Rationale of Order of Rhuklam Times and its Significance

Y . V . Subba Rao
Former Visiting Professor,
(Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati) Flat 202 & 203 B Block, Mahalakshmi
th

11 Avenue, Ashok Nagar,CHENNAI 600083 INDIA

Email: yvsubbarao2004@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Rhuklam timings do not follow the order of week days. They are erratic. Rhuklam timings are faithfully
observed as inauspicious by almost all Hindus in their daily routine life, unknowing there exists some good also associated
with it. What is Rhuklam? Why should the Rhuklam start with Monday? Why should Saturn follow the Moon next in
order? What is the rationale behind all this? What is the good associated with it? The student may be curious to know the
why of the peculiarities noticed above. This is discussed to explain the rationale to the full satisfaction of the scientific
inquirer into the truth of astrology.

Indexing terms/Keywords:-Rahukalam;Solar System;Esoteric Meaning

Academic Discipline And Sub-Disciplines:-

Education; Cultural Studies

SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION:-Panchasiddhantika;Astronomy
TYPE (METHOD/APPROACH):-Historical Inquiry; Literary Analysis

Council for Innovative Research

Peer Review Research Publishing System

Journal: Journal of Advances in Philosophy

Vol. 2, No. 2
editorcir@gmail.com
www.cirworld.com
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INTRODUCTION
ORDER OF TIMINGS OF VARIOUS PERIODS IN VEDIC ASTROLOGY
All the seven planets of Vedic astrology are the lords of the week days. Thus, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter,
Venus, Saturn and the Sun are the lords of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
respectively (Fig.No.1.1). Moon is always the starter of the various time orders in Vedic Astrology and Astronomy such as
Vimsottari Daa System, Nmaes of week days, Hora Lords, Lords of Years etc. In Vedic Astrology, Moons transit of 120
of the zodiac gives rise to nine Daas (planetary periods) of Vimsottari Daa System and the week days of Rhuklam
begin with Monday as the first day. Vedic Astrology is based on geocentric theory.

REARRANGING PLANETS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

In the geocentric theory, the earth is a moving observatory and therefore the Sun substitutes the Earth
(Fig.No.1.2). In the rearrangement of the planets, the order of the planets needs to be maintained.

Fig. No. 1.1 and Fig. No.1.2

Saturn is identical to Rhu (North Lunar Node) in effect and therefore Saturn is placed along with and next to
the Moon at the pivot. Saturn is always at the extreme end of our Solar System from the Sun. When Saturn is displaced
from its original extreme position and placed at the pivot, naturally Sun should be at Saturns original place (Fig.No.2.1).
Venus and Mercury which are nearer to the original position of Moon as in Fig.1.1 are placed near the Moon in
Fig.2.1 in the same order next to Saturn; similarly, Mars and Jupiter nearer to the Sun are placed in the same order near
the new position of the Sun at the extreme position as in Fig.2.2 without disturbing the proximity of these planets to the
respective new positions of the Moon and the Sun (Fig.2.1 and Fig.2.2).

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Fig. No. 2.1 and Fig. No.2.2

RHUKLAM TIMINGS
There are nine Planets in Vedic Astrology including Rhu and Ketu (North and South unar Nodes. The nine
planets will become eight Planets when Rhu and Ketu are combined to constitute one Planet. Rhu - klam time period
is dependent on the Sunrise and Sunset times for any particular location. Day and Night are equal at Equinoxes, when the
Daytime is 12 Hours.
The time period between Sunrise and Sunset is divided into eight equal parts, which are referred to as time
octants. The Rhuklam Days of the Week are arranged in the order Mo, Sa, F, We, Th, Tu, Su (Monday, Saturday,
Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday, Sunday) and assigned the second through the eighth time octants to these
Days. In this order the Days are only Seven. These time octants then are the Rhuklam times on each of the Days of the
Week.

EFFECTS OF RHUKLAM
Rhuklam is an inauspicious time during any day. Within any given day, there are certain time periods
that are inauspicious. One of these is Rhuklam. The Siddhs say that it is ideal to use these times totally for worship. If
these time periods are used for worship and not for material activities, they yield manifold spiritual benefits.

ESOTERIC MEANING OF SOLAR SYSTEM AND RHUKLAM TIMINGS

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The Esoteric Meaning of the Solar System is also observed in respect of sequence of Planets ruling each day of
the week in the order of Rhuklam (Fig. No.3) [1,2,3 ]. We have the Earth Moon, Sun Saturn, Mars - Venus, and
Mercury Jupiter pairs which indicate the four Purushrthas, the four objectives of Vedas for fulfillment of human life
[1,2,3].

Fig. No.3: Esoteric meaning and Order of Rhuklam Timings in the week
The difficulty in remembering the time of occurrence of Rhuklam of any Day in the Week can be obviated by
remembering the following sentence as reference.

MONDAY

Mother

SATURDAY FRIDAY WEDNESDAY

Saw

Father

THURSDAY TUESDAY

Wearing

The

Turban

SUNDAY

Suddenly

The first two letters of each word in the above sentence denote the Day of the week. Thus,
we get
Mo

Sa

We

Th

Tu

Su

Monday

Saturday

Friday

Wednesday

Thursday

Tuesday

Sunday

7.30AM

9.00AM

10-30AM

12 Noon

1-30PM

3-00PM

4-30PM

With Moon, the starter of time orders, as the pivotal point, the order of Rhuklam
timings of the week days run in the following sequence starting from 7-30AM on Monday.
MONDAY

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

TUESDAY

SUNDAY

CONCLUSION
It is advisable not to start any venture, or travel to any place on any matter during the period of Rhuklam for it
will give negative effects. Spiritual activities practiced during Rhuklam timings confer multiple benefits while material
activities bring harm to individuals. The general Rhuklam time found in panchng and calendars is
wrong and misguiding as they do not take the varying sunrise and sunset into account.
Rhuklam timings for the week days are arrived at for each place based on the day time octant between Sunrise and
Sunset for each day.

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REFERENCES
1.

Rao, Y.H. and Rao, Y.V.S. (2004),Astrology on the Moving Zodiac The One System for the East and the West,
Self Publication. ISBN 81-7525-939-66.

2.

Rao, Y.V.S, (2014), Vedic Astrology Reintegrated into Astronomy (Book -Unpublished).

3.

Rao, Y.V.S, (Oct 21, 2014), Sun and Saturn for Liberation of Soul, Journal of Advances in Philosophy,
www.cirworld.com, Vol. No.1, Page 9.

Biography of the Author

Dr. Y. V. Subba Rao, Ph.D., FIE, a Chartered Mining Engineer, a First Class Mines Manager and
Mines Surveyor was born in 1938 in an orthodox Brahmin family with horary traditions. He had his
first lessons in astrology at an early age from his father. He studied geology and astronomy as
part of his mining engineering curriculum. He was on the faculty of Department of Mining
Engineering in Osmania University and later on the faculty of Department of Geology in S. V.
University. He retired as Executive Engineer, University Science and Instrumentation Centre, S.V.
University, Tirupati in 1996 on attaining superannuation. He holds a Ph.D in Vedic Astrology. He is
the President of Vedic Astrological Society of Tirupati (VAST). He is Life Fellow of Indian Council of Astrological
Society (ICAS), Fellow of Institution of Engineers (FIE) and Member of Electron Microscope Society of Inida
(MEMSI) He authored and published a book Astrology on the Moving Zodiac (The One System for the East and
the West) ISBN 81-7525-939-66. . He authored two more books, i) Vedic Astrology Reintegarated Into Astronomy
and ii) Vedic Astrology in the Quest of Origin of Life, Evolution and Liberation. He had vast experience of nearly
five decades of teaching and research experience in Vedic Astrology. He conducted classes in Astrology at
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. He has to his credit several research papers published in leading International
Astrological Journals of UK and USA. He prepared a Power Point on the Genesis of Principles of Vedic Astrology.
He was formerly Visiting Professor of Astrology, Department of Jyotish, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha
(University), Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Contact address: yvsubbarao2004@yahoo.com
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