Aaj Ka Panchang: How to Read Today's Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga & Karana

Aaj ka panchang is the Vedic day-page: five astronomical elements plus the day's good and bad windows. Pancha (five) + anga (limbs) — tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana. Learn to read these five and you can decode any panchang page, app, or temple notice board in seconds.

The five limbs, one by one

1. Tithi — the lunar day

The Moon moves ~12° away from the Sun per tithi. Fifteen tithis per fortnight:

• Shukla Paksha (waxing): Pratipada (1) → Purnima (15, full moon)
• Krishna Paksha (waning): Pratipada (16) → Amavasya (30, new moon)

Tithi decides festivals (Diwali = Kartika Amavasya), fasts (Ekadashi = 11th tithi), and muhurta (avoid rikta: 4th, 9th, 14th). A tithi can begin/end at any clock time and occasionally spans two sunrises or none (kshaya).

2. Vara — the weekday

Sunday→Saturday, each ruled by a planet. Vara sets Rahu Kaal segments, Hora sequences, and weekday suitability (e.g., weddings prefer Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri).

3. Nakshatra — the Moon's mansion

One of 27 lunar mansions (Ashwini → Revati), each 13°20′. The nakshatra gives the day its muhurta character — some stars favor weddings, others travel, others nothing at all. Your birth nakshatra also anchors your entire Vedic chart.

4. Yoga — the Sun+Moon arc

(Sun's longitude + Moon's longitude) ÷ 13°20′ → 27 yogas (Vishkambha → Vaidhriti). Most are neutral-to-good; Vyatipata and Vaidhriti are avoided for beginnings.

5. Karana — the half-tithi

Each tithi splits into two karanas (11 types cycling). The one to know: Vishti, a.k.a. Bhadra — its window is avoided for auspicious starts.

Reading a panchang entry — worked example

Shukla Shashthi, nakshatra Jyeshtha (till 6:47 AM), yoga Shobhana, karana Kaulava, vara Friday. Sunrise 6:26, sunset 5:57. Rahu Kaal 10:56–12:24. Abhijit 11:42–12:28.

Translation: it's the 6th waxing lunar day; the Moon leaves Jyeshtha at 6:47 AM (so plan by the next nakshatra after that); the yoga is auspicious; the karana is fine; Friday. Don't begin things 10:56–12:24; the 11:42–12:28 Abhijit window is your default good slot (note it overlaps Rahu Kaal here — Abhijit traditionally overrides for most purposes, but the strictest observers wait).

The windows that matter daily

Amanta vs purnimanta — why month names differ

North India ends lunar months on Purnima (purnimanta); South/West on Amavasya (amanta). Same day, different month name — the #1 cause of "my app says Kartika, my pandit says Ashwin" confusion. Tithi and nakshatra are unaffected; only the month label changes.

A real panchang page, decoded line by line

Here's how a pandit reads a typical entry — practice on today's:

1. "Shukla Shashthi" → 6th waxing lunar day. Good tithi (not rikta). Festivals/fasts keyed here.
2. "Nakshatra Jyeshtha till 6:47 AM" → Moon leaves Jyeshtha at 6:47 AM; whatever you start after that runs under Mula. This is why muhurta hours matter more than dates.
3. "Yoga Shobhana" → check it's not Vyatipata/Vaidhriti. Shobhana = fine.
4. "Karana Kaulava" → not Vishti/Bhadra. Fine.
5. "Vara Friday" → Venus day; Rahu Kaal = 4th eighth of daytime.
6. Sunrise/sunset → anchor every window: Rahu Kaal, Abhijit, choghadiya segments.
7. "Rahu Kaal 10:56–12:24" → don't begin things here.
8. "Abhijit 11:42–12:28" → the day's default good window (note the overlap with Rahu Kaal — when they collide, the strictest observers pick another day; most accept Abhijit).

Read five entries like this and the panchang stops being a wall of Sanskrit and becomes a daily dashboard. Within a week, you'll glance at any panchang — app, newspaper, or temple board — and know instantly whether the day supports your plans.

Frequently asked questions

Which panchang should NRIs follow?

Use your local sunrise for daily windows, but tithi-based festivals follow the family's regional tradition. When a festival's tithi straddles two local days, most temples publish the call — follow your local temple.

What is "udaya tithi"?

The tithi prevailing at sunrise — the classical "tithi of the day." Festivals and fasts are usually assigned by udaya tithi, with exceptions for night-observed ones (Diwali, Holika Dahan, Karwa Chauth).

Why do two apps show different tithis?

Different ayanamsa values, different sunrise definitions, or one app showing the current tithi vs the udaya tithi. Day-level differences are rare; when they occur, it's usually a boundary tithi.

For today's complete panchang — five limbs, Rahu Kaal, choghadiya, and shubh windows computed for your city — use our free panchangam & muhurta tool.