Kintughna Karana

Kintughna is the eleventh and final karana in the list, and it is the only fixed karana that almanacs call auspicious. It sits at the turn of the lunar month, in the first half of Shukla Pratipada, the first tithi of the waxing Moon right after Amavasya. The deity named is Vayu, the wind, associated with breath, movement and purification.

The Sanskrit name is written किंस्तुघ्न, and it is read as kim-tu-ghna, explained as a destroyer of obstacles. Some texts give variant spellings, such as Kimstughna, so you may see either form in different almanacs. As a sthira karana it occurs once a month, in contrast to the seven movable ones that repeat many times.

Because it opens a new bright fortnight, tradition links it with clean starts. The customary list includes a sin-cleansing puja, the start of a new month of observance, a fresh chapter in life, the beginning of study and the laying of a foundation. The sole caution given is to avoid putting off a funeral rite for it. Readers who like a symbolic fresh start often enjoy knowing that the month's gentlest karana comes first, but this remains a matter of belief and convenience.