BA PART III : PAPER 5.4

Muhurta


Special Adverse Yogas and their Neutralisation

The farmers of the astrological rules were not mere theoreticians. They
were practical men and did not beleive in merely cataloguing their
observations for academical purposes. Whilst it is always desirable to fix
a Muhurtha that is auspicious by all standards of astrological rules,
there would sometimes be practical difficulties and emergent occasions
which admit of no delay. Therefore, emphasis is laid on what is called
gunabahulya or excess of good and dosha swalpa or deficiency of evil. When
one has to visit a friend or a relation, who is seriously ill in, a
far-off place, we are asked not to attach any consideration to the
astrological factors. Because at a moment's notice it is impossible to get
a time which could be deemed to be propitious astrologically. But when one
is to go on a pilgrimage or a business tour or for a marriage, one should
see that he starts under influences that are harmoniously disposed towards
him.
There are said to be 21 great evils (ekavimsati mahadoshas) which are to
be avoided for any auspicious work. But when one finds it difficult to
avoid them because of astrological impossibility or circumstantial
inability, one can take advantage of the neutralising combinations which
are generally supposed to act as antidotes. We may just make a passing
reference to these 21 great evils for the information of the readers. They
are: -
1. Panchanga Suddhi. - We have already said that a Panchanga consists of
tithi, vara, nakshatra. yoga and karana. All these must be auspicious. In
regard to lunar days, the 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th and 14th, full and new moon
days should be avoided. In regard to vara, Thursday and Friday are held to
be suitable for all works. Tuesday, is to be generally avoided except when
it happens to be the 10th, 12th or 16th day of the child's birth when the
child's Namakarana (baptising or giving name) may be performed. Of the
several Nakshatras, Bharani and Krittika should be avoided for all
auspicious works as these two are said to be presided over by the god of
death (Yama) and the god of fire (Agni) respectively. In urgent cases if
the Lagna could be fortified, the dosha due to nakshatra may get
neutralised. The last parts of Aslesha, Jyeshta and Revati should also be
avoided. Coming to the Yoga (vide page 12) the 6th (Atiganda). 9th
(Soola). 10th (Ganda), 17th (Vyatipata) and 27th (Vydhruti) have
deleterious effects upon events which are started or commenced under them.
- The Karana chosen must be appropriate to the election in view. Thus Bava
is auspicious for starting works of permanent importance while Thaithula
is propitious for marriage. Bhadra is unfit for any good work but is
eminently suitable for violent and cruel deeds. For getting initiation
into kshudra mantras Sakuni Havana is propitious.
Therefore, Panchanga Suddhi means a good lunar day, a beneficial weekday,
an auspicious constellation, a good yoga and a fertilising Karana.
2. Surya Sankramana. - The 2nd great evil is Surya Sankramana or the solar
ingress into different zodiacal signs. When the Sun is about to leave one
sign and enter another there seem to occur certain disturbances in the
organisation of the solar forces and such times are not recommended for
any good work. On the contrary, they are held to be propitious for
meditation, initiation into secret mantras and performance of certain
religious rites which are held to purify not only the bodily electrical
discharges but also the mental currents. Sixteen ghatis (6 hours 24
minutes) both before and after the entry of the Sun into a new sign should
be rejected for all new works.
3. Karthari Dosha. - Karthari means scissors. In an election, when two
evil planets are placed on either side of the Lagna, the combination goes
under the special name of Karthari Dosha and it should be rejected for
good work particularly in regard to marriage.
4. Shashtashta Riphagatha Chandra Dosha. - The Moon should invariably be
avoided in the 6th, 8th and 12th houses from the Lagna rising in an
election chart.
5. Sagraha Chandra Dosha. - The Moon's association with any other planet,
benefic or malefic, should be avoided. This injunction is specially
applicable in case of marriage.
6. Udayasta Suddhi. - The Lagna and the seventh should be strong. The
Lagna should be occupied by its own lord and the Navamsa Lagna by its own
lord or vice versa or lord of Lagna should aspect Navamsa Lagna and vice
versa. Similarly the seventh and the lord of the seventh Bhava should be
favourably disposed. The strength of Lagna and the seventh is necessary in
all elections but especially so in regard to marriage.
7. Durmuhurtha. - Muhurtha technically means 48 minutes or 2 ghatis in
terms of time. A sidereal day consists of 30 muhurthas. The 1st fifteen
diurnal muhurthas named are: (1) Rudra. (2) Ahi. (3) Mitra,, (4) Pitrii,
(5) Vasu, (6) Vara. (7) Vishwedeva, (8) Vidhi, (9) Sathamukhi, (10)
Puruhuta, (H)Vahini, (12) Naktanchara, (13) Varuna, (14) Aryama and (15)
Bhaga. The nocturnal muhurthas are: (1) Girisa, (2) Ajipada, (3)
Ahirbudhnya. (4) Pusha, (5) Aswi, (6) Yama, (7) Agni. (8) Vidhatru, (9)
Chanda, (10) Aditi, (11) Jeeva, (12) Vishnu. (13) Yumigadyuti, (14)
Thyasthur and (15) Samdram.
In regard to the diurnal muhurtha, the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 12th and
15th are inauspicious while in nocturnai muhurthas the 1st. 2nd, 6th and
7th are inauspicious.
In calculating the muhurtha, the exact length of day and night should be
ascertained. Each muhurtha is said to last for 48 minutes (2 ghatis) on
the assumption that the duration of day and night is of equal proportion,
viz. 30 ghatis, or 12 hours. If the length of day is 28 ghatis, then each
muhurtha extends for 1 ghati and 52 vighatis (20h 20s. 8).
Apart from the above general classification of good and bad muhurthas, the
following should also be deemed as unpropitious on the different weekdays.
Sunday coinciding with the 14th lunar day (Aryama); Monday the 8th (Vidhi)
and the 12th (Naktanchara); Tuesday the 4th (Prtru) and the 11th (Vahni);
Wednesday (Abhijit); Thursday the 12th (Naktanchara) and 13th (Varuna);
Fflday'the 4th (Pitru) and the 8th (Vidhi) and Saturday the 1st (Rudra)
and the 2nd (Ahi).
Particularly in marriages, the muhurthas declared above as inauspicious in
regard to weekdays should not be considered.
8. Gandanthara. - The last 2 ghatis (48 minutes) of the 5th, 10th and 15th
(Full Moon) and the first 2 ghatis of the 6th, 11th and 1st (dark half)
lunar days go under tithigandanthara and they should be rejected for all
new works. Similarly, the last 2 degrees of Cancer. Scorpio and Pisces and
the first 2 degrees of Leo, Sagittarius and Aries are inauspicious. The
last ghatis of Aslesha, Jyeshta, Moola, Revati and Aswini and the first
four ghatis of Makha should be avoided as injurious for good work.
Papashadvargs. - Malefics should not be strong in shadvargas in an
election chart.
10. Bhrigu Shatka. - The position of Venus in the 6th is injurious. This
is especially so in regard to marriage. Even when Venus is exalted and
associated with benefics, such a disposition is not approved.
11. Kujasthama: - Mars should be avoided in the 8th house, as it indicates
destruction of the object in view. In a marriage election chart. Mars in
the 8th is unthinkable. Even if Mars is otherwise powerful, he should not
occupy the 8th house.
12. Ashtama Lagna Dosha. - In selecting a time for marriage, the Lagna
ascending should not happen to be the 8th from the Janma Lagna of the
bride and the bridegroom. Suppose the would be husband and wife are born
in Aquarius and Capricorn respectively. At the time of marriage, the
ascending Lagna should be a sign other than Virgo or Leo as these two
happen to be the 8th from the bridegroom and bride's Janma Lagnas
respectively.
13. Rasi Visha Ghatika. - Elsewhere has been given the negative periods of
different Lagnas (Lagna Thyajya). They are to be rejected for all
auspicious work.
14. Kunavamsa Dosha. - The Lagna selected for an auspicious work should
not occupy the Navamsa of a malefic.
15. Varadosha. - This has already been explained on page 26. Certain
weekdays are to be avoided for certain special activities.
16. Grahanothpatha Dosha. - The constellations in which the eclipses
appear should be avoided, and in regard to marriage, such a constellation
should be avoided for six months.
17. Ekargala Dosha. - This dosha is powerful only during the daytime.
Affects matters started under certain yogas such as Vishkhambam. We need
not go into details as it is not of much significance.
18. Krura Samyuta Dosha. - The constellation occupied by the Sun at a
given moment, and the one immediately preceding and succeeding it have to
be deemed unpropitious for all good work and they should be rejected for
purposes of marriage.
19. Akalagharjitha Vrishti Dosha. - When there is rainfall and thunder,
out of season, such days should be deemed unfit for all good work.
20. Mahapatha Dosha. - When the Sun and, the Moon are equally removed from
the equator upon the same side of it, the aspect is known as Vyatipata,
which indicates excess of evil. This is held to be unfavourable for all
good work.
21. Vaidhruthi Dosha - This is also an evil aspect (yoga) and should be
avoided in all favourable activities.
I have given above a fairly clear description of the 'evils', which are
generally to be met with in all classical works on Muhurtha. The reader
should not get scared away at the thought of these large number of doshas
or planetary evils which are to be avoided if one is to elect a proper
time for the fruition of an object in view. Man has to contend against a
stupendous number of evil agencies or discordant vibrations released by
the planetary bodies and each of these mahadoshas seems to express
euphemestically the particular types of evil energies which would affect
adversely particular types of human activities. There are several
exceptions to these general doshas. One should always remember that in
electing a suitable moment one should try to avoid the major doshas by
fortifying the ascendant and taking advantage of the exceptions and
ignoring the minor ones.
The following combinations are held to neutralise the adverse yogas
mentioned above:
1. The lagnathyajya referred to supra prevails only on particular days as
per details below. In the first Navamsa - Wednesday and Saturday. In the
middle Navamsa - Monday and Friday. In the last Navamsa - Tuesday,
Thursday and Sunday. In other days the thyajyam has no significance.
2. Chandrashtama shows no evil when the Moon is waxing and occupies a
benefic sign and a benefic Navamsa, or when there is Tarabala. The sting
is lost when the Moon and the 8th lord are friends.
3. Tuesday is not evil after midday.
4. The aspects attributed to Vyatipatam, Vaidruti, etc., become defunct
after midday.
5. No day of the week is blemished if the lord thereof is strongly placed
in the election chart.
6. Venus, Mercury or Jupiter in the ascendant will completely destroy all
other adverse influences.
7. Jupiter has the power of dispelling all the evils due to the Lagna,
Navamsa and malefic aspects and render the time highly propitious.
8. The mere presence of the Moon or the Sun in the 11th will act as an
antidote for other evils obtaining in the horoscope.
9. If the angles are well fortified, evil influences are countered.
10. A planet exalted in Lagna will nullify the other adverse influences.
11. Jupiter or Venus in a kendra (quadrant) and malefics in 3, 6 or 11
will remove alt the flaws arising on account of unfavourable weekday,
constellation, lunar day and yoga.
Thus it will be seen that the most important question in Muhurtha is the
fortification of Lagna and its lord.