The Vedic Vocabulary
Twelve concepts. Enough to read any kundli — or bluff your way through a Chai debate.
Lunar mansion. 27 divisions of the zodiac (13°20' each) through which the Moon travels. Each nakshatra has a ruling planet and shapes personality & timing of events.
Zodiac sign. 12 divisions of 30° each. Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac (fixed stars), differing from Western tropical by ~24°.
'Seizer' — the 9 celestial forces: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu (north node), Ketu (south node).
The rashi rising on the eastern horizon at birth. It anchors the 12 houses of the chart and represents body, self, and playing style.
The birth chart itself — a 12-house diagram mapping planetary positions at the moment of birth.
Planetary period. Vimshottari dasha is a 120-year cycle assigning each Graha a ruling period. The active dasha lord colors the entire phase of life.
The most-used dasha system, based on the Moon's nakshatra at birth. Ketu 7y, Venus 20y, Sun 6y, Moon 10y, Mars 7y, Rahu 18y, Jupiter 16y, Saturn 19y, Mercury 17y.
Naturally auspicious grahas: Jupiter, Venus, unafflicted Mercury, and waxing Moon. They grant support, timing, and confidence in performance.
Naturally difficult grahas: Saturn, Mars, Rahu, Ketu, and Sun. Not 'bad' — they build resilience, discipline, and sharpness in sport.
The real-time movement of planets across the zodiac on match day. A transit resonating with the birth chart triggers form spikes or slumps.
Quarter of a nakshatra (3°20'). Each pada links to a specific rashi and refines the interpretation of a planet's placement.
Special planetary combinations creating strengths — e.g. Gajakesari Yoga (Jupiter & Moon in kendra) grants fame and clarity, favorable for captaincy.