Vedic astrology is an ancient system of astrology originated in India.
This ancient science has been practiced in India for more than eight thousand years. It is called "Jyotish"in Hindiwhich means the knowledge or science of light. Since Vedic astrology or Jyotishis a part (Vedanga) of Vedas (ancient Indian Hindu scripts), it is known as Vedic astrology.
There are many differences between Vedic astrology and Western but the main difference is that the Vedic astrologers use the Sidereal system or fixed zodiac while Western astrologer use the Tropical system or moving zodiac. The difference between both zodiac (Ayanamsa) is now roughly 23 degrees which is almost a whole sign. This means that your Sun-sign that you see in the Magazines or Newspapers usually is not the same as your Vedic Sun-sign. In most cases it is one sign back. For example, if your Sun sign is Taurus according to a Newspaper, which uses Western astrology, it is most likely that you will be an Aries when a Vedic astrologer does your chart using the system of Vedic astrology.Another important difference is that Western astrology mostly deals with one's psychological patterns and personality while Vedic astrology deals with more of practical matters
and one's karmic patterns.
We see in the figure the Basic chart used for prediction. This is divided into 12 Houses or Bhavas. There are different types of charts whose basic layout will be as shown, but in different types of charts the planets occupy different houses and give more details about oneself.
The Different charts are
1. Raashi Chart (The Basic chart)
2. Sapthamsha Kundali (About your Married life, wife etc)
3. Astamsha Kundali (Not preferred as it denotes Death)
4. Navamsha Kundali (Important and seen along with Raashi chart.
5. Dashamsha Kundali
We will see what these houses represent when a planet is present in that house.
First House - Lagnasthan, Tanusthan
This house signifies life,longevity, self, health, nature and appearance of native. Complexion,vitality, sorrows, gains and profits to younger brothers and his friends. It governs head and face.
Second House - Dhana-sthan, Kutumb-sthan
This house indicates inflow of finances, bank position, right eye, family, early age or boyhood,speech, sanyas, servants and friends. Self earned wealth, loss or damage, worldly possessions, jewellery, grandfather and mother. It also denotes family, eyesight, understanding with family members,inheritance, law suits, throat, right eye, domestic comforts in general.
Third House - Bhatru-sthan, Parakram-sthan
It denotes younger brothers and sisters and their relations. It signifies courage, intelligence,education up to Higher Secondary level, taste for writing, ornaments,clothes, short journeys. Signing contracts and documents etc. Body parts are arms, right ear, shoulders etc.
Fourth House - Matru-sthan, Sukha-sthan
This house signifies mother,property, conveyance, domestic surroundings and happiness. Old age environments, private affairs, public, inheritance, false allegations,agriculture land and its produce. It represents breasts, chest, lung, stomach, elbow joints etc.
Fifth House - Vidya-sthan, Putra-sthan
Children, speculation, intellectual status and luck are gauged from this house. Pleasure,love affairs, lady love, legal or illegal amusements, kidnap, rape, etc. are also checked. Belly, heart, liver, spleen are the body parts covered by this house.
Sixth House - Ripu-sthan, Rog-sthan
This house is responsible for enemies, health, service, servants, uncle, aunts and relations on father's side. Food, subordinates, debts, obstacles in life, mental worries, theft and calamity etc. The body parts denoted are kidney,large intestine, uterus and anus.
Seventh House - Bharya-sthan, Maraka-sthan
Matters regarding wife,husband, partnership, external sex organs, conjugal happiness are checked from 7th house. This house also denotes marriage, married life, love contracts, litigations, divorce, honour and reputation in foreign country. Body parts are private parts, uterus, glands etc.
Eighth House - Mrutyu-sthan
Diseases, death, finances through unfair means, internal sex organs, longevity, mental pain obstacles, dowry of wife, gain from in laws, mode of death, imprisonment, worries and privations are checked from 8th house, It indicates body parts as scrotum, pelvis, seminal vesicles,
external genitalia, etc.
Ninth House - Bhagya-sthan
This house indicates religion, foreign travel, publicity, preceptor, higher education, learning, writing books, also faith, wisdom, prosperity, powers of foresight, religious institutions, providential
help, etc. Hips, thighs are body parts.
Tenth House - Karma-sthan, Pitru-sthan
This important house indicates father, profession, status in life, activities outside house, pleasures, honour, power and authority, Government favour, trade,business, command, occupation, adopted son. All questions regarding worldly activities and moral responsibilities. Body parts are knees, joints, bones, hairs and back.
Eleventh House - Labha-sthan
It accounts for accumulated wealth, elder brothers and sisters and relations with them. Friends, fluctuating money gains, club or social activities, emotional attachments, love affairs and friends, honour, social success etc. Body parts are legs, left ear, teeth, ankle etc.
Twelfth House - Vyaya-sthan
It signifies private enemies, pleasures of beds, law suits, imprisonments, secret works, moksha, hospitalisation, conjugal
relations with opposite sex other than legitimate. Sorrows, debts, lost
goods etc. are judged. Body parts are feet, left eye, teeth etc.
There are many more sites on the web which can give you more light into Vedic astrology, some of the links are :
First of all one has to learn to draw the chart and then verify it. While seeing a chart one has to observe the combined effects, if any house is occupied by two or more planets it gives the combined effect.
Vedic Astrology is a vast and endless study and in order to predict accurately one has to study the subject for many many years and has to see the minor details as well as major details in a given chart, the different " Yogas " for a chart, etc.
For more details on Vedic astrology you may study many books that are available in the market.