Karana in Panchang: 11 Karanas Decoded for Daily Decisions

Reviewed by Shri Ankit Bansal, Vedic Astrology & Panchang Expert — May 2026

Karana in Panchang is the fourth of the five limbs (Panchangas) of the Hindu almanac — the others being Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, and Vaar. As of 2026, Karana is one of the most practically used Panchang elements for daily decision-making because it operates at a finer time resolution than the Tithi, dividing each lunar day into two equal halves. This granularity allows traditional practitioners to identify the best half-day windows for specific activities with precision that Tithi alone cannot provide.

> Quick Answer: Karana is exactly half of a Tithi — one Karana spans the time the Moon takes to move 6 degrees relative to the Sun. There are 11 Karanas in total: 7 movable (Chara) and 4 fixed (Sthira). Each lunar month contains 60 Karanas. The movable Karanas repeat in a cycle; the fixed ones appear only at specific points in the month.

> Quick Answer: Karana is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning "cause" or "instrument of action." In the Panchang context, it refers to the half-tithi period — the time during which the Moon moves 6 degrees relative to the Sun. A single Tithi contains two Karanas: one in its first half and one in its second half. Each Karana carries a distinct quality for decision-making.

The concept of Karana as a Panchang limb is documented in the earliest layers of Vedic astronomical literature. The Vedanga Jyotisha, one of the six auxiliary sciences of the Vedas, references the five Panchang elements, and Karana is named among them. The later Muhurta Chintamani and Dharmasindhu elaborate extensively on how each Karana governs different categories of daily activity.

The calculation of Karana is direct: take the Moon's longitude relative to the Sun (the same calculation used for Tithi). Divide this by 6 degrees. The quotient gives the Karana number in the monthly sequence. Since a full lunar month contains 30 Tithis and each Tithi has 2 Karanas, there are 60 Karana periods per lunar month.

Of the 11 Karanas, 7 are Chara (movable) — meaning they repeat throughout the month in a fixed cycle — and 4 are Sthira (fixed) — meaning each appears only once in the entire lunar month, at specific non-repeating positions.

> Quick Answer: The 7 movable Karanas are Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanija, and Vishti (also called Bhadra). They cycle repeatedly through the lunar month from the second half of Shukla Pratipada through the first half of Krishna Chaturdashi. Each movable Karana appears eight times in a lunar month.

The seven Chara Karanas repeat in the same fixed order throughout the lunar month, cycling eight times from the second half of Shukla Pratipada (day 1 of the bright fortnight) to the first half of Krishna Chaturdashi (day 14 of the dark fortnight):

1. Bava — Governed by Shiva. Bava is generally auspicious, supporting activities that require stability and blessing. The Muhurta Chintamani describes Bava as good for starting new work, performing rituals, and beginning journeys.

2. Balava — Governed by Brahma. Balava is auspicious for religious ceremonies, educational activities, and acts of creation. The creative quality of Brahma as its deity makes Balava suitable for artistic and intellectual work.

3. Kaulava — Governed by Parvati. Kaulava supports activities relating to the home, family harmony, and the goddess's grace. Domestic agreements, family meetings, and homemaking activities are favoured under Kaulava.

4. Taitila — Governed by Ganesha. Taitila is auspicious for beginning work that requires the removal of obstacles and the assurance of successful completion. Ganesha's governing of this Karana makes it the most favoured for starting new ventures.

5. Gara — Governed by Bhumi Devi (Earth goddess). Gara supports activities relating to land, agriculture, property, and the earth — including buying land, starting cultivation, and building construction. The Dharmasindhu identifies Gara as particularly suitable for agricultural activities.

6. Vanija — Governed by the presiding deity of trade and commerce. The name itself derives from "Vanij" (merchant). Vanija is explicitly favoured for commercial activities — signing trade agreements, opening shops, beginning business transactions, and all matters of commerce. The Muhurta Chintamani identifies Vanija as the premier Karana for business activities.

7. Vishti (Bhadra) — Governed by the deity of obstruction. Vishti, also called Bhadra, is the only movable Karana that is considered inauspicious. It must be avoided for all auspicious activities.

> Quick Answer: The 4 fixed Karanas are Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, and Kimstughna. They appear only once per lunar month at fixed positions: Shakuni in the second half of Krishna Chaturdashi, Chatushpada in the first half of Amavasya, Naga in the second half of Amavasya, and Kimstughna in the first half of Shukla Pratipada.

The four Sthira Karanas occupy the four half-tithi slots at the very end and very beginning of the lunar month:

Shakuni — Occupies the second half of Krishna Chaturdashi (the 29th Tithi's second half). Shakuni is considered generally inauspicious for new ventures. The name ("bird of ill omen") carries the quality of cunning and complexity. Classical texts recommend avoiding important decisions under Shakuni.

Chatushpada — Occupies the first half of Amavasya (new moon). The name means "four-footed," associating it with animals and the earth realm. Chatushpada is considered inauspicious for auspicious events. However, it is permissible for activities relating to animals — veterinary care, starting animal husbandry, and similar activities.

Naga — Occupies the second half of Amavasya. Associated with serpents and the underworld, Naga is considered the most malefic of the four fixed Karanas. Activities of a Tantric or remedial nature may be performed under Naga, but it is strictly avoided for all auspicious activities.

Kimstughna — Occupies the first half of Shukla Pratipada — the very first Karana of the new lunar month. The name means "what kills" or is sometimes interpreted as "uncertain." Kimstughna is moderately inauspicious and marks the very threshold of the new month. The Dharmasindhu notes that while Kimstughna is technically a fixed Karana, its position at the month's opening gives it a slightly better quality than Naga.

> Quick Answer: Vishti Karana (also called Bhadra) is the most important Karana to avoid in Vedic muhurta. It is the only movable Karana that is inauspicious. The Dharmasindhu and Nirnayasindhu both state that no auspicious ceremony, new venture, travel, medical procedure, or important agreement should be initiated under Vishti. Raksha Bandhan timing specifically avoids Bhadra.

Vishti Karana, known by its alternate name Bhadra (though the two terms are sometimes distinguished regionally), is the seventh movable Karana and the most discussed inauspicious time period in the entire Karana system. Since it repeats eight times per lunar month, Vishti appears frequently enough that practitioners must regularly check for it before scheduling important events.

The classical description of Vishti from the Muhurta Chintamani: Vishti is the Karana of obstacles, delays, and disrupted outcomes. Activities begun under Vishti face the specific problem of incomplete results — the work starts but does not reach its intended conclusion.

The most famous practical application of Vishti avoidance concerns Raksha Bandhan. This festival falls on Shravana Purnima (the full moon of Shravan), and the ritual tying of the Rakhi thread must be performed when Vishti Karana is not active. If Bhadra is present during the daytime on Raksha Bandhan, the ceremony is shifted to after Bhadra ends, even if it means performing it in the evening.

The Dharmasindhu specifies three exceptions where activity is permitted even during Vishti: battle (beginning a defensive war against attackers), working with fire (as in fire-fighting), and government/administrative emergency work. For all standard auspicious activities, Vishti is a complete prohibition.

> Quick Answer: For contracts and agreements: Vanija. For travel: Bava and Balava. For medical procedures: Taitila and Kaulava. For religious ceremonies: Bava, Balava, and Shubha/Siddhi Karanas (older classification). Vanija is the premier Karana for all commercial activities. Bava is the all-purpose auspicious Karana for general work.

The classical texts provide a mapping of Karanas to activity types:

Commerce and Trade: Vanija is the definitive choice. The Muhurta Chintamani states that signing contracts, opening businesses, beginning commercial journeys, and initiating financial agreements are best performed under Vanija. Its name is literally derived from the word for merchant.

Travel: Bava and Balava are preferred for beginning journeys. The quality of stability (Bava, ruled by Shiva) and creative auspiciousness (Balava, ruled by Brahma) ensures that journeys begun under these Karanas begin well and conclude safely.

Medical Procedures: Taitila (Ganesha-ruled, obstacle-removing quality) and Kaulava (Parvati-ruled, nurturing quality) are preferred for elective medical procedures, operations, and the initiation of medical treatments.

Religious Ceremonies: Bava and Balava are the most auspicious Karanas for religious events. The Shiva and Brahma rulership of these two Karanas creates a divine atmosphere that elevates religious observances.

Agricultural Work: Gara, governed by Bhumi Devi, is specifically suited to agricultural activities including planting, irrigation work, buying agricultural land, and harvesting.

All General Work: When a practitioner simply wants to know the best general window for starting work without a specific category concern, the rule of thumb from the Dharmasindhu is: choose Bava, Balava, Kaulava, or Taitila, and avoid Vishti, Shakuni, Chatushpada, and Naga.

> Quick Answer: In a daily Panchang, Karana appears as one of five listed elements. It shows two Karanas per day (one for each half of the current Tithi), with start and end times for each. The first Karana governs the day's first half; the second governs the afternoon and evening. Check both before scheduling any activity that day.

Reading Karana from a Panchang:

Printed Panchang: Each day's entry lists "Karana 1" and "Karana 2" (or the equivalent in the regional language), along with the time each Karana ends. The first Karana of the day is typically active from sunrise until its listed end time. The second Karana runs from that time until the next sunrise.

Digital Panchang: Apps display the current Karana in real time with a countdown to the next Karana's start. This is especially useful for avoiding Vishti — the app will alert when Vishti Karana is active.

Practical daily use: Before scheduling an important meeting, signing a document, beginning travel, or starting a medical procedure, look up the day's two Karanas. If either covers the planned time window and is Vishti, Shakuni, Naga, or Chatushpada, shift the timing to a better Karana window.

For a complete guide to reading all five Panchang limbs including Karana, see Aaj Ka Panchang — Complete Guide to Reading the Daily Panchang and the step-by-step guide at Vedic Panchang: Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana, Vaar.

> Quick Answer: The Muhurta Chintamani by Rama Dayalu is the primary classical text for Karana guidance in muhurta selection. The Dharmasindhu provides detailed rulings on which Karanas permit which activities. The Nirnayasindhu resolves conflicts between earlier texts on specific Karana-related questions.

The Karana system is documented across classical Vedic literature with consistent agreement on its importance. The Muhurta Chintamani provides the most practically useful guidance, mapping each Karana to activity categories and ranking them for specific muhurtas. Its guidance on Vishti avoidance is particularly detailed, addressing the numerous situations where this inauspicious Karana overlaps with important festival dates.

The Dharmasindhu, compiled in the 18th century, addresses the four fixed Karanas in the context of Amavasya and the month's beginning and ending, providing authoritative guidance on what activities are absolutely forbidden during Naga and Chatushpada Karanas on Amavasya.

The Nirnayasindhu addresses several contested questions about Karana — including the question of whether the inauspicious quality of Vishti affects the entire Karana period or only part of it (the text rules that the entire Vishti Karana is inauspicious from start to finish).

> Quick Answer: Bava: start new spiritual practices. Balava: begin educational courses. Kaulava: home-related matters, family agreements. Taitila: medical procedures, obstacle removal. Gara: agricultural and land-related work. Vanija: contracts, commerce, trade. Vishti: nothing auspicious. Fixed Karanas (Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, Kimstughna): generally avoided except for specific remedial or emergency situations.

Bava in Practice: Rama has been planning to begin a meditation practice. He checks the Panchang and finds that Thursday morning falls under Bava Karana. He begins his practice that morning, starting under Shiva's blessing for stability and continuity.

Balava in Practice: A student is about to enrol in a professional course. She looks for a Balava Karana window during the admission period and finds one on a Monday afternoon. She submits her application during that window.

Kaulava in Practice: A family is resolving a long-standing inheritance dispute. The elders choose a Kaulava Karana window for the family meeting, seeking Parvati's blessing for harmony.

Taitila in Practice: A patient scheduled for knee replacement surgery consults the Panchang with the surgeon and selects a Taitila Karana window for the procedure's start time, seeking Ganesha's obstacle-removing energy.

Gara in Practice: A farmer beginning the sowing season for the year looks for a Gara Karana window for the first day of planting, honouring Bhumi Devi with offerings before beginning.

Vanija in Practice: A merchant is signing a three-year supply contract. He specifically looks for a Vanija Karana window and delays the signing by one day when the first available time falls under Vishti.