Panchang – Pride of Place In Indian Astrology
What is ‘Panchang’?
It is an Indian astrological almanac that uses traditional units of timekeeping, to provide important details of days in a calendar. ‘Panch’ means five and ‘Ang’ means parts. So, the Panchang offers information about five parts of a day: Vaar, Nakshatra, Thithi, Karana and Yoga. The day is further divided into eight ‘Praharas’ (or sections), and each section comprises of approximately 1.5 hours.
When an individual is born, the details of that Prahara and other planetary alignments are used to create his/her Patrika (Birthchart). And Patrika is the base of all astrological interpretations.
For centuries, Panchang has been developed using rigorous mathematical calculations that offer accurate and multi-layered details about a specific day in an Indian Calendar year. Panchang is renewed yearly2 and that information is used as a reference manual by astrologers for:
- All of their daily analysis.
- Patrika (Birth chart) interpretations.
- Determining auspicious timings for conducting ceremonies or rituals.
By using a Panchang, we can find out the auspicious date & time for festive occasions which include engagements, weddings, Griha Pravesh (house warming) and Vastu-related activities. It is believed that by choosing a ‘well-aligned’ time for ceremonies, one can avoid obstacles during an event and ensure a higher chance of success.
Determining Muhurats
A Panchang considers the degree of stars and planets on a given day and interprets them into good, normal and bad ‘Muhurats’ or timings. It can be referred for finding out details like beneficial days for fasting, auspicious timings, ‘Rahu Kaal’ (inauspicious timings) and eclipse details. In Indian Astrology, it is believed that an individual should not conduct important or pious activities during inauspicious Praharas since the person may face problems and obstacles.
A reliable source for Eclipse details.
Lunar and Solar eclipses are of great significance in astrology. They denote both changes and challenges. For someone who does not have any other source of accessing eclipse-related details, the Indian Panchang is a great reference.
Interpreting life events.
It is only based on Panchang that a Patrika (or Birth chart) can be prepared. Specific details like birth timings, degree of stars and planetary alignments found in Panchang are essential for creating one’s Patrika (Birth chart). This is later used to interpret all big & small events of an individual’s life.
When it comes to matrimonial decisions, the Panchang is referred for checking the marriage compatibility-quotient between two Patrikas. It helps in determining the number of ‘Gunas’ or qualities that match between prospective bride and groom.
| PunditJunction follows the classical tradition of Indian Astrology that uses Panchang as the base reference manual for Patrika (Birthchart) creation and other calculations. |
To select the most auspicious day for your important life events, Arrange an interaction.
Footnotes:
- Patrika: Refers to the Birthchart or horoscope of an individual, also known as Janm Patrika, Kundali, or Lagna Patrika.
- Date Panchang for the current year can be accessed from www.datepanchang.com
- Mahurat: An auspicious time frame in a day as per Panchang (Indian calendar) for conducting ceremonies and important life events.
- Bhrigu Samhita by Maharishi Bhrigu.