The word Panchang literally means “five limbs”. Every day of the Vedic calendar is completed by these five elements.
The five limbs, briefly
- Tithi: the lunar day, formed from the angle between the Sun and Moon
- Vara: the day of the week, each with its own planetary ruler
- Nakshatra: the Moon’s current position, one of 27 lunar mansions
- Yoga: the sum of the Sun’s and Moon’s longitudes
- Karana: half a tithi, there are two Karanas in a day
Why it matters
For any auspicious activity, a wedding, a housewarming, or a new beginning, all five limbs are checked together. No single limb gives the full picture on its own.
Check today’s panchang
Use the panchang tool to select your city and see all five limbs for today, computed with precise astronomical calculations.
This information is descriptive.