People who want to learn and apply Hindu Vedic astrology will find that there are many available Hindu horoscope tools in the market today. Most of them are quite reasonably priced and easy to use. For those who are not content with free online predictions based on one’s sun sign, technology has even made it possible to acquire software that can be used virtually endlessly with computations taking no more than a few minutes at the most.
An Overview of Vedic or Hindu Astrology
Vedic Astrology is an ancient Hindu field of study which interprets planetary motions, the time these motions occurred and their relative positions with respect to their effect on human existence and other phenomena on earth. Vedic astrology traces its history to thousands of years back. In the beginning, Vedic astrology was contingent only on the movement of planets in relation to the stars, but later on zodiac signs became included as factors of influence in Hindu horoscope.
In Vedic astrology, there are 27 constellations with12 zodiac signs, 9 planets, and 12 houses. Each of the houses and planets represent some aspect of human life. Based on the exact date of a person’s birth, the 12 signs are distributed among the 12 houses and the 9 planets are placed in various houses. The resulting chart of the signs and planets is called a horoscope chart and Vedic astrology interprets the meaning of these arrangements as they influence humans and other entities on earth.
The Difference Between Vedic And Western Astrology
The most patent difference between Vedic and Western astrology lies in their method of measuring the Zodiac. Vedic astrology uses the stars as the fixed background against which the motion of the planets is measured, whereas most Western astrology will measure the motion of the planets against the position of the Sun on the Spring equinox.
This difference becomes noticeable only after the course of several centuries, as a result of the precession of the equinoxes. The two systems are identical in synchronizing the position of the planets, with a mere 22 degree shift of the origin of the ecliptic longitude; this results in the partial placement of planets in the previous sign in Western charts.
Hindu Horoscope Tools
There are many traditional Hindu horoscope tools that are still in use today; most of these are easily available online. The three most basic tools are:
1. Choghadiya Panchang. The Choghadiya Panchang is a Vedic Hindu calendar which shows daily information on the Dina (the day or the sun), Nakshatra ( the moon), Tithi (the daily distance between the sun and the moon), Yoga (the daily connection between the sun and the moon when their energies blend), Karana (the underlying influences that strengthen or mar a tithi). This calendar provides a way for people to know the time when the celestial positions shine auspiciously on an activity or a decision. It also marks the times when it is advisable to perform necessary prayers.
2. Panchangam. The Panchangam is a Hindu calendar or almanac which is set according to traditional Hindu units of timekeeping. Expressed as a table, this almanac presents important dates and their specific calculations. It forecasts weather and various celestial phenomena such as eclipses. Hindu astrologers used the panchangam to help people set auspicious dates for weddings, business mergers and a host of other activities.
3. Jyotisa Chart. The Jyotisa Chart presents the 12 zodiac signs with their assigned numbers in a map where each sign is contained in a space referred to as a house. Calculations are then made using the exact birth date of a person so that the zodiac influences on that person’s life are manifest along with indicators of what dates and which persons are auspicious for him.