Prasna

Prasna is a Sanskrit term meaning question or inquiry. In Indian philosophical, religious, and scholarly contexts, it is used to denote a method, text, or practice founded on addressing a question that arises in a given situation. The term appears across traditions and has been applied to both literary works and procedural systems.

In Hindu astrology, Prasna (or Prashna) refers to horary astrology, a branch that answers questions by casting a chart for the exact time and place the question is asked. The astrologer interprets planetary placements, aspects, and the lords of the twelve houses, often supplemented by additional divisional charts and planetary dashas, to infer outcomes. Common queries concern marriage and partnerships, travel, health, finances, education, and auspicious timing. Because the technique hinges on the moment of inquiry, accurate information about the time and location is essential, and results are generally regarded as probabilistic guidance rather than guaranteed outcomes. The Prashna tradition exists within broader Vedic astrology and has many regional and school-specific variations.

Prasna Upanishad is a late classical text of the Upanishadic corpus, part of the Atharva Veda. It is structured as a dialogue in which a student poses several questions to a sage, addressing topics such as creation, the nature of the self, breath, mind, and the ultimate principle (brahman). The text presents succinct, inquiry-driven expositions typical of Upanishadic method, contributing to discussions on epistemology and metaphysics.

Other uses of the term simply reflect its meaning as “a question” within Indian philosophical, ritual, and scholastic contexts.