Jyotisha/Vedic Astrology Terms

Key terms/ Def/ Etymlogies of Jyotish/Vedic Astro

Aho (अह)

Aho (अह): Refers to 'day' or 'daytime'. In Sanskrit and related contexts, it signifies the period of light in a 24-hour cycle, often associated with activity, clarity, and the visible world.

Rātra (रात्र):

Denotes 'night' or 'nighttime.' In

Ahorātra (अहोरात्र)

Ahorātra (अहोरात्र): This term combines 'Aho' (day) and 'Rātra' (night) to denote a full day-night cycle, or a 24-hour period. It encapsulates the complete cycle of diurnal and nocturnal activities, representing the continuum of time in traditional contexts.

dhā (धा)

“to place, to establish’’ - This Sanskrit root implies stability, positioning, and support. It's foundational in forming metaphysical concepts such as dharma (cosmic order, righteousness) and adhiṣṭhāna (divine seat or base, the locus of divine presence). Dhā suggests a stable foundation upon which higher concepts are built.

dharma

Dharma is derived from the root word dhri, which means 'to hold, maintain, or keep'. It encompasses the meanings of law, duty, righteousness, ethics, and cosmic order. In essence, dharma is that which sustains and maintains the harmony of the universe and the individual's role within it. It includes the inherent nature of things, moral principles, and duties that guide righteous living, and what upholds the order of the cosmos and society.

Adhiṣṭhāna (अधिष्ठान):

Adhiṣṭhāna (अधिष्ठान): Literally translates to foundation, base, or support. It refers to the ground or basis upon which something stands or is established. In a spiritual or metaphysical sense, adhiṣṭhāna often denotes the

vidhi –

Vidhi (विधि): This term translates to 'injunction,' 'rule,' or 'ordinance.' It refers to a prescribed rule or regulation, often within a legal, ritualistic, or moral context. In Hindu scriptures, vidhi delineates the proper ways of conducting rituals, performing duties, and adhering to religious practices.

sthāna

Sthāna generally means 'place,' 'location,' or 'position.' Derived from the root sthā, indicating a close semantic relationship, sthāna refers to a specific area or spot where something is situated or exists. It can denote a physical place, like a location on a map, or a metaphorical place, such as a position in society or a state of being.

Dhātu

Dhātu is derived from the Sanskrit root √dhā (धा), which carries the meaning of “to hold,” “to support,” or “to sustain.” In the context of Ayurvedic medicine, Dhātu refers to one of the seven primary tissues that constitute and support the body. These tissues are Rasa (plasma), Rakta (blood), Māṁsa (muscle), Meda (fat), Asthi (bone), Maj

Rasa (रस)

Rasa (रस): Often translated as plasma or 'juice'. It refers to the nutrient fluid produced immediately after digestion, which nourishes all the tissues. In Ayurveda, Rasa is considered the essence of digested food and the first Dhātu (tissue) formed, providing the foundation for the nourishment of all other tissues in the body. It's crucial for maintaining vitality, immunity, and overall health.

Rakta – Blood

Rakta (रक्त): In Ayurveda, Rakta refers to blood, which is considered one of the seven essential tissues (Dhatus) in the body. Its primary functions include transporting oxygen and nutrients to cells, removing waste products, and maintaining body temperature. Rakta is crucial for sustaining life and energy throughout the body, ensuring cellular nourishment and overall vitality.

Māṁsa (मांस): In Ayurvedic medicine, Māṁsa specifically refers to muscle tissue. It is considered one of the seven essential Dhatus (tissues) in the body, crucial for providing strength, stability, and facilitating movement. This

Meda (मेद):

Refers to fat or adipose tissue. In Ayurveda, Meda is considered one of the seven essential tissues (Dhatus) responsible for insulation, lubrication, and energy storage in the body. It helps maintain body temperature, protects vital organs, and provides

Asthi – Bone

Asthi (अस्थि): Refers to bone in Ayurvedic medicine and is one of the seven essential Dhatus (tissues) that structure and support the body. Bones serve not only as the framework of the body, providing shape and support, but they also protect vital organs and facilitate movement by serving as attachment points for muscles. Asthi is crucial for maintaining overall structural integrity and health, ensuring the body's capacity to perform physical activities.

Majjā (मज्जा):

Majjā (मज्जा): Refers to both bone marrow and nervous tissue in Ayurvedic medicine, integral for coordination and vitality. As one of the seven essential Dhatus (tissues), Majjā is responsible for producing blood cells, which are crucial for immunity and nourishment. Furthermore, it supports the nervous system, ensuring proper nerve function and sensory perception, thus maintaining overall vitality and systemic harmony.( Marrow and nervous tissue; coordination and vitality)

Śukra / Artava

in Ayurveda, Śukra (शुक्र) refers to the reproductive tissue and essence, encompassing both male semen and female menstrual fluid (Artava). As one of the seven crucial Dhatus, it is associated with vitality, strength, and the body's reproductive functions, playing a key role in sustaining life and health. (Reproductive essence; the subtlest dhātu, linked to ojas)

man (मन्):

“to think, to feel” - field spans cognition, reflection, and sacred utterance—linking thought to vibration, and vibration to liberation. In Vedic philosophy, man (मन्) represents the mind or consciousness, which is essential for intuition, perception, and understanding. It embodies the connection between thought and spiritual liberation.

manas –

the mind or mental faculty that encompasses thought, perception, and feeling, crucial in Vedic philosophy for spiritual understanding and liberation. (mind)

mantra –

a sacred utterance or sound, often used in meditation and spiritual practice, believed to possess spiritual power and significance. ( that which protects the mind (man + tra))

manana –

the process of reflection or contemplation in Vedic philosophy, emphasizing deep thinking and mental engagement with spiritual concepts. ( contemplation)

manu –

the progenitor of humanity in Hindu mythology, regarded as the first man and lawgiver, from whom all humans descend. (the archetypal thinker, progenitor of humanity)

kṛ (कृ) –

a Sanskrit root meaning "to do" or "to make," often associated with action, creation, and the concept of karma in Vedic texts. ( “to do, to make”- the engine of becoming—from action to transformation, from ritual to reality.)

karma –

the concept of action and its consequences in Vedic philosophy, representing the moral law of cause and effect that influences one’s future. ( action)

kriyā -

a Sanskrit term meaning "action" or "deed," often referring to ritualistic actions or the performance of duties in accordance with Dharma. ( ritual act)

prakṛti –

the natural state or inherent nature of a person or thing, often described as the material aspect of reality that interacts with consciousness. ( primordial nature (pra- + kṛ)

vikāra –

(modification (vi- + kṛ). )

• vi- = apart, in different directions, special, distinction

• kṛ = to do, to make, to act

Thus, vikāra literally means “a change, transformation, or alteration.”

Contextual Meanings:

• Ayurveda:

  • Vikāra refers to pathological changes or disease conditions — disturbances in the normal balance of doṣas, dhātus, and malas.

  • The Ayurvedic diagnostic process evaluates the difference between prakṛti (natural constitution) and vikṛti (current state of imbalance).

• Samkhya Philosophy:

  • A vikāra is a modification of prakṛti, a product of primordial nature manifesting into form (like mind, senses, elements).

  • Everything in the material world is a vikāra of the original prakṛti.

• Jyotisha:

  • Used to denote affliction, distortion, or deviation in a chart (e.g., malefic influences causing vikāra in health or behavior).

  • Can also imply transformative experiences initiated by planetary dṛṣṭi (aspect) or dasha periods.

🧠 Tags:

• Etymology: Sanskrit verb root

• Ayurveda: disease/imbalance

• Samkhya: metaphysical manifestation

• Jyotisha: distortion / transformation

• Antonym: prakṛti, samya (balance)

kṛ (कृ) –

(to do → karma, kriyā, prakṛti)

kṛ (कृ) = a Sanskrit verbal root meaning:

• “to do”

• “to make”

• “to perform or accomplish”

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✨ Derived Concepts:

1. karma (कर्म)

   • From: kṛ + -ma (noun suffix)

   • Meaning: action, deed, consequence

   • In Vedantic and Jyotisha contexts, karma refers to both past actions and their results, including samskāras and fate.

2. kriyā (क्रिया)

   • From: kṛ + -iyā (action-forming suffix)

   • Meaning: ritual act, yogic movement, sacred doing

   • In yoga: physical/spiritual actions aimed at purification or transformation (e.g., Kriyā Yoga).

3. prakṛti (प्रकृति)

   • From: pra- (forth) + kṛ (to do)

   • Meaning: “that which puts forth action” — the primordial substance or nature from which all material reality evolves.

   • In Samkhya, it is undifferentiated nature, the source of all vikāras (modifications).

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🧠 Bonus Insight:

• The root kṛ is foundational to Vedic thought: nearly all concepts of duty, ritual, creation, and transformation stem from it.

• It forms the philosophical backbone of action-oriented metaphysics across Vedānta, Samkhya, Jyotisha, Yoga, and Ayurveda.

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vid (विद्) —

(“To Know, To See, To Discover”- vid seeks the truth behind appearance)

vid (विद्) = “to know, to see, to discover”
→ Implies true perception—seeing through illusion to essence.

Derivatives:

• Veda (वेद):
  → vid + a = “that which is known”
  → Sacred knowledge; eternal truth (ṛta), not of human origin.

• Vidyā (विद्या):
  → “knowledge,” “wisdom,” “science”
  → Liberating inner knowing in Vedānta & Tantra.

• Avidyā (अविद्या):
  → “non-knowing,” misperception
  → Root of spiritual ignorance and bondage (saṁsāra).

Cognates:
Latin videre (“to see”), English vision, wisdom

Veda

(Veda – “that which is known” or “revealed knowledge”)

Veda (वेद) = “that which is known” or “revealed knowledge”
→ From root vid (विद्) = to know, see, realize

Meaning & Context:

• Eternal, apauruṣeya (not of human authorship)

• Source of all dharma (cosmic order)

• Comprised of 4: Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, Atharva

• Holds mantra (sacred sound) and brāhmaṇa (ritual method)

In Vedānta:
Veda reveals Brahman, the ultimate reality.

In Jyotisha:
Veda is the foundation of cosmic laws, including time cycles, yugas, and karma.

Vidya –

Vidyā (विद्या) = “Knowledge, learning, or science”
→ From root vid (विद्) = to know, perceive, realize

Context & Usage:

• Refers to both worldly knowledge (e.g. grammar, astronomy, medicine) and spiritual wisdom

• In Vedānta: Liberating knowledge that reveals the Self (Ātman) and dissolves illusion (māyā)

• In Tantra: Often personified as goddesses or śakti forms (e.g. Mahāvidyās)

• Paired with avidyā, its opposite: ignorance, illusion, misidentification

Types (Classic List):

1. Para Vidyā – Higher knowledge (Brahman)

2. Apara Vidyā – Lower/worldly sciences

Vidyādhara –

(Vidyādhara – bearer of knowledge (a class of celestial beings))

Vidyādhara = “Bearer of Vidyā (knowledge)”
→ vidyā (spiritual knowledge) + dhara (holder)

In Jyotiṣa & Vedic Cosmology:

• A class of celestial beings known for their mastery of hidden sciences, including:

  • Jyotiṣa (astrology)

  • Mantra & Tantra

  • Alchemy & Siddhis

• Said to reside in invisible realms (like Gandhamādana), influencing sages and gifted astrologers

• Symbolize refined karmic evolution — beings who preserve esoteric knowledge across yugas

Astrological Implication:

• Vidyādhara-level insight may be granted in charts with:

  • Strong Mercury, Jupiter, Ketu, or 9th house influences

  • Connection to Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, or Mūla nakshatras (guardians of hidden vidyās)

• Represents access to divine intuition, occult insight, and past-life wisdom channels

Viveka

(– discrimination (from vi + vic, but semantically aligned with vid))

Viveka = “Discernment, discrimination, or clear seeing”
→ From vi- (apart, distinct) + vic (to separate, distinguish)
→ Semantically aligned with vid (to know, to perceive)

In Vedānta & Jyotiṣa:

• Viveka is the capacity to discern the real (sat) from the unreal (asat)

• The astrologer must cultivate viveka to:

  • See past surface conditions (rāśi) into underlying karmas (dṛṣṭi, dasha)

  • Distinguish fate vs free will, default patterns vs soul purpose

  • Interpret without projection, preference, or fear

In Practice:

• Strong Mercury + Jupiter, clean Budha-Aditya Yoga, or a sharp Ketu can indicate viveka

• Charts showing Saturn + Ketu maturity often force the development of viveka through trials

Viveka is the inner astrologer’s sword — it cuts illusion, clarifies karma, and refines vision.

vid (विद्) –

(vid (विद्) – to know → vidyā, veda, jñāna)

vid (विद्) = “To know, to perceive, to discover”
→ Implies truth-seeing beyond illusion

Key Derivatives:

• Vidyā (विद्या):
  → Sacred knowledge; both worldly and liberating.
  → In Jyotiṣa, vidyā is the science of time, karma, and cosmic intelligence.

• Veda (वेद):
  → “That which is known”; revealed, eternal knowledge.
  → Jyotiṣa is a Vedāṅga — a limb of the Veda used to understand time and dharma.

• Jñāna (ज्ञान):
  → Inner realization or wisdom; direct knowing.
  → In Jyotiṣa, jñāna arises through intuitive synthesis of chart dynamics — seeing the soul’s blueprint.

Cognates:
vid (Sanskrit) → videre (Latin), video/vision (English)

In Practice:
Strong Jupiter, Mercury, or Ketu can indicate carriers of vid, especially when connected to the 9th house, Ashlesha, Mūla, or Jyeshtha nakshatras.

Vedānta (Veda + anta) -

(Vedānta (Veda + anta) is the culmination of knowledge—jñāna mokṣa.) Vedānta (वेद + अन्त) = “The end (culmination) of the Veda”
→ Veda = knowledge, anta = end, conclusion, essence

Meaning:

• Philosophical system representing the highest knowledge (jñāna)

• Teaches the identity of Ātman (Self) and Brahman (Absolute)

• Root path to mokṣa (liberation) through self-inquiry and discernment (viveka)

In Jyotiṣa:

• Charts with strong 9th house, Jupiter, Ketu, or exalted Sun may indicate Vedāntic inclinations

• Vedānta represents the jñāna-mārga (path of knowledge) — seen in those drawn to timeless truths over ritual alone

Vedānta = not the end of knowledge, but its flowering into freedom.

In Sāṅkhya, vidyā -

(is the discriminative knowledge that separates puruṣa from prakṛti.)Vidyā (विद्या) = “True knowledge” — the clear recognition of reality as it is

In Sāṅkhya:

• Vidyā is the discriminative awareness that reveals the eternal Puruṣa (consciousness) as distinct from Prakṛti (nature, mind, senses)

• It dissolves Avidyā — the root of bondage, where one misidentifies with body, thoughts, or karma

• Leads to Kaivalya (complete liberation through separation from Prakṛti)

In Jyotiṣa:

• Vidyā is the astrologer's capacity to perceive karma without becoming entangled in it

• Often signified by Ketu, Jupiter, and the 12th house — gateways to self-knowledge beyond form

🕯 Vidyā in Sāṅkhya is the mirror that reflects the soul back to itself — untouched, unbound, pure.

In Tantra, vidyā -

(In Tantra, vidyā becomes a goddess—Mahāvidyā—knowledge as liberating deity -)

In Tantra, vidyā (विद्या) = not just knowledge, but divine feminine force — knowledge personified as goddess.

• Mahāvidyā (महाविद्या) = “Great Knowledge” or “Great Revealing Goddess”
  → A group of 10 fierce and liberating goddesses
  → Each embodies a specific form of transformative wisdom (e.g. Kālī, Tārā, Tripurasundarī)

Key idea:

• Knowledge is not just conceptual — it is shakti (power)

• Vidyā becomes a deity, an initiatory force that shatters illusion and liberates the soul

• Each Mahāvidyā rules over specific layers of reality, emotion, karma, and cosmic law

In Jyotiṣa:

• Mahāvidyā energy may express through:

  • Powerful Moon–Ketu dynamics

  • Strong Rahu–Venus pairings in 5th, 8th, or 12th houses

  • Nakshatras like Mūla, Ashlesha, or Chitra

🕉 In Tantra, vidyā is not studied — she is invoked, worshipped, and surrendered to.

Vid as Flame in the Jñānāgni

((Fire of Knowledge) Doctrine – Bhagavad Gītā 4.19–23 - Jñānena tu tad ajñānaṁ yeṣāṁ nāśitam ātmanaḥ” > “For whom ignorance is destroyed by knowledge—vidyā—their wisdom reveals the Self like the rising sun.” (Gītā 5.16)

In Bhagavad Gītā 4.19–23 and 5.16, vidyā is described as a spiritual fire (jñānāgni) that burns away ignorance (ajñāna):

“Jñānena tu tad ajñānaṁ yeṣāṁ nāśitam ātmanaḥ”
“For whom ignorance has been destroyed by knowledge, their inner Self shines like the sun.” (Gītā 5.16)

🔥 Jñānāgni = “Fire of Knowledge”

• Knowledge (vid) becomes a flame that dissolves misidentification with the body, mind, and karma

• It illuminates the Ātman, like the sun rising after darkness

In Jyotiṣa:

• Charts with strong Sun + Ketu + Jupiter reflect this radiant fire of perception

• Indicates burning of karmic residue through clear spiritual vision

🕯 Vid is not just light — it is fire. It does not merely reveal; it transforms.

Jñānāgni—

(the fire of knowledge—burns all karma to ash. The root vid here expresses)Jñānāgni (ज्ञानाग्नि) = "The fire of knowledge"
→ From jñāna (knowing) + agni (fire)

Bhagavad Gītā 4.37–39:

“As fire burns wood to ash, so does the fire of knowledge burn all karma to ash.”

🔥 Function:

• Jñānāgni is not intellectual — it is direct perception (vid) of truth beyond illusion

• It burns saṁskāras and karmic bondage, revealing the pure Self (Ātman)

The root vid (to know, to see) is the spark—
→ When awakened into jñāna, it becomes the consuming flame that dissolves:

• Ahaṅkāra (ego)

• Ajñāna (ignorance)

• Karma (action-reaction chain)

In Jyotiṣa:

• Reflected in Ketu (mokṣa-karaka) + Sun (inner radiance)

• Seen in spiritual ascetics or sannyāsī yogas

• Jñānāgni = the inner light that burns through rāśis to reach the soul

🕯 Vid becomes jñānāgni when it no longer seeks — it sees. And in that seeing, all karma is reduced to ash.

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(darśana)

(Knowledge as vision)Darśana (दर्शन) = “Vision, sight, seeing clearly”
→ From root dṛś (दृश्) = to see
→ Not passive looking, but direct, sacred perception

In Philosophy:

• A Darśana is a viewpoint or system of knowledge — e.g., Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Vedānta, Nyāya

• Each offers a “way of seeing” reality that leads toward liberation

In Jyotiṣa:

• The astrologer practices darśana: not just reading charts, but seeing truth behind form

• Dr̥ṣṭi (aspect) literally means “sight” — grahas cast their vision onto other bhāvas

• Divya-cakṣus (divine sight) = the seer’s awakened intuition, a form of jñāna-darśana

Darśana is where knowledge and vision merge — to know is to truly see.

mokṣa

(Knowledge as liberation ) Mokṣa (मोक्ष) = Liberation, release from saṁsāra (cycle of birth, death, karma)

• Jñāna = Liberating knowledge — the direct realization of Ātman = Brahman

• Vidyā = Revealed truth that dissolves avidyā (ignorance), the root of bondage

• True knowledge is not accumulation, but recognition of what always was — the Self as unchanging, free

🕯 In the Gītā, Upaniṣads, and Jyotiṣa:

Knowledge reveals the Self like the sun, burning karma to ash (Gītā 5.16, 4.37)

In Jyotiṣa:

• Mokṣa shown in 4th, 8th, 12th houses, strong Ketu, exalted Jupiter/Sun

• Jñāna-yoga charts often show disinterest in outer success, intense inner vision

Knowledge is not just the path — it is the gate, the fire, and the light beyond.

bindu—

(a point of semantic potential that unfolds into a maṇḍala of meanings) Bindu (बिन्दु) = “Point, dot, or seed”
→ A symbol of semantic and cosmic potential
→ The origin point from which multiplicity unfolds

In Tantra & Cosmology:

• Bindu is the primordial still point — from which sound (nāda), form, and creation emerge

• It contains within it the unmanifest maṇḍala — a universe of meaning, awaiting expression

In Jyotiṣa:

• The chart itself is a maṇḍala, but the soul’s karma may originate from a single bindu of unresolved desire or wisdom

• Grahas are seen as vibrational points (bindus) within the cosmic grid

• Bindu in Ashtakavarga = units of planetary strength/beneficence in a house — literal “points of light”

Philosophically:

• Bindu = where unity becomes diversity, where pure being becomes narrative

🕉 Bindu is the place where silence speaks, form rests in formlessness, and all knowledge spirals outward.

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Oṁ

( is the bindu of all sound—its threefold vibration (A-U-M) unfolds into waking, dreaming, and deep sleep) Oṁ (ॐ) = Primordial sound, the sonic bindu from which all creation unfolds
→ Bindu = the point of origin, potential, and return

Threefold vibration:

1. A (अ) – Waking state (jāgrat)

2. U (उ) – Dreaming state (svapna)

3. M (म) – Deep sleep (suṣupti)
   → Together: all states of consciousness

The silence after M = turīya — the fourth, unchanging reality (pure awareness)

In Jyotiṣa & cosmology:

• Oṁ is the bindu of time, light, and rhythm — the source behind all graha vibrations

• Mantras like Oṁ namaḥ śivāya begin with Oṁ to tune the seeker to the cosmic pulse

🕉 Oṁ is the sound-seed (śabda-bindu) where unity vibrates into multiplicity, and returns again to stillness.

bhū (भू) –

to become → bhūta, bhūmi, bhava- bhū explores the appearance of truth

Bhava –

becoming, existence, emotional state

Bhūta –

that which has become (element, being, ghost)

Bhūmi –

earth, ground

Bhagavān –

the one who possesses bhū (existence, splendor)

In Bhakti, bhāva

is the emotional mode of relating to the divine—śānta, dāsya, sakhya, mādhurya.

In Vedānta, bhava

is the illusion of becoming—what must be transcended to realize sat (pure being).

In Buddhism, bhava

is a link in the chain of dependent origination—becoming leads to birth, and thus to suffering

Bhū as Earth and Becoming in the Bhūmi Sūkta (Atharva Veda 12.1)- Bhūmir bhūvāni mātarah”—

as Earth and Becoming in the Bhūmi Sūkta (Atharva Veda 12.1)- Bhūmir bhūvāni mātarah”— “Earth, the foundation of all becoming, our mother.”

Bhūmi,

the Earth Goddess, also called Pṛthivī

Bhūmi

is not inert matter but śakti—manifestation itself, the sacred ground of all being (bhāva).

Field of karma, dharma, and ṛta—

where life becomes actual

‘satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ brahma’ — Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.1.1 - vid is consciousness itself, the knowing that knows itself. And bhū is implied in satyaṁ—the being that underlies all becoming.

Together, they describe Brahman as Being-Consciousness-Infinite—not three things, but one indivisible reality

satyaṁ –

truth, pure being (sat from as, a cousin of bhū)

jñānam –

knowledge, consciousness (from vid)

anantam –

infinite, unbounded

bhūḥ bhuvaḥ svaḥ —

The Vyāhṛtis of the Gāyatrī Mantra- states of consciousness. Bhūḥ is the waking world of form (bhū), bhuvaḥ is the dream-like realm of subtle becoming, and svaḥ is the luminous field of pure awareness (vid)

bhūḥ –

Earth, the realm of becoming (bhū)

bhuvaḥ –

Atmosphere, the realm of transformation

svaḥ –

Heaven, the realm of light and pure being

Rakta – Blood; vitalizes and oxygenates

Blood, crucial for oxygen transport and cellular nourishment. Considered one of the primary Dhatus responsible for providing vitality and energy to the body by carrying oxygen and nutrients to tissues and removing waste products.