Vaidhṛti
Vaidhṛti · vaidhṛti, “of holding apart”
Karaṇa has other meanings too: see all meanings of Karaṇa.
Grammar: masculine noun (vaidhṛti yoga); formed from vidhṛti (holding apart): “of holding apart”.
Meaning: one of the yogas of the pañcāṅga (the almanac). Works are not begun in it, but it is a holy time for dāna.
In the scriptures: in the Yuddhajayārṇava, Parameśvara tells the Devī which parts of the yogas are to be avoided in all works: three ghaṭikās in the Vishkambha yoga, five in Śūla, six in Gaṇḍa and Atigaṇḍa, and nine in Vyāghāta and Vajra. But in the Parigha, Vyatīpāta and Vaidhṛti yogas the whole day is to be avoided, and in them one must not undertake journeys, battle and the like (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 127). In the rules of the march which Pushkara teaches, a king does not march in the yogas Vaidhṛti, Vyatīpāta, Nāga, Śakuni, Catushpāda and Kiṃstughna, in the tārās Vipat, Mṛtyu, Pratyari and Janma, in the Gaṇḍa yoga, or on the riktā tithis (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 233).
In the rules of dāna which Agnideva tells Vasishṭha Maharshi, the Vaidhṛti yoga is a holy time for giving. Dāna should be made at the Sun’s entry into uttarāyaṇa and dakshiṇāyana, at the vishuva (equinox), at vyatīpāta, on a lost tithi, at the beginning of a yuga, at a saṅkrānti, on caturdaśī, ashṭamī, pūrṇimā and dvādaśī, at the ashṭakā śrāddha, a yajña, a festival or a marriage, at the beginning of a manvantara, in the Vaidhṛti yoga, after seeing a bad dream, on gaining wealth and on meeting a good brāhmaṇa (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 209).
Related terms: Yoga · Vyatīpāta · Parigha · Pañcāṅga · Dāna · Muhūrta
Sources
- Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 127, 209, 233