Chandra (Moon) in Jyotish: mind and emotions
Chandra (Moon) is the graha of the mind, emotion and the mother, and it sets the Moon sign, which many readings use alongside the Lagna.
What it is
The Moon owns Karka and is exalted in Vrishabha. It is a benefic when waxing (Shukla paksha) and a weaker benefic when waning. Its dasha lasts 10 years, and the dasha at birth is set by the Moon's nakshatra.
How it is worked out or read
The Moon moves about 13 degrees a day, so it changes nakshatra roughly every day and changes sign about every two and a half days. Its position is computed from the lunar theory in the astronomy engine.
Where it appears on this site
The Moon sign is shown in the panchang and the birth chart. The dasha tool starts from the Moon's nakshatra.
The Moon as the mind
The Moon is the graha of the mind, the emotions and the mother in the classical scheme. Unlike the Sun, it changes sign about every two and a half days and changes nakshatra about daily, so its position is especially sensitive to the time of birth. A reader who wants the emotional character of a chart begins with the Moon's sign and nakshatra, then looks at the house the Moon occupies. The Moon is exalted in Vrishabha at 3 degrees and own-signed in Karka, and its strength is read partly from its phase, since a waxing Moon is considered stronger than a waning one.
Phase and strength
In the classical method, the Moon's phase affects its benefic character. A Moon close to the Sun, in the dark fortnight, is weaker, while a Moon far from the Sun, in the bright fortnight, is stronger. The tithi and the paksha in the panchang show the phase directly. A reader who uses the Moon's strength should state which measure is used, since the texts give more than one.
Moon-based rules
The Moon is the reference point for several rules on this site. The Sade Sati check begins from the natal Moon sign, the Manglik check counts Mars's house from the Moon, and the Gajakesari check counts Jupiter from the Moon. The Moon's dasha lasts ten years, and the balance at birth is set by the nakshatra. A reader who understands the Moon as a reference point, and not only as a planet, can follow these rules more easily.
The Moon and the daily rhythm
Because the Moon changes nakshatra every day, its position is a natural guide to the rhythm of a person's moods and inclinations over short periods. Readers who study the Moon often look at its phase and nakshatra together, asking how the emotional tone of a day relates to the chart's deeper pattern. The Moon's dasha then gives the longer rhythm.
The Moon's emotional weather
The Moon is sometimes described as the emotional weather of a chart, changing with its nakshatra and sign. A reader may describe its placement as the setting in which a person's feelings arise and pass, while the other grahas show the deeper currents beneath.