Abhijit Muhurat

What a muhurta is

Muhurta = a period of time. Traditionally a full day and night is divided into 30 muhurtas, so one muhurta is one thirtieth of a day, about 48 minutes when day and night are equal. The 30 are arranged as 15 for the daytime and 15 for the night.

The daytime ones are found by dividing the time between sunrise and sunset by 15, and the night ones by dividing the time between sunset and the next sunrise by 15. This means a daytime muhurta is longer in summer, about an hour, and shorter in winter, about 40 minutes.

Each of the 30 has a name and a character. Ten of the daytime ones are considered favourable and five are not.

Abhijit

Abhijit = victorious, "conquering". The Abhijit Muhurat is the eighth of the fifteen daytime muhurtas. Since 15 is odd, the eighth is exactly in the middle, so it sits at the middle of the day, centred on local solar noon.

It lasts one muhurta, so roughly 48 minutes on a day when day and night are equal. Half a muhurta falls before solar noon and half after. On a day of equal length it would run from about 11:36 a.m. to 12:24 p.m., but that is only an example. In summer it is longer and in winter shorter.

Local noon is not 12 o'clock

Solar noon is the midpoint between sunrise and sunset. It is almost never exactly 12:00 on the clock. It depends on where you are inside your time zone, the time of year, and daylight saving time.

For example, in the middle of a time zone with daylight saving time in force, solar noon may fall close to 1:00 p.m. on the clock. This is why the site calculates the exact start and end of Abhijit Muhurat for your city and shows it in your local time.

Why it is valued

Many traditions regard this midday window as especially suited to beginning something when no better time is available. Panchang sources describe it as auspicious for most activities. People use it for starting a journey, signing papers or beginning a project when a special muhurat has not been set.

Important ceremonies such as weddings and house entry are usually set by a priest based on the tithi, nakshatra and other limbs. Abhijit is a convenient fallback, not a replacement.

Where traditions differ

• Wednesday. Some sources say Abhijit Muhurat is not used on Wednesdays, because its benefit is considered cancelled. Others do not mention this. Follow your family's guidance.
• Other exceptions. Some regional systems have their own exceptions. Ask your priest if this matters to you.
• The deity. Sources name different deities for the eighth muhurta, such as Vidhi (Brahma) or Vishnu.

Not the same as the Abhijit nakshatra

Abhijit is also the name of a nakshatra, sometimes counted as a 28th between Uttara Ashadha and Shravana. The Abhijit Muhurat is a time of day, and it is not linked to when the Moon is in that nakshatra. The two share a name and nothing more.

A word on its use

An auspicious time helps you choose a calm and mindful moment. It is not a guarantee, and you do not need to make a lunch break into a ritual. If you cannot use Abhijit, start with a short prayer at whatever time suits you.