Twelve months

Expressions researched:
"12 months" |"twelve months" |"twelve such months"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.7, Purport:

Brahmā lives for one hundred years, and his one day is calculated at 4,300,000,000 of our earthly years. His night is of the same duration. His month consists of thirty such days and nights, and his year of twelve months. After one hundred such years, when Brahmā dies, the devastation or annihilation takes place; this means that the energy manifested by the Supreme Lord is again wound up in Himself.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.11.14, Purport:

Two pakṣas comprise one month, and twelve months comprise one calendar year, or one full orbit of the sun. A human being is expected to live up to one hundred years. That is the way of the controlling measure of eternal time.

SB 3.11.35, Purport:

According to Padma Purāṇa (Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa), in thirty days of Brahmā many kalpas take place, such as the Varāha-kalpa and Pitṛ-kalpa. Thirty days make one month of Brahmā, beginning from the full moon to the disappearance of the moon. Twelve such months complete one year, and fifty years complete one parārdha, or one half the duration of the life of Brahmā. The Śveta-varāha appearance of the Lord is the first birthday of Brahmā. The birth date of Brahmā is in the month of March, according to Hindu astronomical calculation. This statement is reproduced from the explanation of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.30.17, Purport:

The duration of life prescribed for the Pracetās by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is calculated by the time measurements of higher planetary systems. Our six earth months are said to equal twelve hours in the higher planetary systems. Thirty days equal one month, and twelve months equal one year. In this way, for one million years according to the calculations of the higher planetary system the Pracetās were allowed to enjoy all kinds of material facilities. Although this life-span was so long, the Pracetās were given full bodily strength by the grace of the Lord. In the material world, if one wants to live for many years, he must endure the difficulties of old age, invalidity and many other miserable conditions. The Pracetās, however, were given full bodily strength to enjoy material facilities. This special facility was given to the Pracetās so that they could continue rendering full devotional service. This will be explained in the following verse.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.21.13, Translation:

The chariot of the sun-god has only one wheel, which is known as Saṁvatsara. The twelve months are calculated to be its twelve spokes, the six seasons are the sections of its rim, and the three cātur-māsya periods are its three-sectioned hub. One side of the axle carrying the wheel rests upon the summit of Mount Sumeru, and the other rests upon Mānasottara Mountain. Affixed to the outer end of the axle, the wheel continuously rotates on Mānasottara Mountain like the wheel of an oil-pressing machine.

SB 5.22 Summary:

Similarly, according to solar calculations, a month is equal to the time the sun spends in one constellation; two months constitute one season, and there are twelve months in a year. The entire area of the sky is divided into two halves, each representing an ayana, the course traversed by the sun within a period of six months. The sun travels sometimes slowly, sometimes swiftly and sometimes at a moderate speed. In this way it travels within the three worlds, consisting of the heavenly planets, the earthly planets and outer space. These orbits are referred to by great learned scholars by the names Saṁvatsara, Parivatsara, Iḍāvatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara.

SB 5.22.5, Translation:

The sun-god, who is Nārāyaṇa, or Viṣṇu, the soul of all the worlds, is situated in outer space between the upper and lower portions of the universe. Passing through twelve months on the wheel of time, the sun comes in touch with twelve different signs of the zodiac and assumes twelve different names according to those signs. The aggregate of those twelve months is called a saṁvatsara, or an entire year. According to lunar calculations, two fortnights—one of the waxing moon and the other of the waning—form one month. That same period is one day and night for the planet Pitṛloka. According to stellar calculations, a month equals two and one quarter constellations. When the sun travels for two months, a season passes, and therefore the seasonal changes are considered parts of the body of the year.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.78.40, Translation:

Thereafter, for twelve months, You should circumambulate the land of Bhārata in a mood of serious meditation, executing austerities and bathing at various holy pilgrimage sites. In this way You will become purified.

SB 12.11.32, Translation:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, manifesting His potency of time as the sun-god, travels about in each of the twelve months, beginning with Madhu, to regulate planetary motion within the universe. Traveling with the sun-god in each of the twelve months is a different set of six associates.

SB 12.11.46, Translation:

Thus, throughout the twelve months, the lord of the sun travels in all directions with his six types of associates, disseminating among the inhabitants of this universe purity of consciousness for both this life and the next.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 17.86, Translation:

In this way, fruits grew on the tree every day throughout the twelve months of the year, and the Vaiṣṇavas used to eat them, to the Lord's great satisfaction.

CC Adi 17.88, Translation:

In this way the Lord performed saṅkīrtana every day, and at the end of saṅkīrtana there was a mango-eating festival every day for twelve months.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 20.174, Purport:

There is also a vaibhava division, in which there are twenty-four forms, including the second Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. For each of these, there are three forms; therefore there are twelve forms altogether. These twelve forms constitute the predominant names for the twelve months of the year as well as the twelve tilaka marks on the body. Each of the four Personalities of Godhead expands into two other forms; thus there are eight forms, such as Puruṣottama, Acyuta, etc. The four forms (Vāsudeva, etc.), the twelve (Keśava, etc.), and the eight (Puruṣottama, etc.) all together constitute twenty-four forms. The forms are differently named in accordance with the placement of the weapons They hold in Their four hands.

CC Madhya 20.198, Translation:

“These twelve are the predominating Deities of the twelve months. Keśava is the predominating Deity of Agrahāyana, and Nārāyaṇa is the predominating Deity of Pauṣa.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 7:

According to the Vaiṣṇava almanac, the twelve months of the year are named according to the twelve Vaikuṇṭha forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and these forms are known as the predominating Deities for the twelve months. This calendar begins with the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, which is equivalent to late November and early December. The Vaiṣṇavas call this month Keśava. December–January is called Nārāyaṇa, January–February Mādhava, February–March Govinda, March–April Viṣṇu, April–May Śrī Madhusūdana, and May–June Trivikrama. June–July is called Vāmana, July–August Śrīdhara, August–September Hṛṣīkeśa, September–October Padmanābha, and October–November Dāmodara. This Dāmodara is different from the Dāmodara in Vraja. The name Dāmodara was given to Kṛṣṇa when He was bound with ropes by His mother, but the Dāmodara form who is the predominating Deity of the month of October–November is a different manifestation.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 78:

O descendant of the Daśārha family, we all request You to kill this demon. We think that if You kindly kill him, that will be Your atonement on our behalf. The demon occasionally comes here and profusely throws upon us contaminated, impure things like pus, blood, stool, urine and wine; he pollutes this sacred place by showering such filth upon us. After killing Balvala, You may continue touring all the sacred places of pilgrimage for twelve months, and in that way You will be completely freed from all contamination. That is our prescription.”

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

That calculation is one day of the inhabitants of the Brahmaloka.

So we cannot imagine, you see, that how long year. Such hundred years they live. That is their twelve hours. Similarly, twelve hours night. Similarly, thirty days, one month. Similarly, twelve months equal to one year. Such hundred years they live. So we cannot imagine even, even in the material world, how long a living entity can live even in this material world. So these are acintya. Acintya means beyond our conception.

And what to speak of the spiritual world? We cannot calculate even anything of the material world perfectly.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1973:

Brahmā's life, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Millions of years. That is only twelve hours of Brahmā. Such twelve hours, night. Sahasra-yuga again, that is night. That is complete twenty-four hours. Then add thirty days like that. Then one year, twelve months. Such one hundred years is the duration of life of Brahmā. So you may go to the highest planetary system or in the heavenly planets. You can have better standard of life than this earthly planet or you can live for long, long years, but that is not the solution of your problems. That is not solution. But they do not know it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has described them as mūḍhas. Mūḍhas. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They, these mūḍhas, they are very much proud of their education and knowledge, but if you ask them that "What solution you have made for these four miseries of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)?" they have no answer.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years. And multiply it by one thousand. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahaḥ. Now calculate. That duration is one day of Brahmā. One day means twelve hours. Similarly, another twelve hours, night. Day and night. Then again, thirty days, one month. Similarly, twelve months equal to one year. Such one thous..., one hundred years is the duration of Brahmā. So anyone who goes to the Brahmaloka... They are trying to go to the moon planet. I don't think they have been successful. But this is not a very difficult task. But even if you go to the Brahmaloka, where the duration of life is so long and the comforts of life are many, many thousand times what, which we can perceive here, Kṛṣṇa says that "Even you go there, then the birth, death, old age and disease is there. You cannot avoid it." Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.7 -- Los Angeles, September 13, 1972:

Similarly, to rule over this universe, there is a president. That is Brahmā, Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā's duration of life, span of life, you cannot calculate. You can calculate, but it is something like beyond our imagination. His one day is four hundred..., forty-three crores of years, one day. Similarly, one month, thirty days, one month; then twelve months, year. Such hundred years. So he lives such hundred years. So that Brahmā lives hundred years in his calculation; that is also a breathing period of Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 1.3.16 and Initiation -- Los Angeles, September 21, 1972:

Everything is complete within the night. And at the end of the night, it is finished. So similarly, if to these flies, if you say, "Oh, we are dying like this, but there is human being. This is only one night. And such... There is another day also of the same period. Then together, day and night, such thirty day and night makes their month. And such 12 months make their year. And such hundred years they live." So how the fly will understand? Similarly, we cannot understand. When the duration of life of Brahmā is described, we think it is story. Similarly, they will think also story. Nothing is story. In the Vedic literatures all informations are there. Their relative life, big and small, smaller than the smallest, bigger than the biggest. Don't think that these description in the Vedas, they are stories. They are not stories. They are facts. But we cannot accommodate in our poor teeny brain. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:

One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand. That is the one daytime duration of Brahmā. Ahar rātri means morning to evening. Morning to evening, that is sahasra-yuga, one thousand times of forty-three lakhs of years. Similarly night. Then day and night becomes one day. Similarly one month, and then twelve months, a year—such hundred years. So there is difference between our hundred years and his hundred years. Similarly, ant's hundred years and my hundred years different.

The modern science admits that everything is relative. Relative world. According to the body, according to the time. Relative world, not absolute. The absolute world is different. Where there is no relativity. Everyone is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is oneness. Not that one has become as powerful as the Supreme Lord. No. Maybe as powerful. Still, they're individual.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

Every religious function... In our childhood also we have seen. As soon as there was a new function or pūjā, there was new cloth. Even household pūjā... That takes place practically every month. Lakṣmī-pūjā, Kārttika-pūjā... Bara mase tara upara bhan.(?) The... Actually there are twelve months, but the festivals are thirteen. It was very difficult to adjust where the another festival, in which month it should be observed. So we have got experience—in Lakṣmī-pūjā, all new cloth. The children, at least, at least the children and the housewife will have new cloth for every function. And what was the price of cloth? Very cheap. One rupee, four annas; one rupee, six annas, per pair. So we have seen it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

And such ten thousands of years you can live if you can go to the moon planet. The day and night, fifteen days, your fifteen days, is equal to their one day. No, twelve hours. That means your one month is their one day. Now calculate one day, then thirty days, one month. Then twelve months equal to one year. Such ten thousands of years. Just imagine. You can go there and live like that, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25), if you like. But that is not eternal life. After that long period, you have to die. So Kṛṣṇa says janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You are trying to avoid all kinds of miserable condition, but your real miserable condition is your birth, death, old age, and disease. Try to avoid it. That is perfection. That is spiritual life.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Within that period their birth, death, marriage, and children—everything finished. Now, for them, suppose such pataṅgas, whose life is only, say, twelve hours, within that hours they finish all business. So if they are told that "You are doing so much, but there is another, man—this night is only twelve hours; similarly, another twelve hours, day; similarly, another such thirty days makes a month; such twelve months makes a year; and such hundred years they live," so they will be surprised: "How is that?" Similarly, we are surprised also when we hear about Brahmā. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Actually in the higher planet our six months is equal to their one day. Just like when the sputniks were thrown in the outer space, they circulated the whole world in one hour, twenty-five minutes. One hour, twenty-five was all.

Lecture on SB 7.9.23 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1976:

So in the higher planetary system, the time, everything is relative. This is relative world. So these demigods, their one day equal to our six months. Our six months equal to their one day. Such one day, then thirty days, one month; then twelve months, one year. Such ten thousand years, their duration of life. Such ten thousand years. So just imagine what is their duration of... Āyuḥ. And so far strength is concerned, that, the Indra is in charge of thunderbolt, so when Indra throws the the thunderbolts to scatter the cloud, we have experience how terrible sound it is. So they have got so long duration of life, strength, administrative power and so many things. Still, they were afraid of Hiraṇyakaśipu, still... In spite of possessing so much big, big possessions. Akhila-dhiṣṇya-pānām āyuḥ śriyo vibhava.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.172 -- New York, December 14, 1966:

Now these prābhava-vilāsa forms, four-handed, They are also divided into different names according to the different months. Just like your calendar month is called January, February, March, April, May, June, and in India the calendar months are named as Vaiśākha, Jyaiṣṭha, Āṣāḍha, Śrāvaṇa, Bhādra, Āśvina, similarly, according to the Vaiṣṇava smṛti, there are the spiritual... These names, calendar months, they are according to the situation of the sun. Similarly, in the spiritual world the twelve months are named according to the different features of the Lord.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:

So this Ratha-yātrā Festival is a mass movement for enlightening people to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We have got many other festivities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We have got Janmāṣṭamī, Śrī Rāma-navamī, Dola-yātrā, Jhulana-yātrā. So there are twelve months, but we have got twenty-four festivals as big as this Ratha-yātrā Festival. So if you kindly take to them, then as advised by Lord Caitanya, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31), you will always be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and there will be no scope of your frustration and confusion.

General Lectures

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Yes. Similarly, moon planet also, the standard of living and duration of life, you get ten thousand years of life, and there one day equal to your six months. What you calculate as six months here according to the solar system, in the moon planet that six months equal to their one day. Similarly, thirty days, one month; twelve months, one year. Similarly, ten thousand years you get, life there. But there is death. Just like the small microbe; it has got life, say, for few minutes, and you have got life, say, for a hundred years. That does not mean that you are immortal and that the microbe is a mortal. Both of us. Similarly, there are, in other planets, the duration of life may be very, very, very long, but that does not mean that they will not die. The death is there. Death can be eradicated only when you go to Kṛṣṇaloka, or in the spiritual sky. Yad gatvā...

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

This Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, Kali, four yugas, it comes to about forty-three lakhs of years. So combine together, if you multiply it by one thousand, that is the duration of one day's life of Brahmā. Similarly, he has got night. This is only daytime, twelve hours. The similar period, night, that makes twenty-four hours. Then again one month, thirty days and nights. Similarly, one year, twelve months. Similarly, one hundred years. So his duration of life is also one hundred years, but because it is a different person, that truth is relative according to that person. That is scientifically admitted: everything is relative truth, nothing absolute truth.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. After one day of Brahmā there is devastation. So Brahmā lives for one hundred years according to his calculation. So each day there is devastation. So so many devastation passes in one month of Brahmā, then such twelve months makes one year, and such hundred years will be. So there is no calculation of devastation, how many devastations. In Brahmā's one day it is calculated 5,400 Manus are born in one month of Brahmā. So our calculation is like that. We are not very much amazed of hearing millions and trillions. It is nothing. In our historical reference is billions and trillions of years. They are nothing.

Śyāmasundara: So even though several million years ago they find no evidence in the rocks...

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:

Mother: And we had all the Indians there after Dunkirk waiting for more Indians to come and join them. And we had the Hindus and the Mohammedans and the sweepers, and they all had their own houses. And they recovered from all the war damage, and they went off within about twelve months. They went off in '41, back to...

Prabhupāda: There was some bombing in Calcutta, nothing more.

Mother: Hm. Ah, but these Indians were fighting in France.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is another thing.

Mother: Dunkirk.

Prabhupāda: Dunkirk.

Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: How can I accept it? Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ: (BG 8.17) "The Brahmā's one day is equal to one thousand combination of yugas." The combination of yuga means forty-three-hundred thousands of years. So such thousand times makes Brahmā's one day of twelve hours. Similar period, his night. Then day and night, it becomes full twenty-four hours. Then such thirty twenty-four hours makes one month. Such twelve months makes one year, and such hundred years he will live. So how you can calculate? It is beyond your arithmetical calculation. We have to go through the śāstras. So this is in one universe. And there are millions of universes and millions of Brahmās. And all of them live, taking the advantage of one exhaling of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). All these Brahmās. So just see. How you can calculate? That is inconceivable. That is inconceivable.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Sadāpūta: The scientists say it goes back six hundred million years.

Prabhupāda: That is also imperfect. If we study Brahmā's day, it will be all... Brahmā's day is, one day equal to forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by thousand, that is Brahmā's one day. So thirty days, one month, and twelve months equal to year, such hundred years. Your mathematics will fail to figure out. Is it not? (laughter)

Rūpānuga: There is a slide of this, but we did not show you. The idea is that this is the beginning of Brahmā's day up to present, Vaivasvata Manu. This is the beginning of time according to them. They can't explain anything up to here. They say here, in the middle of the day of Raivata Manu, they begin their Cambrian Age.

Prabhupāda: No, why Raivata Manu? They are imperfect.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 2 April, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 19th, 1968, along with copies of Srimad-Bhagavatam and I thank you very much. The astronomical calculation is that every 3 years, 1 month is added, so the year in which 1 month is added, that is always calculated as consisting of 13 months. Otherwise, generally it is 12 months in a year. At present I am keeping the copies as it is, and I shall see again and do the necessary corrections.

I am very glad to see the Boston temple photos; and it gives me a nice idea. Offer Pradyumna my blessings and congratulate him on his coming back from the hospital. Please take care of him as best you can. You have not said anything how his hospital bills has to be paid. I have already written to you that if need be, then I can pay something from my book fund.