learn to read hindu panchang, panchanga, panchangam

PanchangamPundit Mahesh Shastri

Seattle, WA USA(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 1

ितिथ�व�णुतथा वारो न��ं िव�णुरेव च।ितिथ�व�णुतथा वारो न��ं िव�णुरेव च।ितिथ�व�णुतथा वारो न��ं िव�णुरेव च।ितिथ�व�णुतथा वारो न��ं िव�णुरेव च।योग� करणं चैव सव� िव�णु मयं जगत्॥योग� करणं चैव सव� िव�णु मयं जगत्॥योग� करणं चैव सव� िव�णु मयं जगत्॥योग� करणं चैव सव� िव�णु मयं जगत्॥ tithirviṣṇustathātithirviṣṇustathātithirviṣṇustathātithirviṣṇustathā vārovārovārovāro nakṣatraṁnakṣatraṁnakṣatraṁnakṣatraṁ viṣṇurevaviṣṇurevaviṣṇurevaviṣṇureva ca |ca |ca |ca |yogaścayogaścayogaścayogaśca karaṇaṁkaraṇaṁkaraṇaṁkaraṇaṁ caivacaivacaivacaiva sarvaṁsarvaṁsarvaṁsarvaṁ viṣṇuviṣṇuviṣṇuviṣṇu mayaṁmayaṁmayaṁmayaṁ jagatjagatjagatjagat ||||||||TithiTithiTithiTithi is Vishnu, so does is Vishnu, so does is Vishnu, so does is Vishnu, so does VaarVaarVaarVaar, , , , NakshatraNakshatraNakshatraNakshatra, Yoga and , Yoga and , Yoga and , Yoga and Karana. Entire universe and every particles in this Karana. Entire universe and every particles in this Karana. Entire universe and every particles in this Karana. Entire universe and every particles in this universe is Lord Vishnu. He is time. Without him universe is Lord Vishnu. He is time. Without him universe is Lord Vishnu. He is time. Without him universe is Lord Vishnu. He is time. Without him there is no time. He is there is no time. He is there is no time. He is there is no time. He is panchangampanchangampanchangampanchangam....(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 2

अ!"य�ािण शा$ािण िववादतेषु केवलम्।अ!"य�ािण शा$ािण िववादतेषु केवलम्।अ!"य�ािण शा$ािण िववादतेषु केवलम्।अ!"य�ािण शा$ािण िववादतेषु केवलम्।!"य�ं (योितषं शा$ं चं)ाक* य� साि�णौ॥!"य�ं (योितषं शा$ं चं)ाक* य� साि�णौ॥!"य�ं (योितषं शा$ं चं)ाक* य� साि�णौ॥!"य�ं (योितषं शा$ं चं)ाक* य� साि�णौ॥All other All other All other All other shastrasshastrasshastrasshastras are not are not are not are not pratyakshapratyakshapratyakshapratyaksha ( not visible, not ( not visible, not ( not visible, not ( not visible, not persivedpersivedpersivedpersived by senses, not clear, etc…) . They are very by senses, not clear, etc…) . They are very by senses, not clear, etc…) . They are very by senses, not clear, etc…) . They are very good in debate but good in debate but good in debate but good in debate but jyotishajyotishajyotishajyotisha shastrashastrashastrashastra is is is is pratyashapratyashapratyashapratyasha and and and and it’s it’s it’s it’s pramanapramanapramanapramana, witness are the Sun and the Moon., witness are the Sun and the Moon., witness are the Sun and the Moon., witness are the Sun and the Moon.

(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 3

Use of Panchangam�Vedic Time Keeping�Alamanc�To know festival dates.�Knowing Celestial Events – Eclipse.�Knowing Auspicious Days – Weddings, other dates.�Positions of heavenly bodies�Astrological purpose – Jaatakam / Kundli.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 4

Vedic Time Keeping System�Day begins at sunrise not midnight�Lunar and Solar months�Different systems in different parts of India


Panchanga Elements� Tithi (Phases of Moon)� Vaar � Nakshatra� Yoga� Karana


Oraganization of a Hindu CalendarA Hindu calendar contains lots of information such as:�Name of Samvatsara�Shaka year, �Vikrami samvat year�Lunar Month name�Solar Month name�Fortnight (Paksha – Shukla and Krishna)�Panchang(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 7

Oraganization of a Hindu Calendar�Daily Sunrise, Sunset, Moonrise, etc…�Planetary positions�Days of guru shukra astha (setting) and rising�Eclipse dates�Ritus - Season�Ayana – Upward downward motion of the Sun.�Gola – the Sun above or below equator.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 8

Existing Calendric Systems in India� Solar Calendars�Tamil school�Malayalam school� Orrisa / Punjab school� Bengal school� Lunisolar Calendar� Amavasyant months system� Purnimant months system(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 9

Samvatsara�Every year has a name. �There are sixty names. �Every year gets a new name. �Once all 60 samvatsaras are over, the cycle restarts.�This sixty year Jovian cycle is called Samvatsara.�People correlate with Jupiter.


Samvatsara�The new samvatsara begin with start of the year � These keep occuring in a cyclic order.�The first year of the cycle Prabhava denotes the evolution of a new creative force.�The last one is Kshaya or the destruction.


Solar Calendar�When the Sun enters sidereal Aries (Mesha) the new year begin�Exact date of new year varies:� depending on when the sun enters Aries�Various schools exists to determine start of a year.� Each school – Tamil, Malyalam, Orrisa, Bengal and Punjab have different rules(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 12

Amavasyant Months�Months ends on Amavasya�Months begin with Shukla paksha�Months ends with Krishna Paksha� Popular in:�Maharastra (Shaliwahan Era)� Gujarat (Vikram Era)� Karnataka (Shaliwahan Era)� Andhra Pradesh (Shaliwahan Era)(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 13

Purnimant Months�Months ends on Purnima�Months begin with Krishna Paksha�Months ends with Shukla Paksha�New year begin with Shukla Paksha�Popular in:�North India


Mala Masa – Adhika and Kshya Masa�Additional month is added to synchronized a Lunar (Chandramana) Calendar with Sidereal Calendar�When the nirayana Sun doesn’t change a rasi during a lunar month becomes Adhik masa – mala masa.�When the niraryana Sun changes 3 rasi during a lunar month is Kshaya masa – mala masa.�Adhik and Kshaya masa are Mala masa�No auspicious events during malamasa.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 15

Panchanga Elements – Additional InformationAdditionally a panchang may contain following: �Sunrise & Sunset�Moonrise & Moonset�Shaka and Samvant�Samvatsara�Lunar Month Name�Solar Month Name�Planetary Positions�Planetary phenomena

�Rahukala timings�Yamagandam timings�Gulikai timings�Durmuhurtham�Varjyam timings�Abhijit Muhurtham�Amrit Kalam timings�Ayan, Gola, Ritus(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 16

A Day in Hindu Calendar / Panchangam�A Hindu day doesn’t change at midnight. �A Hindu day (Vaar) is from one sunrise to another.�This sunrise is a local event. �The sun doesn’t rise and set at the same time all over the earth as the earth is not flat. �To calculate sunrise one requires longitude, latitude and altitude of a place. (C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 17

A Day in Hindu Calendar / Panchangam�The Sunrise / Sunset times varies everyday depending on a season and a location. �Thus, the length of a day and a night will vary.�Hence a Hindu day is not exactly 24 hours.�The clock doesn’t reset at midnight.�Normal panchangam convention is to continue clock till next sunrise:�1 am = 25, 2 am =26, 5 am = 29, 6 am=30.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 18

A Day in Hindu Calendar / Panchangam�Newspapers Sunrise: when the top of sun’s disk rises. �Astrological purposes: the middle of sun’s disk rise.�Hence there may be some time difference in sunrise time specified in panchangs and newspapers. �It depends on where you look at it. �Most drik panchangam using the middle of disk should report the same sunrise timings.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 19

Timings in Panchangam� The day begins at sunrise and ends at next sunrise.� English calendar resets clock at midnight. �The timings mentioned in panchangam don't reset at midnight. �1:00 AM is denoted as 25:00, 1:30 AM as 25:30, 4:00 AM as 28:00. �Basically till next day sunrise they keep adding 24 to the time. (C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 20

Timings in PanchangamFor Example: �The Saptami tithi ends on February 1st at 27:53:46. This means It ends on February 2nd at 3:53:46 AM.�On February 3rd Navami tithi ends at 24:25:37 which means it ends on February 4th at 00:25:37 AM.�On February 5th, the Ekadashi tithi ends at 19:13:15. This means Ekadashi tithi ends at 7:13:15 PM.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 21

Lunar Month�Each Lunar month has two halves.�Bright half is known as Shukla Paksha�Dark half is known as Krishna Paksha�Each Lunar month is Moon’s circle around the Earth. Roughly 360 degrees�Each halves is 180 degrees


Lunar Month -- Names�Chitra�Vaishakha�Jyeshtha�Ashaadha�Shrvana�Bhadrapada

�Aashvayuja (Ashwin)�Kartika�Margasira�Pausha�Magha�Phalguna


Phases of Moon�Phases of Moons like Full-moon, Half-moon, New-Moon and others occur due to the Moon’s position in orbit around the Earth. �This is again a phenomena.�The half of moon is always illuminated by the Sun (Except during the lunar eclipses). �Each phase is tithi.�Tithi = (Sun – Moon) / 30�The length of each tithi is 12 degrees.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 24

Phases of Moon -- Tithis�Divided into bright half (Shukla paksha), and the dark half (Krishna Paksha).�Combination of both paksha means a lunar month.�Different Lunar months are in use (Purnimanta, Amanta).


Tithi – Phases of Moon�Tithis are phases of moon as explained before�Length of tithi can range from 19 to 26 hours. �Amavasya: Sun and Moon appear to be together�Purnima: Sun and Moon are 180 degrees apart�Tithis don’t start at midnight and end at midnight.�Tithis don’t start at sunrise and end at another sunrise.�Tithis don’t have a fix starting and ending time.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 26

Tithi – Phases of Moon�For example: �On February 4th Dashami tithi ends at 22:00. �Ekadashi starts right after 22:00. �February 5th, the Ekadashi tithi ends at 19:13.�Dwadashi tithi starts after 19:13 till next day sunrise and even after.


Tithi – Phases of Moon�From one sunrise to another sunrise – A day. �Normally, there will be two tithis in a day. �When three tithis appear in day. It is kshaya tithi. �A Kshaya tithi doesn’t appear at next day sunrise.�When there is only one tithi in a day it is viddhi tithi.�Vriddhi tithi will appear at both consecutive sunrises.�Kshaya and Vriddhi tithis are omitted for auspicious events.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 28

Example of Kshaya tithi�February 8th 2009 – Seattle: �Shukla Chaturdashi ends at 9:50 AM�Purnima starts right after that. It ends at 30:49.�Purnima ends at 6:49 AM on February 9th 2009.�The sunrise on February 9th is at 7:28 AM. �Krishna Prathama prevails till 7:28 AM and beyond.�The Purnima on February 8th 2009 is a kshaya tithi.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 29

Example of Vriddhi tithi�February 18th 2009 – Seattle: �Krishna Dashami started previous day (February 18th2009, at 5:04 AM – before the sunrise of February 18). �The Sunrise on February 18th at 7:13 AM. �Dashami prevails till next day sunrise & beyond. �February 19th Sunrise at 07:11 AM. �Dashami ends at 7:43 AM. It prevails for entire day.�No other tithi prevails for that day. �Hence Dashami is a Vriddhi tithi.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 30

Importance of Tithi�Helps to decide Birthdays, Marriage anniversaries. �Usually the Tithi at the sunrise is the tithi for the day.�This is good for birthdays, anniversaries, ekadashi.�Different rule for vaishnava ekadashi.�Exception exists for festivals, and death anniversaries�Importance in muhurtha: 1 Point.


Tithi Names�Pratipada (Prathama), Dwitiya (Vidiya), Tritiya(Tadiya), Chaturthi (Chavithi), Panchami, Shasthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dashami, Ekadashi, Dwadashi, Trayodashi, Chaturdashi.�Bright half of the last tithi is called Purnima. �The darker half of the last tithi is called Amavasya.


Tithis and Different Locations�Tithis end times are calculated at GMT (UT). �They end at the same instance all over the world. �Tithi times mentioned in Indian calendar is not applicable outside India.�The Sun and the Moon don’t wait in heavens for tithitimes mentioned in Indian panchang to end in other parts of world. They keep moving and hence all astronomical phenomena keep happening.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 33

Vaar -- Day�There are seven major heavenly bodies. �Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus & Saturn. �Ancients in different parts of the world defined a week made of seven days. �Western system: The day starts at midnight.�Indian system: the day start at the sunrise.�Importance in Muhurtha: 8 points.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 34

Zodiac -- Rashis�360 degrees longitudes belt around earth. Zodiac.�Zodiac is divided into 12 equal parts. Rashi�Zodiac is divided into 27 equal parts. – Nakshatra�Each Nakshastra has 4 equal parts called padam.�Each Rashi contains 2 ¼ nakshatras.�Each Rashi has 9 Nakshatra padams.


Nakshatra�Entire zodiac is divided into 27 parts�Each part is constellation -- nakshatra�Each rashi is 2¼ constellation�There are 27 constellations – nakshatra�Each nakshatra is divided into 4 equal parts – Pada�Importance in muhurtha: 4 points.


Nakshatra Names�Ashwini, Bharani, Kritika, Rohini, Mrigashirsha�Ardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashleasha, Magha�Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra�Swati, Vishakha, Anuradha, Jyestha, Moola�Purvashadha, Uttarashadha, Shravan, Dhanistha�Shatabhisha, Purvabhadrapada, Uttarabhadrapada�Revati(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 37

Yoga: Sun + Moon�Addition of Sun and Moon’s longitudes gives us daily yoga. These creates some auspicious yoga and inauspicious yogas.�There are 27 yogas.�Please avoid Vyatipata, Vaidriti, Parigha, Vishkumbha, Vajra, Shoola, Atiganda, Vyagata yoga in your muhurtham calculations.�Yoga gets 32 points in muhurtha.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 38

Karana: Half tithi�Karana are half tithi. �There are seven chara (mobile) karana.�Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Ghara, Vanija, Vishthi�There are four sthira karana.�Shakuni, Chatushpad, Naag, Kitudhsna�Sthira karana are inauspicious. �Chara karana are good except Vishti/Bhadra karana.�Karana gets 16 points in muhurtha.(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 39

Muhurtha�Panchanga Shuddhi is important�Right Day�Right Tithi�Right Nakshatra�Avoid nakshatras occupied by Mars, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu (some includes Sun).�Right Yoga�Right Karana(C) Copyright Pundit Mahesh Shastri, mypanchang.com 40

learn to read hindu panchang, panchanga, panchangam

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