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BRIHAT JATAK - Chapter 1-VEDIC ASTRO-CLASSIC

By TheĀ  Great Sage Acharya Varaha-Mihira


BRIHAT JATAK--Chapter-01---VEDIC ASTRO-CLASSIC

By The  Great Sage Acharya Varaha-Mihira

Chapter 1--- Explanation of Technicalities Used

Stanza 1:

The Sun, who is one of the Ashta-Murthies of Shiiva, who forms the path for those who go to Moksha, who represents Atma for those who are well versed in Atmavidya, who accepts the results of the sacrificial rites, who is the master of Amaras and Jyotishas; who destroys, creates and protects the Lokas, who is praised in the Vedas in various forms, who is possessed of many rays and who is the lamp of the three worlds, may he grant us speech.

Stanza 2:

Although there are great many works ably written by intelligent men in accordance with excellent literary style, many people get dispirited in trying to cross the vast ocean of horoscopic knowledge;to such I offer a small boat,constructed with metre of various kinds, short but very suggestive and full of instructive ideas, to enable them to cross this ocean.

Stanza 3:

The science of astrology is called HORA SHASTRA from the compounding of the two words AHO and RATRI and the dropping of the first and last letters; and it speaks of the results of the good and bad deeds done by men in their previous births.

Stanza 4:

In the celestial Chakra (Globe) the signs commencing with Mesha and Aswini, are each formed by nine padas (Quarters) of stars and govern the following organs of Kala-Purusha, namely, head, face, chest, heart, belly, waist, lower belly, sexual organ, thighs, knees, buttocks and feet respectively. Rashi, Kshetra, Griha, Ruksha, Bha and Bhavana (House) refer to and signify the Zodiacal Signs.

Stanza 5:

Meena is represented by two fishes lying close to each other with their heads pointing in opposite directions; Kumbha is shown by a person bearing a water pot; Mithuna is indicated by a man with a club and a woman with a flute, in close embrace; Dhanus is described as a Centaur with the hind part resembling that of a horse and the front of an archer; Makara bears the representation of the face of a deer with the hinder part of a crocodile; Tula represents the appearance of a man with a balance in hand; Kanya is shown by a virgin seated in a boat with a crop in one hand and with a light in the other, and the other signs are represented by their names and move in places congenial to their nature.

Stanza 6:

Kuja, Sukra, Budha, Chandra, Ravi, Budha, Shukra, Kuja, Guru, Shani, Shani and Guru are respectively the lords of the signs and their divisions from Mesha; the Navamsas commence from Mesha, Makara, Tula and Karkata, etc., Dwadasamsas commence from the houses themselves.

Stanza 7:

Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Venus govern five, eight, seven and five Bhagas (degrees) respectively in the Trimsamsas of the odd signs while the order is reversed in those of the even signs. The last part of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces goes under the name of Riksha Sandhi (junction of two Rashis or Constellations)

Stanza 8:

Kriya, Thavuri, Jitheema, Kulira, Laya, Pathona, Juka, Kowrpi, Thaukshika, Akokero, Hridroga and Anthya are names for Mesha, Vrishabha, Mithuna, Karkata, Simha, Kanya, Tula, Vrischika, Dhanus, Makara, Kumbha and Meena respectively

Stanza 9:

If a planet is in its Drekkana, Hora, Navamsa, Trimsamsa, Dwadasamsa and Rashi, it is said to be in its Varga.

Stanza 10:

Vrishabha, Mesha, Dhanus, Karkata, Mithuna and Makara are Ratri-Vala Rasis or signs powerful during night.  With the exception of Mithuna these same rashis are called Prustodayas, The other rashis, viz., Simha, Kanya, Tula, Kumbha and Vrischika are called Dina-Vala Rasis.  These with Mithuna are called Shirshodayas. Meena is called Oobhayodaya.

Stanza 11:

The signs are cruel and beneficial regularly, they are also masculine and feminine, the same are also movable, fixed and common; the lords of the cardinal points are the lords of the triangular houses from Mesha,Vrishabha,Mithuna and Karkata. In odd signs, the first hora is governed by Ravi and the second hora by Chandra and the reverse holds good in the even signs. The lords of the Drekkanas are the lords of the 1st, 5th and 9th in a rashi.

Stanza 12:

Some writers on astrology say that the first hora is governed by the lord of that house while the second hora is governed by the lord of the eleventh from that house. They further say that the lords of the Drekkanas are: (1) the lord of the first, (2) the lord of the 12th, and (3) the lord of the eleventh houses respectively.

Stanza 13:

Aries, Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo, Cancer, Pisces and Libra are signs of exaltation for the Sun, etc., respectively.  The 10th, 3rd, 28th, 15th, 5th, 27th and 20th degrees of the above signs are deep exaltations for the Sun, etc., respectively. The seventh from these are the signs and degrees of debilitations for those planets.

Stanza 14:

The first navamsa of movable, the middle navamsa of the fixed and the last navamsa of the double-bodied signs are technically called Vargottama, Leo, Taurus, Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius, Libra and Aquarius are Moola-Trikonas for the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn respectively.

Stanza 15:

The twelve houses from lagna have been given the following names: (1) Tanu, (2) Kutumba, (3) Sahajaha, (4) Bandhu. (5) Putra, (6) Ari, (7) Patni, (8) Marana, (9) Shubha, (10) Aspada, (11) Aaya, and (12) Ripha. The Oopachayas are the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses from lagna, while the rest are Apachayas. Some say that these should not be taken as permanent

Stanza 16:

Kalya, Swa, Vikrama, Griha, Pratibha, Kshata, Chitthotha, Randhra, Guru, Mana, Bhava, Vyaya are names of birth, second, third, etc., houses, respectively. The fourth and eighth from lagna are technically called Chaturasra, the seventh goes under the name of Dyuna and the tenth is Agnya.

Stanza 17:

Kantaka, Kendra and Chatustaya denote quadrants and these are Saptama (7th), Lagna (1st), Chaturtha (4th) and Kha (10th) Bhanam Rashis (signs). The Nara Rashis (masculine signs) are Mithuna, Kanya, Thula, the first half of Dhanus and Kumbha and these are powerful when they happen to be birth signs. The Jalachara Rashis (Aquatic) are Karkata, Meena, the second half of Makara, and these become powerful in the fourth. Kita Rashi(Vrischika) becomes powerful in the 7-th, and Pashu Rasis (Quadruped) Mesha, Vrishabha, Simha, the 2nd half of Dhanus and the 1st half of Makara become potent when they become the 10th houses.

Stanza 18:

Those houses next to kendras are called Panapharas and those next to Panapharas are designated Apoklimas. Hibuka, Ambu, Sukha and Vesma denote 4th house, Jamitra denotes 7th, Suthabham, Trikona shows 5th, Meshurana and Karma are names for Dashama (10th).

Stanza 19:

If the lord of the birth, Jupiter or Mercury occupy or aspect lagna (birth) it becomes most powerful. If other than these planets aspect or occupy it, it will not be so. All signs in kendras are powerful. Signs in Panapharas are of moderate strength while signs in Apoklimas are powerless. Biped signs are powerful during day, Quadruped signs in the night and Kita Rashi during the two twilights. The measure of the rashis from Mesha to Kanya inclusive is 5-6-7-8-9 and 10 multiplied by four, respectively, the other half from Tula to Meena in the reverse order, Sahaja (3rd) is called Duschikya, and Navama (9th) is denoted as Tapasa and Trikona.

Stanza 20:

Blood-red, white, green, whitish red, smoky, variegated, black, golden, reddish yellow, whitish yellow. Darkish white, and fish tint are the colours of Aries, etc., respectively. The signs of planets get Plava in the direction of their lords. The second from the Sun becomes Vasi.

Sarvesang Mangalam Bhavatu

Jay Maa Tara

Prof. Rishabh Shastri

Consultant - Astro-Vastu-Palm-Numero-Tarot-Gem-Therapist