History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1102

v6.c81.1102

*Ahan*—a day. There are several views about the divisions of the day, viz. into two, three, four, five, eight, or fifteen parts. The two are pūrvāhna and aparāhna (as in Manu III 278); for three vide notes 257–258 above. Four parts described by Gobhila (q by KN p. 110) are pūrvāhna (for 1½ *prahara*), madhyāhna for one prahara, aparāhna up to the end of the 3rd prahara and thereafter sāyāhna till end of day. For names of five divisions vide H of Dh. vol IV p 376. In Ṛg V. 76. 3 (utāyātam saṅgave prātarahno) three of the five parts of a day viz *prātaḥ, saṅgava* and *madhyandina* are expressly mentioned. Eight divisions of the day are mentioned by Kauṭilya (I. 19), Dakṣa (chap 2) and Kātyāyana. Kālidāsa in Vikramorvaśīya II 1 (ṣaṣṭhe bhāge) appears to know this. There are fifteen muhūrtas of the day and fifteen of the night. Vide Bṛhadyogayātrā VI 2–4 for 15 muhūrtas. As the day and night become long or short at different places (except on the equator) each of the muhūrtas will vary in length to some extent even in the same place in different seasons of the year. Similarly, pūrvāhna or prātaḥkāla will be of 7½ muhūrtas if day is divided only in two parts, if into five parts pūrvāhna or prātaḥ will comprise only three muhūrtas. The KN (p. 112) remarks that the division into five parts being observed in many Vedic and Smṛti texts as the principal division, that division, is the one resorted to in the śāstric passages about positive and negative injunctions. Vide HK 325–329, VKK 18–19, KTV 6, 367.