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Vedic Astrology Next Page >>
     
• Principles of Astrology • Horoscopic Chart • Charting System in Vedic Astrology
• Nakshatra • Birth sign • The system of Houses
   
Astrology is the study of human behaviour and experience on the back drop of time and space. Astrology is a scientific study and application of the language of the heavenly bodies(planets and stars). These heavinely bodies are determined on the basis of astronomy and mathematics, are mapped in the form of a horoscope. Their specific position in the horoscope indicates specific happenings in the case of individuals. The main factors affecting the horoscope of any individual are Date of birth, Place of birth and exact time of birth. Whether the sun, the moon, the planets and stars themselves influence the terrestrial phenomena, or they only indicate such phenomena by their various dispositions, is immaterial. What is important to us is that variation in their disposition determine variations in the events on the earth, the correlation are very strong.
Actually Astrology starts where Astronomy ends. As far as human experiences are concerned both studies are complementing to each other. Astrological findings are based on the Astronomical and mathematical and biological principles.
Astrology is widely used all over the world. People use it in different forms according to region and culture of the area.
In Hindu Astrology, this system has been explained as space time connection. Within the space, there are four elements Air, Fire, Water and Earth each is therefore attributes, sattva , Raja and Tamasa and make up 12 divisions in the nature.
So the zodiac in which earth and all the planets are imprisoned by gravitation and revolve around the sun is divided by 12 clusters of stars or signs of the zodiac.
In Vedic astrology it is founded that nothing in the universe is stationery. In any case we consider ourselves in the central point with rest of universe in the constant motion around us. We, therefore, consider the position and movement of all the heavinely bodies in relation to earth itself. The Indian Astronomy and Astrology considers earth as the centre, and all other heavenly bodies moving around it in one manner or the other. The Indian astronomy is thus geocentric, and not heliocentric which latter considers sun as the centre.

The zodiac forms the reference point for fixing up position of any planet or star in the sky. Since it encircles the earth, it is comprised of 360 degrees. The twenty-seven nakshatras being evenly distributed on it each having the span of 13°20’ arc. The various nakshtras are numbered from one to twenty-seven. Apart from it Vedic astrology recognises nine grahas. They are the Sun, the Moon, the Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu & Ketu. Of these the Sun is star, the moon is a satellite of the earth, Rahu and Ketu are mere mathematical points on the zodiac. While the remaining ones are planets.
When the zodiac is divided into twelve equal parts, each such part has an extension of 30 degrees of the arc. Such a division is called Rashi or Sign . A sign consist of two and a quarter nakshtras.
Each sign has a certain specific influence of its own. All the planets as they travel around each zodiac sign, exert an influence according to their separate nature and in accordance with the quality of aspect which they form.
More about principles of Astrology Top
As we know that there are twelve signs of the zodiac. One of sign rising happens to be the sign rising at the eastern horizon at the time of birth. This rising sign is called as lagna or Ascendant. The lagna happens to be the first house of horoscope. This means that signs and houses donot coincide. The first house has the label of sign rising at the time of birth, the second bears the label of sign that will rise next, and so on.
The nine grahas(from the sun to ketu) are the occupants of these houses. Each house represents certain characteristics. The sign falling in these houses also represents certain characteristics.
Horoscopic Chart Top
Before going further it is important to understand how a horoscopic chart looks like. Vedic Astrology has three major facets.
  • Detailed mathematical calculations.
  • The rules and the information based on these rules to predict the influence of planets.
  • Heuristic predictions.
Charting System in Vedic Astrology Top
The main points of it are as follows:
Rashichakra is regarded as 360 degree of the imaginary globe in which important houses as well as nakshatras have their own place these positions keep changing from time to time. In India various styles of astrological charts are prevalent.


North Style


South Style


Oriya and Bengali


Various Chart Styles
Nakshatra: Top
After arriving at Ishtakal, the position of the nakshtras and its value is known. In Astrology 27 nakshatras are known.
NAKSHATRA YONI GAN NADI
Asvini Ashva Dev Adya
Bharani Gaja Manushya Madhya
Krittika Mesh Rakshash Antya
Rohini Sarp Manushya Antya
Mrigsira Sarp Dev Madhya
Ardra Shwan Manushya Adya
Punarvasu Marjar Dev Adya
Pushya Mesha Dev Madhya
Rakshash Marjar Rakshash Antya
Magha Mooshak Rakshash Antya
P. Phalguni Mooshak Manushya Madhya
U. Phalguni Gao Manushya Adya
Hasta Mahishi Dev Adya
Chitra Vyaghra Rakshash Madhya
Swati Mahishi Dev Adya
Vishakha Vyaghra Rakshash Antya
Anuradha Mrig Dev Madhya
Jyestha Mrig Rakshash Antya
Moola Shwan Rakshash Adya
Purvasdha Kapi Manushya Madhya
Uttaradhdha Nukula Manushya Antya
Shravana Kapi Dev Antya
Dhanishtha Sinh Rakshash Madhya
Shatbhisha Ashva Rakshash Adya
P. Bhadrapad Ashva Manushya Adya
U. bhadrapad Gao Manushya Adya
Revati Gaja Dev Antya

              

Birth sign: Top
Whichever sign the moon is in, will be known as persons birth sign.
Ascendant(Lagna) :
To know the ascendant, it is necessary to make the horoscope. The Ascendant is the particular sign and degree exactly on the eastern horizon in the latitude of birth place for which the chart is cast.
Planets : In the life of man planets exert a deep influence. In a horoscope, if a planet is in a particular sign, it is known as lord of that sign.
SIGNS LORDS
Aries Scorpio Mars
Taurus Libra Venus
Gemini Virgo Mercury
Cancer Moon
Leo Sun
Sagittarius Pisces Jupiter
Capricorn Aquarius Saturn

The system of Houses

 Top
Houses : There are twelve celestial houses in Astrology and a house is constituted with 30 degrees. They are derived from an equal division of the circle of observation in to 12 parts. One-twelfth part of the circle of observation constitutes an astrological house. In astronomy it is the vertical of the latitude belonging to the place of the birth. The stars on the earth show the place of birth.
The rising house is called ascendant and the others are known as angular, succedent and cadent houses. The angles are four cardipoints in the horoscope. The planets in the horoscopic chart are subservient to lagna, and their original nature undergoes modifications depending upon the lagna.
  1. The kendras(or Quadrants) : Houses 1,4, 7 and 10. These are highly significant houses.
  2. The panapharas(or Successant Houses) : Houses 2,5, 8 and 11.
  3. The Apoklimas(or Cadent Houses) : Houses 3,6,9 and 12
  4. The Trikons(or Trines) : Houses 1,5 and 9. These are highly auspicious and, along with the kendras, determine the health, wealth, status, dignity, rise and virtue or a native. The lagna being both a kendra and a trikona, is the most significant of all the houses.
  5. The Upachayas : Houses 3,6, 10 and 11. These houses indicate struggle, competition and material achievement.
  6. The Trika Houses : houses 6,8 and 12. These are considered bad houses(Duhsthanas). They indicate debt, disease, loss and misery.
  7. The Ayu-sthanas(or houses of longevity) : Houses 8 and 3(8th from the 8th). They indicate the length of life and therefore, also the death.
  8. The maraka-sthanas(or killer houses): houses 2 and 7
  9. The two halves of a horoscope.
    1. Houses 1 to 7 indicate the invisible half and houses 7 to 1 indicate the visible half of the horoscope.
    2. Houses 10 to 4 indicate the eastern half and houses 4 to 10 indicate the western half of the horoscope.
Nine main planets are employed in Vedic astrology : Their Hindi Vedic names and English equivalent are given below :
Vedic Name English Equivalent
Ravi(Surya) Sun
Chandra Moon
Mangala Mars
Budha Mercury
Guru(Brihaspati) Jupiter
Shukra Venus
Shani Saturn
Rahu Rahu(Dragon’s head)
Ketu Ketu(Dragon’s Tail)

 

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