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What is Tithi?

According to Vedic astrology there are a total of 30 tithi’s in a month, these start from the very 1st day of the dark half of a month, and ends up at the full moon day, each of these have 15 days or vaar. During both the dark as well as the bright heat of every month the name of the first fourteen tithis remain the same, the dark tithi ends with the new moon day (i.e., Amavasya Tithi), and the bright tithi ends with the new full moon day (i.e., Purnima).

The name of the first 14 tithis are as follows: -

(1) pratipada, (2) Dwitiya, (3) Tritiya, (4) Chaturthi, (5) Panchmi, (6) Shasthi, (7) Saptami, (8) Ashtami, (9) Navami, (10) Dashmi, (11) Ekadashi, (12) Dwadashi, (13) Trayashi, (14) Chaturdashi respectively. Purnima is the 15th Tithi, while Amavasya is the 30th Tithi. Looking at them in a repeated order they can be identified as Nanda (causing happiness & joy), Bhadra (Causing gentlesness and health), Jaya (causing victory), Ritika (causing emptiness or loss), and Poorna (Causing completion), respectively. Therefore it can be concluded that Pratipadsa ,Shasthi, and Ekadashi Tithis can be called Nanda; Dwitiya, Saptami, and Dwadashi can be called Jaya; Chatuthi, Navami, and Chaturdashi can be called Ritika; and lastly Panchami, Dashmi, and Purnima as well as Amavasya can be called Poorna.

Tithis vary in their duration, ranging from 19 to 26 hours, according to the movement of the moon. Each of the tithis have a particular name, ruling planet, and is used in muhurta (i.e., picking a proper time). Speaking in the Vedic timekeeping sense, a tithi is a lunar day or it can be defined as the time taken for the longitudinal angle between the moon and the sun to increase by 12 degree. A tithi(or date) also have a special significance in the Hindu culture. In the Hindu Culture any auspicious mahurats are determined on the basis of a tithi. Every kind of auspicious work is categorized according to these tithis only. For picking a muhurta one must understand the difference between a Nakshatra and tithi , both of these are related to then mind. The tithi is ruled by the Jala Tattva (i.e., the water element/Venus) and shows the state of one’s mind that whether it is excited, nervous, bored, calm, or agitated. The Nakshatra on the other hand is ruled by Vayu Tattva (i.e., The air elements/Saturn) and shows what the mind will experience; whether it is going to be pleasant or painful experience. A tithi is also helpful in showing whether people will cooperate with a certain project or not.

Each tithi has specific nature, lordship and good or bad propencity. Majority of tithis are naturally benefic for various reasons whereas few are inherently malefic.

When Moon starts losing its light and strength during the wanning moon phase,by the time it reaches the middle of dark half of the month, it becomes very low in energy. This trend even continues till some initial part of bright half of the month, therefore, more precisely it can be said that from Ekadashi (11th day of dark half) till Chaturthi( the fourth day of bright half) marks the low energy phase of the month, hence offering prayers with sincerity and devotion, following all rituals, satwick routine would help you stand strong during this period.

Some tithis are refrred to as ‘Parv Tithis’ such as the eighth day of every dark half of the month is called ‘Kaal Ashtmi’ which signifies strong and ferocious natural power. Eighth day bright half of the month is called ‘Maas Durgashtmi’ the day is considered auspicious for offering prayers to Goddess Durga to remove all kinds of hurdles from life.The fourteenth day of every fortnight belongs to Lord Shiva and In dark half this day is called Maha Shivratri.