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Narada Purana (Jyotisha Selections) · Chapter 7
संस्कारमुहूर्ताः
This chapter gives samskara muhurta rules for the rites of life. It starts with a girl's first period and the time to conceive.
Then it takes the rite for a son and the months for it. Next come the birth rite and the naming. After that it covers the first grain feeding, the first haircut and the sacred thread. It lists good stars, months and weekdays for each rite, and the rising signs that help. It ends with the rite on return from the teacher's house.
The English below is our translation from the Sanskrit.
विना वसंतऋतुना कृष्णपक्षे गलग्रहे ।अनध्याये विष्टिषष्ठ्योर्न तु संस्कारमर्हति ॥ ३७८ ॥
[Do the rite] in spring. Not in the dark fortnight. Not on a galagraha (a bad day) or an anadhyaya (day when study stops). Not in vishti (bad half of a moon day) or on the 6th. The samskara (life rite) is not fit then.
Simple meaning: Do the rite in spring. Avoid the dark half, bad days, study holidays, bad half-days and the 6th.
त्रयोदश्यादिचत्वारि सप्तम्यादिदिनत्रयम् ।चतुर्थी वा शुभाः प्रोक्ता अष्टावेते गलग्रहाः ॥ ३७९ ॥
The four from the 13th, the three from the 7th, and the 4th are said to be bad. These eight are the galagrahas (bad days).
Simple meaning: The 13th to the 1st, the 7th to 9th, and the 4th are the eight bad days.
क्षुरिकाबंधनं वक्ष्ये नृपाणां प्राक्करग्रहात् ।विवाहोक्तेषु मासेषु शुक्लपक्षेऽप्यनस्तगे ॥ ३८० ॥
I will tell of the kshurika-bandhana (tying on the dagger) for kings, before marriage. Do it in the months told for marriage, in the bright fortnight, when [the planets] are not set...
Simple meaning: Kings tie on the dagger before marriage, in marriage months and the bright half.
जीवे शुक्रे च भूपुत्रे चंद्रताराबलान्विते ।मौंजीबंधोक्ततिथिषु कुजवर्जितवासरे ॥ ३८१ ॥
...[that is,] Jupiter, Venus and Mars. The Moon's strength and tara (star count from the birth nakshatra) strength are present. Use the tithis (moon days) told for the maunjibandha (thread ceremony). Use any weekday but Tuesday.
Simple meaning: Jupiter, Venus and Mars not set, Moon and star strength, thread-rite days, and any day but Tuesday.
नचेन्नवांशके कर्तुरष्टमोदयवर्जिते ।शुद्धेऽष्टमे विधौ लग्ने षष्ठाष्टांत्यविवर्जिते ॥ ३८२ ॥
The navamsha (one-ninth part of a sign) must not be the 8th from the doer's [birth sign]. Nor must the lagna (rising sign). The 8th house is clean. The Moon is out of the 6th, 8th and 12th from the lagna.
Simple meaning: Avoid a rising sign 8th from the birth sign. Keep the 8th clean. Keep the Moon out of 6, 8, 12.
आयामार्द्धाग्रविस्तारप्रमाणेनैवच्छेदयत् ।तच्छेदखंडान्यायाः स्युर्ध्वजाये रिपुनाशनम् ॥ ३८५ ॥
Cut it by the measure of the length, half of it, the tip and the width. The pieces cut off are the ayas (the eight directions points). The Dhvaja (banner) aya may help defeat enemies.
Simple meaning: Measure and cut the blade by its parts. A Dhvaja count may help defeat enemies.
धूम्राये मरणं सिंहे जयः शुनि च रोगिता ।धनलाभो वृषेऽत्यंतं दुःखी भवति गर्दभे ॥ ३८६ ॥
With the Dhuma (smoke) aya (the eight directions points), there may be a risk to life. With Simha (lion), victory. With Shva (dog), illness may come. With Vrisha (bull), great gain of wealth. With Gardabha (ass), the person may become very sad.
Simple meaning: Dhuma may risk life, Simha bring victory, Shva sickness, Vrisha wealth and the ass sorrow.
गजायेऽत्यंतसंप्रीतिध्वांक्षे वित्तविनाशनम् ।खड्गपुत्रिकयोर्मानं गणयेत्स्वांगुलेन तु ॥ ३८७ ॥
With the Gaja (elephant) aya (the eight directions points), great love. With Dhvanksha (crow), wealth may be lost. Count the measure of the sword and the putrika (dagger) by your own finger-width.
Simple meaning: Gaja brings love and the crow may bring loss of wealth. Measure a sword or dagger by your own finger-width.
मानांगुलेषु पर्यायामेकादशमितां त्यजेत् ।शेषाणामगुलीनां च फलानि स्युर्यथाक्रमम् ॥ ३८८ ॥
Among the finger measures, drop the round of eleven. The results for the remaining fingers come in order.
Simple meaning: Leave out each full count of eleven. The remaining fingers give the results in order.
पुत्रलाभः शत्रुवधः स्त्रीलाभो गमन शुभम् ।अर्थहानिश्चार्थवृद्धिः प्रीति सिद्धिजयः स्तुतिः ॥ ३८९ ॥
Gain of a son. Victory over enemies. Gain of a wife. A good journey. Loss of wealth. Gain of wealth. Love. Success. Victory. Praise.
Simple meaning: The results run: son, victory over enemies, wife, a good journey, loss, gain, love, success, victory, praise.
स्थितो ध्वजे वृषाये वा नष्टाचेत्पूर्वतो व्रणम् ।सिंहे गजे मध्यभागे त्वंतभागे श्वकाकयोः ॥ ३९० ॥
Say the count stands at the Dhvaja (banner) or Vrisha (bull) aya (the eight directions points). Say the blade is marred. Then the flaw is in the front part. With Simha (lion) and Gaja (elephant), it is in the middle part. With Shva (dog) and Kaka (crow), it is in the end part.
Simple meaning: The aya shows where the blade's flaw lies: front, middle or end.
धृम्रगर्द्दभयोर्नैव व्रणं श्रेयोंत्यभागगम् ।अथोत्तरायणे शुक्रजीवयोर्दृश्यमानयोः ॥ ३९१ ॥
With Dhuma (smoke) and Gardabha (ass), there is no flaw at all. A flaw in the end part is the better one. Next: in the uttarayana (the Sun's northward course), when Venus and Jupiter can be seen...
Simple meaning: Dhuma and the ass mean no flaw in the blade. Next come the rules for the return-home rite.
द्विजातीनां गुरोर्गेहान्निवृत्तानां यतात्मनाम् ।चित्रोत्तरादितीज्यांत्यहरिमित्रविधातृषु ॥ ३९२ ॥
For twice-born men who have returned from the teacher's house with a calm mind: in Chitra, the Uttaras, Punarvasu, Pushya, Revati, Shravana, Anuradha and Rohini.
Simple meaning: For men back from the teacher's house, good stars are Chitra, the Uttaras, Punarvasu, Pushya, Revati, Shravana, Anuradha and Rohini.
भेष्वर्केंदुज्ञेज्यशुक्रवारलग्नांशकेषु च ।प्रतिपत्पर्वरिक्ता मा चाष्टमी च दिनत्रयम् ॥ ३९३ ॥
Do it in these stars. Use the weekdays of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus. Use their lagnas (rising signs) and navamshas (one-ninth parts of a sign) too. Leave out the 1st tithi (moon day) and the parva (junction day). Leave out the rikta (empty tithi), the new moon, the 8th, and the three days.
Simple meaning: Use those stars and the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter or Venus days. Avoid the 1st, 8th, empty days and new moon.
हित्वान्यदिवसे कार्यं समावर्तनमुंडनम् ।सर्वाश्रमाणां विप्रेंद्र ह्युत्तमोऽयं गृहाश्रमः ॥ ३९४ ॥
Leaving those, on another day do the samavartana (return-home rite) and the head-shaving. O best of Brahmins, the householder stage is the best of all the ashramas (stages of life).
Simple meaning: Do the return-home rite and head-shaving on another day. The householder stage is the best of all.
It teaches good times for the rites of life, from the rite for a son to the sacred thread.
Verse 7.22 says the first haircut is done in the 3rd or 5th year, or as the family custom says.
Verse 7.17 says the 6th or 8th month for boys and the 5th for girls. Verse 7.18 adds the 7th month for girls.