Glossary
Plain-English definitions for every Sanskrit and astrology term we use
Astrology has its own vocabulary — Sanskrit and Latin layered on classical concepts. We use the precise term where it carries meaning that English would lose, and gloss it the first time it appears. This page is the consolidated reference. For methodology (which ayanamsa, which house system, which ephemeris), see /methodology.
Zodiac & frames
- Tropical zodiac
- Western system; 0° Aries = the moving vernal equinox. Drifts ~24° from the constellations over millennia.
- Sidereal zodiac
- Vedic system; 0° Aries fixed against the actual stars. The reference frame for Indian astrology.
- Ayanamsa
- The angular difference between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs (~24° today). Subtract from a tropical longitude to get the sidereal reading.
- Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa
- The Government-of-India-standard ayanamsa, anchored to the star Spica (Chitra). The ayanamsa MayaAstro uses.
Astronomy & ephemeris
- Ephemeris
- A table of planetary positions over time. MayaAstro computes its own from Meeus + VSOP87 + Keplerian elements — no third-party astrology API.
- Lagna
- Ascendant — the sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth.
- Vara
- Day of the week. Sun=Ravi, Moon=Soma, Mars=Mangala, Mercury=Budha, Jupiter=Brihaspati, Venus=Shukra, Saturn=Shani.
- Hora
- Planetary hour. Day and night each split into 12 'hours' starting at sunrise; ruled in Chaldean order (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon).
Panchang
- Panchang
- The five-limbed Vedic almanac — Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana — for any given date and place.
- Tithi
- One of 30 lunar days in a synodic month. Defined by the angular separation between Sun and Moon in 12° increments. Shukla 1–15 (waxing) + Krishna 1–14 + Amavasya.
- Paksha
- Half lunar month — Shukla (waxing) or Krishna (waning).
- Nakshatra
- One of 27 lunar mansions, each spanning 13°20' of the sidereal zodiac. Your janma nakshatra = the nakshatra of your natal Moon.
- Pada
- A 1/4 subdivision of a nakshatra (3°20'); 108 padas total across the zodiac. Each pada is associated with a deity and a syllable.
- Yoga
- One of 27 categories formed by the sum of Sun and Moon longitudes in 13°20' increments. Distinct from the planetary 'yogas' below.
- Karana
- Half of a tithi (6° Sun-Moon separation). 11 karanas alternate; Vishti karana (Bhadra) is generally avoided.
- Rahu Kalam
- Inauspicious slot of the day, 1/8 of daylight, indexed by weekday. Avoid starting new ventures during this window.
- Yamagandam
- Inauspicious slot ruled by Yama (god of death/dharma). Avoid for important beginnings.
- Gulika Kalam
- Inauspicious slot ruled by Gulika (a son of Saturn). Avoid for important beginnings.
- Abhijit Muhurta
- An always-auspicious midday window, ~24 minutes around solar noon. Used when no other muhurta clears.
- Brahma Muhurta
- The 96 minutes before sunrise. The classical recommended wake-up window for spiritual practice.
- Choghadiya
- North-Indian framework of 8 day-slots and 8 night-slots, each ~90 minutes, classified Amrit/Shubh/Labh/Char (auspicious) or Rog/Kaal/Udyag/Vyaag (inauspicious).
- Bhadra
- The Vishti karana — a strongly inauspicious window during which auspicious activities are paused.
Houses & yogas
- Whole Sign houses
- House system where each sign = one house, starting from the ascendant sign. Used in classical Jyotish and pre-Renaissance Western astrology. The system MayaAstro uses.
- Kendra
- Angular houses — 1, 4, 7, 10. Strong houses for any planet placed there.
- Trikona
- Trine houses — 1, 5, 9. Houses of dharma, learning, fortune.
- Dusthana
- 'Difficult' houses — 6, 8, 12. Often counterintuitive (vipareeta) yogas can flip difficulty into gain.
- Yoga (planetary)
- A named planetary configuration in Jyotish (e.g., Gajakesari, Hamsa). Distinct from the panchang Yoga above.
- Pancha Mahapurusha Yoga
- Five 'great soul' yogas — Hamsa (Jupiter), Malavya (Venus), Sasa (Saturn), Ruchaka (Mars), Bhadra (Mercury) — formed by a benefic in own/exalted sign in a kendra from the ascendant.
- Gajakesari Yoga
- Auspicious yoga — Jupiter in a kendra from the natal Moon. Bestows wisdom and steady fortune.
Periods (dasha)
- Dasha
- A planetary period — a span of years during which a particular planet's signification colors the native's life.
- Mahadasha
- A major dasha period in the Vimshottari system. Lengths 6–20 years depending on the lord.
- Antardasha
- A sub-period within a Mahadasha. Refines the seasonal flavor of the larger arc.
- Vimshottari
- The 120-year dasha system based on the natal Moon's nakshatra. Sequence: Ketu 7y → Venus 20 → Sun 6 → Moon 10 → Mars 7 → Rahu 18 → Jupiter 16 → Saturn 19 → Mercury 17.
- Sade Sati
- Saturn's 7.5-year transit through the 12th, 1st, and 2nd houses from the natal Moon. Phases: Aarambha (rising), Madhya (peak), Antya (setting).
Compatibility & dosha
- Ashtakoot Guna Milan
- Vedic compatibility scoring across 8 koots, 36 points total. Auspicious threshold 18.
- Nadi
- One of three Ayurvedic constitution categories used in koot 8. Same nadi between partners is a classical veto flag.
- Bhakuta
- Sign-distance compatibility koot. 6/8 and 5/9 sign-distances are classical veto flags.
- Mangal Dosha
- Affliction from Mars in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, or 12th house from lagna, Moon, or Venus. Per Phaladeepika 14.7. MayaAstro uses the conservative reading.
- Manglik
- A native afflicted with Mangal Dosha. Manglik–Manglik marriage matching is a classical cancellation per BPHS 7.21.
- Synastry
- Western chart-to-chart compatibility analysis — comparing one person's planets to another's by sign and aspect.
Ritual & devotional
- Sankalpam
- A formal vow recited before a ritual establishing time + place + intent. Standard practice before pujas and observances.
- Kuladevata
- Family deity — the deity worshipped across generations of one's lineage.
- Ishta devata
- Personal patron deity — chosen for personal devotional practice.
- Gotra
- Patrilineal lineage marker. Determines specific timings for some observances (e.g., Aavani Avittam).
- Muhurta
- An auspicious time-slot for an action. Selecting the right muhurta is a discrete branch of Jyotish.
Spotted an error or a missing term? Open an issue at github.com/ranganc007/mayaastro.