Vedic Astrology- Book Recommendations in Spirituality

This is a follow up article to my last post : https://os.me/short-stories/vedic-astrology-a-perspective/

In this post, I shall share my book recommendations for anyone wishing to study Jyotish on their own. The recommendations will be divided on the basis of topics and I shall mark each recommendation with a Beginner/Intermediate tag which is my indicator of the target audience for the book.
Wherever possible, I have provided Amazon links on the title of the books. Please click on the book title to be redirected to its Amazon page.

Jyotish Overview

Essentials of Vedic Astrology (Beginner):
This is a fantastic introductory book for anyone wishing to start their journey into Jyotish. The book is fairly easy to comprehend and it does so without compromising on the depth of conceptual coverage.
Light on Life (Beginner):
This was the first book I read on Jyotish. The authors have done a great job of covering the fundamental concepts in an accessible way while giving the student a glimpse into the depths to which serious Jyotish study can be taken.
Science of Light (Beginner/Intermediate) :
By the time I started reading this book, I was pretty well-versed with the foundational concepts of Vedic astrology. The book still managed to shore up my understanding of the fundamentals. There is a greater range of topics covered here compared to the first two books. I believe this book will help those who already have some level of knowledge into Jyotish.
Jyotisha Fundamentals (Intermediate) :
This is one of my all time favorite books on any topic. While studying this book, there were many moments when I had to stop reading because the profound insights the book presented simply (and sometimes literally) took my breath away. The author’s exposition on Panchanga and Narayana Dasha are a timeless classic that will inspire any serious student of Jyotish.

Grahas/Planets
Graha Sutras (Beginner/Intermediate):
The extent to which Jyotish can be practised effectively is tied to the depth of understanding that a student develops about the grahas/planets that make up the Natal chart. This book is a comprehensive treatise on the 9 planets that are at the heart of Vedic astrology. I have linked to the Amazon page in the title. The PDF version of the book can be purchased at a cheaper rate from the author’s website here

Nakshatras

The study of Nakshatras is a beautiful exercise in the life of a Jyotish student. Nakshatras uplift your understanding of any horoscope from a surface level view to a more deeper perspective. I have listed two books below which are good sources of information. Dr.Arjun Pai and his team share fantastic videos on Nakshatras on YouTube. I heartily recommend them as well.
27 Stars, 27 Gods (Beginner):
The book goes into detail on the mythology and the stories behind the 27 nakshatras. From an interpretive standpoint, there may not be a lot of insights shared but understanding the symbolisms of each nakshatra creates a fertile ground for further studies
The Nakshatras: The stars beyond the zodiac (Beginner/Intermediate): The book goes into good level of detail for each nakshatra. The author has put considerable effort towards explaining the influences that each pada brings for each of the nakshatras. This book will best benefit someone who already has some amount of knowledge about Navamsha (D9 chart)

Divisional Charts

Divisional charts are derivations of the natal horoscope. They are excellent for understanding subtler influences on the different areas of life and in differentiating predictions for individuals born close to each other (like twins, triplets etc). A large part of my study the last year or so has been on Divisional charts. The best way to learn them is to analyze real horoscopes. However, the book below can provide a good theoretical understanding for beginners to the topic.
Comprehensive Prediction by Divisional Charts (Beginner)

Rahu/Ketu

Rahu/Ketu axis represents the Karmic axis for all individuals. A study of this axis is critical for understanding the past-life themes in the natal chart. My study of this axis in my natal horoscope helped me resolve a lot of unconscious issues that I was struggling with but was never aware of. With experience, it becomes easier to understand the Rahu/Ketu themes and their interplay with the rest of the horoscope, but in the beginning studying this as a separate topic should give the necessary foundation for such understanding to mature.
The Lunar Nodes : Crisis and Redemption (Beginner): The book is a worthwhile read for anyone who wishes to understand the influences of Rahu/Ketu in their own charts. The author has covered it from the point of view of Bhavas, Rashis, Nakshatras and conjunctions. Bringing it all together into a singular picture is a matter of experience, but nonetheless, there is good merit in understanding the different influences at play.

Practical Tips

Theoretical study is good but the best way to learn is to study by practicing. There is a free astrology software called Jagannatha Hora which can be downloaded here. It is fairly easy and accurate to use. I would recommend that its best to learn a concept, apply it in a few horoscopes that you are familiar with, re-adjust your learning based on observed results and repeat the process. My recommendation is to initially approach the horoscope with the perspective of understanding the individual rather than trying to make predictions from the very beginning. As your understanding of Jyotish matures, predictive astrology will naturally flow out of this understanding. Be curious and be non-judgemental towards yourself and towards the people whose horoscopes you read. This will go a long way towards making your Jyotish studies effective and joyous.

One of my favorite activities is Birth-time rectification. I used to visit the Wikipedia entries of famous people, get their birthday and place of birth, learn the history of their life and then try to arrive at their birth time by correlating their life events with the different Dashas. This was an intellectually stimulating exercise and one that helped to quickly sharpen my Jyotish understanding. The study of Jyotish is a life-long journey and I hope this article has given some guidance on useful resources which can help every student along the way.

Thank You Swamiji for everything. It is one of my life’s greatest blessings that I came across your teachings. Piece by piece, one day at a time, I am getting cured of my Shadripus and its all because of You. Thank you so much❤️

Thank You Ma for always being there for me. I am flawed in a million ways and yet you love me all the same. This love of yours is the shining light of my life. Please be with me always ❤️😊