Jyotish Glossary: Vedic Astrology Terms
Jyotish uses a precise vocabulary to describe astronomical calculations, calendars and traditional interpretation. This glossary gives clear, plain-language definitions so readers can understand BDA's Panchang, Kundali and educational pages without treating unfamiliar Sanskrit terms as mysterious claims.
A graha is a planetary influence used in Jyotish. A rashi is one of the twelve zodiac signs. A bhava is a chart house. Nakshatra refers to the lunar-mansion framework, while tithi is the lunar day used in Panchang. Yoga and karana are additional Panchang elements calculated from the positions of the Sun and Moon.
Dasha describes a traditional planetary-period system used to organise timing in a birth chart. Dosha is a broad term for a condition that may require contextual interpretation; it should not be used as a fear label. Muhurta means choosing a time for an activity, while daily windows such as Rahu Kalam, Choghadiya and Abhijit Muhurta belong to public date-and-location Panchang calculations rather than personal birth-chart analysis.
Definitions are linked to live calculations only where BDA has a deterministic, tested utility. Reserved classical methods stay unavailable until the formula, provenance and golden reference cases have been certified. A glossary explains terms; it does not make predictions, promise results or replace study with a qualified teacher.
Why build one canonical glossary? Consistent definitions help people, search engines and AI systems understand the same concept across pages, reports, videos and answers. Can terms appear in more than one language? Yes. Sanskrit or Hindi terms, transliteration and English explanations should share one canonical entity rather than competing copies. Where should you continue? Open the Sanatan Encyclopedia for source-aware learning, use Panchang for certified daily calculations, and use the private User Dashboard when a question genuinely requires your saved Kundali.