Yogas

Yoga (yoga) is the fourth of the five limbs of the panchanga, and the only one of them counted by the sum of the longitudes of the Sun and the Moon — unlike, for instance, tithi, where their difference is taken. When that sum passes another 13°20′ of the ecliptic, one of the 27 yogas gives way to the next — the list of names runs in a circle. This section is an overview: it explains how a yoga is structured, how it's divided into favorable and unfavorable, and how to read its number in daily practice.

The word "yoga" doesn't mean one single thing in jyotish. Here it refers to the nitya-yoga — this very limb of the panchanga, 27 segments of 13°20′ each. "Yoga" also names a combination of planets in the birth chart (for instance, Gajakesari Yoga) — that's a separate subject. A third meaning, yoga as a spiritual practice, has nothing to do with the panchanga.

What yoga is

Yoga is a mathematical combination of the two luminaries' longitudes: their sum, reduced to a 360° circle. The longitudes are sidereal (Lahiri ayanamsha); when the sum passes another 13°20′ segment (that is, 360°/27), one yoga gives way to another. A full circle of 27 yogas takes about 25 days — noticeably faster than the lunar month (29.5 days); one yoga lasts around 22–23 hours.

The 27 yogas have a fixed order: Vishkambha, Priti, Ayushman, Saubhagya, Shobhana, Atiganda, Sukarma, Dhriti, Shula, Ganda, Vriddhi, Dhruva, Vyaghata, Harshana, Vajra, Siddhi, Vyatipata, Variyana, Parigha, Shiva, Siddha, Sadhya, Shubha, Shukla, Brahma, Indra, Vaidhriti. After Vaidhriti, the cycle starts over from Vishkambha.

Each yoga has its own name and its own meaning, drawn from the tradition of choosing a muhurta. The names are tied to mythology, natural images, and abstract notions — from "support" and "love" to "pain" and "separation."

Dividing into favorable and unfavorable

Muhurta tradition splits the 27 yogas into two unequal groups: favorable (shubha) and unfavorable (ashubha). Most often nine yogas are counted unfavorable, and the remaining eighteen are read as favorable. This division isn't absolute — the exact makeup of the group differs between schools, and in natal practice a yoga can carry qualities different from its "electional" reputation.

• Favorable ("shubha"): Priti, Ayushman, Saubhagya, Shobhana, Sukarma, Dhriti, Vriddhi, Dhruva, Harshana, Siddhi, Variyana, Shiva, Siddha, Sadhya, Shubha, Shukla, Brahma, Indra.
• Unfavorable ("ashubha"): Vishkambha (only its opening part), Atiganda, Shula, Ganda, Vajra, Vyaghata, Vyatipata, Parigha, Vaidhriti.

The classification helps in choosing a time, but it doesn't decide fate. Muhurta tradition reads the limbs together: a yoga's classification is only one layer, and alongside it stands Tara Bala from your birth nakshatra — so even an "unfavorable" yoga can turn out to fit.

How to read this section

Each yoga is its own page. On the page: a definition, its place in the system of the panchanga, its muhurta classification, and the day's practical meaning. Neighboring yogas are linked through "Related terms," and through those it's convenient to move on to the day's tithi, nakshatra, vara, and karana — the panchanga's four other limbs.

Keep in mind as you read: a yoga's number is its place in the 27-part cycle, its favorability is its general temperament, its name is its traditional image. The day's concrete outcomes are read in combination with the other limbs: one yoga sets the background, Tara Bala adds the personal layer, and their overlap is what answers the main question — whether the day suits your undertaking.