Definition as
in Oxford Dictionary:
An auspicious
time for an enterprise to begin or for a ceremony to take place
From Sanskrit
muhūrta 'a division of time' (approximately 48 minutes, one thirtieth of a
day).
Muhūrta
(Sanskrit: मुहूर्त) is a Hindu unit of measurement for time in the
Hindu calendar.
In Taittiriya
Brāhmaṇas, muhūrta denotes a division of time: one-thirtieth of a day, or a
period of forty-eight minutes
Means 24 hours
in a day are divided into 30 muhurtas
So 1 Day = 24
hours (60 Ghati)
and 1 Day is also = 30 muhurtas
This means 30
muhurtas = 24 hours ( 60 Ghati)
1 muhurta = 48 minutes (2 Ghati)
The term
Muhurta appears as early as the Ṛig Veda
Taittirīya-Brāhmaṇa
mentions the names of 15 muhūrtas:
(1) saṁjñānaṁ
(2) vijñānaṁ (3) prajñānaṁ
(4) jānad (5)
abhijānat (6) saṁkalpamānaṁ
(7)
prakalpamānam (8) upakalpamānam
(9) upakḷptaṁ
(10) kḷptam (11) śreyo
(12) vasīya (13) āyat (14) saṁbhūtaṁ (15)
bhūtam
citraḥ ketuḥ
prabhānābhānt saṁbhān |
jyotiṣmaṁs-tejasvānātapaṁs-tapann-abhitapan
|
rocano rocamānaḥ
śobhanaḥ śobhamānaḥ kalyāṇaḥ |
darśā dṛṣṭā
darśatā viṣvarūpā surdarśanā |
āpy-āyamāṇāpyāyamānāpyāyā
su-nṛterā |
āpūryamāṇā
pūryamāṇā pūryantī pūrṇā paurṇamāsī |
dātā
pradātā'nando modaḥ pramodaḥ || III.10.1.1 ||
Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa
describes a muhūrta as 1/15th portion of a day ( here day means the time from
sunrise to sunset)
No.
|
Daily Period
|
Name (मुहूर्त)
|
Translation
|
Quality, or Guṇa (गुण)
|
1
|
06:00 - 06:48 (sunrise)
|
Rudra (रुद्र)
|
"Cryer", "Howler"
|
Inauspicious
|
2
|
06:48 - 07:36
|
Āhi (आहि)
|
"Serpent"
|
Inauspicious
|
3
|
07:36 - 08:24
|
Mitra (मित्र)
|
"Friend"
|
Auspicious
|
4
|
08:24 - 09:12
|
Pitṝ (पितॄ)
|
"Father"
|
Inauspicious
|
5
|
09:12 - 10:00
|
Vasu (वसु)
|
"Bright"
|
Auspicious
|
6
|
10:00 - 10:48
|
Vārāha (वाराह)
|
"Boar"
|
Auspicious
|
7
|
10:48 - 11:36
|
Viśvedevā (विश्वेदेवा)
|
"Heavenly Lights in the
Universe"
|
Auspicious
|
8
|
11:36 - 12:24
|
Vidhi (विधि)
|
"Insight"
|
Auspicious - except Mondays and
Fridays
|
9
|
12:24 - 13:12
|
Sutamukhī (सतमुखी)
|
"Goat/Charioteer-Face"
|
Auspicious
|
10
|
13:12 - 14:00
|
Puruhūta (पुरुहूत)
|
"Many Offerings"
|
Inauspicious
|
11
|
14:00 - 14:48
|
Vāhinī (वाहिनी)
|
"Possessed of Chariot"
|
Inauspicious
|
12
|
14:48 - 15:36
|
Naktanakarā (नक्तनकरा)
|
"Night Maker"
|
Inauspicious
|
13
|
15:36 - 16:24
|
Varuṇa (वरुण)
|
"All-Envoloping Night Sky"
|
Auspicious
|
14
|
16:24 - 17:12
|
Aryaman (अर्यमन्)
|
"Possessed of Nobility"
|
Auspicious - except Sundays
|
15
|
17:12 - 18:00
|
Bhaga (भग)
|
"Share"/"Stake"
|
Inauspicious
|
16
|
18:00 - 18:48 (sunset)
|
Girīśa (गिरीश)
|
"Lord of the Mount"
|
Inauspicious
|
17
|
18:48 - 19:36
|
Ajapāda (अजपाद)
|
"Unborn Foot"/"Goat
Foot"
|
Inauspicious
|
18
|
19:36 - 20:24
|
Ahir-Budhnya (अहिर्बुध्न्य)
|
"Serpent at the Bottom"
|
Auspicious
|
19
|
20:24 - 21:12
|
Puṣya (पुष्य)
|
"Nourishment"/"Blossom"
|
Auspicious
|
20
|
21:12 - 22:00
|
Aśvinī (अश्विनी)
|
"Horsemen"
|
Auspicious
|
21
|
22:00 - 22:48
|
Yama (यम)
|
"Restrainer" (Death)
|
Inauspicious
|
22
|
22:48 - 23:36
|
Agni (अग्नि)
|
"Fire"/"Ignition"
|
Auspicious
|
23
|
23:36 - 24:24
|
Vidhātṛ (विधातृ)
|
"Distributor"
|
Auspicious
|
24
|
24:24 - 01:12
|
Kaṇḍa (क्ण्ड)
|
"Ornament"
|
Auspicious
|
25
|
01:12 - 02:00
|
Aditi (अदिति)
|
"Destitute"/"Boundless"
|
Auspicious
|
26
|
02:00 - 02:48
|
Jīva/Amṛta (जीव/अमृत)
|
"Life"/"Immortal"
|
Very Auspicious
|
27
|
02:48 - 03:36
|
Viṣṇu (विष्णु)
|
"All Pervading"
|
Auspicious
|
28
|
03:36 - 04:24
|
Dyumadgadyuti (द्युमद्गद्युति)
|
"Resounding Light"
|
Auspicious
|
29
|
04:24 - 05:12
|
Brahma (ब्रह्म)
|
"Universe"
|
Very Auspicious
|
30
|
05:12 - 06:00
|
Samudram (समुद्रम)
|
"Ocean"
|
Auspicious
|
Diurnal
muhurta, the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 15th are inauspicious while in
nocturnal muhurtas the 1st. 2nd, 6th and 7th are inauspicious.
Significance of
Muhurta:
Thus muhurta is
a typical combination of the planets in the sky which make a favorable effect
on the human beings.
There is an
ancient principal told in Ayurveda, “Ashtami Vyadhi nashini” which means that
the medicine taken on the 8th day of a lunar month cures illness faster. The reason behind this is the distance
between the Moon & the earth is the farthest on the 8th day of every month,
because of which the liquid medicine remains stable in the stomach & thereby
starts making effect faster & better.
Actions or karma, done during an auspicious time get an optimal
effect. It is said that
Well begin is half done - means any work started in good muhurta is said to
produce good results
Astrology says
while judging a muhurta it is important to consider the combinations of a
weekday with Ascendant and nakshtra. Muhurta of auspicious and placid nakshtra
is apt for carrying out a good job.
To get a
desired muhurta, purification of Ascendant is also required. So, fair attention
must be given to the status of the Ascendants. A person receives double
benefits if his navamsha is also auspicious.
Muhurta in
astrological terms means defining the quality of time and it varies based on sunrise, sunset
The Eight
Muhurta of the day is called as Abhijit Muhurta and is very auspisious as it
maps into the Abhijit nakshatra which is ruled by Hari
(1) Svati, (2)
Visakha, (3) Anuradha, (4) Jyestha, (5) Magha, (6) Purva Phalguni, (7) Uttara
Phalguni are 7 muhurtas before Abhijit and these are called first Prahara And
20 Nakshtras after Abhijit constitutes 20 muhurtas. This way 28 Nakshtras
constitute 28 Muhurtas Rest 2 Muhurtas are devoted to creator itself and these
two Muhurtas are called as Brahm Muhurtas. Brahma muhurta is
defined as the special time, which is auspicious for waking up in the
morning. This time is known as
Brahma muhurat because this is the perfect time for gaining Brahma Gyan. . Rishi
Sushurut defined this time as Amrit Bela (the nectar time).
It is said that one who is desirous of long life should wake up in brahm muhurta
It is said that one who is desirous of long life should wake up in brahm muhurta
