Vedic Astrology: Signs or Rashis

Religion & Spirituality

by Subhamoy Das

Updated June 30, 2016

Signs are called "Rashis" (raw-shees) in Sanskrit. This table shows the signs with their rulers, Sanskrit names and symbols, etc. As you can see, the signs are the same as used in Western astrology. However, the nature of the signs, what they do, and the demigods behind them, who control them, are vastly different in Vedic astrology.

Vedic Zodiacal Signs

Sign	Sanskrit	Name	Type	Sex	Mobility	Lord
Aries	Mesha	Ram	Fire	M	Movable	Mars
Taurus	Vrishaba	Bull	Earth	F	Fixed	Venus
Gemini	Mithuna	Couple	Air	M	Common	Mercury
Cancer	Karkata	Crab	Water	F	Movable	Moon
Leo	Simha	Lion	Fire	M	Fixed	Sun
Virgo	Kanya	Virgin	Earth	F	Common	Mercury
Libra	Tula	Balance	Air	M	Movable	Venus
Scorpio	Vrishchika	Scorpion	Water	F	Fixed	Mars
Sagittarius	Dhanus	Bow	Fire	M	Common	Jupiter
Capricorn	Makara	Alligator	Earth	F	Movable	Saturn
Aquarius	Kumbha	Pot	Air	M	Fixed	Saturn
Pisces	Meena	Fishes	Water	F	Common	Jupiter

Note: Vedic astrology differs from Western or Tropical astrology mainly in that it uses the fixed zodiac as opposed to the moving zodiac. Most people's "Sun Sign", that which you can get from the newspaper each day, is usually one sign back when the chart is refigured using Vedic astrology. So, the first surprise using the Vedic system is that you are no longer the Sun Sign you always thought you were. However, if you were born in the last 5 days or so of the Western sign month, then you will probably still be the same sign in the Vedic system.