs and the mind remain covered, just as the full moon is covered by the darkness of the dark-moon night.
Conclusion
The dark moon is not a void; it is a period of transition and intensity. Whether utilized for the enlightenment of Dīpāvalī, the duty of ancestral offerings, or the regulation of lower impulses, the dark moon serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of time and the pervasive influence of Vedic injunctions.
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