Pradoṣa
By Swami Harshananda
Pradoṣa literally means ‘that which is full of doṣa or defect’.
Any religious act should be take into consideration. The purpose and also the time and place before it is undertaken. In this, kāla or time is a very important factor. Certain periods of time are considered as auspicious and certain others, inauspicious. One of these is pradoṣa. It is the period of six ghaṭikās after sunset.[1] Some authorities reduce it to three ghaṭikās also.
Though generally this is considered as inauspicious for the study of the scriptures, it is specially recommended for taking food by one who is observing the vow of nakta by eating once only in the day and that too at night. This applies to one observing ekādaśī as a vrata or fasting as an expiation.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1 ghatikā is 24 minutes.
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore