Muhurta (Muhūrta) — choosing the moment

तिथीशा वह्निकौ गौरी गणेशोऽहिर्गुहो रविः । शिवो दुर्गान्तकौ विश्वे हरिः कामः शिवः शशी ॥ ३ ॥

Doctrine recordThe lords of the tithis, Pratipadā onward: Agni, Brahmā (Ka), Gaurī, Gaṇeśa, the Serpent, Guha (Kārttikeya), the Sun, Śiva, Durgā, Antaka (Yama), the Viśvedevas, Hari, Kāma, Śiva and the Moon (Pūrṇimā); the ṭīkā adds the Pitṛs for Amāvāsyā. The worship or installation of a tithi's lord on its own tithi is auspicious.

जन्मर्क्षमासतिथयो व्यतीपातभद्रावैधृत्यमापितृदिनानि तिथिक्षयर्द्धी । न्यूनाधिमासकुलिकप्रहरार्धपाता विष्कुम्भवज्रघटिकात्रयमेव वर्ज्यम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Doctrine recordTo be shunned in all auspicious work: one's birth star, birth month and birth tithi; Vyatīpāta, bhadrā (Viṣṭi) and Vaidhṛti; Amāvāsyā; the death-tithis of one's parents; a kṣaya and a vṛddhi tithi; a kṣaya and an adhika month; kulika, the ardhayāma and the (mahā)pāta. Of Viṣkambha and Vajra only the first three ghaṭikās are shunned.

परिघार्धं पञ्च शूले षट् च गण्डातिगण्डयोः । व्याघाते नवनाड्यश्च वर्ज्याः सर्वेषु कर्मसु ॥ ३५ ॥

Doctrine recordThe first half of Parigha, the first five nāḍīs of Śūla, six each of Gaṇḍa and Atigaṇḍa, and nine of Vyāghāta are to be shunned in all works.

वेदाङ्गाष्टनवार्केन्द्रपक्षरन्ध्रतिथौ त्यजेत् । वस्वङ्कमनुतत्त्वाशाशरा नाडीः पराः शुभाः ॥ ३६ ॥

Doctrine recordOn the pakṣa-randhra tithis — the 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 12th and 14th — shun the first 8, 9, 14, 25, 10 and 5 nāḍīs respectively; the later nāḍīs are auspicious. The ṭīkā, quoting Nārada, defines pañcāṅga-śuddhi here: the concord of tithi, vāra, nakṣatra, yoga and karaṇa — a work begun with a fault in the pañcāṅga is fruitless.

कुलिकः कालवेला च यमघण्टश्च कण्टकः । वाराद्द्विघ्ने क्रमान्मन्दे बुधे जीवे कुजे क्षणः ॥ ३७ ॥

Doctrine recordKulika, Kālavelā, Yamaghaṇṭa and Kaṇṭaka: count inclusively from the current weekday to Saturday, Wednesday, Thursday and Tuesday respectively, double the count — that numbered sixteenth part (kṣaṇa) of the day is the fault. The ṭīkā: kulika brings ruin, yamaghaṇṭa poverty, kālavelā death, kaṇṭaka obstruction; they do not hold at night, and in urgency only the later half of each is shunned.

दिग्भास्करा मनुमिताश्च शनौ शशिद्विनागा दिशो भवदिवाकरसंमिताश्च । दुष्टक्षणः कुलिककण्टककालवेलाः स्युश्चार्धयामयमघण्टगताः कलांशाः ॥ ३९ ॥

Doctrine record(The Saturday durmuhūrtas, 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 12.) The evil moment (duṣṭa-kṣaṇa) is kulika, kaṇṭaka and kālavelā, and likewise the ardhayāma and yamaghaṇṭa; their measure is a kalāṃśa — a sixteenth part of the day (ṭīkā: duṣṭa-kṣaṇo durmuhūrto jñeyaḥ).

नन्दा च भद्रा च जया च रिक्ता पूर्णेति तिथ्योऽशुभमध्यशस्ताः । सितेऽसिते शस्तसमाधमाः स्युः सितज्ञभौमार्किगुरौ च सिद्धाः ॥ ४ ॥

Doctrine recordThe tithis are named Nandā, Bhadrā, Jayā, Riktā, Pūrṇā in turn (1/6/11 nandā, 2/7/12 bhadrā, 3/8/13 jayā, 4/9/14 riktā, 5/10/15 and Amāvāsyā pūrṇā). In the bright half the three pentads are inauspicious, middling and best in that order; in the dark half best, middling and lowest. A nandā on Friday, bhadrā on Wednesday, jayā on Tuesday, riktā on Saturday, pūrṇā on Thursday is siddhā — it accomplishes the work.

अयोगे सुयोगोऽपि चेत्स्यात्तदानीमयोगं निहत्यैष सिद्धिं तनोति । परे लग्नशुद्ध्या कुयोगादिनाशं दिनार्धोत्तरं विष्टिपूर्वं च शस्तम् ॥ ४२ ॥

Doctrine recordIf a good yoga stands in the same time as a bad one, the good one destroys the bad and brings success; others hold that a pure lagna alone destroys the bad yogas, and that bhadrā and the rest are fit after midday. The ṭīkā quotes: bhadrā, Tuesday, Vyatīpāta, Vaidhṛti, the pratyari tārā and the birth star become auspicious after midday.

शुक्ले पूर्वार्धेऽष्टमीपञ्चदश्योर्भद्रैकादश्यां चतुर्थ्याः परार्धे । कृष्णेऽन्त्यार्धे स्यात्तृतीयादशम्योः पूर्वे भागे सप्तमीशम्भुतिथ्योः ॥ ४३ ॥

Doctrine recordBhadrā (the Viṣṭi karaṇa) falls in the bright half in the first half of the 8th and the 15th and in the second half of the 11th and the 4th; in the dark half in the second half of the 3rd and the 10th and in the first half of the 7th and the 14th.

नन्दा भद्रा नन्दिकाख्या जया च रिक्ता भद्रा पूर्णसंज्ञाधमार्कात् । याम्यं त्वाष्ट्रं वैश्वदेवं धनिष्ठार्यम्णं ज्येष्ठान्त्यं रवेर्दग्धभं स्यात् ॥ ५ ॥

Doctrine recordCounting from Sunday, a Nandā, Bhadrā, Nandā, Jayā, Riktā, Bhadrā and Pūrṇā tithi on the successive weekdays is adhama (called mṛta). And from Sunday, Bharaṇī, Citrā, Uttarāṣāḍhā, Dhaniṣṭhā, Uttaraphalgunī, Jyeṣṭhā and Revatī are the dagdha (burnt) stars of the weekdays.

सूर्येशपञ्चाग्निरसाष्टनन्दा वेदाङ्गसप्ताश्विगजाङ्कशैलाः । सूर्याङ्गसप्तोरगगोदिगीशा दग्धा विषाख्याश्च हुताशनाश्च ॥ ८ ॥

Doctrine recordFrom Sunday, tithis 12, 11, 5, 3, 6, 8, 9 are dagdha; 4, 6, 7, 2, 8, 9, 7 are viṣa; 12, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are hutāśana — the bhūta-saṃkhyā words of the verse read as numbers. (Continued in v.9: shunned for auspicious work, certainly for travel.)

सूर्यादिवारे तिथयो भवन्ति मघाविशाखाशिवमूलवह्निः । ब्राह्मं करोऽर्काद्यमघण्टकाश्च शुभे विवर्ज्या गमने त्ववश्यम् ॥ ९ ॥

Doctrine recordThose tithis fall on the weekdays from Sunday; and from Sunday Maghā, Viśākhā, Ārdrā (Śiva's), Mūla, Kṛttikā (Agni's), Rohiṇī (Brahmā's) and Hasta make the yamaghaṇṭa yogas. All of these are to be shunned in auspicious work, and in setting out on a journey without fail.

नासत्यांतकवह्निधातृशशभृद्रुद्रादितीज्योरगा ऋक्षेशाः पितरो भगोऽर्यमरवित्वष्ट्राशुगाश्च क्रमात् । शक्राग्नी खलु मित्रशक्रनिर्ऋतिक्षीराणि विश्वे विधि- र्गोविंदो वसुतोयपाजचरणाहिर्बुध्न्यपूषाभिधाः ॥ १ ॥

Doctrine recordThe lords of the asterisms are, in order: the Nasatyas (Asvini), Antaka/Yama (Bharani), Agni (Krttika), Dhatr/Brahma (Rohini), the Moon (Mrgasira), Rudra (Ardra), Aditi (Punarvasu), Jiva/Brhaspati (Pusya), the serpent (Aslesa), the Fathers (Magha), Bhaga (P.Phalguni), Aryaman (U.Phalguni), the Sun (Hasta), Tvastr (Citra), Vayu (Svati), Indra-and-Agni (Visakha), Mitra (Anuradha), Indra (Jyestha), Nirrti (Mula), the Waters (P.Asadha), the Visvedevas (U.Asadha), Vidhi/Brahma (Abhijit), Govinda/Visnu (Sravana), the Vasus (Dhanistha), the Water-lord/Varuna (Satabhisa), Ajaikapada (P.Bhadrapada), Ahirbudhnya (U.Bhadrapada) and Pusan (Revati).

उत्तरात्रयरोहिण्यो भास्करश्च ध्रुवं स्थिरम् । तत्र स्थिरं बीजगेहशांत्यागमादि सिद्धये ॥ २ ॥

Doctrine recordThe three Uttarās and Rohiṇī, and Bhāskara (the Sun — that is, Sunday), are dhruva, that is sthira (fixed). In them fixed acts — sowing of seed, house-building, propitiation, arrival [v.l. the laying out of a grove] and the like — succeed.

स्वात्यादित्यं श्रुतेस्त्रीणि चंद्रश्चापि चरं चलम् । तस्मिन्गजादिकारोहो वाटिकागमनादिकम् ॥ ३ ॥

Doctrine recordSvātī, the asterism of Āditya (Punarvasu), the three [beginning] from Śruti (Śravaṇa, Dhaniṣṭhā, Śatabhiṣā) — and the Moon (that is, Monday) as well — are cara, that is cala (movable). In it the mounting of an elephant and the like, going to a pleasure-garden, [travel] and so forth [succeed].

पूर्वात्रयं याम्यमघे उग्रं क्रूरं कुजस्तथा । तस्मिन्घाताग्निशाठ्यानि विषशस्त्रादि सिध्यति ॥ ४ ॥

Doctrine recordThe three Pūrvās, Yama's asterism (Bharaṇī) and Maghā — and likewise Kuja (Mars, that is Tuesday) — are ugra, that is krūra (fierce, cruel). In it killing, arson, treachery, poison, weapons and the like succeed.

विशाखाग्नेयभे सौम्यो मिश्रं साधारणं स्मृतम् । तत्राग्निकार्यं मिश्रं च वृषोत्सर्गादि सिद्धये ॥ ५ ॥

Doctrine recordViśākhā, the asterism of Agni (Kṛttikā), and Saumya (Mercury, that is Wednesday) are held to be miśra, that is sādhāraṇa (mixed, common). In them the fire-rite, mixed [acts], the release of a bull and the like succeed.

हस्ताश्विपुष्याभिजितः क्षिप्रं लघु गुरुस्तथा । तस्मिन्पण्यरतिज्ञानभूषाशिल्पकलादिकम् ॥ ६ ॥

Doctrine recordHasta, Aśvinī, Puṣya and Abhijit — and likewise Guru (Jupiter, that is Thursday) — are kṣipra, that is laghu (swift, light). In it goods for sale, love, learning, ornament, craft, the [sixty-four] arts and the like [succeed].

मृगांत्यचित्रामित्रर्क्षं मृदु मैत्रं भृगुस्तथा । तत्र गीतांबरक्रीडामित्रकार्यविभूषणम् ॥ ७ ॥

Doctrine recordMṛgaśira, the last asterism (Revatī), Citrā and Mitra's asterism (Anurādhā) — and likewise Bhṛgu (Venus, that is Friday) — are mṛdu, that is maitra (soft, friendly). In them song, garments, play, a friend's business and adornment [succeed].

मूलेंद्रार्द्राहिभं सौरिस्तीक्ष्णं दारुणसंज्ञकम् । तत्राभिचारघातोग्रभेदाः पशुदमादिकम् ॥ ८ ॥

Doctrine recordMūla, Indra's asterism (Jyeṣṭhā), Ārdrā and the serpent's asterism (Āśleṣā) — and Sauri (Saturn, that is Saturday) — are tīkṣṇa, called dāruṇa (sharp, dreadful). In it acts of sorcery, killing, terror, the sowing of division, the taming of beasts and the like [succeed].

गिरिशभुजगमित्राः पित्र्यवस्वम्बुविश्वेऽभिजिदथ च विधाताप्येन्द्र इन्द्रानलौ च । निर्ऋतिरुदकनाथोऽप्यर्यमाथो भगः स्युः क्रमश इह मुहूर्ता वासरे बाणचन्द्राः ॥ ५२ ॥

Doctrine recordThe fifteen muhūrtas of the day, a fifteenth of the day-length each, in order: Rudra, the Serpent, Mitra, the Pitṛs, Vasu, the Waters, the Viśvedevas, Abhijit (the eighth), Vidhātṛ, Indra, Indra-and-Agni, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Bhaga.

शिवोऽजपादादष्टौ स्युर्भेशा अदितिजीवकौ । विष्ण्वर्कत्वाष्ट्रमरुतो मुहूर्ता निशि कीर्तिताः ॥ ५३ ॥

Doctrine recordThe fifteen muhūrtas of the night: Śiva, then the lords of the eight stars from Ajapāda (Pūrvabhādrapadā) onward — Ajapāda, Ahirbudhnya, Pūṣan, the Aśvins, Yama, Agni, Brahmā, the Moon — then Aditi, Bṛhaspati, Viṣṇu, the Sun, Tvaṣṭṛ and the Maruts (Vāyu).

रवावर्यमा ब्रह्मरक्षश्च सोमे कुजे वह्निपित्र्ये बुधे चाभिजित्स्यात् । गुरौ तोयरक्षो भृगौ ब्राह्मपित्र्ये शनावीशसार्पौ मुहूर्ता निषिद्धाः ॥ ५४ ॥

Doctrine recordForbidden muhūrtas by weekday: on Sunday Aryaman; on Monday Brahmā and the Rākṣasa (Nirṛti); on Tuesday Agni (Indrāgni) and the Pitṛs; on Wednesday Abhijit; on Thursday the Waters and the Rākṣasa; on Friday Brahmā and the Pitṛs; on Saturday Īśa (Rudra) and the Serpent. No auspicious work in these; a work whose star is absent may be done in the muhūrta of that star's lord.

… तारा जन्मर्क्षात्त्रिरावृत्तितः स्यात् ॥ ११ ॥

Doctrine recordThe tārā is counted from the birth star, over three rounds (MC 4.11, its fourth pāda; Nirṇaya Sāgar p.152). The ṭīkā: count from one's birth star to the day's star, divide by nine, and judge good or bad by the remainder (1 = Janma … 9 = Atimaitra).

जन्माख्यसम्पद्विपदः क्षेमप्रत्यरिसाधकाः । वधमैत्रातिमैत्राः स्युस्तारा नामसदृक्फलाः ॥ १२ ॥

Doctrine recordThe tārās are named Janma, Sampat, Vipat, Kṣema, Pratyari, Sādhaka, Vadha, Maitra and Atimaitra, and they bear fruit like their names.

विवाहगर्भसंस्कारयोः स्त्रीणां विधोर्बलम् उशन्ति, इतरकर्मसु भर्तुर्जन्मराशेर्विधोर्बलम् ॥ ९ ॥

Doctrine recordWhose Moon counts: for a woman, in marriage and in the garbha-saṃskāras (garbhādhāna, puṃsavana, sīmanta), the sages take her own Moon's strength; in her other acts, her husband's (the ṭīkā: if he is no longer living, her own). The houses in which the Moon is good from the birth sign are MC 4.1 and 4.4 (MC_GOCHARA.1, MC_GOCHARA.2, MC_GOCHARA.4).

वारादेर्घटिका द्विघ्नाः स्वाक्षहृच्छेषवर्जिताः । सैकास्तष्टा नगैः कालहोरेशा दिनपात् क्रमात् ॥ ५५ ॥

Doctrine recordThe kāla-horā (planetary hour) lords are found by counting from the lord of the weekday; the first horā of the day belongs to the day-lord, the rest following the fixed order (Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars).

वारे प्रोक्तं कालहोरासु तस्य धिष्ण्ये प्रोक्तं स्वामितिथ्यंशकेऽस्य । कुर्याद् दिक्शूलादि चिन्त्यं क्षणेषु नैवोल्लङ्घ्यः परिघश्चापि दण्डः ॥ ५६ ॥

Doctrine recordA work enjoined for a particular weekday may, when needed, be performed within that lord's kāla-horā (planetary hour) — so each hour suits the works of its ruling graha; still weigh dik-śūla and never transgress the parigha.