Muhurta for Jewellery and New Clothes

Putting on new clothes and jewellery for the first time is a separate undertaking in Jyotish with a name of its own: vastra-abharana-dharana, “the wearing of garments and ornaments”. Short sections are devoted to it in the muhurta treatises, the “Muhurta Chintamani” among them. The logic is the same as for larger beginnings: a thing begins to serve at a particular moment, and the character of that moment passes on to it.

So the day is chosen not only for the purchase but above all for the first time the new item is worn. In Indian practice new clothes and jewellery are often first put on at a festival or on a specially chosen day, after bathing. For expensive purchases, especially gold and precious stones, the rule works twice: for the day of buying and for the day the item is first worn.

Which planets answer for adornment

The main planet of this undertaking is Venus (Shukra). The classical lists of its significations name clothing, ornaments, perfume, beauty and the enjoyment of possessions outright. That is why Friday, the day of Venus, and the nakshatras linked with beauty and plenty come first in the rule.

The second planet is the Moon. It answers for the body that wears the item, for mood and for the sense of comfort; besides, the whole of muhurta is reckoned by the Moon: the tithi, the nakshatra and the personal indicators all depend on it. Jupiter is connected with gold and blessing, Mercury with youth and novelty. Saturn and Mars are unwelcome here: the first signifies wear and decay, the second damage, tearing and fire.

Favourable nakshatras

The calculator counts twelve nakshatras as suitable: Ashvini, Rohini, Pushya, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Anuradha, Uttara Ashadha, Dhanishtha, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati.

• Fixed (dhruva): Rohini, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada. They give a thing long service; Rohini, the nakshatra of the Moon, is also held to be the most elegant in the zodiac.
• Light (kshipra): Ashvini, Pushya, Hasta. What is begun in them quickly brings pleasure; Pushya is traditionally the best day for buying gold, and Hasta is linked with craft and the work of the hands.
• Soft (mridu): Chitra, Anuradha, Revati. Chitra is dedicated to the celestial craftsman Tvashtar and stands for brilliance and beauty of form; Revati, ruled by Mercury, for plenty and grace.
• Movable (chara): Swati and Dhanishtha. Swati is connected with trade and textiles, Dhanishtha with wealth and music; both suit things worn out among people.

The calculator uses the same rule for hair colouring: in meaning, colouring is also a way of adorning oneself, only there the tithis are stricter, as for a haircut.

Tithis and weekdays

For clothes and jewellery the general rules for tithis apply. The rikta tithis, the 4th, 9th and 14th of both halves of the month, are “empty”: what is begun in them does not fill out. Amavasya, the new moon, is excluded, because on that day the Moon is invisible and has no strength. Shukla pratipada, the 1st tithi of the waxing Moon, is weak: the Moon is still hidden in the rays of the Sun.

Weekdays: Monday (Moon), Wednesday (Mercury), Thursday (Jupiter) and Friday (Venus). The other days are not forbidden, but on them the calculator does not give the top rating “excellent”.

Yoga, karana and the time within the day

All indicators are taken at sunrise. Of the 27 yogas, nine are unfavourable: Vishkambha, Atiganda, Shula, Ganda, Vyaghata, Vajra, Vyatipata, Parigha and Vaidhriti. Their names speak for themselves: “obstacle”, “spike”, “knot”, “blow”, “thunderbolt”, “bolt”. The karana Vishti (Bhadra) closes the whole day, and the calculator does not admit such a day at all. It is held to be a time when what is begun goes bad, which is especially undesirable for a new thing. Within the day, Rahu kalam, Yamaganda and Gulika kalam are avoided; the best stretch is Abhijit muhurta around noon, except on Wednesday.

Why the day differs from person to person

Tara bala: the nakshatra of the day is counted from your natal Moon nakshatra. Vipat (the 3rd tara), Pratyak (the 5th) and Naidhana (the 7th) give the rating “avoid”, and Janma (the 1st) is considered weak. Chandra bala: the sign of the day's Moon counted from the natal Moon sign. The 1st, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 10th and 11th mean a strong Moon; the 2nd, 5th and 9th will do only with a waxing Moon; the 4th, 8th and 12th are weak, the 8th (chandrashtama) worst of all. So a day that is good for one person does not suit another, and a gift is best handed over so that its first wearing falls on a good day for its new owner.

How to use the “Muhurta” tab

Calculate your chart on the home page, open the “Muhurta” tab in the report and choose “Jewellery, new clothes” from the list. The ratings cover 30 days: “excellent” means all indicators agree; “good” means nothing is bad; “acceptable” means one hindrance, but not a personal one; “avoid” is everything else. Hours are given for the time zone and sunrise of the birthplace. The calculator does not pick the exact minute (lagna shuddhi); an astrologer does that within a favourable day.

Practical advice

• No date is chosen for everyday trifles; the rule makes sense for expensive jewellery and for festive and wedding clothes.
• If an item was bought on an unlucky day, it is enough to choose a good day for wearing it first.
• Wearing a gemstone for a particular planet is timed by other rules in the tradition; the calculator does not take them into account.
• For buying jewellery as an investment, see also the article on a major purchase.