BNN and Parashari astrology: what is different?
Parashari astrology reads your chart through twelve "houses" counted from the rising sign and times events mainly with planet periods called dashas, while BNN reads the planets themselves (which sign each is in and how they sit next to each other) and times events mainly by where the slow planets move.
Both are Indian (Vedic) astrology, and both start from the same birth chart.
What is Parashari astrology?
It is one of the best-known kinds of Indian astrology, named after the sage Parashara. Its main old book is called Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra.
It starts from your rising sign (Lagna): the sign coming up in the east when you were born. From there it counts twelve houses. Each house stands for part of life; for example, the 7th for marriage and the 10th for career.
For timing it mainly uses dashas: a 120-year cycle of planet periods. It also checks where the planets are now.
What is BNN?
BNN is one of the Nadi methods of Indian astrology. The way we practise it, BNN does not use the rising sign or houses. It looks at the planets themselves: which sign each one is in, and where the others are counted from it. For timing, it watches the slow planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu) as they move over your chart. What is BNN astrology? says more.
What are the main differences?
| Parashari | BNN (as we practise it) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts from | The rising sign | The planets themselves |
| How a topic is read | Its house, and the planet that rules it | The planet that stands for it, and the planets around it |
| Main timing tool | Dashas (planet periods) | Where the slow planets move |
One question, two ways: "When will I change jobs?"
- Parashari: looks at the 10th house (career) from your rising sign, its ruling planet, and the dasha running now.
- BNN: looks at the planet for work in your chart, the planets around it, and the months when the slow planets pass over it.
Both end with a time, by different roads.
Is one better?
This page does not say one is better. They ask different questions of the same sky. Pick the one whose way makes sense to you.
What does BNN Astrosage use?
Our readings use BNN: Astro Live, the In-depth Answer and the Personal Consultation.
Our free tools also show common Vedic details that many people look for: the birth chart shows the rising-sign chart and the dashas; Kundli Matching compares two charts out of 36 points (that part is not BNN); the Panchang is the daily Hindu calendar.
Quick answers
- Is BNN part of Vedic astrology?
- Yes, one of its Nadi methods.
- Does BNN use dashas?
- The way we practise it, BNN looks at the moving planets first. Our birth-chart page also shows dashas, for people who want them.
- Do I need to know my rising sign?
- No. Give your date, time and place of birth; we work out the rest.
- Will BNN and Parashari always agree?
- Not always. They use different rules, so they can point to different months.