Vedic astrology, explained simply

Short guides to the ideas behind every Jyotishly answer. Each starts with a direct answer, then goes deeper.

• What is a Kundli?

  A Kundli (Janam Kundli or Janam Patri) is a map of the sky at the exact moment and place of your birth. It shows where the nine grahas — Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu — sat across the twelve signs and twelve houses.

• What is Lagna (the ascendant)?

  Lagna, or the ascendant, is the zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of your birth. It becomes your first house, sets the order of all twelve houses, and is considered the single most personal point in a Vedic chart.

• What is a nakshatra?

  A nakshatra is one of 27 lunar mansions that divide the zodiac into equal parts of 13°20′. Your janma (birth) nakshatra is the one the Moon occupied when you were born. It shapes temperament, sets the starting point of your Vimshottari dasha and is used for names, muhurta and compatibility.

• What is Vimshottari dasha?

  Vimshottari dasha is the main timing system of Vedic astrology. It divides life into a 120-year cycle of nine planetary periods called Mahadashas. The first period is set by the lord of your birth nakshatra, and each Mahadasha is split into sub-periods called Antardashas.

• What is the Navamsa (D9) chart?

  The Navamsa, or D9 chart, is a divisional chart made by splitting each zodiac sign into nine parts of 3°20′. After the main Rashi chart it is the most important chart in Vedic astrology, used especially for marriage and partnership and to judge the true strength of each planet.

• What is Sade Sati?

  Sade Sati is the period of about seven and a half years when Saturn transits the sign before your natal Moon sign, your Moon sign itself, and the sign after it. Because Saturn spends roughly two and a half years in each sign, the three phases together last about 7½ years.

• What is Mangal Dosha?

  Mangal Dosha, also called Kuja Dosha or being Manglik, is a traditional marriage consideration in Vedic astrology. It is said to be present when Mars occupies certain houses — most often the 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th, and in some traditions the 2nd — counted from the Lagna, and sometimes also from the Moon or Venus.

• How to read a Kundli

  To read a Kundli, start with the Lagna (the 1st house), then see which sign falls in each of the 12 houses, which planets sit in them, and where each house’s lord is placed. Then check planet strength, the Moon sign and nakshatra, and finally the dasha running now — that tells you which part of the chart is active.

• The 12 houses of a Kundli

  A Kundli is divided into 12 houses, or bhavas, each ruling an area of life. The 1st house is the self, the 2nd wealth and family, the 4th home and mother, the 5th children and intelligence, the 7th marriage and partners, the 10th career, and the 12th losses, expenses and liberation. Houses are counted from the Lagna.

• When will I get married? Marriage timing in a Kundli

  Astrologers estimate marriage timing by combining three things: the promise of marriage in the 7th house, its lord, Venus and the Navamsa (D9) chart; a dasha or antardasha of a planet connected with these; and transits — especially Jupiter and Saturn — touching the 7th house, its lord or the Lagna at the same time.

• Kundli Milan and Guna Milan: how the 36 gunas work

  Kundli Milan is the matching of two birth charts before marriage. Its best-known part, Guna Milan (Ashtakoota), compares the Moon’s nakshatra and sign of both partners across eight factors worth 36 points in total. By common convention 18 or more is considered acceptable, but astrologers also check Mangal Dosha and both full charts.

• Rahu Mahadasha: the 18-year period explained

  Rahu Mahadasha is the 18-year period of Rahu in the Vimshottari dasha system. Rahu is the Moon’s north node, a shadow point rather than a physical planet, associated with ambition, desire, foreign lands, technology and sudden change. Its results depend on Rahu’s house, sign, sign lord and the planets with it.

• Shani Mahadasha: the 19-year Saturn period

  Shani Mahadasha is Saturn’s 19-year period in the Vimshottari dasha system. Saturn signifies discipline, hard work, responsibility, endurance and karma. Its period tends to reward patience and steady effort; how it unfolds depends on Saturn’s strength and the houses it rules in your chart.

• What is Kaal Sarp Dosh?

  Kaal Sarp Dosh (or Kaal Sarp Yoga) is said to form when all seven visible planets, Sun to Saturn, lie on one side of the Rahu–Ketu axis in a birth chart. It is associated in popular belief with obstacles and delays, but it does not appear in the major classical texts such as Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, and many astrologers give it little weight.

• What is your Moon sign (Rashi)?

  Your Moon sign, or rashi, is the zodiac sign the Moon occupied at the moment of your birth. Indian astrology uses it for daily horoscopes (rashifal), Sade Sati, Kundli matching and timing, because the Moon describes the mind and emotions. It is calculated in the sidereal zodiac, so it can differ from a Western sign.