"Chandra Balam" = moon-strength. Where Tarabalam measures the day's nakshatra against the native's birth nakshatra, Chandra Balam measures the moon's running rashi against the native's birth rashi (moon sign).
The rule
Per B. V. Raman's Muhurtha:
"The Moon should not occupy in the election chart, a position that happens to represent the 6th, 8th or 12th from the person's Janma Rasi."
Count the slot's moon rashi from the native's birth rashi (1 = same rashi, 2 = next, …, 12). The three avoided positions are the classical dusthanas:
- 6th from birth rashi — house of conflict, disease, debt.
- 8th from birth rashi — house of obstacles, sudden reversals, longevity stress.
- 12th from birth rashi — house of loss, expenditure, dissolution.
All other positions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11) are considered to have Chandra Balam present.
Worked example
Native born in Chitra-2 (Janma Rashi = Virgo) is considering marriage on a day when the Moon transits Bharani (Moon in Aries). Aries counted from Virgo is the 8th — a dusthana. Chandra Balam is absent; the day is rejected on moon-strength grounds alone, even before considering tarabalam or panchaka.
The two states
- Yes — moon is NOT in the 6th / 8th / 12th from birth rashi. Slot passes the Chandra Balam test.
- No — moon falls in 6th, 8th or 12th from birth rashi. Avoid for all auspicious starts.
How the filter works
Enter the native's birth date / time / place so the calculator can compute the birth moon's rashi. Every slot is then labelled Yes or No. By default both are allowed. For any auspicious start — marriage, house-warming, new business, upanayanam — uncheck "No" so only Chandra-Balam-present slots survive.
Many traditional priests will not set a marriage muhurta without Chandra Balam being present for the bride. Combined with Tarabalam and Panchaka Rahitam, this is one of the three "common factors" Raman lists as required for any meaningful election.