History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.256
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.256
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It appears that some centuries before the Christian era the 15 muhūrtas of the day had received names different from those in the Tai Br. The Baudhāyana-dharma-sūtra (II. 10. 26), Manu IV. 92 and Yāj. I. 115 prescribe⁷⁸⁷ that a householder should get up from his bed in the Brāhma-muhūrta (the last half watch of the night). The Brāhmamuhūrta is mentioned in Droṇaparva (80.23). In the Raghuvaṁśa (V. 36) Kālidāsa says that Aja was born on the Brāhma muhūrta (i. e. Abhijit of which Brahmā is the presiding deity) and in the Kumārasambhava (VII. 6) he says that the female relatives of Pārvatī decked her in readiness for her marriage on Maitra muhūrta and when the Moon was in Uttarā-Phalgunī-nakṣatra. tithi (5th). Besides, in several places auspicious tithis, nakṣatras and muhūrtas are mentioned in general (e. g. Sabhā 2. 15 and 25. 4, Vana 253. 28). The Ātharvaṇa Jyotiṣa (1. 6-11) names the 15 muhūrtas of the day as noted below.⁷⁸⁸ The Muhūrtadarśana (or Vidyā-mādhavīya) gives almost the same 15 names (except Gāndharva for Viśvāvasu), inserts Śakra before Vāruṇa and omits Saumya and states that seven of these are auspicious viz.⁷⁸⁹ Abhijit, Vairāja, Śveta, Sāvitra, Maitra, Bala and Vijaya. The Ādiparva (123.6) states that Yudhiṣṭhira was born when the moon was in the nakṣatra presided over by Indra (i.
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e Jyeṣṭhā), on the 8th muhūrta called Abhijit, when the sun was on the meridian by day and on a tithi called pūrṇā (here the 5th) In the Udyogaparva it is stated that a purohita was sent as a *dūta* of the Pāṇḍavas on Puṣyayoga⁷⁹⁰ and Jaya muhūrta (here Jaya is probably the same as Vijaya). The Manusmṛti says that naming the child should be done on the 10th or 12th day (from birth) on an auspicious *tithi*, *muhūrta* and *nakṣatra*.⁷⁹¹ It would be proper to assume that the auspicious muhūrtas intended by Manu are the same as the seven mentioned in the Vidyāmādhavīya. The Vāyupurāṇa enumerates the names of the 15 muhūrtas in the day somewhat differently and also of the night ⁷⁹² The Matsyapurāṇa (in chap 22 2) refers to two muhūrtas, Abhijit and Rauhiṇa and mentions eight muhūrtas as auspicious on which to begin the construction of a new house ⁷⁹³ It also speaks of Kutapa as the 8th muhūrta (22 84) and states that Kutapa and the following four muhūrtas are the home of *svadhā* (i. e. śrāddha must be begun on kutapa and completed before the 12th muhūrta ends). It would be seen from the above that the names of muhūrtas were given at least twice, first in the Tai.
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Br and then in the Atharvaṇa Jyotiṣa and the Purāṇas A further stage was probably reached when their names receded into the background and practically disappeared from such works as those of Varāhamihira and only the names of the deities presiding over the 30 muhūrtas of day and night remained and the muhūrtas came to be known by the names of the deities. Though Varāhamihira refers to the muhūrtas of day and night in Bṛhat-saṃhitā 42. 12 and 98 3, he does not set out their names in that work, but in his Bṛhad-Yogayātrā he sets out the 30 names of the deities presiding over the muhūrtas of day and night as quoted in the note below.⁷⁹⁴ Varāha remarks: whatever has been stated as proper for being done on certain nakṣatras, may be done on tithis presided over by the deities of those nakṣatras and also on *karaṇas* and on muhūrtas; that leads to success as the deity is the same.⁷⁹⁵ For example, if a certain thing is recommended for being done on Ārdrā nakṣatra, then it may be done also on the muhūrta of Śiva (i. e. the first muhūrta of the day) as the *devata* of both (the nakṣatra Ārdrā and the first muhūrta) is the same (viz Rudra). The Ātharvaṇa Jyotiṣa (2. 1-11) and (3 1-6) dilates upon what should be done on the 15 muhūrtas of the day. Some examples may be cited here: on Raudra may be done whatever is of a terrific nature; on Maitra should be done whatever is affectionate or friendly; on Sārbhata black magic may be resorted to against enemies;
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Abhijit is proper for all desired objects and gives success in all undertakings; Vijaya leads to victory if one marches on it, one may perform auspicious acts on it and *śānti* rites, on Bhāgamuhūrta one should choose a brāhmaṇa maiden for marriage and such a one married on Bhāga does not turn out unchaste It may be noticed that Patañjali (on Vārtika one on Pāṇini V. 1. 80) refers to the fact of a person being engaged for a month to teach one muhūrta every day.⁷⁹⁶