Definition of Muhurta 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
1Day = 24 hours (60 Ghati) and 1Day is also = 30 muhurtas
So
1Day = 24 hours (60 Ghati) and 1Day is also = 30 muhurtas
This means 30 muhuratas = 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) Supposing Sunrise time as 6:00 am list of 30 muhurtas is given below
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:
As we all are well aware that the gravitational force between the planets have a lot of impact on the living & nonliving things on the Earth. Like the gravitational force between the Moon & the earth causes the high & low tides in the Ocean.
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.
It is said that Well begin is half done - means any work started in good muhurta is said to produce good results
Actions or karma, done during an auspicious time get an optimal effect
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.
Day starts with Sunrise and seven and a half muhurta
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).
