days of the week...

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

We recognize 7 vāsara or days of the week within pañcāñga ( or 5 limbs, pañca + āñga ) i.e. the jyotiṣh and/or vedic method or organizing, understanding and using natural cycles for the benefit of timing, actions, and the like.

1. ravi or sūrya vāsara
2. candra or soma vāsara
3. maṅgal or maṅgala vāsara
4. budha vāsara
5. guru or bṛhaspati vāsara
6. śukra vāsara
7. śani vāsara

Each day has a quality to it, an influence. Let me ask our esteemed HDF members for their opinions on the following. Which vāsara would be best for 1st beginning one's spiritual pursuit ? If we subscribe to the notion that well begun is half done, then a good supporting influence would serve one well.


praṇām

[satay]

Namaste Yajvan,
I have heard my mom insist that new things should start on budh var ie Wednesday. Not sure if this is accurate from jyothish pov but that's what I know from family tradition. One time when I bought a house she made me wait and not recieve the keys of the house on guruvar. I had to wait till Friday. I am not superstitious but who can say no to mom.

[realdemigod]

Namaste Yajvan,
I have heard my mom insist that new things should start on budh var ie Wednesday. Not sure if this is accurate from jyothish pov but that's what I know from family tradition. One time when I bought a house she made me wait and not recieve the keys of the house on guruvar. I had to wait till Friday. I am not superstitious but who can say no to mom.

My mom says nothing to be started on a Tuesday as the day demands everything twice..so good or bad nothing on Tuesday. But Sukra or Friday is supposed to be auspicious for anything as it belongs to Goddess Lakshmi so anything started on that day will have blessings from her.

[Viraja]

Yajvanji,

Would that be the day signified by the 9th lord?

BTW Commencement of reading some spiritual texts they say, for example, Sundaragandam, should begin on a Friday.

Thanks,

Aspirant

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

Which vāsara would be best for 1st beginning one's spiritual pursuit ?

The posts above are an excellent start to this discussion. No doubt satay's and and realdemigod's mother offer fine advice on when
to start ( or not start ) a task.

Within the selection of the pañcāñga ( or 5 limbs, pañca + āñga ) calender there are many moving parts, there are many things for us to consider. Yet for this post we were looking to find the most supportive day for one to begin a spiritual practice - initiation or dikṣa, or one's first meditation practice.

For me I am quite parcial to sūrya vāsara for this matter. The sun (sūrya) is the natural kāraka (doer, one that produces) of the 1st house and also the natural ātma-kāraka. It is also the natural owner of the 5th house (leo) and higher knowledge. Sunday is the 1st day of the week, a day of beginnings; it is also a day to go to war some may call this vāt (go) lagna. But why go to war, against whom ? ignorance. The sun is also the kāraka of achievements and for me this sets the stage for pursuing one's sādhana.
The other reason I am fond of sūrya vāsara is the sun is that graha that regulates the coming of day and night, and how one spends their time. Hence spending time with one's sādhana is of great import.

Yet, however firm you may think my reasoning is above, there is another day that is quite acceptable and used for initiation or dikṣa; it is śani vāsara or saturday. How can this be ? Many see śani in a negative light. This is only due to poor ilumination on this matter.

Saturday and therefore śani influnces all long lasting aspects of one's life. Śani's name in fact means 'slow moving one' - it is this steady, but continuous movement that is welcomed in one's sādhana i.e. that of focus.
Śani is also the kāraka of the 12th house, that of mokṣa. The 12th house deals with losses and for the materialists, they run the other way with loss. But for one's sādhana the loss of grief, ignornace, and the binding influence of action is welcomed to one's life.

Now it is also quite attractive and interesting to me that saturday is supportive in the notion of laying a foundation, firmness. This is what one wishes to accomplish with one's initiation or dikṣa - to lay down a path or road of a spiritual life as śani is the kāraka of renunciation. This does not suggest the householder needs to ~renounce~ in the usual view on this matter. Renounce has a deeper significance in the notion of transcending, and arriving at pure awareness. Then all of the relative field of life has been renounced for that time.

Śani's other name is yama ... we know this means self-control. It is also the first of the eight aṅga-s (limbs) we find in patañjali’s yogadarśana.

So, overall, śani vāsara is a fine day for one to consider the initial start of initiation or dikṣa.

praṇām

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

Would that be the day signified by the 9th lord?

The kāraka-s of the 9th ( a dharma house) are the sun and bṛhaspati ( or guru, jupiter).
We reviewed the sun; we know bṛhaspati influences teaching, religion, fortune, expansion, higher learning, traditional learning.

praṇām

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

Now enter the vedic approach: pañcāñga ( or 5 limbs, pañca + āñga ) is the jyotiṣh and/or vedic method of organizing, understanding and using natural cycles for the benefit of timing events, actions,( and non-action), and the like.

What are the five limbs ?

• tithi - lunar day
• karaṇa - 1st and 2nd halfs of the lunar day
• vāra - the day of the week ( each owned by a graha)
• nakṣatra - lunar constilation some like to call asterism ( we use 27, or 28 with abjijit owned by viṣṇu)
• yoga - are unions ; there are 27 of them.

More on this matter appears on this HDF Post: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=85707&postcount=5

Post 5 , then 8 though 15 may be of some value to the interested reader.

praṇām

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: One thing is sure around here. In practice, because of retirement, the western calendar days of the week have significantly less meaning than they used to. No more casual casual Fridays, back to work Mondays, or long weekends. Religion wise, it makes no difference at all. I go to temple on festivals or pradosha days, or when I feel like it.

Aum Namasivaya

[Viraja]

It is very interesting to note that Sunday is a good day for beginning spiritual pursuits. A very convenient one at that too.

Saturday - couldn't believe that its a favorable day too.. but as they say, 'Sani vaaram sthira vaaram', your description makes sense.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

We recognize 7 vāsara or days of the week within pañcāñga ( or 5 limbs, pañca + āñga )

1. ravi or sūrya vāsara
2. candra or soma vāsara
3. maṅgal or maṅgala vāsara
4. budha vāsara
5. guru or bṛhaspati vāsara
6. śukra vāsara
7. śani vāsara

Each day has a quality to it...

It seems if we know the quality, we can take advantage of it. From some of the posts above we can surmise that tuesday or maṅgala vāsara is a bit unfavorable. Yet it is a nicely aligned day to visit the doctor, to have an operation on the body, things dealing with fire.

I particularly like tuedays due to its owner mars. It is the kāraka of courage (tavas).

Yet why is it looked at in an unfavorable light? Because it is a day of anger, violence, and the like.

More on mars here on this HDF post:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1775

praṇām