Panchang & muhurat
How to Read a Panchang in 5 Minutes: Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana and Vaar
By NamaJyoti editorial · Friday, 6 November 2026 · 3 min read
In short
A panchang (“five limbs”) lists the tithi (lunar day), nakshatra (the Moon's star), yoga (Sun–Moon combination), karana (half a tithi) and vaar (weekday) for a day. Today in Delhi, at sunrise: Friday, Shukla Chaturthi, Mula nakshatra, Dhriti yoga, Vanija karana.
The five limbs
| Limb | What it is | How many | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tithi | The lunar day: each time the Moon gains 12° on the Sun | 30 per month (15 Shukla, 15 Krishna) | Festivals, vrats, muhurat; the most-quoted limb |
| Nakshatra | The Moon's star mansion | 27 | Muhurat, naming, dasha, matching |
| Yoga | A combination of the Sun's and Moon's positions | 27 (Vishkambha … Vaidhriti) | Judging how auspicious the day is overall |
| Karana | Half a tithi | 11 (7 repeating, 4 fixed) | Fine-tuning a muhurat; Vishti (Bhadra) is the one to avoid |
| Vaar | The weekday and its ruling planet | 7 | Which activities and remedies suit the day |
Today's panchang, read line by line
| Limb | Today at sunrise (Delhi) |
|---|---|
| Vaar | Friday |
| Tithi | Shukla Chaturthi |
| Nakshatra | Mula |
| Yoga | Dhriti |
| Karana | Vanija |
Calculated for 13 Nov, Delhi sunrise. The tithi and nakshatra can change later in the day — check the full panchang for the end times.
Shukla and Krishna paksha
A lunar month has two halves. Shukla paksha is the bright half, from new moon to full moon, as the Moon waxes; Krishna paksha is the dark half, from full moon back to new moon. Ekadashi occurs once in each half; Purnima ends Shukla and Amavasya ends Krishna.
The tithi names
The fifteen tithis of each paksha are, in order: Pratipada, Dwitiya, Tritiya, Chaturthi, Panchami, Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dashami, Ekadashi, Dwadashi, Trayodashi, Chaturdashi, and then Purnima (end of Shukla) or Amavasya (end of Krishna). Tithis are not a fixed number of hours — the Moon's speed varies — so they run between about 19 and 26 hours, and the same tithi can begin and end at different times each month.
The 27 yogas and the karanas
The yoga is a number from 1 to 27 found by adding the Sun's and Moon's longitudes and dividing by 13°20′: Vishkambha, Priti, Ayushman, Saubhagya, Shobhana, Atiganda, Sukarma, Dhriti, Shula, Ganda, Vriddhi, Dhruva, Vyaghata, Harshana, Vajra, Siddhi, Vyatipata, Variyana, Parigha, Shiva, Siddha, Sadhya, Shubha, Shukla, Brahma, Indra, Vaidhriti. Some are considered inauspicious for starting work (Vyatipata, Vaidhriti, Vishkambha and a few others), and others especially favourable (Siddhi, Shubha, Amrit-type combinations with a good nakshatra).
A karana is half a tithi, so there are about 60 per month. Seven of them (Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, Vishti) repeat eight times; four are fixed (Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, Kimstughna). Vishti, also called Bhadra, is the one traditionally avoided for starting auspicious work.
A worked reading
Suppose a panchang says: Tuesday, Shukla Panchami, Rohini nakshatra, Siddhi yoga, Balava karana. Read that as: a Tuesday (Mars's day), five days after new moon in the bright half, with the Moon in Rohini — a gentle, fixed nakshatra — a favourable yoga and a harmless karana. That is a fair day for most beginnings, with the Rahu Kaal still to be avoided.
Which limbs matter for everyday life
- For vrats and festivals: the tithi, and whether it is present at sunrise, sunset or pradosh depending on the festival.
- For starting something: avoid the day's Rahu Kaal (explained here) and Vishti karana; favour a gentle nakshatra.
- For ceremonies: the nakshatra and tithi lists for the event — see our muhurat dates.
Panchang times change with the city. Sunrise in Mumbai and Kolkata differs by almost an hour, so the day's boundaries — and the Rahu Kaal — move too. Use a panchang for your own city.
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Questions
- What are the five parts of a panchang?
- Tithi, vaar (weekday), nakshatra, yoga and karana.
- What is the difference between Shukla and Krishna paksha?
- Shukla is the waxing (bright) fortnight and Krishna the waning (dark) fortnight of the lunar month.
- Which part of the panchang matters most?
- For vrats and festivals the tithi; for starting a task the day's Rahu Kaal and nakshatra.
Keep reading
Astrology is guidance, not medical, legal or financial advice. Dates and tables in this article are calculated from the sky — see how we calculate.