Sanskrit Days of the Week and Months
वार और मास — संस्कृत में
The Week and Calendar in Sanskrit · All Classes
Key Points to Remember
- ▸All 7 days named after planets in Sanskrit AND English — same ancient tradition!
- ▸Ravivāra (Sunday) = Sun-day | Somavāra (Monday) = Moon-day | Śanivāra (Saturday) = Saturn-day
- ▸Kārtika month = October-November = month of Diwali (from kṛttikā = Pleiades)
- ▸"Mārgaśīrṣo 'ham māsānām" — Kṛṣṇa says "among months, I am Mārgaśīrṣa" (BG 10.35)
Vocabulary List
The seven days of the week (saptavāra) in Sanskrit are named after celestial bodies — the same tradition that gave English its days (Sun-day, Mon-day, Satur-day). Sanskrit calendar months follow the lunar calendar.
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| रविवार | ravivāra | Sunday | ravi (sun) + vāra (day) = Sun-day (same logic as English Sunday!) |
| सोमवार | somavāra | Monday | soma (moon) + vāra = Moon-day (same as Monday = Moon-day) |
| मङ्गलवार | maṅgalavāra | Tuesday | maṅgala (Mars) + vāra — Tuesday = Tiw's day (Norse war-god = Mars) |
| बुधवार | budhavāra | Wednesday | budha (Mercury) + vāra — Wednesday = Woden's day (Mercury-equivalent) |
| गुरुवार / बृहस्पतिवार | guruvāra / bṛhaspatevāra | Thursday | guru/bṛhaspati (Jupiter) + vāra — Thursday = Thor's day (Jupiter = mighty deity) |
| शुक्रवार | śukravāra | Friday | śukra (Venus) + vāra — Friday = Frigg's day (Frigg = Venus-equivalent) |
| शनिवार | śanivāra | Saturday | śani (Saturn) + vāra — Saturday = Saturn's day (SAME deity!) |
| चैत्र | caitra | March-April (Lunar Month 1) | citra (bright/star Spica) — month of the bright full moon |
| आषाढ | āṣāḍha | June-July (Lunar Month 4) | āṣāḍhā (star group) — month of the strong summer rains |
| कार्तिक | kārtika | October-November (Lunar Month 8) | kṛttikā (Pleiades) — month of Diwali |
| मार्गशीर्ष | mārgaśīrṣa | November-December (Lunar Month 9) | mṛgaśiras (star in Orion) — "Mārgaśīrṣo 'ham māsānām" (Bhagavad Gita 10.35: among months I am Mārgaśīrṣa) |
Exercises (2)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Days of the week
1. Sunday in Sanskrit is _______ because it is named after the _______.
Show answer
रविवार (ravivāra) — named after रवि (ravi = sun), same logic as English Sunday
2. Monday in Sanskrit is _______ because it is named after the _______.
Show answer
सोमवार (somavāra) — named after सोम (soma = moon), same as English Monday
3. Saturday in Sanskrit is _______, named after _______ (the planet Saturn).
Show answer
शनिवार (śanivāra) — named after शनि (Śani = Saturn) — same deity as English Saturday!
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Calendar knowledge
1. Which Sanskrit month does the Bhagavad Gita say Kṛṣṇa represents?
Show answer
Mārgaśīrṣa
2. The day "Guruvāra" is named after Guru (Jupiter). What is Thursday named after in English?
Show answer
Thor (Norse deity = Jupiter)
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