Shathaabishekam

6/21/08

When is Shathaabhishekam celebrated? When it should be celebrated? We have heard about different versions of when it should be celebrated, when you complete 84 years, or when you complete 81 years and 10 months or when you complete 83 years 4 months. Shathaabhishekam is celebrated when a person sees 1000 full moons lives through 1000 full moons in his life. Since it is a mathematical calculation, there should only be one answer. Then how are we having all these three answers? (It really does not matter when you celebrate, but out of curiosity to know the reason behind the celebration, I did some research and I thought some people may share my curiosity. Of all the explanations I read I liked the one given below.)

 

Here is a convincing explanation based mainly on a question -answer series in Bhakthapriya magazine published by Guruvayur devaswom. For clarity, I am trying to express it as mathematically as possible.

 

Number of full moons in one year = 12

 

So number of years a person (since birth) takes to see 1000 full moon = 1000/ 12 = 83 years and 4 months. But there is more to it.

 

Every 321/2 months there will come one extra month (like once in every 4 years there are 29 days for February) and hence one extra full moon.

 

By 80 years and 10 months = (80x12) + 10 = 960 +10 =970 full moons.

 

Extra full moons that appear in these 970 months = 970/32.5 = 29.8 = 30 full moons.

 

So total moons in 970 months = 970+30= 1000

 

As per this calculation, the Shathaabhishekam should be celebrated when a person finishes 80 years and 10 months or 80 years and 11 months depending on when he was born. According to this there is no basis for celebrating when 84 years is completed. If we we do not take into account the 30 extra full moons, then shathaabhishekam should be when 83 years and 4 months are completed.

 

In Santhi Ratnaakaram poorvabhaagam it says:

 

"Sampoorna shatha vatsarasya dasha maasaadhikaasheethi vatsarasya va shathaabhishekam kurial" meaning shataabhishekam can be celebrated when you complete 100 years or 80 years and 10 months.

 

Uttara bhaagam in Shaanthi Ratnaakaram says:

 

With the extra month taken into consideration, shathaabhishekam can be celebrated when 80 years and 10 or 11 months are completed or latest when 81 years are completed.

 

Pranaamam to Guruvayurappan who decides who will see 1000 full moons and who will see more or less than that.