Vedic astrology glossary
The 200 Vedic astrology terms the API uses, explained for developers who are not astrologers. Each entry says what the term means, how the API works it out, and which endpoints return it. Many show a real example.
Chart basics
- LagnaThe lagna, or ascendant, is the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth.
- AyanamsaAyanamsa is the gap, in degrees, between the Western (tropical) zodiac and the Vedic (sidereal) zodiac.
- GrahaA graha is one of the nine bodies Vedic astrology tracks: the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and the two lunar nodes, Rahu and Ketu.
- RashiA rashi is a sign of the zodiac.
- Bhava (house)A bhava is a house: one of the 12 parts of a birth chart, each linked to areas of life such as money, home, children or marriage.
- Whole-sign housesWhole-sign houses is a house system in which each house is one full sign.
- Avakhada chakraThe avakhada chakra is a table of birth details found near the start of most printed kundlis.
- Sidereal zodiacThe sidereal zodiac ties the 12 signs to the background stars.
- Moon sign (janma rashi)The Moon sign, or janma rashi, is the sign the Moon was in at birth.
- Lagnesh (ascendant lord)The lagnesh is the ruler of the ascendant sign: the planet that owns house 1.
- Drishti (aspect)Drishti means sight: a planet's aspect, or influence, on other houses.
- KendraKendras are houses 1, 4, 7 and 10, the four angles of the chart.
- TrikonaTrikonas are houses 1, 5 and 9, the trines of the chart.
- DusthanaDusthanas are houses 6, 8 and 12, traditionally linked to illness, loss and obstacles.
- UpachayaUpachaya houses are houses 3, 6, 10 and 11, the houses of growth.
- Benefic and maleficTradition sorts the planets into benefics, which help the houses they touch, and malefics, which harm them.
- True and mean nodeRahu and Ketu, the lunar nodes, can be calculated two ways.
- Julian dayA Julian day number counts days, with a fraction for the time of day, from noon on January 1, 4713 BC.
- EphemerisAn ephemeris is a table or model of where the Sun, Moon and planets are at each moment.
Nakshatras
- NakshatraA nakshatra is one of 27 star groups along the Moon's path, each 13°20′ wide.
- PadaA pada is one quarter of a nakshatra, 3 degrees 20 minutes wide.
- Nakshatra lordThe nakshatra lord is the planet that rules a nakshatra in the Vimshottari dasha system.
- AshwiniAshwini is nakshatra 1 of the 27.
- Bharni (Bharani)Bharni, also spelled Bharani, is nakshatra 2 of the 27.
- KrittikaKrittika is nakshatra 3 of the 27.
- RohiniRohini is nakshatra 4 of the 27.
- Mrigshira (Mrigashira)Mrigshira, also spelled Mrigashira, is nakshatra 5 of the 27.
- ArdraArdra is nakshatra 6 of the 27.
- PunarvasuPunarvasu is nakshatra 7 of the 27.
- PushyaPushya is nakshatra 8 of the 27.
- AshleshaAshlesha is nakshatra 9 of the 27.
- MaghaMagha is nakshatra 10 of the 27.
- Purva PhalguniPurva Phalguni is nakshatra 11 of the 27.
- Uttra Phalguni (Uttara Phalguni)Uttra Phalguni, also spelled Uttara Phalguni, is nakshatra 12 of the 27.
- Hast (Hasta)Hast, also spelled Hasta, is nakshatra 13 of the 27.
- ChitraChitra is nakshatra 14 of the 27.
- SwatiSwati is nakshatra 15 of the 27.
- VishakhaVishakha is nakshatra 16 of the 27.
- AnuradhaAnuradha is nakshatra 17 of the 27.
- JyeshthaJyeshtha is nakshatra 18 of the 27.
- Mool (Mula)Mool, also spelled Mula, is nakshatra 19 of the 27.
- Purva Shadha (Purva Ashadha)Purva Shadha, also spelled Purva Ashadha, is nakshatra 20 of the 27.
- Uttra Shadha (Uttara Ashadha)Uttra Shadha, also spelled Uttara Ashadha, is nakshatra 21 of the 27.
- Shravan (Shravana)Shravan, also spelled Shravana, is nakshatra 22 of the 27.
- DhanishthaDhanishtha is nakshatra 23 of the 27.
- Shatbhisha (Shatabhisha)Shatbhisha, also spelled Shatabhisha, is nakshatra 24 of the 27.
- Purva Bhadrapad (Purva Bhadrapada)Purva Bhadrapad, also spelled Purva Bhadrapada, is nakshatra 25 of the 27.
- Uttra Bhadrapad (Uttara Bhadrapada)Uttra Bhadrapad, also spelled Uttara Bhadrapada, is nakshatra 26 of the 27.
- RevatiRevati is nakshatra 27 of the 27.
Dashas (planetary periods)
- Vimshottari dashaVimshottari is the most widely used dasha system: a 120-year cycle of nine planetary periods.
- DashaA dasha is a planetary period.
- MahadashaA mahadasha is a main planetary period.
- AntardashaAn antardasha is a sub-period inside a mahadasha.
- PratyantardashaA pratyantardasha is the third level of a Vimshottari dasha: a sub-period inside an antardasha, split the same way into nine parts.
- Yogini dashaYogini dasha is a second dasha system with a 36-year cycle of eight periods.
- Dasha sandhiDasha sandhi is the junction between two main planetary periods, when one mahadasha ends and the next begins.
- Mangala (Yogini dasha)Mangala is period 1 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
- Pingala (Yogini dasha)Pingala is period 2 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
- Dhanya (Yogini dasha)Dhanya is period 3 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
- Bhramari (Yogini dasha)Bhramari is period 4 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
- Bhadrika (Yogini dasha)Bhadrika is period 5 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
- Ulka (Yogini dasha)Ulka is period 6 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
- Siddha (Yogini dasha)Siddha is period 7 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
- Sankata (Yogini dasha)Sankata is period 8 of the eight in the Yogini dasha.
Matching
- Ashtakoot (guna milan)Ashtakoot, also called guna milan, is the 36-point marriage match used mostly in North India.
- DashakootDashakoot is the South Indian way to match two charts.
- Papa samyamPapa samyam is a count of malefic influence used in marriage matching.
- KootaA koota is one of the eight factors of ashtakoot matching: varna, vashya, tara, yoni, graha maitri, gana, bhakoot and nadi.
- Varna kootaVarna is the first koota, worth 1 point.
- Vashya kootaVashya is the second koota, worth 2 points.
- Tara kootaTara is the third koota, worth 3 points.
- Yoni kootaYoni is the fourth koota, worth 4 points.
- Graha maitriGraha maitri is the fifth koota, worth 5 points.
- Gana kootaGana is the sixth koota, worth 6 points.
- BhakootBhakoot is the seventh koota, worth 7 points.
- Nadi kootaNadi is the eighth koota, worth 8 points, the most of any.
- RajjuRajju is a matching check from South India.
- PoruthamA porutham is one of the ten checks in South Indian matching (dashakoot): dina, gana, mahendra, stree deergha, yoni, rasi, rasi adhipati, vashya, rajju and vedha.
- ParasparamParasparam reads two charts against each other: where each person's planets fall in the other person's houses, for example his Jupiter in her 7th house.
Yogas and doshas
- Manglik doshaManglik dosha is a Mars check used in marriage matching.
- Yoga (in a chart)In a birth chart, a yoga is a named combination of planets that tradition links to a result, such as wealth, fame or hardship.
- Raj yogaA raj yoga (raja yoga) is a combination that tradition links to status and success.
- Pancha mahapurusha yogaThe pancha mahapurusha yogas are five yogas, one for each visible planet other than the Sun and Moon: Ruchaka (Mars), Bhadra (Mercury), Hamsa (Jupiter), Malavya (Venus) and Sasa (Saturn).
- Gajakesari yogaGajakesari yoga forms when Jupiter is in a kendra from the Moon: in the same sign, or 4, 7 or 10 signs away.
- Budhaditya yogaBudhaditya yoga is the Sun and Mercury in the same sign.
- Neecha bhangaNeecha bhanga means cancelled debilitation.
- Parivartana yogaParivartana yoga is an exchange of signs: two planets each sit in the sign the other rules, such as Mars in Taurus and Venus in Aries.
- Kemadruma yogaKemadruma yoga forms when no planet other than the Sun, Rahu or Ketu sits in the sign before or after the Moon.
- Nabhasa yogaNabhasa yogas are chart patterns based on how the planets are spread across the signs, not on any one planet.
- DoshaA dosha is a chart feature that tradition treats as a problem, mostly in marriage matching.
- Kaal sarp doshKaal sarp dosh (kaal sarpa dosha) is said to form when all seven planets from the Sun to Saturn sit on one side of the Rahu and Ketu axis, hemmed in between the two nodes.
- Pitra doshPitra dosh (pitra dosha) is a chart feature traditionally linked to ancestors.
Planet condition and strength
- ShadbalaShadbala means six-fold strength.
- DignityDignity says how well a planet is placed in its sign.
- Exaltation (uchcha)A planet is exalted, or uchcha, in the one sign where tradition holds it is strongest.
- Debilitation (neecha)A planet is debilitated, or neecha, in the sign opposite its exaltation sign, where tradition holds it is weakest.
- MulatrikonaMulatrikona is a sign, or part of a sign, where a planet is strong and at ease, ranked just below exaltation and above its other own sign.
- Own sign (svakshetra)A planet is in its own sign, or svakshetra, when it sits in a sign it rules, such as Mars in Aries or Scorpio, or Venus in Taurus or Libra.
- Retrograde (vakri)A planet is retrograde, or vakri, when it appears from Earth to move backward through the zodiac for a while.
- Combustion (asta)A planet is combust, or asta, when it is so close to the Sun in the sky that it is lost in the Sun's glare.
- VargottamaA planet is vargottama when it is in the same sign in the birth chart (D1) and in the navamsa (D9).
- YogakarakaA yogakaraka is a planet that rules both a kendra (house 4, 7 or 10) and a trikona (house 5 or 9) for a given rising sign.
- Graha yuddha (planetary war)Graha yuddha, or planetary war, happens when two of the five planets Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn are within one degree of each other.
- AshtakavargaAshtakavarga is a scoring system that rates each sign of a chart from eight reference points: the seven visible planets and the ascendant.
- BinduA bindu is one point in ashtakavarga.
- SarvashtakavargaSarvashtakavarga is the combined ashtakavarga: for each sign, the bindus from all seven planets added together.
- Virupa and rupaVirupas and rupas are the units of shadbala, the six-part strength score.
Panchang and calendar
- PanchangThe panchang is the Hindu almanac for a day and a place.
- TithiA tithi is a lunar day: the time it takes the Moon to gain 12 degrees on the Sun.
- PakshaA paksha is one half of the lunar month.
- Vara (weekday)Vara is the weekday, one of the five parts of the panchang.
- KaranaA karana is half a tithi: the time it takes the Moon to gain 6 degrees on the Sun.
- Panchang yogaThe panchang yoga is one of the five parts of the Hindu calendar day.
- Masa (lunar month)A masa is a month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar.
- Ritu (season)A ritu is one of the six seasons of the Hindu calendar, each about two months long: Vasanta (spring), Grishma (summer), Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn), Hemanta (early winter) and Sisira (late winter).
- AyanaAyana is the half of the year in which the Sun moves north or south.
- Samvat (era year)A samvat is an era used to number years in Indian calendars.
- PurnimaPurnima is the full moon day, the 15th tithi of the waxing half of the lunar month.
- AmavasyaAmavasya is the new moon day, the last tithi of the waning half of the lunar month.
- EkadashiEkadashi is the 11th tithi of each half of the lunar month, and one of the most widely kept fasting days.
- Sankashti chaturthiSankashti chaturthi is the 4th tithi of the waning half of each lunar month.
- PradoshPradosh is the period around sunset.
Transits
- Gochar (transits)Gochar means transits: where the planets are moving now, judged against a birth chart.
- Sade satiSade sati is Saturn's passage through the sign before the birth Moon, the Moon's own sign, and the sign after it.
- DhaiyaDhaiya, meaning two and a half, is a Saturn transit of about two and a half years over the 4th or the 8th sign from the natal Moon.
- VedhaVedha means obstruction.
- Ingress (sankranti)An ingress is the moment a planet moves into a new sign.
Divisional charts (vargas)
- Navamsa (D9 chart)The navamsa, or D9 chart, is the ninth divisional chart.
- Varga (divisional chart)A varga is a divisional chart.
- Rasi (D1)Rasi (D1) is the birth chart itself: each sign is one whole part, so every planet sits in its actual sidereal sign.
- Hora (D2)Hora (D2) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Drekkana (D3)Drekkana (D3) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Chaturthamsa (D4)Chaturthamsa (D4) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Saptamsa (D7)Saptamsa (D7) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Dasamsa (D10)Dasamsa (D10) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Dwadasamsa (D12)Dwadasamsa (D12) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Shodasamsa (D16)Shodasamsa (D16) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Vimsamsa (D20)Vimsamsa (D20) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Chaturvimsamsa (D24)Chaturvimsamsa (D24) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Bhamsa (D27)Bhamsa (D27) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Trimsamsa (D30)Trimsamsa (D30) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Khavedamsa (D40)Khavedamsa (D40) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Akshavedamsa (D45)Akshavedamsa (D45) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
- Shashtiamsa (D60)Shashtiamsa (D60) is one of the 16 divisional charts.
Jaimini astrology
- Chara dashaChara dasha is the main dasha system of Jaimini astrology.
- Chara karakaChara karakas are the movable significators of Jaimini astrology.
- Arudha lagnaThe arudha lagna is the image of the ascendant: how a person is seen by others, as opposed to who they are.
- Upapada lagnaThe upapada lagna is the arudha, or image, of the 12th house.
- KarakamsaThe karakamsa is the sign the atmakaraka (the planet furthest through its sign) occupies in the navamsa chart.
- ArgalaArgala means intervention.
- AtmakarakaThe Atmakaraka is chara karaka number 1 of 7 in Jaimini astrology: of the seven planets from the Sun to Saturn, the one with the highest degree within its sign.
- AmatyakarakaThe Amatyakaraka is chara karaka number 2 of 7 in Jaimini astrology: of the seven planets from the Sun to Saturn, the one with the 2nd highest degree within its sign.
- BhratrikarakaThe Bhratrikaraka is chara karaka number 3 of 7 in Jaimini astrology: of the seven planets from the Sun to Saturn, the one with the 3rd highest degree within its sign.
- MatrikarakaThe Matrikaraka is chara karaka number 4 of 7 in Jaimini astrology: of the seven planets from the Sun to Saturn, the one with the 4th highest degree within its sign.
- PutrakarakaThe Putrakaraka is chara karaka number 5 of 7 in Jaimini astrology: of the seven planets from the Sun to Saturn, the one with the 5th highest degree within its sign.
- GnatikarakaThe Gnatikaraka is chara karaka number 6 of 7 in Jaimini astrology: of the seven planets from the Sun to Saturn, the one with the 6th highest degree within its sign.
- DarakarakaThe Darakaraka is chara karaka number 7 of 7 in Jaimini astrology: of the seven planets from the Sun to Saturn, the one with the lowest degree within its sign.
Muhurat and times of day
- MuhuratA muhurat (muhurta) is a good time picked to start an activity, such as a wedding, moving into a new home or buying a car.
- Rahu kaalRahu kaal is a daily window, about 90 minutes long, that tradition avoids for starting new work.
- YamagandaYamaganda is one of the three daily windows, with rahu kaal and gulika kaal, that tradition treats with caution.
- Gulika kaalGulika kaal is one of the three daily windows, with rahu kaal and yamaganda, that tradition treats with caution.
- ChoghadiyaChoghadiya splits the day and the night each into eight equal parts, about 90 minutes long near the equinox.
- Hora (planetary hour)A hora is a planetary hour, one of 24 in each day from sunrise to sunrise.
- Abhijit muhuratAbhijit muhurat is the 8th of the 15 daytime muhurats, centered on local noon.
- Brahma muhuratBrahma muhurat is a window of about 48 minutes that starts about 96 minutes before sunrise.
- Dur muhuratDur muhurat means bad muhurat.
- BhadraBhadra is the time of Vishti, one of the 11 karanas.
- PanchakaPanchaka is the time, about five days each month, when the Moon passes through the last five nakshatras, from the second half of Dhanishtha to Revati.
- Nishita kaalNishita kaal is the muhurat around local midnight, the 8th of the 15 night muhurats.
- GodhuliGodhuli is the short period around sunset.
- Tara balaTara bala rates a day for a person by counting from their birth nakshatra to the day's nakshatra.
- Chandra balaChandra bala rates a day for a person by the sign the Moon is passing through, counted from their natal Moon sign.
- Udveg choghadiyaUdveg, meaning anxiety, is one of the seven choghadiya periods that split the day and the night.
- Char choghadiyaChar, meaning moving, is one of the seven choghadiya periods that split the day and the night.
- Labh choghadiyaLabh, meaning gain, is one of the seven choghadiya periods that split the day and the night.
- Amrit choghadiyaAmrit, meaning nectar, is one of the seven choghadiya periods that split the day and the night.
- Kaal choghadiyaKaal, meaning time, or death, is one of the seven choghadiya periods that split the day and the night.
- Shubh choghadiyaShubh, meaning good, is one of the seven choghadiya periods that split the day and the night.
- Rog choghadiyaRog, meaning illness, is one of the seven choghadiya periods that split the day and the night.
Planets (grahas)
- Sun (Surya)Sun (Surya in Sanskrit) is one of the nine grahas.
- Moon (Chandra)Moon (Chandra in Sanskrit) is one of the nine grahas.
- Mars (Mangal)Mars (Mangal in Sanskrit) is one of the nine grahas.
- Mercury (Budha)Mercury (Budha in Sanskrit) is one of the nine grahas.
- Jupiter (Guru)Jupiter (Guru in Sanskrit) is one of the nine grahas.
- Venus (Shukra)Venus (Shukra in Sanskrit) is one of the nine grahas.
- Saturn (Shani)Saturn (Shani in Sanskrit) is one of the nine grahas.
- RahuRahu (the north lunar node) is one of the nine grahas.
- KetuKetu (the south lunar node) is one of the nine grahas.
Signs (rashis)
- Aries (Mesha)Aries (Mesha) is sign 1 of the 12 rashis.
- Taurus (Vrishabha)Taurus (Vrishabha) is sign 2 of the 12 rashis.
- Gemini (Mithuna)Gemini (Mithuna) is sign 3 of the 12 rashis.
- Cancer (Karka)Cancer (Karka) is sign 4 of the 12 rashis.
- Leo (Simha)Leo (Simha) is sign 5 of the 12 rashis.
- Virgo (Kanya)Virgo (Kanya) is sign 6 of the 12 rashis.
- Libra (Tula)Libra (Tula) is sign 7 of the 12 rashis.
- Scorpio (Vrishchika)Scorpio (Vrishchika) is sign 8 of the 12 rashis.
- Sagittarius (Dhanu)Sagittarius (Dhanu) is sign 9 of the 12 rashis.
- Capricorn (Makara)Capricorn (Makara) is sign 10 of the 12 rashis.
- Aquarius (Kumbha)Aquarius (Kumbha) is sign 11 of the 12 rashis.
- Pisces (Meena)Pisces (Meena) is sign 12 of the 12 rashis.
Astrology API
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