Jyotisha Guru, Jyotisha Pandita, Jamini Scholar

Sarbani teaches jyotisha at the Devaguru Brhapasti Centre in its Parasara Jyotisha Course (PJC) and Jaimini Scholar Programme (JSP)

President, Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC)
President, Devaguru Brhaspati Centre
Member, BAVA (British Association of Vedic Astrology)
Member, CVA (Council of Vedic Astrology).

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Beginners

  • The Fifth House The pancama bhāva or the fifth house is the place of the working of the buddhi and is the seat of the mana, representing its highest level. In the natural zodiac, the fifth house is ruled by the Sun, and hence it reflects it’s glorious persona, with the fifth lord promoting the Sun’s qualities, in advancing supreme knowledge and wisdom. It represents a person’s dhī, intelligence, mind (mana), chitta, bhakti (love/devotion), deities, worship, mantra, purvapunya and everything related to progeny, the future of mankind. Dhī and chitta signifies the understanding, the perceptive power, the reflective and meditative ability to ingest and interpret knowledge. In other words it is the discerning power to make judgements which might ultimately be moral. Vyankatesha Sharma, in the Sarvārtha Cintāmaṇi, has called this, vivekaśakti, and has identified it as one of the qualities to be seen from the fifth house. Mana, in addition to the above, is also associated with hṛdaya or the heart. Unquestionably,  it is one of the most important bhāvas in the natal horoscope and the primary trikona (trine), the ninth house being the trine of the trine. It is a very delicate house, and both benefics and malefics placed in it must be treated with fragile care, like babies (our children), which are also indicated by this bhāva. The Pentad of Creation At the beginning of Creation, when the Paramātmā desired to manifest, the foundational underpinning that was formed from the Tamoguna are the five elements or the panca mahābhūtas/tatvas: Ākāśa (Ether), Vāyu (Air), Agni (Fire), Apah (Water) and Pṛthivī (Earth). These tatvas were divided into the panca gyānendriyas (śrotra, tvak, cakṣu, jihvā and ghrāṇa) and panca karmendriyas (vāk, pāṇi, pāda, pāyu and upastha).  The gyānendriyas were composed from the Sātvikāmśas of the panca tatvas and the karmendriyas were composed from the Rajo amśas.  The entire Sātvikāmśas of the tatvas were further sub-divided into mana and buddhi. The collective Rajo amśas united to form the panca prāṇas (prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna and vyāna). These seventeen atributes comprising the five gyānendriyas, karmendriyas, prāṇas, mana and buddhi, combined to form the sukṣma śarīra[1]. The divinity in these combined attributes is known as Hiraṇyagarbha and individually in them as Taijas. This divinity, in order to fulfill the desires of these newly-born material bodies, further sub-divided the Panca Tatavas into sets of five by conmmingling the elements. It is from this pentagonic division and sub-divisions of the five Tatvas that this universe, the 14 bhuvanas (sapta lokas and sapta pātālas) and the gross body was fashioned. Hiraṇyagarbha expanded himself to his omniform within this gross body and and the Taijas manifested itself as the devatas, animals, birds and human beings to ultimatley create this world or viśva. The living beings thus born, are devoid of this higher knowledge which has led to their creation, and are instead engaged in performing actions to fulfill their desires and get caught repeatedly in the cycle of birth and re-birth. This is because the ātmā, or the born soul, deludes itself and forgets this supreme knowledge as it is enshrouded by the Panca Kośas (annamaya, prāṇamaya, manomaya, vigyānamaya and ānandamaya). The Sātvikāmśas of the panca tatvas combined with the gyānendriyas and the mana to form the Manomaya Kośa, and with the buddhi to form the Vigyānamaya Kośa. It is only with knowledge that the ātmā can perceive itself as separate from the Panca Kośas and this is known as vidyā.  It is only if they are fortunate enough, through the initiation of a guru/teacher, or otherwise to gain knowledge of this supreme Brahma tatva about the universe and the Supreme Divine, that they are able to liberate themselves from this created universe and achieve mokṣa.   This vidya or knowledge is nothing but the great phrase, tatvamasi, or “thou art that”, and the person who has attained this gyāna and has the wisdom to discern or distinguish this great truth from other trivia, is endowed with dhī. This quality and the capacity for this perceptive power and supreme knowledge is seen through the pancama bhāva.   Kārakas The kāraka for the fifth house is devaguru Jupiter, the priest of the gods, the giver of light and the supreme preceptor. Guru is he who removes the darkness of ignorance and ushers in the light of knowledge. The Sun is the actual source of brilliance, so logically the Sun removes darkness but it does so upon the intervention of Guru. Therefore, without the blessings of Guru, the mind is forever enshrouded in darkness, clouded by ignorance, until Jupiter illuminates it and grants wisdom. Hence, Jupiter is the kāraka for the fifth house and the significator for dhī, intelligence, and knowledge. Mana or the mind is capable of both good and bad thoughts. Thoughts are the seeds (beeja) for future actions; therefore, protection of the mind is extremely necessary, which is done through mantra. Good thoughts lead to good actions. For this the blessings of Jupiter should be invoked so that he fills the mind with good thoughts at all times and illuminates it with the Sun’s light, so that one is always guided by dharma, conscience and the higher perceptive power which elevates one above gloom and murk. Perhaps for this very reason, the Rig Veda has saluted the great Jupiter, telling us to adore him and worship him during our prayers, rites and rituals, so that he may bestow unending treasures, happiness and strength and give shape to all our desires and hopes. “Adore the noble and pure Bṛhaspati during sacrifices, with your hymns. May he grant unsurpassable strength in the pursuit of achieving knowledge”. So Bṛhaspati, the respected and the adorable One; the One who gives form to the world, the great and the omni form One, should be invoked and worshipped at all times. (Also, refer to Meters 4 and 6 of the above Sukta). The ninth from Jupiter brings the guru in a subject’s life. If the naisargika kāraka for the guru is Jupiter, […]

  • General Principles   The main principles, which should be kept in mind while analysing divisional charts, are the kārya rāśi, kāryeśa and the kāraka. Kārya rāśi is the sign of the house, which is the significator of the ruling activity. Kāryeśa is the lord of the concerned house in the rāśi chart. This lord will have to be well placed in both the rāśi and the concerned divisional chart in order to yield beneficial results. For instance if the kāryeśa is placed in a trine in both rāśi and the concerned division, the bhāva will flourish. Similarly, the appropriate kāraka will also have to be well placed. The Naisargika, Sthira and Chara kārakas will all need to be examined. To analyse co-born in a Drekkāṇa chart, both the 3rd lord and kāraka Mars will need to have good situational strength to show any beneficence from siblings. If Mars is placed in the 12th house, it will indicate losses in these matters.    Following the above guidelines for methods of construction and principles, one can discern the basic characteristics of a divisional chart. For example, Saptāṁśa is a regular Brahmā division, following a perfect lunar order like creation, as it is the varga, which deals with progeny. The kāryeśa is the 5th lord and the kāraka is Jupiter. Navāṁśa too is a perfect Brahmā division, relating to spouse and dharma. The 7th house, which is the 11th from the 9th, shows the spouse or dharmapatni. Hence the 7th lord is the kāryeśa and Venus is the kāraka, with Jupiter being an additional kāraka for women. Alternatively, Navāṁśa is referred to as Dharmāṁśa. Daśāṁśa, concerning a native’s work, career and profession is the realm of Śiva. All beings follow the Sun in their activities. Hence there is a break in order to show that Śiva’s principles are being followed and not Brahmā’s. The counting is done from the first house for odd signs and from the 9th house for even signs, showing this break or irregularity. Daśāṁśa is also known as Swargāṁśa and is applicable whether a native works or not. Dvādaśāṁśa too, is a regular order with a tiny break and is hence not a regular Brahmā division. Dvādaśāṁśa concerns the parents of a native, and the kāryeśa is consequently, the 4th and the 9th lords with Sun and Moon as the kārakas. The position of the Sun will thus reveal the nature of the native’s parentage, whether he is born into royalty or is a posthumous child. The kārakas for paternal grandparents are Jupiter and Ketu and the kārakas for maternal grandparents are Venus and Mercury respectively.      For finer analysis, the dignities of the planets representing kāryeśa and the kāraka will need to be examined. Their exaltation or debilitation, their placement in a friendly or inimical sign in the divisional charts will independently illuminate a situation. This should be combined with their rāśi position to achieve a composite understanding. The only exception is the Navāṁśa where planets can get both uccha and nīcha bhaṅga depending on the relative rāśi and Navāṁśa positions.   Apart from dignities and sign placements of planets, the relationships between planets will also need to be taken into account.  These relationships are varied, like yogas, sambandhas, yogāḍas (any planet that brings out an association between lagna, Horā lagna and Ghāṭikā lagna by ownership, placement or aspect), kevalas (śubhapati joining lagna or Ātmakāraka), kevala yogāḍas (śubhapati associated with lagna and Ghāṭikā lagna or lagna and Horā lagna) and kevala mahāyogāḍas (association of Horā and Ghāṭikā lagna with kevala). This implies that the śubhapati and its relationships with other planets in the different divisions play a significant role.     These abovementioned factors and principles and their relational dynamics will have to be reckoned while exploring divisional charts. These when computed with the rāśi chart findings will yield accurate results and provide a holistic picture of the life of the native.  Higher Divisional Charts Although astrologers stop short at ṣaṣṭiāṁśa when using divisional charts, there is an entire range of higher harmonics, which remain untapped. This is primarily due to the fact that not enough research has been undertaken in the potential and use of these divisions. They include the following: D-72 – Aṣṭa Navāṁśa D-81 – Nava Navāṁśa D-108 – Aṣṭottarāṁśa D-144 – Dvādaśa Dvādaśāṁśa D-150 – Nāḍiāṁśa D-300 – Ardha Nāḍiāṁśa These higher divisions operate at an ethereal level, dealing with esoteric matters such as dreams and the higher spirit self. The cognitive development of divisional charts can only be in further research in the direction of these higher harmonics, which perhaps carry the seed of unveiling the mysteries of the soul’s journey on this earth. Beyond the apparent sectoral allocations, divisional charts embody directives for the native to pursue the lessons of the soul. It contains correctives for redeeming past karma and to prevent repetitions of errors. It forewarns about the treacherous paths and indicates the curative alternatives. The study of divisional charts will therefore enable the native to make choices, to probe deeper into his psyche and his self and fathom the purposes of his existence. Take for instance Ṣoḍaśāṁśa, which deals with vehicles, luxuries and mental happiness. The conjoining of the Rāhu-Ketu axis show that to escape the nodal bind of rebirth, the pleasures or the happiness apparently indicated by this division may be ephemeral. True bliss or happiness, which can only occur with the dissolution of the self in the Paramātmā, should therefore be the only goal, while the promise of Ṣoḍaśāṁśa is only māyā.  The yoking of the nodal axis in Ṣoḍaśāṁśa is the coded message that the happiness of Ṣoḍaśāṁśa is illusory and that true happiness lies elsewhere, beyond the entrapment of the nodes, wherein fledgling lives are ensnared. Similarly, one should be able to analyse and discover the message behind each of the divisional charts.  Therein lies the true meaning of vargas.

  • The varga charts are clustered in separate groups or schemes for purposes of specific predictions, such as ṣaḍvarga, saptavarga, daśavarga, ṣoḍaṣavarga and aṣṭākavarga. Ṣaḍvarga is a group used in Praśna including the following six divisions: Rāśi, Horā, Drekkāṇa, Navāṁśa, Dvādaśāṁśa and Triṁśāṁśa. The saptavarga clusters, used for mundane astrology, include Rāśi, Horā, Drekkāṇa, Saptāṁśa, Navāṁśa, Dvādaśāṁśa and Triṁśāṁśa. Daśavarga is used universally in horoscopy comprising Rāśi, Horā, Drekkāṇa, Saptāṁśa, Navāṁśa, Daśāṁśa, Dvādaśāṁśa, Ṣoḍaṣāṁśa, Triṁśāṁśa and Ṣaṣṭiāṁśa. Finally ṣoḍaṣavarga, the varga scheme adopted by Parāśara and commonly followed in predictive astrology include the following divisions Rāśi, Horā, Drekkāṇa, Chaturthāṁśa, Saptāṁśa, Navāṁśa, Daśāṁśa, Dvādaśāṁśa, Ṣoḍaśāṁśa, Viṁśāṁśa, Chaturviṁśāṁśa, Nakṣatrāṁśa, Triṁśāṁśa, Khavedāṁśa, Akṣavedāṁśa and Ṣaṣṭiāṁśa. Originally the ṣoḍaṣavargīya scheme was reserved for royal horoscopy and has now become the universally adopted model. A slightly different scheme, which has numerical representations, is the aṣṭākavarga where dots and dashes are used to delineate the placement of planets and to determine their relative strengths as well as that of the signs. The complete set of twenty divisional charts includes Pañchamāṁśa, Ṣaṣṭhāṁśa, Aṣṭamāṁśa and Ekśdaśāṁśa in addition to the existing ṣoḍaṣavarga arrangement. Methods of Construction There are no fixed methods of calculating divisional charts. The standard method followed is that of Parāśara, a sequential counting procedure which may or may not be regular. The more uncommon method is that followed by modern researchers like Mantreśvara, where the zodiac is divided by multiples of twelve or by the number of the division.    Parāśara’s method of construction is both regular and irregular. The regular order is known as the order of Brahmā as it follows the perfect order of nature and is therefore synchronous. This order is applicable to those areas, which pertain to the living being, as it is the order of creation.  For example, Navāṁśa and Saptāṁśa are atypical Brahmā divisions. In Saptāṁśa, each sign is divided into seven parts. For odd signs, the counting begins from the same sign and for even signs it begins from its 7th sign. In the case of Navāṁśa, the signs are divided in to nine parts or the 108 padas of the 27 nakṣatras.  The counting begins from the same sign for odd signs, from the 9th for even signs and from the 5th for dual signs.    The irregular or ‘jumping’ movement is appropriate for those divisions, which pertain to the non-living world, the soulless, inanimate objects which men relentlessly pursue. For example, in Drekkāṇa, where the sign is divided into three parts, the first part is the sign itself, the second is the 5th form it and the third, the 9th from it. In Chaturthāṁśa, where a sign is divided in four parts, the counting is done from the sign, followed by the 4th, 7th and 10th signs from it. These therefore do not belong to the Brahmā division, which is the regular order of counting, as they do not relate to issues, which follow the natural rhythms of the universe.    A significant point to note is that many of the divisions have multiple methods of construction, like the Horā and the Drekkāṇa. Drekkāṇa may be constructed in four different ways, namely, the abovementioned Parāśarī method, the Parivṛttitraya Drekkāṇa, the Somnāth Drekkāṇa and the Jagannāth Drekkāṇa. The Somnāth and Parivṛttitraya Drekkāṇa follow a regular pattern of counting while the Jagannāth Drekkāṇa is a different form of the Parāśarī method. These different Drekkāṇas may be used for distinct purposes. Although the Drekkāṇa is to be seen for the co-born, it can also be seen for the self. In that case, the Parivṛttitraya Drekkāṇa would be suitable for inquiry of the self while the Parāśara Drekkāṇa would be more applicable while analysing relations with siblings. This is because each bhāva is kāraka for miscellaneous factors and if one wishes to fine-tune the divisional chart, then the appropriate method of construction will clarify the matter further.    Following Parāśara, the sixteen commonly used divisional charts are as follows:   Horā: Horā is the division of each sign in two halves or Horās, ruled alternatively by the Sun and the Moon. Based on the distance between the Sun and the earth, the zodiac is divided in half across 0°Leo and 0°Aquarius, into equal halves of light and darkness or solar and lunar halves. The solar half or Surya Horā is from Leo to Capricorn and the lunar half or the Chandra Horā is from Cancer to Aquarius in an anti-zodiacal direction. The Horā charts are constructed by assigning the first half of odd signs, 0°-15° to the lordship of the Sun and the second half, 16°-30°, to the rulership of the Moon. For even signs, the first half is the Chandra Horā and the second half is the Surya Horā. The Sun and Moon therefore own adjoining signs in their Horās. The Horā chart is used for seeing the wealth of the native.   Drekkāṇa: Drekkāṇa, otherwise known as the trine division, is the one third division of a sign. Hence there are 36 Drekkāṇas measuring 10 degrees each. The 1st Drekkāṇa is owned by the sign itself, the 2nd by the sign fifth from it and the 3rd by the sign 9th from it.  So for Aries lagna, the first three Drekkāṇas will be Aries, Leo and Sagittarius and the next three will be Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Drekkāṇa charts are seen for co-born and siblings as well as for the self.   Chaturthāṁśa:  This is the one fourth division of a sign, with each division measuring 7° 30´.  The first division is the sign itself, the second is the sign fourth from it, the third is the 7th sign and the fourth is the 10th sign. So for Aries lagna, the first four divisions will be Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Chaturthāṁśa is useful for a variety of matters such as home, property, mother, happiness, vehicles and formal education. Alternatively this division is also known Turīyāṁśa.   Saptāṁśa: Each sign is divided into seven divisions of 4° 17´. The counting is sequential, starting from the sign itself for odd signs and from the 7th sign for even signs. For Aries lagna, the first seven divisions will be from Aries to Libra and the next seven from Scorpio to Taurus. The division is used for seeing progeny.   Navāṁśa: The most important division after the rāśi, Navāṁśa is the one ninth division of a sign. Each sign is divided into nine divisions of 3° 20´ each. The counting begins from the sign itself for movable signs, from the 9th sign for fixed signs and from the 5th sign for dual signs. So for Aries it will begin from Aries, for Taurus from Capricorn and for Gemini from Libra.  Navāṁśa is renowned for being the rāśi of the spouse but more importantly, it delineates the spiritual development of the native by identifying his path and objects of worship. Hence it is also known as Dharmāṁśa.   Daśāṁśa: Daśāṁśa or Swargāṁśa is the tenfold divisions of a sign, measuring 3° each. The counting begins from the same sign for odd signs and from the 9th sign […]

  • The twelve signs therefore, are divided and sub-divided in different fractions, the sequence of which gets repeated after every twelve divisions. Each cycle of twelve divisions represent a ‘harmonic’ depicting the various levels of consciousness, both gross and subtle, which exists in the life of a person. The first cycle of divisional charts from D-1 to D-12 represent the physical plane. They cover the various aspects of the physical realities of a person such as the body itself (D-1, Rāśi), wealth (D-2, Horā), co-born or siblings (D-3, Drekkāṇa), properties and fortune (D-4, Chaturthāṁśa), progeny (D-7, Saptāṁśa), spouse (D-9, Navāṁśa), profession, career and work (D-10, Daśāṁśa) and parents (D-12, Dvādaśāṁśa). Of these, the Rāśi (D-1), Drekkāṇa (D-3) and Navāṁśa (D-9) are considered to be the most important in analyzing a horoscope. The next cycle is the first harmonic of the previous cycle, covering divisions from D-13 to D-24. This represents the conscious plane, depicting the various existential conditions of a person. Although technically 12 divisions are possible in each cycle, Parāśara’s format of ṣoḍaṣavarga or the 16 kinds of divisions of each sign is being followed here. In this format, the three divisions of Kālāṁśa (D-16), Viṁśāṁśa (D-20) and Chaturviṁśāṁśa or Siddhāṁśa (D-24) are generally used, as the primary divisions to be studied in this cycle. Kālāṁśa is the first harmonic of the Chaturthāṁśa showing luxuries, vehicles and mental happiness. Viṁśāṁśa deals with the spiritual life of a person while Chaturviṁśāṁśa deals with higher learning. This cycle therefore refers to the higher existential activities of a person after crossing the first rung of gross material conditions. The third cycle or the second harmonic, covering D-25 to D-36, relates to the sub-conscious plain. These explore the factors, which lie in the sub-conscious region and unconsciously influence the mind. They represent inherent weaknesses and strengths (D-27, Nakṣatrāṁśa) and all forms of evils that might besiege a person (D-30, Triṁśāṁśa). The fourth cycle or third harmonic ranging from D-37 to D-48 deals with past karma, which is inherited as ancestral legacy. The important divisions in this cycle are D-40 or Khavedāṁśa representing matrilineal legacy and D-45 or Akṣavedāṁśa representing patrilineal legacy. This is the super-conscious plane. The final harmonic is that of the supra-conscious plane from D-49 to D-60. This shows the accumulated karma from past births, which a person carries with him like a legacy. In this context Ṣaṣṭiāṁśa or D-60 is the most relevant division.

  • एकोऽव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुर्नादिः प्रभुरीश्वरः। शुद्धसत्व जगत्स्वामी निर्गुणास्त्रिगुणान्वितः॥ eko’vyaktātmako viṣṇurnādiḥ prabhurīśvaraḥ| śuddhasatvao jagatsvāmī nirguṇāstriguṇānvitaḥ||  Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāśtra, sṛṣṭikramakathanādhyāya, śloka 13 The Beginning  In the beginning there was the great Void. The five primordial elements or the pañca bhūtas, the fourteen lokas or the caturdaśa bhuvanas, the Universe, dyu and Space, water and air, sound, and light nothing existed. There was neither death nor life, no day nor night, neither beginning nor end. There existed only the one Brahmaṇ, immersed in the mire of dark ignorance and undivided from its Māyā, formless and without any attributes or qualities. Then Parameśvara Brahma desired to create, and upon this desire, creation took place and the Universe unfolded.1 The Supreme Being appeared with qualities and attributes; its creative energy latent within was stirred and activated, and manifested itself, to eventually give birth to this splendorous world.  Śakti and the Emergence of the Guṇas  This creative impulse is called śakti, and the first attributes or qualities to manifest, are known as the Guṇas. It is an impulse inherent within the Brahmaṇ or the Divine Absolute, which activates the process of creation, sustains the universe, and then subsequently destroys it. It is not only the primordial energy but also the material matrix itself in which the manifest world is grounded and, in that sense, śakti is at once latent and manifest, both static and kinetic. It is the manifestation of the unmanifest, great void of the nirguṇa Brahmaṇ as the five gross elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth, the triptychs of heat, water, food; red, white and black; the sattva, rajas and tāmas; the sixteen vikāras and the twenty-four tattvas. Śakti is speech as śabda brahmaṇ, the masculine as puruṣa and the all-pervading Omnipresence as cit or consciousness. The first qualities or attributes of the Brahmaṇ that is discernible the moment the latent śakti is activated are the three guṇas: sattva, rajas and tāmas. The guṇas are in equilibrium before creation, lying dormant in the Primordial Nature, but as the Parameśvara desires to create, this desire itself activates the tamo guṇa, and this brings alive the latent guṇas and manifests them. Rajo guṇa is stimulated and it is this rajas that creates the material world. Finally, sattva guṇa is animated to sustain the created universe. These three guṇas constitute Prakṛti from which the twenty-four tattvas evolved. In its latent, unmanifest, existence-less state, the Brahmaṇ is known as nirguṇa that is, one who is bereft or devoid of guṇas and once the latent śakti is galvanized and the guṇas emerge, it is known as saguṇa, that is, one who is endowed with the guṇas. Prakṛti is therefore by nature characterized by the three guṇas, as she comes into being with the emergence of the guṇas; hence she is known as guṇamayī (one who is full of guṇas) or triguṇatmikā (one whose ātmā comprises of the three guṇas).  Parāśara: Vāsudeva, the Three Śaktis and the Three Guṇas  Parāśara inaugurates his monumental work the Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra with the description of this unmanifest and manifest aspect of the Brahman (see śloka on top of page 1). He writes that the One, unmanifest Ātmā, who does not have a beginning or end, the God of all beings, the Lord of the Universe, Viṣṇu, is both without the guṇas as well as endowed with them. He then proceeds to give a beautiful depiction of this process in the first chapter of the Bṛhat Parāśara which is devoted to the theory of Creation, thereby indicating the significance of the knowledge of scriptural and philosophical principles prior to the study of horā śāstra. The unmanifest Brahmaṇ is Vāsudeva and as his creative impulse, his śakti assumes three hues according to the guṇas associated with them. It is as if each śakti activates a particular guṇa and then riding it is manifested.  The three śaktis are Śrī Śakti, Bhū Śakti and Nīla Śakti and they respectively activate the sattva, rajas and tamo guṇas.  Vāsudeva is therefore saguṇa now and his three aṅśas which are replete with the guṇas and the śakti are known as Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Saṅkarṣaṇa.  Parāśara has visualized this process as a quadrant, probably a precursor to his later thoughts on the kendras, or probably to the scriptural reference of Narayana as connected with all that is associated with the number four. Of the quadrant, one quarter is Vāsudeva as the unmanifest Absolute Brahmaṇ, while the other three quarters are his manifest, saguṇa selves as Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Saìkarṣaṇa2. Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva are the ahaṇkāra mūrtis of the three guṇas. United with Śrī śakti he is Viṣṇu and sustains the universe, with Bhū śakti he is Brahmā and creates the material world and with Nīla śakti he is Śiva and destroys all creation at the time of pralaya.  Vāsudeva and his śaktis are also known as Puruṣa and Prakṛti, with Puruṣa representing the latent, eternal aspect and Prakṛti the changing and ever-evolving flux constantly manifesting herself in differing ways.   प्रद्युम्नो रजसा शक्त्याऽनिरुद्धः सत्वयायुतः। महान् संकर्णज्जातः प्रद्युम्नाद्यदहः कृतिः॥ अनिरुद्धात् स्वयम् जातो ब्रह्माहंकार् मुर्तिधिक्। सर्वेषु सर्वशक्तिश्च स्वशक्त्याधिकया युतः॥ pradyumnou rajasā śaktyā’niruddhaḥ satvayāyutaḥ| mahān saṁkarṇajjātaḥ pradyumnādyadahaḥ kṛtiḥ|| aniruddhāt svayam jāto brahmāhaṁkār murtidhik| sarveṣu sarvaśaktiśca svaśaktyādhikayā yutaḥ|| Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāśtra, sṛṣṭikramakathanādhyāya, śloka 15-16 It is from the distortions or the vikāras of these guṇas that the twenty-four tattvas which include the Mahat, Buddhi, Ahaṇkāra, the Pañca Tanmātrās, the Pañca Mahābhūtas, the Daśa Indriyas and the Mana from which both the animate and inanimate worlds are created. This created; manifestation of the Supreme Being is Prakṛti. The Grahas and the Guṇas  The planets as created bodies embody the guṇas and the tattvas. The guṇas and tattvas of the planets indicate their true nature or essence and manifest themselves at particular times.  During the time of the manifestation of the planet, the prevailing guṇa will surface. The guṇas of the planets as given by Parāśara is as follows: जीवसूर्येन्दवः सत्त्वं बुधशुक्रौ रजस्तथा। सूर्यपुत्रधरापुत्रौ तमःप्रकतिकौ द्विज॥ jīvasūryendavaḥ sattvaṁ budhaśukrau rajastathā | sūryaputradharāputrau tamaḥprakatikau dvija || Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāśtra, sṛṣṭikramakathanādhyāya, śloka 22 Jīva (Jupiter), Sūrya (Sun) and Indu (Moon) are sātvik planets, Budha (Mercury) and Śukra (Venus) are rājasik while Sūryaputra (Saturn) and Dharāputra (Mars) are the tāmasik planets.  The signs owned by these planets assume the guṇas of their lords. Cancer, Leo, Sagittarius and Pisces are the sātvik rāśis, Taurus, Gemini, Virgo and Libra are the rājasik rāśis and Aries, Scorpio, Capricorn and Aquarius are the tāmasik rāśis. Figure 2  Brahma as the ahaṇkāra mūrti of rajas guṇa creates an animate and an inanimate world. The animate world is created by Venus while the inanimate world is created by Mercury. Venus gives life as it rules the bīja or semen from which the tree sprouts, while Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun, is ruled by pṛthvī tattva or the earth element. For the creation of non-living beings changes are required in the solid state which is brought about by Mercury. The destruction of creation is done by the two tāmasik planets, with Mars being the destroyer of the non-living world and Saturn being the significator of the one who brings about the destruction of the living world. Saturn therefore is also the significator of disease and when Saturn and Mars aspect or are associated with 3rd from AL, death becomes very painful. Sun, Moon and Jupiter as the three sātvik planets sustain the creation. The Sun sustains by being the supplier of all resources and making sure they are always available. The Moon creates the need or the demand for these resources while Jupiter enables the utilization of the resources, thereby ensuring that the demand and the supply are balanced. The rājasik planets consume a high dose of energy as agni is required for […]

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  • Nāma Brahma Tatva of Acyuta Once, while immersed in samādhi, Acyuta Dās[1] was blessed with the divine vision of the Supreme Absolute, the Niraṅkara Nārāyaṇa and seizing this opportunity he wished to be graced with the precious knowledge of Nāma Tatva.  Upon which, the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa Jagannāth imparted the philosophy of Nāma or names. The Emergence of Aum In the beginning there was the great Void or Śunya (zero). The five primordial elements or the pañca bhūtas, the 14 lokas or the caturdaśa bhuvanas, the Universe, dyu and Space, water and air, sound and light nothing existed. There was neither death nor life, no day nor night, neither beginning nor end. There existed only the one Brahmaṇ, immersed in the mire of dark ignorance and undivided from its Māyā, formless and without any attributes or qualities. Then from this Śunya, the Parameśvara desired to create, and upon this desire, creation took place and the Universe unfolded.[2] The Supreme Being appeared with qualities and attributes; its creative energy latent within was stirred and activated, and manifested itself, to eventually give birth to this splendorous world. Niraṅkara Nārāyaṇa commenced his teaching by advising Acyuta not to run after that which is gross (sthula) in the form of the pañca bhūta (the five elements) and instead focus the mind on the subtle (sukṣma) in the form of the pañca tanmātrā. These five tatvas and bhūtas are the primary essentials among the 24 tatvas that created this material world[3]. This physical world was created by ichā or desire, which was expressed in the bindu (dot), which is the principle creator. The desire to create lies latent in the bindu and as it develops, moha[4] is generated, particularly for the created object. The energy that is required to liberate the latent creative potency dormant in the bindu and manifest itself into the created world is śakti, the divine feminine principle.  It is an impulse inherent within the Śunya, which activates the process of creation (A), sustains (U) the universe and then subsequently destroys (M) it. Motivated by this desire or ichā, the bindu fell through the sky as a smoky ashy hue (dhumra varṇa), and the guṇas (essential attributes/qualities of creation in the form of satva, rajas and tāmas) were activated. Astrologically, this can be translated as a Jupiter-Ketu combination, Ketu representing smoke and Jupiter the all binding ether element or ākāśa tatva and together it created life or can be denoted as creation itself. As ichā mobilized the guṇas and changed them, the bindu changed colour from ash to blue and then to red. These three colours are the three ­­śaktis, Bhū, Śrī and Nīla and the three guṇas satva, rajas and tāmas. These three śaktis came together and ichā or desire was manifested as Aum. Table 1 In reality, the śaktis are undifferentiated from the Aum, for it is not only the primordial energy but also the material matrix itself in which the manifest world is grounded and, in that sense, śakti is at once latent and manifest, both static and kinetic. The bindu’s manifestation as the Aum is the first manifestation of the material world and this is Brahma. From Aum the 14 types of knowledge emerged, beginning with the four Vedas and from this knowledge the caturdaśa bhuvanas (14 realms/worlds) were created, of which seven are lokas, the heavenly realms while the other seven are the talas or the underworlds. The seven lokas are ruled by Jupiter and the seven talas by Venus, the two gurus of the zodiac. In this manner, from the great void of nothingness or Śunya, Aum emerged and eventually it merges back into the nothing and this flow of emergence and dissolution is the līlā (play) of the Paramātmā and is the path of mokṣa. “Meditate upon this Aum”, Acyuta writes, “as this is Nirākāra Brahmā.” Aum is the first name of God and the first stage of manifestation. The only truth that manifests is this name of God and that is Aum. The name is the only truth as nothing else will remain and nothing else is real.  All siddhas and yogis meditate upon this Aum, which is the only truth. It is only Aum which is replete with satva guṇa and binds the universe. The strength of the name enabled the sādhus to comprehend the mysteries of the entire creation and to reach vaikunṭha or Viṣṇu loka. From this one name Aum, the other names of God emerged and the first to appear were Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara. The Emergence of Svaras or the Alphabet The first manifestation of creation was in the subtle plane, at the level of the tanmātrās, and this was śabda or sound as Aum, which is ruled by Jupiter. Table 2 Aum is the Paramātmā or the Supreme Being as Śabda or Nāda Brahmaṇ and from Aum, the other sounds or svaras materialized. The first svaras to appear were the 16 vowels: Table 3: The 16 vowels   These 16 vowels were formed as a 16 petalled lotus in the viśuddha or throat cakra by Śiva, in the centre of which rests the Amṛta Kalaśa or the Pot of Immortal Nectar. Śiva as Mṛtyunjaya, (He who has conquered death) manifests Himself as Amṛteśvarī, or the Goddess of Immortality and at sunrise each day, a drop of nectar falls from the Pot to the base of the mouth, rejuvenating the jivātmā. It is as if one dies each night when one goes to sleep and is reborn next morning by the nectar that drips down the throat at dawn from the Amṛta Kalaśa. Lord Mṛtyunjaya gives new life each morning after the daily death of nightly sleep. Each day thus is like a fresh cycle of creation and destruction, with the creative process commencing with the materialization of sound. It is the macrocosmic drama being played out at a microcosmic level. Sound at the microcosmic level of the jivātmā appears as svara in the viśuddha cakra in the […]

  • Definitions Ārūḍha means to mount, rise, bestride, like mounting a horse or to ascend, or elevate. In jyotiṣa terminology it is used to describe a secondary self (mounted selves or selves which bestride the original self) or image that is mounted or superimposed upon the real self. This superimposed self often exists in a parallel plane to the real self; but can become so real as to blur the distinction between the real and the projected, to the extent the native can forget his true self and imagine the projection to be the truth. These superimposed selves are multiple, depending upon the various aspects of our lives. So we can have multiple selves projected in different arenas of life, whereby our college friends, our families and colleagues can have different pictures of the same person. The real self is the Lagna and the superimposed self is the Ārūḍha Lagna. The multiple superimposed selves in the different arenas of life are the different ārūḍha padas. Hence, in the eastern Indian traditions, horoscopes are to be analyzed from the Lagna, Ārūḍha Lagna and the Ātmakāraka to get a complete and correct understanding of the chart. Human personalities, therefore, are a collage of real and created images, a mixture of that which is actual and illusionary, satya and māyā. Hence ārūḍhas are associated with māyā. The literal definition of māyā is that which is an illusion, deceit, supernatural tricks or sorcery, fraud, an apparition. The illusionary city of Lankā was built by the demon Maya at Rāvaṇa’s behest. The root of the term however, can be traced back to the Advaita teachings of the Upanishads, which holds the satya sanātana nirguṇa Brahmaṇ to be the only truth of the Universe, while the rest was held to be nothing but an illusion or māyā. This facet of the Paramātman, which manifests itself to create the vast and beautiful created universe, is known as its śakti, deified as the Great Goddess Mahāmāyā. It is therefore, not surprising, that the Moon, the planet representing the Divine Mother, is the karaka for Ārūḍha Lagna.   The Moon and the Ārūḍha Mother is the mind as represented by the Moon. The image that we have of the mother in our mind is a warm, secure home created by her. Hence the ārūḍha of the fourth house is the image that we have of our mother and home. If the ārūḍha is associated with the asura grahas Venus, Saturn and Mercury, a strong matrilineage is indicated. If the A4 is associated with the sura grahas Sun, Moon, Jupiter and Mars, then the patrilineage will be strong. If there is a doubt regarding a native’s lagna, then one way to check the chart is to ascertain the lineage through A4. Chart 1: Patrilineage      The ārūḍha pada of the 4th house is not conjunct any planets; so we take the lord Mars, a sura planet, conjoined exalted Moon and Mercury. The patrilineage dominates. Chart 2: Matrilineage     In this case too, the A4 is not associated any planets. The lord of A4 is Venus, an asura planet, indicating the matrilineage to be very strong. This is an added tool to be looked into while examining parental lineage. Reversing Images The Moon does not have light of its own but basks in reflected light. In physics, the concept of the pin-hole camera illustrates how images are created by reflected light, whereby the reflected light forms a duplicate image by reversing the original. In a similar manner, images captured by our eyes are reversed in our brain. The Sun and the Moon give the light to see the image but Rāhu and Ketu in our brains reverse that image by turning it upside down. The qualitative aspect of these images is brought about by the nodes. Each event in our lives is stored in our brain in groups of images and emotions related to the event. These groups are twelve in number and are the twelve ārūḍha padas. To get to the satya of each event, one will have to reverse each image stored in the brain. Parāśara and other astrologers use the concept of reversals in the context of spirituality. The first step in our quest of truth is the reversal of the images in our brain; to them around so that they right side up. Māyā is reversed by the following specific planets and the deities associated with them: Chart 3: Sri Ramakrishna In the chart of Sri Ramakrishna, Jupiter is in Ārūḍha Lagna. Saturn is his lagna lord exalted in the ninth house and he was born in śukla Dvitīyā. Thākur in his quest for complete sublimation into the Absolute Divine was seeking to annihilate his material and worldly identity. The planet which will reverse the Ārūḍha is Saturn, from the scheme given in the above table. It is a well known fact that he was an ardent worshipper of Kāli, in whom he had completely dissolved himself. Chart 4: SJC Student This chart belongs to an SJC student. Similar to Thākur, she has Jupiter as the lord of the Ārūḍha Lagna conjoined A7, belongs to a Saturn’s lagna and is born on śukla Dvitīyā. She was going through a terrible marriage where she was physically and verbally abused by her husband, who was also a sadomasochist. There are ample combinations in the chart to support this, into which we are not focusing at present. In the process she was reduced to a dithering heap, with her soul smothered and her confidence shattered. In order for her to take any steps to redress the situation, she had to be mentally strong to tackle the situation. The remedy that was prescribed for her was the reversal of her Ārūḍha.  She too has lagna lord Saturn placed in Kumbha. She was advised the worship of Kāli, to whom she was deeply attracted. Kāli gave her the tremendous strength necessary to emerge from the nefarious situation, and she is now […]

  • Introduction The Sun, resplendent and glorious in his twelve forms, as the ruler of the day and the lord of the grahas, is the controller of Kāla or Time. The three navels of his amazing one-wheeled chariot are the triptych of kālas, bhūta, bhaviṣya and vartamān (past, future and present) and the different kāla sankhyās or the measurements of time like kṣaṇ, muhūrta, divasa, rātri, pakṣa, māsa, saṁvatsara, ṛtu, ayana and yugas are the different parts of his chariot. The Sun determines another three-fold division of time, sṛṣṭi, sthiti and pralaya and as Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, he governs the Wheel of Time or the Kāla Cakra, within whose spokes, every living being is caught. Time as governed by the Sun in the Hindu philosophical tradition, is cyclical, unlike modern mathematical time that is linear. Without Āditya, there can be no kāla or measurement of time and without kāla there can be no order in the universe. The Sun’s basic measurement of time on earth is from sunrise to sunrise, as it traverses the complete round of the twelve rāśīs, demarcating the period into day and night, aho and rātri, as the Sun is invisible for one half of the time period. Together it is known as ahorātri, from which the word ‘Horā’ has sprung to denote the study of jyotish as Horā Śāstra. So the Sun’s movement around the dvādas rāśīs is the fundamental unit of time in the life of a living being. This is Time that is perfectly ordered and regular, and that which follows the path of Brahma. This ordered Time is known as Yama. He is dharma personified and is a son of Sūrya. Yet there is another Time, another son of the same Sūrya, that is irregular, and that does not follow dharma. It functions from midnight to midnight and heralds all that is inauspicious and malevolent. This is Mahākāla, and he is predominant in Kali Yuga, as dharma’s presence is weak during this period. Yama’s time includes destruction and death but as mere events, like the dance of Śiva which signifies pralaya and is the culmination of all creation as per nature’s law. Mahākala’s destruction is demonic and evil. If Yama is death, then Kāla is apamṛtyu. The Kāla Cakra is mapped on to the Dik Cakra, beginning with the Sun in the East, followed by Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Moon and ending with Rāhu in the north eastern direction. If the Dik Cakra or the Wheel of Direction, which is manned by the ten dikpālas and lorded by Indra, depict the constructive side of life, the Kāla Cakra, the Wheel of Time, portrays the destructive events that can occur in an individual’s life. Where Dik as Direction or gati is positive, Kāla as time is negative. Figure 1: Kāla Cakra Basics Yama was blessed by his father and became known as Dharmarāja and attained the lordship of one of the dikas as a lokapāla. Mahākāla did severe penance and attained ‘grahatva’ and became better known as Śanaiścara. Yama is the son of Sūrya from Sangyā, while Mahākāla is the son of Sangyā’s shadow self, Chāyā. Since the basic unit of regular time is the Sun’s cyclical movement across the zodiac, as depicted by Yama, the lagna, or the commencing point of the Sun’s movement is known variously as Sangyā, the point of creation. The 24 hours starting from the Sun’s movement from Sangyā are divided into 8 yamas, each spanning for 3 hours. Each half of a yama is known as a kāla, measuring 1½ hours, thereby creating 16 kālas in a day.  Each kāla is ruled by a planet starting with the day lord and subsequently it follows the order of the Kāla Cakra from Sun to Rāhu. The 8 kālas which exist from sunset to sunrise begin with the 7th planet from the vāra lord in the Kāla Cakra. Figure 2: Kāla Table Day: Sunrise to Sunset A.M. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 6-7:30 Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn 7:30-9 Mars Rāhu Jupiter Venus Mercury Saturn Moon 9-10:30 Jupiter Sun Mercury Saturn Venus Moon Rāhu 10:30-12 Mercury Mars Venus Moon Saturn Rāhu Sun 12-1:30 Venus Jupiter Saturn Rāhu Moon Sun Mars 1:30-3 Saturn Mercury Moon Sun Rāhu Mars Jupiter 3-4:30 Moon Venus Rāhu Mars Sun Jupiter Mercury 4:30-6 Rāhu Saturn Sun Jupiter Mars Mercury Venus Night: Sunset to Sunrise P.M. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 6-7:30 Venus Jupiter Saturn Rāhu Moon Sun Mars 7:30-9 Saturn Mercury Moon Sun Rāhu Mars Jupiter 9-10:30 Moon Venus Rāhu Mars Sun Jupiter Mercury 10:30-12 Rāhu Saturn Sun Jupiter Mars Mercury Venus 12-1:30 Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn 1:30-3 Mars Rāhu Jupiter Venus Mercury Saturn Moon 3-4:30 Jupiter Sun Mercury Saturn Venus Moon Rāhu 4:30-6 Mercury Mars Venus Moon Saturn Rāhu Sun   The Kāla of a planet is a period when its negativity manifests and the planet attempts to seize or grasp the native. A person having an afflicted planet ought to worship the śakti associated with that planet during its kāla. For example, there can be no better remedy for a person with an afflicted Rāhu, to worship Durgā during Rāhu Kāla. Similarly, the śaktis of the other planets are to be worshipped during the kāla of the planet representing them. Constructing the Kāla Cakra The Praśna Mārga in ślokas 82-84, details the construction of the Kāla Cakra.  The cakra is constructed by drawing three concentric squares and then drawing four lines to connect the various points in these squares. Two lines are drawn diagonally, connecting the four corners. The other two are drawn vertically and horizontally dividing the box in four quarters. In aggregation, all four lines divide the entire box into eight triangles. The eight points on the outer periphery represent the eight directions, with the top middle point being East, followed by South East, South, South West, West, North West, North and North East, moving in a clockwise direction. Finally […]

  • Guru गुरुभक्तिसमायुक्तः पुरुष्ज्ञो विशेषतः। एवं लक्षणसम्पन्नो गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥ गुशब्दस्तबन्धकारः स्यात् रुशब्दस्तन्निरोधकः। अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥ gurubhaktisamāyuktaḥ puruṣjño viśeṣataḥ| evaṁ lakṣaṇasampanno gururityabhidhīyate|| guśabdastabandhakāraḥ syāt ruśabdastannirodhakaḥ| andhakāranirodhitvāt gururityabhidhīyate|| ___ Advaya Tāraka Upaniṣad Translation: He who has devotion for his guru and in particular, has knowledge of the Puruṣa, the Supreme Self, holds the signs of a guru. The syllable gu signifies darkness. The syllable ru signifies the elimination of darkness. Since he possesses the ability to remove that darkness, he is called guru. There are many types of gurus such as śikṣā gurus and dīkṣā gurus. Śikṣā gurus teach a vast array of subjects pertaining to different branches of knowledge related to parā vidyā or knowledge that does not necessarily lead one to mokṣa. Every subject has a separate śikṣā guru. These gurus are variously known as adhyāpaka, upādhyāya and ācārya. Some merely impart textual knowledge, while others, namely the ācārya, provides commentaries and analyses. Yet there are others, those elusive beings, those much enlightened souls who teach us about dharma. These are the venerable dikṣā gurus, whose task is to show us the way, unlock doors leading to mokṣa, unfurl the petals of the lotuses within us and kindle us with the spark that is glowing eternal within them. Their mere presence causes a magical shift in our lives; their mercy having the ability to remove the burden of sins accumulated through past lives. Dikṣā can be of many types such as mantra dikṣā, whereby a guru gives instructions on specific mantras or rituals. It is a limited role, and in this case he is not a purveyor of spiritual paths nor the beacon who shows higher realms within and without. The dharma dikṣā alone is the highest dikṣā and the guru who imparts this is one’s true spiritual guru or master. The Ninth House The ninth house or the Dharma Bhāva is known as Lakṣmī sthāna. It is the real protector of the individual, controlling his past, present and future, his conduct and principles, and thereby his fortunes. It signifies religion, dharma, principles, norms, conduct, temples, father, teacher, guru, higher studies and knowledge, long distance travel and pilgrimages amongst a variety of significations. It has argalā on most of the houses in the horoscope, as a result of which it is an important controlling house, especially because it is the bhāgya sthāna and signifies fortune. It holds the entire karma of the past life and hence remedies for the atonement of past life karma are rooted through Mūlā nakṣatra, inherent in Dhanu rāśi, the 9th house of the Kālapuruṣa. The happiness of the 9th house is in sadgati – as the 12th house is the 4th from the 9th _ the feet will go towards that which is good and true, towards the paramam padam of Viṣṇu. The 9th and the 12th houses are ruled by Jupiter indicating two major deities – Śiva and Viṣṇu. Śiva is dharma and Dhanu rāśi has the dharma of upholding truth. Dhanu does not welcome anything inauspicious. Only Jupiter is welcome as Jupiter alone can uphold the dharma of Śiva. All houses follow the 9th house and are under its control. It is the abode of Śiva, the parameṣṭhi guru. The purging of our miseries and the atonement of past life karma can only be possible through dikṣā at the feet of one’s guru. Souls indicated by the 9th lord: father, teachers, spiritual master – are gurus, without whose blessings, our life remains locked; rajju bandha, as if tied in chains and ropes, till the guru shows his mercy and whispers the magic words in our ear. It is thus crucial to examine the planets in and associated with the ninth house from the lagna and the kārakāṁśa and the ninth lords from the lagna and kārakāṁśa. The ninth lord represents divinity and the planets associated with it have an overpowering impact on the direction of the fortune of the native. The 9th lord is not only the carrier of dharma but the carrier of our past life karma. Śikṣā Guru To determine one’s guru for a particular subject, one must see the 9th house from the kāraka of the said subject. For example, if the subject is mathematics, one must see the 9th house from Ketu in a chart to see the guru who will teach mathematics. For a poetry guru, one must see the 9th house form Venus. For a yoga guru, one must see the 9th house from Saturn. Planets Subjects Sun Scriptures, Spirituality, Musical Instruments, Governance, Leadership, Fencing, Vedanta, Bhagavat Gita Moon Vocal music, Cooking, Nursing, Housekeeping, Hospitality, Gemology, Oceanology, Dairy Farming, Medicine, Ayurveda, History Mars Defence, Engineering, Metallurgy, Technology, Hardware, Surgery, Occult, War, Agnihotra, Black Magic, Alchemy, Nuclear Science, Energy, Jousting, Logic Mercury Linguistics, Law, Advocacy, Accountancy, Book Keeping, Journalism, Yoga, Acting, Software Programming, Language, Geography, Botany, Sculpting, Weaving, Trade, Tailoring, Dress Making, Pottery, Architecture, Graphic Design, Dialectics, Media and Communications Jupiter Scriptures, Priest, Veda, Spirituality, Theology, Mantras, Clergy, Banking, Finance, Teaching, Classical Language, Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa, Philosophy, Grammar Venus Poetry, Art, Photography, Cinematography, Movie Making, Event Management, Management, Business Administration, Chemistry Saturn Traditional Knowledge, Archery Rāhu Mining, Diplomacy, Mantra Śāstra, Mathematics, Science, Archery, Mechanist, Bomb Making Ketu Army, Microsurgery, Acupuncture, Dentistry, Watch making, Elephant taming, Astrology, Mathematics Planets in trines to the navāṁśa lagna, smoothens the process of receiving and digesting the knowledge of the concerned subject. If this trine is an Agni trikoṇa, then the knowledge shall be imbibed easily. Planets in the navāṁśa lagna or the kārakāṁśa or the two houses flanking them, that is the 2nd and 12th houses, have the strongest impact of imparting the knowledge of the subjects it represents. A Venus in the 1st, 2nd and 12th from the navāṁśa lagna, will give a person an artistic bent of mind, a strong inclination and aptitude for the arts, poetry, for visualization. Gati The soul has a gati which is given by the dikṣā guru. Dā means ‘to give’ and kṣi means ‘to destroy’. Dikṣā gives […]