Panchanga explained: tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana

Open any Indian calendar and there’s a block of Sanskrit terms under the date. That’s the panchanga (पंचांग — “five limbs”): the Vedic system’s daily readout, computed fresh every day from the actual Sun–Moon geometry. Here’s what each limb measures.

1. Tithi — the lunar day

A tithi is one-thirtieth of the Moon’s waxing/waning cycle — the day-count of the lunar month. Thirty tithis run from new moon (Amavasya) to full (Purnima) and back. Festivals are scheduled by tithi, not calendar date — which is why Diwali wanders the Gregorian calendar each year. Certain tithis (the 4th, 9th, 14th — rikta tithis) are traditionally avoided for beginnings.

2. Vara — the weekday

The seven weekdays, each ruled by a graha: Sunday/Sun, Monday/Moon, Tuesday/Mars, Wednesday/Mercury, Thursday/Jupiter, Friday/Venus, Saturday/Saturn. The planetary flavor is literal — this is why Tuesdays are for courage-work and nobody launches a wedding on a Saturday without checking twice.

3. Nakshatra — the Moon’s mansion

Which of the 27 nakshatras the Moon occupies today. The single most-used limb for timing: Rohini and Pushya favor beginnings; Moola and Ardra suit demolition, confrontation, root-cutting work.

4. Yoga — the Sun–Moon angle

Twenty-seven yogas computed from the combined longitude of Sun and Moon — a subtler day-quality measure. Some (Siddha, Amrita) are auspicious; some (Vyaghata, Vajra) are flagged for friction.

5. Karana — the half-tithi

Eleven karanas — each half of a tithi gets one. Bava, Balava, and Kaulava are friendly; Vishti (Bhadra) is the one muhurta-choosers avoid on sight.

How it’s actually used

Nobody weighs all five limbs consciously every day — the panchanga is a filter, applied when timing matters: signing, launching, traveling, marrying. A good muhurta is a day where the limbs agree.

TevaPatra computes the full panchanga for you daily — tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana, and what the day favors — so the calendar stops being Sanskrit wallpaper and starts being usable.