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Concepts and glossary
Plain-language answers to the terms you will meet.
Foundations
Jyotisha
ज्योतिष
The Indian tradition of astronomy and astrology: 'the science of light', one of the six limbs of the Vedas.
Sidereal zodiac
निरयन
A zodiac fixed to the stars. Vedic astrology uses it; most Western astrology uses the seasonal (tropical) zodiac.
Ayanamsa
अयनांश
The angle (about 24° today) between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs.
Rashi (sign)
राशि
One of the twelve 30° divisions of the zodiac, from Mesha (Aries) to Meena (Pisces).
Moon sign (Janma Rashi)
जन्म राशि
The sign the Moon was in at your birth. The main 'sign' in Vedic astrology.
Graha
ग्रह
A 'seizer': the nine bodies used in Jyotisha: Sun, Moon, five visible planets and two lunar nodes.
Nakshatra
नक्षत्र
One of 27 lunar mansions of 13°20′ each, named for star groups, such as Ashwini or Rohini.
Pada
पाद
A quarter of a nakshatra: 3°20′ of arc. Nine padas make one sign.
Reading a chart
Kundali (birth chart)
कुण्डली
A map of the sky at the moment and place of your birth.
Lagna (ascendant)
लग्न
The sign rising on the eastern horizon at your birth. It sets up the 12 houses.
Bhava (house)
भाव
One of 12 areas of life, counted from the lagna. See the interactive houses page.
Exaltation and debilitation
उच्च / नीच
The signs where a planet is traditionally strongest (exalted) or weakest (debilitated).
Retrograde (Vakri)
वक्री
When a planet seems to move backward against the stars. An optical effect of Earth's own motion.
Combustion (Asta)
अस्त
A planet that is too close to the Sun to be seen. Traditionally considered weakened.
Yoga (planetary combination)
योग
A named pattern of planets in a chart, such as Gajakesari or Raja yoga.
Dosha
दोष
A 'fault' or tension pattern in a chart, such as Manglik or Kaal Sarp. Traditional labels, not diagnoses.
Sade Sati
साढ़ेसाती
The 7½-year period when Saturn moves through the sign before, of, and after your Moon sign.
Kaal Sarp dosha
कालसर्प
A pattern where all seven planets lie on one side of the Rahu-Ketu axis.
Navamsa (D9)
नवांश
The ninth-division chart. It divides each sign into nine parts and is read as the 'finer' view of a planet's strength.
Divisional charts (Vargas)
वर्ग
Charts made by splitting each sign into smaller parts to study one area of life.
Ashtakavarga
अष्टकवर्ग
A scoring method that counts how many supportive 'points' each sign receives from the planets.
Shadbala
षड्बल
'Sixfold strength': a classical way to score how strong each planet is.
Time and periods
Dasha (planetary period)
दशा
A timeline that assigns your life to planets in turn. Vimshottari, the most common, runs 120 years.
Gochara (transit)
गोचर
Where the planets are now in the sky, compared with your birth chart.
Matching
Manglik dosha
मांगलिक
A traditional marriage-matching rule about Mars's placement. Widely discussed, often over-feared.
Ashtakoota (Guna Milan)
अष्टकूट
The eight-factor, 36-point system for comparing two charts in marriage matching.
Calendar and timing
Panchang
पञ्चाङ्ग
The Hindu almanac: five 'limbs' (tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, karana) for each day.
Muhurta
मुहूर्त
A chosen time for beginning something. Also a unit of 48 minutes.
Rahu Kaal
राहु काल
A daily window of about 90 minutes traditionally avoided for starting important things.
Abhijit Muhurta
अभिजित् मुहूर्त
A window of about 48 minutes around local noon, traditionally considered favourable.
Hora
होरा
A planetary hour. The day is cut into 24 and each hour belongs to a planet.
Bikram Sambat (BS)
विक्रम संवत्
Nepal's official calendar. A solar calendar about 56 years 8 months ahead of the Gregorian.