Subject: travel
------------------------------------------------------------
In Hari Sauri's diary, I read how Prabhupada would rarely travel on
Thursday between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. because he said it was an inauspicious
time for travel.

Over the years, I have heard many versions of this as well as many
versions of how to circumvent it, e.g. put your suitcases outside the door
on Wednesday.

Looking through the Prabhupada database, I find no mention of not
traveling on Thursday afternoon.  (Some devotees also say it's not good to
travel on Ekadasi.)

Question: Is this a general principle or something Prabhupada did because
of personal astrological considerations? 

(Text 18806) -----------------------------------------------
(Comment in text 19445 by LINK: Brahmananda (Dasa) ACBSP (Bhaktivedanta Archive
s))

Subject: travel
------------------------------------------------------------
Srila Prabhupada always avoided commencing a journey on a Thursday,
especially in the early afternoon. The story about packing the bags and
moving them from the room to the outer hallway was done by Srila Bhakti
Siddhanta, so it was not a thing that pertained to Srila Prabhupada
individually.  Therefore, it must apply for all devotees.  For mysself I
can tell you where I have commenced a jourvey in the Thurs. afternoon, it
resulted in near disaster several times.

(Text 19445) -----------------------------------------------
Text 19801: 01-Aug-94 01:17 EDT /97 lines/ LINK: Shyamasundara (Dasa) ACBSP (As
trologer)
Subject: travel and Muhurta
------------------------------------------------------------
Mother Urmila requests information about why Srila
Prabhupada didn't travel on Thurday afternoon. And asks:

"Is this a general principle or something Prabhupada did
because of personal astrological considerations?"

My understanding is that he learned this habit from his
association with his own Guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta who was
a renowned astrologer in his purva-ashrama. The reason is
that on Thurday afternoon the Rahukalam--the time of Rahu
becomes prominent. (This is mentioned in the philosophy
paper.)

The method of calculating when the Rahukalam will take
place is as follows. First you must know when the sun rises
for each day of the week. Then for each day the Rahukalam
starts at a different time after sunrise and lasts for 90
minutes. The start times of the Rahukalam for different
weekdays are:

Sunday--		10.5 hours after sunrise
Monday-- 		 1.5  "
Tuesday- 		 9    "
Wednesday		 6	 "
Thursday		 7.5  "
Friday	 	 4.5  "
Saturday		 3    "

If the Sun were to rise at 6:00 AM then the Rahukalam on
Thursday would correspond to 1:30-3:00 PM. [From Muhurta by
B.V. Raman pg 201.] Needless to say the sun rises at
various times at different seasons and at different
latitudes. We also see that Rahukalam is not on Thursday
only.

If one doesn't have the facility to calculate the exact
planetary positions at the time of a journey then the above
calculation would serve as a ready reckoner. But it should
be stressed that this is really only for layman.

From astrological texts it is noted that there are numerous
flaws which could severely afflict a time for travel. This
is especially significant in the case of long or important
journeys. No time is perfect. What to do? What is done is
to try as best as possible to choose a time which is a free
of as many flaws as possible and to strengthen the chart of
travel by strengthening the position of the lagna and the
Moon. Thus if Jupiter is in the lagna at the start of
travel it greatly relieves the affliction. Texts on Muhurta
give both evil combinations and ones that cancel. For
example one should never travel if Mars is in the 8th, or
if the 8th is otherwise afflicted. The 8th is the house of
death and Mars there would indicate accidents. Considering
that in the USA alone there are about 50,000 people killed
on the road every year (more than the total US dead in the
Vietnam war!) it would be wise to check out the time of
travel before you literally risk your life by traveling at
"break-neck speed" as Prabhupada said.

Choosing a good Muhurta is a lot more difficult than most
people think for the very reasons stated above. Good times
are just not that easy to get. For example as mentioned
above about Jupiter in Lagna and Mars in the 8th. Better to
have Mars somewhere else than Guru in lagna. It may be that
you have a combination with Guru in lagna and Mars in the
8th. Avoid Mars in the 8th at all costs. Strengthen the
lagna in other ways such as having Venus in lagna etc.

Regarding : "Over the years, I have heard many versions of
this as well as many versions of how to circumvent it, e.g.
put your suitcases outside the door on Wednesday."

I have never heard of this. What I heard was that
Bhaktisiddhanta, in order to avoid travelling on ekadasi,
would pack his bags and leave them outside on the day
before so that it would be considered that the journey had
already started.

From a strictly astrological view the ekadasi tithi is not
in itself unfavorable for travel. In fact it is considered
very good. But as Viasnavas we prefer to spend ekadasi
doing more service and thinking of Krsna etc. Which is
hampered by travel.

There are different restrictions for direction of travel on
certain days. For example: do not travel towards the east
on Sunday or Monday. But if the journey starts after 8
ghatis then it is okay (provided other considerations are
good). [1 ghati=24 minutes. Ghatis are counted from the
moment of sunrise.] Under no circumstance should a journey
commence if the Moon is the Nakshatra Bharani or Krittika.


ys
shyama

(Text 19801) -----------------------------------------------
Text 19802: 01-Aug-94 01:17 EDT /99 lines/ LINK: Shyamasundara (Dasa) ACBSP (Astrologer)
------------------------------------------------------------
The question by Mother Urmila brings to mind a recent
question put to me by some devotees about the auspicious
time for doing a ground breaking for a temple. The same
reasoning could apply to installing deities or getting
married.

It was proposed that an important project be started and
that the day chosen was Balarama's appearance day (I
think). The grounds for doing so are stated below:

"Many devotees feel that because it celebrates an
auspicious day it is therefore good for anything."

My response was something like this:

To do something on the grounds that it is the same as the
day celebrating the anniversary of the appearance day of
Krsna, Nrsimhadeva, Rama, Radha, Balarama, Srila
Prabhupada, etc. is a total misunderstanding of astrology
and the signification of the day.

It is very simplistic to think that because it is
Janmastami then we can start any project on that day. On
the actual day >>and time<< that Sri Krsna appeared in 3227
BC the planets were aligned in a unique and auspicious
manner which have yet to be duplicated. And they will not
be duplicated again until Krsna appears in the next day of
Lord Brahma, which is a very long time from now. Janmastami
day celebrates the appearance day of Lord Krsna, and we
especially fast and do special prayers to glorify and
worship Krsna on that day. It comemmerates His appearance
but it is not of the same potency as the day He actually
appeared. There is great spiritual benefit mentioned in the
scriptures to worship Sri Krsna on this day--but it is not
identical with His actual appearance day. The proof of this
is very simple. We simply note that Lord Sri Krsna, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, in all His glory, doesn't
appear yearly in Mathura on that day. Why? Because the
astrological configurations don't warrant such an
appearance. (Don't forget astrology is a language-of
symptoms, it doesn't cause anything--it just describes
things and events.) In the same way you don't appear every
year on your birthday.

Millions of entities are born on every holy day every year.
But we don't notice new avataras roaming around (except of
the bogus variety). Thousands up-on-thousands of persons
are born every second, yet none of them are the personality
of Godhead. This indicates that the original day that Sri
Krsna, Rama, Nrsimha, etc. appeared is much different from
the day on which their appearance is celebrated. In one
sense you could say that it is non-different. But from a
practical view it is very different.

So to choose an auspicious time simply on the basis that it
is the appearance day of Sri Mahaprabhu or Sri Balarama is
not something an intelligent person should do. Probably the
best thing to do on those days is to worship the
appropriate deity unless there are astrologically
compelling reasons to do otherwise.

I clearly remember how in 1981 a godbrother was married.
The day chosen was Sri Nrsimha-caturdasi, at sunset! What
could be more auspicious for a wedding, it was thought. I
cringed, but no was going to listen to me. It was a
horrible time to get married. I proved to be right. They
had a child and divorced within 5 years. Another ISKCON
tragedy. The day itself may have had some good time to
choose for a marriage except that any caturdasi tithi is
considered evil for marriage. But other combinations may
have cancelled the caturdasi aspect. However under no
circumstances should anyone be married at sunset. It is a
prime dictum that for the time of marriage the 7th house
must be vacant of any planet. But at the time of sunset, by
definition, the sun is in the seventh, a most unwelcome
place in a marriage chart.

Maybe for ordinary things a person can be slack. But when
it comes to doing something very important or starting a
project costing hundreds of thousands of dollars it would
behoove the responsible parties to the get the very best
time possible. It would be a great shame to waste so much
money, time and effort because of over-simplistic thinking,
or previous bad experience with a questioanble astrologer.

It is not materialistic to think about choosing the best
time available to start a temple. As devotees, we only want
the best for the Lord. The best fruits and vegetables, best
cloth, the best of everything. Why not the best time,
especially when the time is so important.

The importance of time can not be over estimated. I hope to
soon present some research findings about the relationship
between Krsna, Time and Astrology.

YS
Shyamasunadara Dasa

(Text 19802) -----------------------------------------------

Reply-To: Hari.Sauri.ACBSP@iskcon.com
Subject: travel and Muhurta
------------------------------------------------------------
     Although I found the information about Rahukulam
hours interesting, they don't seem to align with Srila
Prabhupada's observance of inauspicious times to travel.
You have mentioned Thursdays as being between 1:30 pm --
3:00 pm but Srila Prabhupada told us the time he wouldn't
travel was between 4:30 --  7:00 pm. 
     When we were in Madras and scheduled to fly back to
Bombay at 7:30 pm Prabhupada wouldn't do it. He wanted to
fly the next morning but because of some prior commitments
which couldn't be cancelled he relented and travelled on
the Thursday--but at 10pm, the very last flight of the day.
     I always regret not having asked him what the

ABORT (Y/N)? 
specific reasons were behind his no travel on Thursday
afternoon rule. That was my chance but I blew it.

(Text 20929) -----------------------------------------------

Text 21308: 04-Aug-94 07:12 EDT /46 lines/ LINK: Shyamasundara (Dasa) ACBSP (As
trologer)
Subject: Travel and Muhurta
------------------------------------------------------------
The time of the Rahukalam is flexible and is linked to the
time of sunrise, so conceivably the reason that Prabhupada
traveled later was because the sun rose later that day.

Another reason could be that it had nothing at all to do
with Rahukalam but some other consideration. 

Also it is possible that in the Utkal (Bengal-Orissa)
region they may have some different rule for calculating
the Rahukalam. There are occasional regional differences in
astrology.

Regarding marriage: if you are legally married before the
fire sacrifice then it is the time of the legal marriage
that is significant. Not the fire sacrifice. There are many
forms of marriage recognized in the Vedas, not all require
a fire sacrifice. For example Gandharva Vivaha, the simple
exchange of garlands, requires no fire. In any case, if
after a ceremony, civil or otherwise, a man and woman begin
co-habitating and are recognized by society as being
married then that is the beginning of their marriage. And
that is the time to be considered.

It was also asked: "If the influence of Rahu is there every
day, why is Thursday particularly troublesome?"

As I pointed out it may have nothing to do with Rahukalam
at all because in Bengal they have their own system of
calculating such things.

Even if it is caused because of Rahu then Thursday being
ruled by Jupiter is not immune. In fact the conjunction of
Jupiter and Rahu in a chart goes by the name of
Guru-Chandala Yoga and it often spoils the good qualities
of Jupiter.

"Also, it seems that these calculations for travel only
apply to the start of a journey.  Is that correct?" 

Yes.

Your Servant

Shyamasundara Dasa

(Text 21308) -----------------------------------------------

Text 21022: 03-Aug-94 16:08 EDT /9 lines/ LINK: Brahmananda (Dasa) ACBSP (Bhakt
ivedanta Archives)
Subject: travel
------------------------------------------------------------
Recently I had an auto accident while travelling across thecountry. I left
Los Angeles on Thursday, June 2nd at about 3:00P.M. I had so many reasons
why I had to leave at that time, but even one devotee warned me not to go
at tat time. The next day at 12 noon in Yuma AZ I had the accident,
totalling my vehicle, with minor injury, and spoiling all my distribution
programs for the entire summer. Should I have not left at that inauspicious
time?

(Text 21022) -----------------------------------------------

(Go to) Next Conference - +Review 21488

Reply-To: Urmila.ACBSP@iskcon.com
Subject: travel
------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry, Shyamasundara prabhu, but your answer raised more questions.  If
the influence of Rahu is there every day, why is Thursday particularly
troublesome?  It would seem, to my meager intelligence, that because
Thursday is Jupiter's day, that the opposite would be true.  Also, Hari
Sauri writes that Prabhupada would avoid travel between 4:30-7:30 p.m.
which is later than the times you list.

Also, it seems that these calculations for travel only apply to the start
of a journey.  Is that correct?

Reply-To: Shyamasundara.ACBSP@iskcon.com
Subject: Brahmanada's accident
------------------------------------------------------------
Hare Krsna!

Sorry to hear about your accident in the desert. Glad to
hear that only the vehicle was badly damaged. We wouldn't
want to part with you just yet. On June 2, at 3:00 PM in
Los Angeles the following planetary positions prevailed:

Lagna   	17VI06
Sun		18TA22
Moon		07PI59
Mars		13AR42
Mercury	11GE01
Jupiter R	12LI16
Venus	21GE36
Saturn	18AQ19
Rahu		29LI57
Ketu		29AR57

This chart is indeed not auspicious for travel. We note
that Mars AND Ketu are in the 8th and that the Moon is in a
Papi-kartari Yoga (malifics on boths sides). Also the Lagna
is the object of a Lagna-adhi-yoga but by malefic planets
rather than benefics. What really saved you was the
strength of Mercury ruler of the lagna. You also broke a
cardinal rule of travel: if some one warns you not to
travel you should take it as an omen and delay your trip.

Some years ago a similar even happened to me. I had just
borrowed Naveen Krsna's new car to do some business in
Dallas. Just as I was about to pull away from the driveway
he yelled at me to stop, then he came up to me and
admonished me not to get in an accident. I was very
mentally distressed at the time and didn't recognize the
clear warnings from Supersoul. [It is standard practice
that if somebody stops you in trip that you should stop or
at least delay your departure. If you are stopped 3 times
then you shouldn't leave.] I left and about ten minutes
later I was involved in a very serious accident caused by
adverse weather. I totalled the vehicle and severely
injured my neck. I still suffer from the injuries.

On June 21 I was leaving Miami and starting a trip to
Canada. I had planned to leave early but for various
reasons my trip was delayed to the afternoon. When I looked
at the chart I also got Virgo rising with Mars and Ketu in
the 8th. I was not happy and thought that this would be a
classical combination for an accident. Just then
Rasabihari, the wife of Mahabuddhi, with whom I was
staying, came in to my romm. She had just got off work from
the hospital and gave me a big handful of medical
supplies--bandages, antiseptic sponges, etc. The lights
immeadiatly flashed in my mind; I had just been thinking
that this was not a good time to travel because of possible
accidents and here she comes giving me items that also
indicate accidents and injuries i.e. medical supplies. I
immediatly cancelled my trip and left the next day.

YS
Shyamasundara Dasa

(Text 21885) -----------------------------------------------
Reply-To: Shyamasundara.ACBSP@iskcon.com
Subject: Bar Bela
------------------------------------------------------------
I suspected that these local Bengali timings of Bar
Bela [Var Vela], Kala Bela [Kala Vela], and Ratri bela, had
something to do with it. But I have never had an
explanation of how these velas are derived or defined even
though I spent 2 years in Calcutta studying astrology. They
are certainly not found in classical texts. Of course this
doesn't mean that they are not effective only temporarily
unexplained. 

From the names, they seem to be related to the kala velas
mentioned in Parasara Hora Shastra. But I am travelling and
have no way of checking the reference.

(Text 22658) -----------------------------------------------
Reply-To: Shyamasundara.ACBSP@iskcon.com
Subject: travel etc
------------------------------------------------------------
One more point that I would like to mention is that
although there are all these Rahu-kalams, Bar Bela, Kala
Bela, etc. These can be nuetralised if at the time of
departure the lagna is strong, and planets well placed.

(Text 24018) -----------------------------------------------
Reply-To: Brahmananda.ACBSP@iskcon.com
Subject: travel etc
------------------------------------------------------------
	Another interesting travel anecdote with Srila Prabhupada is as follows:
Once we leaving to fly from Delhi to Amhedabad. I happened to be ill with
malaria at the time.  We were a party of several devotees with Srila
Prabhupada. After gathering all the bags and doing all the final
arrangements, Srila Prabhupada got up to leave. As Srila Prabhupada walked
out  the door, I was right behind him and was followed by the other
devotees. Suddenly, I sneezed. Srila Prabhupada immediately stopped in the
doorway, neither going foward or turning around. In a deep, grave voice he
said, "Now what to do?" Everyone stood still not understanding the
seriousness of what I had done and what to do now. So we all just kept
standing there. Srila Prabhupada would not move an inch. 
	"Srila Prabhupada," said Nava Yoginder Maharaja, "Brahmananda is ill. He
is sick with malaria." Actually Srila Prabhupada knew I was ill, but Nava
Yoginder was reminding him. "Oh, then it is all right," said Srila
PRabhupada. And, he proceeded to walk out the door and into the waiting
car. 
	Later on we discussed that it is a very bad omen if one sneezes while
leaving a place on a journey, especially if one is on the threshhold of the
house. But, if one is sick, then the sneeze is attributed to that and the
malefic influences are dissipaited.

(Text 24022) -----------------------------------------------

(Go to) Next Conference - Review 20929

Text 20929: 02-Aug-94 08:41 EDT /16 lines/ LINK: Hari Sauri (Dasa) ACBSP (Alach
------------------------------------------------------------
     Although I found the information about Rahukulam
hours interesting, they don't seem to align with Srila
Prabhupada's observance of inauspicious times to travel.
You have mentioned Thursdays as being between 1:30 pm --
3:00 pm but Srila Prabhupada told us the time he wouldn't
travel was between 4:30 --  7:00 pm. 
     When we were in Madras and scheduled to fly back to
Bombay at 7:30 pm Prabhupada wouldn't do it. He wanted to
fly the next morning but because of some prior commitments
which couldn't be cancelled he relented and travelled on
the Thursday--but at 10pm, the very last flight of the day.
     I always regret not having asked him what the

ABORT (Y/N)? 
specific reasons were behind his no travel on Thursday
afternoon rule. That was my chance but I blew it.

(Text 20929) -----------------------------------------------


Text 22259: 07-Aug-94 05:25 SST /47 lines/ Bhanu Swami (Madras)
Subject: marriage times
------------------------------------------------------------
If prabhupad was observing late thursday afternoon, it seems
it was bar bela not, rahu kalam.  Bar bela, kala bela 
and ratri bela are mentioned in the Navadvipa Panjika,
so they are common knowledge in Bengal. Panjika notes that these 
times are bad for travel, causing death. Where the satric
source is I dont know.
Rahu kal is common is south india.   If we combine the timings
of rahu kala bar bela and kala bela, we see that all of thursday
afternoon becomes bad. As well sunday and friday mornings and
tuesday early afternoon become bad.  So why didnt Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta follow all of these timings?  Maybe thursday was
obvious because of the long period of possible dangers.
Note also that mars hora will also fall at 2 PM on Thursday,
so that we be an added consideration. 

rahu kalam

Sunday--	  4.30 PM
Monday-- 	   7:30 AM
Tuesday- 	   3. PM 
Wednesday	  12 Noon
Thursday	  1:30 PM
Friday	 	 10.30 AM
Saturday	  9:00 AM

BAR BELA
sunday          10.30 noon
monday          3.00  pm
tuesday         7.30 am
wednesyday      12.00 noon
thur.           4.30 
friday          9 am
saturday        1.30pm

kala bela                             all three combined:
sunday         12 00                  10.30 -1.30 
monday         7.30
tuesday        1.30                    1.30 -4.30
wednesday       9
thursday        3 pm                   1.30- 6
friday        10.30                    9-12
saturday:      6 am and 4.30 pm

These tithis are bad for travel according to the panjika:
tithis caturthi, sasthi, astami, navami, dvadasi, caturdasi,
purnima amavasya and sukla pratipat
(Text 22259) -----------------------------------------------

