In Vedic astrology your Rashi is the sign the Moon occupied when you were born. It is the sign used for your daily horoscope, for Sade Sati, for horoscope matching and for most transit predictions. If someone in India asks "what is your rashi?", they mean your Moon sign, not your Sun sign.
Why the Moon?
The Moon is the karaka of the mind (manas): emotions, perception, memory and how we experience events. Two people can face the same event and feel it very differently; the Moon describes that inner experience. Because transits are felt through the mind, Vedic astrologers read them from the Moon.
The Moon also moves quickly, through a whole sign in about two and a quarter days, so it is far more personal than the Sun sign, which is shared by everyone born in the same month.
The twelve Rashis
| Rashi | Sign | Lord |
|---|---|---|
| Mesha | Aries | Mars |
| Vrishabha | Taurus | Venus |
| Mithuna | Gemini | Mercury |
| Karka | Cancer | Moon |
| Simha | Leo | Sun |
| Kanya | Virgo | Mercury |
| Tula | Libra | Venus |
| Vrischika | Scorpio | Mars |
| Dhanu | Sagittarius | Jupiter |
| Makara | Capricorn | Saturn |
| Kumbha | Aquarius | Saturn |
| Meena | Pisces | Jupiter |
Moon sign and birth star
Within the Rashi, the Moon also sits in one of the 27 nakshatras, your janma nakshatra or birth star. The birth star fixes the starting point of your Vimshottari dasha and is used in naming ceremonies and matching.
Lagna, Moon and Sun together
A complete reading uses all three: the Lagna for the self and life's direction, the Moon for the mind and emotional life, and the Sun for the soul, vitality and authority. Astrologers often check a prediction from both the Lagna and the Moon (Chandra lagna); when both agree, it is reliable.
How to find your Rashi
Common questions
Is my Moon sign the same as my Sun sign?
Usually not. The Sun sign depends on the month; the Moon changes sign every two and a quarter days. And the Vedic zodiac is about 24° behind the Western one.
Which should I read: Lagna or Moon sign horoscope?
Daily horoscopes are traditionally read from the Moon sign. For a personal reading, an astrologer uses both, and a prediction confirmed from both is the most reliable.
What if I was born on the day the Moon changed sign?
Then your birth time decides your Rashi. Use the most accurate time you have; your free chart calculates it for you.
You need your date, time and place of birth; on days when the Moon changes sign, the time decides. Get yours from your free birth chart, then read today's horoscope for your Moon sign.