What is Yoga in Panchang?

The 27 Sun-Moon Combination Periods of the Hindu Almanac

Yoga — the third of the five Pancha Angas — has a meaning in Panchang entirely distinct from the physical practice of yoga. The word comes from the Sanskrit root yuj (to join), and in the almanac it refers to the joining of the Sun and Moon's positions: specifically, the sum of their sidereal longitudes. This sum is divided into 27 equal arcs of 13°20′ each, and the arc currently occupied gives the Yoga for that moment.

The 27 Yogas cycle continuously and are named: Vishkambha, Preeti, Ayushman, Saubhagya, Shobhana, Atiganda, Sukarma, Dhriti, Shoola, Ganda, Vriddhi, Dhruva, Vyaghata, Harshana, Vajra, Siddhi, Vyatipata, Variyan, Parigha, Shiva, Siddha, Sadhya, Shubha, Shukla, Brahma, Indra, and Vaidhriti. Each Yoga is associated with a presiding deity, a ruling planet, and a quality ranging from highly auspicious to strongly inauspicious.

For Muhurtham (auspicious timing) selection, the most desirable Yogas are Siddha, Shiva, Shubha, Brahma, Indra, Dhruva, Vriddhi, Saubhagya, Preeti, and Ayushman. These Yogas are sought for weddings, housewarmings, and new business launches because they are associated with success, growth, and divine blessings.

The Yogas most strongly avoided for auspicious activities are Vyatipata (17th) and Vaidhriti (27th). These two are classified as Maha-dosha Yogas — the most inauspicious in the cycle. Traditional almanacs mark these Yogas prominently as days requiring extra care. Other Yogas to avoid include Vishkambha, Shoola, Ganda, Vyaghata, and Vajra.

The duration of a Yoga is not fixed. Because it depends on the combined daily motion of both the Sun (~1°/day) and Moon (~13°/day), one Yoga spans roughly 22–26 hours on average. When the Moon moves faster near perigee, a Yoga can complete in as little as 14 hours; near apogee, it may last over 27 hours. The daily Panchang records the current Yoga and the exact time it ends and the next Yoga begins.

All 27 Yogas — Reference Table

The table below lists all 27 Yogas in order, with their Tamil name, quality rating, ruling planet, presiding deity, and a brief note on how each is used in Muhurtham selection.

#	Yoga Name	Tamil Name	Quality	Ruling Planet	Presiding Deity	Short Note
1	Vishkambha	விஷ்கம்பம்	Inauspicious	Saturn	Yama	Obstructions and obstacles; avoid for new ventures and auspicious ceremonies.
2	Preeti	ப்ரீதி	Auspicious	Mercury	Vishnu	Love and affection; favourable for relationships, friendships, and celebrations.
3	Ayushman	ஆயுஷ்மான்	Auspicious	Venus	Rudra	Long life and health; good for medical treatments and health-related ceremonies.
4	Saubhagya	சௌபாக்கியம்	Auspicious	Jupiter	Brahma	Good fortune; widely sought for weddings and auspicious beginnings.
5	Shobhana	சோபனம்	Auspicious	Moon	Indra	Beauty and prosperity; auspicious for ceremonies and new ventures.
6	Atiganda	அதிகண்டம்	Inauspicious	Sun	Chandra	Great obstacles; avoid for all new auspicious activities.
7	Sukarma	சுகர்மம்	Auspicious	Mars	Kartikeya	Good deeds; favourable for charitable acts and pious work.
8	Dhriti	திருதி	Auspicious	Saturn	Varuna	Steadfastness; good for long-term commitments and permanent undertakings.
9	Shoola	சூலம்	Inauspicious	Sun	Sarpa	Pain and difficulties; avoid for medical procedures and new starts.
10	Ganda	கண்டம்	Inauspicious	Jupiter	Agni	Trouble; avoid for auspicious ceremonies and important decisions.
11	Vriddhi	வ்ருத்தி	Highly Auspicious	Moon	Surya	Growth and increase; excellent for business launches and financial ventures.
12	Dhruva	த்ருவம்	Highly Auspicious	Mars	Bhumi	Fixed and stable; ideal for permanent undertakings, construction, and land dealings.
13	Vyaghata	வ்யாகாதம்	Inauspicious	Sun	Vayu	Violence and destruction; avoid for all new ventures and ceremonies.
14	Harshana	ஹர்ஷணம்	Auspicious	Moon	Bhaga	Joy and happiness; good for celebrations and auspicious functions.
15	Vajra	வஜ்ரம்	Inauspicious	Jupiter	Varuna	Thunderbolt; generally inauspicious; avoid for new auspicious work.
16	Siddhi	சித்தி	Highly Auspicious	Mercury	Ganesha	Success; one of the most sought-after Yogas for Muhurtham selection.
17	Vyatipata	வ்யதீபாதம்	Highly Inauspicious	Rahu	Rudra	Maha-dosha Yoga; the most inauspicious in the cycle — strictly avoided for all ceremonies.
18	Variyan	வரீயான்	Neutral	Venus	Kubera	Comfort and ease; moderately favourable; suitable for routine activities.
19	Parigha	பரிகம்	Inauspicious	Sun	Vishwakarma	Obstruction; avoid for new starts, travel, and important decisions.
20	Shiva	சிவம்	Highly Auspicious	Mercury	Shiva	Auspicious and divine; excellent for all ceremonies and new undertakings.
21	Siddha	சித்தம்	Highly Auspicious	Jupiter	Kartikeya	Achievement; excellent Yoga for Muhurtham — especially weddings and housewarmings.
22	Sadhya	சாத்தியம்	Auspicious	Venus	Sadhyas	Attainable goals; good for endeavours that require effort and perseverance.
23	Shubha	சுபம்	Highly Auspicious	Mercury	Lakshmi	Auspicious; one of the best Yogas — widely sought for all important ceremonies.
24	Shukla	சுக்லம்	Auspicious	Moon	Parvati	Purity and clarity; good for learning, religious study, and auspicious ceremonies.
25	Brahma	பிரம்மம்	Highly Auspicious	Sun	Brahma	Divine; among the most auspicious Yogas — excellent for all ceremonies.
26	Indra	இந்திரம்	Highly Auspicious	Jupiter	Indra	Victory; excellent for new ventures, leadership decisions, and all auspicious work.
27	Vaidhriti	வைத்ருதி	Highly Inauspicious	Saturn	Mitra	Maha-dosha Yoga; the second most inauspicious — strictly avoided alongside Vyatipata.

Key: Highly Auspicious Auspicious Neutral Inauspicious Highly Inauspicious