Muhurta

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Muhurta ( Sanskrit ); literally: moment . The term Muhurta has different meanings:

a) Period of time (general).

b) A certain temporal division of day and night. Muhurtas vary slightly in length (duration) as the duration of day and night changes over the course of a year. There are at least three Muhurta systems:

  1. The first defines a muhurta as the length of one eighth of the day or night. This corresponds to one and a half hours (90 minutes = 1 muhurta) on a twelve-hour day. Here there are 8 muhurtas in a day and 8 in a night; so a total of 16 muhurtas.
  2. The second system defines a muhurta as the period of one fifteenth of a day or night. This corresponds to 48 minutes (= 1 muhurta) on a twelve-hour day. Here a day has 15 and a night 15 muhurtas; so a total of 30 muhurtas.
  3. The third system defines a muhurta as the period of one sixteenth of the day or night. This corresponds to 45 minutes (= 1 muhurta) on a twelve-hour day. Here there are 16 muhurtas in a day and 16 in a night; so altogether 32 muhurtas.

c) Refers to a favorable astrological time (Indian astrology: Jyotisha ) to carry out or initiate certain activities (e.g. starting a business, getting married or buying a car).