Saturday, September 4, 2010

KN Rao


Kotamraju Narayana Rao) retired from the Indian Audit and counts Service as Director General in November 1990. He is the second of the four sons of thefamous journalist of the pre-independence era, K. Rama Rao, the founder editor of the National Herald and editor of more than thirty journals in his long journalistic career.

Rao was initiated into astrology by his late mother, K. Saraswani Devi, at the age of twelve in 1943. He regards her as the best astrologer he has known in two areas, marriage and children and prashna (horary).


Rao was a lecturer in English before joining the government service through an all-India competition in 1957. He joined the Indian Audit and Accounts Service from which he retired as Director General in November 1990.

More interested in games and sports than in astrology in his youth, Rao won brilliancy prizes in chess competitions and two state championships in bridge competitions. He played ten other games which is why in his astrological writings also there are references to games often.

During his service career, he was the planner, organizer and teacher of three international courses on Audit of Receipts as a joint director once and director twice.

His interactions with foreigners have been both on professional and astrological levels for more than two decades which is why he has, as an astrologer, a large international network of friends. He went on doing all his fundamental researches in astrology during his service career because of which, he went on collecting horoscopes systematically in thousands.

He has in his possession more than 50,000 horoscopes with ten important events of each individual noted with him. It is perhaps, the largest individual collection of horoscopes any astrologer perhaps has.

The strain of doing astrology as a mission, not charging any fee, almost made him give up astrology many times. But in December 1981, he was forced out of his shell to participate in a three-day seminar on astrology in Delhi. After this ground breaking speech, there has been a persistent demand for his astrological articles. From then onwards he has been sharing with his readers his original researches for which he has won worldwide praise.

Between 1993 and 1995, Rao has visited the USA on five lecture tours. He was the Chief Guest at the Second Conference of the American Council of Vedic Astrology in 1993. He was requested to be present in the Third Conference also in 1994 on the opening day because of the crowds he would draw. His name was advertised till November 1995 also for the Fourth Conference though he had made it clear that he would not be available anymore for the American conferences. As a result of his academic approach, he has now more than a thousand students in India and more than two hundred in the USA.

He is the Advisor of Astrology Courses in the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, New Delhi. The teachers on the teaching faculty of the astrology course in the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan have, like him, never charged any fees for teaching which they do in an honorary capacity.

What impelled Rao to do it is well explained in his own horoscope where the lagna and the 10th lords get combined in the lagna, with an exalted Jupiter in the 10th house.

All this was foreseen by his Jyotish Guru, Yogi Bhaskarananda of Gujarat whom Rao describes as the last of the Rishi astrologers in the purest classical mould. He had told him that he would have to visit many foreign countries to give to Hindu astrology the honour, recognition and dignity which it did not have till then. An American summed up the impact of the first ever foreign visit of Rao to the USA in 1993 as, “Vedic astrology before Rao and after Rao”.

What different yogis have said about astrology as a Vedanga which he must not give up has been quoted in his book, Yogis, Destiny and the Wheel of Time. Astrology is ill-reputed as a profession because of its mercenary and exploitative nature.

Rao's desire never to turn into a professional astrologer, has won him thousands of admirers and also some enemies from the community of professional astrologers who felt threatened, when around him there grew up a fine team of more than two hundred academic astrologers like him, for whom astrology is not a source of living, but a super science to delve into the meaning and purpose of human life, which is what astrology, as Vedanga, should and has to be.

Both his mantra guru, Swami Paramananda Saraswati, and his jyotish guru, Yogi Bhaskarananda, taught him some secrets of spiritual astrology which are not given usually in any book of astrology. Rao has revealed some of these secrets in his book, "Yogis, Destiny and the Wheel of Time".

Among Rao’s recent fundamental and most original researches are his two books "Predicting through Jaimini's Chara Dasha" and "Predicting through Karakamsha and Mandook Dasha". It has been possible for him to produce such researches because he was told by his jyotish guru that what was in parampara (tradition) was much more than what was contained in books of astrology which are translated literally and are without illustrations generally.

His own mother, who was his first jyotish guru, knew many such traditional secrets, parts of which Rao has revealed in his three books “Ups and Downs in Careers”, "Astrology, Destiny and the Wheel of Time" and "Planets and Children". It was the mantra guru of Rao, Swami Paramananda Saraswati, who first asked Rao not to give up astrology as it had to be an integral part of his sadhana. Later a great yogi, Swami Moorkhanandji, prophesied in 1982 that he would be the architect of a great astrological renaissance. Whether that is already fulfilled or not can be gauged from the impressive list of his researches published in his writings.


In the year 2000 when K.N.Rao. was ailing seriously and was unable even to walk, astrology was introduced as a subject of study in modern Indian universities , (it has been taught in Sanskrit institutions for many decades and centuries), it was relentlessly attacked by the pseudo-scientists, pseudo-intellectuals and the media, both print and electronic, carried on a relentless propaganda.

A case was filed first against this decision of the University Grants Commission in Madras High Court where it was dismissed on preliminary grounds. The well known scientist Padmanabhiah filed a similar case in Andhra Pradesh High Court where too it was dismissed on preliminary grounds. Surprisingly, not a single English knowning and speaking astrologers in these two citadels of Hindu orthodoxy even decided to appear as petitioner in person. That speaks volumes for their "love and pride" in the great ancient Hindu astrology.

But Padmanabhiah pursued the dismissed case further and appealed to the Supreme Court where the legal luminary, Shanti Bhushan succeeded in getting the case admitted to be heard on merits.

Recovering slowly from his sickness, not yet fit to sit for long hours in a court of law, Rao appealed to astrologers of Delhi and of other centres to appear in person and defend the cause and case of astrology in the Supreme Court. At least twenty of them promised to do so but not one of them came anywhere near the Supreme Court even to hear proceedings of the case when it was being heard for admission ! Later, when it was heard on merits on 4 November 2004, to his consternation, Rao found that he was the only petitioner in person to defend it and praying to God to give him stamina to defend the case, he not merely defended the case but even won demolishing all the arguments of the famous lawyer, Shanti Bhushan.

Read an account of all this with evidences and the court judgement together with the great research Rao has done on the religio-scientific-social legacy of India's composite culture in ASTROLOGY THE SUPER SCIENCE. In this book many of the remarkable predictions given by Rao in mundane astrology are given along with some notable failures about which he had always had the sterling honesty to write as an ideal teacher.

The same media, some well known English newspapers and weeklies and the psudo-intellectuals, scientists who never studied astrology but attacked it throwing behind their ignorance the weight of their reputations and, the television, ever referred to the triumph of astrology in the highest court of India !!! The critics of astrology thus suffered a hattrick of defeats but there are some television channels which still carry on this attack slyly not knowing that they can be sued for contempt of court since the the judgement of the Supreme Court is on the merits of the case.
Television channels known as idiot boxes are tabloid in approach, and commercial.

If the media has an honest intention of contributing to social causes why does it not take up a fight against fraudulent astrologers who make fortunes in the name of fraudulent and non existent yogas like KAAL SARPA YOGA and costly remedial measures through which they cheat people all over India ?

Rao is well known all over the world for some notable achievements, the greatest being as the founder member of the world's largest school of astrology in the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, New Delhi where there are in 2006, more than nine hundred students and twenty six teachers on the teaching faculty of the Institute of Astrology.

Not merely is Rao a highly successful teacher but is the teacher of teachers besides being a very rational and scientific astrologer who wants sanity and modernization to a science which otherwise will remain archaic and look like the vestigal remnant of a dogma and not the super science it really is. All the members of the teaching faculty of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan are his own former students. He has encouraged all of them to write books with their original researches and fifteen of them have done it so far.

Single handedly, Rao has encouraged and produced more writers and researchers than any living or dead astrologer. He also edits the Journal of Astrology which is the best astrological three monthly carrying the best researches of the world.

To give to jyotisha through rediscovery and research, Rao has written nearly thirty books some of which have been translated in Russian and Japanese. He has taught astrology to thousands of students in India, USA and Russia over a period of nineteen years now since the founding the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan.

Interview with Sri K.N. Rao - January 2004

VAUGHN PAUL:
Tell me the history of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan institute of astrology. What year did it begin? How did you get the idea to start it? What was your original intention?

KN RAO: In 1972, when I was in the eastern state of Bihar in Patna I had to teach the nephew of a lawyer friend of mine who picked up some astrology very wrongly, took disastrous decision and landed in serious trouble. I scolded him and told him not to misapply the knowledge of astrology from some books available in the market.

Other students also joined and I experimented with a non-Sanskrit style of teaching as is done in Indian universities in teaching other subjects. This direct method of teaching, without having to learn anything by rote, was an instant success. I continued it in my subsequent posting in new stations like Calcutta, and Delhi. In every station I had small group of students from five to fifteen coming to me.

In 1985, when an all India body of astrologers was being formed, I was unwilling to join it. When persuaded very strongly, I laid down the condition that we should introduce the teaching of astrology as its main or a very important activity.

In 1987, when I was transferred back to Delhi from Bhubaneshwar, I decided to introduce this in an organized way and thought of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, which believes in the ideal of encouraging Bharatiya or traditional Indian vidyas (knowledge). In July 1987 the school began.

The intention was to teach it systematically, with different branches, after an introduction of astronomy relevant to astrology.

VP: How many teachers and students do you now have? What is your role today?

KN RAO: We have now, eight hundred and fifty students and twenty-six teachers. I now teach only three research classes, which are the higher classes and make the students do research and write articles, present them in our monthly workshops and six monthly seminars. I also take them to different places, mainly pilgrimages where we combine pilgrimage with astrology seminars.

I do not think about any role. I leave it to God, something comes up and I find myself in the midst of it. It is a new experience, which is both exhilarating and disgusting. For instance, in the year 2000, astrology was introduced as a course of study in Indian universities though it has been there always in Sanskrit colleges and universities. Some leftists and scientists opposed it and filed cases in courts of law. It reached the highest court of India, the Supreme Court and was heard on 4 November 2003. Under the Indian law a non-lawyer can intervene in such cases as petitioner-in-person. I did it since I am a non-lawyer and I was the only astrologer fighting this greatest battle for astrology.
Other astrologers stayed out of the fight totally.

A fairly crowded court heard me and I was told by senior lawyers present that I had made a very impressive case. One such senior lawyer told us privately that he could infer that the court (meaning the judges) were in our favor. The judgment has not come out yet (as of Jan. 2004). It may come after some weeks or months.

VP:
Where did you get this drive to preserve the ancient systems of India's astrology?

KN RAO: In 1980, a great Yogi Moorkhanandji (Swami Vidyaranya) told me that I would do it and would have to do it. I never had any bank balance (which I do not have even now), no house, and no car. He told me that if God willed it the institution would spring in spite of these handicaps. That has happened.

VP: Who has been the most instrumental in instilling this passion of yours?

KN RAO:
My mother initially, later my Jyotish Guru Bhaskaranandji and last Swami Moorkhanandji encouraged me in original research. Once started, it continued in spite of the burden of office work, which continued till 1990 when I retired. After my retirement I have been doing it individually and now, with groups of students collectively.

VP: Did you intend to publish a journal based on your research from the beginning or did that evolve?

KN RAO: No. I had been contributing articles on astrology, popular and technical articles for various astrological journals both in English and Hindi for many years. The idea of having an astrological journal for the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi, was that of the authorities of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. The entire burden had to fall on me, guidance, editing and even rewriting some articles. And on popular demand, we had to make it bilingual, with English and Hindi sections.

VP: What are some of the latest researches that are being carried out by yourself or your faculty and students at BVB?

KN RAO: In various dashas, for example books on Dwisaptati Sama Dasha, Chatursheeti Sama Dasha, Yogini Dasha have come out and the book on Sthira Dasha is also completed. Then a collective research on Varanasi Hora is being completed. Besides, there are many small researches.

VP: What are your future directions for the school?

KN RAO:
Continuing to do statistical, replicable researches as we have done in recent years and making it a tradition. I know that only a few will stick to this line of painstaking research but I know that some will.

VP: What is left to still accomplish?

KN RAO: There is so much left to be accomplished because in the constantly changing society new challenges keep cropping up. For example, the subjects of study now available in educational institutions are so many that to do research on them, our students have been working hard and we are to going produce a book initially. It will help many astrologers do sound educational counseling. Psychologists cannot find out the correct combinations of subjects for students. The book will contain horoscopes of Americans and Russians and of different non-Indian countries to show how the combinations we are working on apply universally.

VP: What are you most proud of in regards to what you and students and staff have been able to accomplish and how the school has evolved?

KN RAO: It is a weekend school and therefore meeting only twice a week creates some limitations which I overcome by calling some of the students to my house on different days for in depth discussion. Yet, we have produced now more than forty books publishing our researches, thirty-two of them being mine. The students producing fine researches gives me pride and joy. But really I am proud of nothing. You are a nobody. What God wills alone happens, and you are onlythe instrumentality through which HIS will works.

VP: What is your most important advice to students of Vedic astrology?

KN RAO: Do not take what is given in books literally but interpret them liberally as in changed times. Newer applications of ancient principles will have to be done constantly.

Source:astrologyforthesoul.com&journalofastrology.com


Learn Astrology(Source:www.learnjyotishnow.com)

Friday, September 3, 2010

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Symbols of the Soul: Understanding Your Life Purpose and Karma Through Astrology

Symbols of the Soul: Understanding Your Life Purpose and Karma Through Astrology

Symbols of the Soul: Understanding Your Life Purpose and Karma Through Astrology.
by Gina Lake

Symbols of the Soul: Understanding Your Life Purpose and Karma Through Astrology by Gina Lake gives you the keys to understanding:

  1. The Moon’s nodes, which describe your life purpose and the roadblocks to your destiny
  2. Saturn’s influence in the houses and signs, which describes your fears, weaknesses, and past-life issues
  3. The twelfth house and its connection to past-life experiences and karmic debts
  4. How the signs evolve over our many lifetimes and why we choose to be born with certain signs in our chart
  5. The Moon, which describe your early environment and possible psychological challenges
  6. A step-by-step approach to finding chart themes and synthesizing the information in the chart.

Symbols of the Soul was formerly published by Llewellyn Publications, but is now out of print. Some basic knowledge of astrology on the part of the reader is helpful.

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Symbols of the Soul: Understanding Your Life Purpose and Karma Through Astrology – 141 pages, 787Kb (PDF)

Navagraha(Source:wikipedia)

Navagraha(Source:wikipedia)

Graha (from Sanskrit ग्रह gráha—seizing, laying hold of, holding[1]) is a 'cosmic influencer' on the living beings of mother Bhumidevi (earth). In Hindu Astrology, the Navagraha (Sanskrit: नवग्रह, nine seizers or nine influencers) are some of these major influencers.

All the navagraha have relative movement with respect to the background of fixed stars in the zodiac. This includes the planets: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, the Sun, the Moon, as well as positions in the sky, Rahu (north or ascending lunar node) and Ketu (south or descending lunar node).

According to some, Grahas are the "markers of influence" that point out the karmic influence on the behavior of living beings. They themselves are not causative elements[2] but can be compared to traffic signs.

According to the astrological treatise Prasna Marga, there are many other spiritual entities called grahas or spirits. All (except the navagrahas) are said to have been born of the anger of Lord Shiva or Rudra. Most grahas are generally malefic in nature but there are a few that may be good.[3] The book called The Puranic Encyclopedia, under the heading 'Graha Pinda', gives a list of such grahas (spirits or spiritual entities, etc), that are said to afflict children, etc. Also in the same book in various places the names of spirits (grahas) are given, like 'Skhanda graha' that is said to cause miscarriage(s).[4]

Contents

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[edit] Astrology

Astrologers claim that Grahas influence the auras (energy bodies) and minds of beings connected to the Earth. Each Graha carries a specific energy quality, which is described in an allegorical form through its scriptural and astrological references. The energies of the Grahas are getting connected in a specific way to the individual auras of humans at the time they take their first breath in a given nativity. These energy connections remain with the natives of Earth as long as their current body lives.[5] "The nine planets are transmitters of universal, archetypal energy. The qualities of each planet help to maintain the overall balance of polarities in both the macrocosmic and the microcosmic universe - as above, so below..."[6]

Humans are also capable to tune themselves to the chosen energy of a specific Graha through Samyama with that Graha or its presiding deity. The effects of worship of specific deities are manifested accordingly to the layout of their relative energies in a given nativity of a worshiper in question, in particular depending on the Bhavas occupied by the respective Grahas. "The cosmic energy we always receive contains different energies coming from different celestial bodies." "When we repeatedly utter a Mantra we are tuning to a particular frequency and this frequency establishes a contact with the cosmic energy and drags it into our body and surroundings."[7]

The idea of planets, stars and other celestial bodies being the living energy entities influencing the other beings of the Universe has cross-references in many ancient cultures and had become the background of numerous modern fiction works (like Solaris by Stanisław Lem, see also the movie with the same title). The Navagraha




Navagraha, British Museum originally from Konark, Orissa. From left: Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Brihaspati, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, Ketu

Surya

Surya (Devanagari: सूर्य, sūrya) is the chief, the solar deity, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives Aditi[8], of Indra, or of Dyaus Pitar (depending by the versions). He has hair and arms of gold. His chariot is pulled by seven horses, which represent the seven chakras. He presides as "Ravi" over "Ravi-war" or Sunday.

In Hindu religious literature, Surya is notably mentioned as the visible form of God that one can see every day. Furthermore, Shaivites and Vaishnavas often regard Surya as an aspect of Shiva and Vishnu, respectively. For example, the sun is called Surya Narayana by Vaishnavas. In Shaivite theology, Surya is said to be one of eight forms of Shiva, named the Astamurti.

He is said to be of Sattva Guna and represents the Soul, the King, highly placed persons or fathers.

According to Hindu mythology, among the more renowned progenies of Surya are Shani(Saturn), Yama(God of Death) and Karna(Mahabharatha) fame.

Invoking Gayatri Mantra or Aditya Hrudaya Mantra (Adityahridayam) are known to please the Sun God.

Chandra

Chandra (Devanagari: चंद्र ) is a lunar deity. Chandra (moon) is also known as Soma and identified with the Vedic Lunar deity Soma. He is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and having in his hands a club and a lotus.[9] He rides his chariot (the moon) across the sky every night, pulled by ten white horses or an antelope. He is connected with dew, and as such, is one of the gods of fertility. He is also called Nishadipati (Nisha=night; Adipathi=Lord) and Kshuparaka (one who illuminates the night).[10] He as Soma, presides over Somvarm or Monday. He is of Sattva Guna and represents the Mind, the Queen or Mother.

Mangala

Mangala (Devanagari: मंगल) is the god of Mars, the red planet. Mars is also called Angaraka ('one who is red in colour') or Bhauma ('son of Bhumi') in Sanskrit. He is the god of war and is celibate. He is considered the son of Prithvi or Bhumi, the Earth Goddess. He is the owner of the Aries and Scorpio signs, and a teacher of the occult sciences (Ruchaka Mahapurusha Yoga). He is of Tamas Guna in nature and represents Energetic action, confidence and ego.

He is painted red or flame colour, four-armed, carrying a trident, club, lotus and a spear. His Vahana (mount) is a ram. He presides over 'Mangal-war' or Tuesday.[10]

Budha

Budha (Devanagari: बुध ) is the god of the planet Mercury and the son of Chandra (the moon) with Tara (Taraka). He is also the god of merchandise and protector of merchants. He is of Rajas Guna and represents Communication.

He is represented as being mild, eloquent and of greenish colour. He is represented holding a scimitar, a club and a shield, riding a winged lion in Ramghur temple. In other illustrations , he holds a sceptre and lotus and rides a carpet or an eagle or a chariot drawn by lions..[11]

Budha presides over 'Budh-war' or Wednesday. In modern Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada and Gujarati, Wednesday is called Budhvara; in Tamil and Malayalam it is Budhan.

Brihaspati

Brihaspati(Devanagari: बृहस्पति ) is the Guru of Devas, personification of piety and religion, the chief offerer of prayers and sacrifices, represented as the Purohita of the gods with whom he intercedes for men. He is the Lord of planet Jupiter. He is of Sattva Guna and represents knowledge and teaching.Most people call Brihaspati "Guru"

According to Hindu scriptures, he is the guru of the Devas and the arch-nemesis of Shukracharya, the guru of the Danavas. He is also known Guru, the god of wisdom and eloquence, to whom various works are ascribed, such as the "atheistic" Barhaspatya sutras.

He is described of yellow or golden colour and holding a stick, a lotus and his beads. He presides over 'Guru-war' ,Brhaspati war or Thursday.[11]

Shukra

Represents planet Venus.

Shukra, the Sanskrit for "clear, pure" or "brightness, clearness", is the name the son of Bhrigu and Ushana, and preceptor of the Daityas, and the guru of the Asuras, identified with the planet Venus (with honorific, शुक्राचार्य Shukracharya). He presides over 'Shukra-war' or Friday. He is Rajas in nature and represents wealth, pleasure and reproduction.

He is of white complexion, middle-aged and of agreeable countenance. He is described variously mounted, on a camel or a horse or a crocodile. He holds a stick, beads and a lotus and sometimes a bow and arrow.[12]

In Astrology, there is a dasha or planetary period known as Shukra Dasha which remains active in a person's horoscope for 20 years. This dasha is believed to give more wealth, fortune and luxury to one's living if a person has Shukra positioned well in his horoscope as well as Shukra being an important benefic planet in his/her horoscope.

Shani

Shani (Devanagari: शनि, Śani) is one of the nine primary celestial beings in Hindu astrology (that is, Vedic astrology). Shani is embodied in the planet Saturn. Shani is the Lord of Saturday. He is Tamas in nature and represents learning the hard way, Career and Longevity.

The origin of word Shani(शनि) comes from the following: Shanaye Kramati Sa: (शनये क्रमति सः) i.e. the one who moves slowly. Saturn takes about 30 years to revolve around the Sun, thus it moves slowly compared to other planets, thus the Sanskrit name शनि. Shani is actually a demi-god and is a son of Surya (the Hindu Sun God) and his wife Chhaya. It is said that when he opened his eyes as a baby for the very first time, the sun went into an eclipse, which clearly denotes the impact of Shani on astrological charts (horoscope).

He is depicted dark in colour, clothed in black; holding a sword, arrows and two daggers and variously mounted on a black crow or a raven. He is depicted at other times as ugly, old, lame and having long hair, teeth and nails. He presides over 'Shani-war' or Saturday.[12]

Rahu

Rahu (Devanagari: राहु ) is God of the Ascending / North lunar node. Rahu is the head of the demonic snake that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses, according to Hindu scriptures. He is depicted in art as a dragon with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. He is a Tamas Asura who does his best to plunge any area of one's life he controls into chaos. The rahu kala is considered inauspicious.

According to legend, during the Samudra manthan, the asura Rahu drank some of the divine nectar. But before the nectar could pass his throat, Mohini (the female avatar of Vishnu) cut off his head. The head, however, remained immortal and is called Rahu , while the rest of the body became Ketu. It is believed that this immortal head occasionally swallows the sun or the moon, causing eclipses. Then, the sun or moon passes through the opening at the neck, ending the eclipse.

Ketu

Ketu (Devanagari: केतु) is the Lord of Descending/South lunar node. Ketu is generally referred to as a "shadow" planet. He is considered as Tail of the Demon Snake. It is believed to have a tremendous impact on human lives and also the whole creation. In some special circumstances it helps someone achieve the zenith of fame. He is Tamas in nature and represents supernatural influences.

Astronomically, Ketu and Rahu denote the points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and the Moon as they move on the celestial sphere. Therefore, Rahu and Ketu are respectively called the north and the south lunar nodes. The fact that eclipses occur when Sun and Moon are at one of these points gives rise to the story of the swallowing of the Sun and the Moon.

Associated characters

Each of the graha has associations with various characters, such as colors, metals, etc. The following table gives the most important associations:

Character Surya Dev (sun) Chandra (Moon) Mangala (Mars) Budha (Mercury)
Consort Suvarna & Chaaya Rohini Shaktidevi Ila
Color Copper White Red Green
Gender Associated Male Male Male Neutral
Element Fire Water Fire Earth
God Agni Varuna Subramanya Vishnu
Pratyadi Devataa rudra gowri Murugan Vishnu
Metal Gold/Brass Silver Brass Brass
Gemstone Ruby Pearl/Moonstone Red Coral Emerald
Body Part Bone Blood Marrow Skin
Taste Pungent Salt Acid Mixed
Food Wheat Rice Pigeon pea Mung bean
Season Summer Winter Summer Autumn
Direction East North West South North
Day Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Character Guru (Jupiter) Shukra (Venus) Shani (Saturn) Rahu (north node) Ketu (south node)
Consort Tara Sukirthi & Urjaswathi Neeladevi Simhi Chitralekha
Color Gold White/Yellow Black/Blue Smoky Smoky
Gender Associated Male Female Neutral - -
Element Ether Water Air Air Earth
God Indra Indrani Brahma Nirriti Ganesha
Pratyadi Devataa brahma indra yama mrutyu chitragupta
Metal Gold Silver Iron Lead Lead
Gemstone Yellow Sapphire Diamond Blue Sapphire Hessonite Cat's Eye
Body Part Brain Semen Muscles - -
Taste Sweet Sour Astringent - -
Food Chickpea kidney beans Sesame Urad (bean) Horse gram
Season Winter Spring All Seasons - -
Direction North East South East West South West -
Day Thursday Friday Saturday -

Navagraha positioning in Hindu custom

Navagraha Temple.JPG

As per Hindu customs, the Navagraha are typically placed in a single square with the Sun (Surya) in the center and the other deities surrounding Surya; no two of them are made to face each other. In South India, their images are generally found in all important Saiva temples. They are invariably placed in a separate hall, on a pedestal of about three feet in height, usually to the north-east of the sanctum sanctorum.

There are 2 kinds of installation of the planets when arranged in this fashion, known as Agama Pradishta and Vaidika Pradishta.

In Agama Pradishta, Surya occupies the central place, Chandra on Surya's east, Budha on his south, Brihaspati on his west, Shukra on his north, Mangala on his south-east, Shani on his south-west, Rahu on north-west and Ketu in the north-east. Temples such as Suryanar temple, Tiruvidadaimarudur, Tiruvaiyaru and Tirucchirappalli follow this system.

In Vaidika Pradishta, Surya is still in the centre, but Shukra is in the east, Mangala in the south, Shani in the west, Brihaspati in the north, Chandra in the south-east, Rahu in the south-west, Ketu in the north-west and Budha in the north-east.

Other temples install the Navagrahas in other arrangements.

In Ramanathapuram district, in a place called Navapashana, nine stone slabs are worshipped as the Navagraha. In temples like Tirukuvalai and Tiruvarur, the nine planets stand in a straight line. In Tiruppayneeli temple, they are represented by nine holes in a stone.

The Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple boasts a unique structure wherein the nine grahas are installed in a single stone. Surya is prominently displayed in this structure with seven horses in a chariot with two wheels and a charioteer. The other eight grahas are placed in eight directions with the sun in the centre.

At Agasthiyar Temple Chennai Pondy Bazaar a totally different form of position is done with Sun at the elevated centre and the remaining planets in an octogonal structure. This is called Agasthiyar Kattu ( the form promoted by Sage Agasthiya (Agastya).

Navagraha Temples

In Indian Astrology movement of the Navagrahas is considered to have a major role in influencing the fortunes of any individual. In order to mitigate the negative effects of a planet which is debilated in the birth chart or to provide more potency to a planet that is in an exalted state, believers undertake pilgrimage to designated Navagraha temples .

Panchangam

Panchangas are published in India by many learned authors, societies, academies, and universities. Different publications differ only minutely, at least for a casual or un-trained reader. They forecast celestial phenomena such as solar eclipses, forecast weather (rain, dryspells) as well as more mundane occurrences.

The study of Panchangas involves understanding Rasi phala (also pronounced 'Rashi phala'), the impact of the signs of the zodiac on the individual. Astrologers consult the Panchangam to set auspicious dates for weddings, corporate mergers, and other worldly activities as per religion.

The actual casting of a Panchanga involves elaborate mathematical work involving high level of spherical geometry and sound understanding of astronomical phenomena, such as sidereal movements of heavenly bodies. However, in practice the tabulation is done on the basis of short-cut formulations as propounded by ancient Vedic sages and scholars.

Source:wikipedia

A typical Panchanga may state tabulations of positions of Sun, Moon, and other planets for every day of the year on a fixed place (longitude, latitude) and time of day (in 24-hour format IST). The users calculate the remaining data using the their relative difference from this fixed place and time.

There are several panchangas that contain information for more than one year. There is one Vishvavijaya Panchanga that is for 100 years.

The theories propounded in the two scriptures, Surya Siddhanta and Grahalaghava formed the basis for the plethora of calendars or Panchangas in the past in different regions of the country - a culturally complex system.

The Grahalaghava was compiled some 600 years ago and Surya Siddhanta was available ages before that. But these had become outdated and did not tally with actual astronomical events and did not tally with each other also. Hence, a committee was appointed by the Government of India with experts in the field drawn from various parts of the country who were involved with preparation of Panchanga in local languages to draw up a reliable Panchanga in which the mathematical calculations provides the positions of grahas (the planets) and nakshatras (constellations) in the sky as they are observed.

Thus, the Government of India has prepared the National Panchanga or the Indian national calendar in 1957 (was proposed by Saha and Lahiri in 1952), which is used in predictive astrology. The Lahiris Ephemeris published annually is the most widely used English almanac in Vedic astrology apart from the many Panchangas published in local languages, which are mostly based on the National Panchanga.

Etymology

Accuracy of attributes depending upon Moon's motions were considered most crucial for the reliability of a panchānga, because Moon is fastest among all heavenly entities shown in traditional panchāngas. Tithi, Nakshatra, Rāśi, Yoga, and Karana depend upon Moon's motions, which are five in number. Panchānga is a Sanskrit word, literally meaning "having five limbs". If these five limbs, for example, the five attributes depending upon Moon, are accurate, an almanac is held to be reliable, because other elements are not so difficult to compute due to their slow rates of change.

There are three popular meanings of panchānga:

1. In Vedic astrology, meaning "five attributes" of the day. They are:

  • Tithi - Ending Moment (EM) of elongation of the Moon, the lunar day , the angular relationship between Sun and Moon ( True Moon minus True Sun). One Tithi equals 12 degree difference between Moon and Sun.
  • Nakshatra - EM of asterism of the day, that is, the stellar mansion in which Moon is located for an observer on Earth. One Nakshatra equals 13 degrees:20 minutes. There are 27 Nakshatra in 360 degrees.
  • Yoga - EM of the angular relationship between Sun and Moon( True Moon plus True Sun). One Yoga equals 13 degrees:20 minutes. There are 27 Yogas in 360 degrees.
  • Karana - EM of half of a Tithi. One Karaṇa equals 6 degree difference between Moon and Sun.
  • Var weekday the seven weekdays.

Monier-Williams gives "solar day" instead of Rāśi as the fifth limb. Some people enumerate Vār (days of the week) instead. Vār or solar days do not involve intricate computations, unlike EM of Rāśi; however, in the Hindu system the five elements only constitute the five limbs of the Panchangam.

2. An almanac that contains the astronomical / astrological daily details also came to be called a panchānga because of the importance of five attributes.

3. Panchānga-pūjan, which is a part of Ganesh-Ambika-pūjan.

In Vedic Astrology, the basic tenet of astrology was integrated with celestial events and thus was born various branches of Vedic Astrology and the Panchanga. In simple terms, “ Panchanga” means the Day, Nakshatra (Star), Thithi, Yoga and Karana every day. It is a mirror of the sky. The document used as Panchanga has evolved over the last 5000 years. The theories propounded in the two scriptures, Surya Siddhanta and Grahalaghava formed the basis for the plethora of calendars or Panchangas in the past in different regions of the country - a culturally complex system.

The five Angas or parts of Panchanga are elaborated in the following paragraphs but before that the composition of the Samvatsara OR Years (60 Years cycle), Varsha or Year and Masa or month are first explained, as these important calendar events are part of every Panchanga. All the components of Panchanga are relevant in Predictive Astrology, Prasna Shastra (electional astrology), etc.

All followers and practitioners of Vedic astrology must necessarily know how to read a Panchanga and in this context it is necessary to know the Terminology used in the Panchanga for different time slots of the Day. Panchangas are also published in English as Ephemeris - The Lahiris Ephemeris is most widely used, which gives all the details as contained in a traditional Panchanga published in Sanskrit or Hindi and all the regional languages of the country.

There are several forms of reckoning the Varsha or Year based on Solar Entry (Solar Ingress), Lunar entry, Jupiter entry in a sign or the Julian calendar of starting the year from the first of January, but the most widely accepted practice in India is the Samvatsara, a 60 years cycle based on Solar entry. Each zodiacal sign is represented by 5 years starting from Pramadi and the Sixty years are equally distributed in successive order among the 12 signs (Rasis) starting from Mesha (Aries) and ending in Meena (Pisces).

Varsha or the year in astrological parlance is the solar calendar of year and months, which starts with Sun entering Aries (Mesha Rasi) and completing a full circle of the 12 zodiacal signs in a period of 12 months. The reckoning is done in a cycle of 60 years as explained above.

There are two kinds of Lunar months followed in India - the New Moon ending called the Amanta or Sukladi system and the Full Moon ending (covering one Full Moon to the next) called the Purnimanta system. But it is the lunar months Full Moon reckoned), which are reckoned in predictive astrology, and each represents the name of the star on Full moon day of the Solar months. The twelve Lunar months starting from Chaitra along with the names of the Solar months are given below.

No. Lunar Month Solar Month
1 Chitta Chaitra
2 Visaka Vyshaka
3 Jyeshta Jyeshta
4 Poorvashada Ashada
5 Sravana Shravana
6 Poorvabhadra Bhadrapadha
7 Aswini Aswija
8 Kartika Kartika
9 Mrigashira Margashira
10 Pushyami Pushya
11 Makha Magha
12 Uttaraphalguni Phalguna

In VedIc astrology, the basic tenets of astrology were integrated with celestial events with Vara or Week day and thus was born the Muhurtha Astrology or Electional Astrology.

Thithi or Lunar day is an important concept in Hindu Astrology. It means lunation. There are thirty Thithis in a Lunar month distributed in the 360 degrees of the Zodiac and each Thithi is completed when the longitude of the Moon gains exactly 12 degrees or its multiple on that of the Sun. By name there are only 15 thithis repeating in the two half’s of the month – Shukla 1 to Shukla 15 (known as Poornima or Full Moon) and Krishna 1 to 15 (known as Amavasya or New Moon). In astrological parlance Thithi has great significance in the fact that each Thithi from 1 to 14 in both Pakshas has what are called Daghda rasis or Burnt Rasis – two rasis for each Thithi except Chaturdasiwhich has four Daghda rasis. But New Moon and Full Moon have no Dagdha Rasis. The Thithis are divided into five groups as under.

  1. Nanda (Ananda or Joyous) thithi - Prathipada (1st), Shasti (6th) and Ekadashi (11th);
  2. Bhadra (Arogya or Mangala or Healthy) thithis on – Dwitiya (2nd), Saptami (7th) and Dwadashi (12th);
  3. Jaya (Victory) Thithi –Tuesday- Tritiya (3rd), Ashtami (8th ) and Trayodashi (13th);
  4. Rikktha (Loss or Nashta) Thitihis – Saturday - Chathurthi (4th) Navami (9th) and Chaturdasi (14th);
  5. Poorna (Sampoorna - Full Moon or New Moon) Thithis –Thursday Panchami (5th), Dashami (10th) and Amavasya (New Moon) or Poornima.

A unique Vedic system is followed in Muhurtha Astrology, Horary Astrology and predictive astrology, which envisages grouping of Nakshtaras (Stars) into nine sub-groups. Each sub-group covers three stars and has a specific name of ‘Tara’ proceeded by a word defining benefic or malefic nature. These are found to be extremely useful in Vedic Astrology which is widely practiced in India. The nine Taras (Stars)by their individual names are elaborated below.

  1. Janma (Birth) Tara – The Janma (birth star) Nakshatra, the 10th from Janma nakshatra also known as Karna nakshatra and the 19th from Janma nakshatra known as Adhana nakshatra constitute this Tara.
  2. Sampat Tara – The 2nd the 11th and the 20th Nakshatras counted from Janma nakshatra constitute this Tara.
  3. Vipat Tara – The 3rd, the 12th and the 21st stars counted from Janma nakshatra constitute this Tara.
  4. Kshema Tara – The 4th, the 13th and the 22nd Nakshatras counted from the janama nakshatra constitute this Tara.
  5. Pratyak Tara – The 5t, the 14th, and the 23rd nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitutes this Tara.
  6. Sadhaka Tara – The 6th, the 15th, and the 24th nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitutes this tara.
  7. Nidhana Tara – The 7th, the 16th , and the 25th nakshatras from the Janma nakshatra constitutes this tara.
  8. Mitra Tara – The 8th, the 17th and the 26th nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitute this tara.
  9. Ati or Parama Mitra Tara – The 9th, the 18th and the 27th nakshatras from Janma nakshatra constitutes this tara.

The basic purpose of Hindu Panchangam is to check various Hindu festivals and auspicious time (election- Muhurta). In the Hindu system of election, various element of Panchangam constitute auspicious and inauspicious moments (Yogas) by combination of weekday-Tithi, weekday-constellation, weekdays-Tithis-constellations. In addition, individual weekdays, Tithis, constellations, Yoga and Karanas have been prescribed for specific activities which fructify during their currency.

For selecting an auspicious moment Panchangam Shuddhi (purified-time) is fundamental. In addition favourable transits, purified ascendant, absence of malefic yogas, favourable Dasha (Hindu progression), name of doer, propitiations, chanting of Mantras, place of activity, social customs, omens, mode of breathing are also examined.