ॐVedic astrology · 5 min
Jyotish (Jyotisha, Sanskrit for "the science of light") is the traditional astrology of the Indian subcontinent. It began as an auxiliary science for timing Vedic rituals (one of the Vedangas, the "six limbs" of the Vedas), but personal, horoscopic astrology took shape under Hellenistic influence in the early centuries CE. The main classical text is the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, whose present form is a medieval compilation. The introduction below presents the tradition on its own terms.
Main features
- Sidereal zodiac: the signs are tied to the stars, offset from the tropical system by the ayanamsa (covered in our separate article).
- Rashi: the 12 signs. Their names are Sanskrit (Mesha, Vrishabha, Mithuna and so on), and their meanings broadly resemble the Western counterparts.
- Lagna: the Ascendant, the most important starting point. Houses (bhava) are usually calculated with the whole-sign system.
- A Moon-centred outlook: the Moon sign (janma rashi) and the Moon's nakshatra are at least as important as the Sun sign.
- Nine grahas: the Sun (Surya), Moon (Chandra), Mars (Mangala), Mercury (Budha), Jupiter (Guru), Venus (Shukra), Saturn (Shani), and the two lunar nodes, Rahu and Ketu. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto do not appear.
The 27 nakshatras
The nakshatras are 27 equal segments of the zodiac, each 13°20′ wide (the Moon covers about that much in a day, hence the name "lunar mansions"). Each has a name, a ruling planet and a symbol: Ashwini (Ketu), Bharani (Venus), Krittika (Sun), Rohini (Moon) and so on. Tradition holds that the Moon's nakshatra gives a finer characterisation than the sign alone, and it plays an important role in marriage matching (kundali milan, a 36-point system) and in choosing auspicious times (muhurta).
The dasha system
The dasha is a system of planetary periods which, according to tradition, shows which planet's theme is "active" at a given stage of life. The most widespread is the Vimshottari dasha (a separate article), in which the Moon's nakshatra at birth determines the first planetary period. Dashas are the timing "engine" of Indian astrology, the counterpart of Western transits and progressions.
The shape of the chart
The chart is drawn as a square diagram: in the North Indian style the houses have fixed positions (the lagna is the top diamond), in the South Indian style the signs have fixed positions. Auxiliary charts (varga) are also used, for example the navamsa (D9) chart, which is linked with the themes of partnership and inner maturity.
How does it differ from the Western system?
- The zodiac is sidereal (an offset of about 24 degrees).
- It is less psychological and more event-oriented, although modern practitioners often use it for self-reflection.
- The lunar mansions (nakshatras) and dashas form a separate layer.
- The outer planets are missing, whereas the nodes are leading players.
Scientific status
Vedic astrology's predictive power has not been confirmed in controlled studies either (Indian researchers have also run such tests). The tradition's cultural and religious importance in India is nonetheless considerable: for marriages, naming and the choice of dates many people consult an astrologer. If it interests you, use it as a tool for self-reflection and do not base decisions on it.