In this episode of “5 Minutes”, Dr. Robert Svoboda explores Amavasya, the new moon day, and its significance in traditional practices.

Amavasya means the new moon day. It is the opposite of Purnima, which means the full moon day. Purna literally means full in Sanskrit. The derivation of Amavasya is a little different. Ama means house or home, and vasya means living in. So Amavasya refers to the time when the Sun and Moon are living together, which means when there is syzygy—when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are more or less aligned in a straight line.

At this time, the Moon cannot be seen because the brightness of the Sun overwhelms it. Therefore, everything that represents the Moon within us, especially the thinking mind and emotional mind, becomes dark.

Dr. Svoboda explains that there are two kinds of lunar months used in India. One is the Amānta month, mainly followed in peninsular India, except for Kerala, where solar months are used. In Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Goa, and Gujarat, Amavasya marks the end of the month. In North India, however, the full moon (Purnima) marks the beginning of the month.

When calculating Indian astrology, the Shukla Paksha, the waxing fortnight of the Moon, remains the same in both systems. However, the Krishna Paksha, the waning fortnight, differs depending on the calendar system being followed.

For example, Dr. Svoboda explains that during the month of Shravana, Raksha Bandhan, which occurs on the full moon of Shravana, marks the end of Shravana in North India. In regions following the Amanta calendar, it marks the middle of the month.

He prefers this system because it begins from zero, moves toward the fullness of Purnima, and then gradually moves away from that fullness until the cycle begins again.

The day after Amavasya is the first day of the monthly Navaratri, the nine nights during which the power of the Goddess increases. The night before Amavasya is Shivaratri, the night of Shiva, who wears the crescent Moon on his head. This crescent Moon appears just before Amavasya.

For Dr. Svoboda, Amavasya is a very important day. It is not particularly favorable for studying. In the Vedic tradition, one would not recite the Vedas on Amavasya. Instead, it is a time to worship the ancestors, the Pitṛs, remain calm, and complete routine activities in preparation for the next day, which begins Navaratri and the increasing accumulation of Shakti throughout the month.

Amavasya is especially suitable for ancestor worship, which should always be performed after sunrise and before noon local time. It is also considered beneficial for certain tantric practices, particularly the worship of intense deities known as Ugra Devatas.

However, it is not an ideal time for trying to think deeply, because the mind is, in a sense, eclipsed by the Sun. Literally speaking, Amavasya is the only day on which a solar eclipse can occur, because it requires the Sun and Moon to be at the same longitude.

Amavasya is an excellent day for fasting, remaining calm, and meditation. It is not a good day to begin new activities or go outward in a dramatic way. It is a day for turning inward, just as the Sun and Moon are together at that time.