Remarkable Abhijit Muhurta

BY: PATITA PAVANA DAS ADHIKARY

Dec 17, 2013 — BLAGOEVGRAD, BULGARIA (SUN) — 'Some Stray Thoughts on … The Science of Muhurtas' - Feature story from the Astrological Newsletter - Part Two.

The muhurta called abhijit can be a saving grace, especially if no auspicious moment is available at other times during the day. Abhijit means "victorious" and commencing some activity during abhijit insures victory. That is because by its own power abhijit muhurta destroys unsavory elements like 8th house or debilitated planets, and promotes victory. Technically, this triumphant moment sits at the exact division or sandhi between morning and afternoon, i.e., mean noontime. However this does not infer that it occurs at high noon or 12 o'clock, which is only a modern non-Vedic conception. Abhijit is easily calculated by finding the exact midpoint between sunrise and sunset. Only when the Sun rises exactly at 6:00 and sets at 6:00 pm will the abhijit muhurta be at noon.

A muhurta is measured at 48 minutes, however that calculation is only for a 12-hour day and the time expands or compresses according to the season. This means that for a 12-hour day, the abhijit muhurta would extend to 24 minutes before and after the precise abhijit moment. As we will see next, abhijit muhurta is praised in throughout the revealed shastras.

Abhijit Muhurta in Shrimad Bhagavatam

In the Bhagavata (3.18.27) Lord Brahma entreated Lord Vishnu Varaha to kill the wicked Hiranyaksha with the request: "The auspicious period known as abhijit, which is most opportune for victory, commenced at midday and has all but passed; therefore, in the interest of Your friends, please dispose of this formidable foe quickly." As revealed in the narrative, Lord Brahma was worried that a "demonic hour" would ensue once abhijit had flown past, which would automatically increase the demon's power.

It is also described in the Bhagavata (8.18.5) that Lord Vamanadeva appeared during abhijit muhurta. Therein we find: "On the day of Shravana-dwadashi (the 12th day of the bright fortnight in the lunar month of Bhadra), when the moon entered into the lunar mansion of Shravana, at the auspicious moment of abhijit, the Lord appeared in this universe. Considering the Lord's appearance very auspicious, all the stars and planets, from the sun to Saturn, were munificently charitable."

Shrila Prabhupada notes that Lord Vamanadeva appeared not only during abhijit muhurta, but also under the Abhijit nakshatra which is the most powerful nakshatra. In the Purport His Divine Grace writes: "… when the Lord appeared, the planets and stars became situated very auspiciously according to astrological calculations to celebrate the birth of the Lord."

Abhijit Muhurta in Mahabharata and Ramayana

King Yudhisthira also appeared under this most auspicious abhijit muhurta. As stated in the Mahabharata (Sambhava Parva, 123):

"Vaisampayana said, 'Kunti summoned Lord Dharmaraja to obtain offspring from him by repeating the mantra that Durvasa had given her. Intrigued by her incantations, Dharma arrived in his chariot that was as resplendent as the Sun at the spot where Kunti was seated. Smiling, he asked, 'O Kunti, what may I give you?' And Kunti, smiling in return, replied, 'You must give me a son.' Then Kunti obtained from Dharmaraja a son who was devoted to the benefit of all creatures. This excellent child, who would live to acquire a great fame, appeared at the 8th muhurta called abhijit, the hour of noon of that very auspicious day of the seventh month (Kartika), viz., on the 5th day of the bright fortnight, while the Moon was conjoined Jyeshta nakshatra."

The Mahabharata also explains that Lord Ramachandra was installed as King of Ayodhya upon His return from exile under abhijit muhurta:

"Vaishampayana said, 'And Vasishtha and Vamadeva then together installed that Hero in the sovereignty (of Ayodhya) at the 8th muhurta.'" The 8th muhurta of a day refers to abhijit. Furthermore, is also believed that Lord Ramachandra not only appeared under abhijit but married Queen Sita at that moment.

Lord Krishna Marries Princess Lakshmana During Abhijit

Next we find in Shrila Prabhupada's Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead that Queen Lakshmana, one of Lord Krishna's eight principle queens of Dwaraka, married the Lord under abhijit muhurta. The dialogue is between Queen Lakshmana and Queen Draupadi.

Then Lakshmana said, "My dear Queen, many times I have heard the great sage Narada glorifying the pastimes of Lord Krishna. I became attracted to the lotus feet of Krishna when I heard Narada say that the goddess of fortune, Lakshmi, was also attracted to His lotus feet. Since then I have always been thinking of Him, and thus my attraction for Him has increased. My dear Queen, my father was very affectionate toward me. When he understood that I was attracted to Krishna, he devised a plan. His plan was like that devised by your father; during the svayamvara, the prospective bridegrooms had to pierce the eyes of a fish with their arrows. The difference between the competition in your svayamvara and mine was that in your case the fish was hanging openly on the ceiling, in clear view, but in my case the fish was covered with a cloth and could only be seen by the reflection of the cloth in a pot of water. That was the special feature of my svayamvara.

"The news of this device was spread all over the world, and when the princes heard of it, they arrived at my father's capital city from all directions, fully equipped with armor and guided by their military instructors. Each one of them desired to win me as his wife, and one after another they raised the bow and arrow which was left there for piercing the fish. Many could not even join the bowstring to the two ends of the bow, and without attempting to pierce the fish, they simply left the bow as it was and went away. Some with great difficulty drew the string from one end to the other, and being unable to tie the other end, they were suddenly knocked down by the spring-like bow. My dear Queen, you will be surprised to know that at my svayamvara meeting there were many famous kings and heroes present. Heroes like Jarasandha, Ambashtha, Shishupala, Bhimasena, Duryodhana and Karna were, of course, able to string the bow, but they could not pierce the fish, because it was covered, and they could not trace it out from the reflection. The celebrated hero of the Pandavas, Arjuna, was able to see the reflection of the fish on the water, but although with great caution he traced out the location of the fish and shot an arrow, he did not pierce the fish in the right spot. His arrow at least touched the fish, and so he proved himself better than all other princes.

"All the princes who had tried to pierce the target were disappointed being baffled in their attempts, and some candidates had even left the place without making an attempt, but when at last Lord Krishna took up the bow, He was able to tie the bowstring very easily, just as a child plays with a toy. He placed the arrow, and looking only once at the reflection of the fish in the water, He shot the arrow, and the pierced fish immediately fell down. This victory of Lord Krishna was accomplished at noon, during the moment called abhijit, which is astronomically calculated as auspicious. At that time the vibration of 'Jaya Jaya!' was heard all over the world, and from the sky came sounds of drums beat by the denizens of heaven. Great demigods were overwhelmed with joy and began to shower flowers on the earth.

"At that time, I entered the arena of competition, and the ankle bells on my legs were sounding very melodiously as I walked. I was nicely dressed with new silken garments, flowers were decorating my hair, and because of Lord Kåñëa's victory, I was in ecstatic joy and smiling very pleasingly. I was carrying in my hands a golden necklace bedecked with jewels, which was glittered at intervals. My curling hair encircled my face, which was shining with a bright luster due to the reflection of my various rings. My eyes blinking, I first of all observed all the princes present, and when I reached my Lord I very slowly placed the golden necklace on His neck. As I have already informed you, from the very beginning my mind had been attracted by Lord Krishna, and thus I considered the garlanding of the Lord to be my great victory. As soon as I placed my garland on the neck of the Lord, there sounded immediately the combined vibration of mridangas, patahas, conchshells, drums, kettledrums and other instruments, causing a tumultuous sound, and while the music played, expert male and female dancers began to dance, and singers began to sing sweetly.

"My dear Draupadi, when I accepted Lord Krishna as my worshipable husband, and He also accepted me as His maidservant, there was a tumultuous roaring among the disappointed princes. All of them became very agitated because of their lusty desires, but without caring for them, my husband, in His form as the four-handed Narayana, immediately took me on His chariot, which was drawn by four excellent horses. Expecting opposition from the princes, He armored Himself and took up His bow named Sarnga, but our celebrated driver, Daruka, drove the beautiful chariot without a moment's delay toward the city of Dvaraka. Thus, in the presence of all the princes, I was carried away very quickly, exactly as a deer is carried away from the flock by a lion. Some of the princes, however, wanted to check our progress, and thus, equipped with proper weapons, they opposed us, just as dogs try to oppose the progressive march of a lion. At that time, due to the arrows released by the Sarnga bow of Lord Krishna, some of the princes were cut on their left hands, some of them lost their legs, and some lost their heads and their lives, and others fled from the battlefield.

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead then entered the most celebrated city of the universe, Dvaraka, and as He entered the city, He appeared like the shining sun. The whole city of Dvaraka was profusely decorated on that occasion. There were so many flags and festoons and gates all over Dvaraka that the sunshine could not even enter the city. I have already told you that my father was very much affectionate to me, so when he saw that my desire was fulfilled by getting Lord Krishna as my husband, in great happiness he began to distribute to friends and relatives various kinds of gifts, such as valuable dresses, ornaments, bedsteads and sitting carpets. Lord Krishna is always self-sufficient, yet my father, out of his own accord, offered my husband a dowry consisting of riches, soldiers, elephants, chariots, horses and many rare and valuable weapons. He presented all these to the Lord with great enthusiasm. My dear Queen, at that time I could guess that in my previous life I must have performed some wonderfully pious activity, and as a result I can in this life be one of the maidservants in the house of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

The Astrological Newsletter
Patita Pavana das Adhikary, Ed.
Abhaya Mudra Dasi
Jyotish Shastris, &c.
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

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