[Based on the Bengali pañjikā's preface, written by nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda

aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja and Śrī Śrīmad
Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja.]

P R E FA C E
It is by the causeless mercy, instruction, direction and inspiration
of Śrīla Gurudeva, nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, that we are
able to present this Vaiṣṇava calendar. This calendar proclaims the
unalloyed tenets and practices followed by the Rūpānuga Vaiṣṇavas
– the one-pointed followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu – and has
been compiled in accordance with the line of thought of jagad-guru
oṁ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
In this calendar, the date of every vrata and festival has been
calculated in accordance with the opinion of Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.
It is absolutely necessary to consider whether the dates (tithis)
on which yātrās, festivals of the Lord (Deity), hari-vāsara (such as
Ekādaśī), vratas (such as Cāturmāsya-vrata, Ūrja-vrata, etc.) and
the appearance and disappearances days of Vaiṣṇava mahājanas
occur are mixed or pure. It has been stated in Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa,
“pūrvaviddhā sadā tyājyā paraviddhā sadā grāhyā – tithis that mix
with the previous tithi are always to be discarded, and tithis that mix
with the following tithi are always to be accepted.”
Adhering to this idea, we have, to the greatest possible extent,
tried to present this calendar without errors. Our humble prayer is
that the Vaiṣṇava devotees use this calendar as a reference in their
observance of the festival and fasting dates listed herein and thereby
bestow their mercy and blessings upon us.
 SPECIAl NOTES
• In this calendar, the dates (tithis) are calculated according to tenets of Gauḍīya-
Vaiṣṇava Gosvāmīs. According to these conclusion, whatever tithi is present at the
time of sunrise will be accepted as being the tithi for the entire day, and will thus be
observerd as such.
• By the story of the pure devotee Śrī Ambarīṣa Mahārāja in the 9th Canto of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is well-known that one’s performance of Ekādaśī-vrata will
not be fruitful if one does not break fast (pāraṇa) at the proper time on the next day.
Therefore, fasts should always be broken during the specified time. For this reason,
this calendar lists the specific times for breaking fast.
• By observing the appearance and disappearance festivals of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu’s associates and devotees, one can relish the nectar of the purifying life
and precepts of these personalities. In other words, by attaining the good fortune to
hear and chant about the ideal life and character of such personalities, the practicing
devotees who have taken shelter at the feet of śrī guru will be inspired to make
progress on the path of pure sādhana-bhajana.
• The Solar eclipse on 2 july 2019, mentioned in this lunar calendar year, will
not be visible in India. Observance of it, such as following certain religious rites, rules,
regulations, prohibitions, sacred bathing, giving in charity, is therefore not compulsory
in India. The two other eclipses in this lunar calendar year are a lunar eclipse on
16 july 2019 and a solar eclipse on 26 jan 2020. Both will be visible in India and
thus the rules for an eclipse are to be observed.
• “According to the smārta consideration, the duration of eclipses is impure.
During such times, persons who follow these smārta conceptions refrain from
engaging in activities that are forbidden in an impure state. However, it is essential
for the vaidha-bhaktas, who are inclined to devotional service, to perform service to
the Lord (Deity), as far as possible, at the proper timings without considering these
mundane customs.” –Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Patrāvalī.
 A FEW WORDS
In this Vaiṣṇava calendar, the dates of vratas and festivals
have been computed using an ancient method known as Sūrya-
siddhānta, which was followed and accepted by jagad-guru
Śrīla Prabhupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī
Ṭhākura. In some places, the dates of the festivals in this Vaiṣṇava
calendar may differ from calendars computed using the modern
method known as Dṛk-siddhānta and also from calendars based
on smārta considerations. We request the revered Vaiṣṇava
readers to not be bewildered in such instances.

Furthermore, due to the difference in sunrise time between

the eastern and western regions of India, a few Ekādaśī & vrata
dates may differ, according to the consideration of śāstra. May
the Vaiṣṇava readers not be confused by the calendars that do
not show the vrata dates according to the sunrise in the western
regions.
 understanding the Vaiṣṇava Calendar
Basic Concepts Regarding Śuddhā (pure)
and Viddhā (mixed) Tithis, or Vratas

Determining the vrata days in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition

The Gregorian calendar, used by society at large, is a solar based calendar, in which there
are seven days in a week and 365 days in a year. One extra day (February 29) is added every
4 years. As a result, on any particular day of the year, the sun is approximately at the same
degree in the zodiac every year. As seen from the earth, it takes one year for the sun to
traverse the entire zodiac.
Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas use a lunar calendar which is based on the changing phases of the
moon. The system for determining the day to celebrate festivals and observe vratas is based
on this lunar calendar, and it follows the rules for calculation delineated in Śrī Hari-bhakti-
vilāsa. Within the span of about twenty-nine days, the appearance of the moon alters. The
waning phase, i.e. the transition from full moon (pūrṇimā) to dark moon (amāvasyā) is
known as kṛṣṇa-pakṣa, and the waxing phase – as it grows from a non-existent dark moon to
a full moon – is known as gaura-pakṣa or śukla-pakṣa.
Since these stages cannot be measured accurately with the naked eye, they are
calculated mathematically by measuring the distance between the sun and the moon. When
the dark moon, amāvasyā, is complete, the distance between the sun and the moon is 0
degrees, and on the full moon, pūrṇimā, the distance between the sun and the moon is at its
maximum – 180 degrees.
In the lunar calendar, this distance is divided into fifteen equal parts of 12 degrees each.
The time it takes the moon to move 12 degrees is calculated as one lunar day, or tithi. There
are thus fifteen tithis in the waning phase and fifteen tithis in the waxing phase. There are
thus thirty lunar days in one lunar month, which is how long it takes for the moon to form one
conjunction with the sun (known as amāvasyā) to the next.
The lunar days, or tithis, however, are not of equal length, due to the complex
movements of both, the sun and the moon, in relation to the earth. For this reason, they do
not correspond to the days and the nights of the solar calendar.
A tithi, or lunar day, can start any time of the day or night. But, as per the Gauḍīya
Vaiṣṇava tradition, the tithi that is in effect at sunrise is considered the tithi for that particular
day. Thus, whichever vrata is connected with that tithi is observed on that day.

Global Calculations
A tithi begins or ends at the same moment all over the world. For example, if a pañcamī-
tithi begins at 11 a.m. in time zone 0, then it begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Indian time zone
(+5:30). And it begins at 3 a.m. in time zone -8.
Within the same time zone, the sunrise time will be different in each location. For
example, Navadvīpa sunrise is approximately 40 minutes earlier than the Vṛndāvana sunrise.
This difference varies, depending on the time of year.
The Gregorian calendar day starts at midnight and ends the following midnight, but the
Vaiṣṇava calendar day starts at sunrise and ends the following sunrise.

6
Vṛddhi-tithi
A tithi that begins before one sunrise and ends after the next sunrise is called a vṛddhi-
tithi. In other words, a tithi during which sunrise occurs twice, thereby occupying two solar
days is a vṛddhi-tithi. [Vṛddhi means “expanded” or “increased”.]
Kṣaya-tithi
A tithi that begins after one sunrise and ends before the next sunrise is called a kṣaya-
tithi. In other words, during a kṣaya-tithi, sunrise does not occur even once or it may not
touch any sunrise at all; therefore it does not even appear as a day in the lunar calendar. A
kṣaya-tithi, in most cases, is not considered appropriate for observing any Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava
vrata or appearance and disappearance festival. [Kṣaya means “diminished” or “lost”.]
lunar and solar years, months and tithis
The lunar year, made up of twelve lunar months, is eleven days shorter than the solar
year. As the years pass by, the lunar calendar runs ahead of the actual seasons by days and
months. For example, sometimes Vasanta-pañcamī, which usually falls in February, falls in
wintery January. To adjust this, within every three years, an extra month, called adhika-māsa
or Puruṣottama māsa, is added to the lunar calendar, thus aligning it with the solar calendar
again.
The traditional names of the lunar tithis are as follows, starting from the first day:
pratipat (1st), dvitīya (2nd), tritīya (3rd), caturthī (4th), pañcamī (5th), ṣaṣṭhī (6th), saptamī
(7th), aṣṭamī (8th), navamī (9th), daśamī (10th), ekādaśī (11th), dvādaśī (12th), trayodaśī (13th),
caturdaśī (14th), amāvasyā (dark moon), pūrṇimā (full moon).
The same names are used for both waning and waxing phases. The exception is the dark
moon and the full moon, of course, as each concludes one half of the month.
In the lunar calendar, the phase of the moon is also mentioned, to more clearly identify
the lunar day. As stated, the waning phase is called kṛṣṇa-pakṣa, or the dark fortnight, and
the waxing phase is called śukla- or gaura-pakṣa, or the light fortnight. Thus, for example, the
phase gaura-pratipat refers to the first lunar tithi of the waxing phase of the moon, the day
following amāvasyā.
The names of the twelve months, starting with the first month of the year, are as follows:
Vaiśākha, Jyeṣṭha, Āṣāḍha, Śrāvaṇa, Bhādra, Āśvina, Kārtika, Agrahāyaṇa or Mārgaśīrṣa,
Pauṣa, Māgha, Phālguna and Caitra.
Based on scriptural evidence, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda has
devised a lunar calendar using the names of Bhagavān Śrī Hari, for the days of the month, the
phases, the months, and the constellations. The most commonly known names are those of
the months, and they correspond with the previous list as follows: Madhusūdana, Trivikrama,
Vāmana, Śrīdhara, Hṛsīkeśa, Padmanābha, Dāmodara, Keśava, Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava, Govinda
and Viṣṇu.
In this lunar calendar, prepared by Śrīla Prabhupāda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, however, the
year does not begin with Vaiśākha but with the day following Lord Caitanya’s appearance
on the Phālgunī pūrṇimā. Therefore, the first month of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava year is Viṣṇu
(Caitra). The years are also calculated from the birth year of Lord Caitanya (1486 AD). Thus
the lunar year beginning March 2019 to March 2020 AD is 533 Śrī Caitanya era.

7
Pure and impure tithis
In Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 24.341–342), Śrīman Mahāprabhu says to Śrīla
Sanātana Gosvāmī:
ekādaśī, janmāṣṭamī, vāmana-dvādaśī
śrī-rāma-navamī, āra nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī
ei sabe viddhā-tyāga, aviddhā-karaṇa
akaraṇe doṣa, kaile bhaktira lambhana
Vratas such as Ekādaśī, Janmāṣṭamī, Vāmana-dvādaśī, Rāma-navamī and
Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī must be performed on the aviddhā (śuddhā – unmixed, or pure)
tithis, discarding the viddhā (mixed, or impure) tithis. All these should be described. By
observing all these vratas, bhakti is attained and nourished, and if one is not careful
to observe them, one will be negligent in executing devotional service and will make
many mistakes.
Therefore, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has stated in Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, “pūrvaviddhā sadā
tyājyā paraviddhā sadā grāhyā – [For any vrata,] if a particular tithi happens to be pūrva-
viddhā, then it is always to be rejected, whereas a para-viddhā-tithi is always to be accepted.
Pūrva-viddhā and para-viddhā are explained as follows:
There are two types of pūrva-viddhā: (1) aruṇodaya-viddhā and 2) sūryodaya-viddhā.
(1) When the vrata-tithi mixes with the previous tithi during the time of aruṇodaya*, or
the brahma-muhūrta (generally, within 1 hour 36 minutes before sunrise), it is known as
aruṇodaya-viddhā.
(2) When the vrata-tithi mixes with the previous tithi after sunrise, that is, when the previous
tithi crosses the sunrise and touches the vrata-tithi, then it is known as sūryodaya-viddhā.
To determine the Ekādaśī vrata, only the aruṇodaya-viddhā is to be considered. To
determine any other vrata, such as Janmāṣṭamī or Rāma-navamī, the sūryodaya-viddhā is to
be considered.
These two types of pūrva-viddhā-tithis are not acceptable for observing a vrata. Therefore,
when a pūrva-viddhā-tithi occurs, the para-viddhā consideration is applicable. Para-viddhā means
that the vrata is to be observed the next day, when the vrata-tithi mixes with the next tithi.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said in Śaraṇāgati: “mādhava-tithi, bhakti-janani, yatane
pālana kari – with great care (yatana) I observe Mādhava’s holy days (such as Ekādaśī and
Janmāṣṭamī), for they are the mother of devotion.
Here the word yatana indicates two meanings:
(1) The first meaning of yatana is “to take great care to observe mādhava-tithi (such as
Ekādaśī and Janmāṣṭamī), as per scriptural instructions”. Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (13.14)
states: “upāvṛttasya pāpebhyo yas tu vāso gunaiḥ saha / upavāsaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sarva
bhoga vivarjitaḥ – the word upa-vāsa,** or fasting, refers to staying aloof from all
* Aruṇa literally means “red, ruddy, tawny”, and is also the name of the charioteer of Sūrya, the Sun
god. He is thus the personification of the reddish glow of the rising sun. Before the sun appears on
the horizon, the Sun god’s charioteer, Aruṇa, appears, making the morning sky pinkish. That time thus
corresponds to the brahma-muhūrta, or the beginning of dawn; in other words, 4 daṇḍas, or 1 hour
36 minutes, before sunrise.
** Upa means “near to”, or “in the proximity of”, and vāsa means “to remain”. Therefore, upavāsa means
“to reside near Bhagavān and His devotees”
8
 kinds of sinful activities and sense gratification, while staying in close proximity to
personalities endowed with transcendental qualities – exalted Vaiṣṇavas – or remaining
in transcendental service to Bhagavān.”
(2) Yatana also means “to take great care to determine and observe the śuddhā Ekādaśī
tithi and discarding the viddhā-tithi”.
Such carefulness will result in awakening of bhakti.
Determining Ekādaśī tithis
To determine a śuddhā, or pure, Ekādaśī, the tithi must start two muhūrtas [generally,
1 muhūrta is 48 minutes] before sunrise. Since the Vaiṣṇava calendar day is counted from
one sunrise and continues until the next sunrise, generally a tithi is considered pure for the
sunrise it touches. But an Ekādaśī tithi is considered pure only if it touches aruṇodaya as well
as sunrise on the same day.
Thus, for an Ekādaśī tithi, the aruṇodaya-viddhā consideration is accepted. In other
words, if the daśamī-tithi, the lunar day before Ekādaśī, continues into the aruṇodaya,
or brahma-muhūrta period, then even if the Ekādaśī tithi starts before sunrise, it will be
considered aruṇodaya-viddhā, as it has mixed with the previous tithi, or daśamī, within
the aruṇodaya time. Thus, such Ekādaśīs are considered impure. Fasting on such days must
be rejected and observed the next day instead.
The significance and essence of the above statements from the scriptures is as
follows: the foremost consideration is that śuddhā Ekādaśī is to be carefully determined, as it
takes precedence over other vratas (the appearance days of Bhagavān and the appearance
and disappearance days of Bhagavān’s associates and Vaiṣṇavas), in accordance with one’s
location, and should be observed with faith.
Determining appearance and disappearance days
For the appearance days of Bhagavān and the appearance and disappearance of His
associates and the Vaiṣṇavas, the sūryodaya-viddhā consideration is accepted. The tithi
in effect at sunrise, even if it started less than 1 hours and 36 minutes before sunrise, is
acceptable in regard to observing appearance and disappearance days. In other words,
generally the tithi events should be celebrated when at least one sunrise occurs during
that tithi.
Different locations, different tithis
According to Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, one of the main factors determining the date of a
vrata is the sunrise time. Since sunrise varies from place to place, the day of a vrata may
also change from place to place. Therefore, the calendar a person is following should be
calculated according to sunrise time in that person’s locality.
Accordingly, the calendar made for eastern India (Kolkata or Navadvīpa) may not be
same for calendar made for western regions of India (Delhi or Vṛndāvana). This is because
sometimes, the dates for Ekādaśī and other festivals may differ, as it entirely depends upon
the sunrise times of the location.

9
Addressing different days of vratas in the 2019–2020 lunar calendar
Below are the reasons why some tithis in the current lunar year (2019 – 2020) are
observed on different days in eastern (Navadvīpa, Kolkata etc.) and western (Vṛndāvana, Delhi
etc.) regions of India.
All tithi timings for the following vratas are sourced from Śrī Navadvīpa Pañjikā, published
by Yoga-pīṭha at Śrī Caitanya Maṭha, the birth place of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Māyāpura,
and calculated according to the Sūrya-siddhānta, which was followed and accepted by Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
(1) Kāmadā Ekādaśī and Rāma-navamī In Navadvīpa
Kāmadā Ekādaśī: On 14 April, Sunday, 2019, daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight until
3:54 a.m. on the 15th, and Ekādaśī starts after that. Sunrise in Navadvīpa on 15 April is at
5:22 a.m. For this Ekādaśī to be śuddhā (pure), the aruṇodaya time (1 hr 36 min = 96 min
before sunrise) should not be touched by daśamī-tithi. Now we can determine if the Ekādaśī
is śuddhā, or viddhā, in Navadvīpa.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 5:22 a.m., minus 1 hour 36 minutes = 3:46 a.m. This is
thus the beginning of the brāhma-muhūrta, or aruṇodaya time on that day. Since daśamī lasts until
3:54 a.m., it pierces (mixes, or enters) the aruṇodaya time, beginning 3:46 a.m. The Ekādaśī has
thus become daśamī-viddhā, or aruṇodaya-viddhā, on 15 April, Monday, and thus Ekādaśī fasting in
Navadvīpa must not be observed on 15 April, but on the next day i.e. 16 April.

Rāma-navamī: In Navadvīpa on 13 April, sunrise is at 5:24 a.m., and aṣṭamī-tithi lasts

until 8:29 a.m. And on 14 April, sunrise is at 5:23 a.m. and navamī lasts until 6:16 a.m. The
navamī-tithi, which begins at 8:29 a.m. on the 13th, thus mixes with aṣṭamī after sunrise
(and is therefore pūrva-viddhā). In other words, the aṣṭamī-tithi occupies the sunrise time.
Therefore, according to the general rule for the appearance days of Bhagavān as stated
above, the sūryodaya-viddhā consideration is accepted. For this reason, observance of
Rāma-navamī vrata should be discarded on the 13th. That is, the tithi is celebrated on the
day on which the sunrise occurs within the tithi, which is 14 April, since the navamī-tithi
continues for just for 52 minutes after sunrise, and then daśamī starts. So, this is a case of
para-viddhā consideration.
Therefore, in Navadvīpa, since the Ekādaśī tithi is not śuddhā on 15 April, and its
observance is moved to next day, on 16 April, there is no harm in following the śuddhā-
navamī-tithi on 14 April, because pārana can be done on 15 April.
In Vṛndāvana
Kāmadā Ekādaśī: On 14 April 2019, Sunday, the daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight
until 3:54 a.m. on the 15th, and Ekādaśī starts thereafter. Sunrise in Vṛndāvana on 15 April
is at 6:01 a.m. For this Ekādaśī to be śuddhā (pure), the aruṇodaya time (1 hr 36 min = 96
min before sunrise) should not be pierced by the daśamī-tithi. Now we can determine if the
Ekādaśī is śuddhā or viddhā in Vṛndāvana on 15 April.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 6:01 a.m. minus 1 hour 36 minutes = 4:25am. This is
thus the beginning of the brahma-muhūrta, or aruṇodaya time. Since daśamī has ended at 3:54 a.m.
and thus not pierced, or entered, the aruṇodaya time beginning 4:25 a.m., the Ekādaśī is śuddhā and
should be observed on 15 April, Monday, in Vṛndāvana.

10
 Rāma-navamī: In Vṛndāvana on 13 April, sunrise is at 6:03 a.m, and the aṣṭamī-tithi
lasts until 8:29 a.m. And on 14 April, sunrise is at 6:02 am and navamī lasts until 6:16 a.m.
The navamī-tithi on the 13th is mixed with aṣṭamī at sunrise (and is thus pūrva-viddhā).
So according to the general rule for appearance days of Bhagavān as stated above, the
sūryodaya-viddhā consideration should be accepted, and observance of Rāma-navamī
vrata on the 13th should be discarded. In other words, the tithi is celebrated on that day
in which the sunrise falls within the tithi. That is, ideally, on 14 April.
In Vṛndāvana, however, since the Ekādaśī tithi is śuddhā on 15 April it takes
precedence and must be observed, not discarded. Thus, the Rāma-navamī vrata
observance in Vṛndāvana this year should be on 13 April, as per the specific guidelines
of Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, even though the navamī-tithi is mixed with aṣṭamī (pūrva-
viddhā). This is because, if the vrata was to be observed on the 14th instead of the
13th, the śuddhā Ekādaśī vrata would be ruined since it would necessitate pāraṇa of the
Rāma-navamī vrata on 15 April.
In this regard, Śrī Navadvīpa-pañjikā, clearly states in point 2 on page 8 of the preface
that it is recommended in the 14th Vilāsa (chapter) of Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa to observe Śrī
Rāma-navamī vrata on the śuddhā-śukla-navamī of the month of Caitra. However, in the
event that, due to the waning, or diminution (kṣaya) of the tithi, when the śuddhā Ekādaśī
appears immediately the day after śuddhā-navamī, it is prescribed that Śrī Rāma-navamī
vrata is observed on the navamī that mixes with aṣṭamī (aṣṭamī-viddhā-navamī), so that
the observance of śuddhā Ekādaśī is not ruined.
Thus, we can see that in Vṛndāvana on 14 April, due to the waning or diminution
(kṣaya) of the daśamī-tithi (which begins 14 April at 6:16 a.m. after the sunrise at 6:02
a.m., and ends at 3:54 a.m. on the 15th, before sunrise at 6:01 a.m.) śuddhā Ekādaśī
(15 April) appears the day directly after śuddhā-navamī (14 April). In that situation,
observance of Śrī Rāma-navamī vrata is prescribed on navamī mixed with aṣṭamī
(aṣṭamī-viddhā-navamī), which is on 13 April.
Furthermore, our parama-gurudeva, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja,
quotes from Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa in an article named “Śrī Rāma-navamī-vrata” as follows:
navamī ca-aṣṭamī-viddhā tyājyā viṣṇu-parayanaih
upoṣaṇam navamyām vai daśamyāṁeva pārāṇam
Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (14.252)
The Vaiṣṇavas, who are devoted to Viṣṇu, shall discard the navamī that is
mixed with aṣṭamī and observe fasting on navamī. And they are to do pāraṇa,
categorically, on daśamī.
In the commentary on the above verse, it is has been written in Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa:
It is already determined that in all situations, Vaiṣṇavas will discard the viddhā-
tithis. Here, in the same manner, navamī mixed with aṣṭamī should be completely
discarded. But when navamī becomes kṣaya, and due to its waning, the forthcoming
Ekādaśī is śuddhā, what should one do? In this regard it is mentioned in the original
verse that one should observe the vrata on navamī and do pāraṇa on daśamī.
Here, it is seen that emphasis is placed on doing pāraṇa on daśamī. In other words,

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 because one must certainly to do pāraṇa on daśamī to safeguard the śuddhā
Ekādaśī, it is obligatory for Vaiṣṇavas to also observe the vrata even on viddhā-
navamī, or navamī mixed with aṣṭamī. But if there is no possibility of the Ekādaśī
vrata becoming ruined, that is, if the Ekādaśī on the day after daśamī is mixed
(viddhā) and its observance is thus moved to next day on dvādaśī, one must not do
Rāma-navamī vrata on a navamī that is mixed with aṣṭamī. Therefore, it is further
mentioned:
daśamyām pāraṇāyāśca niścayād-navamī-kṣaya
viddhāpi navamī grahyā vaiṣṇavair api asamśyam
Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (14.253)
Since it is obligatory to do pāraṇa on daśamī, when the navamī-tithi is waning (or
kṣaya), Vaiṣṇavas, too, without any doubt, shall accept navamī mixed with aṣṭamī
for their observance of the vrata.

In the commentary on the above verse in Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, it has been written:
It is worth considering that one must do pāraṇa of rāma-navamī on the daśamī-
tithi; otherwise, if the following Ekādaśī is śuddhā and if, due to the navamī being
mixed with asṭamī, one observes upavāsa on daśamī instead, then one has to do
pāraṇa on Ekādaśī. Śuddhā Ekādaśī will therefore be ruined.
In other words, by observing upavāsa on daśamī, the statement “one must do
pāraṇa on daśamī” is not upheld. Also, in that case, one will have to do pāraṇa on
Ekādaśī. Therefore, to uphold pāraṇa on daśamī, it is obligatory to do upavāsa on
śuddhā-navamī. While upholding pāraṇa on daśamī and due to observing śuddhā
Ekādaśī, which is obligatory, it is even acceptable, if required, to observe the vrata
on asṭamī-viddhā-navamī. But if there is no obstacle such as ruining Ekādaśī vrata,
as explained in the ṭīkā on the above verse, then viddhā-navamī-vrata should
definitely be discarded.
Sometimes we observe that people try to resolve the issue of viddhā-navamī by simply
moving its vrata to the next day, that is, to daśamī. However, we can clearly see in line
with the scriptural principles stated above why Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī felt the need to
specifically write these two verses in Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.
(2) Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī
In Navadvīpa, on 17 May 2019, sunrise is at 5:00 a.m., and the trayodaśī-tithi
lasts until 5:21 a.m. After that the caturdaśī-tithi lasts until 3:04 a.m. after midnight
on 18 May. Sunrise on 18 May is at 4:59 a.m. The caturdaśī-tithi on the 17th mixes
with trayodaśī at sunrise (pūrva-viddhā). In other words, the trayodaśī-tithi occupies
the sunrise time. Moreover, the caturdaśī-tithi is a kṣaya-tithi, meaning that it begins
after one sunrise at 5:21 a.m. and ends before the next sunrise at 3:04 a.m. Therefore,
it does not touch any sunrise and is not accepted as a lunar calendar day. According
to the sūryodaya-viddhā rule for determining appearance days of Bhagavān as stated
previously, in Navadvīpa, the observance of the vrata and upavāsa of Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī
on 17 May is discarded and is instead moved to next day on 18 May, on pūrṇimā. (This

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takes place even though it is not para-viddhā but kṣaya-tithi and does not mixes with
next tithi after sunrise on the 18th.)
Now, in Vṛndāvana, on 17 May 2019, sunrise is at 5:34 a.m. and the caturdaśī-
tithi begins at 5:21 a.m. This caturdaśī-tithi on the 17th occupies the sunrise time, and
since the tithi in effect at sunrise becomes the general tithi for that particular day, in
Vṛndāvana, the observance of the vrata and upavāsa of Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī is to be
observed on 17 May.
(3) Yoginī Ekādaśī
In Navadvīpa, on 27 June 2019, daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight till 3:33 a.m. on
the 28 June, and Ekādaśī starts thereafter. Sunrise in Navadvīpa on 28 June is at 4:58 a.m.
For this Ekādaśī to be pure (śuddhā), the aruṇodaya time (1 hour 36 minutes = 96 minutes
before sunrise) should not be pierced by daśamī-tithi. Now we can determine if the Ekādaśī
is śuddhā or viddhā in Navadvīpa on 28 June.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 4:58 a.m. minus 1 hour 36 minutes = 3:22 a.m.
This is the beginning of the brahma-muhūrta, or aruṇodaya time. Since daśamī lasts until 3:33
a.m. and thus pierces, or mixes with, the aruṇodaya time, beginning 3:22 a.m., the Ekādaśī
has become daśamī-viddhā, or aruṇodaya-viddhā, on 28 June. Therefore, the Ekādaśī fasting
in Navadvīpa is to be discarded on 28 June and to be observed the next day, on 29 June. (This
takes place even though the Ekādaśī tithi ends before sunrise on the 29th and does not meet the
criteria of para-viddhā, that is, it does not mix with next tithi after sunrise on 29th.)

In Vṛndāvana, on 27 June 2019, daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight till 3:33 a.m. on
the 28 June, and Ekādaśī starts thereafter. Sunrise in Vṛndāvana on 28 June is at 5:28 a.m.
For this Ekādaśī to be pure (śuddhā) the aruṇodaya time (1 hour 36 minutes = 96 minutes
before sunrise) should not be pierced by daśamī-tithi. Now we can determine if the Ekādaśī
is śuddhā or viddhā in Vṛndāvana on 28 June.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 5:28 a.m. minus 1 hour 36 minutes = 3:52 a.m. This
is the beginning of the brahma-muhūrta, or the aruṇodaya time. Since daśamī has ended at 3:33
a.m. and thus has not pierced, or entered, the aruṇodaya time, beginning 3:52 a.m., the Ekādaśī
is śuddhā and should be observed on 28 June in Vṛndāvana.
(4) Śayana Ekadāśī
In Navadvīpa, on 11 July 2019, daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight till 3:32 a.m.
on the 12 July, and Ekādaśī starts thereafter. Sunrise in Navadvīpa on 12 July is at 5:03
a.m. For this Ekādaśī to be śuddhā (pure) the aruṇodaya time (1 hour 36 minutes =
96 minutes before sunrise) should not be pierced by the daśamī-tithi. Now we can
determine if the Ekādaśī is śuddhā or viddhā in Navadvīpa on 12 July.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 5:03 a.m. minus 1 hour 36 minutes = 3:27 a.m. This
is the beginning of brahma-muhūrta, or the aruṇodaya time. Since daśamī lasts until 3:32 a.m., it
pierces, or mixes with, the aruṇodaya time, beginning 3:27 a.m. Therefore, the Ekādaśī becomes
daśamī-viddhā, or aruṇodaya-viddhā, on 12 July and Ekādaśī fasting in Navadvīpa is to be discarded
on 12 July and observed the next day, on 13 July. (This takes place even though the Ekādaśī tithi ends
before sunrise on the 13th and does not meet the criteria of para-viddhā, that is, it does not mix with
next tithi after sunrise on 13th.)

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 In Vṛndāvana, on 11 July 2019 daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight till 3:32 a.m. on
12 July, and Ekādaśī starts thereafter. Sunrise in Vṛndāvana on 12 July is at 5:33 a.m. For this
Ekādaśī to be pure (śuddhā) the aruṇodaya time (1 hour 36 minutes = 96 minutes before
sunrise) should not be pierced by daśamī-tithi. Now we can determine if the Ekādaśī is
śuddhā or viddhā in Vṛndāvana on 12 July.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 5:33 a.m. minus 1 hour 36 minutes = 3:57 a.m.
This is the beginning of the brahma-muhūrta, or the aruṇodaya time. Since daśamī ends at 3:32
a.m., it does not pierce, or enter, the aruṇodaya time, which begins at 3:57 a.m. The Ekādaśī is
therefore pure (śuddhā) and should be observed on 12 July in Vṛndāvana.
(5) Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī
In Navadvīpa, on 19 January 2020, daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight till 5:16
a.m. on 20 January, and Ekādaśī starts thereafter. Sunrise in Navadvīpa on 20 January is at
6:26 a.m. For this Ekādaśī to be pure (śuddhā) the aruṇodaya time (1 hour 36 minutes = 96
minutes before sunrise) should not be pierced by the daśamī-tithi. Now we can determine if
the Ekādaśī is śuddhā or viddhā in Navadvīpa on 20 January.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 6:26 a.m. minus, 1 hour 36 minutes = 4:50 a.m. This
is the beginning of brahma-muhūrta, or the aruṇodaya time. Since daśamī lasts until 5:16 a.m.,
it pierces, or mixes with, the aruṇodaya time, beginning 4:50 a.m. The Ekādaśī thus becomes
daśamī-viddhā, or aruṇodaya-viddhā, on 20 January. Therefore, Ekādaśī fasting in Navadvīpa is
to be discarded on 20 January and to be observed the next day, on 21 January. (This takes place
even though the Ekādaśī tithi ends before sunrise on the 21st and does not meet the criteria of
being para-viddhā, that is, it does not mix with next tithi after sunrise on 21st.)
In Vṛndāvana, on 19 January 2020, daśamī-tithi extends beyond midnight till 5:16
a.m. on 20 January, and Ekādaśī starts thereafter. Sunrise in Vṛndāvana on 20 January is at
7:17 a.m. For this Ekādaśī to be śuddhā (pure) the aruṇodaya time (1 hour 36 minutes = 96
minutes before sunrise) should not be pierced by daśamī-tithi. Now we can determine if the
Ekādaśī is śuddhā or viddhā in Vṛndāvana on 20 January.
Sunrise time minus the aruṇodaya time = 7:17 a.m. minus 1 hour 36 minutes = 5:41 a.m. This
is the beginning of brahma-muhūrta, or the aruṇodaya, time. Since daśamī ends at 5:16 a.m., it
does not pierce, or enter, the aruṇodaya time, beginning 5:41 a.m. Thus the Ekādaśī is śuddhā
and should be observed on 20 January in Vṛndāvana.
This document is our first endeavour to communicate the basic principles regarding
understanding the Vaiṣṇava calendar. It is subject to update.

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