Hindu Astrology

Hindu or Indian system of astrology is called Jyotisha and it has been in use since the early 19th century. The word Jyotisha comes from the Sanskrit words “Jyoti” which means light and “ish” the prefix of the word Ishwar or God which means “made of”.

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Thus Jyotisha means “Made of Light” or “The Study of Heavenly bodies”. Hindu astrology is also known as Moon astrology or Vedic astrology, which is a relatively new term that became common used somewhere in the 1980s. Vedic Astrology is the science which explains in details the planetary movements and positions of the time and date of people’s birth and their influence on the twelve zodiac signs that affect the personality traits of people.

Many experts claim that the horoscopic astrology in India actually comes from Hellenistic influences, post-dating the Vedic period. Vedic or Hindu astrology uses the Sidereal zodiac (in which stars are believed to be the fixed background against which the movement of the heavenly bodies is measured), while the Western astrology uses the Tropical zodiac (in which the movement of the heavenly bodies is measured against the position of the Sun in the sky). This system of astrology includes several sub-systems of Hindu astrology predictions and interpretations with elements which can not be found in Hellenistic astrology.

There are six main branches of Hindu astrology:

Gola – positional astronomy
Ganita – mathematical diagnostic tools for analyzing the results of Gola
Jataka – natal astrology
Prasna – answering specific questions based upon the time the questions are asked
Muhurta – selecting an auspicious time to start something important
Nimitta – omens and portents

Modern Hindu Astrology

Ever since ancient times, Hindu astrology was taught to students in schools and universities in India. Astrology is still an important part of the lives of many Hindus who believe that heavenly bodies and planets have an influence on the life of people on Earth. In Hindu culture, babies are traditionally named based on their jyotisha charts. Also, astrological concepts are still crucial in the organization of the calendar, holidays and in other areas of life, including making important decisions about marriage, opening a new business or moving into a new home. Many people take into consideration the Vedic astrology compatibility chart when it comes to relationships, love, and marriage.

Predicting one’s future through Hindu astrology involves preparing horoscope or natal charts. An individual’s place of birth, time of birth and date of birth play a crucial role in determining their future. Astrologers use this information to discover the exact positions of the planets and the zodiac signs. Once these are correctly determined, astrologers can create the horoscope or the horoscope or natal chart which is unique for every individual. The horoscope can be used to predict the past, present, and the future of a person, as well as their career and relationships. In Hindu culture, everything in life is done by drawing calculations from the horoscope, because Hindus believe that through astrology one can get knowledge about one’s inner self and their true purpose in life.

Hindu Rashi Signs

The motion of the Sun across the heavens has caught our attention since the earliest days of mankind on the Earth. The movement of the Sun and the other planets and heavenly bodies across the sky has been considered very important when it comes to selecting auspicious times for important events, spiritual rituals, mundane proceedings, and for predicting future events. While Western astrologers use the Tropical (seasonal) zodiac, Vedic astrologers use the Sidereal (stellar) zodiac. The tropical zodiac reflects how the changing of the seasons affect people, while the sidereal zodiac reveals people’s place among the stars. The sidereal zodiac which is also known as Nirayana is an imaginary belt of 360 degrees that is divided into twelve equal parts and each twelfth part is called a zodiac sign or Rashi. Since the Vedic astrology signs are called Rashis, they basically mean “a heap of stars”. The signs in both Zodiacs have the same names and similar personal characteristics, but Vedic astrologers use the signs differently than Western astrologers.

Aries
Sanskrit: Mesha
Name: Ram
Element: Fire
Mobility: Movable
Ruling planet: Mars

Taurus
Sanskrit: Vrishaba
Name: Bull
Element: Earth
Mobility: Fixed
Ruling planet: Venus

Gemini
Sanskrit: Mithuna
Name: Couple
Element: Air
Mobility: Common
Ruling planet: Mercury

Cancer
Sanskrit: Karkata
Name: Crab
Element: Water
Mobility: Movable
Ruling planet: Moon

Leo Sanskrit: Simha Name: Lion Element: Fire Mobility: Fixed Ruling planet: Sun

Virgo
Sanskrit: Kanya
Name: Virgin
Element: Earth
Mobility: Common
Ruling planet: Mercury

Libra
Sanskrit: Tula
Name: Balance
Element: Air
Mobility: Movable
Ruling planet: Venus

Scorpio
Sanskrit: Vrishchika
Name: Scorpion
Element: Water
Mobility: Fixed
Ruling planet: Mars

Sagittarius
Sanskrit: Dhanus
Name: Bow
Element: Fire
Mobility: Common
Ruling planet: Jupiter

Capricorn
Sanskrit: Makara
Name: Alligator
Element: Earth
Mobility: Movable
Ruling planet: Saturn

Aquarius
Sanskrit: Kumbha
Name: Pot
Element: Air
Mobility: Fixed
Ruling planet: Saturn

Pisces
Sanskrit: Meena
Name: Fishes
Element: Water
Mobility: Common
Ruling planet: Jupiter

Vedic astrology is different from Western astrology, because it uses the fixed zodiac instead of the moving zodiac. The zodiac signs we see in newspapers and magazines are usually one sign back in Vedic astrology. This means that in Vedic astrology, a person is no longer the zodiac sign they thought they were in the Western astrology. However, if someone is born in the last five days of the Western sign month, they will probably still be the same sun sign in the Vedic astrological system.