Question

Identify the 'Sthira' (Fixed/Invariable) Karaṇas from the following list:
A. Śakuni
B. Nāga
C. Bava
D. Bālava
E. Catuṣpāda

• A. Only D, E, A
• B. Only C, B, D
• C. Only A, B, E
• D. Only A, B, C

Hint:

Mnemonic for Fixed Karanas: "The Bird (Shakuni), the Animal (Catushpada), and the Snake (Naga) wait at the end of the month." These always appear at the very end of the Dark Fortnight!

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
A 'Karaṇa' is half of a Tithi (Lunar day). There are 11 types of Karaṇas in total. Out of these, 7 are 'Cara' (Movable) because they repeat 8 times during the lunar month. The remaining 4 are called 'Sthira' (Fixed) because they occur only once at the end of every lunar month. These fixed Karaṇas are generally considered inauspicious for major life events but are used for specific, often fierce, activities.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The four 'Sthira' Karaṇas are:

1. Śakuni (A): Occurs during the second half of the 14th Tithi of the dark fortnight (Kṛṣṇa Caturdaśī).
2. Catuṣpāda (E): Occurs during the first half of the Amāvāsyā (30th Tithi).
3. Nāga (B): Occurs during the second half of the Amāvāsyā.
4. Kiṃstughna (Not in list): Occurs during the first half of the 1st Tithi of the bright fortnight (Śukla Pratipadā).

Evaluating the options:
- Bava (C) and Bālava (D): These are 'Cara' (Movable) Karaṇas. They follow a cycle that starts after Kiṃstughna.

The set A, B, and E consists entirely of 'Sthira' Karaṇas. These are specifically associated with the period of the waning moon nearing the New Moon, a time traditionally reserved for rituals involving ancestors (Pitṛ), overcoming enemies, or destructive tasks. In predictive astrology, being born in a Sthira Karaṇa like Nāga or Catuṣpāda is sometimes said to give a person a steady, albeit perhaps secretive or intense, temperament.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The Sthira Karaṇas in the list are Śakuni, Nāga, and Catuṣpāda (A, B, E).