Festival calendar in Varanasi, March 2024 · kundlit
Festival calendar in Varanasi, March 2024
Every Vedic festival, ekadashi, purnima, amavasya and sankranti for this month — computed live from the panchanga engine, tiered by rarity, citation-backed. 76 events: 0 major, 29 medium, 47 recurring.
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)
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, karana-prakarana, verse 124Enumerates Shakuni, Naga, Chatushpada, Kimstughna as the four sthira (fixed) karanas of the lunar month.
Sun · Mar 10
Amavasya
अमावस्या
Medium18:18 – 14:30amavasyanew_moonpitru
New moon, powerful for Tantric practices and pitru karma
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.
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)
Both adhyayas prescribe Saptami-tithi as the supreme day for Surya worship using the twelve-name list (Bhanu/Arka/Ravi/Brahma/Surya/Shakra/Hari/Shiva/Shriman/Vibhavasu/Tvashta/Varuna).
Bhavishya Purana — Brahma Parva, Saptami-kalpa (Akshyanga Saptami adhyaya 111), opening versesBhavishya Purana's Saptami-kalpa is the standard nibandha source for Bhanu/Ravi-Saptami; Sunday + Saptami amplifies it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
'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).'
Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Adhyaya 40 -- Shivaratri-vrata-mahatmya, verses 97-102 (Shivaratri declared vrata-raja, supreme of all vratas)
'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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
(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.
, 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).
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, Dvitiya-vrata section (Ashunyashayana-vrata), month-wise Dvitiya-vrata (Sankshipta ed., lines 65701-65750) — 'अशुन्यशयन ... चन्द्रमाके लिये अर्घ्यदान'Shravana-Krishna Dvitiya = Ashunyashayana-vrata to Vishnu-Lakshmi with chandra-arghya; Kartika-shukla Dvitiya = Yamadvitiya.
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.
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.
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.
Meena classed among the 4 Shadashiti sankrantis — 16 post-sankranti ghatikas are punyakala for snana, dana, charity.
Padma Purana — Srishti-khanda, Sankranti-snana-dana-mahatmya, Shadashiti-Vishnupadi section (Gita Press Series 44, lines 30751-30800) — 'मीन और कन्या राशिकी संक्रान्तिको षडशीति कहते है ... षडशीति नामकी संक्रान्तिमें किये हुए पुण्यकर्मका फल छियासी हजारगुना'Explicitly names Meena+Kanya as Shadashiti — merit of any punya-karma multiplied 86,000 fold.
, 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.
— Prakriti Khanda (Shashthi-devi mahatmya)
, Shashthi-stuti section (devi identified as Kartikeya-pranapriya)
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, 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.
'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.
(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.
Skanda Purana — Maheshwara Khanda (gopa-balaka pradosha narrative), around shloka cluster cited at p.~889 of Gita Press Sankshipt edition (shanivara-pradosha worship)
(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.
Narada Purana — Purvabhaga, Purnima-vrata-prakarana, Holika section, opening of Holika-dahana ritualPhalguna Purnima Holika-dahana with rakshoghna mantras and parikrama; gives the Prahlada-rakshasi katha and the alternate 'Kamadeva-daha' (Holikotsava) reading.
Hindupedia — Festivals/Holi, opening sectionRegional and modern observance details; full-moon of Phalguna is the canonical Holika-dahana tithi. (Note: ruleset uses masa=12 Purnimanta = Phalguna Purnima.)
Hindupedia — Festivals/Hanuman-Jayanti, opening section (Chaitra Purnima -- dominant North/Central Indian observance; Tamil tradition uses Margashirsha Amavasya, Andhra/Karnataka uses Vaishakha Krishna Dashami)No Puranic verse explicitly fixes Hanuman's birth tithi; Chaitra-Purnima observance is the prevalent convention encoded in this rule.
Parashara Smriti — Madhaviya-Vritti, Adhyaya 3 (shraddha-prakarana, manvantara-adi tithi enumeration), quote of Matsya Purana 17.6-8: 'Kartiki Phalguni Chaitri Jyaishthi panchadashi sita -- manvantaradayash-chaite dattasyakshayyakarakah' (Chaitra Purnima itself bears manvantara-adi punya, amplifying any festival observance held that day)
When purnima falls on Monday or has Rohini-nakshatra, panchagavya snana, japa of 'Apyayasva' 108 times, worship of Soma-Vishnu prescribed.
Skanda Purana — Prabhasa-khanda, Somanatha-mahatmya, Chandra-Shiva conjunction at Soma-tirtha (sankshipta ed., around lines 162951-163000)Chandradeva's worship of Shiva as Somanatha — Soma + Shiva nexus that grounds Soma Purnima observance.
(2)
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
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.
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.
, Pyarelal Mishra ed., around lines 2971-3001 (jatakarma/namakarma section listing Anuradha among auspicious shubha nakshatras)
Anuradha is among auspicious shubha-nakshatras for jatakarma/namakarma; Anuradha is Sani-svami (Saturn's own nakshatra), so Saturday + Anuradha is a vara-svami yoga revered for bhakti and karya-siddhi.
Manasa-pancami (Naga-panchami) enjoined for monthly or festival worship — establishes Panchami-Naga link.
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.
— Prakriti Khanda (Shashthi-devi mahatmya)
, Shashthi-stuti section (devi identified as Kartikeya-pranapriya)
