| Adhimitra
'original friend' |
Refers
to the natural friendly relationships of planets (not
based on their temporary positions in a chart).
For example, Jupiter and Mars are naturally friends and
are therefore called adhimitras. |
| Adipati
'original lord’ |
In astrology
it refers to the owner of a sign.
Sample usage: karma-dharma-adi-pati-yoga |
| Afflicted |
A planet that
is aspected by or is associated with malefics. |
| Affliction |
Adverse aspects
between planets or between a planet and a cusp (house)
Planets getting debilitated or conjoined with evils are
also said to be afflicted. |
| ANGLE
Houses |
1, 4, 7 and 10
are said to be the angular houses.
Hindus call them as Kendra-sthanas. |
| Antardashas |
This refers the
sub-period of a dasha. It
is also known as 'bhukti'.
The maha-dasha is the main
period. |
| Anuradha |
One of the 27
nakshatras, ruled by Saturn. |
| Apachaya |
Refers to the
following houses in a chart: first, second,
fourth, seventh and eighth. |
| Apoklima |
These are the
cadent houses: third, sixth, ninth and twelfth. These
are the four houses which are twelfth to the angle houses,
not so good for material happiness. |
| Apoklima |
The 3rd, 6th,
9th and 12th |
| Ardra |
This is one of
the 27 principle stars or nakshatras and this one is ruled
by Rahu. |
| Arishta |
This means evil
or danger. For example, balarishta-yoga
is a combination of the words bala
and arishta which means
'danger to children'. |
| Arishtabhanga-yoga |
means that the
arishtas or evils in the
chart are bhanga or broken. It is interested to note that
the word bhanga seems to
have become bungle which means to mess up or break. arishtabhanga
This is a general yoga which gives protection to the chart
because it 'breaks the evils'. Arishtabhanga means to
break the evils within a chart. This yoga is formed by
having very good planets or very good lords in the angles
or trines of the chart. |
| Artha |
'necessities';
one's necessities in life. Refers to the rocess of doing
business or acquiring finances to meet one's necessities.
See also anartha. |
| Artha
trikona |
Literally means
the triangular houses of economic or
material necessity issues. It refers to the tenth, second
and sixth houses, because these are the houses which form
the triangular or trikona formation from the tenth house. |
| ASCENDANT |
The part that
rises in the east at the time of the birth of a
child or commencement of an event. It is also called 'Lagna', |
| Ashlesha |
This is one of
the 27 nakshatras and is ruled by Mercury. |
| Ashta |
the number eight. |
| Ashtakavarga |
literally means
the divisions of eight dots; refers to the process of
judging the strengths of the planets and the houses in
relation to transits. Described in a number of classics,
it is a system which can be used to judge the strengths
of the planets as well as make predictions, especially
regarding counting various things in life such as numbers
of children and how benefic or malefic transits will be
over one's chart. |
| Ashubha |
Refers to 'not
good' or inauspicious. The opposite of shubha, meaning
auspicious. |
| Ashvini |
This is the
first of the 27 nakshatras and is ruled by Ketu. Within
this nakshatra is the exaltation degree of the Sun. Ashvini
literally means a female horse or a mare. It is the name
of the wife of the Sun-god when she took the form of a
mare to perform austerities on the earth. At that time,
she gave birth to twin boys known as the |
| Aspects |
All planets
aspect the 7th house powerfully. Sani, Guru and Kuja have
special aspects or Visesha Drishti,
viz., Saturn the 3rd and 10th, Jupiter the 5th and 9th.
and Mars the 4th and 8th. |
| Asura |
This is the
opposite of sura, or godly
person. An asura is an ungodly
or demoniac person. Rahu, prior to being beheaded by Vishnu,
was an asura or demon. |
| Atma
karaka |
This is the
principle or first significator amongst the seven planets.
It is the planet with the highest degrees of all in the
chart. It literally means the significator of the self.
The atma karaka planet,
or the one having the most degrees in any sign, somewhat
represents the person whose chart it is in. |
| Avaroha |
This means the
descent or the setting of the planet. It also refers to
the planet approaching it's debilitation point. |
| Avasthas |
Literally means
states or situations and refers to the
condition surrounding a planetary placement. The avastha
of a planet refers to which sign and house it is in, whether
that planet is exalted or debilitated, etc. |
| Ayanabala |
This is one
of the six strengths which comprise the shadbala
or six strengths of the planets. This strength comes from
the planets' relationship with it's Northern or Southern
course above and below the equator. |
| Ayanamsa |
the distance
of zodiac arc or measure of 360¼ which
differentiates the actual zodiac from the tropical or
relative seasonal zodiac. Currently the ayanamsa
or difference between the actual start of the zodiac and
the springtime tropical start of the zodiac is roughly
around 23¼. The exact ayanamsa is not known, therefore
there are a number of ayanamsas put forth to the world
by various astronomers and well known astrologers. |
| Ayurveda |
This is the
vedic science of medicine which literally translates as
"The knowledge for increasing the span of life".
ayus Longevity; length of
life-span, as in the word ayurdaya: the astrological practice
of determining the life-span. This is also the root word
of ayurveda. |
| Badhakasthana |
This literally
means the 'house of obstruction'. These are bad houses.
For Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn rising signs, the
eleventh house is the badhakasthana.
For the rising signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius,
it is the ninth house. For Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius
and Pisces, it is the seventh house. |
| Badhakgraha |
This is the
lord of the badhakasthana
or obstruction house. These lords cause bad results in
their sub-periods according to some classics. But this
principle is generally not used by modern vedic astrologers. |
| Bala |
Strength or power. |
| Balarishta |
Evils affecting
children. Refers to a group of yogas that deal with the
death of infants. benefic Refers to a planet which is
beneficial, given the particular rising sign of the chart.
In general, the most benefic planets are the lords of
the trikona houses: the
first, fifth and ninth.
The lords of the kendra
houses, the fourth, seventh and tenth are also benefic,
but may become malefics under certain rules. |
| Benefics |
The waxing Moon,
well-associated Mercury, Jupiter and Venus. These are
the "natural benefics" whereas, depending on
the rising sign in a chart there are "temporary benefics"
given to any of the planets due to their lording over
good houses. |
| Bhadra
yoga |
One of the panch-mahapurush
yogas, which means five great person yogas. Bhadra
yoga is the mahapurush yoga caused by Mercury when Mercury
is in it's own sign or sign of exaltation in either an
angle or trikonal house. |
| Bhagya |
Refers to fate
or destiny. |
| Bhamsha |
Literally meaning
twenty-seven parts, it refers to the twenty-seven part
varga or divisional chart. Used for the fine-tuning of
general judgments. |
| Bharani |
The second of
the 27 nakshatras, ruled by Venus |
| Bharan |
means maintenance. |
| Bhava
bala |
Literally means
the strengths of the houses in the chart.
Described in a number of the classics, it is a complex
mathematical process for arriving at the relative strengths
of the houses in a chart. The overall use is that the
stronger a house, the more it will be able to give it's
best results. The weaker each house is will be an indicator
of weakened or malefic results. |
| Bhava |
Literally means
'house', as in the houses of the horoscope. bhava
Refers to the houses of a horoscope. Literal meaning:
house. |
| Bhavachakra |
This refers to
the chart of houses as opposed to the rasi
chakra which is the chart of signs. Bhava chakra
means exactly the same thing as chalitchakra |
| Bhavamadhya |
This is the
middle of a house. Madhya means middle, bhava means house. |
| Bhavasandhi |
This refers
to the very end or very beginning of a house or the junction
of two houses. Planets lose their strength when in the
bhavasandhi or junction
of houses. |
| Bhavat
bhavam |
This is a principle
in vedic astrology which means that the house that is
as far away from a house as the house is from the ascendant
also signifies those same things in a harmonic sort of
way. For example, the third house is the eighth from the
eighth house and is therefore similar to the eighth house
and should be looked at when judging the affairs of the
eighth house. |
| Bhinnashtakavarga |
This is the
ashtakavarga of each planet
spelled out
individually and separately in a grid-like chart and is
used in a number of predictive techniques described in
various classic jyotish
books. |
| Bhoga |
Refers to pleasure
or enjoyment; also foodstuffs and other items which have
not yet been offered to one's deity or offered to the
Lord. Esoterically refers to that which is yet to be enjoyed
by the Lord. Bhoga, or unoffered
items are not to be taken by the humans. Only prasad,
or those items which have been offered to the Lord already
are to be enjoyed by humans. Prasad
means mercy or remnants, and is the opposite of bhoga
or unoffered sacrificial items. |
| Bhratru |
brother |
| Bhratru
karaka |
The significator
of the brother. One of the planetary
significators defined in the Parashara
Hora Shastra. |
| Bhu
(Bhurloka |
This is the
name of the earth. Refers literally to the name of Bhumi,
who is the mother goddess of the earth. Mars is the Bhumi
Karaka or significator of earth.Her planet is part of
what is called Bhurloka. It should be noted that the earth
is not the only part of Bhurloka or the earthly plane.
What we see of as the earth ball in space is only a part
of the earth plane or Bhurloka, which in it's real form
as a vast expanse is hidden from our vision, controlled
by the demigods. In other words we see only what we are
meant tosee. For the rest of the truth we have to see
through the revealed scriptures. |
| Bhukti |
This is the
second level in the dasha
system. It is the sub-period after the main period of
the current dasha. |
| Bindus
Literally |
dot. Refers
to the number of positive points in a particular sign
in the ashtaka varga system
of strength judgment as described in a number of the classics.
A planet has from one to eight bindus
in it's ashtaka varga chart. The more bindus, the better. |
| BIRTH
TIME |
The exact moment
when the whole body of the child gets separated from the
mother. |
| Body
Parts Rulers |
Aries-Head;
Taurus-Face; Gemini-Neck; Cancer- Chest; Leo-Stomach;
Virgo-Waist; Libra-Sexual Organ; Scorpio-Belly; Sagittarius-Thighs;
Capricorn- Knees; Aquarius-Buttocks; Pisces-Feet. |
| Brahma |
The name of
the highest demigod in this creation. He is born on a
lotus flower which sprouts from the navel of LordVishnu.
He has four heads. During his day, the creationexists,
and during his night it is absorbed within him. His day
lasts for 1,000 chatur yugas,
or 1,000 cycles of four periods: Satya
yuga, Treta yuga,
Dvapara yuga and Kali yuga.
As a demigod, he rules over some of the nakshatras as
well as some of the shastiamshas
used in vedic astrology. He is beholden only to Vishnu,
Sada Shiva and Krishna.
All other demigods in this creation are under Brahma,
including such great personalities and demigods as Indra,
Agni, Surya, Chandra, etc. |
| Brahman |
A person who
belongs to the first class or caste of human beings. A
person who studies the vedas
diligently and imbibes all the good qualities recommended
therein. A person who knows the science of spirit, religion,
liberation, astrology, literature, medicine, etc.- a first
class human being. This is not something that can be inherited
by birth. It must be earned individually and it is subject
to reversal at any time by falldown from the brahminical
qualities. The word also refers to spirit in general-
the all pervading aspect of Supreme Divinity that pervades
every atom in all time and all space. A brahmana
is a knower of brahman or spirit, which is also absolute
truth. |
| Brihaspati |
This is the sanskrit
name for Thursday, but really it is the name for the demigod
who rules Jupiter. Brihaspati is a great personality referred
to in many of the puranic
scriptures of ancient India. He is the guru of all the
demigods. In other words, he is the great sage who the
demigods under Brahma listen
to for daily advice. As the ruler of the planet Jupiter,
he is the personality behind all the aspects and functions
of the Jupiter planet. So his other name is guru. In understanding
the actions and ways of Brihaspati, who is a real person
living on higher planets within this universe which are
relayed to us through the Puranas
such as the Bhagavat Purana
or Shrimad Bhagavatam We
can come to understand the true functionality and ways
of behavior of the Jupiter planet. |
| Briha |
Literally means
great. |
| Budha |
This is the
name of the planet Mercury in sanskrit. Budha is a demigod
who is a yuvaraj to the rulership of the Sun. Yuvaraj
means the crowned prince or successor to the throne. It
is the nature of Budha which gives Mercury it's functionality
and nature. |
| Budhi |
Intelligence;
that which flows from Budha or the planet Mercury, the
controller and significator of our finer thinking capacity
or intelligence which is known as Budhi. This word is
used throughout sanskrit philosophical literature, such
as in the verse in the Bhagavad
gita spoken by Lord Krishna which begins: "vyavasayatmika
budhi ekeha kuru nandana", which refers to
the one-pointed intelligence of those who are devoted
to Krishna. |
| CADENT |
Houses 3, 6,
9 and 12 are called Cadent Houses |
| CARDINAL |
Aries, Cancer,
Libra and Capricorn are Cardinal signs. |
| Chakra |
This word has
a number of meanings. Amongst them, a spinning circle,
a diagram formed more or less in the shape of a circle,
a center of energy radiating from a central point within
the body and also a cycle or procession of events that
recurs in a circular fashion. This is also the word used
to describe a chart such as in the two word combination
of rasi chakra which means
the chart or circular formation of the signs of the zodiac.
The best single word for defining charka is circle. |
| Chalitchakra |
This refers
to the chart of houses as opposed to the rasi chakra which
is the chart of signs. Chalitchakra means exactly the
same thing as bhavachakra. |
| Chamara |
A white or light
gray fluffy whisk fan made out of a yak tail, used in
ceremonial worship of the Supreme Lord or His representative.
|
| Chandala |
This is the
name of one of the lowest rungs of human society. It means
persons who have no discretion and would even engage in
what the vedas consider to be a most abominable activity-
that of eating small animals such as dogs and cats. |
| Chandra
mangala yoga |
This refers to
a combination between the Moon and
Mars. Chandra is the Moon
and mangala means Mars.
Chandra mangala yoga fires up the mind. The Moon rules
the mind. |
| Chandra |
This is the Moon
and also the name of the demigod who rules the Moon, |
| Chandradeva |
He is one of
the primeval demigods in this creationary cycle. This
is what the Moon is called in India, as well as by Indian
or Hindu astrologers. |
| Chandrashtama |
This is when
the Moon transits in the eighth sign from a person's rising
sign and is not considered good at all. This word is primarily
formed by combining the two words chandra
and ashta which mean Moon
and Eighth respectively. |
| Chandrodaya |
Moonrise. It
is also the name of the very large temple constructed
in the city of Mayapura by Bhaktivedanta Swami . |
(The rest will appear on this website in the near future.
It is under construction}
Note: Certain parts of this Glossary are taken from Das Goravani
and many other books and journals.
