18 November 2026

Wednesday · Kartik Shukla Navami

Vikram Samvat 2083 · Shaka 1948 · Hemanta Ritu

Today's lesson

Shatabhisha: the hundred healers

A ring of faint stars in Kumbha. Its deity is Varuna, of the ocean and of law; its symbol an empty circle. The name means "a hundred healers": a nakshatra of medicine and solitude.

Look: No bright star near the Moon; Kumbha's sky looks empty.

Question: Is the Kumbh Mela tied to the rashi Kumbha? — answer tomorrow

Past lessons →

Akshaya Navami.Festivals and vrats follow the tithi, the Moon's motion, so the calendar date moves every year. Today is Kartik, Shukla paksha.
Kartik Shukla Navami, the whole day.At sunrise the Moon was 96° ahead of the Sun; every 12° is one tithi. Shukla paksha: the Moon is waxing.
Rikta tithi, traditionally not for new beginnings; a day to finish and plan.Tithis fall into five groups, Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya, Rikta and Purna, repeating every five; the old books pair each group with a kind of work.
Shatabhisha nakshatra until 06:10*, then Purva Bhadrapada. Moon in Kumbha.The Moon's path is divided into 27 nakshatras of about a day each; today it passes the stars of Shatabhisha, which puts it in Kumbha by sign.
Best windows: Labh 06:45–08:05, Amrit 08:05–09:25, Shubh 10:45–12:05.Daylight is cut into eight equal "choghadiyas", about 80 minutes each today; Amrit, Shubh and Labh are the good ones. Abhijit is the short midday muhurta, right at the middle of the day.
Rahu kaal 12:05–13:25: no new beginnings; Panchak 15:30*–00:50*.Rahu kaal is the 5th of the day's eight parts; each weekday has its fixed part, so it returns in the same order every week. Tradition starts nothing new in it and stops nothing already running.
Today's sayingअखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम्। तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः। — To the teacher who revealed that which fills the whole unbroken sphere of moving and unmoving: salutation.— गुरुस्तोत्रम् (परम्परागत)

Today's vrat & festivals

Akshaya Navami

Panchang

: Shukla Navami · until 19 Nov, 07:06
: Shatabhisha · until 19 Nov, 06:10then Purva Bhadrapada · until 20 Nov, 06:56
: Dhruva · until 08:05then Vyaghata · until 19 Nov, 07:42
: Balava · until 18:42then Kaulava · until 19 Nov, 07:06
: Kumbha · until 20 Nov, 00:50
: Vrishchika
: Kartik (Purnimanta) · Kartik (Amanta)
: Shukla paksha
: Dakshinayana

Sunrise

06:45

Sunset

17:25

Moonrise

13:18

Moonset

00:09

Auspicious & inauspicious times

Good

Brahma Muhurta
05:09 – 05:57
Abhijit Muhurta
11:44 – 12:27 · avoided on Wednesdays
Vijaya Muhurta
13:52 – 14:35
Godhuli Muhurta
17:13 – 17:37
Nishita Kaal
23:39 – 19 Nov, 00:32

Avoid

Rahu Kaal
12:05 – 13:25
Yamaganda
08:05 – 09:25
Gulika Kaal
10:45 – 12:05
Dur Muhurta
11:44 – 12:27
Panchak
17 Nov, 15:30 – 20 Nov, 00:50

Choghadiya

Labh06:45 – 08:05
Amrit08:05 – 09:25
Kaal09:25 – 10:45
Shubh10:45 – 12:05
Rog12:05 – 13:25
Udveg13:25 – 14:45
Char14:45 – 16:05
Labh16:05 – 17:25

Coming up

20 NovDevutthana EkadashiSmarta
21 NovTulsi Vivah
21 NovDevutthana EkadashiVaishnava
22 NovRavi Pradosh Vrat
24 NovKartik Purnima · Guru Nanak Jayanti
24 NovDev Deepawali
24 NovKartik Purnima Vrat
27 NovSankashti Chaturthi
4 DecUtpanna Ekadashi
6 DecRavi Pradosh Vrat

Calendar →Festivals 2026 →

The sky this week

20 Novevening, in the west
24 Novall night
30 Novbefore dawn, in the east
30 Novbefore dawn, in the east

A panchang day runs from sunrise to the next sunrise · Calculated on your phone — your location is never sent anywhere.

Swipe left or right to turn the day

Today's lesson

Shatabhisha: the hundred healers

A ring of faint stars in Kumbha. Its deity is Varuna, of the ocean and of law; its symbol an empty circle. The name means "a hundred healers": a nakshatra of medicine and solitude.

Look: No bright star near the Moon; Kumbha's sky looks empty.

Question: Is the Kumbh Mela tied to the rashi Kumbha? — answer tomorrow

Past lessons →

Akshaya Navami.Festivals and vrats follow the tithi, the Moon's motion, so the calendar date moves every year. Today is Kartik, Shukla paksha.
Kartik Shukla Navami, the whole day.At sunrise the Moon was 96° ahead of the Sun; every 12° is one tithi. Shukla paksha: the Moon is waxing.
Rikta tithi, traditionally not for new beginnings; a day to finish and plan.Tithis fall into five groups, Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya, Rikta and Purna, repeating every five; the old books pair each group with a kind of work.
Shatabhisha nakshatra until 06:10*, then Purva Bhadrapada. Moon in Kumbha.The Moon's path is divided into 27 nakshatras of about a day each; today it passes the stars of Shatabhisha, which puts it in Kumbha by sign.
Best windows: Labh 06:45–08:05, Amrit 08:05–09:25, Shubh 10:45–12:05.Daylight is cut into eight equal "choghadiyas", about 80 minutes each today; Amrit, Shubh and Labh are the good ones. Abhijit is the short midday muhurta, right at the middle of the day.
Rahu kaal 12:05–13:25: no new beginnings; Panchak 15:30*–00:50*.Rahu kaal is the 5th of the day's eight parts; each weekday has its fixed part, so it returns in the same order every week. Tradition starts nothing new in it and stops nothing already running.
Today's sayingअखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम्। तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः। — To the teacher who revealed that which fills the whole unbroken sphere of moving and unmoving: salutation.— गुरुस्तोत्रम् (परम्परागत)

…

Shatabhisha: the hundred healers

A ring of faint stars in Kumbha. Its deity is Varuna, of the ocean and of law; its symbol an empty circle. The name means "a hundred healers": a nakshatra of medicine and solitude.

Look: No bright star near the Moon; Kumbha's sky looks empty.

Question: Is the Kumbh Mela tied to the rashi Kumbha? — answer tomorrow

Panchang

Shukla Navami · until 19 Nov, 07:06

Shatabhisha · until 19 Nov, 06:10then Purva Bhadrapada · until 20 Nov, 06:56

Dhruva · until 08:05then Vyaghata · until 19 Nov, 07:42

Balava · until 18:42then Kaulava · until 19 Nov, 07:06

Kumbha · until 20 Nov, 00:50

Vrishchika

Kartik (Purnimanta) · Kartik (Amanta)

Shukla paksha

Dakshinayana

Sunrise

06:45

Sunset

17:25

Moonrise

13:18

Moonset

00:09

Auspicious & inauspicious times

Good

Brahma Muhurta
05:09 – 05:57
Abhijit Muhurta
11:44 – 12:27 · avoided on Wednesdays
Vijaya Muhurta
13:52 – 14:35
Godhuli Muhurta
17:13 – 17:37
Nishita Kaal
23:39 – 19 Nov, 00:32

Avoid

Rahu Kaal
12:05 – 13:25
Yamaganda
08:05 – 09:25
Gulika Kaal
10:45 – 12:05
Dur Muhurta
11:44 – 12:27
Panchak
17 Nov, 15:30 – 20 Nov, 00:50

Shatabhisha: the hundred healers

A ring of faint stars in Kumbha. Its deity is Varuna, of the ocean and of law; its symbol an empty circle. The name means "a hundred healers": a nakshatra of medicine and solitude.

Look: No bright star near the Moon; Kumbha's sky looks empty.

Question: Is the Kumbh Mela tied to the rashi Kumbha? — answer tomorrow