| What the world knows as Hindu Astrology or Vedic | | | | Role of Karma |
| Astrology, Indians simply call it Jyotisha. The word | | | | Although our Vedic astrology takes the location of |
| Jyotisha means "the science of light" in Sanskrit. It is in | | | | stars and planetary positions during a person's birth to |
| essence a time-tested, ancient art of accurately | | | | determine his future, it undeniably believes that the |
| predicting the future. The guidelines of predicting future | | | | person's Karma has caused these heavenly bodies to |
| this way hails from the Holy Indian texts i.e. the Vedas. | | | | arrange themselves in the like-wise manner. That is to |
| There are primarily three branches of this art, namely- | | | | say, the planetary deities are subservient to the |
| The traditional Indian astronomy that predicts the | | | | omnipotent God. Thus to dole out justice, the planetary |
| movements of stars and planets. | | | | deities may very well be asked to align themselves in |
| The art of predicting major events that will befall a | | | | a particular manner during a person's birth to either |
| country such as war or earthquakes. | | | | reward or punish him, depending upon whether he has |
| The art of predicting a person's future course of | | | | led a virtuous or a vicious past life. |
| life, through a thorough study of his natal horoscopes. | | | | Laws of Karma thus combine the concept of both |
| Making Predictions | | | | fate and free will to suggest that a person's present |
| The Hindu Vedic astrology believes each of the | | | | life has been determined by the choices he had made |
| heavenly bodies to have a particular function. While it | | | | in his past life (i.e. the idea of fate) and that his future |
| takes the sun to be the primary life force, it takes the | | | | life will be guided by the way he consciously acts in his |
| moon to be the one influencing the fertility cycles. | | | | present life (i.e. the idea of free will). |
| Vedic astrology is believed to be a branch of science | | | | The wisdom in Jyotisha lies in imparting a kind of |
| for it takes the magnetic field and gravitational pull | | | | spiritual resignation among its believers, quite like the |
| between the heavenly bodies and planet earth to | | | | motto of que sera, sera. It also leads its believers to |
| affect the latter physically. And this very fact acts as | | | | embark on an enlightened spiritual journey through |
| the prime basis of its calculation. | | | | which not only does he get better acquainted with his |
| Although both Vedic astrology and Western astrology | | | | soul but also with the cosmic connection that exists |
| recognizes twelve zodiac houses, the two uses | | | | between his inner self and the guidance offered by the |
| different yardsticks to calculate the zodiac signs of | | | | Divine One. It imparts a kind of unflustered confidence |
| different individuals. Unlike Western astrological | | | | in his outlook towards his life for he knows he cannot |
| predictions which are calculated upon the solar charts, | | | | make amends to drastically alter his present life and |
| jyotisha is calculated upon lunar charts. | | | | that he has to deal with every ups-and-down that |
| Moreover while the former depends upon tropical | | | | come his way for they are but a direct consequence |
| zodiac, the latter makes use of sidereal zodiac. The | | | | of the way he has led his past life. |
| horoscopes are prepared by studying the planetary | | | | The only thing he can make certain is a better next life |
| position (graha), the exact location of the stars | | | | through a strict adherence to the path of |
| (nakshatra), the zodiac houses (rashis), the planetary | | | | righteousness. However, Jyotisha does leave a scope |
| periods (dasas), the planetary aspects (drishtis), the | | | | for ameliorating the effects of the past life upon the |
| planetary combinations (yogas) etc. | | | | present life through practice of meditation, yoga etc. |
| Using these information a chart is drawn which is | | | | The ancient wisdom that has been passed down to |
| believed to be able to accurately predict matters of | | | | us has become an integral part of our rich heritage. It is |
| family and relationship (Kama), finances (artha), career | | | | after all the Indian form of astrology, an art that stands |
| (dharma), spiritual salvation (moksha) and physical | | | | out distinctly from the West's endeavors. |
| health (arogya). | | | | |