Vedic astrology glossary
Short definitions of the terms used in Vedic astrology (Jyotish), in alphabetical order.
- Antardasha(Bhukti, sub-period)
- A sub-period inside a mahadasha. Each mahadasha is divided into nine antardashas in the planetary order, starting with the mahadasha planet itself, and each is in proportion to its planet's years.
- Antardasha lord
- The planet that rules the running sub-period. Together with the mahadasha lord it names the period being lived, for example Saturn-Mercury.
- Ayanamsa
- The angle between the tropical and the sidereal zodiac, currently about 24 degrees. Subtracting it from a tropical position gives the sidereal position used in Vedic astrology.
- Bhava(House)
- One of the twelve houses of a chart, each linked with an area of life. In whole-sign houses, each bhava is one complete sign counted from the rising sign.
- Combustion(Asta)
- A planet is called combust when it is very close to the Sun in the sky, so that it is hard to see. Tradition reads a combust planet's themes as muted or hard to express.
- Dasha
- A planetary period. Dasha systems divide life into stretches ruled by a planet in turn. The most used system is the Vimshottari dasha.
- Debilitation(Neecha)
- The sign where a planet is traditionally considered weakest or most strained, always opposite its sign of exaltation. For example, Saturn is debilitated in Aries.
- Dosha
- A traditional term for an imbalance or a difficult configuration in a chart. How much weight to give any dosha varies widely between astrologers, and none can be shown by research to predict events.
- Exaltation(Uchcha)
- The sign where a planet is traditionally considered strongest and most comfortable. For example, the Sun is exalted in Aries and the Moon in Taurus.
- Gochara(Transit)
- The movement of planets through the signs right now, read against the birth chart. Slow planets such as Saturn and Jupiter are usually the focus.
- Graha
- Literally 'one that seizes'. The nine bodies used in Vedic astrology: the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu.
- Janma nakshatra(Birth star)
- The nakshatra the Moon was in at the time of birth. It decides the starting point of the Vimshottari dasha.
- Janma rashi(Moon sign)
- The sign the Moon was in at the time of birth. In Vedic astrology it is treated as one of the most important parts of a chart.
- Jyotish
- The Sanskrit name for Vedic astrology, meaning the science of light. It is one of the six Vedangas.
- Kendra
- The four angular houses: the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th. Tradition treats planets in them as especially visible.
- Ketu
- The south lunar node, always exactly opposite Rahu. It is a calculated point on the Moon's orbit, not a body, and tradition links it with detachment and insight.
- Kundli(Kundali, birth chart)
- The Hindi word for a Vedic birth chart: the map of the planets by sign and house at the moment and place of birth.
- Lagna(Ascendant, rising sign)
- The sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth. It becomes the first house, and all other houses are counted from it.
- Lahiri ayanamsa(Chitrapaksha ayanamsa)
- The ayanamsa most used in India, defined by fixing the star Spica (Chitra) at the start of Libra. It is about 24.2 degrees in 2026.
- Mahadasha(Main period)
- The major planetary period in the Vimshottari system. The nine mahadashas add up to 120 years, and each lasts from 6 to 20 years.
- Muhurta
- A time chosen as favourable for an event, such as a ceremony, using the position of the Moon and the planets. The same word is also used for a 48-minute division of the day.
- Nakshatra(Lunar mansion)
- One of 27 equal divisions of the zodiac, each 13 degrees 20 minutes wide, used to describe the Moon's position and to start the dasha cycle.
- Pada(Quarter)
- One quarter of a nakshatra, 3 degrees 20 minutes wide. There are four padas in each of the 27 nakshatras, which gives 108 in all.
- Panchang
- A Hindu almanac listing the five elements of a day: the lunar day (tithi), weekday, nakshatra, yoga and karana. It is used to choose times for events.
- Rahu
- The north lunar node, the point where the Moon's orbit crosses the Sun's path going north. It is a calculated point, always moving backwards through the zodiac, and is linked with ambition and restlessness.
- Rashi(Sign)
- One of the twelve signs of the zodiac, each 30 degrees wide. In Vedic astrology the signs are measured on the sidereal zodiac.
- Retrograde(Vakri)
- When a planet appears to move backwards against the stars as seen from Earth. This is an optical effect. The Sun and Moon are never retrograde, and Rahu and Ketu are always shown as retrograde.
- Sade Sati
- The roughly seven and a half years when Saturn passes through the sign before the Moon sign, the Moon sign and the sign after it, about two and a half years in each.
- Sidereal zodiac
- A zodiac measured against the fixed stars. It is the zodiac used in Vedic astrology and, because of precession, it is about 24 degrees behind the tropical zodiac.
- Trikona
- The trine houses: the 1st, 5th and 9th. Tradition treats them as especially supportive.
- Tropical zodiac
- A zodiac measured from the March equinox, so it follows the seasons. It is the zodiac used in Western astrology.
- Vimshottari dasha
- The most used dasha system: a 120-year cycle of nine planetary periods that starts from the planet ruling the Moon's birth nakshatra.
- Whole-sign houses
- A house system where the rising sign is the first house in full, the next sign is the second house, and so on. It is the classical method and the one Vedic Astrolab uses.
- Yoga
- In astrology, a named combination of planets, signs or houses that tradition reads as having a particular meaning. It is different from yoga as an exercise practice.