Vedic astrology · glossary
Karana
Half a tithi — one of 11 repeating segments used to judge the quality of a moment.
What it means
Each tithi holds two karanas, so a lunar month has 60. Seven "movable" karanas repeat through the month and four "fixed" ones sit around the new moon. Some — like Vishṭi (Bhadra) — are avoided for auspicious starts.
How it's computed
The engine derives the karana from the Sun–Moon elongation in 6° steps (half a tithi's 12°), mapping the index onto the 7 movable + 4 fixed karana cycle.
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Frequently asked
- How many karanas are there?
- Eleven distinct karanas: seven that repeat (chara) and four fixed (sthira) around the new moon, giving 60 across a lunar month.
- What is Bhadra karana?
- Vishṭi, also called Bhadra, is the karana most often avoided for beginning auspicious work.