Festival calendar in Houston, January 2024 · kundlit
Festival calendar in Houston, January 2024
Every Vedic festival, ekadashi, purnima, amavasya and sankranti for this month — computed live from the panchanga engine, tiered by rarity, citation-backed. 85 events: 1 major, 28 medium, 56 recurring.
Muhurta Chintamani — Shubhashubha-prakarana, tyajya yoga section, verse 35Shula yoga's first 5 ghatikas explicitly enjoined for rejection in all karmas — especially travel.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, jataka-yoga-phala section, verses 195-196Shula-yoga jataka described as shura-vira but adhana (without wealth) — reinforces 'painful obstacles' theme.
Muhurta Chintamani — Shubhashubha-prakaranam (tyajya nakshatra-yoga section), verses 34-35'Parigha-rdhaṁ pancha shule shaṭ cha ganda-atigandayoh, vyaghate nava-naadyash cha varjyaah sarveshu karmasu.' Ganda and Atiganda yogas explicitly listed with 6 nadis to be avoided in all auspicious works.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, karana-prakarana, verse 124Enumerates Shakuni, Naga, Chatushpada, Kimstughna as the four sthira (fixed) karanas of the lunar month.
Thu · Jan 11
Siddha Yoga
सिद्ध योग
Recurring17:27 – 14:23siddhiauspicious
Accomplishment yoga, good for important beginnings
Phaladeepika — Upagraha-prakarana (calculation of dhuma, vyatipata, parivesha, indrachapa, ketu), verse 5 (formula for vyatipata from solar position; Hindi-Alt ed., around lines 22701-22750)
Sun enters Makara (Capricorn), marking Uttarayana -- the northward journey of the sun. Most auspicious Sankranti. Dana, snana in sacred rivers, and tila-gur offerings are prescribed. Ganga snan on this day destroys all sins.
Sankranti Snana & Dana·
Makar Sankranti Surya Puja·
Makar Sankranti Surya Puja·
Mon · Jan 15
Sankranti
संक्रान्ति
Medium18:48 – 05:13sankrantisuryasnanadana
Sun enters a new rashi (solar ingress). All Sankrantis are considered punya kala. Sacred bath, surya arghya, tila dana, and charity are prescribed. The punya kala extends 16 ghatikas (~6.5 hours) before and after the exact transition moment.
Muhurta Chintamani — Nakshatra-prakarana (tyajya nakshatra and yoga), verse 34 (Pyarelal Mishra Hindi ed., lines 983-1007) — 'विष्कम्भवज्रवटिकात्रयमेव वर्ज्यम्'Vishkambha (with vajra) — first three vatikas (ghatikas) explicitly forbidden in shubha-karma; the yoga's name literally means 'obstruction'.
Supreme yoga for spiritual initiation and starting education. Also known as Guru Pushya Amrit Yoga since Thursday + Pushya is inherently an Amrit Siddhi combination
Verses 28-29 enumerate the full vara-nakshatra table (Sun: Hasta/Mula/Uttaraphalguni/Uttarashadha/Uttarabhadrapada/Pushya/Ashvini; Moon: Shravana/Rohini/Mrigashira/Pushya/Anuradha; Mars: Ashvini/Uttarabhadrapada/Krittika/Ashlesha; etc.) -- matches our table exactly.
(2)
Muhurta Chintamani — Nakshatra-prakarana (Tripushkar-yoga lakshana), verse 50 (Pyarelal Mishra Hindi ed., lines 2076-2099) — 'भद्रातिथी रविजभूतनयार्कवारे ... त्रैपुष्करो भवति'Triples the fruit of any karma done within it.
Matsya Purana — Surya-vamsha-varnana (origin of Vishti/Bhadra), Vishti as Chhaya's daughter (Gita Press ed., around lines 5851-5900)Vishti (Bhadra) — bhayankara-rupavali tritiya kanya — is established as kala-karana-svarupa, the personification of the inauspicious karana.
Phaladeepika — Santanachinta-prakarana (use of Vishti-karana in muhurta), verse 15 (Hindi-Alt ed., around lines 9801-9850)Phaladeepika explicitly names Vishti-karana as varjya for shubha-karya and for santana-prashna; classical avoidance rule.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Karana-jnana-vidhi (11 karanas including Vishti), around verses 124-125 (sankshipta ed., around lines 34051-34100)Lists the 7 chara + 4 sthira karanas including Vishti (#7) — formula to determine karana from tithi-number.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Jyotish-prakarana (Anandadi 28-yoga catalogue), lines 42101-42150 — 'बुधवारको हस्तसे ... आनन्द, कालदण्ड ...' (Anandadi yoga reckoning)Anandadi-yoga catalogue starts Wednesday from Hasta nakshatra — establishes Wednesday + Hasta as the canonical 'Ananda' yoga seed-pairing.
Muhurta Chintamani — Yatra-prakarana (vara-nakshatra prescriptions), verse 11 (Pyarelal Mishra Hindi ed., lines 5733-5757) — 'सर्वकाले शुभा ... हरिहस्तपुष्यशक्षिभिः'Hasta is grouped with Hari (Shravana), Pushya, Ashwini as 'shubha at all times' — strongest with Mercury's day for skill-work.
Names all 11 karanas with their phala — Bava (chara, first) is the auspicious chara-karana for new beginnings; karanas grouped as 'phaladah svanama' (effects per their names).
BPHS — Panchanga-sadhana / Karana-prakarana, standard BPHS section on the 11 karanas (Bava-Balava-Kaulava ... Naga-Kimstughna)BPHS lists the chara-karanas (Bava through Vishti) as repeated 8 times across the 30 tithi-halves; Bava is the first and most auspicious.
Devi Bhagavata — Skandha 3, Navaratri-vidhi (importance of Ashtami), Ashtami pujan prescription (Vol. 1 Gita Press ed., around lines 45751-45800)If unable to do full nine-day Navaratri, Ashtami tithi must be observed; references Daksha-yajna context.
Swati in the 'sthirata' (firmness/independence) nakshatra set; Saturn (lord of stability) reinforces the trait.
Hindupedia — Nakshatras/Swati, opening sectionSwati's Rahu lordship + Saturday's Saturn establishes self-reliance / independence theme; modern reference.
Matsya Purana — Surya-vamsha-varnana (origin of Vishti/Bhadra), Vishti as Chhaya's daughter (Gita Press ed., around lines 5851-5900)Vishti (Bhadra) — bhayankara-rupavali tritiya kanya — is established as kala-karana-svarupa, the personification of the inauspicious karana.
Phaladeepika — Santanachinta-prakarana (use of Vishti-karana in muhurta), verse 15 (Hindi-Alt ed., around lines 9801-9850)Phaladeepika explicitly names Vishti-karana as varjya for shubha-karya and for santana-prashna; classical avoidance rule.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Karana-jnana-vidhi (11 karanas including Vishti), around verses 124-125 (sankshipta ed., around lines 34051-34100)Lists the 7 chara + 4 sthira karanas including Vishti (#7) — formula to determine karana from tithi-number.
Sources (2)
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Ekadashi-vrata section, Ekadashi-vrata-mahatmya (sankshipta ed., text around lines 14901-14950)Detailed rules on dashami-viddha vs dvadashi-viddha Ekadashi, fasting and parana.
Brahma Vaivarta Purana — Krishna-janma-khanda, Ekadashi-vrata prescription, Ekadashi-upavasa section (sankshipta ed., text around lines 71651-71700)All Vaishnavas, yatis, widows, brahmacharis are to fast on every Ekadashi.
Verses 28-29 enumerate the full vara-nakshatra table (Sun: Hasta/Mula/Uttaraphalguni/Uttarashadha/Uttarabhadrapada/Pushya/Ashvini; Moon: Shravana/Rohini/Mrigashira/Pushya/Anuradha; Mars: Ashvini/Uttarabhadrapada/Krittika/Ashlesha; etc.) -- matches our table exactly.
Specifies the first 9 ghatikas of Ganda yoga as completely avoidable.
'Yadi dvitiya din dvadashi hai to pehle din ki dashami-viddha ekadashi bhi niṣiddha hi hai (isliye aisi paristhiti mein dvadashi ko vrata karna chahiye).'
Muhurta Chintamani — Samskara-prakarana (Pradosha-lakshana), verse 55 (Pyarelal Mishra Hindi ed., lines 3616-3650) — 'अर्कतर्कत्रितिथिषु प्रदोषः स्यात्'Defines pradosha-kala as the half-prahar around sunset on Trayodashi, Chaturdashi, Pratipad and other listed tithis.
Skanda Purana — Pradosha-vrata-mahatmya (Chandrasena and Shrikara legend), section on Pradosha-shivapujana (Sankshipta ed., lines 88951-89000)Anjananandana Hanuman teaches the gopa Shrikara the discipline of Pradosha Shiva worship.
Establishes Mula's Nirriti/Varuna devata-vibhaga and prescribes mahashanti — confirming Mula's intense, occult character that intensifies on Amavasya.
Skanda Purana — Pitru-tarpana-mahatmya (Amavasya pitru-karma section), amavasya-shraddha prescriptions (Sankshipta ed., lines 157351-157400) — 'प्रमादी वंशज पितरोंका तर्पण नहीं करते, तब उनके पितर ... भूख-प्याससे व्याकुल'Amavasya is the canonical pitru-tarpana day; combined with Mula (Nirriti/Ketu nakshatra) it becomes the rare Mula-Amavasya for tantric Pitru-Ketu sadhana.
(2)
Skanda Purana — Pitri-kalpa / Tithi-pravachana, amavasya definition section'Yogon mein vyatipata, nakshatron mein shravana, tithiyon mein amavasya aur purnima tatha sankranti-kala -- ye sab dana-karma mein pavitra mane gaye hain.' Amavasya named first among agnishvattadi pitarana priya tithis.
Muhurta Chintamani — Samvatsara-prakarana, Sun-avastha on Sankranti, verse 13Sun in Kimstughna karana described as 'urdhva' (upright, sama) — 'sama: shreshtha ihardhavarshane', i.e. neutral-to-mildly auspicious.
Vyatipata = (Sun + 4r 13°20') subtracted from 12 rashis — defined as 'a-prakasha-graha' (invisible graha).
Parashara Smriti — Madhaviya-vritti, Dana-kala-nirupana, Section on vyatipata as inauspicious yoga / sankrama (Islampurkar 1894 ed., around lines 40233-40259)Mahavyatipata defined; cited alongside ayana and vishuva as auspicious-dana times despite the yoga itself being inauspicious for new beginnings.
Bhavishya Purana — Uttara-parva, Chaturthi-vrata-kalpa (Angaraka-chaturthi-vrata-varnana), Chaturthi-vrata chapter (DLI Hindi ed., around lines 70101-70150)Krishna-Yudhishthira samvada on Chaturthi vrata including Angaraka Chaturthi.
Matsya Purana — Surya-vamsha-varnana (origin of Vishti/Bhadra), Vishti as Chhaya's daughter (Gita Press ed., around lines 5851-5900)Vishti (Bhadra) — bhayankara-rupavali tritiya kanya — is established as kala-karana-svarupa, the personification of the inauspicious karana.
Phaladeepika — Santanachinta-prakarana (use of Vishti-karana in muhurta), verse 15 (Hindi-Alt ed., around lines 9801-9850)Phaladeepika explicitly names Vishti-karana as varjya for shubha-karya and for santana-prashna; classical avoidance rule.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Karana-jnana-vidhi (11 karanas including Vishti), around verses 124-125 (sankshipta ed., around lines 34051-34100)Lists the 7 chara + 4 sthira karanas including Vishti (#7) — formula to determine karana from tithi-number.
'Brihaspati-vara ko Pushya, Shukra-vara ko Revati aur Shanivara ko Rohini ho to siddhi-yoga hota hai.' Revati's completion significance on Buddha-vara (Mercury-day for Mercury's exaltation sign Kanya-bordering Revati) follows the same vara-nakshatra mela principle.
Muhurta Chintamani — Shubhashubha-prakaranam (vara-nakshatra mrityu-yoga chart), verse 5Revati is the Wednesday dagdha-nakshatra in some traditions but is universally treated as the completion-nakshatra; the present rule reflects the latter usage.
Lists 28 anandadi yogas: 'siddhi' named explicitly as one yielding karya-siddhi by its own name (siddha-yoga is the 21st nitya-yoga).
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Anandadi-yoga section, Anandadi 28-yoga list (sankshipta ed., around lines 42101-42150)Siddhi yoga #19 in Anandadi enumeration; 'svanama-phaladayaka' — gives fruit per its name.
, verse 57 (Pyarelal Mishra Hindi ed., lines 2174-2196) — Sadhya not in the tyajya-list 'व्यतिपातवैधृति... परिघव्यावातगण्डयोग ... विष्टि ...'
Sadhya is conspicuously absent from the canonical 6-ninda-yoga list (vyatipata, vaidhriti, parigha, vyaghata, ganda, vajra), placing it among shubha-yogas — 'achievable goals' interpretation follows the literal 'sadhya' (to be accomplished).
Narada Purana
— Purvabhaga, Ashtami-vrata enumeration
, Month-wise Ashtami vratas (sankshipta ed., around lines 67901-67950)
Devi Bhagavata — Skandha 3, Navaratri-vidhi (importance of Ashtami), Ashtami pujan prescription (Vol. 1 Gita Press ed., around lines 45751-45800)If unable to do full nine-day Navaratri, Ashtami tithi must be observed; references Daksha-yajna context.
Names all 11 karanas with their phala — Bava (chara, first) is the auspicious chara-karana for new beginnings; karanas grouped as 'phaladah svanama' (effects per their names).
BPHS — Panchanga-sadhana / Karana-prakarana, standard BPHS section on the 11 karanas (Bava-Balava-Kaulava ... Naga-Kimstughna)BPHS lists the chara-karanas (Bava through Vishti) as repeated 8 times across the 30 tithi-halves; Bava is the first and most auspicious.
Verses 28-29 enumerate the full vara-nakshatra table (Sun: Hasta/Mula/Uttaraphalguni/Uttarashadha/Uttarabhadrapada/Pushya/Ashvini; Moon: Shravana/Rohini/Mrigashira/Pushya/Anuradha; Mars: Ashvini/Uttarabhadrapada/Krittika/Ashlesha; etc.) -- matches our table exactly.
Brahma listed at position 25 of the Anandadi yogas; each yoga is said to give 'svanama-sadrsha phala', so Brahma yoga gives creative / spiritual / Brahma-loka phala.
Shiva Purana — Kotirudra-samhita, Tandi Sahasranama prelude, verses 47-48Tandi (a brahma-yogi) is named as the composer of the Shiva Sahasranama in brahma-yoga — establishes the spiritual-creative significance of the yoga.
Sources (2)
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Ekadashi-vrata section, Ekadashi-vrata-mahatmya (sankshipta ed., text around lines 14901-14950)Detailed rules on dashami-viddha vs dvadashi-viddha Ekadashi, fasting and parana.
Brahma Vaivarta Purana — Krishna-janma-khanda, Ekadashi-vrata prescription, Ekadashi-upavasa section (sankshipta ed., text around lines 71651-71700)All Vaishnavas, yatis, widows, brahmacharis are to fast on every Ekadashi.
Verses 28-29 enumerate the full vara-nakshatra table (Sun: Hasta/Mula/Uttaraphalguni/Uttarashadha/Uttarabhadrapada/Pushya/Ashvini; Moon: Shravana/Rohini/Mrigashira/Pushya/Anuradha; Mars: Ashvini/Uttarabhadrapada/Krittika/Ashlesha; etc.) -- matches our table exactly.
Matsya Purana — Surya-vamsha-varnana (origin of Vishti/Bhadra), Vishti as Chhaya's daughter (Gita Press ed., around lines 5851-5900)Vishti (Bhadra) — bhayankara-rupavali tritiya kanya — is established as kala-karana-svarupa, the personification of the inauspicious karana.
Phaladeepika — Santanachinta-prakarana (use of Vishti-karana in muhurta), verse 15 (Hindi-Alt ed., around lines 9801-9850)Phaladeepika explicitly names Vishti-karana as varjya for shubha-karya and for santana-prashna; classical avoidance rule.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Karana-jnana-vidhi (11 karanas including Vishti), around verses 124-125 (sankshipta ed., around lines 34051-34100)Lists the 7 chara + 4 sthira karanas including Vishti (#7) — formula to determine karana from tithi-number.
Indra is named among the 27 nitya-yogas; classical muhurta treats Indra-yoga as auspicious for leadership and power karyas.
'Yadi dvitiya din dvadashi hai to pehle din ki dashami-viddha ekadashi bhi niṣiddha hi hai (isliye aisi paristhiti mein dvadashi ko vrata karna chahiye).'
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Jyotish-prakarana (ninda-yoga enumeration), ninda-yoga section (Sankshipta ed., lines 41901-41950) — 'वैधृति और व्यतीपात ये दोनों महापात हैं, इन दोनोंको शुभ कार्योमें सदा त्याग देना चाहिये'Classes vaidhriti+vyatipata as the two great mahapatas; recommends pitru-karma instead during these.
(2)
Muhurta Chintamani — Samskara-prakarana (Pradosha-lakshana), verse 55 (Pyarelal Mishra Hindi ed., lines 3616-3650) — 'अर्कतर्कत्रितिथिषु प्रदोषः स्यात्'Defines pradosha-kala as the half-prahar around sunset on Trayodashi, Chaturdashi, Pratipad and other listed tithis.
Skanda Purana — Pradosha-vrata-mahatmya (Chandrasena and Shrikara legend), section on Pradosha-shivapujana (Sankshipta ed., lines 88951-89000)Anjananandana Hanuman teaches the gopa Shrikara the discipline of Pradosha Shiva worship.
Verses 28-29 enumerate the full vara-nakshatra table (Sun: Hasta/Mula/Uttaraphalguni/Uttarashadha/Uttarabhadrapada/Pushya/Ashvini; Moon: Shravana/Rohini/Mrigashira/Pushya/Anuradha; Mars: Ashvini/Uttarabhadrapada/Krittika/Ashlesha; etc.) -- matches our table exactly.
, verses 212-3, 213-4 (Sankshipta ed., lines 41901-41950) — Vishkambha listed as first of 27 yogas; later ninda-yoga group enumerates vishkambha among tyajya-portions
Vishkambha is the 1st nitya-yoga (svami: Yama); first 3 ghatikas to be avoided in all auspicious work.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Purnima-vrata-prakarana, opening section (masa-wise Purnima vratas)Sanatana-narada vada on Purnima vratas through the year.
Matsya Purana — Parva-sandhi and Purnima-tithi prakarana, section on pakshanta-sandhi and pournamasika
The 7-vara amrita-siddhi mapping is given as part of the wider Anandadi-27 yoga corpus and the sarvartha-siddhi enumeration.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Pratham Pada (yoga-prakarana), verses 242-244 (sarvartha-siddhi-yoga -- same vara-nakshatra pairs)
Names all 11 karanas with their phala — Bava (chara, first) is the auspicious chara-karana for new beginnings; karanas grouped as 'phaladah svanama' (effects per their names).
BPHS — Panchanga-sadhana / Karana-prakarana, standard BPHS section on the 11 karanas (Bava-Balava-Kaulava ... Naga-Kimstughna)BPHS lists the chara-karanas (Bava through Vishti) as repeated 8 times across the 30 tithi-halves; Bava is the first and most auspicious.
Matsya Purana — Surya-vamsha-varnana (origin of Vishti/Bhadra), Vishti as Chhaya's daughter (Gita Press ed., around lines 5851-5900)Vishti (Bhadra) — bhayankara-rupavali tritiya kanya — is established as kala-karana-svarupa, the personification of the inauspicious karana.
Phaladeepika — Santanachinta-prakarana (use of Vishti-karana in muhurta), verse 15 (Hindi-Alt ed., around lines 9801-9850)Phaladeepika explicitly names Vishti-karana as varjya for shubha-karya and for santana-prashna; classical avoidance rule.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Karana-jnana-vidhi (11 karanas including Vishti), around verses 124-125 (sankshipta ed., around lines 34051-34100)Lists the 7 chara + 4 sthira karanas including Vishti (#7) — formula to determine karana from tithi-number.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Chaturthi-vrata section, Sankashta-vrata description (Sankshipta ed., lines 66301-66400) — 'माघ कृष्णा चतुर्थीको संकष्टव्रत बतलाया जाता है'Names Magha-krishna Chaturthi 'Sankashta-vrata'; prescribes upavasa, moonrise arghya to Ganesha/Chandra, gives the arghya mantra and phala.
Skanda Purana — Ganesha-Chaturthi-vrata-mahatmya, Chaturthi-vrata enumeration (Sankshipta ed., Sankashta-chaturthi reference) — moonrise-worship prescriptionAligns with the krishna-paksha chaturthi observance for relief from sankata (calamity).
Bhavishya Purana — Uttara-parva, Chaturthi-vrata-kalpa (Angaraka-chaturthi-vrata-varnana), Chaturthi-vrata chapter (DLI Hindi ed., around lines 70101-70150)Krishna-Yudhishthira samvada on Chaturthi vrata including Angaraka Chaturthi.
Names all 11 karanas with their phala — Bava (chara, first) is the auspicious chara-karana for new beginnings; karanas grouped as 'phaladah svanama' (effects per their names).
BPHS — Panchanga-sadhana / Karana-prakarana, standard BPHS section on the 11 karanas (Bava-Balava-Kaulava ... Naga-Kimstughna)BPHS lists the chara-karanas (Bava through Vishti) as repeated 8 times across the 30 tithi-halves; Bava is the first and most auspicious.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Jyotish-prakarana (Anandadi 28-yoga catalogue), lines 42101-42150 — 'बुधवारको हस्तसे ... आनन्द, कालदण्ड ...' (Anandadi yoga reckoning)Anandadi-yoga catalogue starts Wednesday from Hasta nakshatra — establishes Wednesday + Hasta as the canonical 'Ananda' yoga seed-pairing.
Muhurta Chintamani — Yatra-prakarana (vara-nakshatra prescriptions), verse 11 (Pyarelal Mishra Hindi ed., lines 5733-5757) — 'सर्वकाले शुभा ... हरिहस्तपुष्यशक्षिभिः'Hasta is grouped with Hari (Shravana), Pushya, Ashwini as 'shubha at all times' — strongest with Mercury's day for skill-work.
— Prakriti Khanda (Shashthi-devi mahatmya)
, Shashthi-stuti section (devi identified as Kartikeya-pranapriya)
