Dwadashi is the twelfth tithi, when the Moon is between a hundred and forty-four and a hundred and fifty-six degrees from the Sun. In the bright half the Moon is more than three-quarters lit and rises in the afternoon, and in the dark half it is a slim waning Moon that rises in the small hours.
For most people the tithi is known as the day after Ekadashi, the morning on which the fast is broken. It is more than that: it is a tithi of its own, in the Bhadra group, with its own festivals, its own cautions, and a close link to Vishnu and to the tulsi plant.
The tithi at a glance
| Detail | Dwadashi |
|---|---|
| Where it falls | Number 12 in Shukla paksha (tithi 12 of 30) and number 12 in Krishna paksha (tithi 27 of 30) |
| Moon ahead of the Sun by | 132 to 144 degrees in Shukla; 312 to 324 degrees in Krishna |
| Group | Bhadra (with Dwitiya and Saptami) |
| Deity in a common list | Vishnu |
Group and deity
Dwadashi is the last of the Bhadra tithis, together with Dwitiya and Saptami. Bhadra means auspicious, and the group is described in muhurat summaries as suited to steady, constructive work and to matters of care and well-being.
A common list names Vishnu as the deity of Dwadashi, and the connection is plain in practice: the Ekadashi fast for Vishnu is completed on this tithi, with a meal offered to him first. In a few lists a different name appears, and the lists do not all agree, so your family’s custom comes first.
Festivals on Shukla Dwadashi
Vamana Jayanti falls on Bhadrapada Shukla Dwadashi and marks the birth of Vamana, the dwarf form of Vishnu, who asked the king Bali for three steps of land. The same Dwadashi in some regions is called Shravana Dwadashi, and the Shravana nakshatra on that day adds to its importance.
Tulsi Vivah, the symbolic wedding of the tulsi plant with Vishnu in the form of Shaligrama or Krishna, is celebrated from Prabodhini Ekadashi in Kartika Shukla paksha, and in many homes it takes place on Dwadashi. It ends the period in which weddings are held back, and in many places the wedding season begins after it.
Dwadashi of the bright half is also the parana day for the Shukla Ekadashi, so its main role in the calendar is the one set out on the Ekadashi festival page.
Festivals on Krishna Dwadashi
Govatsa Dwadashi, also called Vasu Baras, falls on Krishna Dwadashi of Kartika in the purnimanta calendar, the day before Dhanteras, when the cow and her calf are worshipped. In several households the day is kept by avoiding milk products and food made from ploughed grains, which is a family custom.
In the amanta calendar the same day belongs to Ashvin, so Govatsa Dwadashi is listed in different months in different regions. The page on amanta and purnimanta explains the pattern. Krishna Dwadashi is also the parana day after the dark-half Ekadashi.
What muhurat practice says
Dwadashi is a Bhadra tithi, but almanac lists of preferred days for marriage and a housewarming usually name other tithis such as Dwitiya, Tritiya, Panchami, Saptami, Dashami, Ekadashi and Trayodashi, and often leave Dwadashi out. Some lists include Shukla Dwadashi for particular ceremonies, so it is worth asking an astrologer rather than assuming.
A widely held custom is not to pluck tulsi leaves on Ekadashi, Dwadashi and Sundays, and many households collect what they need the day before. This is a custom of devotion and not a rule of the muhurat texts.
The weekday, nakshatra and individual charts also count. A family astrologer can confirm any particular date, and the muhurat section sets out how the pieces fit.
A simple way to observe the day
On the parana morning, the usual order is to bathe, light a lamp for Vishnu, offer water or a small portion of food, and then eat a simple meal, often beginning with a tulsi leaf plucked the day before. Many households offer a meal to a Brahmin or to anyone in need as well, as an act of giving.
If you are breaking a fast, break it gently. Anyone with a health condition, pregnancy, or regular medicine should speak to a doctor about fasting and about how to resume food.
Reading the tithi in the calendar
Dwadashi is the tithi on which the parana window is set. It must fall after sunrise and while Dwadashi runs, and it should avoid the first quarter of the tithi, called Hari Vasara. If Dwadashi ends soon after sunrise, the window can be very short, and the calendar notes it.
Dwadashi can also be doubled or lost from the day count. When it is a kshaya tithi and no sunrise falls in it, the calendar gives a separate rule for the parana and says so in its note.
To see whether Dwadashi is the tithi running today in your own city, open the daily panchang. Dwadashi follows Ekadashi in the cycle and is followed by Trayodashi; the whole set is described in the guide to the thirty tithis.
Related pages
- Ekadashi festival page: parana windows for 49 cities.
- Ekadashi Vrat Vidhi: the fast that Dwadashi completes.
- Ekadashi tithi: the day before.
- Dhanteras: the festival the day after Govatsa Dwadashi.
- Muhurat: how tithis are used to choose a day.
- Amanta and purnimanta: why Govatsa Dwadashi sits in two months.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is Dwadashi tithi?
Dwadashi is the twelfth tithi of each lunar fortnight, when the Moon is a hundred and forty-four to a hundred and fifty-six degrees away from the Sun. It is in the Bhadra group.
↳ Why is Dwadashi important for Ekadashi?
The Ekadashi fast is broken on the morning of Dwadashi, after sunrise and while the tithi runs, but not in its first quarter (Hari Vasara).
↳ Which festivals fall on Dwadashi?
Vamana Jayanti on Bhadrapada Shukla Dwadashi, Tulsi Vivah in the days after Prabodhini Ekadashi, and Govatsa Dwadashi on a Krishna Dwadashi in Kartika or Ashvin.
↳ Is Dwadashi good for weddings?
Almanacs more often list other tithis for marriage and sometimes include Shukla Dwadashi. Ask a family astrologer, who will also check the weekday, nakshatra and charts.