Panchak — group of 5 nakshatras: Dhanishtha (last-half), Shatabhisha, Purva-Bhadrapad, Uttara-Bhadrapad, Revati. Panchak when Moon in Aquarius-Pisces rashi. Comes once a month, lasts 5 days. Some works forbidden in panchak-period — traditional belief.
Panchak-rahit-muhurat = time when no panchak. Panchak-rahit-tithi seen for panchak-forbidden works. 12 panchak-periods in 2026 — one each month. In this article complete-table, forbidden-works, and exceptions.
✦ What is Panchak?
5 nakshatras together form "Panchak" — Dhanishtha (second-charan), Shatabhisha, Purva-Bhadrapad, Uttara-Bhadrapad, Revati. When Moon in any one of these 5 nakshatras — then panchak.
Astronomy: These 5 nakshatras in Aquarius-rashi (Shatabhisha, half of Purva-Bhadrapad) and Pisces-rashi (half of Purva-Bhadrapad, Uttara-Bhadrapad, Revati). Moon in Aquarius-Pisces approximately 5 days — this panchak-period.
Purana-story: After Ravan's death his sister Surpanakha cursed — "Whoever dies in panchak, 5 more people in his family will die." This origin of "Mrityu-Panchak". Traditional fear.
✦ 5 Types of Panchak
1. Rog-Panchak: Panchak starting from Sunday. Sign of disease-increase. Caution in medical-work. Travel forbidden.
2. Raj-Panchak: Starting from Monday. "Raj" means auspicious. Auspicious for king-court-government-work. Job-yog increases.
3. Agni-Panchak: Starting from Tuesday. Risk of fire, accident. Construction-work forbidden. Caution in stove-gas-electricity.
4. Chor-Panchak: Starting from Friday. Risk of theft, money-loss. New transaction, travel forbidden.
5. Mrityu-Panchak: Starting from Saturday. Death-like trouble. Death in this period = 5 more deaths in family. Most inauspicious. Starting from Wednesday/Thursday = "regular" panchak — moderate.
✦ 5 Forbidden Works in Panchak
1. South-direction travel: Don't go south in panchak. Yam-direction. If essential — leave after Hanuman-Chalisa, also when returning.
2. Fuel-collection (wood, coal, dung-cake-thatch): Don't collect any combustible-thing in panchak — fear of fire.
3. Bed-construction (cot, charpoy): Don't make new bed in panchak — sign of disease.
4. Roof-construction (house-roof): Don't lay roof in panchak — death-like trouble in family.
5. Cremation: If death in panchak don't cremate directly. Make 5 idols of flour — cremate with body. Otherwise traditional belief of 5 deaths in family.
Other forbidden: long-travel, new house-purchase, fixing marriage-date, griha-pravesh, yagyopavit, mundan.
✦ 2026 Panchak-Periods — Complete Table
January: 8 January (Thursday) 03:14 AM to 13 January (Tuesday) 02:18 PM. February: 4 February (Wednesday) 06:42 PM to 9 February (Monday) 09:30 PM. March: 4 March (Wednesday) 08:48 PM to 9 March (Monday) 12:14 AM.
April: 1 April (Wednesday) 11:32 PM to 5 April (Sunday) 02:00 PM. 29 April (Wednesday) 04:18 AM to 4 May (Monday). May: 26-30 May.
June: 22-26 June. July: 19-23 July. August: 16-20 August. September: 12-16 September.
October: 9-13 October. November: 6-10 November. December: 3-7 December. 30 December-3 January 2027.
See accurate-time (to minute) in panchang. Time changes place-wise.
✦ Panchak Exceptions
Not all works forbidden! Panchak exceptions: 1) Maa-Durga-puja, Maa-Kali-sadhana — best in panchak. 2) Hanuman-puja, mantra-jap — no dosha. 3) Intense-time of panchak for tantra-sadhana. 4) Gupt-Navratri (with panchak) — special power.
Daan-punya in panchak: best. Brahmin-bhoj, cow-daan, anna-daan. Water to peepal-tree. Pitru-tarpan.
Daily-work not forbidden: ordinary-travel, office-work, buy-sell, cooking — all goes on. Only special-auspicious-work and 5 forbidden-works.
✦ Panchak-Dosha-Removal Remedies
If essential work has to be done in panchak: 1) Write "Om Namah Shivaya" in front/back of house. 2) Hanuman-Chalisa 11 times. 3) Gayatri-mantra 108 times. 4) Maha-Mrityunjay-mantra. 5) Get shanti-paath done from brahmin. 6) Offer water to peepal-tree.
If death in panchak: Make 5 puppets of flour/kush. Cremate with body. Complete vidhi-sanskar. Navagraha-shanti-paath from pandit.
If travel essential: 1) Keep yellow-cloth with you. 2) Hanuman-Chalisa. 3) Eat jaggery before leaving. 4) Avoiding south-direction from house — first go north/east — then original-direction.
If roof to be laid: change muhurat. If not possible — "Vastu-shanti-paath", rudrabhishek, brahmin-bhoj.
📚Sources & References
Content in this article is verified against the following classical and modern authoritative sources. Readers may independently verify against the original sources.
- ▪Muhurta Chintamani — panchak-prohibition and exception rules
- ▪Muhurta Chintamani by Ram Daivajna (16th century) — standard reference for muhurat selection
- ▪Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus (Willmann-Bell, 1998) — basis for all astronomical computations on this site
- ▪Lahiri Ayanamsa — standard sidereal reference adopted by the Indian Calendar Reform Committee (1955)
✦ Frequently Asked Questions
How long is panchak?▼
Moon stays in Aquarius-Pisces-rashi approximately 5 days — panchak-period. Sometimes 4 days-23 hours, sometimes 5 days-2 hours. Once a month. 12-13 times panchak in a year.
Can marriage be done in panchak?▼
Marriage's "fixed date" (tilak, engagement, marriage) not in panchak. But "talks" can continue. If extremely-essential — after shanti-paath from pandit. But better to avoid if other more-auspicious-dates available.
Does panchak occur at same time everywhere?▼
Moon's rashi-position universally same. But due to time-zone start-end times of panchak appear different in Indian-IST, American-EST, Australian-AEST. Original-period same.
Is there scientific-basis of panchak?▼
No proof from scientific-view. Based on traditional-belief. Psychological-effect — fear effect on shraddha-having ones. Modern-view — follow as per shraddha-rules, but don't stop essential-work.
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Note: This content is published for educational and cultural reference. For personal religious or astrological decisions, please consult a qualified pandit or jyotishi.