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Traditional Wisdom
Once Indra the King of the Gods approached Brihaspati, his preceptor
and Guru to determine the auspicious time for starting the
plantation of a forest. Brihaspati consulted the Hora's and advised
Indra. Accordingly the forest plantation was started and the plants
soon grew into a thick forest. Unfortunately, during summer there
was a fire and the entire forest which had dried wood was burnt
down. Indra was disgusted and asked Brihaspati the reason for this
failure. Brihaspati replied that anybody can make a mistake and that
Brahma alone knew everything. Sukracharya arrived to chide Indra
about his failure and stated that the reason for the same was the
inauspicious Muhurtha. Thereafter he explained the principles for
selection of Muhurtha.
The basic difference between Hora (Hour - 60 minutes) and Muhurtha
(24 Minutes) is that the former is used in personal charts whereas
the latter is used for determining auspicious time for specific
activities. In the above episode, the time was favorable for Indra
to take up the work as this will not damage him personally, but
since the Muhurtha itself was inauspicious for planting trees, the
same failed.
In conclusion, the traditional wisdom of the two great sages are as
follows: -
1. Brihaspati: Guru is the Kavacha (protector) of the self and the
first step in Muhurtha is to ensure that the time chosen for
initiating any activity is not going to harm the person concerned in
any way. The time should not result in further bad Karma for the
native.
2. Sukracharya: The time chosen should result in the fructification
of the objective. Even if the obstacles are tremendous, they should
be surmounted.
Lesson: Follow Brihaspati in all good karma for normal people like marriages and other samskaras while the way of Sukracharya is best for Raja Jyotish (Political Astrology) and Vanijya (Business/Money minting enterprises)
What is Muhurta?
The word Muhurta has a few meanings and references
-
1. Muhurta is a time measure of 48 minutes reckoned from sunrise as
a part of definition of linear time concepts (based on the speed of
light as in the Rig Veda 1.50). The smallest time unit called nimesha [Srimad Bhagavatam (III, 11-3 to 10);
Mahabharata; ] is the smallest humanly conceivable time frame and is
defined as the 'wink of an eye'. Bear in mind that this is the fixed measure and a linear concept.
15 nimeshas make 1 kashta, [Manu says 18 nimesa instead (Manu Smriti
1.64)...perhaps Manu winked faster than the other sages!]
15 kashta make one laghu
15 laghu make one ghatika (also called danda)
2 ghatika (30 laghu) make 1 muhurta and
30 muhurta make 1 diva-ratri or day (of 24 hours)
2. Muhurta for astrological purposes of defining the quality of time
is not exactly 48 minutes everyday and can vary based on sunrise,
sunset and local noon. This is a non-linear concept being cyclical and is also not fixed. There are 30 muhurtas
in a nakshatra ahoratra (sidereal day and night reckoned from one
sunrise to the next sunrise). The period from sunrise to local noon is divided into 7½ Muhurta as is the
period between local noon and sunset. In a similar manner the period
from sunset to midnight and midnight to the next sunrise is divided into 7½ Muhurta each (7½ Muhurta x 4 = 30
muhurta). These four points of time - sunrise, local noon, sunset
and midnight are the four gayatri pada.Each of the four time spand between these points measuring 7½
Muhurta is called a Prahara. So, the four (4) Prahara make a day.
The eighth muhurta spanning the last ½ Muhurta of the morning and
first ½ Muhurta of the afternoon is called Abhijit Muhurta and is
very auspisious as it maps into the Abhijit nakshatra which is ruled by Hari (Narayana; hence Hari vamsa or
Hari-kulesa {Hercules?) belonging to the lineage of Hari). The seven
nakshatra before Abhijit map into the seven muhurta before Abhijit muhurta and constitute the first
Prahara or morning. These are (1) Svati, (2) Visakha, (3) Anuradha,
(4) Jyestha, (5) Magha, (6) Purva Phalguni, (7) Uttara Phalguni. The twenty (20) nakshatra after Abhijit map into
the twenty (20) muhurtas following Abhijit muhurta. In this manner
the the twenty eight nakshatra map into the 28 muhurtas starting from sunrise and the remaining two muhurta
before sunrise are attributed to the Creator. These two muhurta
taken together (96 minutes before sunrise) are loosely called as Brahma Muhurta. However, they are
different in their energy and are better understood as Brahma and
Surya (or Savitur to be mosre precise) being both Creators yet different. Brahma is the deity of Saturn and is
associated with rebirth of the soul and this 29th muhurta is
excellent for meditation on the resons for our creation, the purpose of this birth and realisation of the self and
God whereas the 30th Muhurta is best for praying to the creator
Savitur for impelling our intelligence in the right direction, burning the sins that led to rebirth and recovering from
the curses and dridha karma of past births.
3. Muhurta is one of the ten wives of Dharma and one of the sixty
daughters (shatyamsa) of Daksa Prajapati the creator and Asikni.
These sixty daughters are Sati, Khyati, Smrti,
Svaha, Anasuya, Svadha, Priti, Kshama, Sambhuti, Sannati, Arundhati,
Kirti, Laksmi, Dhrti, Medha Tusti, Sraddha, Kriya, Mati, Buddhi,
Lajja, Vasu, Santi, Pusti, Siddhi, Rati,
Arundhati, Vasudhasi, Lamba, Bhanu, Marutvati, Samkalpa, Muhurta,
Sadhya, Visva, Aditi, Diti, Kala, Danayu, Simhika, Muni, Kadru,
Krodha, Ira, Pava Vinata, Surabhi, Khasa,
Bhrsasva, Suprabha and Jaya.
Daksa Prajapati had his daughters marry illustrious persona of the
vedic period.
(1) Two daughters married sage Angira (concept of truth and untruth)
and Brihaspati was an offspring of this marriage.
(2) two daughters married the sage Krishashva (Supragya and Jaya),
(3) ten daughters were married to Dharma (concepts of navagraha &
lagna, the ten variables that define the individual creation based
on dharma named Arundhati, Vasu, Yami,
Lamba, Bhanumati, Marutvati, Sankalpa, Muhurta, Saadhya and Vishva),
(4) fourteen to sage Kashyap (concept of the fourteen worlds - seven
of the devas and seven of the asuras populated largely by the
children of these fourteen wives named Aditi,
Diti, Danu, Kala, Anayu, Sinhika, Muni, Kadru, Saadhya, Ira, Krodha,
Vinta, Surabhi and Khaga) and
(5) twenty-eight daughters to Chandra, the Moon God (concept of 28
nakshatra or constellations as the mental consciousness states and
concept/experience of time).
The ten wives of Dharma gave birth to children (who are
personification of concepts)
1. Sun: Bhanu gave birth to twelve Bhanus [the twelve Suns in the
signs and not the sun signs which are Aditya as the sons of Aditi].
These are Dhata, Mitra, Aryama, Pusa, Sakra
(Indra), Amsa, Varuna, Bhaga, Tvasta, Vivasvan, Savita and Visnu. (Nilamata
Purana also).
2. Moon: Saadhya (accomplishment) gave birth to Saadhyaganas or
Sadhva (personification of accomplishment resources). Personified as
the rites and prayers that lead to
accomplishment of the spiritual path, these twelve (from 12 Moon
signs) listed in the Vayu Purana are Darsha, Paurnamasa, Vrihadashwa,
Rathantara etc. The seventeen goals
(from 16 Moon rays or Kala + Supreme consciousness = 17) that result
from these twelve paths are listed in the Matsya and Padma Purana as
Bhava, Prabhava, Isha etc.
3. Mars: Vasu to Vasuganas or eight Vasudevas who were
personifications of Agni/energy and were full of light and splendor.
Apa, Dhruva, Soma (aka. Bhoja), Dhava (fire), Anila
(wind), Anala (fire), Pratyusha (day-break or transformation from
light to darkness and vice-versa), and Prabhasa (light). [Agni tatva
ruled by Mars]
4. Mercury: Arundhati gave birth to the the divisions of the earth
and populated it. [Prithvi tatva ruled by Mercury]. This Arundhati
is different from the daughter of Kashyapa of
a similar name who was the wife of sage Vasistha. However the
similarity in the name does show synergy.
5. Jupiter: Muhurta gave birth to Muhurtaganas or the thirty
personified deities of the Muhurta
6. Venus: Vishva gave birth to the Vishvedevas or the world
creators. The Vishwadeva are either ten or twelve depending on the
creation level or type as Jadatma (non-living) or
Jivatma (living). For jadatma creation (non-living world), dasamsa
(D10) is the sphere of action and the ten vishwadeva guiding the
path to the ten digpala (direction deities) are
listed in the Vayu Purana. For jivatma creation (living beings),
dwadasamsa (D12) is the sphere of action and the twelve vishwadeva
guiding the path to the four deities of the
dvadasamsa (as the four mouths of Brahma) are listed in the Matsya
Purana. [Jala tatva ruled by Venus is the root for sapta rasa that
is used for creation. The sapta rasa or seven
liquids as flavours/taste/fluid energy are (1) salty water, (2)
milk, (3) butter (ghee), (4) curd, (5) wine, (6) sweetness of
sugarcane-juice and (7) tasty water (Nilamata Purana).
7. Saturn: Marutvati gave birth to Marutvaans or Maruts, the wind
gods [Saturn rules the vayu/air tatva]
8. Rahu: Lamba gave birth to Ghosha the arc of the heavens
(celestial sphere and other arc concepts)
9. Ketu: Yami the daughter of the night, gave birth to Naagvithi
(the milky way defining one border of the zodiac)
10. Lagna: Sankalpaa gave birth to Sankalpa, the pious or auspicious
and praiseworthy one and the 'identity/self of all' [implying that
one Lagna (sankalpa) follows another
(sankalpa); the word Kalpa means head or lagna that defines the
being created]
Rig Veda and Muhurta: The Kshtra tejas of Bhisma (kshtriya)
and the brahma tejas of Krishna Dvaipayana came together in the
begining of the Kali Yuga to form a tam to record the Vedas. Krishna
Dvipayana was named the Veda Vyasa for the yuga and the Rigvedic
hymns were collected by Paila under the guidance of Vyāsa, who
formed the Rigveda Samhita as we know it today. According to the
Śatapatha Brāhmana, the number of syllables in the Rigveda is
432,000, equaling the number of muhurtas (1 day = 30 muhurtas) in
forty savana years.
30 muhurta = 1 ahoratra (day reconed from sunrise to next sunrise)
1 savana year = 360 ahoratra = 30 X 360 muhurta = 10800 muhurta
40 savana years = 40 X 10800 muhurta = 432000 muhurta
Note
(1) the number 10800 = 100 mala or 100 x 108
(2) the number 432000 is related to the definition of the yuga
cycles in Brahma Vidya
(3) All vedic remedial measures are for a minimul period of 40 days
as 40 savana years is equated to 40 days of the devas/sura.
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