Astrology is an age-old subject prevalent all over the World in some form or the other. Hindu system of Astrology is considered as a part of Vedas. A detailed study, in a formal way, is well advised for a comprehensive approach.
Knowledge of Astrology is essential to understand the intricacies of life, to plan for remedial actions. Planetary rays have effect on human life as evident from the effect of Sunrays on human body. The cosmic energy modifies bio-energy in a human being. Human activities are qualified by satwik, rajasik and tamasik qualities.
The output of human activity is classified as dharma, artha, kama, moksha. Human life is like a coin with two sides i.e. Materialistic and spiritualistic. Every day / night is good for human life. Good and bad are relative terms. A day suitable for materialistic purpose may not suit for spiritual purpose. Astrology helps to make use of time in a best way with proper planning for material / spiritual goals.
Any life guided correctly is like a nourished garden. Influence of planets on each individual is studied with the help of planetary configuration at his birth time interpolated with the transitory influence of planets on the life of that individual from, time, to time. A common doubt, in this, is when two human beings are born at the same time how the individual fate is differing and how it can be read from the same horoscope.
One’s own activities are causes of his destiny. Human being is bestowed with higher intelligence. With the acceptance of concept of rebirth and doctrine of karma, it is clear that every one carries with him the memories of previous life. Those memories qualify the activities in present life. This is explained as Sanchita (i.e. what is brought forward from previous life); Prarabdha (i.e. activities in present life); and Agami (i.e. what is to be carried over to next life). A common doubt, again, is when cosmic rays control human activity at large how the sanchita, prarabdha and agami differ. Here it is to be observed that every one is bestowed with ichha sakti (will power); gnana sakti (intelligence) and kriya sakti (human effort).
Human being with his dominating ichha sakti, gnana sakti and kriya sakti is modifying sanchita karma / defining prarabdha / qualifying agami karma. Knowledge of Astrology is needed to understand the intricacies involved and plan human activity for better results in materialistic/ spiritualistic goals. Although one need to work for materialistic goals in middle age ultimately every one has to work for spiritualistic goals. Hence suitability of time is to be known from Astrology for timely achievement of materialistic / spiritual goals.
It is essentially recommended to every reader to learn detailed techniques of casting a horoscope for comprehensive approach. Horoscope is a map of heaven at a given time, say birth time or query time, indicating the longitudinal positions of planets in natural zodiac. A broad belt of 9° on each side of the Sun’s apparent path around earth is called natural zodiac (Bhachakara). This is divided into 12 parts called signs or rasis each spreading to 30°. They are named as Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
In making a Fixed (Nirayana) zodiac and Moving (Sayana) zodiac. Hindu system mostly follows fixed (Nirayana) system. Astronomical theories followed by different astrologers resulted in different systems. The mathematical difference in fixed and moving zodiac is called as Ayanamsa. Among the duration of Ayanamsa also Astronomers and thereby Astrologers differ in the time of coincidence of moving zodiac with fixed zodiac. Prominent among the followed are Lahari ayanamsa. B.V. Raman ayanamsa, and K.P. ayanamsa.
Solar system: Planets move around Sun in their orbit in the sequence of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn. Moon moves around Earth. Rahu and Ketu are not planets. They are formed with the inter-section of planetary rays They are called shadow planets and are, however, given planetary status by classical astrologers.
Stars: According to ancient astrological cannons the zodiac is divided into 27 lunar mansions each extending to 13° 20°,. They are also called as Asterisms or stars. These mansions are grouped as triads and a planet is said to rule each triad. The names of stars, the planets that rule them and planets’ respective periods in Vimshotari dasa are as follows.
No. of the star indicate its sequential place in natural zodiac i.e.Aswini,Bharani and so on.
1.Aswini10.Makha19.Moola:Ketu – 7years
2.Bharani11.Pubba20.Purvashada:Venus – 20 years
3.Kritika12.Uttara21.Uttarashada:Sun- 6 years
4.Rohini13.Hasta22.Sravanam:Moon- 10 years
5.Mrigasira14.Chitta23.Dhanishta:Mars – 7 years
6.Arudra15.Swati24.Satabhisham:Rahu – 18 years
7.Punarvasu16.Visakha25.Purvabadhra:Jupiter – 16 years
8.Pushyami17.Anuradha26.Uttarabadhra:Saturn – 19 years
9.Aslesha18.Jyesta27.Revathi:Mercury – 17 years
Rasi Tatwa – Each sign has certain natural qualities as given below
Aries : Fiery, Movable, Odd sign, Prishtodaya, Rasi lord – Mars
Taurus : Earthy, Fixed, Even, Prishtodaya, Rasi lord – Venus
Gemini: Airy, Dual, Odd, Ubhayodaya, Rasi lord – Mercury
Cancer: Watery, Movable, Even, Prishtodaya, Rasi lord – Moon
Leo : Fiery, Fixed, Odd, Sirshodaya, Rasi lord – Sun
Virgo: Earthy, Dual, Even, Sirshodava, Rasi lord – Mercury
Libra : Airy, Movable, Odd, Sirshodaya, Rasi lord – Venus
Scorpio : Watery, Fixed, Even, Sirshodaya, Rasi lord – Mars
Sagittarius: Fiery, Dual, Odd, Prishtodaya, Rasi lord – Jupiter
Capricorn: Earthy, Movable, Even, Prishtodaya, Rasi lord -Saturn
Aquarius : Airy, Fixed, Odd, Sirshodaya, Rasi lord – Saturn
Pisces : Watery, Dual, Even, Ubhayodaya, Rasi lord – Jupiter
Bhavas
Bhava Tatwa : Natural zodiac -marked with planetary positions is devided into 12 parts called bhavas – this is within the natural division of 12 signs. Planets marked in various signs, are thus, seen in different bhavas. The first bhava is called Lagna or Ascendant. Ascendant is the raising sign, in natural zodiac, on eastern horizon at the time for which horoscope is made.
Lagna is a benchmark to commence the reading of a horoscope. Various bhavas indicate different aspects of human life as detailed below. Classical astrologers also suggest to commence reading from strongest among Lagna / Sun’s rasi / Moon’s rasi.
1st – Bhava / Lagna / Ascendent – Body, soul, general temperament;
2nd – Money, speech, family, eyes, ears, face, education, longevity;
3rd – brothers, sisters, courage, anger, idea, friends, longevity;
4th – Mother, education, vehicles, lands, immovable property, houses, face, wells, water tanks, agriculture, cattle, crops, relatives;
5th – Progeny, Education, Intelligence, Skills, Tantric skills, Speculation;
6th – Enemies, debts, diseases, service matters, competitive exams;
7th -Spouse, Marriage, lust, adultery, comfort, longevity;
8th -Longevity, death, hell, sorrow;
9th – Father, comfort, meditation, devotion, pilgrimate, kindness;
10th – Profession, Power, fame, business;
11th-Gains, elder sisters, and elder brothers, monetary gains, success, longevity;
12th – Expenditure, loss, wasteful expenses, hell.
Graha tatwa — By virtue of planet(s) ownership of rasis, stars, and mutual friendship among planets they transit in own signs, friendly / inimical signs, or exalted / debilitated signs signs or moolatrikona. The strength of a planet differs as per their transitory position. Quality of planet -graha tatwa is as follows.
Sun: Rajasic, Atmakaraka, Pitrukaraka, Profession, Courage, Power, Eyes, Pittam;
Moon : Rajasic, Mother, Mind, intelligence, beauty, water comfort, truth, silver, cold;
Mars : Tamasic, Brothers and sisters, land, courage, anger, logic, skill of using weapons, inimical, heat leadership, small pox;
Mercury: Satwik, Maths, astrology, business, medicine, skills, sculpture, cousins, philosophy, intelligence, tantric, devotion to lord Vishnu;
Jupiter: Satwik, Money, education, progeny, Astrology, Vedas, Acostics, Gold, House, Vehicle, religion, wealth, relatives, charity, Devotion to God, truth;
Venus : Rajasic, Spouse, marriage, music, art pleasures with women, lust, adultry, comfort, vehicle, wealth, power, humour;
Saturn : Tamasic, Longevity, education of mean subjects, worship of mean deities, death, bondage small pox, illegal, bad behaviour, hell, mean life, huna vidya (i.e. education of foreign language);
Rahu : Tamasic, Tanks, Maternal grand parents, Father, Poisonous medicine, mean life, mean education;
Ketu : Tamasic, Salvation, Paternal grand parents, Philosophical thinking, devotion to God, Renunciation, Knowledge.
