Reference

Glossary of Vedic Astrology

83 terms across chart, planets, houses, signs, dasha, doshas, yogas, panchang, remedies, numerology and tantra. Searchable, with Sanskrit and Hindi alongside each entry.

A

Abhijit Muhuratअभिजित मुहूर्तpanchang: The 8th of 15 day muhurtas, centred on solar noon. Universally auspicious (except Wednesdays in some traditions).
Amavasyaअमावस्याpanchang: New moon. End of Krishna paksha. Associated with pitrus and certain doshas.
Antardasha (Bhukti)अंतर्दशाdasha: Sub-period within a mahadasha. Nine antardashas make one mahadasha.
Ascendant (Lagna)लग्नchart: The zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at birth. The 1st house cusp. Sets the entire house structure.
Aspect (Drishti)दृष्टिchart: How a planet 'looks at' other houses. All planets aspect the 7th; Mars also 4th & 8th, Jupiter 5th & 9th, Saturn 3rd & 10th.
Atmakarakaआत्मकारकchart: The 'soul significator' — planet with the highest degree in the chart. Jaimini system.
Ayanamsaअयनांशchart: The angular difference between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs. Vedic Jyoti defaults to N.C. Lahiri (~24°); KP, Raman and others are also supported.

B

Bhagyankभाग्यांकnumerology: Destiny / life-path number — the full DOB reduced. Sets the arc of the life.
Bhavaभावhouses: A house — one of the twelve sectors of the chart governing a domain of life (self, wealth, marriage, etc.).
Bhavat Bhavamभावात् भावम्houses: Reading a house from another house — e.g. the 7th from the 7th (i.e. the 1st) signifies the spouse's spouse, i.e. you.
Budhबुधplanets: Mercury. Intellect, speech, trade, communication.
Budhaditya Yogaबुधादित्य योगyogas: Sun and Mercury conjunct. Sharpens intellect, gives strong communication.

C

Chaldeannumerology: Babylonian-origin letter-to-number mapping. Indian numerology generally prefers it over Pythagorean.
Chandraचन्द्रplanets: The Moon. The mind, mother, emotions. Your moon-sign = your rashi in Vedic usage.
Chart Styleकुंडली शैलीchart: North Indian (diamond, houses fixed) vs South Indian (4×4 grid, signs fixed). Same data, different visual convention.
Chaturthiचतुर्थीpanchang: 4th tithi. Sankashti Chaturthi (Krishna paksha) is a major Ganesh vrat.
Choghadiyaचौघड़ियाpanchang: Eight-fold daily division into auspicious (Amrit, Shubh, Labh, Char) and inauspicious (Kaal, Rog, Udveg) slots.
Combustअस्तplanets: A planet too close to the Sun (within ~6–17° depending on planet) is 'burnt' — significations weakened.
Conjunctionयुतिchart: Two or more planets in the same sign. Their significations blend; sometimes harmonious, sometimes not.

D

Daanदानremedies: Donation as a remedy. Each planet has specific items — sesame for Saturn, wheat for Sun, etc.
Dashaदशाdasha: A planetary period in which a specific planet rules the native's life events. Vimshottari is the most-used scheme (120 years).
Dashamshaदशमांशchart: The D10 chart — career and profession. Read alongside the 10th house of D1.
Debilitated (Neecha)नीचplanets: A planet in its sign of weakness — e.g. Sun in Libra, Jupiter in Capricorn.
Dhana Yogaधन योगyogas: Wealth-giving combination — typically 2nd / 11th house lord linked to 1st / 5th / 9th.
Drekkanaद्रेक्काणchart: The D3 divisional chart — each sign split into three 10-degree thirds. Used for siblings and energy.
Dushthanaदुष्टानhouses: Difficult houses: 6, 8, 12. Their lords are challenging; their gems are usually not worn.

E

Ekadashiएकादशीpanchang: 11th tithi (twice a month). Universal fasting day for Vishnu devotees.
Exalted (Uchcha)उच्चplanets: A planet placed in its sign of maximum strength — e.g. Sun in Aries, Jupiter in Cancer.

G

Gajakesari Yogaगजकेसरी योगyogas: Jupiter and Moon in mutual kendras (1, 4, 7, 10). Wisdom and recognition.
Ganaगणtantra: Temperamental classification of nakshatras into Deva, Manushya, Rakshasa. Affects compatibility.
Grahaग्रहplanets: A planet in Vedic astrology. Nine grahas: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu.
Guru / Brihaspatiगुरुplanets: Jupiter. Wisdom, marriage (for women), children, dharma. Most benefic graha.

H

Horaहोराpanchang: An hour ruled by a specific planet. Used for hour-by-hour muhurat selection.

J

Janma Rashiजन्म राशिsigns: Birth-moon sign. Indians colloquially say 'my rashi' meaning their moon-sign, not Sun.
Japaजपremedies: Repetition of a mantra. Typically 108 times with a mala, often on a planet's day.

K

Kaal Sarp Doshaकाल सर्प दोषdoshas: All seven planets enclosed between Rahu and Ketu. Variants (Anant, Padma, Mahapadma…) by axis.
Karakaकारकchart: Significator. Every planet has natural karakaships (Jupiter = children, Venus = spouse-for-male, etc.).
Karanaकरणpanchang: Half a tithi. 11 karanas in a fixed sequence; auspiciousness depends on the karana ruling the moment.
Kendraकेन्द्रhouses: Angular houses: 1, 4, 7, 10. Action and power. A kendra-trikona link is a Raj Yoga.
Ketuकेतुplanets: The south lunar node. Shadow graha of detachment, moksha and past-life karma.
Kua Numberक्व अंकnumerology: Feng Shui number from birth year + sex. Splits people into East and West groups for directional luck.

L

Lagna Rashiलग्न राशिsigns: Ascendant sign — the rashi rising at birth. Sets the entire house structure of the kundli.
Lo Shu Gridलो शू ग्रिडnumerology: 9-cell square showing presence/absence of each number 1-9 in your DOB. Highlights missing energies.

M

Mahadashaमहादशाdasha: The major planetary period in Vimshottari — anywhere from 6 (Sun) to 20 (Venus) years.
Mangalमंगलplanets: Mars. Energy, brothers, property, conflict. Source of Mangal Dosha when in 1/2/4/7/8/12.
Mangal Doshaमंगल दोषdoshas: Mars in 1/2/4/7/8/12 from lagna, moon, or Venus. Stresses marriage; cancelled by various rules.
Manglikमांगलिकdoshas: A person with Mangal Dosha. Traditional matchmaking pairs Manglik with Manglik.
Mantraमंत्रremedies: A sound-formula whose vibration carries deity / planetary energy. Used as remedy and as sadhana.
Marakमारकhouses: Killing significator — typically 2nd and 7th house lords. Trigger major life-event transitions.
Muhuratमुहूर्तpanchang: An auspicious time-window. Each day has 30 muhurtas of ~48 min; one is the universally good Abhijit.
Mulankमूलांकnumerology: Birthday number — the day of birth reduced to a single digit. Your most immediate numerology signature.

N

Nakshatraनक्षत्रsigns: Lunar mansion. 27 nakshatras of 13°20' each tile the zodiac. The moon's nakshatra at birth is uniquely significant.
Navamshaनवांशchart: The D9 chart — each sign split into nine 3°20' parts. Crucial for marriage and dharma.

P

Padaपादsigns: Quarter of a nakshatra (3°20'). Used in Navamsha and in the syllable for naming a newborn.
Pakshaपक्षpanchang: Lunar fortnight. Shukla paksha = waxing (new moon → full); Krishna paksha = waning.
Pancha Mahapurusha Yogayogas: Five 'great person' yogas — Ruchaka (Mars), Bhadra (Mercury), Hamsa (Jupiter), Malavya (Venus), Shasha (Saturn) in own/exalted sign in kendra.
Panchangपंचांगpanchang: The five-limbed Hindu calendar: tithi, vaar, nakshatra, yoga, karana.
Pariharamपरिहारremedies: Tamil/South Indian for remedy — the daan, japa, fast, or yagna prescribed to mitigate a dosha.
Pitra Doshaपितृ दोषdoshas: Affliction from unresolved ancestral karma — typically Sun and/or 9th house involved.
Pournami / Purnimaपूर्णिमाpanchang: Full moon. End of Shukla paksha. Festival day for many vrats.
Pradoshप्रदोषpanchang: 13th tithi. Pradosh vrat is for Shiva, observed at sunset.
Pratyantar Dashaप्रत्यंतर्दशाdasha: Sub-sub-period within an antardasha. The third level of dasha granularity.

R

Rahuराहुplanets: The north lunar node. Considered a shadow graha; gives unconventional cravings and karmic challenges.
Rahu Kaalराहु कालpanchang: One yama (~90 min) per day to avoid for new starts. Determined by weekday.
Raj Yogaराज योगyogas: Combination of kendra and trikona lords. Confers power, status, recognition.
Rashiराशिsigns: A zodiac sign. The Vedic 12: Mesha through Meena (Aries through Pisces).
Retrogradeवक्रीplanets: A planet appearing to move backward from Earth's perspective. Intensifies the planet's effect, often turning it inward.

S

Sade Satiसाढ़े सातीdoshas: Saturn's 7.5-year transit through the 12th, 1st and 2nd from natal moon. Three phases of 2.5 years each.
Shaniशनिplanets: Saturn. Discipline, longevity, restriction, karma. Source of Sade Sati.
Shashtiamshaषष्ट्यंशchart: The D60 chart — each sign in 60 half-degree parts. The most granular of the 16 vargas.
Shukraशुक्रplanets: Venus. Love, marriage (for men), comforts, art, luxury.
Suryaसूर्यplanets: The Sun. Atmakaraka of the chart. Rules father, authority, vitality.

T

Tantraतंत्रtantra: Esoteric practice using mantra, yantra, and ritual to invoke specific deity energies.
Tithiतिथिpanchang: Lunar day — angular distance between sun and moon in 12° units. 30 tithis per lunar month.
Trikonaत्रिकोणhouses: Trinal houses: 1, 5, 9. Dharma and fortune. Trikona lords are always benefic for you.

V

Vaarवारpanchang: Day of the week. Each day ruled by a planet (Sunday = Sun, Monday = Moon, etc.).
Vargaवर्गchart: A divisional chart. Sixteen vargas (D1, D2, D3, ... D60) form the Shodashavarga set.
Vratव्रतremedies: Religious fasting — partial or full — observed on specific tithis or planet's days.

Y

Yagnaयज्ञremedies: Vedic fire ritual. Specific yagnas for specific planetary afflictions.
Yamagandaयमगण्डpanchang: Another inauspicious yama, like Rahu Kaal but a different position per weekday.
Yantraयंत्रremedies: Geometric diagram representing deity / planet. Energised and worshipped for that planet's grace.
Yogaयोगpanchang: Sum of sun and moon longitudes divided into 27 named units. Different from the chart 'yoga' (combination).
Yoniयोनिtantra: Sexual / temperamental classification of nakshatras into animal kinds. Used in match-making.

Missing a term? Tell us via support and we'll add it.