Topic : 7 Karana (Half of Lunar Day)

How to calculate Karana ? Names of the Karana

7 Moveable Karanas & 4 Fixed Karanas Nature of Karanas (Benefic & Malefic)
Importance of Karana in Muhurta Bhadra (Vishti Karana)
Bhadra Nivasa
Bhadra - Mouth & Tail
When Bhadra is Auspicious ?

Karana

A Karana is half a Tithi; therefore there are Sixty karanas there in a lunar month.
Though there are sixty Karanas in a month, there are actually only eleven different
Karanas, which fall into two groups, Chara “moveable” Karanas, and Sthira “fixed”
Karanas:

Calculation of Karana

Formula for calculation of Karana = Tithi/2

Moveable Karanas Fixed Karanas

Karana Deity Lord Karana Deity Lord
Bava Indra Sun Sakuni Kali -
Balava Bramha Moon Chatushpada Vrisa -
Kaulava Mitra Mras Naga Sarpa -
Taitila Aryaman Mercury Kintughna Marud -
Gara Bhu Jupiter
Vanija Sri Venus
Vishti Yama Saturn

The moveable Karanas are seven in number and repeat themselves eight times
throughout the solar-lunar cycle beginning from the second half of the 1st Tithi of
the Shukla Paksha.

Moveable Karanas are called moveable on account of their being in different places
throughout the solar-lunar cycle.

The fixed Karanas are four in number and have their places from the second half of
the 14th Tithiin the Krishna Paksha to the first half of the 1st Tithi in the Shukla
Paksha. Fixed Karanas are called fixed on account of being in only one place
throughout the solar-lunar cycle.
Following is a table showing the location of the Karanas relative to the Tithis, as well
as a second table with the meanings, deities and lords of the eleven Karanas:

Thithi 1st Karana 2nd Karana

1st Kimstugna Bava
2nd Balava Kaulava
3rd Taitila Gara
4th Vanija Vishti
5th Bava Balava
6th Kaulava Taitila
7th Gara Vanija
8th Vishti Bava
9th Balava Kaulava
10th Taitila Gara
11th Vanija Vishti
12th Bava Balava
13th Kaulava Taitila
14th Gara Vanija
15th Vishti Bava
16th Balava Kaulava
17th Taitila Gara
18th Vanija Vishti
19th Bava Balava
20th Kaulava Taitila
21st Gara Vanija
22nd Vishti Bava
23rd Balava Kaulava
24rd Taitila Gara
25th Vanija Vishti
26th Bava Balava
27th Kaulava Taitila
28th Gara Vanija
29th Vishti Shakuni
 30th Chatushpada Naga

What The Karana Does?

Karana means doing, making, effecting, etc. By their very name it becomes quite
obvious that the Karana is a very important component of Muhurta. It is the Karana,
more than anything else, that is responsible for doing what needs to be done in order
to bring anything to its concrete realization. If the Karana is unfavorable, the work
that is required to maintain any beneficial activity or to bring any beneficial deed to
a successful conclusion will be more than it is felt to be worth.

Unfavourable Karanas

Four Fixed Karanas [Sthira] are not favourable for most beneficial activites.
However they are favourable for malicious deeds and gives power for executing acts
of violence.
These karanas have no dieties, they look for influence of Sun and Moon the producer
of the Karanas.

Among the movable Karanas, Visti Karana should be avoided as Shani is the lord of
this karana, the result for activity started in this Karana may get delayed.

Exception: Jupiter or Venus in good dignity in an angle removes the negative effects of Vishti
Karana.
Exception: All three benefics placed in angles, or powerful in the trines, reduce the negative
effects of Vishti Karana.
Exception: The adverse qualities of Vishti Karana do not prevail after midday.

Auspicious Functions For The Karanas

Most any beneficial event may be favorably done in any of the Karanas except for
Vishti Karana and the four fixed Karanas. Additionally, those things favorably done
under a Nakshatra may also be favorably done in the Karana ruled by the same deity
as rules the

Nakshatra. Additionally, some types of events are most favorably done in a particular
Karana.

Bava Karana: Favorable for those things auspicious, temporary or permanent, and
things that increase one's health and strength. Those things done in Visakha and
Jyeshtha may also be very favorably done in Bava Karana.
Balava Karana: Favorable for religious or meritorious acts, and things that are
beneficial to Brahmanas. Those things done in Rohini may also be very favorably
done in Balava Karana.

Kaulava Karana: Favorable for those things based on love, choosing friends, and
selecting a bride. Those things done in Anuradha may also be very favorably done
in Kaulava Karana.
Taitila Karana: Favorable for those things leading to popularity, taking shelter, and
affairs connected with houses. Those things done in Uttaraphalguni may also be very
favorably done in Taitila Karana.

Gara Karana: Favorable for cultivation of land, sowing seeds, and construction of
houses and the like. Those things done in all favorable Nakshatras may also be
done in Gara Karana.

Vanija Karana: Favorable for lasting things, trading and association. Those things
done in all favorable Nakshatras may also be done in Vanija Karana.

Vishti Karana: No beneficial activity done in Vishti leads to beneficial results,

but attacking enemies, administering poison and such things are successful. Those
things done in Bharani and Ardra may also be very favorably done in Vishti Karana.

Sakuni Karana: Favorable for tonics, medicines, herbs and spells.

Sakuni also means portentous phenomenon, therefore this Karana is also favorable
for predictions, prophecy, astrology, etc.

Chatushpada Karana: Favorable for those things relating to cattle, Brahmins,

Manes (ancestors) and countries (political affairs).

Naga Karana: Favorable for those things pertaining to immovable objects, acts of
cruelty, taking things by force, and hateful activities. Those things done in Aslesha
may also be very favorably done in Naga Karana.

Kintughna Karana: Favorable for meritorious acts, sacrifices, nutritive things,

auspicious ceremonies like marriage, and those things that promote the mentioned
things. Those things done in Svati may also be very favorably done in Kintughna
Karana.

Gara and Vanija Karanas are the most favorable Karanas under which most any type of beneficial
activity may be very favorably performed.
BHADRA

Vishti, the unfavorable moveable Karana, is also known as Bhadra, who was
born from the form of Lord Siva. Additional consideration may be taken in respect
to Bhadra.

Mouth and Tail of Bhadra: Bhadra is not always unfavorable. Bhadra has a mouth
and a tail, which determine the favorable and unfavorable periods of Bhadra. In
order to determine the mouth and tail of Bhadra, Bhadra is first divided into 4 equal
parts, each of which is 1½ degrees of the Karana’s duration:

Mouth: The mouth of Bhadra begins at the beginning of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th
parts and lasts for 5 Nadis, or one degree:

2nd half of 4th Tithi, Shukla Paksha:
1st half of 8th Tithi, Shukla Paksha:
2nd half of 11th Tithi, Shukla Paksha:
1st half of 15th Tithi, Shukla Paksha:
2nd half of 3rd Tithi, Krishna Paksha:
1st half of 7th Tithi, Krishna Paksha:
2nd half of 10th Tithi, Krishna Paksha:
1st half of 14th Tithi, Krishna Paksha:
Mouth begins at 1st part.
Mouth begins at 2nd part.
Mouth begins at 3rd part.
Mouth begins at 4th part.
Mouth begins at 4th part.
Mouth begins at 3rd part.
Mouth begins at 2nd part.
Mouth begins at 1st part.

The mouth of Bhadra is the most unfavorable part of Bhadra. Events begun in
the mouth of Bhadra suffer the full measure of ill that Bhadra has to give, thus no
beneficial events should be done in the mouth of Bhadra. Ill actions, however, are
very favorably done in the mouth of Bhadra, and incur their full damage.

Tail: The tail ends, after 3 Nadis or 36 minutes of arc, at the end of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd
or the 4th part:

2nd half of 4th Tithi, Shukla Paksha: Tail ends at 4th part.
1st half of 8th Tithi, Shukla Paksha: Tail ends at 1st part.
2nd half of 11th Tithi, Shukla Paksha: Tail ends at 2nd part.
1st half of 15th Tithi, Shukla Paksha: Tail ends at 3rd part.

2nd half of 3rd Tithi, Krishna Paksha: Tail ends at 3rd part.
1st half of 7th Tithi, Krishna Paksha: Tail ends at 2nd part.
2nd half of 10th Tithi, Krishna Paksha: Tail ends at 1st part.
1st half of 14th Tithi, Krishna Paksha: Tail ends at 4th part.

The tail of Bhadra is actually favorable; it represents the end of all duress,
therefore, when no better Muhurta is available, beneficial events may be
performed in the tail of Bhadra. Ill actions, however, should not be performed in
the tail of Bhadra, as their maliciousness and destructive capacity will fall short.

Residence of Bhadra: Bhadra resides in different places depending upon the Rasi
that the Moon is in:

When the Moon is in Cancer, Leo, Aquarius or Pisces, Bhadra lives in Mrityuloka
(Earth).

When the Moon is in Aries, Taurus, Gemini or Scorpio, Bhadra lives in Svargaloka
(Heaven).

When the Moon is in Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius or Capricorn, Bhadra lives in

Patalaloka (Underworld).

Bhadra is considered to most significantly affect the area in which it resides. The
effects of Bhadra will be most felt when the Moon is in Cancer, Leo, Aquarius or
Pisces, since at that time Bhadra lives on Earth. In situations when no better
Muhurta is available, beneficial actions may be performed under Bhadra when
Bhadra is not living on Earth; in other words, when the Moon is not in Cancer, Leo,
Aquarius or Pisces. On the other hand, when performing ill actions under Bhadra it
will be the most favorable to have Bhadra living on Earth.