MAHĀPĀTA YOGA
MAHĀPĀTA YOGA – Today from 3:59pm to 8:37pm PDT the lesser-known yet extremely inauspicious timing called Mahāpāta Yoga occurs for all locations on earth. Mahā means great in Sanskrit and pāta means disaster. Mahāpāta Yoga happens when the declination of the Sun and the Moon become equal within one degree. It is also called Krānti Sāmya Doṣa and Cakrārdha. Krānti means declination, sāmya means equal and doṣa means affliction. Cakrārdha means half circle and refers to the ancient astronomical calculation used to calculate the exact time.
There are two types of Mahāpāta – Vaidhṛti and Vyatipāta. The two names Vyatipāta and Vaidhṛti are also listed in the 27 nitya yogas in the Vedic calendar, but are in no way related and should not be confused with each other. Vyatipāta means great calamity or disaster and Vaidhṛti means without a foundation or support. These two yogas alternate and occur about once every two weeks, so an average of about 28 times per year, but cannot happen near the summer or winter solstice.
Today is the Vyatipāta type of Mahāpāta. Vyatipāta occurs when the Sun and Moon are on the same side of the North-South circle and their declination is within one degree of each other. The Vaidhṛti type occurs when the Sun and Moon are on opposite sides of the North-South circle and their declination is within one degree of each other. In both types of Mahāpāta the Moon's declination will be 30 arc minutes before the Sun's. The exact time of the doṣa continues until it is 30 arc minutes on the other side of the Sun.
आद्यन्तकालयोर्मध्ये कालो ज्ञेयोऽतिदारुणः।
प्रज्वलज्ज्वलनाकारः सर्वकर्मसु गर्हितः॥
ādyantakālayormadhye kālo jñeyo'tidāruṇaḥ |
prajvalajjvalanākāraḥ sarvakarmasu garhitaḥ ||
According to Sūrya Siddhānta the time period from the beginning to the end of this yoga has a terribly firey form, is extremely dangerous, and should be avoided for beginning any new endeavors like getting married or signing a business contact. Unlike other doṣas this yoga does not impact the tithi or nakṣatra and in this way Muhūrta Cintāmani suggests avoiding only the exact time of Mahāpāta for all auspicious endeavors. However, according to Kaśyapa the rising signs afflicted by the doṣa should be avoided. For example, Mahāpāta begins today at 3:59pm in the sign of Leo, but Leo rises in Nevada City, California from 1:34pm to 4:04pm and so all of Leo rising should be avoided. In the same way Mahāpāta finishes at 8:37pm while Libra is rising, but Libra rises until 9:04pm and so Libra should be avoided. Furthermore, Nārada states that the Vedic weekday in which the doṣa occurs should be avoided, while both Varāhamihira and Vasiṣṭha state that the day before, the day of, and the day after the doṣa occurs should be avoided. Praśna Mārga teaches that any question posed during this time indicates an unfavorable outcome.
The effects of beginning something new during Mahāpāta are believed to be more detrimental than an eclipse and so a pacification ceremony should be performed for a child born during this time. However, activities that are encouraged during eclipses like bathing in rivers, meditation, prayers, and offerings for the ancestors are extremely beneficial.
