✦ Vedic Panchang
Today's Panchang
The five limbs of Vedic time — Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga, and Karana — calculated from real planetary positions.
What Is Panchang?
The word Panchang comes from the Sanskrit Pancha Anga, meaning "five limbs." These five elements — Tithi (lunar day), Vara (weekday), Nakshatra (lunar mansion), Yoga (Sun-Moon angular relationship), and Karana (half-tithi) — together form the complete Vedic measure of time.
Unlike the solar Gregorian calendar, the Panchang follows the movements of both the Sun and Moon, making it uniquely suited for determining auspicious moments (Muhurta) for ceremonies, travel, business, and spiritual practice.
How Does Panchang Help In Planning The Day?
The Panchang serves as a cosmic compass. Each of its five limbs carries a distinct influence over the quality of time. Tithi governs the emotional and spiritual tone of the day, while Vara (weekday) connects to the ruling planet's energy. Nakshatra reveals the Moon's position among the 27 lunar mansions, indicating the best activities for that period.
Yoga measures the combined angular relationship of the Sun and Moon, classifying periods into auspicious, neutral, or inauspicious windows. Karana, the half-tithi, adds further precision — particularly for commercial and practical undertakings.
The Five Limbs
Each day of the week is ruled by a planet. Sunday by the Sun, Monday by the Moon, Tuesday by Mars, and so on. The ruling planet colors the entire day's energy.
The Tithi measures the angular distance between the Sun and Moon, dividing the lunar month into 30 phases. Each Tithi has a presiding deity and specific qualities.
The Moon traverses 27 Nakshatras during its cycle. Each Nakshatra has a ruling planet, deity, and nature that influence activities undertaken during its period.
There are 27 Yogas formed by the combined longitude of the Sun and Moon. They range from highly auspicious (Siddha) to challenging (Vyaghata).
Each Tithi is divided into two Karanas. There are 11 Karanas in total, each governing the success of different types of practical activities.