Karana: Complete Guide to the Half-Tithi Panchang Element

What Karana Is - Half a Tithi

To understand करण (karana), begin with the tithi that contains it. A tithi is not a fixed civil day; it is one 12° segment of the Moon-Sun angular separation. Because their relative motion varies, a tithi lasts roughly 20 to 27 hours.

Each tithi is then divided into two equal angular stages. A karana spans the time required for the Moon to gain 6° on the Sun, so two karanas complete one tithi. In practical terms, a karana is a half-tithi: a unit of lunar time that lasts roughly 10 to 13.5 hours.

This precision is the point. The tithi tells you the broad lunar atmosphere of a day, while the karana sharpens that reading to a half-day window. A muhurta practitioner who knows only the tithi knows which river they are standing in, and the karana tells them whether they are in the fast-moving upper stretch or the quieter lower reach.

In Sanskrit, karana also means an "instrument" or a "means of action." That second meaning helps explain its place in timing practice. The tithi supplies the broader lunar tone, while the karana identifies the shorter period in which that tone becomes available for a particular kind of action. It is, in this sense, the practical instrument within the tithi.

The Sixty Karanas of the Lunar Month

A full lunar month contains 30 tithis, and each tithi holds two karanas, giving 60 karana slots per lunar month. These 60 slots do not all contain different karanas. Only 11 distinct karanas exist, and the way they fill those 60 slots reveals the elegant architecture of the system.

The sequence has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Kimstughna occupies its first slot. From the second slot onward, the seven movable karanas repeat eight times, filling 56 slots in all (8 × 7 = 56). This repeated sequence continues through the first half of Krishna Chaturdashi and ends with Vishti.

The three remaining fixed karanas then close the sequence: Shakuni, Chatushpada, and Naga occupy the final three slots. Together, the opening Kimstughna, the 56 movable slots, and the three closing fixed slots form the complete 60-karana sequence used in the Hindu calendar system.

Why Half a Tithi Rather Than a Whole One?

A reasonable question is: why subdivide the tithi at all? If the tithi already carries the lunar quality of a day, what does halving it add?

The answer is practical. In real muhurta work, an activity usually begins at a particular hour, not across an entire lunar day. A business meeting may start in the morning, while a document is signed that afternoon; a journey or course of medical treatment likewise begins at one definite moment.

The tithi can describe the shared lunar atmosphere of that day, but it cannot by itself distinguish between those shorter windows. Karana supplies that finer resolution, allowing the practitioner to compare the first half of a tithi with the second.

Muhurta practice reads karana alongside tithi, nakshatra, and yoga when selecting a precise activity window. Karana is the layer that fine-tunes a day's broader lunar quality into a usable interval within the tithi.

The Two Categories: Fixed and Movable

The 11 karanas divide into two fundamentally different categories, and understanding the difference between them clarifies why the system works the way it does.

Chara Karanas - The Seven Movable Ones

The seven movable karanas are called chara, from the Sanskrit word for "moving" or "changeable." The term describes their place in the calendar: rather than remaining attached to one fixed point in the month, they keep moving through a repeating sequence.

Their names are Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, and Vishti. In that strict order, the seven repeat eight full times and fill 56 of the 60 karana slots. A chara karana is therefore movable not because the order changes, but because the same karana returns at several different points in the month.

The ordering is fixed, however. Bava always precedes Balava, which always precedes Kaulava, and so on through Vishti. Once you know which chara karana is running and what the current tithi is, you can calculate exactly which karanas follow and in what order. The seven-step cycle gives the lunar month a predictable internal rhythm.

Sthira Karanas - The Four Fixed Ones

The four fixed karanas are called sthira, from the Sanskrit word for "stable" or "immovable." Here too, the name describes their calendar position. Each sthira karana appears exactly once per lunar month and always occupies the same structural moment.

These four are Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, and Kimstughna. Unlike the repeating chara cycle, they do not circulate through the middle of the month. Kimstughna opens the sequence, while the other three bring it to a close.

The fixed karanas carry distinct traditional associations. Kimstughna opens the 60-slot cycle; Shakuni closes Krishna Chaturdashi, and Chatushpada and Naga occupy the two halves of Amavasya. Their fixed positions make them useful as bookmarks in the sequence.

The Four Fixed Karanas

The four sthira karanas each carry distinct associations and occupy specific, predictable positions in the lunar month. They appear only once each per month, which is partly why their individual character matters more than their sequence.

Kimstughna - The Cycle's First Karana

Kimstughna opens the 60-slot karana cycle in the first half of Shukla Pratipada, the first tithi of the bright fortnight. Anchoring the cycle to that tithi keeps it clear across regional conventions for naming lunar months. Traditions differ on its presiding deity, while muhurta practice generally treats it as an auspicious opening connected with freshness, protection, and clarity.

Because it falls at the opening of the bright fortnight and the karana cycle, Kimstughna carries the quality of fresh commencement rather than continuation. Traditional guidance therefore favours it for an enterprise, an important piece of writing, or a journey.

Shakuni - The Omen-Bird Karana

Shakuni occupies the second half of Krishna Chaturdashi, the 14th tithi of the dark fortnight, just before Amavasya begins. It is often associated with Kali. The name Shakuni refers to a bird and also carries the sense of an omen-bearing bird, which supports the karana's traditional cautionary character.

Traditional muhurta guidance treats Shakuni with caution for ordinary worldly beginnings. Its position just before Amavasya connects it with ancestral rites, closure, and practices directed toward difficult or hidden matters rather than outward expansion.

Chatushpada - The Four-Footed Karana

Chatushpada occupies the first half of Amavasya. The name chatushpada means "four-footed," and this karana is traditionally associated with cattle, land, agriculture, and the grounded qualities of earth.

For activities connected to agriculture, dealing in land or cattle, and laying foundations - whether literal or metaphorical - Chatushpada has traditionally been considered workable. Its proximity to Amavasya still calls for caution with major new initiations, but earthy, stabilising activities find a natural fit in its character.

Naga - The Serpent Karana

Naga occupies the second half of Amavasya, the new moon tithi. Tradition associates it with the Nagas, the serpent beings of Indian religious traditions commonly linked with water and subterranean realms. In muhurta interpretation, Naga shares Amavasya's inward and closing quality.

Traditional guidance advises against new worldly ventures during Naga and instead associates it with pitru-related rites, introspection, and the quiet closing of cycles. The distinction is not between energy and its absence, but between inward attention and outward expansion.

The Seven Movable Karanas

The seven chara karanas cycle in a fixed sequence, repeating eight times to fill 56 karana slots. Tradition gives each one a deity association and a character used to match it with different categories of activity. The table below gives an overview of all 11 karanas for quick reference.

Walking through each movable karana in detail makes the distinctions practical rather than abstract.

Bava - The Expansive Beginning

Bava is the first of the seven movable karanas in the cycling sequence, and its traditional character reflects that position. It is associated with Indra, the king of the devas, which gives Bava a bold, expansive quality. Muhurta guidance commonly favours it for auspicious beginnings, government or official matters, taking up important positions, and ventures that require public visibility.

Bava is generally considered the most broadly auspicious of the chara karanas. When a muhurta practitioner is trying to find a half-day window that strengthens almost any kind of new beginning, Bava is the first place they look.

Balava - The Creative and Sacred

Tradition associates Balava with Brahma, the creator within the Hindu trimurti. This connection aligns the karana with creative work, learning, sacred study, and devotional beginnings, so it is commonly favoured for starting a course of study or a creative project.

Where Bava favours bold worldly beginnings, Balava carries a quieter creative character. Traditional guidance therefore uses it for important writing, sustained learning, or a new spiritual practice.

Kaulava - The Karana of Partnership

Kaulava is associated with Mitra, the Vedic deity of friendship, agreement, and contract. This makes Kaulava naturally suited to all cooperative activities: forming partnerships, signing agreements, entering into social commitments, and activities that require mutual goodwill to succeed. It is also considered favourable for activities within the family circle and for extending hospitality.

Taitila - Grace and Generosity

Tradition associates Taitila with Aryaman, one of the Adityas connected with hospitality, social custom, and honourable relationships. Taitila is therefore used for giving gifts, charitable acts, formal social occasions, and the honouring of elders or teachers.

Gara - The Earth Karana

Tradition associates Gara with Prithvi, the Earth. Its grounded character suits agricultural work, land dealings, construction, and physical labour. Rather than a bold beginning, Gara represents steady, methodical activity such as starting a garden, laying a foundation, or tending to property.

Vanija - The Merchant's Karana

Vanija is the merchant's karana. The name vanija itself means "merchant" or "trader," and this is the karana the tradition singles out as best suited to commerce, buying, selling, and business activity of all kinds. Opening a shop, finalising a trade deal, making a significant purchase, or launching a commercial enterprise are all considered well-timed during Vanija.

Vanija's mercantile association also carries an implicit reminder about the quality of commerce it supports. The strongest use of this karana is not restless buying and selling for its own sake, but trade that is orderly, clearly agreed, and aligned with mutual benefit.

Vishti (Bhadra) Karana - A Key Caution Period

Vishti is the seventh and final karana in the movable sequence, and it is one of the most carefully observed in daily Panchang use. Its other name, Bhadra, is widely used in North India and is often printed in Panchangs as a caution period.

Tradition associates Vishti with Yama, the deity of death and dharma. In the logic of muhurta, this connects Vishti with endings, closure, cutting away, and dissolution, which in turn shapes the activities for which the period is considered suitable.

A new venture asks for growth and continuity, while Vishti is understood to carry movement in the opposite direction. Traditional muhurta guidance therefore cautions against elective beginnings in this window, associating them with obstacles, delays, or reversals.

What to Avoid During Vishti (Bhadra)

Traditional muhurta guidance commonly advises avoiding the following elective beginnings during Vishti:

• Weddings and marriage ceremonies of any kind
• Beginning a journey, especially a long or important one
• Starting a new business or commercial venture
• Conducting griha pravesh (housewarming)
• Signing important contracts or agreements
• Performing upanayana (sacred thread ceremony) or other major samskaras
• Electively scheduling the start of non-urgent medical treatment, when a safe alternative is available
• Planting crops or beginning agricultural activity

The traditional reasoning contrasts Vishti's symbolism of dissolution with the growth sought from a new beginning. The image is like choosing not to build a wall while a strong tide is coming in: for an elective undertaking meant to endure, muhurta practice looks for a more supportive window.

Exceptions and Permitted Uses

Vishti is not treated as unsuitable for every purpose. Its practical use depends on whether the activity itself concerns growth or, instead, cutting, clearing, and closure.

The exception follows the same principle as the caution. Activities already oriented toward destruction, cutting, or closure are considered workable, and sometimes even favoured, during Vishti. In these cases, the purpose of the activity matches the karana rather than resisting it.

Traditional guidance includes demolishing an old structure, cutting hair and nails, clearing away old belongings, and removing pests among Vishti's workable uses. Some practitioners extend the same symbolism to surgery because cutting is part of the procedure, but this is a timing interpretation, not medical guidance. Urgency, clinical need, and the treating professional's advice must always take priority.

Vishti is also considered workable for routine or repetitive tasks that do not require a new beginning, such as continuing ongoing work or maintaining existing systems. The traditional concern is with initiating something new, not with continuing sound work already under way.

Practical Tracking of Bhadra

Because Vishti recurs with every seventh movable-karana slot in the cycle, it appears 8 times in a lunar month, each time lasting one karana. Many printed and digital Panchangs mark the Bhadra period explicitly, often with its start and end times. For serious muhurta work, it is commonly tracked alongside other caution periods such as Rahu Kalam.

Karana in Muhurta Calculation

A full muhurta reading does not treat Karana as a stand-alone verdict. It assesses all five Panchang elements together: Vara, the day of the week; Tithi, the lunar day; Nakshatra, the lunar mansion; Yoga, the additive relationship of the Sun and Moon; and Karana, the half-tithi.

Each element describes a different layer of the chosen moment. The practical question is therefore not whether a karana is favourable in isolation, but how much weight it should carry after the other four elements have been considered.

The Hierarchy of Panchang Elements

Muhurta methods weigh the five Panchang elements according to the activity and the tradition being followed. Many practitioners begin with Nakshatra and Tithi, then consider Vara, Yoga, and Karana, but the exact hierarchy is not universal. Karana usually refines the choice once the broader conditions have been assessed.

Karana becomes decisive once the broader filters leave two otherwise similar choices. Suppose the Tithi and Nakshatra are acceptable throughout the day, and the practitioner must choose between a morning window and an afternoon window. The day-level conditions are shared, so the karana running in each half becomes the useful point of comparison.

If the morning falls in Bava and the afternoon in Vishti, with everything else equal, the contrast is clear. Bava supports the beginning, while Vishti introduces the specific caution discussed above. The Bava window is therefore the natural choice.

When a planetary combination or a Yoga is considered difficult but the tithi and nakshatra are supportive, the Karana adds another point of comparison. Vishti may be a reason to set aside an elective beginning, while Bava or Balava can support a window that is already broadly acceptable. A favourable karana should not be used to erase a major problem elsewhere in the muhurta.

When Karana Becomes the Sole Deciding Factor

Karana becomes especially useful when time constraints leave two windows with similar tithi and nakshatra quality. In a practical consultation, schedule, location, and other real-world limits may narrow the choice to only a few candidate hours.

In these situations, identifying the karana in each candidate window becomes a practical deciding factor. For a commercial activity, Vanija or Bava may be preferred when the alternative is Gara or Taitila. A Vishti window is usually set aside for an elective beginning, while the final decision still considers the complete muhurta and any applicable regional rules.

Karana and the Concept of Chandrabala

In the broader system of muhurta, the Moon's position is also assessed through chandrabala. The term refers here to the Moon's strength as judged from the natal Moon sign of the person for whom the time is being selected. It answers a different question from Karana: chandrabala concerns how the transiting Moon relates to that person, while Karana describes the active half-tithi itself.

The two are therefore read in coordination. Strong chandrabala combined with a favourable karana reinforces the window from both directions. A favourable karana should not be assumed to cancel weak chandrabala; where possible, the practitioner chooses a time in which both are well aligned.

Auspicious Karanas for Specific Activities

Traditional muhurta guidance matches activities with karanas through their deity associations and attributed character. These are contextual choices within a full muhurta assessment, not guarantees of an outcome.

For Travel

For a freely timed journey, traditional guidance favours karanas associated with forward movement and protection, including Bava, Balava, and Vanija. Kaulava may suit travel centred on meetings or negotiation. Vishti carries a caution for the start of a journey, so a flexible departure is generally placed outside Bhadra.

For Marriage Ceremonies

For a wedding muhurta, the karana in which the actual ceremony, particularly the saptapadi, begins is one part of the selection. Bava and Balava are traditionally favoured for marriage rites, while Kaulava suits their emphasis on partnership and agreement. Vishti carries a strong traditional caution because a wedding is a new beginning intended to endure.

For Business and Commerce

Vanija is the traditional choice for commerce, fitting its name's association with a merchant. Bava is also favoured for opening a venture, while Kaulava's association with Mitra suits contracts and partnerships. Gara is commonly chosen for work involving land or physical property. New commercial initiatives are generally avoided during Vishti because they seek growth and continuity.

For Starting Medicine or Medical Treatment

For a freely schedulable, non-urgent start of treatment, traditional muhurta guidance favours Bava, Balava, and Taitila and generally avoids Vishti. Some practitioners read Vishti's cutting symbolism as compatible with surgery, but no astrological timing rule should delay urgent care or override clinical advice. Medical need and the treating professional's schedule come first.

For Learning and Spiritual Practice

Balava's traditional Brahma association makes it a favoured choice for beginning a course of study, a new text, or a spiritual practice. Bava is also used for such beginnings. For mantra diksha or sustained japa, the karana remains one factor within the fuller muhurta.

How to Find the Current Karana

Calculating the running karana requires two pieces of information: the current tithi number and the half of that tithi (first or second) in which the moment falls. Once you have those, identifying the karana follows from a systematic process.

The Calculation Method

Start by identifying the current tithi. Recall that a tithi is defined by the Moon-Sun angular separation in the zodiac, measured in 12° increments. Shukla Pratipada (the first tithi of the bright fortnight) begins when the Moon is 0°-12° ahead of the Sun; Shukla Dvitiya is 12°-24°; and so on through Purnima at 168°-180°. The dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) then runs from Purnima back toward Amavasya over the same 15-step sequence.

Once the tithi and its half are known, place that half in the month's 60-slot sequence. The first half of Shukla Pratipada is karana 1, occupied by the fixed karana Kimstughna. Its second half is karana 2, where the movable cycle begins.

From karana 2 through karana 57, count repeatedly through Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, and Vishti. After Vishti, return to Bava and begin the same seven-part order again. The sequence changes only after slot 57.

Karanas 58, 59, and 60 are the remaining fixed karanas. Shakuni falls in the second half of Krishna Chaturdashi; Chatushpada and Naga then occupy the first and second halves of Amavasya. This closing trio completes the month before Kimstughna opens the next sequence.

A Worked Example

Suppose the current moment falls in the first half of Shukla Shashthi, the sixth tithi of the bright fortnight. Begin at the opening of the month: Kimstughna occupied the first half of Shukla Pratipada, so it was slot 1. The second half of Pratipada was slot 2.

Both halves of Dvitiya, Tritiya, Chaturthi, and Panchami account for slots 3 through 10. The first half of Shukla Shashthi must therefore be slot 11. This first step identifies the slot; the second identifies which movable karana occupies it.

Starting with Bava at slot 2, count forward in order: 2=Bava, 3=Balava, 4=Kaulava, 5=Taitila, 6=Gara, 7=Vanija, and 8=Vishti. The cycle then restarts, giving 9=Bava, 10=Balava, and 11=Kaulava. The first half of Shukla Shashthi is therefore Kaulava karana.

In practice, this calculation is handled by any published Panchang or digital Panchang application. The value of knowing the method is that it helps you verify a Panchang entry and understand why a given day's karana is what it is, rather than simply reading it as a given.

Karana in the Panchang

A physical or printed Panchang lists the five daily elements, but the layout varies by publisher and region. Look for Karana among those entries rather than assuming it will always be the fifth column or row. Many traditional Panchangs give each karana's end time to the minute for the relevant location. This precision matters because a karana can change at any point in a civil day.

How Regional Panchangs Present Karana

In North Indian Panchangs (particularly those following the Vikrama Samvat and published in Hindi), the karana is typically listed as the abbreviated name followed by its end time in the local clock. A typical Panchang entry might read: "करण: बव (समाप्ति 11:32), बालव (समाप्ति 24:08)" - meaning the morning karana is Bava ending at 11:32, followed by Balava ending at approximately midnight. The entry is compact but precise.

South Indian Panchangs may present the same information in a different order. Many digital Panchangs and Jyotish applications compute karanas from Swiss Ephemeris or comparable astronomical data, then provide location-specific transition times.

For daily Panchang users, the Bhadra (Vishti) window is often called out with a specific alert. If a Panchang marks Bhadra for a particular period, treat it as a strong caution for elective beginnings and weigh it with the other Panchang elements and the regional rules being followed.

Reading a Physical Panchang for Karana

If you are reading a traditional printed Panchang, look for the column or field labeled करण (karana). Some Panchangs use the Sanskrit abbreviations directly: Bav (बव), Bal (बल), Kau (कौ), Tai (तै), Gar (गर), Van (वण), Vis (वि), Sha (शकु), Cha (चतु), Nag (नाग), Kim (किं). Next to each name is typically the time at which that karana ends and the next one begins. The first entry gives you the karana running from the previous day's end or from the start of the local astronomical day (often measured from sunrise), and subsequent entries give the transitions through the day.

Karana vs. Yoga - How These Two Elements Interact

Karana and Yoga are often the most misunderstood pair in the Panchang, partly because they are the two elements that most people encounter last when learning the five-limb system. Clarifying how they differ - and how they work together - makes the full Panchang more readable.

What Yoga Is and How It Differs from Karana

The word Yoga can refer to more than one kind of astrological combination, so the Panchang meaning needs to be kept distinct. Here, the longitudes of the Sun and Moon are added, the sum is reduced to the 0°-360° circle, and the result is divided into 13°20' segments. This produces one of 27 Panchang yogas, ranging from Vishkambha to Vaidhriti.

These are not the planetary yogas read from combinations in a birth chart. A Panchang Yoga is a timing factor derived specifically from the combined longitude of the two luminaries.

The key difference is what the two calculations measure. Karana follows the distance by which the Moon has moved ahead of the Sun, so it develops directly from the tithi. Yoga instead adds the positions of the Sun and Moon, making it a measure of their combined longitude.

For the same moment, then, Karana describes one half of the Moon's separation cycle from the Sun, while Yoga describes the combined placement of both luminaries. Because the calculations ask different questions, they can give different guidance without contradicting one another.

When Yoga and Karana Point the Same Way

The most reliable muhurta windows are those where both the Yoga and the Karana are supportive. The Panchangs most used for marriage muhurta check specifically for the co-occurrence of auspicious Panchang yogas, such as Sukarma, Siddha, or Shubha, with auspicious karanas. When Yoga and Karana agree, the window has both a broad quality (from the Yoga) and a directional half-day confirmation (from the Karana).

When They Conflict

A window can have a difficult Yoga, such as Vyatipata or Vaidhriti, but a supportive karana. It can also have an auspicious Yoga while falling partly in Vishti. There is no universal rule that one of these factors always overrides the other. For major muhurtas, the practitioner weighs the activity, the full Panchang, and the method being followed; for ordinary tasks, a supportive karana may still be useful when no major prohibition applies.

The Five-Limb Panchang - Vara, Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana

A well-read daily Panchang considers all five limbs together: Vara (weekday), Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (the Moon's mansion), Yoga (the combined Sun-Moon position), and Karana (half-tithi). The word panchanga literally means "five limbs," and muhurta practice reads them together rather than relying on Nakshatra or Tithi alone.

In this system, Karana is the instrument of fine adjustment. It adds the half-day layer that makes it possible to say not just "this day is good for a beginning" but "this half of this day is the right window." The tithi and nakshatra point to the right stretch of river, while the karana shows which bank is better to step from.

Practical Application for Modern Life

Modern life does not pause for ideal muhurtas, and most of us are not checking the Panchang before every meeting or errand. But karana is actually one of the easiest Panchang elements to incorporate into daily planning, because it requires knowing only one thing: is the current or upcoming half-day Vishti, and if so, when does it end?

The Minimum Karana Practice

The most actionable practice from karana awareness is to check Vishti before an elective beginning. If a flexible activity, such as signing a contract or beginning a major project, falls during Vishti (Bhadra), move it by a few hours when practical. Medical care is different: never delay urgent treatment or disregard a clinician's advice for astrological timing. For genuinely flexible plans, shifting beyond the marked Bhadra window is the simplest way to apply karana awareness.

Using Favourable Karanas to Strengthen Windows

Beyond Vishti avoidance, you can use favourable karana knowledge proactively. If you are choosing between two possible days to close a commercial deal, and one day's afternoon happens to fall in Vanija while the other's afternoon falls in Gara, the first day has a natural advantage for commerce even if everything else looks similar. This kind of deliberate scheduling is within reach for anyone who checks the daily Panchang - and most digital Panchangs now list the current and upcoming karana as a standard element.

Karana and the Five-Minute Morning Check

A simple way to incorporate Panchang awareness into a busy schedule is the five-minute morning review. Before the day begins, check three things: the tithi running today (and whether it is an avoidance tithi like Rikta), the Vishti window if any (and when it starts and ends), and the Nakshatra if something important is planned. With those three elements, you have the most practically relevant information the Panchang offers, and the karana element is already baked into the second item. You do not need to compute everything from scratch; you need to know when to step back and reschedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is karana in the Panchang?

Karana is the fifth element of the Panchang (the Vedic daily calendar), equal to half a tithi (lunar day). There are 11 distinct karanas - four fixed (sthira) and seven movable (chara) - that cycle through 60 karana slots in each lunar month. Karana is used in muhurta selection to identify auspicious and inauspicious half-day windows for starting activities.

How many karanas are there in a lunar month?

There are 60 karana slots in a lunar month, two for each of the 30 tithis. Only 11 distinct karanas fill these 60 slots: four fixed karanas appear once each, and the seven movable karanas cycle eight times through the remaining 56 slots.

What is Vishti (Bhadra) karana and why is it avoided?

Vishti, also called Bhadra in North Indian tradition, is the seventh movable karana and a widely observed caution period in muhurta practice. It is traditionally associated with Yama and with endings rather than growth, so elective beginnings such as ventures, marriages, and journeys are generally avoided. Medical urgency and clinical advice must always take priority over astrological timing.

Which karana is best for beginning a business?

Vanija is a traditional choice for commerce: its name means "merchant," and muhurta guidance associates it with trade and orderly exchange. Bava, traditionally associated with Indra, is also favoured for a bold new venture, while Kaulava suits partnerships and agreements. The final choice still depends on the full muhurta.

What is the difference between the fixed and movable karanas?

The four fixed (sthira) karanas - Kimstughna, Shakuni, Chatushpada, and Naga - each appear exactly once per lunar month at specific, unchanging positions in the lunar calendar. The seven movable (chara) karanas - Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, and Vishti - cycle repeatedly through the remaining karana slots in a fixed sequence, appearing multiple times per lunar month.

How does karana relate to the other Panchang elements?

Karana provides timing detail within a tithi, while Vara, Tithi, Nakshatra, and Yoga describe other layers of the Panchang. Its weight varies with the activity and the muhurta method being followed. When two candidate windows are otherwise similar, the running karana can help distinguish between them.

Explore Karana with Paramarsh

You now know how karana works: it divides a tithi into two angular stages; four fixed karanas mark the ends of the 60-slot cycle, while seven movable ones fill its middle; and Vishti (Bhadra) provides a widely observed caution for elective beginnings. Read alongside Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, and Vara, the running karana helps refine a muhurta without replacing the full assessment. Paramarsh provides a location-specific daily Panchang with current karana transitions, Bhadra alerts, and the complete five-limb context.

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