Intro to Vedic Astrology: The Science of Light

“A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma. His horoscope is a challenging portrait, revealing his unalterable past and its probable future results.” –Sri Yuketeswar in Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda (pg.182)

Intro to Vedic Astrology

In this post, I’ll be examining the foundations of Jyotish astrology, or Vedic Astrology. The word Jyotish derives from Sanskrit, meaning “light” or “heavenly bodies”, which is used in Hindu or Vedic astrology. Vedic astrology provides us with more clarity in life and understanding of our past actions and future inclinations.

A natal chart is a snapshot of the heavens at the exact moment we’re born. That’s why it’s best to have a correct birth time if you want a detailed reading. More specifically, astrology is an ancient and advanced mathematical, scientific, and spiritual tool that illuminates our profound psychological complexes. It’s a celestial map of our life path, which includes our character/habits, lessons we’re learning, karma we’re burning, ancestral information, our conscious and unconscious states, and much more. 

I’m an Aditya Vedic astrologer who uses the whole sign, whole house system. In other words, I do not use the sidereal system and no longer use the Tropical Vedic Astrology system. In the near future, I'll write more about the ancient solar deities and their profound meanings.

Aditya Natal Chart

Planets, Signs & Houses

Before learning about the signs, we must first understand the nine grahas, or planets, because the descriptions of the signs are heavily influenced by those of the planets. Each planet has a unique and pivotal role. The dignity and the strength of a planet, and how much other planets are hurting or helping it, will play a part in our psychological complexes/health.

The zodiac signs are essential because they inform us of the psychological meanings behind our nature and behavior. There are 12 zodiac signs, and not all of them will be occupied by the nine grahas, or planets. The signs are known as the limbs of Lord Vishnu, who is the manifestation of God in all things, which become animate when a planet is in a particular sign.

The houses in which the planets are placed give us a unique interpretation of what’s going on in our natal charts. The house placements are based on the time you were born. Each sign naturally rules the bhavas, or house, in a sequential order of the signs, and their meanings are similar to each other. For example, the first house cusp is naturally ruled by Aries, Taurus naturally rules the second house cusp, and so on.

Based on the exact moment you were born, there was a sign rising on the eastern horizon, and that will determine your first house sign and the subsequent house signs. For example, if your first house is Capricorn, your second house will be Aquarius, and your 3rd house will be Pisces.

Lajjitaadi Avasthas

Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, a prominent and comprehensive Vedic astrological text, presents us with different types of avasthas, such as the deeptaadi and jagraadi avasthas. However, the main avasthas that I analyze in a chart are the lajjitaadi avasthas, which are based on planetary relationships.  Lajjitaadi avasthas are an intricate way of interpreting the fulfillment strength of a planet based on planetary interactions and the sign it's in, which can result in a planet being delighted, proud, agitated, ashamed, thirsty, or starved. Based on these possible conditions of a planet, which can be a combination of these states at times, can inform us of how a planet is fulfilling its innate role. The lajjitaadi avasthas show an individual’s habits, behavior, successes, failures, psychological complexes, and more. Through awareness and persistent action, we can change our habits so that we have more desirable outcomes in life and more mental/emotional stability.

Nakshatras

Nakshatras, also known as lunar mansions, are the cornerstones of Vedic astrology, which divide the zodiac into 27 parts, consisting of 13 degrees and 20 minutes each. Every nakshatra is named after a prominent star. The lunar mansions reveal our essential characteristics, such as our mindset, personality, interests, character, and temperament. Further, we not only use them to predict, but we also rely on them for compatibility and murhurta readings, aka electional astrology. Murhurta, in short, is about selecting the best dates for an event. For example, certain nakshatras are ideal for getting married, and others for buying a new home.

North Indian Chart

South Indian Chart

North Indian vs South Indian 

I use the South Indian chart because that’s primarily what my teacher applies, but in Vedic astrology, you can use either one. One is designed to see the house placements more easily, while the other is designed to see the rasi, or sign placements, at a glance. In other words, the North Indian chart makes it easy to see the placement of the planets on angles without labeling the houses, while the South Indian chart conveniently shows the placement of the planets in the different signs without having the signs labeled.

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Greetings! I'm Gina, a California native

who has been voraciously studying astrology since 2018. I use Tropical Vedic Astrology and cartomancy as my main vehicles in my cosmic quest for profound spiritual understanding and healing. 

I hold a B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy. With over fifteen years of counseling and teaching experience, I've always enjoyed listening to people's stories and helping them on their path.

If you want to discover who you are on a deeper level, download my free ebook today: https://www.hercosmiccrown.com/offerings

To book an astrology or card reading with me, visit: www.hercosmiccrown.com/book-a-reading

The content on this page is to be treated for entertainment purposes only and should never replace professional advice. Her Cosmic Crown uses astrology and the cards as a tool to help with guidance, providing advice during readings. We will not be responsible for the decisions you make after a reading. Greetings! I'm Gina, a California native who has been voraciously studying astrology since 2018. I use Tropical Vedic Astrology and cartomancy as my main vehicles in my cosmic quest for profound spiritual understanding and healing.