When to celebrate Raksha Bandhan? On 30 or 31 August?

Rkashabandhan 2023 Date And Time

When to celebrate Raksha Bandhan? On 30 or 31 August?

According to our scriptures, Skandapurana, Dharmasindhu, Nirnayasindhu, etc. all the verses related to Rakshabandhan, The main rules of Raksha Bandhan celebration are:

1. Full moon period in afternoon. “Apranhvyapini Syadrakshabandhankarmani”
2. 2. Full moon having at least three Muhurtas (three Muhurtas means 3×48 = 144 minutes) “Trimuhutrtadhikodaya Vyapini”
3. 3. Don’t do in Bhadra period “idam bhadraya na karyam” even if it has to be done at night “bhadran vina chedparanhe tada para. tat sattve tu ratravapityarth:”
4. 4. Don’t do if the day is the first day of lunar fortnight or Pratipada “Ev Idam Pratipadyutayaan Na Karyam” According to Dharmasindhu “Ath Raksha Bandhanmasyamev Purnimayan Bhadrarahitayan Trimuhurtadhikodaya Vyapini Aparahne Pradosh vaa Karyam. Shravan Purnima should be celebrated in when Purnima is for more than three Muhurta, and free from bhadra, in the afternoon or Pradosh kaal.

In Vikram Samvat 2080, English year 2023, Celebration of Rakshabandhan: This year, on August 30, 2023, the full moon date will start from 10:59 am, which will remain till 07:06 am on August 31.

On August 31, the sunrise will be at 05:45, which means the full moon will remain for 1 hour 45 minutes from sunrise. Bhadra will start from 10:59 on August 30, which will remain till 21:02 in the night. From this, we calculate that,

1. On August 30, Full moon will be during noon time
2. 2. On August 30, there is full moon with more than three Muhurtas while on August 31, full moon will remain for 1 hour 45 minutes from sunrise, which is less than three Muhurtas.
3. 3. From the full moon on August 30, Bhadra will remain till 09:02 in the night. On August 31, neither the full moon is in the afternoon nor more than three muhurtas, so there is no question of celebrating Raksha Bandhan.

Therefore, Rakshabandhan on 31st August is not according to the scriptures. The time remains only on 30th August from 21:03 to 11:30 in which all the rules are being followed. Therefore, Rakshabandhan should be celebrated on 30th August 2023, at night after bhadra period, not at all on 31st August 2023.