Festival calendar in Houston, February 2024 · kundlit
Festival calendar in Houston, February 2024
Every Vedic festival, ekadashi, purnima, amavasya and sankranti for this month — computed live from the panchanga engine, tiered by rarity, citation-backed. 68 events: 0 major, 28 medium, 40 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.
Fri · Feb 09
Amavasya
अमावस्या
Medium08:02 – 04:29amavasyanew_moonpitru
New moon, powerful for Tantric practices and pitru karma
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)
Magha Shukla Panchami -- dedicated to Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, music, and the arts. Yellow garments are worn to greet the onset of spring (vasanta). The day is auspicious for vidyarambha (initiation into letters) for young children and for the worship of books and musical instruments. The Devi Bhagavata Purana describes Sarasvati's manifestation on this tithi.
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'.
Muhurta Chintamani — Shubhashubha-prakaranam, verses 28-29 (Sarvartha-siddhi-yoga list)MC enumerates auspicious nakshatra-vara pairs; Pushya is paired with its lord Mercury (Buddha) in the budha-anuradha and budha-rohini sets, and Wed-Pushya falls in the same Sarvartha-siddhi family.
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.
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.
Muhurta Chintamani — Shubhashubha-prakaranam, verse 6 (Friday-tithi adhama/uttama enumeration -- Shukrawar establishes the vara framework)
Specifies the first 9 ghatikas of Ganda yoga as completely avoidable.
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.
Twelve-month Navami-vrata catalogue — every Navami is sacred to Durga/Chandika/Kumari in some form.
Devi Bhagavata — Tritiya-skandha (Sharad/Vasanta Navaratri narrative), Tritiya-skandha, Sudarshana-Subahu Navaratri narrative (Gita Press Vol.1, around lines 44951-45000) — 'नवरात्रेषु सर्वेषु ... अर्चनं हवनं यागं देव्या'Each Navami caps the Navaratri sequence; the day is fixed for Devi-arcana, havana, yaga.
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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.
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.
Mula/Jyeshtha/Ardra/Ashlesha + Saturday classed as 'tikshna-daruna' — fit for abhichara, ghata, pashu-damana, root-breaking work; Tuesday (Mars) is the krura-vara equivalent of Saturday for such karma.
Matsya Purana — Adbhuta-shanti-adhyaya (Mula-nakshatra adbhutas), verse 27 (Gita Press ed., lines 113101-113150) — 'मूले वरुणदैवत्ये ये भवन्त्यद्भुतास्तथा ... वारुणी ... महाशान्तिः'Establishes Mula's Varuna-daivatya and the prescribed Varuni-mahashanti — confirms Mula's intense, root-disturbing nature suited to Tuesday's Mars-energy for research and abhichara.
'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).'
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.
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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.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga (karana-svami and shubhashubha), verses ~255-257 (Surya stands in Shakuni-Kolava-Kimstughna karanas -- standing-Surya yields disturbance; inauspicious for most works)
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
'Yam, Vishvedeva, Chandra, Brahma, Guru, Chandra, Indra, Jala, Sarpa, Agni, Surya, Bhumi, Rudra, Brahma, Varuna, Ganesha, Rudra, Kubera, Vishvakarma, Mitra...' -- Rudra is named twice (yoga 13 Vyaghata and yoga 20 Shiva); the Shiva-Yoga at index 20 derives its name from this lordship.
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.
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.
, Vasant-Panchami section (Magha Shukla Panchami Keshava/Krishna puja with amra-pallava and mantra 'Jaya Krishna')
Hindupedia — Festivals/Vasant-Panchami, opening section (modern Sarasvati Puja convention; vidyarambha for children; yellow vastra; pustaka/vadya pujan)Puranic corpus anchors Vishnu/Keshava puja on Magha Shukla Panchami; the Sarasvati-puja overlay is a later Bengal tradition documented in Hindupedia.
, Vrisha-Vrischika-Simha-Kumbha vishnupadi-sankranti punya-kala (sankshipta ed., around lines 14701-14750)
Kumbha is one of the four vishnupadi sankrantis; purva 8 muhurta (16 ghadi) is punya-kala for snana-dana.
Padma Purana — Sankranti-vishesha-mahatmya (vishnupadi and shadashiti), Vishnupadi-sankranti reward = lakshaguna (Gita Press Series 44, around lines 30751-30800)Vrisha, Vrischika, Kumbha, Simha = vishnupadi; punya-karma fruit = lakshaguna (one lakh times).
, 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).
Manasa-pancami (Naga-panchami) enjoined for monthly or festival worship — establishes Panchami-Naga link.
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.
— Prakriti Khanda (Shashthi-devi mahatmya)
, Shashthi-stuti section (devi identified as Kartikeya-pranapriya)
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.
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.
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 (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.
Twelve-month Navami-vrata catalogue — every Navami is sacred to Durga/Chandika/Kumari in some form.
Devi Bhagavata — Tritiya-skandha (Sharad/Vasanta Navaratri narrative), Tritiya-skandha, Sudarshana-Subahu Navaratri narrative (Gita Press Vol.1, around lines 44951-45000) — 'नवरात्रेषु सर्वेषु ... अर्चनं हवनं यागं देव्या'Each Navami caps the Navaratri sequence; the day is fixed for Devi-arcana, havana, yaga.
, 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.
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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.
'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).'
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.
— Purvabhaga, Pratham Pada (Siddhi-yoga prakarana)
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.
Brahma Vaivarta Purana — Prakriti Khanda (Lakshmi-prakatya-akhyana, Adhyaya 14), Lakshmi-mahatmya verses (Lakshmi as Shukravara-adhidevata implicit; festival observance on Purnima)
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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
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.
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.
