Astrology for Dummies
Astrology revolves around planets (graha), signs (rashi), chart and houses. Let’s try to understand what each one of these mean and take a closer look.
Planets
There are nine planets as follows:
Rashis
The all-around 3600 of zodiac are divided into 12 signs / rashis, each one of 300. It is also divided into 27 constellations, each one of which is 13 1/30. Here is a table of rashis in order with their names in English, Marathi along with their corresponding signs.
Chart
A birth chart is typically prepared by looking up in which rashi which planet lies at the time of the birth. Additionally it considers rashi of the rising sun which is called as Ascendant or Lagna. One can prepare free birth chart at https://www.prokerala.com/ or astrotalk.com by entering your birth date, time and location. Here is one such birth chart:
Houses
As you can see it is divided into 12 sections which are also called as houses. The section having “Asc” in it is the first house and it is the Ascendant or Lagna for this chart / patrika. The houses are numbered starting from Lagna in anticlockwise fashion. The numbers that you see in the houses depict position of rashis (please refer the rashi table for the number e.g. 1 is Aries / Mesha). E.g. 10 in the first house for this chart indicates Makar / Capricorn Lagna. It also depicts position of various planets. E.g. in this chart you can see Venus in house 9. Each house has its significance. Here is the summary:
Significance of Each House
- First House: The first house in kundli is the house of “Self”.
- Second House: The second house in kundli rules over the “Wealth” and “Family” aspects.
- Third house: The third house is the house of “Siblings”, “Courage” and “Valour”.
- Fourth House: “Mother” and “Happiness” is denoted from the person’s fourth house.
- Fifth House: The fifth house is kundli is the house of “Children” and “Knowledge’.
- Sixth House: The sixth house is the house of “Enemies”, “Debts” and “Diseases”.
- Seventh House: The seventh house in kundli denotes the “Marriage” and “Partnership”.
- Eighth House: The eighth house is the house of “Longevity” or “Ayu Bhava”.
- Ninth House: It is a house of “Luck”, “Father” and “Religion”.
- Tenth House: The tenth house in kundli is the house of “Career or Profession”.
- Eleventh House: A native’s “Income & Gains” are denoted by the eleventh house of kundli.
- Twelfth House: The twelfth house in the kundli is the house of “Expenditure & Losses”.
Rashi ruling Lords
Each rashi has a planet as its ruling lord. Here is the summary:
Aries
Mars is the lord of Aries. Mars represents power, activeness and gives energy.
Taurus
Venus is the lord of Taurus. Venus represents glory and materialistic pleasures and luxury.
Gemini
Mercury is the lord of Gemini. Mercury blesses with intelligence and cleverness.
Cancer
Moon is itself the lord of cancer.
Leo
Sun is the lord of Leo.
Virgo
Mercury is the lord of Virgo. Hence mercury is the lord of two signs.
Libra
Venus is the lord of Libra. Hence Venus is the lord of two signs. These two signs are Taurus and Libra.
Scorpio
Mars is the lord of Scorpio.
Sagittarius
Jupiter is the lord of Sagittarius.
Capricorn
Saturn is the lord of Capricorn.
Aquarius
Saturn is the lord of Aquarius.
Pisces
Jupiter is the lord of Pisces.