№1
Mesha · मेष
(Aries)Symbol: Ram
Element: Fire
Mode: Cardinal (Chara)
Lord: Mars (Mangala)
Exalt: Sun at 10°
Debilit: Saturn at 20°
Body: Head + face
Pioneering, impulsive, courageous, head-first. Natural ruler-energy.
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Jyotisha — the eye of the Veda
One of the six Vedangas. Jyotisha = "the science of light" — Vedic astrology used since the Vedic period for determining muhurtas (auspicious moments), interpreting one\'s prarabdha karma, and prescribing remedies. 12 rashis · 9 grahas · 27 nakshatras · 120-year Vimshottari Dasha · 5-limb Panchang · 4 major doshas catalogued below.
The 12 Rashis (Zodiac signs)
№2
Vrishabha · वृषभ
(Taurus)Symbol: Bull
Element: Earth
Mode: Fixed (Sthira)
Lord: Venus (Shukra)
Exalt: Moon at 3°
Debilit: Ketu at 3°
Body: Neck + throat
Stable, sensual, possessive, slow to anger. Natural artisan + accumulator.
№3
Mithuna · मिथुन
(Gemini)Symbol: Twins (man + woman with mace + veena)
Element: Air
Mode: Mutable (Dvi-svabhava)
Lord: Mercury (Budha)
Exalt: Rahu at 20°
Debilit: Ketu at 20° (in Dhanu)
Body: Shoulders + arms
Communicative, dualistic, intellectually restless. Natural messenger.
№4
Karka · कर्क
(Cancer)Symbol: Crab
Element: Water
Mode: Cardinal (Chara)
Lord: Moon (Chandra)
Exalt: Jupiter at 5°
Debilit: Mars at 28°
Body: Chest + lungs
Nurturing, sensitive, moody, family-oriented. The mother sign.
№5
Simha · सिंह
(Leo)Symbol: Lion
Element: Fire
Mode: Fixed (Sthira)
Lord: Sun (Surya)
Exalt: None (own sign for Sun)
Debilit: None for any (kept pure)
Body: Heart + upper back
Regal, dramatic, generous, ego-driven. The king sign.
№6
Kanya · कन्या
(Virgo)Symbol: Virgin maiden (holding wheat + fire)
Element: Earth
Mode: Mutable (Dvi-svabhava)
Lord: Mercury (Budha)
Exalt: Mercury at 15° (own + exaltation)
Debilit: Venus at 27°
Body: Abdomen + intestines
Analytical, service-oriented, perfectionist. The healer sign.
№7
Tula · तुला
(Libra)Symbol: Scales / balance
Element: Air
Mode: Cardinal (Chara)
Lord: Venus (Shukra)
Exalt: Saturn at 20°
Debilit: Sun at 10°
Body: Lower abdomen + kidneys
Balanced, diplomatic, indecisive when stressed. The merchant sign.
№8
Vrishchika · वृश्चिक
(Scorpio)Symbol: Scorpion
Element: Water
Mode: Fixed (Sthira)
Lord: Mars (Mangala)
Exalt: Ketu at 20°
Debilit: Moon at 3°
Body: Reproductive organs
Intense, secretive, transformative, possessive. The occultist sign.
№9
Dhanu · धनु
(Sagittarius)Symbol: Archer (centaur)
Element: Fire
Mode: Mutable (Dvi-svabhava)
Lord: Jupiter (Guru)
Exalt: None (own sign for Jupiter)
Debilit: Ketu / Rahu axis
Body: Thighs + hips
Philosophical, optimistic, adventure-seeking. The guru sign.
№10
Makara · मकर
(Capricorn)Symbol: Sea-creature (crocodile / makara)
Element: Earth
Mode: Cardinal (Chara)
Lord: Saturn (Shani)
Exalt: Mars at 28°
Debilit: Jupiter at 5°
Body: Knees
Disciplined, ambitious, austere, slow + steady. The renunciate-ruler sign.
№11
Kumbha · कुम्भ
(Aquarius)Symbol: Water-pot (carried by a man)
Element: Air
Mode: Fixed (Sthira)
Lord: Saturn (Shani)
Exalt: None major
Debilit: None major
Body: Ankles + calves
Humanitarian, eccentric, detached, group-oriented. The sage sign.
№12
Meena · मीन
(Pisces)Symbol: Two fish
Element: Water
Mode: Mutable (Dvi-svabhava)
Lord: Jupiter (Guru)
Exalt: Venus at 27°
Debilit: Mercury at 15°
Body: Feet
Spiritual, compassionate, escapist, intuitive. The moksha sign.
The 9 Grahas (Planetary deities)
Surya · सूर्य (Sun)
Period: ~30 days per rashi (1 year per cycle)
Karaka: Atma-karaka — soul, father, government, authority, leadership.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Moon, Mars, Jupiter. Enemies: Venus, Saturn. Neutral: Mercury.
Strong placement: Charisma, royal favour, success in government / public office, strong willpower.
Afflicted: Ego clashes, low self-esteem, father issues, bone weakness, heart issues.
Chandra · चन्द्र (Moon)
Period: ~2.25 days per rashi (1 month per cycle)
Karaka: Mata-karaka — mind, mother, emotions, public, water.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: all (except enemies). Enemies: none. Neutral: Mercury.
Strong placement: Emotional stability, popularity, intuition, mother-bond, fertile mind.
Afflicted: Anxiety, mood swings, depression, separation from mother, water-related issues.
Mangala · मङ्गल (Mars)
Period: ~45 days per rashi (~2 years per cycle)
Karaka: Bhratri-karaka — courage, siblings, energy, blood, real estate.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Sun, Moon, Jupiter. Enemies: Mercury. Neutral: Saturn, Venus.
Strong placement: Courage, physical strength, victory in competition, business success.
Afflicted: Anger, accidents, blood issues, surgery, manglik dosha (marital obstruction).
Budha · बुध (Mercury)
Period: ~25 days per rashi (~1 year per cycle)
Karaka: Karaka of intellect, communication, business, education, speech.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Sun, Venus. Enemies: Moon. Neutral: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn.
Strong placement: Sharp intellect, business acumen, eloquence, mathematical skill, journalism.
Afflicted: Speech disorders, dyslexia, fraud, nervous disorders, bad communication.
Brihaspati (Guru) · बृहस्पति (Jupiter)
Period: ~1 year per rashi (~12 years per cycle)
Karaka: Putra + Dhana karaka — wisdom, wealth, sons, religion, dharma, husband (in stri-jataka).
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Sun, Moon, Mars. Enemies: Mercury, Venus. Neutral: Saturn.
Strong placement: Wisdom, wealth, devout family, scholarly success, marriage to a noble person, sons.
Afflicted: Loss of faith, diabetes, obesity, liver issues, second-marriage delay.
Shukra · शुक्र (Venus)
Period: ~30 days per rashi (~1 year per cycle)
Karaka: Kalatra-karaka — wife (in pum-jataka), love, beauty, luxury, art, music.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Mercury, Saturn. Enemies: Sun, Moon. Neutral: Mars, Jupiter.
Strong placement: Beauty, luxury, artistic success, happy marriage, vehicles, jewellery.
Afflicted: Marital discord, kidney issues, diabetes, addictions, broken vehicles.
Shani · शनि (Saturn)
Period: ~2.5 years per rashi (~30 years per cycle)
Karaka: Karma + Ayu karaka — discipline, suffering, longevity, employment, the poor.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Mercury, Venus. Enemies: Sun, Moon, Mars. Neutral: Jupiter.
Strong placement: Longevity, hard work pays off, success in mass-organisations, justice.
Afflicted: Chronic illness, joblessness, delays, depression, joint pain, Sade-sati / dhaiyya.
Rahu · राहु (North lunar node)
Period: ~18 months per rashi (~18 years per cycle, retrograde)
Karaka: Karaka of materialism, foreign, technology, addictions, sudden gains/losses.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Venus, Saturn, Mercury. Enemies: Sun, Moon, Mars. Behaves as Saturn.
Strong placement: Sudden wealth, foreign success, technology mastery, political success.
Afflicted: Addiction, paranoia, foreign troubles, ancestral curses, mental imbalance.
Ketu · केतु (South lunar node)
Period: ~18 months per rashi (~18 years per cycle, retrograde)
Karaka: Karaka of moksha, isolation, occult, past-life karma, intuition.
Friends/Enemies: Friends: Mars (similar nature). Enemies: Moon, Mercury. Behaves as Mars.
Strong placement: Spiritual progress, occult success, detachment, intuitive flashes, moksha-marga.
Afflicted: Sudden losses, accidents, isolation, mysterious illness, pitri-dosha.
The 27 Nakshatras (Lunar mansions)
| № | Nakshatra | Deity | Star | Range | Pada lord | Symbol / Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashwini · अश्विनी | Ashwini Kumaras (physicians) | β + γ Arietis | Mesha 0°-13°20' | Ketu | Horse-head — Quick healing, swift action, fresh start. |
| 2 | Bharani · भरणी | Yama (god of death) | 35-Arietis cluster | Mesha 13°20'-26°40' | Venus | Yoni / female reproductive organ — Bearing, fertility, transformation through ordeal. |
| 3 | Krittika · कृत्तिका | Agni | Pleiades | Mesha 26°40' - Vrishabha 10° | Sun | Razor / flame — Cutting through illusion, purification by fire, Karthikeya's nurses. |
| 4 | Rohini · रोहिणी | Prajapati / Brahma | Aldebaran (α Tauri) | Vrishabha 10°-23°20' | Moon | Cart / chariot — Beauty, fertility, Krishna's birth-star. Most-loved by Moon. |
| 5 | Mrigashira · मृगशिरा | Soma | λ + φ Orionis (Orion's head) | Vrishabha 23°20' - Mithuna 6°40' | Mars | Deer's head — Searching, sensitivity, restlessness. |
| 6 | Ardra · आर्द्रा | Rudra | Betelgeuse (α Orionis) | Mithuna 6°40'-20° | Rahu | Teardrop — Storm, transformation through grief, intellectual brilliance. |
| 7 | Punarvasu · पुनर्वसु | Aditi (mother of devas) | Castor + Pollux (α + β Geminorum) | Mithuna 20° - Karka 3°20' | Jupiter | Quiver of arrows / bow — Return of light, renewal, Rama's nakshatra. |
| 8 | Pushya · पुष्य | Brihaspati | γ + δ + θ Cancri | Karka 3°20'-16°40' | Saturn | Cow's udder / lotus / arrow — Nourishment, the most auspicious of all 27. Holy on Thursday. |
| 9 | Ashlesha · आश्लेषा | Sarpa (serpents) | δ + ε + ρ Hydrae | Karka 16°40'-30° | Mercury | Coiled serpent — Embrace, kundalini, hypnotic power, can be deceptive. |
| 10 | Magha · मघा | Pitris (ancestors) | Regulus (α Leonis) | Simha 0°-13°20' | Ketu | Throne / palanquin — Royalty, ancestral pride, leadership, devotion to ancestors. |
| 11 | Purva Phalguni · पूर्व फाल्गुनी | Bhaga (luxury / fortune) | δ + θ Leonis | Simha 13°20'-26°40' | Venus | Hammock / front legs of bed — Luxury, marriage, creativity, leisure-loving. |
| 12 | Uttara Phalguni · उत्तर फाल्गुनी | Aryaman (patron of contracts) | β + 93 Leonis | Simha 26°40' - Kanya 10° | Sun | Back legs of bed — Patronage, kind-heartedness, leadership through service. |
| 13 | Hasta · हस्त | Savitri (Surya) | α + β + γ + δ + ε Corvi | Kanya 10°-23°20' | Moon | Open hand / fist — Skilled craftsmanship, dexterity, healing hands. |
| 14 | Chitra · चित्रा | Tvashta (cosmic architect) | Spica (α Virginis) | Kanya 23°20' - Tula 6°40' | Mars | Pearl / shining jewel — Brilliance, design, the muhurta-star — best time for all auspicious starts. |
| 15 | Swati · स्वाती | Vayu (wind) | Arcturus (α Bootis) | Tula 6°40'-20° | Rahu | Coral / young shoot bending in wind — Independence, flexibility, can be scattered. |
| 16 | Vishakha · विशाखा | Indra + Agni | α + β + γ + ι Librae | Tula 20° - Vrishchika 3°20' | Jupiter | Triumphal arch / potter's wheel — Goal-oriented, achievement, victorious. |
| 17 | Anuradha · अनुराधा | Mitra (friend) | β + δ + π Scorpii | Vrishchika 3°20'-16°40' | Saturn | Lotus / staff — Devotion, friendship, organisational ability. |
| 18 | Jyeshtha · ज्येष्ठा | Indra | Antares (α Scorpii) | Vrishchika 16°40'-30° | Mercury | Earring / umbrella — Eldest, seniority, can be possessive of authority. |
| 19 | Mula · मूल | Nirriti (destruction-goddess) | ε + ζ + λ + ν + ι Scorpii (Scorpion's tail) | Dhanu 0°-13°20' | Ketu | Root tied bundle / lion's tail — Root-investigation, philosophical depth, can uproot. |
| 20 | Purva Ashadha · पूर्व आषाढा | Apas (waters) | δ + ε Sagittarii | Dhanu 13°20'-26°40' | Venus | Front of winnowing-basket — Invincibility, declaration, water-element power. |
| 21 | Uttara Ashadha · उत्तर आषाढा | Vishvedevas (10 universal devas) | σ + ζ Sagittarii | Dhanu 26°40' - Makara 10° | Sun | Back of winnowing-basket / elephant tusks — Final victory, leadership, lasting fame. |
| 22 | Shravana · श्रवण | Vishnu | α + β + γ Aquilae | Makara 10°-23°20' | Moon | Ear / 3 footprints — Hearing/learning, connection to teaching, sravana-as-shruti. |
| 23 | Dhanishta · धनिष्ठा | Vasus (8 elemental devas) | α + β + γ + δ Delphini | Makara 23°20' - Kumbha 6°40' | Mars | Mridanga drum / flute — Music, wealth, generosity. |
| 24 | Shatabhisha · शतभिषा | Varuna (cosmic waters) | γ Aquarii | Kumbha 6°40'-20° | Rahu | Empty circle / 100 healers — Healing, secrecy, mystical insight. |
| 25 | Purva Bhadrapada · पूर्व भाद्रपदा | Aja Ekapada (one-footed serpent) | α + β Pegasi | Kumbha 20° - Meena 3°20' | Jupiter | Front of funeral cot / sword — Spiritual fire, transcendence, intensity. |
| 26 | Uttara Bhadrapada · उत्तर भाद्रपदा | Ahirbudhnya (serpent of the deep) | γ Pegasi + α Andromedae | Meena 3°20'-16°40' | Saturn | Back of funeral cot / twins — Wisdom, depth, the kundalini's deepest rest. |
| 27 | Revati · रेवती | Pushan (nourisher of cattle + travellers) | ζ Piscium | Meena 16°40'-30° | Mercury | Fish / drum — Wealth-flow, journey, completion of cycle, last of the 27. |
Vimshottari Dasha — the 120-year cycle
Each life is mapped to a 120-year cycle. The sequence runs Ketu → Venus → Sun → Moon → Mars → Rahu → Jupiter → Saturn → Mercury. Start point = the graha lord of your birth-nakshatra. Within each mahadasha, each sub-period (antardasha) is the proportional slice of the same nine in the same order.
Ketu
7 years
Venus (Shukra)
20 years
Sun (Surya)
6 years
Moon (Chandra)
10 years
Mars (Mangala)
7 years
Rahu
18 years
Jupiter (Guru)
16 years
Saturn (Shani)
19 years
Mercury (Budha)
17 years
The 5 limbs of the Panchang
Tithi · तिथि
Lunar day (1-30). The angle between Sun and Moon, divided into 30 parts. New moon = Amavasya (15 + 15). Full moon = Purnima.
Nakshatra · नक्षत्र
Lunar mansion (1-27). Where the Moon sits among the 27 stars. Birth-nakshatra fixes the dasha-sequence + lifelong identity.
Yoga · योग
Sum of Sun+Moon longitudes divided into 27 parts. Each yoga has its own auspiciousness — e.g. Vyatipata (inauspicious), Siddhi (highly auspicious), Vaidhriti (avoid).
Karana · करण
Half-tithi (60 total in a month). 11 names cycle. The four sthira (fixed) karanas — Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, Kimstughna — surround Amavasya and govern pitri-rituals.
Vara · वार
Weekday — 7 days each governed by a graha (Sun=Sunday, Moon=Monday, Mars=Tuesday, etc.). Aligned with the 7 visible grahas in classical order.
Major Doshas & Remedies
Manglik Dosha · मांगलिक दोष
Cause — Mars (Mangala) in houses 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, or 12 of the natal chart.
Effects — Marital obstacles, delayed marriage, marital discord, in extreme cases — early widowhood / widower-hood.
Remedies — Marry another Manglik (counter-cancels). Hanuman Chalisa daily on Tuesdays. Mangala Kavacham. Kumbha-vivaha (symbolic marriage to a pot before main marriage) for severe cases.
Kala Sarpa Dosha · काल सर्प दोष
Cause — All 7 grahas (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn) caught between Rahu and Ketu axis.
Effects — Sudden ups and downs, ancestral pull, recurring obstacles despite effort, mental restlessness, pitri-dosha pull.
Remedies — Kala Sarpa Dosha Nivarana at Trimbakeshwar / Kalahasti. 108-Naga-stone tarpana. Rahu mantra 18,000x japa. Pitri-paksha shraddha at Gaya.
Sade Sati · साढे साती
Cause — Saturn (Shani) transiting the 12th, 1st, and 2nd houses from natal Moon — a 7.5-year cycle (3 phases × 2.5 yrs).
Effects — Slow grinding hardship, health issues, job changes, financial pressure, but also major karmic clearing.
Remedies — Hanuman Chalisa + Shani Stotram on Saturdays. Donate black sesame, mustard oil, iron. Feed crows + dogs. Visit Shani-shingnapur. Wear blue sapphire only after strict consultation.
Pitri Dosha · पितृ दोष
Cause — Sun in conjunction or opposition with Rahu / Ketu. Or unfulfilled shraddha karma of ancestors.
Effects — Childlessness, recurring health issues in children, financial drains, family disharmony, unfulfilled ambitions.
Remedies — Pitri-paksha tarpana at Gaya / Prayag / Pushkar. Shraddha on every amavasya. Pind-daan ceremony. Feed brahmanas + crows on Amavasya.
Commission a chart reading + remedies — SevaCart connects to verified Jyotisha pandits for chart-casting, dasha-analysis, dosha-nivarana homas at the corresponding kshetras (Navagraha temples for graha-shanti, Trimbakeshwar for Kala Sarpa, Gaya for Pitri Dosha). See also Navagraha Stotras, What is nakshatra, and Panchang & festivals.