Panchanga: The Glossary

Panchanga literally means five angas or limbs. They are 'vaara, thithi, nakshatra, yoga and Karana'..

Karana

The Karana is half a tithi, i.e. when the longitudes of Sun and Moon are increased by 6 degrees...

Yoga

The period of time during which the joint motion in longitude, or the sum of the motions, of the Sun and the Moon, is increased by 13 degrees and 20' is called 'yoga' meaning literally 'addition'.  

Vaara

Like in Europe, the weekdays are named after Sun, Moon and the major five planets. Thus Aadi, Soma, Mangala, Buddha, Guru, Shukra, and Shani.

The moment of new Moon or that point of time when the longitudes of Sun and Moon are equal is called Amavasya literally meaning that Sun and Moon are dwelling together.

Tithi

A tithi is a time occupied by the moon in extending its distance from the Sun exactly by 12 degrees. It means at the exact point of time, when the Moon moving eastwards from the Sun, after Amavasya, leaves the Sub behind by 12 degrees, the first tithi, Pratipada, ends. And so with the rest, the complete synodic revolution of the Moon or one lunation occupying 30 Tithis for the 360 degrees. (The Tithi are: Prathami, Dwitiya, Tritiya, Chaturthi, Panchami, Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dasami, Ekadasi, Dwaadasi, Triyodasi, Chaturdasi, Panchami/Amavasya, the 30th day).

However, based on the speed of the Sun and Moon which vary in motion alter the tithi length, even those differences are calculated. Astronomically speaking when the distance between the two is the farthest i.e., 180 degrees, it is called Pournima.

Nakshatra

The 27th part of the ecliptic is called a nakshatra. Thus each nakshatra occupies 13 degrees and 20'. The time the Moon or any other body requires to travel over this 27th part of the ecliptic is called a Nakshatra. The Moon travels daily one nakshatra and we have 27 nakshtras' in all.