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Transcript of January 2012 issue of The Astrological eMagazine
JANUARY 2012 1THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
Contents
Chief Editor and Publisher
Bangalore Niranjan Babu
The Astrological eMagazine appears the
previous month of publication. All rights
reserved. No part of the magazine may be
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Astrological eMagazine unless otherwise
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The publisher assumes no responsibility for
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than The Astrological eMagazine. No free
insertion of any advertisement alleging
typographical or other mistakes will be
given.
Publisher
Niranjan Babu Bangalore
101C, Sarathy Apartments,
48, 13th Cross, 8th Main, Malleswaram,
Bangalore-560 003
Tel : +91-80-2336 6864
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
HeÀueeefve ûen®eejsCe met®e³eefvle ceveeref<eCe: ~
keÀes JeÊeÀe leejlec³em³e leceskeÀb JesOemeb efJevee ~~
Those who know Astrology can only indicate
in a way what will take place in future.
Who else, except the Creator Brahma,
can say with certainty what will definitely happen ?
From the Desk of Chief Editor 2
DR. B. V. RAMAN
SUN in Politics 3
BANGALORE NIRANJAN BABU
Muhurtha — The Art of Time Management 6
RAMAN SUPRAJARAMA
Future of India in 2012 9
DR. BANGALORE SURESHWARA
Ramayana — Guide to Duties of Kings, Rulers, Priests and Others 12
YAJNAVALKYA
Jyothisha Chinta Nidhi 15
SRI DATTA VIJAYANANDA TEERTHA SWAMIJI
M¡S¡N¡Æ M¡RGA¿¢RÀ°SMI 17
WILLIAM R. LEVACY
Ashtama Guru 25
DR. S. MADHAVAN
Commentaries on Brihat Jataka 29
VENKATA GIRI KUMAR
Astronomical Significance of Calendars 32
DR. E. S. NEELAKANTAN
Pancha Mahapurusha Yogas 35
V. R. SOUNDAR RAJAN
Shaniputra 37
K. CHANDRA HARI
Ancient Horoscopes, Zodiac and Yoga Rationales 39
GARGACHARYA
This Year for You 2012 45
VARAHAMIHIRA
This Month for You JANUARY 2012 53
Sunrise and Sunset Timings for January 2012 58
JANUARY 2012 3THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
DR. B. V. RAMAN
Lead Article
IN OUR LEADING article published in an earlier issue
of THE ASTROLOGICAL MAGAZINE, we have endeavoured
to highlight the importance of the Sun in horoscopic
interpretation. According to the Austrian scientist Ernest
Mach, every particle of matter in the entire universe is
interlinked with every other. Our planet is constantly
bombarded by a variety of radiant energy. The infra-red
and ultra-violet radiations, primary and secondary cosmic
rays containing high-energy electrons, gamma-rays, etc.
play no mean part in influencing terrestrial affairs. The
influence is visible and has a direct relation to inhabitants
of the earth.
To the Hindu sages of yore, the Sun was the visible god—
Suryanarayana—the Soul of the universe. To the
scientists of today the Sun is the chief symbol of life. Solar
flares, solar spots, etc, are caused by certain planetary
dispositions and this is now a recognised scientific fact. It
is again the declination position (Kranti) of the Sun that
seems to regulate the flow of corpuscular streams either
from the northern or southern hemisphere of the solar
globe. Whatever be the theoretical explanations offered
by the scientists for the influences on living beings
occurring through changes in the electro magnetic field
of the earth, there can be no doubt that just as the ancient
seers recognised, either by intuition or by study and
observation, the prime position of the Sun in its relation to
the earth, we shall witness in the very near future a fusion
of two most ancient sciences—medicine and astronomy—
this new branch of science going under the name of helio-
biology.
According to some of the scientists, the gravitational pull
of the two massive outer planets. Jupiter and Saturn, when
they occupy certain geometrical positions from the Sun,
produce a gravitational ‘jerk’ capable of significantly
affecting human behaviour. This study of the Sun’s
influence on terrestrial affairs had been developed by the
sages to a nicety that they could enumerate by means of
SUNin
Politics
formulae how these mutual influences interweave with
beautiful and subtle complexity; and the result is the vast
astrological literature which we have inherited.
The Sun is the aristocrat He represents rulers, government
and those in high authority. He is the ruler of the father,
heart, blood circulation and vitality. He is hot and dry aiding
construction if unafflicted and bringing destruction when
much afflicted. His position in the horoscope is of the
utmost importance. He displays firmness and stability,
justice, dignity, achievement, unsullied diplomacy,
reputation, and generosity. He presides over what is called
atmashakti or soul force, personal magnetism, inspiration,
devotion, courage, honour, integrity; and right values, self-
respect, individuality and authority come under his sway.
He represents gold and bones in the body ; of medium
height, he is dark-red in complexion, and has broad
shoulders and a well-proportioned body. Siva’s temples,
open areas, waterless regions, the eastern quarter, ruby,
copper, red colour, solstice, upward gaze, eye-sight—all
come under his sway. The Sun also represents patrimony,
political and national influence, satwa-guna, morals and
religion, noble and sublime ideas, masculine power, windy
and bilious temperaments and hot or pungent taste.
If the Sun is well placed in a horoscope, i.e., if he occupies
the 3rd, the 6th, the 9th, the 10th or the 11th not joined by
Saturn or Rahu and the constellations of these two
malefics are not involved, we can declare the native is a
man of character and above board. When the ascendant
for instance is Capricorn and the Sun is in Libra, inovlving
Rahu’s constellation, it is clear that the native’s public life
and image can only be unfortunate. Selfishness will be
the motto. Not selfreliant but leaning too much on others,
he cannot succeed in his public or political life. Indolence,
dogma and conceit will mar his prosperity.
To differentiate between the various shades of influences
generated by the Sun’s situation in different houses, signs
and constellations and in different aspectual positions with
JANUARY 2012 9THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
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THE ONGOING WINTER sessions are making a mockery of India. The political leaders, both
ruling and opposition, are at logger heads. The Congress and its allies are trying to hide the
recent scams that have got exposed, while BJP (also equally scammed) and its allies are taking
a chance to collapse the ruling party. How does the future of India look like? Are we, citizens of this
oldest and spiritual country, safe guarded? Are our interests taken care of? And can we citizens live
peacefully?
Political Parties and Future
Vimshottari style of time division allocates the Sun, Mercury and Rahu in that order, as the influencers
in January 2012. It is commonly referred in the astrological community as “having Sun Mahadasa,
Mercury Antardasa and Rahu Pratyantardasa” and denoted as Sun>Mercury>Rahu. The role of the Sun,
as the main influencer started as early as August 2007, when the NDA government was ruling.
In the Indian Independence horoscope, the Sun is the lord of the
fourth house and is located in the third house, in Cancer, a movable
sign. Being in an inimical sign, his influence on the ruling party to
undertake immoral and unethical tasks of high degree, behaving
opportunistically and exhibiting hypocrisy has been clearly seen.
The ruling parties refer to those in center as well as the states. More
than 20 plus scams have been committed since August 2007 including
the 2G scam which looted money of the citizens, the commonwealth
games scam which caused shame in the international front, the
Bellary mining scam, Indian Black Money in Swiss banks etc. The
same has been the case with Jan Lokpal Bill. The promise by central
government to Anna Hazare is not likely to be kept. This unfavorable influence of the Sun on India’s
political influence extends into 2012 as well. We will continue to see similar events and scams happening
in 2012 as well.
Mercury is the secondary influencer of the first three quarters of 2012. He owns the second and the
fifth houses of the Indian Horoscope, and occupies the third house as the Sun. Thanks to his influence
these scams were exposed in the second half of 2011. Watch out! More scams are going to get exposed
in the coming days. Mercury’s effect will escalate the political debates addressed to sort out and find
solutions to various scams. Mercury however lacks support from the primary influencer, the Sun. He
will only be instrumental in exposing the scams and other unethical transactions of the political leaders,
but will not be able to bring about justice. The undesirable influence of the Sun will eventually prevail.
Future of IndiaRAMAN SUPRAJARAMA
in 2012
Natal Chart
Rasi
Mars
Ketu Jupiter
Rahu
Ascendant
Moon
Saturn
Mercury
Sun Venus
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
12 JANUARY 2012 THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
DR. BANGALORE SURESHWARA
RamayanaGuide to Duties of Kings, Rulers, Priests and Others
EVEN TODAY, I distinctly remember a conversation that I had in 1989
with my father Dr. B. V. Raman, wherein we concurred that I would
share with others my understanding and observations of the information that
is related to the various aspects of life as embedded in Ramayana. This would
encourage many to start reading Ramayana and benefit from the information
contained in the eternal book. Even before that memorable conversation, it
has been my passion and interest to continue to study, observe and understand
the many details and information that are contained in the eternal epic
Ramayana.
Sage Valmiki’s magnum opus “Valmiki Ramayana” covers the story of Sri
Rama. There are many popular versions and commentaries pertaining to
Ramayana. Some of them have segments of the eternal story, which are
somewhat different from Valmiki Ramayana. The modifications are possibly
due to the authors’ views and the influence of the various environments that
existed in their lives. While respecting the contribution made by many authors,
many scholars consider Valmiki Ramayana as the original and authoritative
text.
During the last twenty plus years, we have discussed, debated and differed on
various aspects of Ramayana. I hope it has helped us in better understanding
of the story and the events, as well their practical application and utility at an
individual, society and national levels. We are in the twenty-first century and
yet the enduring and the everlasting message of Ramayana is more relevant
today than ever in the history of humanity
Practical and Effective Message
Ramayana contains many stories of some individuals who exhibited
extraordinary sacrifices as they were exposed to dangerous situations. Others
exhibited greedy and selfish actions with practically every available opportunity.
The story of Sri Rama and Ayodhya is the story of mankind. Ramayana has
information that is needed to understand the strengths and weaknesses that
defines every individual. It has been said that Ramayana is not only an eternal
Scripture but it is also an encyclopedia covering the various aspects of life.
One is reminded about a statement attributed to a person of learning, knowledge
and wisdom .The wise person said “every saint has a past and every sinner
has a future.” The words of the wise encourage everyone to let spiritualism
awaken the values and ethics that lay dormant in their lives.
The simple, but powerful and effective message contained in Ramayana, is
that ultimately good triumphs over evil in any conflict. This eternal message
unfolds throughout the various events covered in Ramayana. Yet, some while
Dr. Bangalore Sureshwara has been
involved in the study of the application of
Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita
and Vedic Astrology in modern life. His
lectures and writings on Ramayana,
Hinduism, Vedic Astrology, “Ramayana
and Management” have been well received.
He was the principal speaker on Vedic
Astrology at The Second Parliament of the
World’s Religions held in Chicago in
August-September 1993. Dr. Sureshwara
successfully predicted the victories in the
USA Presidential Elections of President
Bush ( 2000 and 2004) and President
Obama (2008). He has been a
distinguished contributor to The
Astrological Magazine, Asia’s leading Vedic
Astrology journal founded in 1895 by
Professor B. Suryanarain Rao. The
illustrious Dr. B.V. Raman was its Editor
from 1932 to 1938.
Dr. Sureshwara obtained Master’s and
Doctorate in Engineering from the
University of Notre Dame, USA. He has
taught Civil, Structural and Mechanical
Engineering at undergraduate and
postgraduate levels at various universities
in USA. His varied and extensive industry
experiences cover Civil, Structural,
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
JANUARY 2012 15THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
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Impracticable Combinations
Our ancient astrological treatises give us a plethora of
combinations of planets that can make or mar the
characteristics of a person. In analyzing any chart these
combinations can guide the astrologer to assess the quality
of the horoscope, most precisely, and help him to judge
the horoscope effectively. However, it must be noted that
not all such combinations found in our ancient treatises
can be taken up for their face value because some of
them can turn to be merely impossible or impracticable
ones. The scholars have taken note of all these anomalies
earlier and have discussed them threadbare. The present
effort of this scribe is just to alert the students of
astrology that all such combinations given in various
texts of yore cannot be taken for granted outright.
However, it must be noted that this is in no way meant to
find fault with those treatises that have given such
impossible combinations.
The students, in such rare cases, must take them seriously to
find whether such combinations are possible, feasible or at
least practicable. If such strange combinations found in texts
are found not reasonable, for our modern use, the only way
out would be that they need not be given any weight, in the
assessments. One need not sit on any judgment why such
inconsistencies have crept into these texts.
This can save a lot of trouble for the budding astrologers.
This present venture is only to whip-up support to those
students, who are interested to study the subject seriously.
Marital Disharmony
The quarrels between husbands and wives are nothing
new and they ought to have exited perhaps from the very
ancient days. But it is strange that they have not damaged
the institution of marriage due to many of the social and
religious embargoes. However, one can see that such
instances quite common, now-a-days with many girls going
back to their home discarding their husband or seek a
divorce. Only then, the astrologer who had matched the
cases becomes the whipping-boy.
Jyothisha
Chinta NidhiYAJNAVALKYA
It is interesting to note that Phaladeepika gives a
combination to identify such girls who are prone to
quarrelling with their husbands and make the marriage a
hell or wreak it. It says that if the lords of Lagna and
seventh in a girl’s horoscope are placed in shastashtaka
positions, (i.e., 6-8) the girl will pick up serious quarrels
with her husband or even break the bond.
One must not come to any hasty conclusions in such cases
where the lords of the Lagna and the seventh are placed
in 6-8 positions in any girl’s horoscope. It may be true that
the combination could be ominous. Including the Moon,
there are some fast moving planets like Mercury and
Venus who come round the zodiac once in a month or at
least in few months. Let us take the case of Kataka and
Makara lagnas. In the first case where the lagna is Kataka
the lords of the lagna and the 7th are the Moon and Saturn.
In the case of Makara lagna they will be Saturn and Moon
respectively. Wherever Saturn could be, is it not a fact
that the Moon would occupy the 6-8 position, at least once
a month from Saturn? Like this, Mercury, Venus and even
the Sun can take up such positions frequently. Net result
would be that such quarrelling girls would constitute the
bulk of female population and en-masse we cannot brand
them as cantankerous. In short it is that such
combinations need not be taken up so seriously or literally
to make one apprehensive of a possible horror.
Royal Births
Again, in Phaladeepika we find a combination suggesting
a royal birth, if Venus is in the ascendant and in Aswini
Nakshatra and further aspected by all the other planets.
Evidently, this cannot happen, as at least Mercury and the
Sun will have to opt out, by all means. This is because
Mercury and the Sun can aspect the planet only from the
7th from it and in no way either of them can be so far
away from Venus.
A combination when the Sun and the Moon are in their
atyuccha or deep exaltation position is capable of ushering
in a great royal personage according to Maharshi Gargi.
JANUARY 2012 17THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
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M¡s¡n¡Æ
M¡rga¿¢rÀ°smi
‘M¡s¡n¡Æ M¡rga¿¢rÀ°smi’ – O! Arjuna, among the months, I am M¡rga¿irsa, wasquoted by Lord Krishna, to Arjuna, while He was describing about His greatpowers and glory, Now it is the month of M¡rga¿irsa. It is very beneficial and itpromotes our well-being if one knows about the sixteen names of the Lord andthe advantage that accrues by knowing them. Therefore, one should know theâoda¿an¡ma St°tram of Sr¢ Har¢.
‘AuÀadh® Cintay®dviÀnum’ - At the time of taking medicines for curing the diseases,one should think of Vishnu. One should remember Vishnu the originator of Ayurv®da.No other sources except Veda and Vishnu Pur¡na which is the offspring of Vedascan decipher more about Vishnu.
SRI DATTA VIJAYANANDA TEERTHA SWAMIJI
JUNIOR PONTIFF, AVADHOOTA DATTA PEETAM, MYSORE
In Vishnu Pur¡na it is said that -
Yasm¡dvi¿vamidaÆ sarvaÆ tasya ¿akty¡mah¡tmanaÅtasm¡d®v°cyat® viÀ¸aÅ vi¿adh¡t°Å prav®¿an¡t.
Vishnu is that Paramatman by whose power this whole Universehas been created, who has entered into this creation and bywhom this entire Universe is borne. Vishnu means the Godwho pervades the whole existence, the omnipresent. As He isomnipresent, He is omniscient also. As he is omniscient, itimplies that He congnises patient’s diseases.
Hence, while taking the medicine one should think of Vishnuand chant the mantra ‘ÕÆ ViÀ¸av® NamaÅ’ at least three timesbefore the medicine is taken.
‘Bh°jan®ca Jan¡rdanaÆ’ - At the time of taking food oneshould remember Jan¡rdana.
The word Jan¡rdana has two meanings. He is the one who isprayed by all, who is solicited by all. He is the slayer of thedemoniacal men who harm others, or it means that He tormentsthose who trouble others.
The Nirukta á¡stra says, ‘Bhakta Vidv®Ài¸¡Æ T£r¸a Mardan¡ddiJan¡rdanaÅ’ – Jan¡rdana is the God who gives food to allbeings and is thus prayed, just as I acquired food; let all theliving beings in this world acquire it.
S£À¶i sthityantakara¸¢Æ brahmaviÀ¸u ¿iv¡tmik¡Æsa saµjµ¡Æ y¡ti bhagav¡n®ka ®va jan¡rdanaÅ.
Jan¡rdana is the Lord who takes the form of Brahma, Vishnuand Shiva, who are involved in the activities of creation,
protection and destruction. Such Jan¡rdana is to beremembered while taking food and the mantra ‘ÕÆ Jan¡rdan¡yaNamaÅ’ must be chanted before consuming food.
‘áayan® Padman¡bhaÆ Cha’ - One should rememberPadman¡bha before going to bed. One should chant ‘ÕÆPadman¡bh¡ya NamaÅ’ before going to bed. In ViÀ¸uSahasran¡ma, the word ‘Padman¡bha’ appears three times.
The moment one listen to the word Padman¡bha, one getsthe vision of four faced Brahma merged in meditation, sitting ina lotus which emerged from the navel of Sri Maha Vishnu, whois being served by Goddess Maha Lakshmi and who is inpleasant Y°ga Nidra (Yogic sleep) on a soft bed Ëdi¿®Àa (theserpent) which is moving to and fro slowly because of thewaves of milky ocean.
This is a marvelous sight. It causes pleasantness to the mind.By just remembering this, sleeplessness is warded off. Onegets sound sleep within no time.
Since He is bearing the lotus in His naval, which is the cause ofthe very existence of this Universe, He is called Padman¡bha.Those who aspire for sound sleep should meditate on the Lordat three centers in the body. (1) Sahasr¡ra (2) Centre of Heart(3) Navel region. By concentrating the mind and vision on theseplaces and by long rhythmic breathing (inhalation andexhalation), one can get sound sleep in a very short span oftime. As this method cannot easily be followed by all, thealternative suggestion is to remember Padman¡bha before goingto bed. Padman¡bha also refers to the one who resides at thecentre of Padma (the lotus).When it is said so; it implies that
JANUARY 2012 25THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
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MANY JYOTISH SHASTRAS indicate the sign of
Pisces, its ruler Jupiter, and the 12th house to be the
indicators of Moksha or liberation. Persons with strong
and favorable connections to the 12th house, and a well
placed Jupiter, often exhibit spiritual tendencies and have
a releasing disposition … from material cravings to the
opening of one’s spirit to unshakeable tranquility.
However, the examination of the charts of public gurus in
the last couple of decades reveals another set of criteria
for spiritual leaders, especially those who have worked in
the West. It is that of Scorpio, its ruler Mars and the 8th
house…the Ashtama Gurus who demonstrate
transformative vigor aimed at mystical transcendence, the
secrets of the Self, and life mastery.
This article will examine those indications of the 8th house,
Mars, and Scorpio and how they apply to the charts of
several modern Gurus. The favorable qualities of these
8th place indicators will be reviewed to help us understand
how the 8th house and its characteristics could lead a
person to assume the role of a guru or spiritual leader of
some fashion in these active, modern times.
Traditional 8th House Indications
As is the case in many classic texts, Laghu Parashari,
for example, indicates that the ruler of the 8th house due
to its placement of 12th from the 9th does not produce
good results. Traditional expositions of the 8th house tend
to focus on end-of-life matters, sexual and eliminative
functions, legacies, and the unknown. Parashara indicates
the concerns of the 8th house as indicative of “longevity,
wealth of the dead, and things that have happened and
are to happen (in the past and future births).” Parashara
also states that 8th house is an intuitive house in that it
gives a person the ability to know “that which is not stated.”
Vyankatesh Sharma’s “Sarvarth Chintamani,” lists
“guyha” or hidden matters as an 8th house trait, along
with ayu (life) and randhra (bad). Bhatt Narayana’s
Chamatkar Chintamani says that the 8th house is an
indicator for “occult matters, “ The hidden influences of
the 8th can bring about trouble from servants and those
Ashtama
Guru
William R. (Bill) Levacy holds a BA in Literature, a Master’s in the
Science of Creative Intelligence, and a Master’s in Education. Bill is
currently a PhD Candidate in Education at Capella University, with a
specialization in Human Performance Improvement (HPI). Bill is the
author of, “Beneath a Vedic Sky,” “Beneath a Vedic Sun,” and “Vedic
Astrology Simply Put.” He is a recipient of the 2011 “Jyotish Medha
Pragya” award by the Indian Council of Astrological Sciences (ICAS)
in New Delhi, India. Bill is President of the American College of Vedic
Astrology™ (ACVA), and the ACVAOnline ™ educational program at
www.acvaonline.org. Bill has maintained an active Vedic astrology
practice since 1983 with thousands of clients around the world. Bill lives
in Southern California and can be reached at www.vedicastrologer.com.WILLIAM R. LEVACY
close by through revealing secrets. Rama Dayalu’s
Sanketa Nidhi, calls the 8th , the house of mysteries.
Sanketa Nidhi also indicates the 8th house as representing
“fear from enemies, imprisonment, and acting in an
unbecoming manner.” Symbolically, as well as literally,
Sanketa Nidhi identifies “crossing the river” as a trait of
the 8th house. The 8th house is concerned with matters
related to “crossing over” or death, perhaps even symbolic
death and rebirth. Mantreshwara’s Phaladeepika while
mirroring Parashara’s emphasis on longevity and death,
expands 8th house descriptions to include impediments due
to impurity, embarrassments, chronic indebtedness, and
all around sorrow. Mantreshwara also provides the rule
that “if the lord of the house under examination is in the
6th, 8th, or 12th from the Lagna, that house is destroyed.The same will be the results if that house is occupied by
the Lords of the 6th, 8th, or 12th. As we will see in the next
section of this article, a benefic aspect on the 8th house
can mitigate some of the negative energy and can promote
the positive end of the scale.
The 8th House can be Favorable
Pandit Ojha, in Predictive Astrology of the Gurus,
(p. 110) states that “apparently contradictory matters, such
as longevity and death, happiness, and mental distress,
etc. are really not contradictory but represent the positive
and negative aspects of the same content.”
Mantreshwara, alerts us that all rules of Vedic astrology
have a favorable and unfavorable dimension to them. In
the case of the dusthanas, including the 8th , if the house
concerned is aspected by a benefic, it will in fact flourish.
As such, Mantreshwara is making us aware that the 8th
house can also indicate the opportunity for an improvement
of a life condition. If one is beset with obstacles (vighna),
then it would be the recognition of obstacles, or creating
more discernment, that would allow an individual to
navigate around these barriers, setbacks, or delays (or
transcend them) and move forward. If a person had many
impurities (asuchi) that diminished their life force, then
the removal of those afflictions could lead to a healing
transformation and more vitality (life). If a person was
JANUARY 2012 29THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
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BHATTOTPALA INVOKES the Sun at the
commencement of his commentary on Brihat Jataka
thus.
³e®íeðeb meefJelee ®ekeÀej efJeHeguebmkeÀvOeweqðeefYep³eexefle<eb
lem³eeseq®íefÊe Ye³eeled Hegve: keÀefue³egiesmebme=l³e ³ees Yetleueced ~
Yet³e: mJeuHelejb JejenefceefnjJ³eepesvemeJe¥ J³eOee
efolLeb ³eb ÒeJeoefvle cees#ekegÀMeueemlemcew vecees YeemJeles ~~
This means,
“The three fold Jyotisha was propounded by the Sun.
Fearing that it would be lost in Kaliyuga the Sun took the
incarnation in the world as Varahamihira and expounded
the three branches in a short form. This is what people
with knowledge of salvation say. Obeisance to that Sun”.
This statement is fully justified by the fact that
Varahamihira wrote monumental works on all the three
branches - Siddhanta, Hora and Samhita. In Siddhanta
he wrote Pancha Siddhantika. In Hora, he wrote Brihat
Jataka and Laghu Jataka. Brihat Samhita is
encyclpaedic in range and covers the whole gamut of
celestial and terrestrial phenomena. It deals with the
transits of planets, comets, architecture, weather forecast,
iconography, omens, qualities of men and women and a
wide variety of topics. He also wrote a work called
Samasa Samhita known only through quotations.
Vatakanika is a work dealing with omens. But it exists
only in a fragmentary form. On travels or what may be
called military astrology he wrote Brihadyatra,
Svalpayatra and Yogayatra. On marriages he wrote
Brihat Vivahapatala and according to Bhattotpala he also
Commentaries on
Brihat JatakaBrihat JatakaBrihat JatakaBrihat JatakaBrihat JatakaDR. S. MADHAVAN
wrote Svalpa Vivahapatala. According to tradition the
authorship of more than thirty works is attributed to him,
but the authenticity is not certain. Apart from the global
sweep of learning he was a master of Sanskrit prosody as
is evidenced from his metrical extravaganza in Brihat
Samhita, while describing transits of planets. In fact no
other astrologer of India possessed his versatility.
Regarding his period several opinions prevail. Because
of his reference to 427 Saka in Paricha Siddhantika as
meHleeeféeJesomebK³eb it is generally believed that he flourished in
5th century A.D. Amaraja mentions in his commentary
on Brahmasphuta Siddhanta that he died in Saka 509
which corresponds to 587 A.D. Because he named his
son Prithuyasas and reference to Prithu (which means
big or the name Prithu) in He=LegiegCe³eMee (B.J. 11.10) and He=efLeJeerMe:(B.J. 11.15) it is likely that he was contemporary of Vainya
Gupta, Vainya being a synonym of Prithu.
He introduces himself thus:
Deeefol³eoemeleve³e mleoJeeHleyeesOe:keÀeefHeefÿue: meefJele=ueyOeJejÒemeeo: ~
DeeJeefvlekeÀes cegefveceleev³eJeueeske̳e mec³eiIeesjb Jejenefceefnjes ©ef®ejeb ®ekeÀej ~~
This implies that he belonged to Avanti and Kapisthala
gothra. His father was Aditya dasa who gave him
knowledge. He was endowed with a boon from the Sun
and he wrote the beautiful Horasastra after going through
the works of the sages.
Brihat Jataka
Brihat Jataka of Varahamihira is great work on Hora. The
author has culled out much information from this literature
from hoary past and presented in an acceptable fashion.
He himself observes in Brihat Samhita thus:
(Born in 1940 Dr. S. Madhavan did his M.Sc. (Mathematics) and took his doctorate in Mathematics from the University of Kerala. He has
published several research papers in journals of international repute in mathematics, Indian astronomy, astrology etc. He retired as Professor
and Head of the Department of Mathematics, University College, Thiruvananthapuram. He also worked abroad for about four years. He has
attended several national and international conferences and guided scores of M.Phil. and PhD students. He studied sanskrit and jyotisha in
the traditional way. He is now translating the commentary Apurvarthapradarshika of his father, Sri A.N. Srinivasaraghava Iyengar on Brihat
Jataka into English. Through his organization Mihira Astrological Center, he works for the promotion of astrology.)
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
32 JANUARY 2012 THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
AS WE MOVE TO THE NEW YEAR 2012 the first
thing which we do is to replace the old calendar with
the new calendar. The Calendar has become an integral
part of our life and due to the electronic revolution it is
available in many forms such as wrist watches, cell
phones, computers etc. Today Gregorian calendar is
internationally accepted civil calendar and is in use across
the globe. Though there are many advantages with the
other calendars which are traditionally in use in India such
as Hindu Solar Calendar, Islamic Calendars etc., it is the
Gregorian calendar which has become more popular in
day to day activities due to its own advantages. This
article focuses on providing the astronomical significance
of each of these calendars and explains their advantages
and drawbacks. The calendars are devised based on the
movements of Sun and Moon and are classified as Solar,
Lunar and Lunisolar calendars. The Solar calendar
considers only Sun and ignores the Moon. The lunar
Calendar considers only Moon and ignores the Sun. The
Lunisolar Calendar considers both Sun and Moon. Each
of the 3 calendars has its own way of organizing the units
of time such as year, month and day which is explained in
detail in the remaining sections of the article.
Solar Calendar
It is defined based on Sun and ignores the Moon.
According to this calendar the solar year is defined to be
the time taken by Sun to complete one revolution along
the ecliptic starting from one reference point to reach the
same reference point (though it is the earth which revolves
around the Sun, for all practical purposes it is fine to
consider the other way). If the reference point is
considered to be vernal equinox it is known as tropical
year (also known as sayana year) and the calendar as
tropical calendar. If the reference point is considered to
be a fixed star or a fixed point in ecliptic then it is known
as sidereal year (also known as nirayana year) and the
calendar as sidereal calendar.
VENKATA GIRI KUMAR
AstronomicalSignificance of Calendars
Tropical Calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the best example of the tropical
calendar and it uses the vernal equinox as the reference
point. We are familiar with this calendar as we use it
extensively in our day to day life but the significance of
the calendar lies with the alignment of the calendar with
the equinoxes and solstices. This has 12 months in a year
and the number of days in a year varies between 365 and
366 days depending on whether it is a leap year or not.
The additional day in the leap year is added to the month
of February which makes it 29 days from 28 days and as
a result the leap year consists of 366 days and the non
leap year has 365 days. The leap year is defined to be the
year which is divisible by 4 and not by 100. Also the year
which is divisible by 400 is considered as leap year. As a
result we have the following
� The years 1600, 2000, 2400 ….. are leap years as
they are divisible by 400
� The years 1700, 1800, 1900 ….. are not leap years as
they are divisible by 100 and not by 400
� All the other years which are divisible by 4 such as
1704, 1708 …. are leap years.
The leap years are introduced to synchronize the calendars
with the dates of equinoxes and solstices which otherwise
drift backwards due to precession of equinox. As a result
Gregorian calendar is highly synchronized to equinoxes
and solstices. Also it is the only calendar which preserves
the knowledge of equinoxes and solstices.
The leap year calculations used by Gregorian calendar
are explained in detail in the article “Precession of
Uttarayana” (December 2011 issue of The Astrological
eMagazine). The equinoxes and solstices fall in the exact
dates every year as shown below
� March 21 — Vernal Equinox
� June 21 — Summer Solstice
� September 21 – Autumnal Equinox
� December 21 – Winter Solstice
Mr. Venkata Giri Kumar works as a
software professional in Bangalore since
1993 after completing M.E at REC Trichy.
He says the initial astrological foundation
have been the books of DR. B. V. RAMAN. He
has been an avid reader of THE ASTROLOGICAL
MAGAZINE. His serious interests are studying
and analyzing the astronomical significance
of the various events in day to day life.
JANUARY 2012 35THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
IN OUR EARLIER WE discussed
in detail, the logical approach
towards planetary combinations. In
this dissertation we will try to
understand the inner significance of
certain planetary combinations.
Combinations come under special
rules of Astrology and as such can
run counter to general rules. For
instance Hydrogen is inflammable;
so is Oxygen: but combination of
Hydrogen and oxygen gives rise to
Water which puts out fire. So we
cannot conclude merely on properties
of Hydrogen and Oxygen, that the
resultant compound which is obtained
by their fusion will be similar in nature
to their individual properties.
Yogas are not just combinations of
planets. Their classification is not
merely restricted to planetary inter
relationship – it can also involve
houses. For instance, Ruchaka yoga
stipulates the condition of Mars being
in Aries, Scorpio or Capricorn.
Yogas fall under several categories;
some of them are:
����� Yogas for education or
intelligence.
����� Yogas for wealth.
����� Yogas for comforts in life.
����� Yogas which elevate people to the
status of king.
����� Yogas resulting in Misfortune.
There are more than four hundred
yogas discussed in textbooks on
Astrology.
DR. E. S. NEELAKANTAN
PanchaMahapurusha
Yogas
In this article we will try to focus our
attention on a few of these yogas and
try to assimilate their significance.The
most important Yogas in Astrology go
under the term, “Pancha
Mahapurusha Yogas”. They occur
when the planets giving rise to this
yoga occupy their own house or are
in exaltation and in a quadrant from
Ascendant .Some scholars opine that
instead of reckoning these yogas
from Ascendant, they could be
reckoned from the Moon, as well.
These yogas are mentioned in Table1.
Name of the Planet causing
Yoga the Yoga
Ruchaka Mars
Bhadra Mercury
Hamsa Jupiter
Malavya Venus
Sasa Saturn
Ruchaka Yoga
This yoga is formed on account of the
presence of Mars in a quadrant from
Ascendant, while occupying Aries,
Scorpio or Capricorn.
A person born in Ruchaka Yoga will
be:
����� Good looking with beautiful
eyebrows.
����� Slim in waist and lower limbs.
����� Strong and courageous.
����� Adventurous.
����� Fighter.
����� Well- versed in occultism, sacred
texts and prayers.
����� Bilious in constitution.
����� Enjoying good reputation.
����� Earning wealth through
courageous deeds.
����� Equal to a ruler.
����� Commanding an army or a fleet
of horses or conveyances.
For real effects of the yoga to fructify,
the planet must be strong. According
to DR. B.V.RAMAN, “A really powerful
yoga would be a rare phenomenon.
Emphasis is laid on the word balishta
so that if a planet is weak by
debilitation, association or aspect the
yoga does not operate in its real sense,
though nominally it may exist. Here
importance is attached to the de facto
rather than de jure presence of this
yoga (ref: 300 Important
Combinations).
Bhadra Yoga
Bhadra Yoga is formed on account
of the presence of Mercury in a
quadrant from ascendant, while
occupying Gemini or Virgo. Please
note that Mercury is the only planet
whose exaltation sign also happens to
be its own house. Consequently this
is the rarest of the Pancha
Mahapurusha yogas because the
probability of the occurrence is only
about 67% compared to the rest of
the Mahapurusha Yogas.
A person born in Bhadra Yoga will
be:
����� Long lived, praised by learned and
of sharp intellect.
Dr. Elavathur Subrahmanyan Neelakantan graduated from
Loyala College of Chennai with distinction in Statistics. As a
qualified Chartered Accountant, he is an Information Systems
Auditor. While his interest in Astrology was activated by going
through books of Dr. B. V. Raman, his formal learning of the
subject was from Prof. K. V. Seshadrinatha Sastri, a renowned
scholar of Astrology and Ayurveda. Awarded with a Doctorate
by the Deemed Sri Chandrasekarendra University,
Kancheepuram for his thesis on Medical Astrology,
Dr. Neelakantan has been a regular contributor to The
Astrological eMagazine. His multi faceted talent also includes
proficiency in Vedic chants.
JANUARY 2012 45THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
MESHA (Aries)[Aswini, Bharani and Krittika 1]
This year opens with some difficulties,
but gradually things change and you
prosper despite some setbacks. It ends
on a note of good cheer.
In January/February, you enjoy some good results. Your
investments fetch good returns. You succeed in
purchasing objects of your choice. There will be some
obstacles particularly related to construction etc. But they
will gradually vanish.
In March/April, there will be gains of various kinds.
Those trying for travels may get favourable results. There
will be peace in the family. Marriage proposals may clock.
You may deal with matters tactfully and avoid
The transits are as follows
The Sun: Enters Capricorn on 15th January, enters Aquarius on 13th February, Pisces on 14th March,
Aries on 15th April, Taurus on 15th May, Gemini on 14th June, Cancer on 15th July, Leo on 15th Aug,
Virgo on 15th September, Libra on 16th October, Scorpio on 15th November and Sagittarius on 15th
December.
Mars: Is in Leo in the beginning and enters Virgo on 14th July, Libra on 14th August, Scorpio on 28th
September, Sagittarius on 9th November, and Capricorn on 1st December.
Mercury: Enters Sagittarius on 4th January, Capricorn on 24th January, Aquarius on 10th February,
Pisces on 27th February, back again in Aquarius on 2nd April, Pisces on 6th April, Aries on 5th May,
Taurus on 21st May, Gemini on 4th June, Cancer on 21st Jun, Leo on 28th August, Virgo on 15th September,
Libra on 1st October, Scorpio on 28th October, Libra on 18th November, Scorpio on 6th, Sagittarius on
27th December.
Venus: Venus enters Aquarius on 19th January, Pisces on 3rd February, Aries on 29th February, Taurus
on 28th March, Cancer on 31st August, Leo on 28th September, Virgo on 23rd October, Libra on 17th
October, Scorpio on 11th October.
Jupiter: He is in Aries in the beginning, enters Taurus on May 17th.
Saturn: He is in Libra in the beginning of the year, enters Virgo on 15th May, and comes back to Libra on
4th August.
Rahu : He is in Scorpio in the beginning. He continues to stay in the same rasi.
Ketu : He is in Taurus. He continues to stay in the same rasi.
This Year for You
2012GARGACHARYA
Planetary
Position on
1.1.2012 at
0:00 hrs
Moon Jupiter
SaturnRahu
MercurySun
Planetary
Position on
1.1.2013 at
0:00 hrs
Moon
JupiterKetu
Saturn
Mars
VenusRahu
complications. Yet some general problems continue to
torment you.
In May/June, you continue to have usual gains and favour
of elderly women. General problems continue to remain
unsolved.
In July/August, you feel happy because you find that
some uncompromising opponent is tamed and the obstacles
get removed. Job seekers do very well.
In September/October, you get partial success in
ventures. Your official career receives a boost and your
trials for assistance meet with success. Some of your
kinsmen help you in difficulties.
In November/December, you find that you become a
bit lazy because of some success and the tendency to
Ketu
MarsVenus
SunMercury
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