Basics of Jyotish

The Jyotish system, also known as Vedic astrology, is an ancient Indian system of astrology that has several key building blocks.

Rashi (Zodiac Signs): In Jyotish, there are twelve Rashis or zodiac signs that are similar to those in Western astrology, but are calculated using sidereal zodiac system, which takes into account the earth's precession. The signs are Aries (Mesha), Taurus (Vrishabha), Gemini (Mithuna), Cancer (Karka), Leo (Simha), Virgo (Kanya), Libra (Tula), Scorpio (Vrishchika), Sagittarius (Dhanu), Capricorn (Makara), Aquarius (Kumbha), and Pisces (Meena). They reflect different traits and aspirations.

Grahas (Planets): Jyotish considers nine planets: Sun (Surya), Moon (Chandra), Mars (Mangal), Mercury (Budha), Jupiter (Guru), Venus (Shukra), Saturn (Shani), Rahu (North Node of the Moon), and Ketu (South Node of the Moon). Each planet Each planet symbolizes specific facets of life, personality traits, and energies.

Bhavas (Houses): The horoscope is divided into twelve segments called Bhavas or houses, each representing different aspects of life, such as personality, wealth, communication, relationships and marriage, health, enemies, career, and more.

Nakshatras (Lunar Mansions): There are 27 Nakshatras or lunar mansions through which the Moon and planets transit. Each Nakshatra is associated with different attributes and is a critical component in determining the characteristics of an individual and timing events in their life.

Dasha System (Planetary Periods): This is a system of planetary periods in a person's life calculated based on their birth chart. Each period is governed by a particular planet and affects the individual according to the planet's characteristics and placement in the natal chart. There are different types of Dasha system, the most common is the Vimshottari Dasha.

Divisional Charts (Vargas): Besides the main birth chart, vedic astrology uses several divisional charts to zoom in on different areas of life. These charts are derived from the main chart and provide detailed analysis for specific aspects like marriage, career, wealth and spiritual inclinations.

These components are used collectively to understand and predict various aspects of life in Vedic astrology.