KSHURA KARMA FROM SHRI THIRUPATHUR SADASIVAN JI

 With kind courtesy from Sri. Thirupathur sadasivanji the author of this piece

*Kshura karma (hair cutting and shaving) nirdeshavali*

1.Allowed days for haircutting and Shaving

Monday (Monday not allowed for those who have sons), Wednesday, Friday and Thursday are ideal (Thursday to be avoided for students)

2.Thithis not allowed for haircutting and shaving

Prathama, Chathurthi, Shashti, Navami, Chaturdashi, Poornima, Amavasya, Monthly Sankranti, Shraddha day, Pitru / Mahalaya Paksham, if wife is pregnant, Vrata days (like ekadashi etc)

3.Not allowed on following Yogas

Vyatheepatam, Vaidhruti. Day with Visti/ Bhadra Karana also should be avoided.

4.Allowed Nakshatras

Ashwini, Mrigasheersham, Punarvasu, Pushyam, Hastam, Chitra, Swati, Jyestha, Shravana, Dhanishta, Shatabhishak, Revati (rest Nakshatras avoid).

5.Other days/rules when haricut/ shaving not allowed

Never cut hair/shave on your Janma Nakshatra and Janma Masa (the nakshatra /month you were born in which comes each month and year respectively, as per Hindu calendar)

Never cut hair and take oil bath or vice versa.

Never cut hair after eating.

Never cut hair before starting for a journey. Never cut hair in night after sunset.

Never cut hair during Sandhya kalam (48 minutes before Sunrise and Sunset). Better doing it during sangava kala (between 8.30 am and 10.30 am)

Never cut hair on Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday. Never self cut hair or shave. It should be done by barber only, it's his job.

After getting haircut/shave you should take a bath and not directly indulge in anything without bath. Father, Son, brothers together should never get haircut on the same day together

6.Some special Shastra merits/demerits and rules as per Purushartha chintamani (a very authentic highly referred text for shastra Nirnayam)

*भानुरायु: क्षपयति मासं सप्त शनैश्वर: | भौमो मासाष्टकं चेति ज्ञो यच्छेन्मास पञ्चकम् || सप्त मासान् ददातीन्दु: सुरेज्यो दशमासकम् | एकादश कविर्दद्यात्कृते क्षौरे तु कर्मणि ||*

Meaning:

Lifespan reduces:

Performing haircut on Sunday (Bhanu) reduces (kshapayati) life span by 1 month, 7 months on Saturday (Shani), Tuesday (Bhouma) by 8 months. 

Lifespan increases:

Haircut on Gyo (Wednesday) increases (Yacchen) life span by 5 months, Monday by 7 months, Thursday (Surejyo) by 10 months & doing haircut on Friday (Kavi) increases life span by 11 months

Wear your Yagnopaveetam / Poonal /Janeu as Niveeta (like mala) while hair cutting/shaving

While haircut always start with shaving of right side beard then left side beard, then moustache, armpits, then cutting of hair on head and end with cutting nails. 

If we apply the above rules from now onwards until Apr 2026, the following are the days allowed for haircuts and shaving. 

1.Dec 25th Thursday 

2.Dec 29th Monday (in the dasami time after 10.13 am)

3.Jan 5th Monday 

4.Jan 15th Thursday 

5.Jan 26th Monday 

6.Feb 6th Friday 

7.Feb 11th Wednesday (in the Dasami time after 9.59 am)

8.Feb 26th Thursday 

9.Mar 5th Thursday 

10.Mar 11th Wednesday 

12.Mar 16th Monday 

13.Mar 20th Friday 

14.Mar 25th Wednesday 

15.Apr 3rd Friday (in Dwiteeya after 8.43 am)

The above dates are also clearly not suitable if the following occurs

1.Your janma nakshatra or janma masa

2.Your parents or grandparents death tidhi 

3.Thursday if you are a student (studying)

4.Monday if you have a son

5.Father and all sons (if living together) on the same day 

NB:With so much conditions specified by Dharma Shastra, you will find many vedic pundits with long hair and beard remaining unshaved. 

If you are a brahmin and would like to be considered as one, you may have to follow the above rules, no other options nor exceptions allowed.

(Collected from authentic sources)