RBSE VU Jyotish Shastra flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Vedanga Jyotisha

The earliest known Indian astronomical-astrological text, attributed to Lagadha, describing the five-year yuga and solar-lunar synchronization; it is the root of the Ganita tradition.

Trividha Skandha

The three branches of Jyotish: Ganita (mathematical astronomy), Samhita (mundane portents and collective events), and Hora (natal horoscopy of individuals).

Ayanamsa

The angular difference between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs, caused by precession. Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) is about 23°51' at J2000 and grows roughly 50.3 seconds per year.

Tithi

The lunar day, computed as floor((Moon longitude − Sun longitude) mod 360° / 12°). Fifteen Shukla tithis precede full moon and fifteen Krishna tithis follow it.

Karana

Half a tithi, one of sixty in a lunar month. Kimstughna opens Shukla Pratipada; seven movable karanas cycle; Shakuni, Chatushpada, and Naga close the month.

Panchanga

The five-limbed almanac used for muhurta and daily practice: Tithi, Vara (weekday), Nakshatra, Yoga, and Karana. Each limb is checked for defects before an election.

Naisargika Maitri

Natural friendship between planets fixed by classical texts, independent of chart position. Sun's natural friends are Moon, Mars, and Jupiter; Saturn's are Mercury and Venus.

Tatkalika Maitri

Temporary friendship based on mutual house position: planets in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, or 12th from each other are temporary friends; the rest are temporary enemies.

Combustion (Asta)

A planet within a stated arc of the Sun loses brightness and efficacy. Limits: Moon 12°, Mars 17°, Mercury 14° direct or 12° retrograde, Jupiter 11°, Venus 10° direct or 8° retrograde, Saturn 15°.

Moolatrikona

A planet's 'root' sign, distinct from exaltation and own sign, where it is especially strong. Sun in Leo, Moon in Taurus, Mars in Aries, Mercury in Virgo, Jupiter in Sagittarius, Venus in Libra, Saturn in Aquarius.

Kendra and Trikona

Kendras are the angular houses 1, 4, 7, 10. Trikonas are the trinal houses 1, 5, 9. A planet ruling both is a strong functional benefic.

Dusthana

The three difficult houses: 6th (disease, service, debt), 8th (longevity, crisis, occult), and 12th (loss, expenditure, liberation). Their lords often deliver adversity during their periods.

Upachaya Bhava

Growth houses 3, 6, 10, and 11, where malefic placement tends to improve over time and to give drive, competition, and eventual gain rather than harm.

Bhava Chalit

The cusp-based chart that reassigns planets to houses by actual cusp boundaries rather than whole signs. It is used to check whether a planet truly falls in the house it occupies by sign.

Nakshatra Pada

Each of the 27 nakshatras spans 13°20' and divides into four padas of 3°20'. Pada index equals floor(sidereal longitude / 3°20'), starting from Ashwini pada 1 at 0° Aries.

Nakshatra Lordship Cycle

Nakshatra lords follow the Vimshottari order - Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury - repeating three times across the 27 nakshatras from Ashwini.

Ashtakoota Matching

The eight-fold marriage compatibility scheme worth 36 points: Varna, Vashya, Tara, Yoni, Graha Maitri, Gana, Bhakoot, and Nadi. Nadi alone contributes eight points.

Vimshottari Dasha

The 120-year cycle of planetary periods: Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17 years. Balance at birth depends on the Moon's nakshatra position.

Antardasha Calculation

The sub-period within a mahadasha, computed as (mahadasha years × antardasha lord years / 120) × 365.25 days. The sequence begins with the mahadasha lord itself.

Sade Sati

The roughly 7.5-year period when transiting Saturn passes the 12th, 1st, and 2nd houses from the natal Moon. Each of the three phases lasts about 2.5 years.

Gajakesari Yoga

A classical yoga formed when Jupiter occupies a kendra (1st, 4th, 7th, or 10th) from the Moon. It is associated with reputation and steady intelligence.

Kemadruma Dosha

A defect where no planet occupies the 2nd or 12th from the Moon and none conjoins it (excluding the Sun). It is cancelled by planets in kendras from the Moon.

Pancha Mahapurusha Yoga

Five yogas requiring a planet in its own or exaltation sign in a kendra: Ruchaka (Mars), Bhadra (Mercury), Hamsa (Jupiter), Malavya (Venus), Sasa (Saturn).

Vipareeta Raja Yoga

A reversal yoga where lords of the 6th, 8th, and 12th occupy each other's houses, named Harsha, Sarala, and Vimala. It produces gain through adversity.

Shadbala

The six-fold strength of a planet: Sthana (positional), Dig (directional), Kala (temporal), Cheshta (motional), Naisargika (natural), and Drik (aspectual), measured in rupas of 60 shashtiamshas each.

Vargottama

A planet placed in the same sign in both the rashi chart and the Navamsha (D-9) chart. It is considered strengthened and unusually potent in delivering its significations.

Prasna Lagna

In horary astrology, the ascendant of the chart cast at the moment the question is understood. It represents the querent, while the 7th represents the astrologer or the other party.

Tarabala

Muhurta technique counting from the birth nakshatra to the election nakshatra in nines. Taras 3 (Vipat), 5 (Pratyari), and 7 (Vadha) are avoided as inauspicious.

Nimitta

Omens read at the moment of an undertaking, such as sneezing, animal calls, or a breaking vessel. They are interpreted alongside the Prasna chart rather than in isolation.

Vastu Purusha Mandala

The sacred grid (8×8 or 9×9 padas) overlaid on a building plot, with 45 devatas assigned to positions. The central Brahmasthana is left open and unbuilt.

Ishanya and Agneya

Ishanya (northeast) is ruled by Jupiter and favoured for water and worship. Agneya (southeast) is ruled by Venus and favoured for fire, kitchen, and electrical installations.

Chara Karakas

Jaimini's eight significators ranked by descending degree within sign: Atmakaraka, Amatyakaraka, Bhratrikaraka, Matrikaraka, Putrakaraka, Gnatikaraka, and Darakaraka, with the eighth slot fixed.

Avastha

The five planetary states - Bala (infant), Kumara (youth), Yuva (adult), Vriddha (old), and Mrita (dead) - assigned by degree within the sign and used to grade a planet's efficacy.