Jyotish Beginner Starter Pack – Rah

Jyotish or Vedic Astrology or Hindu Astrology is an ancient astrological system that was used by the
ancient Vedas who knew about the effects and potential impact of the heavenly bodies that has upon
our existence on earth, as with many other cultures who also studied the starry night.

What we are trying to accomplish by studying astrology is that we will begin to see patterns which
helps us to recognize that there is a larger force at play here, that we are part of this universal energy
that is greater than our mere identification with our ego and the physical body. Once we recognize this,
our potentials are limitless.

As long as we try our best to follow universal principles and fulfilling our desire without infringing on
others rights and their freewill. Achieving harmony with nature is key to enriching our lives and the
wisdom we gain from Vedic Astrology – Jyotish will allow us to grasp less tightly on our own limited
ideas of how things should be thereafter we gain the freedom and energy to create what is beautiful
within out hearts and that is our true nature.

Sidereal or Tropical? - Most Vedic Astrology uses the Sidereal Calculations aka Lahiri Ayanamsa to
draw their chart and interpret from that stand point. I suggest testing it out for yourself and come to
your own conclusion about the differences.

House System - Bhava – The most common format is whole house whole sign, so each sign or house
is 30 degrees, simple and straight forward.

Signs or Rasis – Same with tropical astrology format, Aries to Pisces however the main difference in
symbology will be Gemini and Capricorn. Gemini is commonly known as twins, however in Vedic
interpretation the symbolism is a man and a woman. Capricorn’s symbolism is a crocodile instead of a
mountain goat.

Planets or Graha – The major players in the Vedic System is the Nine Planets aka The Navagraha.
Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn plus the two lunar nodes, Rahu and Ketu. Some
“Neo Vedic” Astrologers may choose to incorporate the outer planets into their work, however majority
of Vedic Astrologers don’t use them, despite the fact that they knew of their existence before the
telescope was invented.

Dasha System or Planetary Period – One of the main predictive tool used within vedic astrology to
see what kind of experiences are unfolding in that particular moment in time for the person. The most
commonly known and used is called the Vimshottari Dasha which is consider to be a Maha Dasa
meaning the Great Planetary Period. There are many other conditional Dashas and those are out of
the scope of this beginner Jyotish pack.

Nakshatra – If you are studying Vedic Astrology, the Nakshatra system is a must learn because this is
what makes this system unique. Nakshatra roughly translates to lunar mansion and they divide the
night sky into 27 different parts to further refine the interpretation and the meanings pertaining to
particular planetary placement within a person’s natal chart.
Vargas Charts or Divisional Charts – Another unique feature to the Vedic Astrological system are the
divisional chart, they will give you a more details into a particular area within a person’s life. The most
common used Varga Charts are the D9 – Navamsa Chart and the D10 the Dasamsa Chart. D9 pertain
to overall luck, marriage and spouse and D10 pertain to your career, work, status.

Special Planetary Aspect – The outer planets all have special aspects that are different from the
tropical western astrology. Mars has a 1, 4, 7, 8 aspect. Jupiter has 1, 5, 7, 9 aspect. Saturn has 1, 3, 7,
10.

Yogas – Unique to the Vedic System, yoga basically means union and in astrology terms it usually
means particular combination of planets influencing each other. Or particular planet sitting in a
particular auspicious house may trigger a Yoga to be form and astrologers give meaning to these
combination, so it’s important to look for special yogas such as Raja Yoga when trine lords interacts
with Angle lords which is said to giving power to the native to be powerful as a King, Raja.

Quick Web Resources

Free Vedic Astrology Software – Jagannatha Hora – http://www.vedicastrologer.org/jh/
Barbara Pijan Lama Jyotisha - http://www.barbarapijan.com/bpa/bAstrHom.htm

YouTube
Rah Astrology - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj9FhbA-ttmvMTQac670tPw
- Currently building channel with basic fundamental videos for beginners to pick up some quick info.

KRSchannel - https://www.youtube.com/user/KRSchannel
Sam Geppi - https://www.youtube.com/user/freedailyhoroscopes
Joni Patry - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQ5JiuXVX3enojkU3Plalw

Conclusion
It’s important to learn the fundamentals first such as planet, house and sign before jumping onto more
advance technique. At first this can be overwhelming so I recommend taking it slow when you begin
also learning what interests you the most will keep you motivated. Good Luck on your Journey. - Rah