Zodiac

Zodiac is a broad belt in the heavens extending about 9 degrees on each side of the ecliptic. Ecliptic is the path of sun which (Path) passes exactly through the centre of zodiac. The zodiac is an imaginary circle of 360 degrees and our ancient learners divided this circle into 12 equal parts of 30 degrees each. Each equal part of 30 degrees is known as sign (Rasi). The zodiac is called Bhachakra in sanskrit and it revolves on its axis once in a day from east to west.

Signs or Rasi:
As per Astrology we have 12 signs or rasis in the zodiac namely:

No.	Sign	Lord
1.	Aries (Mesha)	Mars
2.	Taurus (Vrishabh)	Venus
3.	Gemini (Mithuna)	Mercury
4.	Cancer (Karka or Kataka)	Moon
5.	Leo ( Simha)	Sun
6.	Virgo (Kanya)	Mercury
7.	Libra (Tula)	Venus
8.	Scorpio (Vrischik)	Mars
9.	Sagittarius (Dhanu)	Jupiter
10.	Capricorn (Makara)	Saturn
11.	Aquarius (Kumbha)	Saturn
12.	Pisces (Meena)	Jupiter

As already mentioned above, each of these signs has a stretch of 30 degrees in the zodiac. Now we come to the characteristics of the Rasis, we will give various characteristics in tabular form to understand easily:

Movable Signs	Fixed Signs	Dual Signs
Aries	Taurus	Gemini
Cancer	Leo	Virgo
Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius
Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces

 

The movable signs are also called dhatu or mineral, the fixed signs moola, and the dual ones as jeeva or living.
The other category is:

Fiery	Earthy	Airy	Watery
(Agni Tatwa)	(Prithvi Tatwa)	(Vayu Tatwa)	(Jal Tatwa)
Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer
Leo	Cancer	Libra	Scorpio
Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces

 

 

Pristhodaya	Sirshodaya	Ubhayodaya
(Rising from Hind Parts)	(Rising with their heads)	(Rising both ways)
Aries	Leo	Gemini
Taurus	Virgo	Pisces
Cancer	Libra
Sagittarius	Scorpio
Capricorn	Aquarius

 

All Sirshodaya signs are called diurnal signs (they are said to be powerful during the day births). All Pristhodaya signs and Gemini are called Nocturnal signs (they are said to be powerful during the night) Pisces is a twilight sign.

All odd signs, ViZ., Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius are male signs. These are also called cruel or fierce signs.

All even signs, ViZ., Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces are called female signs. They are treated as gentle or soumya signs.

The various signs represent the eight directions as follows:

1. Aries and Taurus : East
2. Gemini and Virgo: Southeast
3. Cancer and Leo: South
4. Libra and Aquarius: North
5. Pisces: Northeast.

Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are Brahmins, whereas Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are kshatriyas, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are Vaisyas and Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are Sudras.

Taurus, Leo, the latter half of Sagittarius and the first half of Capricorn are called quadruped (Four legged or Chatuspad) signs, Gemini, Virgo, Libra, the first half of Sagittarius and Aquarius are said to be human signs, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are Keeta (Reptile) signs(In actual practice only Scorpio is treated as a Reptile sign).

The whole Zodiac consisting of the twelve signs represents the body of supreme whom for astrological purpose we call the Kaalpurusha. The twelve signs according to Brahat parasara Hora stand for head (Aries), face and throat (Taurus), neck and arms (Gemini), heart (Cancer), stomach (Leo), waist (Virgo), navel (Libra), private parts (Scorpio), thighs (Sagittarius), legs (Capricorn), ankle (Aquarius), and feet (Pisces).