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There is a total of 11 Karanas - 7 Chara Karanas and 4 Sthira Karanas. Chara means moving and Sthira means fixed. Possibly Chara Karanas got that name because they repeat cyclically, and Sthira Karanas got that name because they dont repeat. Chara Karanas 1) Bava 2) Balava 3) Kaulava 4) Titila 5) Gara 6) Vanija 7) Vishti Sthira Karanas 1) Sakuni 2) Chatushpat 3) Naga 4) Koustubha.

Karana names and their word meaning

For this section on Karana names and their word meaning, I am much indebted to the exposure of the same by Maharshi Abhaya Katyayan in his extensive Hindi commentary on "Adharva Vedanga Jyotisha" ("Adharva Vedeeya Jyotisha"). After expressing my regards to that great scholar, I am proceeding with explaining the same. 1) Bava Also known as Simha Karanam (Lion) - means testicles, sperm, flush, creativity and so on. This Karana is good for all Chara deeds (such as journey, daily duties, business etc.) and also for Sthira deeds such as sawing seeds, sexual intercourse, for putting foundation stone, worship, temple creation and so on. 2) Balava Also known as Puli Karanam (Leopard). - means Brahmin lady, female horse (mare), slave girl, prostitute and so on. The major meaning considered here is Brahmin lady. That is why this Karana is good for Yajna, Homa (fire worship), study of Veda, for reading epic and Puranas etc. It is good for all kinds of Santi Karma. 3) Kaulava Also known as Panni Karanam (Pig / Swine) - Kudava is a kind of measurement vessel (also known as Nazhi in South India); means traditional family. Kaula can refer to anyone who follows a traditional path, or traditional job. Kulala is the one who creates mud vessels, and Kaulalam is mud vessel. Thus essentially Kaulava Karana is related to family, tradition and anything worldly; good for all Sthira Karma (such as friendship, compromise, agreement or anything which we want to stay for long). 4) Taitila Also known as 'Kazhuta Karanam' (Donkey) - means getting awards, rewards or respect; patience. Taitila Karana is good for all activities related to king, authority, ornamentation, ornamenting the idols and revered ones and so on; for pledge taking, receiving position, charge taking etc. usually Taitila Karana is preferred. 5) Gara Also known as 'Gaja Karanam' (Elephant) - meaning hard, difficult, demanding more effort and so on. In ancient past the jobs that were considered difficult are cattle / horse / elephant breading, agriculture and rural business of grains, vehicle related and so on. Hriha is a word that points to any type of house. The jobs that comes under the category of difficult jobs and the word Gara points to is cattle shed, horse shed, elephant shed and so on. For example Aswa-Gara (horse shed). Garage as per English language. Gara Karana is very auspicious for

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any hard and difficult jobs, whether it be related to vehicle, cattle, house, machinery, rural business and so on. 6) Vanija Known as Surabhi Karanam (Cow) - meaning Phoenician, businessman or market; modern day English word company (com-pany) means group business. Thus naturally this Karana is good for starting a business, selling plot or building or anything of the like and so on. 7) Vishti Assumed that the shape of Vishti is similar to a dog - meaning effort without benefit, work without payment; in short wastage of time, money and energy. Thus naturally this Karana is not good for beneficial or good deeds and also for deeds for which we expect some benefit (even Punya) in return.

Are we calculating Karanas correctly?

Prime importance of Panchanga (5 limbs of time; such as Tithi, Nakshatra, Nitya Yoga, Vara and Karana) is related to Muhurta determination. Associating Karana results generally with the native and especially with Surya Dasa - Chandr Antara is a common practice. A special point to remember is that we might be calculating Karanas wrongly right now because as per modern books Karana is half of Tithi (Tithyardham Karanam) - but the question arises - if Karana is just half of Tithi, why should we consider it as independent at all? Why should we attribute a special limb to it? Mere use of the word Purvardha of Tithi and Uttarardha of Tithi must have been sufficient. If Karana has a constant 6 span, and is just the half of Tithi, then sincerely speaking there is no new limb such as Karana at all! So what is the clue? What is the idea hiding behind? What is the bit of lost knowledge? Yes, there is some! As per Adharva Vedeeya Jyotisha, Karana is NOT half of Tithi - but it is the special name attributed to day time part of Tithi and night time part of Tithi - meaning their duration is NOT constant (such as 6) - and this is what makes Karana an independent limb! Like the day and night which is associated with solar day, day time Karana and night time Karana are the day and night of the lunar day (i.e. Tithi)!

Karana as an independended limb of time

How to use Panchanga in result derivation The fundamental and trustworthy point in associating Panchanga with natal chart is to consider ruler of concerned limb and not its position in the natal chart and arrive at a solid conclusion - it is a popular Nadi methodology as well. As you know: 1) Nakshatra - has a Lord and you can note [not?] position of Nakshatra Lord in chart, and provide a related solid derivation. Nakshatra is a pointer towards the mind. 2) Nitya Yoga - is essentially associated with Nakshatras and has a Lord, and a solid system of result derivation, and you can note the position of Nakshatra Lord in chart to provide a related solid derivation. Nityayoga is also a pointer to the proximity of Surya and Chandr which makes it all the more important. 3) Tithi - does not have a Lord [?], but Tithi is considered the body. Tithi is considered the most important limb among Panchanga and as such we can expect that similar to Nakshatra or better than Nakshatra, Tithi results should match the native. In arriving at deities for worship etc. Tithi is considered with importance, and you can arrive at many useful derivations based on Tithi - since it also is a pointer to the proximity of Surya and Chandr.
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4) Vara - Vara has a Lord and its position in natal chart is important and certainly helps us to reach some definite derivations. Vara is 24 hours [?] and Sukshma Vara is 1 hour each. That means Sukshma Vara is nothing but Kala Hora - and Vara Sputa is nothing but Lagna Sputa! I hope it is not necessary to describe the importance of the same. Without any jugglery it provides many definite results for sure. 5) Karana - Karana is the day and night of Tithi. It is said that Karnat Karya Siddhicha (Karana indicates fulfillment of work); or in other words, Karana can be considered as a pointer to the type of work undertaken by an individual. Definitely all these are DASA DEPENDENT even though they can be applied or expected to be true in a general sense as well. Thus no jugglery is needed but instead all of them help the learned astrologer to arrive at many solid results. If the placement of Grahas also support such good / bad qualities indicated by Karana, I suppose one can make a fair enough judgment of the native. A point well stated! That itself is the secret behind the use of Panchanga to make dependable derivations! But first - what are these good / bad qualities (of the native) indicated by Karana? I will explain.

How to use Karana in natal chart result derivation

In my opinion the approach behind Karana names and co-relating it with the natives nature is simple. The results be similar to meaning of Karana names. Some example description is given below. 1) Kausthubha (Kimstughna) = means sandal, gem or elephant; this is a Karana proper for Sages and saints; especially those who follow traditional Tantric worship. The nature of the native born in this Karana would be similar to the same. 2) Bala = highly creative; desire filled; able; artistic; in essence Rajasik - good for kings and worldly individuals with a practical mind. 3) Balava = Brahmanic; good for worship and worldly acts; able. 4) Kaulava = traditional jobs; people who follow traditional jobs and traditional Tantric worship; normal society people; villagers who value tradition. Good for common people. 5) Taitila = title; good for awards and rewards; good for celebrities; good for govt. servant; creative, famous. 6) Gara = hard-working; technicians; people who specialize in different areas of work which needs continuous training and talent. 7) Vanija = business men. 8) Vishti = useless people - who waste the time, money and energy of themselves and others. 9) Sakuni = sharp mind; interested in speculation; clever; politicians. 10) Chatushpad = normal people; vehicle related jobs. 11) Naga = chance for deformed body at birth; rebels; dont value socially accepted paths but instead create their own paths - or follow traditional Tantric paths not accepted by current society; angry, destructive, able; fire-like.
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