Q: Can you please guide me to a source where I can find the correct tithis, karana, yoga, etc. for the tropical zodiac?

Tithi, karana, etc. depends on the distance between the moon and the sun. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if we are using sidereal or tropical, both will yield the same tithi, karana, etc.

The following illustrates this:

Q: When I use the sidereal zodiac, my moon is in Hasta Pada 2. However, according to the tropical zodiac, my moon is in Hasta Pada 3. Why is this so? Am I Hasta Pada 2 or Hasta Pada 3?

The most important thing to understand is that the zodiac has no bearing on the position of nakshatras. Nakshatra positions are determined by anchor-stars (yoga-tāra). Therefore, whether you are using sidereal or topical for your zodiac rashi, should not affect your nakshatra calculation.

The following illustrates that nakshatra and rashi are independent dimensions of the sky. They should not be welded together and merged into a single dimension.

Because the two are separate dimensions of sky, they change their relationship to one another very slowly over long centuries. Keeping track of this change is the very purpose of ayanāṁśa.

Therefore, if you get a different nakshatra value when switching to tropical rashi, you probably inadvertently changed some other factor without realizing it. Perhaps you didn’t select the same ayanāṁśa that you were using for the sidereal zodiac?

By the way, I do not recommend using pada for nakṣatra. It is an artifact of how navāṁśa intersects the nakshatra when the two are welded into a single unit.

Q: How should I select an auspicious muhurta? There are so many different priests and so many different opinions.

Basically, you should find a nakshatra type that matches what you want to achieve by your endeavor. For example, for starting a marriage, you should elect a day with an enduring (dhruva) nakshatra type. For starting a journey, you should select a day with a quick (laghu) or moving (cāla) type. For having a party you should select a soft (mṛdu) or moveing (cāla) type. Use common sense.

Once you find a few convenient days in your practical time-frame with the right type of nakshatra, narrow those down by tithi. Prefer those where the moon is fuller. In between the two aṣṭami is the best. If possible avoid tithi 4, 9, and 14.

People generally get this much, but then completely ignore the most important part. The most important part is that your endeavor is executed with vidyā and bhakti.

Whatever the endeavor is, begin and end it by stating, “oṁ tat sat” (“Om. That is eternal and real.”) Include in the endeavor some offering to or praise of your primary devata, whomever that is, as decided by your heart. Also, include some offering to or praise of the devatā of the day’s nakṣatra. Finally, give the offering as charity to a worthy person (generally a teacher, mother, child, or a person in need). If you follow this, then you can do any activity on any tithi and any nakshatra and it will be auspicious. If you don’t follow this, than your activity will not have auspicious outcomes, no matter how carefully you selected your muhurta.