ṛtú (us), m. ([Uṇ. i, 72]) any settled point of time, fixed time, time appointed for any action (esp. for sacrifices and other regular worship), right or fit time, [RV.]; [AV.]; [VS.]
an epoch, period (esp. a division or part of the year), season (the number of the divisions of the year is in ancient times, three, five, six, seven, twelve, thirteen, and twenty-four; in later time six seasons are enumerated, viz. Vasanta, ‘spring’; Grīṣma, ‘the hot season’; Varṣās (f. pl. nom.), ‘the rainy season’ Śarad, ‘autumn’; Hemanta, ‘winter’; and Śiśira, ‘the cool season’; the seasons are not unfrequently personified, addressed in Mantras, and worshipped by libations), [RV.]; [AV.]; [VS.] &c., [MBh.]; [Mn.] &c.
symbolical expression for the number six, [VarBṛS.]; [Sūryas.] &c.
the menstrual discharge (in women), the time after the courses (favourable for procreation; according to [Bhpr.] sixteen days after their appearance), [Suśr.]; [MBh.]; [Mn.] &c.
sexual union at the above time, [Mn. ix, 93]; [MBh.]
fixed order, order, rule [[BRD.]], [RV. i, 162, 19]
light, splendour, [L.]
a particular mineral, [L.]
N. of a Ṛṣi
of the twelfth Manu.