Astrology Guides

Clear, free guides to Vedic astrology — written so that a beginner can follow and a student can revise. Each guide explains one subject in plain words, with the reasons behind it. Start with the basics, or pick the topic you need.

Basics

• What Is Vedic Astrology?A plain-language introduction to Vedic astrology (Jyotish): what it studies, how a chart is made and how to use it sensibly.
• How To Read A Birth Chart (Kundli)A step-by-step way to read your Vedic birth chart: the ascendant, the houses, the planets, their strength and the running dasha.
• The Twelve Houses In Vedic AstrologyWhat each of the twelve houses (bhavas) of the birth chart stands for, with simple examples.
• The Nine Planets (Navagraha)The nine grahas of Vedic astrology — Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu — and what each one signifies.
• The Twelve Signs (Rashis)The twelve zodiac signs in Vedic astrology, their elements, qualities and ruling planets.
• The 27 NakshatrasWhat nakshatras (lunar mansions) are, how they are used in Vedic astrology and why your birth star matters.
• The Ascendant (Lagna) And Why Birth Time MattersWhat the ascendant is, how fast it changes, and why an accurate birth time is so important in Vedic astrology.
• Moon Sign And Sun Sign: What Is The Difference?Why Vedic astrology uses the Moon sign for daily life and how it differs from the Sun sign used in newspapers.
• North Indian And South Indian Chart StylesHow to read the diamond-shaped North Indian chart and the square South Indian chart — the same information drawn two ways.
• Sidereal And Tropical Zodiacs, And The AyanamsaWhat the ayanamsa is, why Vedic charts use the sidereal zodiac, and when the tropical zodiac is used instead.

Techniques

• Divisional Charts (Vargas) ExplainedWhat divisional charts such as the Navamsa (D-9) and Dashamsa (D-10) are, and how they refine the main birth chart.
• Vimshottari Dasha: The Timing SystemHow the Vimshottari dasha periods work, how long each planet's period lasts and how to read a running dasha.
• Transits (Gochar) And How They WorkHow the present movement of the planets over your birth chart is read, and why transits are judged together with the dasha.
• Sade Sati: What It Really MeansA calm explanation of Saturn's seven-and-a-half-year transit over the Moon sign, its three phases and how to handle it.
• Jupiter's Transit And Its EffectsHow Jupiter's yearly transit through the signs is read from the Moon and the ascendant, and why it matters for growth and events.
• Rahu And Ketu: The Lunar NodesWhat Rahu and Ketu are, how they act in a chart, and a balanced way to understand Rahu–Ketu periods.
• Retrograde PlanetsWhat retrograde motion is, how retrograde planets are read in a birth chart and what a retrograde transit means.
• Combustion (Asta): Planets Close To The SunWhat it means when a planet is combust — too close to the Sun — and how combustion is read in a chart.
• Planetary Dignity: Exalted, Own Sign And DebilitatedHow the strength of a planet is judged by its sign: exaltation, moolatrikona, own sign, friendly sign and debilitation.
• Yogas: Special Combinations In A ChartWhat yogas are in Vedic astrology, with simple examples such as Raja yoga, Dhana yoga and Gaja Kesari yoga.
• Ashtakavarga: Scoring The HousesHow the Ashtakavarga system gives each sign a score from the planets, and how the scores help judge houses and transits.
• Varshaphal And The Solar ReturnHow the annual chart (Varshaphal or solar return) is made for each birthday, and the difference between the Vedic and Western versions.

Systems

• KP Astrology BasicsAn introduction to the Krishnamurti Paddhati (KP) system: Placidus cusps, star lords, sub lords and significators.
• Jaimini Astrology BasicsKey ideas of the Jaimini system: chara karakas, sign aspects, arudha padas and Chara dasha.
• Nadi Astrology: An IntroductionWhat Nadi astrology is, how planetary links are read in the Nadi method, and how TRAC uses it.

Panchang

• Panchang: The Five Limbs Of The DayWhat the five parts of the Hindu Panchang mean — tithi, vara, nakshatra, yoga and karana — and how they are used.
• Tithi: The Lunar DayHow tithis are calculated, the names of the 30 tithis and why festivals sometimes fall on different days in different places.
• Rahu Kaal And ChoghadiyaWhat Rahu Kaal, Yamaganda, Gulika Kaal and Choghadiya are, how they are worked out and how to use them.
• Muhurta: Choosing A Good TimeHow a muhurta (auspicious time) is chosen for marriage, house-warming, travel or a new venture, and what is checked.
• Ekadashi And Other Vrat DaysWhat Ekadashi is, how its date is fixed, and an overview of common vrat (fasting) days in the Hindu calendar.

Marriage

• Kundli Matching And Guna MilanHow the Ashtakoota (36 guna) matching works, what each koota checks, and why the score alone is not enough.
• Mangal Dosha (Manglik): A Balanced ViewWhat Mangal dosha is, how it is checked, the common exceptions, and why it should never be a cause of fear.
• How Astrology Looks At The Timing Of MarriageThe factors astrologers use to judge when marriage is likely: the 7th house, Venus, dashas, Jupiter and Saturn transits.
• The 7th House: Marriage And PartnershipWhat the 7th house shows about marriage, the spouse and partnerships, and how planets in the 7th are read.

Life Topics

• Career In The Birth ChartHow the 10th house, its lord, Saturn and the Dashamsa are read for career direction and timing.
• Wealth And Money In The Birth ChartHow the 2nd, 11th, 5th and 9th houses are read for income, savings and financial trends, with a sensible note on risk.
• Foreign Travel And Settlement In The ChartWhich houses and planets astrologers read for travel abroad, study overseas and settling in another country.
• Education In The Birth ChartHow the 4th, 5th and 9th houses, Mercury and Jupiter are read for studies, learning ability and higher education.
• Health In Astrology: Tendencies, Not DiagnosesHow astrology describes health tendencies through the houses and planets, and why it never replaces medical care.
• Children In The Birth ChartHow the 5th house, Jupiter and the Saptamsa chart are read for children, and the gentle approach astrology should take.
• Home, Land And Property In The ChartHow the 4th house, Mars, Saturn and Venus are read for buying a home, land or a vehicle, and for the right timing.

Remedies

• Gemstones In Astrology: How To Choose SafelyHow astrological gemstones are chosen, the checks done before wearing one, and why a wrong stone can do more harm than good.
• Mantras And Remedies: A Sensible ApproachHow traditional remedies such as mantras, fasting and charity are used in Vedic astrology, and how to approach them calmly.

Other Methods

• Numerology BasicsHow the root (psychic) number, destiny number and name number are calculated in numerology, and what they show.
• Vastu Shastra BasicsThe basic directions and elements of Vastu Shastra for homes and offices, and simple corrections without demolition.
• Tarot BasicsHow a tarot deck is structured, what the Major and Minor Arcana mean, and how to use a reading for reflection.
• Palmistry BasicsThe main lines, mounts and hand shapes in palmistry and what each is traditionally said to show.

About TRAC

• How TRAC AI Reads Your ChartHow TRAC AI answers a question: which systems it reads, how they are combined and why answers come as ranges with reasons.

हिंदी में

• वैदिक ज्योतिष क्या है?वैदिक ज्योतिष (ज्योतिष शास्त्र) का सरल परिचय — यह क्या अध्ययन करता है, कुंडली कैसे बनती है और इसका समझदारी से उपयोग कैसे करें।
• कुंडली कैसे पढ़ेंअपनी वैदिक कुंडली पढ़ने का चरण-दर-चरण तरीका: लग्न, भाव, ग्रह, उनका बल और चल रही दशा।
• कुंडली के बारह भावकुंडली के बारह भाव क्या दिखाते हैं, सरल उदाहरणों के साथ।
• नौ ग्रह (नवग्रह)वैदिक ज्योतिष के नौ ग्रह — सूर्य, चंद्र, मंगल, बुध, गुरु, शुक्र, शनि, राहु और केतु — और हर ग्रह क्या दर्शाता है।
• साढ़े साती का सही अर्थचंद्र राशि पर शनि के साढ़े सात वर्ष के गोचर की शांत व्याख्या — इसके तीन चरण और इसे कैसे सँभालें।
• कुंडली मिलान और गुण मिलानअष्टकूट (36 गुण) मिलान कैसे होता है, हर कूट क्या जाँचता है, और केवल अंक क्यों पर्याप्त नहीं हैं।
• मंगल दोष (मांगलिक): संतुलित दृष्टिमंगल दोष क्या है, कैसे देखा जाता है, इसके प्रमुख परिहार, और इससे कभी डरना क्यों नहीं चाहिए।
• ज्योतिष में विवाह का समय कैसे देखा जाता हैविवाह कब होगा — यह जानने के लिए ज्योतिषी किन बातों को देखते हैं: सातवाँ भाव, शुक्र, दशा, गुरु और शनि का गोचर।
• रत्न कैसे चुनें — सुरक्षित तरीकाज्योतिषीय रत्न कैसे चुने जाते हैं, पहनने से पहले कौन-सी जाँचें होती हैं, और ग़लत रत्न लाभ से अधिक हानि क्यों कर सकता है।
• राहु काल और चौघड़ियाराहु काल, यमगंड, गुलिक काल और चौघड़िया क्या हैं, कैसे निकाले जाते हैं और इनका उपयोग कैसे करें।

These guides describe astrology as a source of tendencies and timing, to be used as guidance alongside your own judgement. See our Disclaimer.