Today's Panchang — Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, Rahu Kaal

What is Panchang?

Panchang is the foundation of the Vedic calendar. ‘Pancha’ means five and ‘anga’ means limbs — Tithi (lunar day), Vara (weekday), Nakshatra (lunar mansion), Yoga (sun–moon combination) and Karana (half-tithi). These five elements determine auspicious timings (muhurat) for marriage, griha pravesh, business, vrat and all important Vedic activities.

Tithi (Lunar Day)

A Tithi is the 12° angular distance between the Moon and the Sun. A lunar month has 30 tithis — from Pratipada to Purnima/Amavasya — split across Shukla Paksha (waxing moon) and Krishna Paksha (waning moon). The tithi of the day drives vrat selection and festival dates.

Nakshatra (Lunar Mansion)

The 27 Nakshatras divide the Moon’s ecliptic into 13°20′ segments. Birth Nakshatra shapes personality traits, while the day’s Nakshatra informs muhurat, mantra sadhana and travel timing. Each Nakshatra has a ruling deity, planetary lord and gana classification.

Yoga and Karana

Yoga is the sum of solar and lunar longitudes (27 types) — some highly auspicious (Siddhi, Shubha, Amrita), others to avoid (Vyaghata, Vyatipata). Karana is half a tithi; 11 karanas rotate through the month, guiding auspiciousness at finer resolution.

Rahu Kaal — Inauspicious Window

Rahu Kaal is a ~90-minute inauspicious window calculated as 1/8th of the daytime (sunrise to sunset). It rotates across the day based on weekday — Monday afternoon, Saturday morning, Sunday evening, etc. Avoid starting new ventures, travel or financial commitments during this window.

Bhaagyavedh panchang uses NASA JPL ephemeris data with Lahiri Ayanamsa — classical Vedic tradition backed by modern astronomical precision.