RBSE VU Jyotish Shastra cheat sheet

Jyotish is one of the six Vedangas, the auxiliary limbs of the Veda, and is called the 'eye of the Veda' (Vedachakshu) because it reveals timing of karma.

Classical lineage texts: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Parashara), Brihat Jataka (Varahamihira), Saravali (Kalyana Varma), Phaladeepika (Mantreswara), Jataka Parijata (Vaidyanatha Dikshita), Uttara Kalamrita (Kalidasa).

Three skandhas (branches) of Jyotish: Ganita (Siddhanta, mathematical astronomy), Samhita (mundane and collective portents), Hora (Jataka, natal horoscopy).

Two principal schools of calculation: the Drik (observational, modern ephemeris-based) and the traditional Surya Siddhanta, which differ by minutes of arc in planetary longitudes.

Ayanamsa definitions differ: Lahiri/Chitrapaksha, Raman, KP (Krishnamurti), and Yukteshwar; the choice shifts every sidereal longitude and can move a cusp across a sign boundary.

Standard Sanskrit terms: graha (planet), rashi (sign), bhava (house), nakshatra (lunar mansion), lagna (ascendant), dasha (planetary period), yoga (combination), dosha (affliction).

Two chart formats dominate practice: the North Indian diamond chart (houses fixed, signs rotate) and the South Indian square chart (signs fixed, houses rotate).

Vimshottari is the default dasha of Parashara's system; Ashtottari, Yogini, Kalachakra, and Chara are alternatives used for specific conditions.

Nine grahas: Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, Ketu; the first seven are 'saudha' planets with physical bodies, Rahu and Ketu are chhaya grahas (shadow points).

Natural benefics: Jupiter, Venus, waxing Moon, and well-associated Mercury; natural malefics: Saturn, Mars, Sun, waning Moon, Rahu, Ketu.

Naisargika (natural) friendship: Sun's friends are Moon, Mars, Jupiter; Saturn's friends are Mercury and Venus; Mars's friends are Sun, Moon, Jupiter.

Temporary (tatkalika) friendship: planets in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, and 12th from each other are temporary friends; 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th are temporary enemies.

Combined (panchadha) relationship has five grades: great friend, friend, neutral, enemy, great enemy - derived by combining natural and temporary status.

Exaltation degrees: Sun 10 Aries, Moon 3 Taurus, Mars 28 Capricorn, Mercury 15 Virgo, Jupiter 5 Cancer, Venus 27 Pisces, Saturn 20 Libra, Rahu 20 Taurus/Gemini (varies), Ketu 20 Scorpio/Sagittarius.

Debilitation is the opposite sign and degree: Sun 10 Libra, Moon 3 Scorpio, Mars 28 Cancer, Mercury 15 Pisces, Jupiter 5 Capricorn, Venus 27 Virgo, Saturn 20 Aries.

Moolatrikona signs: Sun Leo, Moon Taurus, Mars Aries, Mercury Virgo, Jupiter Sagittarius, Venus Libra, Saturn Aquarius.

Combustion (asta) limits from the Sun: Moon 12°, Mars 17°, Mercury 14° (direct) or 12° (retrograde), Jupiter 11°, Venus 10° (direct) or 8° (retrograde), Saturn 15°.

Twelve rashis from Mesha (Aries) to Meena (Pisces); each is 30°, so the sidereal zodiac totals 360°.

Rashi qualities: Chara (movable: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), Sthira (fixed: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius), Dvisvabhava (dual: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces).

Elements (tattva): Agni (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), Prithvi (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), Vayu (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), Jala (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces).

Kendras (angles) are houses 1, 4, 7, 10; trikonas (trines) are 1, 5, 9; dusthanas are 6, 8, 12; upachaya (growth) houses are 3, 6, 10, 11.

Bhava significations: 1 body and self, 2 wealth and speech, 3 siblings and courage, 4 mother and home, 5 children and intellect, 6 disease and service, 7 spouse and partnership, 8 longevity and occult, 9 dharma and fortune, 10 career, 11 gains, 12 loss and liberation.

House assignment uses whole-sign in Parashari practice (the sign of the lagna is the 1st house); the cusp-based Bhava Chalit chart is used to check whether a planet falls in an adjacent house.

Purusharthas map to houses: Dharma (1, 5, 9), Artha (2, 6, 10), Kama (3, 7, 11), Moksha (4, 8, 12).

Karakas by natural signification: Sun = father and soul, Moon = mother and mind, Mars = siblings and strength, Mercury = speech and commerce, Jupiter = children and wisdom, Venus = spouse and pleasure, Saturn = longevity and sorrow.

27 nakshatras span 13°20' each; 28 when Abhijit is inserted between Uttara Ashadha and Shravana for certain muhurta uses.

Each nakshatra has four padas of 3°20'; pada 1 of Ashwini begins at 0° Aries, so pada index = floor(total longitude / 3°20').

Nakshatra lords follow the Vimshottari sequence: Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, repeating three times across the 27.

Gana classification: Deva, Manushya, Rakshasa - used for marriage compatibility (the Gana Kuta).

Yoni (animal symbol) has 14 types with specific enmity pairs (for example, horse and buffalo, cow and tiger) used in the Yoni Kuta.

Nadi classification: Adi, Madhya, Antya - the Nadi Kuta contributes 8 of the 36 points in Ashtakoota matching.

Vimshottari dasha balance at birth = (remaining arc of the birth nakshatra / 13°20') × the lord's total dasha years.

Nakshatra-trimshamsha link: the Navatara scheme groups nakshatras as Janma, Sampat, Vipat, Kshema, Pratyari, Sadhaka, Vadha, Mitra, Ati-mitra relative to the birth star.

Sidereal longitude = tropical longitude − ayanamsa; Lahiri ayanamsa is about 23°51' at J2000 and increases roughly 50.3" per year (precession).

Mean solar year used in panchanga: 365.2425 days (Surya Siddhanta value 365.2587 days); the difference matters for long-range dasha and varshaphala checks.

Panchanga's five limbs: Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana.

Tithi = floor((Moon longitude − Sun longitude) / 12°); Shukla Paksha tithis 1–15, Krishna Paksha tithis 16–30.

Yoga = floor(((Sun longitude + Moon longitude) mod 360°) / 13°20'), giving 27 yogas from Vishkambha to Vaidhriti.

Karana = half a tithi; the first karana of Shukla Pratipada is Kimstughna, then the seven movable karanas cycle, and the last three tithi-halves take Shakuni, Chatushpada, and Naga.

Vara runs sunrise to sunrise; the weekday lord is the lord of the first hour (hora) after sunrise, ordered Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn.

Ascendant calculation: compute the local sidereal time, convert to the tropical ascendant via obliquity, then subtract the ayanamsa to obtain sidereal lagna.

Ayanamsa choice shifts the lagna by up to about 1° per 4 minutes of time; near a sign cusp this can change the whole chart.

Casting order: fix birth date, time, and place; compute sidereal planetary longitudes, lagna, and house cusps; place grahas in rashis and bhavas; then assess strength and yogas.

Chart reading order used in Parashari practice: lagna and lagna lord, Moon (mind), Sun (soul), then the karaka and bhava for the question asked.

Functional benefics and malefics depend on the lagna: for Aries lagna, Jupiter, Sun, and Mars are functional benefics; Mercury and Venus are not.

Shadbala is the six-fold strength: Sthana, Dig, Kala, Cheshta, Naisargika, and Drik - expressed in rupas; 1 rupa = 60 shashtiamshas.

Vargottama: a planet in the same sign in the rashi and Navamsha charts; it gains strength and is treated as especially potent.

Retrograde planets (vakri) are given Cheshta bala and are read as strong but unpredictable; a retrograde lagna lord often indicates a revisiting or returning theme.

Combustion, debilitation, and placement in 6/8/12 without cancellation weaken a planet; Neecha Bhanga (cancellation of debilitation) restores it under stated conditions.

Ashtakavarga: the Bhinnashtakavarga gives each planet's points per sign (0–8); the Sarvashtakavarga sums them, with 28+ generally favourable and below about 25 weak.

Vimshottari total is 120 years: Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17.

Mahadasha length in days = dasha years × 365.25; Antardasha length = (mahadasha years × antardasha years / 120) × 365.25 days.

Antardasha sequence within a mahadasha starts with the mahadasha lord itself, then follows the Vimshottari order.

Pratyantardasha = antardasha length × pratyantar lord's years / 120; the same proportional rule applies at every lower level.

Dasha results are judged by the lord's house, sign, strength, and yogas; a dasha lord in the 6th, 8th, or 12th typically delivers difficulty unless it also rules a kendra or trikona.

Chara dasha (Jaimini) uses sign-based periods derived from the lagna and karakas; it is read alongside Vimshottari rather than replacing it.

Ashtottari (108 years) is applied when Rahu is in a kendra or trine from the lagna lord in specific classical conditions.

Gochara (transit) is judged from the Moon sign; Sade Sati occurs when Saturn transits the 12th, 1st, and 2nd from the natal Moon - roughly 7.5 years total.

Pancha Mahapurusha yogas: Ruchaka (Mars), Bhadra (Mercury), Hamsa (Jupiter), Malavya (Venus), Sasa (Saturn) - each requires the planet in its own or exaltation sign in a kendra.

Gajakesari yoga: Jupiter in a kendra from the Moon; it confers reputation and steady intelligence.

Budhaditya yoga: Sun and Mercury conjunct; strong when Mercury is not combust beyond the classical limit.

Kemadruma dosha: no planet in the 2nd, 12th, or with the Moon (excluding the Sun); cancelled by Kemadruma Bhanga conditions such as planets in kendras from the Moon.

Mangal dosha (Kuja dosha): Mars in 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, or 12 from the lagna or the Moon; classical cancellations include Mars in its own sign or in Cancer, or aspect from Jupiter.

Kala Sarpa dosha: all seven planets placed between Rahu and Ketu on one side of the axis; the reverse arrangement is sometimes called Kala Amrita.

Raja yoga forms when a kendra lord and a trikona lord are conjoined, exchange signs, or mutually aspect; the strongest form involves the lagna lord.

Vipareeta Raja yoga: lords of the 6th, 8th, and 12th placed in each other's houses (Harsha, Sarala, Vimala respectively), producing gain through adversity.

Prasna is judged from the chart cast for the moment the question is understood; the lagna represents the querent and the 7th the astrologer or the other party.

Prasna marga (Raman) and Shatpanchashika (Prithuyasas) are core texts; the Moon's sign, nakshatra, and the lagna lord's strength decide the answer.

Muhurta selects a time whose panchanga limbs are free of defects: tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, and karana are each checked.

Tarabala: count from the birth nakshatra to the election nakshatra and divide by 9; taras 3 (Vipat), 5 (Pratyari), and 7 (Vadha) are avoided.

Chandrabala: the transit Moon should be in a favourable house from the natal Moon (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 are acceptable; 4, 8, 12 are avoided).

Rahu Kala is a daily inauspicious segment lasting about 1.5 hours; its position in the day follows a fixed weekday order starting from the 8th portion of Sunday.

Nimitta (omens) are read at the moment of undertaking: sneezing, animal calls, vessel breaking, and direction of sound are classical portents, judged alongside the Prasna chart.

Lagna for muhurta should be strong and free of malefic occupancy; benefics in kendras and the lagna lord in strength support the undertaking.

Vastu Purusha Mandala is the 8×8 (64 pada) or 9×9 (81 pada) grid overlaid on a plot; the Brahmasthana is the central 4 or 9 padas and is kept open.

Directions map to rashis and lords: east to Aries/Mars, south to Leo/Sun, west to Libra/Venus, north to Cancer/Moon; the 32 entrance padas are named in the Vastu texts.

Ishanya (northeast) is ruled by Jupiter and is preferred for water and worship; Agneya (southeast) is ruled by Venus and is preferred for fire and kitchen.

Nairutya (southwest) is ruled by Rahu and is preferred for heavy structures and the master bedroom; Vayavya (northwest) is ruled by the Moon and is used for storage and movement.

The Vastu Purusha's 45 devatas occupy the grid; Brahma occupies the centre, and the remaining positions are assigned to the 44 devatas in fixed order.

Correlation rule: a house's planetary affliction in the natal chart often mirrors a Vastu defect in the corresponding direction - for example, an afflicted Saturn and a defective west or southwest zone.

Main entrance direction is judged against the natal lagna and the 10th house for prosperity; the pada of the entrance is checked against the 32-pada scheme.

Ayadi formulas (Aya, Vyaya, Yoni, Rashi, Nakshatra, Tithi, Vara) compute dimensional compatibility of the building with the owner's nakshatra and the site.

Graha-yuddha: two planets within one degree in the same sign; the one with higher longitude is said to win the encounter.

Vakri (retrograde), Anuvakri (retrograde again after direct), and Margi (direct) describe planetary motion states in classical texts.

Avastha (planetary states): Bala, Kumara, Yuva, Vriddha, Mrita - assigned by degree within the sign and used to grade a planet's efficacy.

Classical references: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra for Parashari rules, Saravali for yogas, Phaladeepika for delineation, Muhurta Chintamani for elections, Brihat Samhita for Samhita.

Sutra-style definitions: 'Lagnat kendratrikone' style phrasing is standard in the classical commentaries; the grammar follows Panini's Ashtadhyayi conventions.

Key terms: karaka (significator), karaka-bhava (significator house), bhava-chalita (cusp chart), arudha (reflected pada), upapada (arudha of the 12th).

Jaimini Sutras introduce Chara karakas: Atmakaraka, Amatyakaraka, Bhratrikaraka, Matrikaraka, Putrakaraka, Gnatikaraka, Darakaraka, ordered by descending degree in the sign.

Argala and Virodhargala (Jaimini) describe intervention and counter-intervention on a sign from planets in the 2nd, 4th, 11th, and 5th.

Jyotish is one of the six Vedangas, the auxiliary limbs of the Veda, and is called the 'eye of the Veda' (Vedachakshu) because it reveals timing of karma.

Classical lineage texts: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Parashara), Brihat Jataka (Varahamihira), Saravali (Kalyana Varma), Phaladeepika (Mantreswara), Jataka Parijata (Vaidyanatha Dikshita), Uttara Kalamrita (Kalidasa).

Three skandhas (branches) of Jyotish: Ganita (Siddhanta, mathematical astronomy), Samhita (mundane and collective portents), Hora (Jataka, natal horoscopy).

Two principal schools of calculation: the Drik (observational, modern ephemeris-based) and the traditional Surya Siddhanta, which differ by minutes of arc in planetary longitudes.

Ayanamsa definitions differ: Lahiri/Chitrapaksha, Raman, KP (Krishnamurti), and Yukteshwar; the choice shifts every sidereal longitude and can move a cusp across a sign boundary.

Standard Sanskrit terms: graha (planet), rashi (sign), bhava (house), nakshatra (lunar mansion), lagna (ascendant), dasha (planetary period), yoga (combination), dosha (affliction).

Two chart formats dominate practice: the North Indian diamond chart (houses fixed, signs rotate) and the South Indian square chart (signs fixed, houses rotate).

Vimshottari is the default dasha of Parashara's system; Ashtottari, Yogini, Kalachakra, and Chara are alternatives used for specific conditions.

Nine grahas: Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, Ketu; the first seven are 'saudha' planets with physical bodies, Rahu and Ketu are chhaya grahas (shadow points).

Natural benefics: Jupiter, Venus, waxing Moon, and well-associated Mercury; natural malefics: Saturn, Mars, Sun, waning Moon, Rahu, Ketu.

Naisargika (natural) friendship: Sun's friends are Moon, Mars, Jupiter; Saturn's friends are Mercury and Venus; Mars's friends are Sun, Moon, Jupiter.

Temporary (tatkalika) friendship: planets in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, and 12th from each other are temporary friends; 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th are temporary enemies.

Combined (panchadha) relationship has five grades: great friend, friend, neutral, enemy, great enemy - derived by combining natural and temporary status.

Exaltation degrees: Sun 10 Aries, Moon 3 Taurus, Mars 28 Capricorn, Mercury 15 Virgo, Jupiter 5 Cancer, Venus 27 Pisces, Saturn 20 Libra, Rahu 20 Taurus/Gemini (varies), Ketu 20 Scorpio/Sagittarius.

Debilitation is the opposite sign and degree: Sun 10 Libra, Moon 3 Scorpio, Mars 28 Cancer, Mercury 15 Pisces, Jupiter 5 Capricorn, Venus 27 Virgo, Saturn 20 Aries.

Moolatrikona signs: Sun Leo, Moon Taurus, Mars Aries, Mercury Virgo, Jupiter Sagittarius, Venus Libra, Saturn Aquarius.

Combustion (asta) limits from the Sun: Moon 12°, Mars 17°, Mercury 14° (direct) or 12° (retrograde), Jupiter 11°, Venus 10° (direct) or 8° (retrograde), Saturn 15°.

Twelve rashis from Mesha (Aries) to Meena (Pisces); each is 30°, so the sidereal zodiac totals 360°.

Rashi qualities: Chara (movable: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), Sthira (fixed: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius), Dvisvabhava (dual: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces).

Elements (tattva): Agni (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), Prithvi (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), Vayu (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), Jala (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces).

Kendras (angles) are houses 1, 4, 7, 10; trikonas (trines) are 1, 5, 9; dusthanas are 6, 8, 12; upachaya (growth) houses are 3, 6, 10, 11.

Bhava significations: 1 body and self, 2 wealth and speech, 3 siblings and courage, 4 mother and home, 5 children and intellect, 6 disease and service, 7 spouse and partnership, 8 longevity and occult, 9 dharma and fortune, 10 career, 11 gains, 12 loss and liberation.

House assignment uses whole-sign in Parashari practice (the sign of the lagna is the 1st house); the cusp-based Bhava Chalit chart is used to check whether a planet falls in an adjacent house.

Purusharthas map to houses: Dharma (1, 5, 9), Artha (2, 6, 10), Kama (3, 7, 11), Moksha (4, 8, 12).

Karakas by natural signification: Sun = father and soul, Moon = mother and mind, Mars = siblings and strength, Mercury = speech and commerce, Jupiter = children and wisdom, Venus = spouse and pleasure, Saturn = longevity and sorrow.

27 nakshatras span 13°20' each; 28 when Abhijit is inserted between Uttara Ashadha and Shravana for certain muhurta uses.

Each nakshatra has four padas of 3°20'; pada 1 of Ashwini begins at 0° Aries, so pada index = floor(total longitude / 3°20').

Nakshatra lords follow the Vimshottari sequence: Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, repeating three times across the 27.

Gana classification: Deva, Manushya, Rakshasa - used for marriage compatibility (the Gana Kuta).

Yoni (animal symbol) has 14 types with specific enmity pairs (for example, horse and buffalo, cow and tiger) used in the Yoni Kuta.

Nadi classification: Adi, Madhya, Antya - the Nadi Kuta contributes 8 of the 36 points in Ashtakoota matching.

Vimshottari dasha balance at birth = (remaining arc of the birth nakshatra / 13°20') × the lord's total dasha years.

Nakshatra-trimshamsha link: the Navatara scheme groups nakshatras as Janma, Sampat, Vipat, Kshema, Pratyari, Sadhaka, Vadha, Mitra, Ati-mitra relative to the birth star.

Sidereal longitude = tropical longitude − ayanamsa; Lahiri ayanamsa is about 23°51' at J2000 and increases roughly 50.3" per year (precession).

Mean solar year used in panchanga: 365.2425 days (Surya Siddhanta value 365.2587 days); the difference matters for long-range dasha and varshaphala checks.

Panchanga's five limbs: Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana.

Tithi = floor((Moon longitude − Sun longitude) / 12°); Shukla Paksha tithis 1–15, Krishna Paksha tithis 16–30.

Yoga = floor(((Sun longitude + Moon longitude) mod 360°) / 13°20'), giving 27 yogas from Vishkambha to Vaidhriti.

Karana = half a tithi; the first karana of Shukla Pratipada is Kimstughna, then the seven movable karanas cycle, and the last three tithi-halves take Shakuni, Chatushpada, and Naga.

Vara runs sunrise to sunrise; the weekday lord is the lord of the first hour (hora) after sunrise, ordered Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn.

Ascendant calculation: compute the local sidereal time, convert to the tropical ascendant via obliquity, then subtract the ayanamsa to obtain sidereal lagna.

Ayanamsa choice shifts the lagna by up to about 1° per 4 minutes of time; near a sign cusp this can change the whole chart.

Casting order: fix birth date, time, and place; compute sidereal planetary longitudes, lagna, and house cusps; place grahas in rashis and bhavas; then assess strength and yogas.

Chart reading order used in Parashari practice: lagna and lagna lord, Moon (mind), Sun (soul), then the karaka and bhava for the question asked.

Functional benefics and malefics depend on the lagna: for Aries lagna, Jupiter, Sun, and Mars are functional benefics; Mercury and Venus are not.

Shadbala is the six-fold strength: Sthana, Dig, Kala, Cheshta, Naisargika, and Drik - expressed in rupas; 1 rupa = 60 shashtiamshas.

Vargottama: a planet in the same sign in the rashi and Navamsha charts; it gains strength and is treated as especially potent.

Retrograde planets (vakri) are given Cheshta bala and are read as strong but unpredictable; a retrograde lagna lord often indicates a revisiting or returning theme.

Combustion, debilitation, and placement in 6/8/12 without cancellation weaken a planet; Neecha Bhanga (cancellation of debilitation) restores it under stated conditions.

Ashtakavarga: the Bhinnashtakavarga gives each planet's points per sign (0–8); the Sarvashtakavarga sums them, with 28+ generally favourable and below about 25 weak.

Vimshottari total is 120 years: Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17.

Mahadasha length in days = dasha years × 365.25; Antardasha length = (mahadasha years × antardasha years / 120) × 365.25 days.

Antardasha sequence within a mahadasha starts with the mahadasha lord itself, then follows the Vimshottari order.

Pratyantardasha = antardasha length × pratyantar lord's years / 120; the same proportional rule applies at every lower level.

Dasha results are judged by the lord's house, sign, strength, and yogas; a dasha lord in the 6th, 8th, or 12th typically delivers difficulty unless it also rules a kendra or trikona.

Chara dasha (Jaimini) uses sign-based periods derived from the lagna and karakas; it is read alongside Vimshottari rather than replacing it.

Ashtottari (108 years) is applied when Rahu is in a kendra or trine from the lagna lord in specific classical conditions.

Gochara (transit) is judged from the Moon sign; Sade Sati occurs when Saturn transits the 12th, 1st, and 2nd from the natal Moon - roughly 7.5 years total.

Pancha Mahapurusha yogas: Ruchaka (Mars), Bhadra (Mercury), Hamsa (Jupiter), Malavya (Venus), Sasa (Saturn) - each requires the planet in its own or exaltation sign in a kendra.

Gajakesari yoga: Jupiter in a kendra from the Moon; it confers reputation and steady intelligence.

Budhaditya yoga: Sun and Mercury conjunct; strong when Mercury is not combust beyond the classical limit.

Kemadruma dosha: no planet in the 2nd, 12th, or with the Moon (excluding the Sun); cancelled by Kemadruma Bhanga conditions such as planets in kendras from the Moon.

Mangal dosha (Kuja dosha): Mars in 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, or 12 from the lagna or the Moon; classical cancellations include Mars in its own sign or in Cancer, or aspect from Jupiter.

Kala Sarpa dosha: all seven planets placed between Rahu and Ketu on one side of the axis; the reverse arrangement is sometimes called Kala Amrita.

Raja yoga forms when a kendra lord and a trikona lord are conjoined, exchange signs, or mutually aspect; the strongest form involves the lagna lord.

Vipareeta Raja yoga: lords of the 6th, 8th, and 12th placed in each other's houses (Harsha, Sarala, Vimala respectively), producing gain through adversity.

Prasna is judged from the chart cast for the moment the question is understood; the lagna represents the querent and the 7th the astrologer or the other party.

Prasna marga (Raman) and Shatpanchashika (Prithuyasas) are core texts; the Moon's sign, nakshatra, and the lagna lord's strength decide the answer.

Muhurta selects a time whose panchanga limbs are free of defects: tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga, and karana are each checked.

Tarabala: count from the birth nakshatra to the election nakshatra and divide by 9; taras 3 (Vipat), 5 (Pratyari), and 7 (Vadha) are avoided.

Chandrabala: the transit Moon should be in a favourable house from the natal Moon (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 are acceptable; 4, 8, 12 are avoided).

Rahu Kala is a daily inauspicious segment lasting about 1.5 hours; its position in the day follows a fixed weekday order starting from the 8th portion of Sunday.

Nimitta (omens) are read at the moment of undertaking: sneezing, animal calls, vessel breaking, and direction of sound are classical portents, judged alongside the Prasna chart.

Lagna for muhurta should be strong and free of malefic occupancy; benefics in kendras and the lagna lord in strength support the undertaking.

Vastu Purusha Mandala is the 8×8 (64 pada) or 9×9 (81 pada) grid overlaid on a plot; the Brahmasthana is the central 4 or 9 padas and is kept open.

Directions map to rashis and lords: east to Aries/Mars, south to Leo/Sun, west to Libra/Venus, north to Cancer/Moon; the 32 entrance padas are named in the Vastu texts.

Ishanya (northeast) is ruled by Jupiter and is preferred for water and worship; Agneya (southeast) is ruled by Venus and is preferred for fire and kitchen.

Nairutya (southwest) is ruled by Rahu and is preferred for heavy structures and the master bedroom; Vayavya (northwest) is ruled by the Moon and is used for storage and movement.

The Vastu Purusha's 45 devatas occupy the grid; Brahma occupies the centre, and the remaining positions are assigned to the 44 devatas in fixed order.

Correlation rule: a house's planetary affliction in the natal chart often mirrors a Vastu defect in the corresponding direction - for example, an afflicted Saturn and a defective west or southwest zone.

Main entrance direction is judged against the natal lagna and the 10th house for prosperity; the pada of the entrance is checked against the 32-pada scheme.

Ayadi formulas (Aya, Vyaya, Yoni, Rashi, Nakshatra, Tithi, Vara) compute dimensional compatibility of the building with the owner's nakshatra and the site.

Graha-yuddha: two planets within one degree in the same sign; the one with higher longitude is said to win the encounter.

Vakri (retrograde), Anuvakri (retrograde again after direct), and Margi (direct) describe planetary motion states in classical texts.

Avastha (planetary states): Bala, Kumara, Yuva, Vriddha, Mrita - assigned by degree within the sign and used to grade a planet's efficacy.

Classical references: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra for Parashari rules, Saravali for yogas, Phaladeepika for delineation, Muhurta Chintamani for elections, Brihat Samhita for Samhita.

Sutra-style definitions: 'Lagnat kendratrikone' style phrasing is standard in the classical commentaries; the grammar follows Panini's Ashtadhyayi conventions.

Key terms: karaka (significator), karaka-bhava (significator house), bhava-chalita (cusp chart), arudha (reflected pada), upapada (arudha of the 12th).

Jaimini Sutras introduce Chara karakas: Atmakaraka, Amatyakaraka, Bhratrikaraka, Matrikaraka, Putrakaraka, Gnatikaraka, Darakaraka, ordered by descending degree in the sign.

Argala and Virodhargala (Jaimini) describe intervention and counter-intervention on a sign from planets in the 2nd, 4th, 11th, and 5th.