Mitra

Mitra Tara (Mitra-tāra) — the eighth of the nine taras in the Tara Bala system. The name comes from the Sanskrit "mitra" (friend, ally). Tradition places it among the favourable taras: days under Mitra Tara favour friendship, partnership, and matters that call for support.

Place in the system

Tara Bala divides the circle of 27 nakshatras into three circles of nine taras. Mitra Tara is the eighth position: the Moon stands seven steps ahead of your birth nakshatra.

Mitra Tara comes around three times per lunar circuit — about every 9 days.

Practical meaning

Mitra Tara is a favourable window for meeting friends, for business partnership, for negotiations and agreements. Tradition directly connects it with support and friendship.

The Mitra Tara background works through connection. Tradition holds this day a time when support arrives through connections with other people.

In Indian folk practice, Mitra Tara is a day on which devout Hindus often meet with friends, settle joint matters, sign partnership agreements.

In daily practice

Mitra Tara is a day for connections. If you have an important meeting, negotiations, the signing of an agreement — this is a good day for it.

Mitra Tara also suits charity through friendship: helping a friend, supporting a colleague, sharing joy with close people. Connections here strengthen through giving.

Mitra Tara also suits renewing old friendships: forgiving old grievances, thanking those who have helped. Tradition holds this day a time when friendship is renewed.

Mitra Tara comes right after Naidhana Tara — the hardest position of the cycle — and the logic is visible in that order: after a day of pause comes a day of support, and after it, Ati-Mitra Tara, the peak of the cycle. The cycle's last three positions — Naidhana, Mitra, Ati-Mitra — together form a transition from closure to a new rise, before the count returns again to Janma Tara.

The previous position of the cycle is Naidhana Tara, the next is Ati-Mitra Tara.