Vedic Astrology Glossary
Vedic Zodiac Sign
Rashi is the Vedic term for zodiac sign. The 12 rashis are calculated using the sidereal zodiac (fixed stars), placing them approximately 23° behind their Western tropical counterparts. In Jyotish, the moon's rashi at birth is often considered more personally significant than the sun's rashi.
The 12 rashis span 30° each within the 360° zodiac, and each is ruled by a specific planet. Unlike the Western tropical zodiac (which measures from the vernal equinox), Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac anchored to the actual star positions - specifically to the star Spica (Chitra nakshatra) at 0° Libra.
The difference between the two systems, called the ayanamsha, is currently around 23° - 24°. This means most people's Vedic sun sign differs from their Western sun sign.
The 12 rashis and their lords:
| Rashi | Western equivalent | Lord |
|---|---|---|
| Mesha (Aries) | Aries | Mars |
| Vrishabha (Taurus) | Taurus | Venus |
| Mithuna (Gemini) | Gemini | Mercury |
| Karka (Cancer) | Cancer | Moon |
| Simha (Leo) | Leo | Sun |
| Kanya (Virgo) | Virgo | Mercury |
| Tula (Libra) | Libra | Venus |
| Vrishchika (Scorpio) | Scorpio | Mars |
| Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Sagittarius | Jupiter |
| Makara (Capricorn) | Capricorn | Saturn |
| Kumbha (Aquarius) | Aquarius | Saturn |
| Meena (Pisces) | Pisces | Jupiter |
In Vedic chart reading, every planet's placement is described by its rashi, which determines the planet's dignity (exalted, own sign, debilitated, or neutral).
Concept map
4 terms
Ascendant / Rising Sign
Lagna is the degree of the zodiac rising on the eastern horizon at the exact moment of birth. It sets the first house of the chart, determines house rulerships, and acts as the chart's structural foundation - the body, self-expression, and life path.
Lunar Mansion
A nakshatra is one of 27 lunar mansions that divide the zodiac into equal 13°20′ segments. The moon's placement in a nakshatra at birth reveals personality nuances, emotional rhythms, and karmic themes that the broader rashi (zodiac sign) cannot capture.
Fixed Star Zodiac
The sidereal zodiac is the basis of Vedic astrology - a zodiac anchored to the actual positions of fixed stars rather than to the vernal equinox. It currently sits approximately 23° - 24° behind the Western tropical zodiac, a gap called the ayanamsha.
Astrological House
A bhava is one of the 12 houses in a Vedic birth chart, each governing a specific domain of life. The bhavas are counted from the lagna (ascendant) and act as the stage on which the planets perform - each planet's effects manifest through the areas of life ruled by its occupied and aspected bhavas.
Your Vedic moon sign (chandra rashi) is the rashi the moon occupied at your birth, calculated using the sidereal zodiac. It often differs from your Western moon sign by one sign due to the ~23° ayanamsha offset.
In Jyotish, the moon represents mind, emotions, and subconscious patterns. The chandra rashi (moon sign) governs how you feel and react instinctively, and your moon's nakshatra determines your starting dasha period - making it foundational to chart reading.
The 12 rashis share the same names as Western zodiac signs (Mesha/Aries, Vrishabha/Taurus, etc.) but they are positioned differently in the sky. Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac anchored to the March equinox, while Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac anchored to actual star positions. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the two systems are currently offset by approximately 23°. Most people's Vedic sun sign is one sign earlier than their Western sun sign.
Birth Chart Report
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