Karana

A Karana is half a Tithi, i.e., the time for the Moon to gain 6° over the Sun. There are 60 Karanas in a full lunar month (30 Tithis x 2). However, only 11 distinct Karanas exist: 7 "Chara" (movable) Karanas that cycle repeatedly through positions 2-58, and 4 "Sthira" (fixed) Karanas that appear only once each — Shakuni at position 1 (first half of Shukla Pratipada), and Chatushpada, Nagava, and Kimstughna occupying the last three positions (58-60). The Chara Karanas (Bava through Vishti) repeat 8 times across the month.