Panchanga and Muhurta: A Journey into the World of Vedic Astrology

After a child is born, the first thing the parents and the family Jyotishi looks for is the Panchanga and the condition of Chandra. Life is expected to be favourable if the Panchanga elements and their governors are favourable. Panchanga is incredibly useful in Muhurta and Prashna. While the use of Panchanga in Muhurta is widely discussed, its usage in Prashna is largely hidden.

For classifying time, the Nakshatras are classified into Kshipra, Ugra, Mishra, Dhruva, Mridu, Tikshna and Chara. The effects of the Nakshatras are based on these classes. All have effects following their nomenclatures. The Varas are classified into Saumya and Krura. The Yogas (Nitya yogas) are also classified as Shubha and Ashubha. Out of 27 yogas, 8 are considered Ashubha. The four Sthirakaranas are avoided for Shubhakarmas. Among the seven Chara, Vishthi is avoided. The Tithis are classified into five groups Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya, Rikta and Purna. The Rikta Tithi, 4, 9 and 14 are avoided. Generally, the Oja Tithis, besides the 9th, is favourable.

A well-selected Muhurta can help in tilting the balance towards the favourable side, even though the Janmakundali has negative yogas. Muhurta allows us to overcome the blemishes of a Janmakundali to an extent. This proves that indications of a Janmakundali are not set in stone, and life allows us to make the best use of options granted to us.