Sankalpam: Detailed explaination

Let us understand the meaning of the phrases that the Sankalpam is comprised of. To understand the phrases in the Sankalpam we need to understand the concept of the Cosmic Cycle and Cosmic time calculations

Cosmic Cycle
Time, as per Hindu practices, has evolved and revolves around the life cycle of Brahma, the Creator. This is known as the Hindu Cosmic cycle. Cosmic cycles are infinitely recurring periods of the universe, comprising its creation, preservation and dissolution.

Time Calculations
We start by using a calendar year as the basis. Unless otherwise specified, year shall mean a Calendar Year. One year for humans represents one day for the divine beings. 360 such divine days make one divine year. 12,000 such divine years makes a Mahayuga comprising the 4 yugas of Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali yugas.

i.e. each Yuga comprises of the following calendar years:
• Kali yuga 432,000 years
• Dwapara yuga 864.000 years
• Treta yuga 1,296,000 years
• Krita yuga 1,728,000 years.

Kalpa
Total for one Mahayuga (Also called Chatur Yuga) = 4,320,000 years or 4.32 million years.
72 Mahayugas constitutes one 'Manvantara' (i.e.) the life of a Manu, the law giver ( we are in the 28th Mahayuga)
14 such Manvantaras make one day or Kalpa of the Creator Brahma.
2 kalpas = 1 day and night of Brahma ( called Ahoratras )
360 ahoratras = 1 year of Brahma

Parardhe
Half the life span of Brahma, OR 50 Brahma years. We are in the 51st Brahma Year, OR the second or Dwiteya Pararadhe
Two Parardhe : Life span of Brahma ie 100 years
After that, pralaya equal to the duration of 2 parardhas take place, and at its end, a new cycle starts.

Jamboo dveepE
Then, the Sankalpa refers to the geographical position of the place where the ritual is performed. This could be the historical or mythological name of the place. Bhagavata Purana deals with the geography of the world in a great detail. It divides the world into seven dweepas. AND India is in Jambu dweepa ,and America in Krauncha dweepa.

BhArata varshE, Bharata: khaNDE, SakAbde, merO: dakshiNE pArSvE
In the geographical part to the south of the Meru Mountain in the land of Bharata. Meru is the mythological heavenly mountain, and our planet Earth is south of it. Technically, this also means that this particular term merO: dakshiNE pArSvE would be applicable to all parts of the world.

……nAma samvatsarE
Resuming the reference to time, the Sankalpa proceeds further as follows:
Samvatsaram is a Year. Hindu calendar has a 60 year cycle. The current year is Virodhi corresponding to the Year (2009 -2010)

……AyaNE (Ayanam)
As per calendars based on the solar system the year is divided into two halves in accordance with the movement of the sun, Northwards and Southwards. The former is termed Uttaraayanam and the latter Dakshinaayanam.

Dakshinayanam (6 months) - Aadi to Margazhi
Uttarayanam (6 months) - Thai to AaNi

……Ritou (Rithus)
The year is divided into 6 seasons or RITUS, which correspond to 2 months each of the Lunar Calendar. These are as follows:
• Chithirai & Vaikasi = Vasantha Rithu (March-April,April-May)
• Aani & Aadi = Greeshama Rithu(May-June,June-July)
• Aavani & Puratasi = Varsha Rithu (July-Aug, Aug-Sep)
• Iypasi & Karthigai = Sharadh Rithu(Sep-Oct,Oct-Nov)
• Markazhi & Thai = Hemantha Rithu(Nov-Dec, Dec-Jan)
• Masi & Panguni = Shishira Rithou (February/March)

……Subha-tithau (Thithis)
These are days of the month calculated from the day after Pournami, till Amavasya, or vice versa.
Pournami/Amavasya + 1: Prathama
+ 2. Dvithiya
+ 3. Trithiya
+ 4. Chaturthi
+ 5. Panchami
+ 6. Shashti
+ 7. Saptami
+ 8. Ashtami
+ 9. Navami
+ 10. Dasami
+ 11. Ekadasi
+ 12. Dvadashi
+ 13. Trayodasi
+ 14. Chaturdasi
+ 15. PourNami OR Amavasya

……mAsE (Months)
• Chitirai – Mesham April - May
• Vaikasi – Rishabam May – June
• Aani – Mithunam June - July
• Aadi – Kadakam July - August
• Aavani – Simham August - Sep
• Puratasi – Kannya Sep - Oct
• Iypasi – Tulam Oct - Nov
• Karthigai – Virchikam Nov - Dec
• Markazhi = Dhanur Dec - Jan
• Thai – Makaram Jan - Feb
• Masi – Kumbam Feb - March
• Panguni – Meenam March – April

……pakshE (Paksham)
Shukla Pakshe: day after Amavasya till and including Pournami
Krishna Pakshe: day after Pournami till and including Amavasya

.……vAsara (days of a week)
• Sunday: Bhanu Vasara;
• Monday: Indu/Soma Vasara;
• Tuesday: Bhowma Vasara;
• Wednesday: Soumya Vasara;
• Thursday: Guru Vasara;
• Friday: Brugu Vasara;
• Saturday: Sthira Vasara

……nakshatra yuktAyAm (Nakshatram)
Aswani/ Aswinee ,
BharaNi/ apabharaNee ,
Kaarthikai/ Krutthikaa ,
ROhiNi/ ROhiNee ,
Mrugaseersham/ Mrugasiras ,
thiruvAdhirai/ AardhrA ,
Punarpoosam / PunarvasU ,
Poosam / Pushyam,
Aayilyam/. AaslEshA ,
Makam / MaghA ,
Pooram/ Poorvabhalgunee ,
Hastham/ HasthA ,
Chittirai/ ChithrA ,
SvAthi / SvAthee ,
VisAkam/ VisAkaa ,
anusham/ anurAdhA ,
KEttai/ JyEshtA ,
Moolam/ Moolaa ,
PoorAdam/ , PoorvAshADaa ,
UttharAdam/ UtthaAshAdaa ,
ThiruvONam/ SravaNam ,
Avittam/ Dhanishtaa ,
Sathayam/ Sathabhishak ,
PorrattAthi/ Poorvabhadhra ,
UttharattAdhi/UthrabhdhrA ,
Revathy/REvathee .

Example
The following is a worked out example of the Sankalpam. This is for Yajur Upakarma for Saturday,16th August,2008. The Ritual Year was Sarvadhari,it was Dakshinayane (since it was Adi month) Kataka Mase, the ritual name for the month of Adi, Shukla Pakshe since it was pournami and paksham would change the next day,Pourniasyam, the name for Pournami,and since it was Saturday, it was Sthira vaasa.The star of the day was Sravana.

SrI govinda govinda govinda!
asya SrI-bhagavata:
mahA purushasya
vishNor AgjnayA
pravartamAnasya
aadhya brahmaNa:
dviteeya-parArdhE
SrI-SvEtha-varAha-kalpE,
vaivasvatha-manvantarE,
kaliyugE,
prathamE pAdE,
Jamboo dveepE,
BhArata varshE,
Bharata: khaNDE,
SakAbde:,
merO: dakshiNE pArSvE
asmin vartamAnE vyAvahArikE,
PrabhavAdi shashTi samvatsarANAm madhyE

Sarvadhaari Naama samvathsare
Dakshinaayane
greeshma rithou
kataka Maase
Sukhla Pakshe
Pournamaasyaam subha thithou
sthira vaasara
SravaNa Nakshathra

SrI-vishnu-yOga,
SrI-vishnu-karaNa,
Subha-yOga, Subha-karaNa,
Yevam guNa,-viSeshaNa viSishTAyAm,
asyAm ……AsyAm Subha-tithou,
SrI-Bhagavad-AjnayA, Sri Bhagavat-kainkarya-roopam