Vedic Astrology

Discover the ancient wisdom of Jyotiṣa, the science of Hindu Astrology, rooted in the sacred Vedas and refined over millennia.

What is Vedic astrology?

The Vedas are the most ancient and authoritative Hindu texts and are the fountainhead of all sacred knowledge and wisdom. The understanding and explanation of the Vedas requires the study of and expertise in the 6 Vedāṅgāni (vedāṅga, "limb of the Veda-s"; plural form: vedāṅgāni). They are - śikṣā, chanda, vyākaraṇa, nirukta, kalpa, and jyotiṣa. Among these, Jyotiṣa or Astrology is described as the 'eyes' of the sacred Vedas. "ज्योतिषं चक्षुः वेदानां ।"

Jyotiṣa can be broadly categorised into 2 parts. The first part is Gaṇita Jyotiṣa. Gaṇita refers to the "science of calculation" or Mathematics. Gaṇita Jyotiṣa thus refers to Mathematical Astrology, which is used to define and lay down the principles of the measurement of time. Through the measurement of time, we calculate the events of the past, present, and future. These include the time of sunrise, sunset, solar eclipse, lunar eclipse; positions of lunar mansions (asterisms/constellations), planets, and luminaries; degree of planets, etc.

The second part of Jyotiṣa is Phalita Jyotiṣa. Phalita refers to fructification. Phalita Jyotiṣa presents predictions regarding the events of human life such as joy-sorrow, profit-loss, fame-disgrace, progression-regression, health, progeny, education, skill, personality, wealth, income, spouse, house, vehicle, enemy-friend, parents, siblings, relatives, etc.

At the time of birth, the nature and destiny of individuals are decided by the Kāraṇaśarīra (causal body), which is tied to the Karmic cycle and the 3 Guṇas. The Sāṃkhya system uses the term guṇa in the sense of the constituent elements of the primordial matter called prakṛti. Prakṛti consists of three guṇas, viz. sattva (goodness, associated with creation), rajas (passion, associated with preservation), tamas (darkness, associated with destruction).

The duration of favourable and unfavourable periods of life can be influenced by the actions of the present. The favourable and unfavourable positions of planets, luminaries, and constellations at the time of birth reveal the mysteries of the successes and failures of human life. The primary purpose of astrology is to understand and decipher the language of the celestial bodies in order to predict the events of the future.

What is Unique about Vedic Astrology

Sidereal Zodiac

The zodiac is divided into 12 signs (rāśis) beginning with Meṣa (Aries) and ending with Mīna (Pisces).
Vedic Astrology uses the Sidereal Zodiac, unlike Western Astrology, which uses the Tropical Zodiac. Sidereal zodiac aligns with the constellations rather than the equinoxes.
Tropical systems consider 0 degrees of Aries as always coinciding with the March equinox (known as the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere) and define twelve zodiac signs from this starting point, basing their definitions upon the seasons and not upon the observable sky, wherein the March equinox currently falls in Pisces due to the Earth's axial precession. This makes the Tropical Zodiac system inaccurate.
Axial precession refers to the gradual shift (slow, circular wobble) in the orientation of Earth's axis of rotation in a cycle of approximately 26,000 years.

On the other hand, Sidereal systems of astrology calculate twelve zodiac signs based on the observable sky (actual fixed star constellations) and thus account for the apparent backwards movement of fixed stars of about 1 degree every 72 years from the perspective of the Earth due to the Earth's axial precession. Thus, the Sidereal Zodiac, used in Vedic Astrology, is accurate.

In Vedic Astrology, an ayanāṃśa adjustment is made to account for the gradual precession. Ayanāṃśa represents the difference in longitude between the vernal equinox (a moving point) and a fixed star or system of stars, which forms the basis of the sidereal zodiac. Different systems of Ayanāṃśa exist, but the Lahiri (Chitrapakṣa) ayanāṃśa is the most widely used.

The differences have caused the sidereal and tropical zodiac systems, which were aligned around 2,000 years ago when the March equinox coincided with Aries in the observable sky, to drift apart over the centuries.

The Ecliptic, along with the Zodiac, is divided into 12 equal parts of 30° each, which are referred to as the Houses.

The Sign arising in the eastern horizon at the time of birth is called the sign of the Ascendant. The other signs are arranged anticlockwise in progression or ascending order.

Nakṣatras (Lunar Mansions)

Nakṣatras are lunar mansions, constellations, or asterisms. In Vedic Astrology, the Zodiac is divided into 27 (sometimes 28) Nakṣatras, or lunar mansions, each spanning 13° 20', which offer more nuanced astrological interpretations.

The Daśā Systems

Vedic Astrology makes use of Daśā systems (Major and Minor periods) to determine auspicious and inauspicious time periods in a native's life. Parāśara, in his text Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra, portrays various Daśā systems.

The most useful and widely practised Daśā system is the Vimshottari Daśā system. We will discuss it in a little detail here.

The first planetary Daśā in the Vimshottari Daśā system is decided by the Nakṣatra lord of the Moon at the time of birth of the native. The time elapsed in the first planetary Daśā is calculated by the angular distance travelled by the Moon in that Nakṣatra. Thus, we get the balance Daśā of the planet.

The Mahādaśā (major) periods of Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, and Venus last for 6, 10, 7, 18, 16, 19, 17, 7, and 20 years, respectively. The sum total of all the Mahadaśā periods comes to 120 years.

The Mahādaśā (major) period is further divided into Antardaśā (minor) period, which is in turn divided into Pratyantardaśā (sub) period. The Pratyantardaśā is further divided into Sookshmantara and Pranantara Daśās.

During their Daśā periods, planets, nodes, and luminaries influence human life according to their benefic or malefic positions in the birth chart of the native. The nature and characteristics of the planets, nodes, and luminaries play a vital role during the various major, minor, and sub-periods.

Gochara or Transit

Gocharas are the transitory movements of planets through the zodiac in a particular year in accordance with the birth chart of the native. Astrologers analyse these in conjunction with Daśās to forecast outcomes for a particular year and suggest remedies.

Divisional Charts

Vedic astrology utilises multiple charts, known as divisional charts, to analyse specific aspects of life. The most important divisional charts are:

Navamāṃśa (D-9)

D-9 is the 1/9th part of a Zodiacal sign.

Navamāṃśa also influences the result of a planet in a particular lunar mansion and its specific quadrant.

Ṣaṣṭyānśa (D-60)

D-60 is the 1/60th part of a zodiacal sign. There are 60 deities in the D-60 chart, and each deity rules 30 minutes or half a degree of a sign. It confers results according to the nature of the deity and the characteristics of that house.

Ṣaṣṭyānśa or D-60 is incredibly helpful in making accurate predictions. Many crucial aspects of life are revealed only through the D-60 chart. Casting the D-60 chart requires the accurate time of birth. Even a discrepancy of a few minutes in the birth time will lead to an incorrect D-60 chart.

Moon Chart

Vedic astrology also takes the Moon chart into account. In the Moon chart, Moon is placed in the first house, and the sign of the Moon is the same as in the birth/natal chart. The rest of the planets, nodes, and luminaries are arranged accordingly.

Nodes

The Lunar Nodes play an important role in Vedic Astrology. Rāhu is the ascending (north) node of the Moon, while Ketu is the descending (south) node of the Moon. Ketu is always at Rāhu's beck and call.

How is a Vedic Astrology chart analysed?

The native/natal chart is divided into 12 houses (bhāvas). Each house houses a sign. The planets, luminaries, and nodes are placed in the houses. Some houses can hold multiple planets, while others can be without any planets. The sign of the first house is the Lagna, or the Ascendant.

The sign of each celestial body is calculated. The angular distance travelled by the planet in its sign is also calculated.

Lunar Mansions and their quadrants are calculated as well. Moon chart and various divisional charts are cast. The Daśā periods and Transits are calculated. The Destiny point, cusps, and other aspects are taken into consideration.

After all these preliminary preparations have been done, the analysis of your chart begins. Effects of individual and combined Planets as per their houses, signs, lunar mansions, and quadrants are taken into consideration. Their positions in the Moon chart, D-9 chart, and D-60 chart are taken into account. To analyse and predict the effect of planets during a particular period, Daśā and Gocharas are taken into account. The position of planets in the birth chart creates various Yogas, which also affect the results. These Yogas can have massive impacts on the native's life.

History of Vedic Astrology

The Sáṃskṛta/Saṃskṛtam (Sanskrit) word Jyotiṣa is derived from jyoti (light or celestial body) and isha (lord or knowledge). It is generally translated as the "science of light" or "knowledge of the heavens." Jyotiṣa; from jyót 'light, heavenly body'. Jyotiṣa is also referred to as the Jyotir Vijñāna.

The notion of connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm found in the Vedas forms the foundation of Vedic astrology or Hindu astrology.

The roots of Vedic Astrology go all the way back to the Ṛgveda (at least 4000-5000 years old), which contains hymns referencing celestial phenomena.

Notable Texts, and Scholars of Vedic Astrology

Jyotiṣavedāṅga or Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa

Jyotiṣavedāṅga or Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa is one of the earliest known Indian works on Vedic astrology (Jyotiṣa). It is believed to have been compiled by Lagadha. This text is available in two recensions, the Ṛgveda and the Yajurveda recension. Somakara wrote a commentary on the Yajurveda recension. The text also describes the winter solstice around 1400 BCE.

[The current year] minus one,
multiplied by twelve,
multiplied by two,
added to the elapsed [half months of the current year],
increased by two for every sixty [in the sun],
is the quantity of half-months (syzygies).
— Ṛgveda Jyotiṣavedāṅga 4

A prastha of water [is] the increase in day, [and] decrease in night in the [sun's] northern motion; vice versa in the southern. [There is] a six-muhurta [difference] in a half year.
— Yajurveda Jyotiṣavedāṅga 8

Over time, numerous other sages, mystics, scholars, and Vedic astrologers studied, researched, practised, and expanded upon the field of Jyotiṣa based on their knowledge and experience.

Bhṛgu Saṃhitā

Bhṛgu Saṃhitā was compiled by the sage Bhṛgu, who is believed to be the first compiler of predictive astrology and is thus referred to as the 'Father of Hindu/Vedic Astrology'. He is said to have compiled the text so that humanity could bear the trials and tribulations of life while progressing towards spirituality. He is believed to have compiled about 500,000 charts (horoscopes). Most of the text didn't survive and was either lost or destroyed. The Bhṛgu Saṃhitā laid the foundation for later groundbreaking works of Vedic astrology, including the Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra.

In addition to Bhṛgu, other notable sages of the era include Kapila, Garga, Kasyapa, and Atri. Varāhamihira states that he is indebted to them and their works.

Rāvaṇa Saṃhitā

Rāvaṇa Saṃhitā is believed to have been written by Rāvaṇa, who is the primary antagonist of the Hindu Itihāsa (epic) Rāmāyaṇa. He was evil, but a great scholar and astrologer. His astrology text focuses on the Nakṣatras (lunar mansions/constellations).

Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra

Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra was authored by the great sage Parāśara. It is one of the most important texts of Vedic Astrology. Horā refers to predictive natal astrology based on horoscopes or birth/natal charts. Parāśara places a lot of importance and emphasis on the D-60 results. No ancient commentaries on Parāśara's text have been found, which makes the dating of the text rather difficult.

Jaimini

Jaimini proposed an alternative system of Vedic Astrology, which was different from Parāśara's. His text, the Jaiminisūtra, expounds his theory in detail.

Other Important Texts

Garga Horā and Garga Saṁhitā of Ṛṣi Garga are other important ancient texts on Vedic Astrology which greatly influenced Vedic Astrology.

There are 8 Siddhāntas of Vedic or Hindu astrology. They are – Brahmā, Sūrya, Soma, Vasiṣṭhta, Pulastya, Romaka, Arya, and Garga Siddhāntas.

Brahma Siddhānta

The Brahma Siddhānta (dated to about the 5th Century BCE) elaborates on the movement of planets. It includes rules to track the motions of the Sun and Moon in the context of a five-year intercalation cycle. It uses this for reckoning time and the calendar. In order to support its theory of orbits, predict planetary positions, and calculate relative mean positions of celestial nodes and apsides, the Brahma Siddhanta lists trigonometry and mathematical formulae. This text also estimates the lifetime of the current universe, which is 4.32 billion years.

Examples of mathematical formulae to predict the length of daytime, sunrise and moon cycles:
The length of daytime = { 12 + ( 2 ÷ 61 ) n } muhurtas,
where n is the number of days after or before the winter solstice, and one muhurta equals 1⁄30 of a day (48 minutes)

Varāhamihira

Varāhamihira was one of the greatest Indian Astrologers and Astronomers. He was also a great poet, as stated by Kṣemendra, the famous Sáṃskṛta polymath. He lived around the 5th and 6th centuries CE and wrote extensively on astronomy and Vedic astrology. His works include the Pañca-siddhāntikā, Bṛhat-jātaka, Bṛhat-yatra, Yoga-yatra, Bṛhat-vivaha-patala, Bṛhat-saṃhitā, etc. In the Pañca-siddhāntikā, Varāhamihira refers to and summarises five texts and the five known Indian astronomical schools of the fifth and sixth centuries - Sūrya Siddhānta of Lāṭadeva, the Vāsiṣṭha Siddhānta, the Paitāmaha Siddhānta, the Pauliṣa Siddhānta, and the Romaka Siddhānta. Utpala or Bhaṭṭotpala wrote several extensive commentaries on the works of Varāhamihira. He states that Varāhamihira wrote the Yoga-yatra because he was dissatisfied with the Brhad-yatra. Later astrologers were deeply inspired by Varāhamihira.

Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira with Bhattotpala's commentary, palm leaf manuscript. Image for reference

Other Notable Scholars and Texts

Sphujidhvaja compiled the Yavanajātaka, another valuable text of this era. But the prose of this text is no longer extant.
Horā Ratnaṁ was compiled by Bala Bhadra, who was greatly inspired by Ṛṣi Garga. His work is considered more authoritative in southern India.
Maansagari was written by Janardan Harji, a renowned Vedic astrologer of his time. His book has withstood the test of time as an important pillar of Vedic Astrology.
Sārāvalī of Kalyāṇavarman is another important work on Vedic Astrology. Kalyāṇavarman mentions Varāhamihira. Utpala, also known as Bhaṭṭotpala, quotes Kalyāṇavarman in his commentaries. Some manuscripts even credit Bhaṭṭotpala with completing the then-incomplete Sārāvalī.
Jātaka Pārijāta is a condensation of multiple ancient Horā texts and other important texts preceding it. It was compiled by Vaidyanātha Dīkṣita and is based on Parāśarian principles. Vaidyanātha also wrote Patrimargapradeepika, a text on calculating the birth chart, and the Janamapatrika.
Phaladīpikāḥ of Mantreśvara is believed to have been compiled in the 13th Century. Its author Mantreśvara was a renowned Vedic Astrologer.
Sarvātha Chintāmani is believed to have been written by Venkatesa Daivajña Sarma in the 13th century. He was one of the greatest compilers and researchers of Vedic Astrology. His text is one of the best compilations on Vedic Astrology.
Jātaka Sara Deepa was compiled by Nr̥siṃhadaivajña, who sourced the matter from at least 36 classical texts on Vedic Astrology. He references texts like the Ratna Kosha by Lallacharya, Ratna Mālā by Sripāti, Jātaka Śāstra by Yavanacharya, Horāpradeepa, etc. The author provides the results of various Vargas in detail.
Arun Saṃhitā, also known as Lāl Kitāb, is another important text. It was compiled by Pandit Roop Chand Joshi. It correlates Vedic Astrology with Palmistry and prescribes a plethora of remedies to reduce the negative effects caused by unfavourable placement of celestial bodies in a person's birth chart. Arun Saṃhitā, however, considers only the House results important and ignores sign results, whereas Vedic Astrology, in general, considers both house and sign results important.

There are countless other important texts like Kālidāsa's Uttara Kālamrita, Satyacharya's Satya Jātakam, Prithuyasas' Horā Sara, etc. There are too many texts and commentaries to even list them all here.

Over time, Vedic astrology continues to evolve as it has for aeons.

What is Vāstuśāstra (Vedic Astrology for Physical Spaces)

Vāstuśāstra (also Vastu-veda and Vastu-vidya), "science of construction", "architecture" is an ancient Hindu system of architecture which consists of principles born out of a traditional view on how the laws of nature affect human dwellings. The doctrine of Vāstuśāstra is concerned primarily with architecture, building houses, temples, apartments and other buildings.

Vāstuśāstra includes the study of the chart of the person in connection with the chart of the land plot and/or house, flat, office space, etc. Proper use of Vāstu, helps magnify the benefic effects of the benefic planets in a person's chart. It also helps reduce the bad effects of poorly placed planets in the native's chart. The measurement of the land plot and/or house/flat along with the person's own birth chart is required for a proper Vāstu consultation.

Vāstu deals with both the interior and exterior of the home, commercial, or office space. The placements of various rooms, the arrangement of various areas, etc. can be determined so that the space becomes auspicious and imbues positivity to those living in it.

Technical Development of Vāstuśāstra

Vastu Shastra is a Vedanga, a branch of Sthapatya Veda, which in turn is a part of Yajur Veda.

Vāstu is a Sanskrit technical term denoting a "residence" in general, according to the lists of synonyms given in the Mayamata XIX.10-12, which is a popular treatise on Vāstuśāstra literature. The Vāstu takes the meaning of "the site or foundation of a house, site, ground, building or dwelling-place, habitation, homestead, house". The underlying root is Vas "to dwell, live, stay, abide."

Vāstuśāstra began to develop as early as 6000 BCE to 3000 BCE. Ancient cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation such as Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, etc. stand on the principles of Vāstuśāstra.

As per ancient texts, Vāstuśāstra represents the first qualification which an architect (sthapati) must possess to start with. This Vāstuśāstra consists of the knowledge of the canons of the site-planning and its layout, the planning of the buildings, the laying out of gardens, parks, town-planning and regional planning, and all that constitutes the traditional subject-matter of architecture.

Chapter III of the Mānasāra recounts that the wise sages "identified" locales that were fit for the dwelling of gods and humans. They called these sites vāstu, the primal architectural "object", which, by creative intervention of humans, was to be transformed into vāstu, "dwelling". Sacred architecture begins, thus, by perceiving divine presence at a particular location.

The intimate relation between astronomy-astrology (also Mathematics) and architecture is established in more than one way. While describing the qualifications that go to make an expert architect, the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra mentions the knowledge of astronomy-astrology and mathematics as an indispensable equipment of an architect and thereby the essential constituents of the science of architecture (chapter 44-4-4). The work also hints at the ancient tradition of the intimate relation between the science of architecture and the science of stars as handed down from Brahmā (whose abode is the lotus) (10-77). Again, a knowledge of form (rūpa), number and proportion was an indispensable equipment (cf. Sthapati-Lakṣaṇa Ch. 44).

Architecture really is very intimately related to Astronomy and Mathematics. Āyādi-nirṇaya is an important chapter in the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra, full of astronomical details. This Āyādi is technically known as ṣaḍvarga, a group of six formulas, 'with which the perimeter of structure should conform'. These formulas, however, are treated differently in different texts; nevertheless, all are unanimous in accord with an important place for this astronomical chapter in their treatises. The celebrated astronomer Varāhamihira's work Bṛhat-saṃhitā is one of the authoritative manuals on the Vāstu-Śāstra. Varahamihira, while introducing the chapter on architecture (52nd) in his Bṛhat-Saṃhitā, says, "Vastujñāna, architecture, will be explained by me for the pleasure of the astronomers and astrologers as has been transmitted from Brahmā to our own day through an unbroken line of sages".

Building operation can commence only under favourable stars. The Āyādiṣaḍvarga, is a fact to bear out the testimony of Astronomy. The implications of the Vāstu-Puruṣa-Maṇḍala in the field of Astronomy-astrology have been elaborated upon in various texts. The astronomical and astrological implications have also been very ably established by various scholars. The Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra devotes a considerable portion to the heavenly bodies as the constellations (vide chapters 5.85-104; and 11 to 14) which do exercise their influence on the creative activities of mankind.

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