Lesson 1 (THE ZODIAC)

The Zodiac
The Zodiac is a circle of space surrounding the Earth. It may be imagined as a belt
in the heavens about 15 degrees wide in which the planets travel. It is the Sun's
apparent path that is called the ecliptic. The zodiacal circle is divided into twelve parts, each part containing thirty degrees of space called the signs of the Zodiac.
Thus a sign is one twelfth division of the zodiacal circle and is denned as containing
30 degrees of celestial longitude : 12 signs each measuring 30 degrees constitute the
circle of the Zodiac or 360 degrees. In this circle the planets travel each in its own
orbit, one outlying beyond the other. The twelve signs of the Zodiac are Aries(Mesha), Taurus (Vrishabh), Gemini (Mithuna), Cancer (Kataka), Leo (Simha),Virgo (Kanya), Libra (Thula), Scorpio (Vrischika), Sagittarius (Dhanu), Capricorn(Makara), Aquarius (Kumbha), and Pisces (Meena). It is these twelve signsthrough which the planets travel or transit from west to east, going through onesign after another in their order from Aries to Pisces. Each sign possesses a specific influence. The planets also as they travel around the Zodiac exert an influence according to their separate nature and position in the Zodiac.
Although according to modern Astrology there are twelve planets viz., Sun, Moon,
Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, Kethu, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto,
Hindu Astrology recognises only the first nine. Each sign of the Zodiac is owned
by a planet who is termed as its 'ruler'. Sun and Moon rule one sign each viz., Leo
and Cancer respectively. Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn rule two signs
each. There is controversy about Rahu and Ketu ruling some signs but the fact is
that they being shadow planets do not own any signs but cast their influence according to signs in which they are placed, or lords of those signs, or according to planets influencing them by aspect or association. Mars rules Aries and Scorpio,Mercury Gemini and Virgo, Jupiter Sagittarius and Pisces, Venus Taurus and libra and Saturn Capricorn and Aquarius.