Sources & methodology
How every number and sentence on Tara Junction is produced — and the classical texts the rules trace to.
Positions from a real ephemeris
Planetary longitudes, sunrise/sunset and eclipse instants are computed by an astronomical ephemeris (astronomy-engine) at request time — to the arc-minute, for the exact coordinates and timezone of the place. Nothing is looked up from a printed almanac.
Lahiri ayanamsa, sidereal zodiac
Public pages use the Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa — the standard followed by most Indian astrologers. The kundli tool also offers B.V. Raman and KP ayanamsas; the public panchang pages state their model on-page and publish one canonical variant only.
Panchang anchored at sunrise
Tithi, nakshatra, yoga and karana are read at the city's own computed sunrise — the classical "tithi at sunrise names the day" convention (the same rule Drik-style panchangs follow). Day windows (Rahu Kalam, Choghadiya, Hora) divide the real day and night arcs, so their clock times shift with the seasons.
No guesses — witnessed and cited
Every yoga in our catalog carries a classical citation and a verification status: cross-checked against an independent software implementation (PyJHora) or against published worked examples. Where the tradition genuinely forks, we pin one variant and say so; where a rule is a modern convention rather than a classical doctrine (some doshas), the page says that too. Interpretive text is either composed from factual attributes or cited — never invented.
Tendencies, not predictions
We publish general tendencies only — never event, date or outcome predictions, and never medical advice. Every predictive surface carries the engine’s own caveat text.
The classical texts we cite
A citation index with our own paraphrased summaries — no copyrighted translation text is reproduced.
Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra · बृहत् पराशर होरा शास्त्र
Sage Parashara · classical (foundational)
The foundational Parashari text — graha & bhava significations, dignities, the shodasha-vargas, Vimshottari and conditional dashas, Ashtakavarga, yogas, Ayurdaya and remedial devatas.
- Graha & bhava significations: Each planet’s karakatva and each house’s domains, the basis of all delineation. (used in: Reading, Delineations, Combination Explorer)
- Vimshottari & conditional dashas: The 120-year nakshatra dasha and its conditional variants (Ashtottari, Shodashottari, etc.). (used in: Dasha)
- Ashtakavarga: The bindu system (Bhinna/Sarva) and reductions (Trikona/Ekadhipatya Shodhana, Shodhya Pinda). (used in: Ashtakavarga)
- Ayurdaya (longevity framework): The three-fold Pinda/Nisarga/Amsa longevity framework (shipped as a band, not a year-count). (used in: Strength)
- Graha-bhava-phala: Effects of planets in the houses — cited where a specific verse exists in the delineation overlay. (used in: Delineations)
- Remedial devatas: The adhidevata/pratyadhidevata of the grahas used in remedy worship. (used in: Remedies)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; modern English translations (e.g. Santhanam) are copyrighted.
Phaladeepika · फलदीपिका
Mantreswara · classical
A concise results-oriented (phala) classic — bhava and dasha results, yogas and planetary effects.
- Dasha-phala: General results of each mahadasha lord, surfaced as tendencies for the running period. (used in: Reading, Delineations)
- Bhava-phala: House-result statements cross-referenced in the graha-bhava delineation overlay. (used in: Delineations)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; modern translations are copyrighted.
Saravali · सारावली
Kalyana Varma · classical
An extensive treatment of yogas and planetary results, widely cited for combination definitions.
- Yoga definitions: Classical combination definitions cross-checked against the witnessed yoga catalog. (used in: Yogas, Combination Explorer)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; modern translations are copyrighted.
Brihat Jataka · बृहज्जातक
Varahamihira · classical
A cornerstone natal text — planetary natures, the gem–graha correspondences and core yogas.
- Gem–graha correspondence: The ratna assignments per graha underpinning the remedy reference table. (used in: Remedies)
- Mahapurusha & core yogas: The Pancha-Mahapurusha and allied yoga definitions. (used in: Yogas)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; older translations may be public domain by jurisdiction.
Jaimini Sutras (Upadesa Sutras) · जैमिनि सूत्र
Sage Jaimini · classical
The Jaimini system — chara karakas, rasi dashas, argala, and the special lagnas.
- Chara karakas & rasi dashas: The karaka scheme and the Narayana/Sthira/Shoola/Drig/Sudasa rasi dashas. (used in: Jaimini, Dasha)
- Argala (intervention): The argala/virodha-argala house-intervention rules. (used in: Jaimini)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; modern translations are copyrighted.
Muhurta Chintamani · मुहूर्त चिन्तामणि
Ram Daivajna · classical
The standard electional (muhurta) text — nakshatra natures, tithi/yoga suitability and time-windows.
- Nakshatra 7-fold nature: The Dhruva/Chara/Ugra/… activity classification used in muhurta and nakshatra delineation. (used in: Panchang, Delineations)
- Panchanga shuddhi: Tithi/nakshatra/yoga auspiciousness combined into the daily muhurta assessment. (used in: Panchang)
- Janma-nama akshara (Avakahada chakra): The nakshatra-pada starting-syllable table (Avakahada chakra) traditionally used for the janma-nama; the baby-name calculator looks up this convention while computing the nakshatra + pada exactly. Roman transliteration follows B.V. Raman’s Muhurta / Drik Panchang, with documented regional variants disclosed. (used in: Calculators)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; modern translations are copyrighted.
Mantra Mahodadhi · मन्त्रमहोदधि
Mahidhara · classical
A tantric mantra compendium — the navagraha bija mantras and the purascharana japa counts.
- Navagraha japa counts: The purascharana japa set (summing to 1,30,000) used in the remedy reference. (used in: Remedies)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; modern translations are copyrighted.
Dharmasindhu · धर्मसिन्धु
Kashinath Upadhyaya · early-modern (c.1790–91)
A Dharmashastra digest of nitya/naimittika observances — including grahana (eclipse) sutaka, snana and daana timing — codifying earlier smriti; cross-referenced with Nirnaya Sindhu (Kamalakara Bhatta, c.1612) for the grahana-sutaka window.
- Grahana-sutaka (eclipse sutak window): The smriti eclipse-impurity (sutaka) window (Dharmasindhu, grahana-nirnaya prakarana — a deliberate section-level citation, compiling earlier smriti; no verse-level locus is asserted). Per the Smarta reckoning, solar sutak begins 4 prahar (~12 hours) before sparsha — the first umbral/visible contact — and lunar sutak 3 prahar (~9 hours) before, both ending at moksha (the last umbral contact); it is observed only where the eclipse is locally visible, so a below-horizon eclipse carries none. The penumbral (upacchaya) phase is excluded, and a penumbral-only lunar eclipse is not a grahana for sutaka, so it carries no window. CONVENTION (pinned, not asserted as the sole truth): a prahar is treated as a nominal ~3 hours, though a yama is strictly a variable quarter of day or night; the geocentric umbral sparsha anchors the window even when it lies below the local horizon (grastodaya / grastasta eclipses in progress at moonrise or moonset); Vaishnava and regional reckonings differ on vedha/exemption, some tables measure from a fixed clock-hour, and reduced-sutak concessions (children, the sick, the aged) exist. The platform pins the Smarta sparsha-based rule, renders only the begin/end instants (never a verdict), and discloses the fork. (used in: Eclipses)
Sanskrit mula is public domain; modern translations are copyrighted.
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