It's all in the Timing!
Time and its importance in spirituality - Part 1

We all know the importance of timing in the material world. Even little kids understand the importance of timing. When they want their next cool toy, they catch their dads in a good mood and butter them up! Thus we have known the importance of timing right from our childhood.

The Siddhas say that what we need to learn now is that timing is just as important in the world of spirituality.

Timing and Spirituality

We have pointed out the importance of karma neutralization in the Agasthiar Primer. To effectively neutralize karma, everything we do must be done in a spiritual way in accordance with the rules of the spiritual world. It's the Sathguru who knows all the rules of the spiritual world and it's he who instructs on how we can perform all activities in a spiritual way. The Sathguru not only teaches us how to do things but also when to do them for maximum effect. There are time periods that are particularly effective and there are those that are disadvantageous. We must learn both from the Sathguru so that we know which time periods to pick and which to avoid.

5 Attributes = Panchangam, the Spiritual Calendar

The Siddhas teach us that each day has five attributes. These are known as

1. vaaram or day of the week
2. tithi
3. nakshatram
4. yogam
5. karanam.

The Siddhas tell us that upon waking up, one must recite the five attributes of each day. This is an easy way of reminding oneself of the spiritual specialties of each day.

All five attributes of the day are important, but we'll concentrate on the first three in this article. You can get these details for each day for your timezone from the Agasthiar Panchangam Spiritual Calendar provided in our Website. We shall describe the latter two atributes at a later date in this Website.

Vaaram - Day of the Week

The day of the week is known as vaaram. Baanuvaaram is Sunday, Somavaaram is Monday and so on.

Each day of the week reflects the characteristics of the Lord who rules the day. Thus each day has its own spiritual specialities. For example, Budha rules buddhi (intellect) and thus Wednesday is particularly suited for activities that involve the intellect, e.g., writing, speaking. This is because Budha is in charge of vaak chaathuryam, the gift of articulate speech. Likewise Chandra rules the mind and Guru rules all spiritual activities. Spiritual aspirants need to know these specialities so that they can structure their schedule appropriately for maximum spiritual effect.

Muhurtha - Spiritually Powerful Time Periods in Each Day

1. Brahma Muhurtha

Brahma Muhoortham is the three hour time period culminating at dawn. Assuming a 6 a.m. sunrise, this would be between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. everyday. This Brahma Muhurtham period is excellent for spiritual practices.

2. Abhijit Muhurtha

Abhijit Muhoortham is high noon when the sun is at its zenith. Assuming a 6 a.m. sunrise and a 6 p.m. sunset, Abhijit Muhurtham would be at 12 noon everyday.

3. Nitya Pradosha Kaalam

Nitya Pradosham is one and a half hours before dusk and half an hour thereafter. Assuming a 6 p.m. sunset, Nithya Pradosham would be between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. everyday.

Sandhi Kaalam

These times are also known as sandhi kaalam, junction times within a day. The first is when the night meets the day, the second is when morning meets afternoon and the third is when day meets night. The Siddhas say that spiritual activities like worship and mantra chanting conducted during these time periods are particularly effective. Spiritual aspirants should make use of these potent time periods for rapid spiritual advancement.

Inauspicious Times in Each Day
Rahu Kaalam, Yama Gandam, etc.

To start with, we will describe how to calculate the Raahu Kaalam time period for any given day. The Yama Gandam calculation is similar. Divide the time period between sunrise and sunset into eight equal parts, which we will refer to as time octants. Arrange the days of the week in the order M,Sa,F,W,Th,Tu,Su and assign the second through the eighth time octants to these days in this order. These time octants then are the Raahu Kaalam times on each of the days of the week.

So how do you calculate the Raahu Kaalam time period for your location on any given day? First find out the sunrise and sunset times for your location (this information is generally available in your local newspaper). Find out the length of the time octant by dividing the period from sunrise to sunset by eight. Pick the time octant that's appropriate for the day in question by following the order mentioned above. This is the Raahu Kaalam time period for the day in question for your location. Here are two examples of this calculation:

Since the Raahu Kaalam time period is dependent on the sunrise and sunset times for your particular location, you must calculate it for each day using the above method. Or you can click here to use our convenient Rahu Kalam and Yama Gandam calculator.

Horai (Hora) - Hourly Worship

Originally each 24 hour day was split into 60 naazhigais, each 24 minutes long. Thus two and a half nazhigais constitute one modern hour which was known as horai (hora) in ancient times.

The Siddhas say that each horai of each day is ruled by one of the first seven of the nine lords. Just like each day reflects the characteristics of the lord who rules the day, each horai also reflects the characteristics of the lord who rules the horai. Thus we have Soorya horai, Chandra horai, Angaaraka horai, Budha horai, Guru horai, Sukra horai and Sani horai times during each day.

Now here's a question for you. At what time or times of the week are the characteristics of each of the seven lords most prevalent? Think about it...

The answer should be pretty obvious. Here it is: The characteristics of each of the seven lords are most prevalent during his horai times on the day ruled by him. For example, Budha's characteristics are most prevalent during the Budha horai times on Wednesday. and hence these are the best time periods for conducting activities governed by Budha. The Siddhas have specified further refinements and we'll explore these in a future article.

When do the various horai periods occur during the day? Horai periods start with Soorya horai at sunrise on Sunday and continue in the following cyclic order: Soorya, Sukra, Budha, Chandra, Sani, Guru, Angaaraka. For example, assuming a 6 a.m. sunrise, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on a Sunday would be Chandra horai and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. would be Guru horai.

We encourage the reader to tabulate the horai schedule for each day. Or you can click here to use our convenient Horai calculator. If you do the tabulation, you'll find that each day starts with the horai of its governing lord at sunrise. That is, Monday starts with Chandra horai at sunrise, Thursday starts with Guru horai and so on.

How can we make sure that we get the maximum spiritual benefit during every hour of the day. Sathguru Venkataraman has communicated to us a simple horai based nava naayaka worship program devised by the Siddhas.

All a spiritual aspirant has to do is to meditate on the governing horai lord 108 times during each horai. For example, during Soorya horai times meditate thus: Om Sooryaaya Namaha or Salutations to Soorya. Likewise Om Chandraaya Namaha, Om Angaarakaaya Namaha, Om Budhaaya Namaha, Om Guruve Namaha, Om Sukraaya Namaha, Om Saneesvaraaya Namaha during their respective horai periods.

Observe that this is a very simple worship procedure; it takes only about two minutes and so it's very easy to do even when you are at your place of work.

This is yet another way in which the Siddhas help us conform to the Will of the Universal Lord Arunachala for maximum spiritual benefit.

There are some subtleties in horai computations. We'll explore these at a later date.

Thithi - Day of Moon Phase

Thus there are 14 tithis between every new moon and full moon and vice versa. The zeroth and the fifteenth tithis are of course the new moon and the full moon respectively.

Here are the names of the tithis:

0	Amavasya, the new moon day
1	Prathamai
2	Dvithiyai
3	Thrithiyai
4	Chathurthi
5	Panchami
6	Sashti
7	Sapthami
8	Ashtami
9	Navami
10	Dasami
11	Ekaadasi
12	Dvaadasi
13	Thrayodasi
14	Chathurdasi
15	Pournami, the full moon day.

After Pournami, the tithis once again go on from 1 to 14 and end in the next Amavasya thus completing one lunation.

Each tithi has its own spiritual specialities. Here is a sampling:

Amavasya	Ideal for pithru worship
Chathurthi	Ideal for Ganapathi worship
Panchami	Ideal for worshipping the Universal Mother
Sashti	Ideal for Muruga worship
Ashtami	Ideal for Krishna worship
Navami	Ideal for Rama worship
Ekaadasi	Ideal for Narayana worship
Dvaadasi	Ideal for Narayana worship
Thrayodasi	Ideal for Siva worship
Chathurdasi	Ideal for Siva and Ganapathi worship
Pournami	Best tithi for all worship activities, particularly Arunachala and Sathguru.

Today's Tithi

Nakshatram - Star of the Day
Rasi - Sign of the Star

The nakshatras are also referred to as brides of Chandra.

This same path has also been divided into 12 units, each called a Rasi or Raasi or Rashi. 27 divided by 12 = 2.25. Thus each rasi covers two and a quarter nakshatras.

The moon's location at any instant has to be in one of the 27 nakshatras and in one of the 12 rasis corresponding to your nakshatra. The nakshatra in which moon was located when you were born is your janma nakshatra generally referred to as your birth star. Likewise, the rasi in which moon was located when your were born is known as your janma rasi or your birth rasi. To find out your rasi and your nakshatram, use our Rasi and Nakshatra Calculator.

The 27 nakshatrams are as follows:

1	Asvini
2	Barani or Apa Barani
3	Krithigai or Krittika
4	Rohini
5	Mrigaseersham or Mrigasira
6	Thiruvaadhirai or Aarudra
7	Punarpoosam or Punarvasu
8	Poosam or Pushya
9	Aayilyam or Aslesha
10	Magam or Magha
11	Pooram or Poorva Palguni
12	Uttaram or Uttara Palguni
13	Hastham or Hastha
14	Chithirai or Chitra
15	Svaathi
16	Visaakam or Visaka
17	Anusham or Anuradha
18	Kettai or Jyesta
19	Moolam or Moola
20	Pooraadam or Poorvashada
21	Uttaraadam or Uttarashada
22	Thiruvonam or Sravana
23	Avittam or Sravishta or Dhanista
24	Sadhayam or Sathabishak
25	Poorataadhi or Poorva Broshtapadha
25	Uttarataadhi or Uttara Broshtapadha
27	Revathi

Each nakshatram is goverened by the spiritual force of a nakshatra devi. Each nakshatra devi is a great servant of the Universal Mother and she attained her spiritual status by exceptional divine service. Each nakshatram has its own spiritual speciality and we'll elaborate on this in future AUMzine issues.

The Siddhas have prescribed a worship procedure called nakshatra dhyaanam, meditation on the nakshatrams. We'll describe this procedure in future AUMzine issues.

Today's Nakshatram

Yogam, Karanam

Paksham - Moon Phase - Fortnight

The phase between Amavasya and Pournami is called Sukla Paksham, the bright phase or the waxing phase.

The phase between Pournami and Amavasya is called Krishna Paksham, the dark phase or the waning phase.

So for example, the third tithi in the waxing phase would be called Sukla Paksha Thrithiyai and the the fourteenth tithi in the waning phase would be called Krishna Paksha Chathurdasi.

Each paksham has its own spiritual speciality. Sathguru Venkataraman taught us that activities that you want to grow should be started in the waxing phase, e.g., starting a business. Likewise activities that you do not want to grow should be conducted in the waning phase, e.g., surgery.

Maasam - Month

Ruthu - 2 months

Ayanam - 6 months

That half of the year when the sun is on a northward path (generally from the middle of January to the middle of July) is called Uttara Ayanam or Uttaraayanam (uttara = north).

The other half of the year when the sun is on a southward path (generally from the middle of July to the middle of January) is called Dakshina Ayanam or Dakshinaayanam (dakshina = south).

Varusham - Year

A varusham starts roughly in the middle of April each year. The present varusham (1998-99) is known as Bagudhaanya varusham.

A varusham is made up of two ayanams.

60 Year Cycle of Varushams

Combinations Galore! You can now imagine the combination of horai, vaaram (day), tithi, nakshatram, paksham, maasam, ayanam and varusham. Consider the specialities of such a combination! The Siddhas say that these combinations have much significance and we will elaborate on these at a later date. But that is a bit more advanced than what we want to cover in this introductory article.

Wheel of Time - Kala Chakra

Yuga - An Age

There are four yugas: Sathya Yuga, Trétha Yuga, Dvaapara Yuga and Kali Yuga.

The present age is the Kali Yuga - the age of decadence.

In the Sathya Yuga, the age of Truth, righteousness is at its peak. As time passes by, there's a gradual decline in virtue which reaches its nadir in the Kali Yuga. At the end of the Kali Yuga, the Divine Will intervenes and restores the universe to its original state of virtue. This marks the beginning of the next Maha Yuga and the cycle thus continues.

Maha Yuga = 4 Yugas

A Maha Yuga is made up of a sequence of the four different yugas, i.e., Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga.

In other words, one sequence of these 4 yugas put together is a Maha Yuga.

A Maha Yuga lasts 4.32 million years (4,320,000 years).

Kalpa = 1000 Maha Yugas

Thus a kalpa (or kalpam) is a period of 4.32 billion years (4,320,000,000 years).

A kalpa is one day in the life of Brahma, the Creator aspect of the Trimoorthi Trinity.

The universe exists during Brahma's day and is dissolved during Brahma's night.

Manvantara = 1/14 of a Kalpa

What we have given you here is a brief overview of time starting from parts of a day (nazhikai or 24 minutes) to time periods stretching over billions of years. You can now understand the deep thinking of the Siddhas and Maharishis on Time, the most precious asset of every human. We need to use this precious asset carefully by not wasting even a single minute. To do that, we need to learn about the Lord of the March of Time.

Click here to read about the Lord of the March of Time.