Basics of Vedic Hindu Astrology (Part 2) - Panchanga

'Panchanga'or Vedic Calendar is the most ancient calendar or almanac. The sidereal or nirayana astrology is different from western tropical astrology. In the West Gregorian Calendar is simply used by farmers to identify days, weeks and months. The astronomical (calculations) information, based on the formulation of sages and rishis, is being meticulously documented in Panchanga. The Sanskrit word 'Panchanga' means (Pancha = five and Anga = limbs) five limbs or parts.

Five Basic Astronomical Elements

The five basic astronomical elements of the day are represented in Panchanga:

1. Tithi (Lunar Day),

2. Nakshatra (The Constellation The Moon is aligned with),

3. Karana (Half-Day),

4. Yoga (A particular Angle of the Sun and Moon) and

5. Vara or Vasara (Solar Weekday).

These five basic astronomical elements are enough to accommodate all variations of planetary positions. Planetary positions will influence the physical and mental well being of all people. Panchanga forms the basic astronomical reference document to identify the rising and setting of sun, moon and other planets, the forthcoming (religious) events like lunar and solar eclipses, full moon, new moon and other tithis (lunar days). The astrologers use this document to fix auspicious time and date (Muhurt) as well as to prepare natal (birth) chart. Any venture or decisions made in an auspicious time will bring fortune and prosperity.

1). Tithi

According to Vedic calendar lunar day (tithi) is the single lunar day. Lunar day is calculated based on the difference between the positional longitudinal angle of the sun and the moon. There are 30 lunar days or tithis. The counting of the lunar day or tithi commences from the new moon day (Amavasya). At the particular point of time the sun and the moon signs are conjunct together in their zodiac orbits. There from the moon transits across each zodiac sign and the moon's transition time (to cross each zodiac sign) ranges between 20.00 and 26.50 hours.

The lunar days occurring between the new moon and the full moon (Purnima) days are known as waxing period (Sukla Paksha) and the lunar days falling between full moon (Purnima) and the new moon days are known as waning period (Krishna Paksha). The tithi names follow the Sanskrit numeric system.

1. Pratipada (Prathama) or the Principal tithi (One),

2. Dvitiya, In Sanskrit 'Dvandham' means two

3. Tritiya, In Sanskrit 'Triyam' means three

4. Chaturthi, In Sanskrit 'Chatur' means four

5. Panchami, In Sanskrit 'Panchama' means five

6. Shasthi, In Sanskrit 'Shat' means six

7. Saptami, In Sanskrit 'Saptha' means seven

8. Ashtami, In Sanskrit 'Ashta' means eight

9. Navami, In Sanskrit 'Nava' means nine

10. Dasami, In Sanskrit 'Dasam' means ten

11. Ekadasi, In Sanskrit 'eka' means one and 'Dasam' means ten ekadasi = eleven

12. Dvadasi, In Sanskrit 'Dvandham' means one and 'Dasam' means ten Dvadasi = twelve

13. Trayodasi, In Sanskrit 'Triyam' means one and 'Dasam' means ten Trayodasi = thirteen

14. Chaturdasi, In Sanskrit 'Chatur' means one and 'Dasam' means ten Chaturdasi = fourteen

You need to count from Amavasya (new moon day) to purnima (full moon day) and include the 14 tithis for sukla paksha. Purnima to Amavasya include 14 tithis and count for Krishna Paksha. Thus there are 30 tithis i.e., new moon to purnima 15 tithis plus Pratipada to Amavasya 15 tithis.

2). Nakshatra

The second element star clusters or constellation (nakshatra) is already dealt in the previous paragraphs.

3). Karana

The third element of the panchanga is karana. What is Karana? A karana is simply half of your lunar day or the tithi. According to Vedic Astrology there are only eleven karanas and there are sixty karanas occurring in a single lunar month. The eleven unique karana names are:

1. Bava,

2. Balava,

3. Kaulava,

4. Taitila,

5. Gara,

6. Vanija,

7. Visti,

8. Sakuni,

9. Catuspada,

10. Naga and

11. Kintughna.

4). Yoga

According to Vedic Astrology the occurrence of a particular star cluster in combination in combination with the specific day is considered either auspicious or inauspicious. There are twenty seven yogas. Certain combinations of day and star are inauspicious. Sidha yogas' and 'Amirtha yogas' are considered as auspicious.

5). Vara (vasara)

Varam is the fifth element of the panchanga. Varam is simply a solar day. It just includes your seven week days commencing from Sunday to Saturday. A solar day, measured from sunrise to sunrise. There are seven days in each phase, or week, in the Hindu system. Each solar day is said to be ruled by a planet as shown below:

1. Bhanu (or Ravi) vasara: Sunday Sun

2. Soma vasara: Monday. "Day of the moon," also known as Indu vasara.

3. Mangala vasara: Tuesday. "Day of brightness, auspiciousness, fortune" or "day of Mars."

4. Budha vasara: Wednesday. "Day of wisdom" or "Day of Mercury."

5. Guru vasara: Thursday. "Day of the preceptor" or "day of Jupiter," known in Sanskrit as Brihaspati, by which this day is also known.

6. Sukra vasara: Friday. "Resplendent, clear day" or "day of Venus."

7. Sani vasara or (Manta vasara): Saturday. "Day of Saturn." Or "Churning day"

The days - Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are always auspicious for commencing your plans and programs. Saturdays and Tuesdays are auspicious for commencing your course of medicines or surgical treatments, etc.. Sunday is neither auspicious nor inauspicious.

Time Divisions in a Solar Day

A solar day is divided into 60 'Naligais' (24 hours or 1440 minutes). A naligai is the basic unit of time in Vedic Aastrology. One naligai is equal to 24 minutes. Six naligais make one 'Jamam'. A jamam is an unit of time comprising 2 hours and 24 minutes (84 minutes). Five jamams make a day and another five jamams make the night. A solar day in total comprises 10 jamams.

Month: Masam as told earlier there are two uniqe types of months-lunar months and solar months. How a lunar is computed? A lunar month is the time taken by the moon to complete one lunar orbit of the moon around the earth (commencing either from the new moon day or the full moon day). A lunar month has two pakshas: One is Sukla Paksha (Waxing moon cycle) and Krshna Paksha (waning moon cycle). A solar month is the time taken by the sun to complete one solar transition or sun's movement through one rasi (zodiac sign). The solar months are as follows:

Sanskrit Tamil Gregorian month

1) Mesha - Chaitra - April/May

2) Vrishabha - Vaikasi - May/June

3) Mithuna - Ani - June/July

4) Kataka - Adi - July/August

5) Simha - Avani - August/September

6) Kanya - Puratasi - September/October

7) Thula - Aipasi - October/November

8) Vrischika - Kartikai - November/December

9) Dhanus - Markali - December/January

10) Makara - Thai - January/February

11) Kumbha - Masi - February/March

12) Meena - Panguni - March/April

Reference Sources:

1. Panchangam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchanga
2. Calendar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar
3. Hindu calendar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_calendar