Vedic astrology
Sidereal zodiac, nakshatras, dashas and matching.
- Vedic vs Western astrology: the real differencesThe main difference is the zodiac: Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac tied to the seasons, while Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac tied to the stars, which currently sits about 24 degrees behind, so most people’s Vedic signs differ from their Western ones.
- Nakshatras: the 27 lunar mansionsNakshatras are 27 equal divisions of the sidereal zodiac, each 13°20′ wide, used in Vedic astrology to describe the Moon’s position in fine detail; your birth nakshatra shapes temperament readings and sets the start of your Vimshottari dasha cycle.
- Kundli matching and Guna Milan explainedGuna Milan is the traditional Vedic method of kundli matching that compares two people’s Moon signs and nakshatras across eight factors (kootas) for a score out of 36, where 18 or more is conventionally considered acceptable; it is a cultural tradition, not a scientific predictor of relationship success.