Pitrupaksha Begins on Raviwara: Saturn and Moon Converge in Revati as Ancestral Fortnight Opens

The Moon has turned. Krishna Pratipada, the first tithi of the waning cycle, opens on Raviwara as Pitrupaksha begins. Saturn and the Moon both sit at 17 degrees Meena in Revati, the final nakshatra of the zodiac, while the day starts under Uttara Bhadrapada, the nakshatra of Ahir Budhnya, the serpent of the deep. The nakshatra shifts mid-morning from Uttara Bhadrapada to Revati, moving the day from the ending to the very last breath of the cycle. Sun, ruler of Raviwara, holds at 9 degrees Kanya in Uttara Phalguni, the nakshatra of service and agreements. The Sun’s weekly vrat honors the source of life, and Ashwina month begins in the Purnimanta reckoning. The 3rd Chaturmasa holds on Day 5. This is a Sunday for turning inward toward the ancestors, and the sky confirms it.

The Serpent’s Depth and the Ancestral Call

Saturn at 17 degrees Meena in Revati moves retrograde. Revati is the final nakshatra, the traveler returning home, the feeding of the cattle before nightfall. Saturn here does not let you skip the last lesson. The retrograde motion means the lesson is internal. Moon at 17 degrees Meena, also in Revati, mirrors the same placement. The waning Moon in the nakshatra of completion strips away illusions about what has been left undone. Together they form a conjunction of endings in the sign of surrender, and Pitrupaksha provides the context: honoring ancestors is the work of completion.

Saturn in Revati does not offer shortcuts. During the ancestral fortnight, this placement demands that you do the Shraddha, that you face the debt, that you feed the ones who came before. Pratipada Shraddha marks the beginning of this fifteen-day observance. The Krishna Paksha moon in the last nakshatra of the zodiac is the thinnest light in the darkest corner, and it asks: what have you left unfinished with those who are gone?

The Exalted and the Debilitated

Jupiter at 24 degrees Karka in Ashlesha holds its exaltation. The planet of wisdom and expansion sits in the sign of nourishment, wrapped in Ashlesha’s coils. Ashlesha is the clinging one, the nakshatra that binds, and exalted Jupiter here asks what beliefs you are willing to hold onto even when they sting. Pushya, where Jupiter sits by nakshatra, is the lotus, the most nutritive of all twenty-seven, and the highest expression of Jupiter’s wisdom arrives through Karka’s protective instinct.

Mars at 5 degrees Karka in Pushya nakshatra holds its debilitation. The warrior planet in the sign of nourishment, placed in the nakshatra of the lotus. Mars here does not attack; it protects. It does not dominate; it sustains. In the context of Pitrupaksha, this is the energy that guards the ritual, that ensures the offerings are made with care, that the Shraddha is observed with discipline rather than aggression.

Venus at 13 degrees Tula in Swati nakshatra occupies its own sign. The planet of beauty and connection sits in the sign of balance, while Swati is the independent one, the wind-blown seed. Venus here creates beauty from distance. Mercury at 1 degree Tula in Chitra nakshatra brings the intellect a jewel-like edge, sharp and precise, though the focus turns toward duty and balance rather than personal ambition. The Sun shares Kanya rashi with no other graha at this snapshot, holding its position in Uttara Phalguni. Rahu and Ketu, the karmic axis, both move retrograde at 3 degrees Kumbha and Simha, in Dhanishtha and Magha nakshatras respectively. Dhanishtha is the drumbeat, the rhythm of wealth and timing. Magha is the throne, the seat of ancestral power. The axis asks: what rhythms are you carrying from your lineage, and which ones need to be broken and remade?

Panchang at a Glance

Raviwara, Sunday, during Sharad (autumn) ritu in Dakshinayana. Krishna Paksha. Ashwina month in Purnimanta, Bhadrapada in Amanta. Vikram Samvat 2083 (Siddharthi), Shaka Samvat 1948 (Parabhava). Tithi: Krishna Pratipada transitions to Dwitiya during the evening. Nakshatra: Uttara Bhadrapada holds through the morning, then Revati takes over. Moon sign: Meena. Yoga: Vriddhi through the late morning, then Dhruva. Karana: Balava in the early hours, Kaulava through the evening, then Taitila to close. The 3rd Chaturmasa continues, Day 5. Pitrupaksha has begun. Pratipada Shraddha is observed today. Ashwina begins in the North. Ishti is performed. See regional blocks below for exact transition times at your location.

Abhijit Muhurta, Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda, Gulikai Kalam, Dur Muhurtam, and Varjyam fall at different local times depending on your region. Panchaka: Whole Day. Bhadra is not active today. Ganda Moola activates after the nakshatra shift in most regions. See regional blocks for exact inauspicious windows.

Regional Panchangam & Timings

India & South Asia (Mumbai, IST)

• Tithi: Pratipada until 08:58 PM; then Dwitiya
• Nakshatra: Uttara Bhadrapada until 11:08 AM; then Revati. Moon sign: Meena
• Yoga: Vriddhi until 11:17 AM; then Dhruva
• Karana: Balava until 09:41 AM -> Kaulava until 08:58 PM -> Taitila
• Special: Pitrupaksha Begins, Pratipada Shraddha, Ashwina Begins (North), Ishti, 3rd Chaturmasa Day 5, Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga ACTIVE (06:28 AM to 11:08 AM), Ganda Moola ACTIVE (from 11:08 AM), Panchaka ACTIVE (all day)

UK & Europe (London, BST)

• Tithi: Pratipada until 04:28 PM; then Dwitiya
• Nakshatra: Revati until 05:46 AM (Sep 28); then Ashwini. Moon sign: Meena
• Yoga: Dhruva until 04:24 AM (Sep 28); then Vyaghata
• Karana: Kaulava until 04:28 PM -> Taitila until 03:38 AM (Sep 28) -> Garaja
• Special: Pitrupaksha Begins, Pratipada Shraddha, Ashwina Begins (North), Ishti, 3rd Chaturmasa Day 5, Ganda Moola ACTIVE (all day), Panchaka ACTIVE (all day)

North America East (New York, EDT)

• Tithi: Pratipada until 11:28 AM; then Dwitiya
• Nakshatra: Revati until 12:46 AM (Sep 28); then Ashwini. Moon sign: Meena
• Yoga: Dhruva until 11:23 PM; then Vyaghata
• Karana: Kaulava until 11:28 AM -> Taitila until 10:38 PM -> Garaja
• Special: Pitrupaksha Begins, Pratipada Shraddha, Ashwina Begins (North), Ishti, 3rd Chaturmasa Day 5, Ganda Moola ACTIVE (all day), Panchaka ACTIVE (all day)

North America West (Los Angeles, PDT)

• Tithi: Pratipada until 08:28 AM; then Dwitiya
• Nakshatra: Revati until 09:46 PM; then Ashwini. Moon sign: Meena
• Yoga: Dhruva until 08:24 PM; then Vyaghata
• Karana: Kaulava until 08:28 AM -> Taitila until 07:38 PM -> Garaja until 06:43 AM (Sep 28) -> Vanija
• Special: Pitrupaksha Begins, Pratipada Shraddha, Ashwina Begins (North), Ishti, 3rd Chaturmasa Day 5, Ganda Moola ACTIVE (all day), Panchaka ACTIVE (all day)

Australia & Pacific (Sydney, AEST)

• Tithi: Pratipada until 01:28 AM (Sep 28); then Dwitiya
• Nakshatra: Uttara Bhadrapada until 03:38 PM; then Revati. Moon sign: Meena
• Yoga: Vriddhi until 03:47 PM; then Dhruva
• Karana: Balava until 02:11 PM -> Kaulava until 01:28 AM (Sep 28) -> Taitila
• Special: Pitrupaksha Begins, Pratipada Shraddha, Ashwina Begins (North), Ishti, 3rd Chaturmasa Day 5, Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga ACTIVE (05:38 AM to 03:38 PM), Ganda Moola ACTIVE (from 03:38 PM), Panchaka ACTIVE (all day)

Your Playbook for Today

India & South Asia (IST)

Do: The morning under Vriddhi yoga is the day’s most favorable stretch for Pratipada Shraddha rituals. Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga holds from sunrise through the nakshatra shift at 11:08 AM. Watch out: Ganda Moola dominates after the nakshatra change (11:08 AM onward), making the afternoon and evening unsuitable for new ventures. Panchaka active all day.

UK & Europe (BST)

Do: Focus on devotional and introspective work rather than launching new activities. Watch out: Ganda Moola holds the entire day in London - no window escapes its influence. Panchaka active all day.

North America East (EDT)

Do: Use the Amrit Kalam late evening window (10:27 PM to 11:59 PM) for important rituals, meditation, or Shraddha offerings. Watch out: Ganda Moola dominates the full day. The Pratipada tithi closes mid-morning (11:28 AM). Panchaka active all day.

North America West (PDT)

Do: Amrit Kalam in the mid-evening (07:27 PM to 08:59 PM) offers the best window for important actions. Watch out: Pratipada closes in the early morning (08:28 AM). Begin Shraddha before mid-morning. Ganda Moola holds all day. Panchaka active all day.

Australia & Pacific (AEST)

Do: Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga spans from sunrise through mid-afternoon (03:38 PM). Use the full daylight period for Pratipada Shraddha and sacred work. Watch out: Ganda Moola activates after the nakshatra shift at 03:38 PM. Panchaka active all day.

The Bottom Line

Pitrupaksha opens on Raviwara with Saturn and the Moon conjunct in Revati, the final nakshatra of the zodiac, both at 17 degrees Meena. The waning Moon in the nakshatra of endings, the retrograde Saturn demanding internal completion, the start of the ancestral fortnight - these converge into a single imperative: finish what you owe to the dead. Exalted Jupiter in Karka holds the spiritual anchor, debilitated Mars in Pushya protects the ritual.

The ancestors are listening. Begin the conversation.

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