Muhurta is a Hindu unit of measurement

Hindu units of measurement

Vedic and Puranic units of time span from the Paramáńu to the mahamanvantara . Its clearly given in Hindu Vedic knowledge that the creation and destruction of the universe is a cyclical process and the timespan of the universe is 311.04 trillion years...

 for time in the Hindu calendar

Hindu calendar

The hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization, and today there are several regional Indian calendars, as well as an Indian national calendar. Nepali calendar, Bengali calendar, Malayalam calendar, Tamil calendar, Telugu calendar, Kannada...

 . A Muhurta equals 2 Ghadiyas or approximately 48 minutes. It is stated in Manu Samhita that eighteen nimeshas (twinklings of the eye, are one kashtha), thirty kashthas one kala, thirty kalas one muhurta, and as many (muhurtas) one day and night.

Muhurtas

The following muhurtas are calculated assuming sunrise at 05:44 am.

No.	Time	Name	Muhurta	Quality
1	05:44 - 06:32	Rudra	रुद्र	bad
2	06:32 - 07:20	Āhi	आहि	bad
3	07:20 - 08:08	Mitra	मित्र	good
4	08:08 - 08:56	Pitṛ	पितॄ	bad
5	08:56 - 09:44	Vasu	वसु	Good
6	09:44 - 10:32	Vārāh	वाराह	good
7	10:32 - 11:20	Viśvadevā	विश्वेदेवा	good
8	11:20 - 12:08	Vidhi	विधि	good - except Mondays and Fridays
9	12:08 - 12:56	Satamukhi	सतमुखी	good
10	12:56 - 13:44	Puruhūta	पुरुहूत	bad
11	13:44 - 14:32	Vāhini	वाहिनी	bad
12	14:32 - 15:20	Naktanakarā	नक्तनकरा	bad
13	15:20 - 16:08	Varuṇa	वरुण	good
14	16:08 - 16:56	Aryamā	अर्यमा	good - except Sundays
15	16:56 - 17:44	Bhaga	भग	bad
16	17:44 - 18:32	Giriśa	गिरीश	bad
17	18:32 - 19:20	Ajapāda	अजपाद	bad
18	19:20 - 20:08	Ahira Budhnya	अहिर बुध्न्य	good
19	20:08 - 20:56	Puṣa	पुष्य	good
20	20:56 - 21:44	Aśvinī	अश्विनी	good
21	21:44 - 22:32	Yama	यम	bad
22	22:32 - 23:20	Agni	अग्नि	good
23	23:20 - 00:08	Vidhātṛ	विधातॄ	good
24	00:08 - 00:56	Kaṇḍa	क्ण्ड	good
25	00:56 - 01:44	Aditi	अदिति	good
26	01:44 - 02:32	Jiva	जीव	good
27	02:32 - 03:20	Viṣṇu	विष्णु	good
28	03:20 - 04:08	Yumigadyuti	युमिगद्युति	good
29	04:08 - 04:56	Brahma	ब्रह्म	very good
30	04:56 - 05:44	Samudrama	समुद्रम	good

Significance

Traditionally, it is common practice amongst Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

s to start or avoid starting significant tasks like religious ceremonies, etc on the basis of the quality of a particular Muhurta. The Vedic scriptures

Vedas

The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....

 also generally recommend one or more Muhurtas to perform rituals and practices. Some examples are as follows

• Brahma muhurta, approximately one and a half hours before sunrise, is recommended in all practices of yoga
  Yoga
  Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
  
   is considered most apt for meditation
  Meditation
  Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
  
  .

Further reading

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola

External links

• Free Muhurta/Muhurtham for your cermonies from Samputi.com (In Telugu)
• Free Muhurta/Muhurtham for your cermonies from Samputi.com (In English)
• Muhurta in Vedic Astrology
• Article on Importance of Muhurta by Shyamasundara Dasa