Vedas are considered to be the basis of Indian culture. Veda is not only a religious book in Indian culture, but it is the first book of science in which detailed description of medical science, physics, science, chemistry and astronomy is also found. Indian astrology is also born from Vedas. Being born from the Vedas, it is known as Vedic astrology.
If Vedic astrology is defined, then it will be said that Vedic astrology is such a science or iconography which studies the zodiac signs and Nakshatra along with the planets moving in the celestial sphere like Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury. And analyzes how the earth and the people living on it are affected by these celestial elements. In Vedic astrology, the zodiac, the Navagraha, the birth sign are seen as important elements in the order of calculation.
To understand the zodiac, it is necessary to understand the Nakshatras because zodiac signs are made up of Nakshatras. In Vedic astrology, a lexical path of 360 degrees has been prescribed for the determination of the zodiac. The star clusters coming in this path are divided into 27 parts. Each star cluster of stars is called a Nakshatra. The total number of Nakshatras is 27. Dividing 27 Nakshatras on a vernacular path of 360 degrees, each part is of 13 degree 20 minutes. In this way each Nakshatra is of 13 degree 20 minutes.
In Vedic astrology, 360 degrees are divided into 12 parts, which are called Bhachakra. There are total 12 zodiac signs in the Bhachakra. Each zodiac sign has 30 degrees in the zodiac. Ashwini Nakshatra is the first in the zodiac, hence it is considered as the first star. After this there is Bharani then Kritika thus comes the 27 Nakshatra sequentially. The first two Nakshatras are Ashwini and Bharani, from which the first zodiac sign Aries is formed, in this order the remaining Nakshatras also form the zodiacs.
| No. | Sanskrit | Representation | English | Element | Quality | Ruling Astrological Body |
| 1 | Meṣa | ram | Aries | Fire | Chara (movable) | Mars |
| 2 | Vṛṣabha | bull | Taurus | Earth | Sthira (fixed) | Venus |
| 3 | Mithuna | twins | Gemini | Air | Dvisvabhava (dual) | Mercury |
| 4 | Karka | crab | Cancer | Water | Chara (movable) | Moon |
| 5 | Siṃha | lion | Leo | Fire | Sthira (fixed) | Sun |
| 6 | Kanyā | virgin girl | Virgo | Earth | Dvisvabhava (dual) | Mercury |
| 7 | Tulā | balance | Libra | Air | Chara (movable) | Venus |
| 8 | Vṛścika | scorpion | Scorpio | Water | Sthira (fixed) | Mars |
| 9 | Dhanuṣa | bow and arrow | Sagittarius | Fire | Dvisvabhava (dual) | Jupiter |
| 10 | Makara | crocodile | Capricorn | Earth | Chara (movable) | Saturn |
| 11 | Kumbha | water-bearer | Aquarius | Air | Sthira (fixed) | Saturn |
| 12 | Mīna | fishes | Pisces | Water | Dvisvabhava (dual) | Jupiter |
In Vedic astrology, Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Rahu Ketu are recognized as 9 planets ( Navagrahas ). All the planets while traveling in their transit stay in the zodiac for some time and give their own horoscope. Rahu and Ketu are vernacular planets, they do not have real existence in Nakshatra Mandal. Both of them are located as mathematical points in the zodiac.
| No. | Name (Vedic) | Western equivalent |
| 1. | Surya | Sun |
| 2. | Chandra | Moon |
| 3. | Budha | Mercury |
| 4. | Shukra | Venus |
| 5. | Mangala | Mars |
| 6. | Bṛhaspati, “Guru” | Jupiter |
| 7. | Shani | Saturn |
| 8. | Rahu | North node of the Moon |
| 9. | Ketu | South node of the Moon |
The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east once in 24 hours. For this reason, all the planets, Nakshatra and zodiac signs appear to move from east to west once in 24 hours. In this process, all the zodiac signs and stars are seen rising on the eastern horizon and setting on the western horizon once in 24 hours. This is the reason that at a certain point and time in the zodiac, a particular zodiac sign rises on the eastern horizon.
