Understanding Panchangam

In Vedic astrology, the basic tenet of astrology was integrated with celestial events and thus was born various branches of Vedic astrology and the Panchānga. In simple terms, " Panchānga" means the Day, Nakshatra (Star), Thithi, Yoga and Karana every day. It is a mirror of the sky. The document used as Panchāngam has evolved over the last 5000 years. The theories propounded in the two scriptures, Surya Siddhanta and Grahalaghava formed the basis for the plethora of calendars or Panchāngas in the past in different regions of the country - a culturally complex system.

The five Angas or parts of Panchāngam are elaborated in the following paragraphs but before that the composition of the Samvatsara OR Years (60 Years cycle), Varsha or Year and Masa or month are first explained, as these important calendar events are part of every Panchānga. All the components of Panchangam are relevant in Predictive Astrology, Prasna Shastra (electional astrology), etc.

All followers and practitioners of Vedic astrology must know how to read a Panchāngam and in this context it is necessary to know the terminology used in the Panchāngam for different time slots of the day. Panchāngas are also published in English as Ephemeris - The Lahiris Ephemeris is most widely used, which gives all the details as contained in a traditional Panchāngam published in Sanskrit or Hindi and all the regional languages of the country.

There are several forms of reckoning the varsha or year based on solar entry (solar ingress), lunar entry, Jupiter entry in a sign or the Julian calendar of starting the year from the first of January, but the most widely accepted practice in India is the Samvatsara, a 60 years cycle based on solar entry. Each zodiacal sign is represented by fixed years starting from Pramadi and the sixty years are equally distributed in successive order among the twelve signs (Rasis) starting from Mesha (Aries) and ending in Meena (Pisces).

Varsha or the year, used in astrological context refers to the solar calendar of year and months, which starts with Sun entering Aries (Mesha Rasi) and completing a full circle of the zodiac in a period of twelve months.

There are two kinds of lunar months followed in India - the new moon ending called the Amanta or Sukladi system and the full moon ending (covering one full moon to the next) called the Purnimanta system. But it is the lunar months full moon reckoned), which are reckoned in predictive astrology, and each represents the name of the star on full moon day of the solar months. The twelve lunar months starting from Chaitra along with the names of the solar months are given below.

In Vedic astrology, the basic tenets of astrology were integrated with celestial events with vara or weekday and thus was born the Muhurtha astrology or electional astrology).

In astrological parlance Thithi has great significance in the fact that each Thithi from 1 to 14 in both Pakshas has what are called daghda rasis or burnt rasis – two rasis for each thithi except Chaturdasi which has four daghda rasis. But new moon and full moon have no dagdha rasis. The thithis are divided into five groups as under.

♦ Nanda (Ananda or Joyous) thithi - Prathipada (1st), Shasti (6th) and Ekadashi (11th);

♦ Bhadra (Arogya or Mangala or Healthy) thithis on – Dwitiya (2nd), Saptami (7th) and Dwadashi (12th);

♦ Jaya (Victory) Thithi –Tuesday- Tritiya (3rd), Ashtami (8th ) and Trayodashi (13th);

♦ Rikktha (Loss or Nashta) thitihis – Saturday - Chathurthi (4th) Navami (9th) and Chaturdasi (14th);

♦ Poorna (Sampoorna - Full Moon or New Moon) thithis –Thursday Panchami (5th), Dashami (10th) and Amavasya (New Moon) or Poornima.

A unique Vedic system is followed in Muhurtha astrology, Hoary astrology and predictive astrology, which envisages grouping of Nakshtaras (stars) into nine sub-groups. Each sub-group covers three stars and has a specific name of 'Tara' proceeded by a word defining benefic or malefic nature. These are found to be extremely useful in Vedic astrology which is widely practiced in India.

The nine taras (star groups) by their individual names are listed below:

♦ Janma (Birth/Ascendant/Lagna) Tara – The Janma (Birth Star/Ascendant Star also known as Lagna Nakshatra) Nakshatra, the 10th from Janma nakshatra also known as Karna nakshatra and the 19th from Janma nakshatra known as Adhana nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Sampat Tara – The 2nd the 11th and the 20th Nakshatras counted from Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Vipat Tara – The 3rd, the 12th and the 21st stars counted from Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Kshema Tara – The 4th, the 13th and the 22nd Nakshatras counted from the janama nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Pratyak Tara – The 5t, the 14th, and the 23rd nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Sadhaka Tara – The 6th, the 15th, and the 24th nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Nidhana Tara – The 7th, the 16th, and the 25th nakshatras from the Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Mitra Tara – The 8th, the 17th and the 26th nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.

♦ Ati or Parama Mitra Tara – The 9th, the 18th and the 27th nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.