Astrological Terminology:
Some of the astrological terms are defined below.
Dasa: The rising sign at the time of birth is called Lagna or Radical.
Apoklima: The 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses from the rising sign.
Ayanas: Uttarayana and Dhakshinayana are the two periods of six-month into which the Hindu astrological year is divided. The first denotes the period when the sun is in the northern circle between Capricorn and Cancer. The latter is the period during which the Sun is in the southern circle between Cancer and Capricorn.
Athichara (Acceleration): The movement of a planet faster than its mean velocity.
Common Signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
Conjunction: The location of two or more planets in the same longitude. Conjunctions are very powerful if the planets are in the same degree and minute.
Dignities: A Planet is dignified when it occupies its own house, Its moolatrikona or Exaltation, aspected by a benefic, unaspected by a malefic, when it is not retrograde and when it is increasing in light.
Fixed Signs: Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius.
Janma Nakshatra: The asterism ruled by the Moon at the birth of a person.
Gochara: The configuration of planets at any given time.
Degrees of the Main Exaltation of Planets:
The following table shows the degree of the main exaltation of the different planets.
| Planet Exaltation | Sign Degree of Main Exaltation |
|---|---|
| Sun Aries | 10 |
| Moon Taurus | 3 |
| Mars Capricorn | 28 |
| Mercury Virgo | 15 |
| Jupiter Cancer | 5 |
| Venus Pisces | 27 |
| Saturn Libra | 20 |
Planets and their Significators:
| Planet | Significators |
| Sun | Soul of Atma or Eye |
| Moon | Mind, Intellectuality |
| Mars | Physical Courage and Strength |
| Mercury | Speech and power of eloquence |
| Jupiter | Wisdom or Vedic Knowledge and Gnana |
| Saturn | Sorrow and Miseries |
Planetary Characteristics (Karakathwas):
| Planet | Characteristics |
| Sun | Royal Cast, fond of hot things, shoulders, bold, status, temples, father, soul fame, red colour. |
| Moon | Intelligent, stout body, sweet speech, phlegmatic, mother, gems, mind water, saltish white colour. |
| Mars | Bold, Capricious, advantageous, fiery places, brothers and sisters, servants, red colour, military science. |
| Mercury | Witty, Flexible nature, prudent, cunning, good speech, knowledge, handsome countenance, green colour, intelligence, learning. |
| Jupiter | Stout body, gold colour, charitable, priesthood, children charitable, treasure, yellow colour, honour, wisdom. |
| Venus | Sexual pleasure, luxuries of life, charming ladies, wealth, vehicle, sour taste. |
| Saturn | Dark colour, tall, large teeth, windy constitution, cruel, vindicative, lazy, death, acid taste. |
| Rahu | Tanks, cultivation, rest houses and maternal grandfather. |
| Ketu | Grandparents, griefs, emancipation or |
Duration of Each House or Lagna:
Ascendant in a day differ from place to place. Duration of each house for South India is given as an example:
| House | Duration |
| Mesha | 1 hr 36 min |
| Libra | 2 hr 6 min. |
| Vrishaba | 1 hr 48 min |
| Scorpio | 3 hr 12 min. |
| Mithuna | 2 hr 6 min |
| Dhanus | 2 hr 12 min |
| Kataka | 2 hr 12 min |
| Makara | 2 hr 6 min. |
| Simha | 2 hr 6 min. |
| Kumbha | 1 hr 46 min |
| Virgo | 2 hr 6 min. |
| Meena | 1 hr 36 min. |
Planetary Results:
The planets in their exalted house give complete results. The planets themselves and the moolathrikonas give 3/4 of the results. The planets in their friendly signs give 1/2 good results. Planets in their unfriendly signs give 1/4 good results. The planets in their delirious signs are useless.
Time One Vigati – 24 seconds 2 1/2 Vigatis – 1 minute. One Ghatika – 24 minutes 2 1/2 Ghatikas -1 hour. 60 Ghatikas – A 24 hour day.
The Duration of the planetary Periods Dasha:
| Planet | Dasa Period |
| Sun | 6 years |
| Moon | 10 years |
| Mars (Kuja) | 7 years |
| Rahu | 18 years |
| Jupiter(Guru) | 16 years |
| Saturn(Sani) | 19 years |
| Mercury(Budha) | 17 years |
| Ketu | 7 years |
| Venus | 20 years |
Asthangatha or Setting of Planet:
If a planet is at a particular degree from the sun, it becomes asthangatha or the planet is established. It can only go up when it moves away from the Sun behind its respective degrees.
The moon becomes asthangatha at 12 degrees from the sun. Mercury becomes asthangatha at 17 degrees from the Sun. Mercury (when retrograde) is within 12 degrees of the Sun. Jupiter becomes asthangatha within 11 degrees of the Sun. Venus becomes asthangatha at 10 degrees from the Sun. Saturn it becomes asthangatha at 15 degrees from the Sun.