A translation provided by the Pandit Gopesh Ojha, whose text you will be using this term, also states the word “Ishtam” means that which is wished for. Since a Jyotish chart is considered the manifestation of many acts through many life times, the term can also mean that which we create through the lights. More conventional interpretations translate Jyotish as “the lord of light” or “the science of light”, but it also reflects our actions in choosing our lives. By understanding the lights (signs?) in the sky we can understand our lives. Some parts of Jyotish also include looking at the signs around us, including omens and palmistry. This is called nimhita.

Jyotish is called a Vedanga or a limb of the Vedas. Specifically it is the eye of the Vedas, and lets us see the pattern of the world, and also our relation and path to the divine.

There are six Angas or explanatory limbs, to the Vedas: the siksha and vyakarana of Panini, the chhandas of Pingalacharya, the nirukta of Yaksha, the Jyotisha of Garga, and the Kalpas (srauta, grihya, dharma and sulba) belonging to the authorship of various rishis.

Siksha is knowledge of phonetics. Siksha deals with pronunciation and accent. The text of the Vedas is arranged in various forms or Pathas. The pada-patha gives each word its separate form. The Krama-patha connects the word in pairs. Vyakarana is Sanskrit grammar. Panini’s books are most famous. Without knowledge of Vyakarana, you cannot understand the Vedas. Chhandas is meter dealing with prosody. Nirukta is philology or etymology. Jyotisha is astronomy and astrology. It deals with the movements of the heavenly bodies, planets, etc., and their influence in human affairs. It includes earthly signs like Nimhita (omens) and the ability to read different parts of the body (palmistry is the most commonly used, but there are others.) Kalpa is the method of ritual. The Srauta sutras which explain the ritual of sacrifices belong to Kalpa. The Sulba Sutras, which treat of the measurements which are necessary for laying out the sacrificial areas, also belong to Kalpa. The Grihya Sutras which concern domestic life, and the Dharma Sutras which deal with ethics, customs and laws, also belong to kalpa.

There are many texts that explore the philosophy of Jyotish, but its basic philosophy is based on Sankhya, a system of thought that categorizes states of existence between spirit and matter. Interestingly enough, Sankhya’s complementary discipline is Yoga, which is the process by which we merge again with the divine, while still retaining our identities. Indian philosophy is heavily steeped in the belief in reincarnation, and the astrology chart is seen as an indicator of how far away from, or how close to reunion with God the soul is. (There are six darshans or viewpoints in Hinduism, set into three pairs—Nyaya (logic) and Vaisheshika (discrimination); Samkhya (categorization) and Yoga (Union) and Purva Mimamsa (religious and spiritual ritual) and Vedanta (or the elimination of boundaries between the divine and the human) This is certainly not the only use of Jyotisha—you will see as we study it that Jyotish excels at identifying trends in material life, and is used for that more than anything else—but ease of life is considered the result of past life actions, which leadi to reward or suffering. The spiritual aspect to these life events depends on how we deal with the good and bad that life hands us—or that we hand ourselves! Also, the concept of the level of karma a person must face becomes important.

Karma is divided into four primary categories: (1) sanchita, (2) prarabdha, (3) kriyamana, and (4) agama. Sanchita and prarabdha karma can be generally understood as the unchangeable fate or destiny of the individual, with kriyamana and agama karma reflecting the person's free will or choice. The following is a basic description of each type of karma. · Sanchita can be defined as one's collective karma from all past incarnations. Sanchita basically means "hesaped together" and reflects the collection of all karmas due to known and unknown actions of the past. · Prarabdha karma is the specific karmic lessons that an individual is ready to experience in this lifetime. Thus, it is only a portion of the collective sanchita karma and may be experienced as a person's destiny or fate in the present incarnation. · Kriyamana karma is created by our current actions in this lifetime. It can be thought of as our free will or effort that we are exerting now. It is our daily behavior and personal actions. As the great Jyotishi, Swami Sri Yukteswar stated, "The first lesson on the spiritual path is to learn to behave". · Agama karmas are created by how we envision the future. They are the new actions that are contemplated as you plan your work as a result of personal insight. As the Buddha stated, "As we think, we create our world". (Credit for the above section:: American College of Vedic Astrology on-line program, year one, Module 1)

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Contemporary Forms of Vedic Astrology

PARASARI Astrology—
This is the predominant form of astrology practiced in India and is the most prevalent form practiced in the United States, by far. The major text in this tradition is the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra which is considered the Bible of Vedic Astrology. The Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra is an encyclopedic collection of astrological techniques, many of which are only sparsely used or investigated by many contemporary astrologers. The other major reference texts in this tradition are Phaladeepika by Mantreswara; the Brihat Jataka (curious collection which seems very much influenced by Greek astrology) by Varaha Mihira; the Jataka Parijata (a compendium of collected knowledge from various sources); the Uttara Kalamrita by Kalidas -- a little gem of astrological knowledge which contains a wealth of astrological gems; and the Saravali. These texts are the backbone of Jyotish. The problem with many of these texts is that the translations of many of these texts have been relatively disorganized -- many astrology students have found the experience of approaching these texts very daunting because the technique are often presented in a very random fashion. In my opinion, it is extremely important for the student to start to familiarize him or herself with these texts, primarily for the purpose of getting closer to the source Perhaps, as some have insisted, these techniques were not meant to be studied without the aid of a Guru. However, this belies the number of successful and accurate astrologers who are able to utilize Jyotish techniques successfully without a Jyotish Guru. This does not mean that I downgrade the importance of learning from those who have come before us, but I think that the Jyotir Vidya reveals itself to the sincere soul. Jyotish has rules, of that there is no doubt, but after the rules are learned, creativity can be introduced, and tested. I have seen quite a few eminent teachers disagree with each other. Every teacher has something of value to teach us. But keep in mind that the most important teacher is the Ishta Devata -- the teacher inside.

JAIMINI Astrology—
Jaimini astrology is a fascinating system of Vedic Astrology which has NO parallels in the West. In many ways its strikes me as a more thoroughly integrated system than the Parasara Vimshottri dasa system taught to most beginning Jyotishis (and from which many astrologers believe it originally It also strikes me as being a more forgiving of birth time inaccuracies, and easier to learn, than Parasari astrology. The reason that it is not taught more often is that the system is not even that well understood by many Indians, and it does require some familiarity with the Parasara system of astrology in order for full understanding. Jaimini has several unique qualities which reveal at a glance those things which require a great deal of investigation using Parasara astrology, especially when considering spiritual potential in the chart. Jaimini uses sign dasas (periods of our lives which are under the influence of signs) rather than planetary dasas. So when one is going through a dasa the individual is not only influenced by the sign, but also the planets in the signs as well. There are certain idiosyncrasies within this system, and it is, as yet, rather incompletely understood in the West. Indeed, even in India. It is thought that there exist some million Sanskrit slokas, 20,000 translated into Indian languages and about (optimistically) a little more than 5,000 Sanskrit Slokas translated into English. Of the 20,000 Sanskrit slokas which are devoted to Jaimini, there are only about 500 translated into English, so vast stores of existing knowledge have not been translated nor interpreted. Large parts of Jyotish are not written, but are passed along orally, and significant interpretational clues are contained in other holy literature, including the Puranas, the Gita, and the Upanishads. But even in its incomplete state, it is extremely powerful when used properly. Please note that there are currently major differences of opinion regarding Jaimini indicators and how to calculate mahadasas; try to learn the shells of the systems and then reach your own conclusions regarding which of he systems seems more correct for you.

TAJIKA Astrology—
This is also referred to as Varshaphal, or “the fruits of the year”. This system, practiced extensively in Northern India (and showing a certain interesting similarity to the techniques of Arabian astrology), uses annual returns (the movement of the Sun to the same position it was when you were born) in order to fine tune predictions for the current year. There is also a rather interesting system of calculations called “sahams” which identify sensitive points on the horoscope in both the birth and annual charts. I have personally seen Tajika charts reveal extremely accurate predictions, particularly in health matters. Although not as complicated as Parasari astrology, it is extremely detailed, and the interpretation is less free flowing than in Parasari astrology. There is a precedent for using Parasari astrology principles in Tajika charts, and it would be interesting to see if the interpretational accuracy worked both ways -- in the interests of research.

BHRIGU ASTROLOGY—
The term Bhrigu astrology actually encompasses several discrete systems of astrology which co-exist in India. The most familiar type is the system of palm leafs which are kept in custodial capacity and passed down among families from generation to generation. This system was discussed in one of Swami Kriyananda’ s texts, and is supposed to give a reading for certain individuals destined to experience such readings. These palm leaf readings apparently developed when the astrologers of India began to get so proficient in Jyotish they were able to generate the charts of those not yet born. This is not so amazing when one realizes that the paths of the planets are set, so generating a chart becomes a mathematical process. Apparently these families pass down certain techniques for finding and interpreting charts (including the seemingly fantastic ability to generate names, which is actually a part of chart interpretation called namakaran. Although a bit beyond the scope of this text (I may include it in an intermediate level text), namakaran, or “making names” or identifying people and places by name from astrology charts is theoretically possible through the use of a standard natal chart, as all the Devanagari Sanskrit vowels and consonants are assigned to the nakshatras.

The second system referred to as a “Bhrigu technique” is the Nadi readings. Nadis are points on the Zodiac -- there are at least 1200 such points -- all possessing some character or trait. Obviously the use of such a technique requires an extremely accurate birth time, but Nadi techniques are said to produce incredibly accurate results. However, as in the palm leaves, there are several different Nadi traditions -- some through systems legendarily attributed to the Sun, others to the Moon (contained in the text Chandra Kala Nadi); some to Mars; and some to other planets.

A third set of techniques is standard astrological techniques pulled from Bhrigu astrology. There are certain techniques which are culled from the Bhrigu system which are unique and not in basic Parasara texts; this system is still being revealed at this time and it will probably be many generations before significant parts of this system are released, although there have been several interesting initial steps taken in this direction by Narendra Desai, Nalini Kanta Das (Tom Hopke), and K. N. Rao and R. G. Rao from India.

Panchpakshi (five bird) This is a type of biorhythm system developed in India by Tamil saints, in which the various lunar mansions are assigned the qualities of birds in Vedic astrology. These birds (peacock, cock, vulture, owl, crow) are assigned to times of the day (which change during the days of the week) and individuals will either have good or bad days depending on the state of their “bird”. I have seen several analyses using the Panchpakshi system, and feel that this system should be used more extensively, particularly for the purpose of evaluating the ability of an individual to withstand illnesses and setbacks in life.

MUHURTHA—
This very complicated system of astrology sets the timing of events, such as when to start a ritual, when to marry a person, when to start a job, when to start a voyage, when to conceive. Every aspect of life can be chosen for a beginning using electional astrology. Muhurtha (literally, this means a 48 minute interval and is a basic unit of time in Vedic Astrology) is an extremely involved system that requires intense study and has many rules.

PRASHNA—
This is what is known as horary astrology in the West. Prashna is considered a discipline by itself in India, and certain astrologers specialize solely in this system of astrology. It is used to answer specific questions based upon the time the petitioner asks the question. Prashna can also involve the interpretation of omens, such as a dog barking (called NIMHITA) although some experts consider Nimhita to be a separate discipline from Prashna.

PALMISTRY—
This is considered a part of Jyotish as the indications of the stars are also in evidence in our hands and certain planets rule certain parts of the body.

TYPES OF VEDIC CHART STYLES

Although this class will mostly use the South Indian chart format, it is useful to become familiar with both styles. The North Indian chart looks very similar to some charts used in Europe in the middle ages. It is a square chart, with interesting lines drawn from the corners and with lines drawn from mid-point to mid-point of each side. It is a house based chart. The ascendant is usually marked by a number in the top opening (1=Aries; 2 = Taurus; 3=Gemini; and so forth. To give examples, a Libra rising would be marked 7, a Sagittarius would be marked 9, and a Pisces 12)) and the chart is read counterclockwise, so the top left side opening is the 2nd house and the top right hand opening the 12th house.

The South Indian chart is a bit simpler in conception in that it is a series of twelve squares, around an open space. It is a sign based chart and is read clockwise. Pisces (we’ll get to the Sanskrit terms for these signs a bit later) always sits in the upper left side of the chart, Aries is in the next box, Taurus follows, and Gemini sits in the upper right hand corner.

You can see examples of both chart styles in James Braha’s and William Levacy’s books. I would encourage you to experiment with both, to see which style you prefer.

Students are expected to spend five to fifteen hours per week on the Vedic Astrology material. After studying this week’s Vedic reading assignments, please ponder the following questions: What are the possible origins of Jyotish and its relationship to the Vedas? Can you think of a reason why there is so much information packed into the first nine pages of Mantreswar’s Phaladeepika?

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A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF JAIMINI ASTROLOGY

Jaimini is predominantly practiced in the Andhra Pradesh area of India, but its governing principles are also discussed in detail in the encyclopedic compendium of astrological techniques, the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra. The BPHS has enough material in it to keep most of us studying Jyotisha busy for several life times. The Jaimini factors are not referred to specifically as Jaimini indicators. However, when one reads P. S. Sastri's translation of the Jaimini Sutras, or either of Mr. Rao's texts on Jaimini Astrology, one realizes that these principles are, in fact Jaimini principles. There are other Jaimini texts which have emerged over the years (including The Jaimini Upadesa Sutras written by Sanjay Rath, and published about two years ago and a recent translation in process by Ernst Wilhelm of the United States). However, Mr. Rao's texts go the furthest in explaining how the Jaimini dasa systems work, and are still, in my opinion, the clearest exposition of Jaimini principles available in the West.

The following are the major differences between Jaimini and "standard" Parasara astrology are:

1) The use of sign mahadasas (Chara, Sthira and Shoola dasas are the best known, but there are approximately 44 mahadasas used in Jaimini astrology);

2) The use of padas. Padas are indicators in the signs. The best way to explain a pada is to illustrate it. Suppose we are looking for the marriage pada in a chart. The seventh house is the marriage house in a standard chart. Let us assume we have a Libra ascendant. Aries is the seventh house in this chart. The ruler of the seventh house is therefore Mars. Then let us assume that the Graha Mars is in the sign Capricorn. This sign is ten signs away from Aries. We then count ten signs from Capricorn to get the pada for marriage matters. Thus, the sign Libra is the marriage indicator for this chart. Issues connected with marriage (and partnerships in general) will be reach fruition during the mahadasa or bhuktis of Libra.

3) The extensive use of karakas. There are karakas in Parasara astrology, but these are based on certain "natural" karakas of the planets. For example, Venus is the natural karaka for marriage and Mars is the karaka for brothers. However, in Jaimini astrology, the Karakas can be any of the planets. (I choose to follow Mr. Rao in choosing to exclude the North and South Lunar Node -- Rahu and Ketu -- as Jaimini karakas for most purposes.)

There are seven karakas which are judged in terms of the planet which is highest in degree to that which is lowest in degree, regardless of sign placement. The karakas are, in descending order,

• the atma karaka (the indicator of self),
• the amatya karaka (the indicator of career);
• the bhatri karaka (the indicator of siblings and father);
• the matri karaka (the indicator of mother and education);
• the pitri (Or putri) karaka (the indicator of children, intelligence and creativity);
• the gnati karaka (the indicator of strife, disease, and spiritual sadhana); and
• the stri or dara karaka, the indicator of marriage (and partnerships in general).

Some authors, Parasara included, use 8 karakas. In the Jaimini Upadesa Sutras, both 7 and 8 karakas are mentioned, indicating to me that both must have some utility for interpretation. These karakas are of extreme importance in judging a chart, especially in terms of career potential and, especially, for judging spiritual potential, as indicated in both the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra and the Jaimini Sutram.

Also, although this stance is not universally endorsed, it has also been my experience that the Jaimini karakas work especially well when we analyze the planetary mahadasas and the maturity of planets. I also believe that the natural Parasara planetary karakas also exert their influence on the Jaimini karakas. Vedic Astrologer Robert Koch has discussed the way in which Jaimini indicators can be used in Parasari settings in his excellent contribution to Richard Houck's compilation Vedic Astrology Lessons and the text Jataka Tattwa describes methods for using the moveable karakas in interpreting Parasari charts.

For this article however, we will limit this discussion to the use of the Jaimini Chara dasas, padas, and Jaimini Karakas as spiritual determinants in a chart. The major points that we will look at are some of the spiritual indicators in Jaimini that are mentioned in the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra and in the Jaimini Sutram.

There is another part of Jaimini Astrology which must be accounted for in analyzing charts for spiritual potential. The atma karaka (planet in the highest degree in the chart) will fall in a certain sign in the Navamsa (harmonic ninth) chart. This sign in the Navamsa in which the Atma Karaka falls is extremely important. According to one school of thought, this sign assumes a special status called the Karakamsa. K. N. Rao has made a special study of this topic and feels that this sign should be moved to the natal chart, and there it becomes the Karakamsa. The Navamsa position of the atmakaraka then becomes an entity called a Swamsa chart.

This is not so insignificant a matter as it seems at first. The BPHS and Jaimini Sutram indicate that certain planets in certain positions from the Karakamsa will produce specific spiritual effects and affiliations, and the placement of planets from the Swamsa and the Karakamsa will often differ dramatically, so certain spiritual combinations which show in the Navamsa chart will not appear in the natal chart, and vice versa. For the analysis of spiritual potential in the chart, a choice must be made. We do need to make a choice, if only to determine a starting place.

Before my encounters with Mr. Rao, I had relatively good results in delineating spiritual preferences when using the Navamsa chart as the location of the Karakamsa. However, closer examination of certain charts of individuals who had never been known for spiritual tendencies showed that certain indications which were supposed to follow by the placement of the Atma Karaka in certain signs made me reevaluate my position, and led me closer to the position adopted by Mr. Rao. The placement of the Atma Karaka in the sign Pisces, for example, did not necessarily "grant final emancipation" or produce spiritual individuals. The technique used by Mr. Rao seems to work more consistently.

Using the system described above, let's examine the chart of one of the best known spiritual teachers of the twentieth century, Paramahamsa Yogananda. Yogananda introduced the West to the discipline of Kriya Yoga, a yogic science passed on by the 1,000 year old emanation of Shiva known as Babaji. Yogananda was clearly a very famous spiritual individual, lecturing to thousands and establishing one of the most enduring spiritual groups of the twentieth century, the Self-Realization Fellowship. Even the fact that there are at least a half dozen disparate and unaffiliated Kriya Yoga Organizations in the United States (The Ananda Church in California and the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago are examples of the diversity of Kriya Yoga practiced in the United States). He is also well known for not showing any visible signs of decay for twenty days after his death at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

If we examine his chart, we see that Yogananda's atma karaka planet is Venus (Shukra) and that this planet is located in the fourth house, one of the three moksha (liberation) houses, in Scorpio (Vrischika) one of the three moksha signs (Scorpio, Cancer and Pisces are considered the moksha signs, perhaps because water signs are considered signs of dissolution or merging with the infinite.).

If we look at the padas of the various houses, the fourth house pada (the indicator of where the heart is in a natal chart) is located in the twelfth house (Cancer), an indicator that this individual's emotions are connected with renunciation, a necessary attribute for a sanyasin, which Yogananda was). Also, if we look carefully at the fourth house, we see several auspicious upagrahas in the fourth house -- the Pranapada, Kala , Indrachapa (the child of Shukra) and Upaketu are all in this house, Upaketu giving great qualities of renunciation, but the presence of Indrachapa giving the blessings of the great teacher Shukra, and Shukra himself blessing this individual with divine bliss through deep control of Kundalini energy -- also known as Kriya.

In the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra, the placement of Upaketu in the fourth house makes the native "charming, very virtuous, gentle, interested in Vedas, and ... always happy". The placement of Indra Chapa in the fourth makes the native "happy, endowed with quadrupeds, wealth, grains, etc. be honored by the king and be devoid of sickness". It was known that Yogananda was able to access large amounts of money and nice cars when he needed to, and he also met with President Calvin Coolidge, among other world leaders. Kala, an inauspicious upagraha which acts like Rahu is also in the fourth house, which indicates his separation from his parents, his lack of interest in academic disciplines, and the early death of his mother.

The placement of Rahu in the ninth gives fame, but also gives a famous Guru. This was certainly the case of Sri Yukteswar, who is probably the one of the most famous Indian gurus who never left India (including Paramahamsa Ramakrishna and Swami Sivananda). Yogananda's extreme attachment to his Guru is probably due to the pada of the ninth house being placed in the seventh house. The Kriya Yoga tradition calls for an extremely strong attachment between disciple and teacher, and Yogananda never wished to marry, perhaps because he was already emotionally "married" to his teacher. (In Autobiography of a Yogi, Yogananda mentioned that his astrological chart indicated that he would.)

Remember – in this system, to determine a pada, count from the house being evaluated to the house in which the ruler of that house sits, then count from that house the same number of houses as the ruler of the house. In this case Mars is the ruler of the sign in which Rahu sits (Aries).

· Mars is in Pisces in this chart, and is located twelve signs away from Aries. We then count from Pisces to twelve signs away -- this leads to the seventh house sign Aquarius, which the becomes the indicator of the Guru, or spiritual teacher.
· In 1922, Yogananda entered an Aquarius mahadasa (Jaimini uses sign mahadasas rather than planetary mahadasas). This was the time that he went to the United States at the bequest of his Guru.
· We can trace other events, such as his great fame in the United States after he entered his Aries Mahadasa (with Rahu in Aries, fame was certainly assured).

Shukra, the Atma Karaka planet in Yogananda's chart, is located in the sign Aquarius in the Navamsa, so Aquarius is the Karakamsa house in the natal chart. So we can start to assess the indicators from either the Rasi chart and the Navamsa chart. Interestingly BPHS does say that if Venus is in the Karakamsa one gets initiated in a religious order. This holds true when we look at Yogananda's chart from the Navamsa chart, but not from the Rasi chart.

Yogananda's amatyakaraka planet was Jupiter (also known as Guru in Sanskrit) -- it is then fitting and apppriate that during his Pisces mahadasa he was mostly involved in teaching Kriya Yoga. The placement of Jupiter with Mars emphasizes that he would teach a yoga path which emphasized rapid development. Kriya is really a "Mars" type of yoga in that it calls for extreme self control and the development of willpower as a means to liberation. Using this system of interpretation, you would also note that Yogananda had a very strong eighth house, which is really a "kundalini" or "kriya" house, because any yoga which involves control of sexual energy through willpower requires a strong eighth house. That interpretation would indicate Yogananda had the the willpower to preserve his physical body after his "mahasamadhi".

The chart of the Dalai Lama also gives evidence of the way that the Jaimini karakas work in a spiritual chart. His atmakaraka planet is Mars -- this is common among individuals who practice intense meditative practices, and I have read several accounts that the Dalai Lama spends at least two hours a day in meditation even while keeping an active travel agenda.

Mars is located in the sign Leo (Simha) in his Navamsa chart, making the sign Leo his Karakamsa chart when it is transposed to his natal chart. He has a Virgo rising chart in Jyotisha, so Leo becomes his twelfth house. In addition to this, he has both the Moon and Venus in the sign Leo, which, according to Jaimini principles, guarantees spiritual happiness. The association of the Moon and Venus is a special Raja Yoga combination in Jaimini astrology.

It is also noted in the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra, that if benefics are in the Karakamsa, then the individual will surely become a king. The Dalai Lama had traditionally served as the secular and spiritual ruler of Tibet. It is interesting to note, however, that these benefic planets are in the twelfth house of this chart, which seems to infer a king in exile.

In addition, Jaimini astrology has special aspects. The mutable signs (Pisces, Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius) aspect each other, while the cardinal signs (except those adjacent to each other) aspect the fixed signs and vice versa.

So Leo, the Karakamsa in the Dali Lama chart is aspected by Libra, Capricorn, and Aries. Libra contains the planet Jupiter, which gives him a popular personality. Also important in this particular system are mutual relationships. The mutual relationship between Jupiter and Venus gives the individual the ability to teach and reach people, particularly in spiritual matters, which is seen in the Dali Lama’s chart. Interestingly enough, the Dalai Lama's amatyakaraka (career indicator) is, as in the case of Paramahamsa Yogananda, Jupiter, and the placement of the career indicator in the second house, with the second house ruler in the twelfth house, indicates the ability to teach in foreign countries.

The placement of Upaketu does not necessarily promise the worship of any specific deity in the Jyotish scriptures I have seen, but the placement of Saturn aspecting the twelfth would promise worship of either Vishnu, or "mean deities". In the Dali Lama’s chart, Saturn, in Aquarius, and Upaketu, in Taurus, aspect the twelfth house from the Karakamsa -- the sign Cancer. Certainly, Buddhism is a "heterodox" system from the Vedic perspective (it is "outside of the Vedas"). I have also noticed extremely strong Saturns prominently placed in the charts of Vaishnavas, and Buddha, at least according to some schools, is an Avatar of Vishnu. Also, the pada of the twelfth house is Pisces, containing the upagraha Yamaganda, the child of Jupiter, the great benefic among the upagrahas. Again, in this system of interpretation, this would corroborate the spiritual success of the Dali Lama, especially away from his land of birth.

In terms of events in the Dalai Lama's life, we can certainly note that he left Tibet in 1959, during the middle of a Sagittarius mahadasa. It has been implied in certain Jaimini texts that there will be a "fall' during a Sagittarius period. This topic was discussed in K. N. Rao's text Predicting Through Jaimini's Chara Dasa, in which he cautioned that this dictum should be interpreted cautiously.

However, in this particular case, we can certainly view the Dalai Lama's exile as a "fall", although it eventually projected him into a position of world wide recognition. Jupiter, who rules this sign, is considered a naturally malefic (perhaps "death inflicting" planet) for Virgo rising; Jupiter is placed in an enemy sign; and Rahu is also in the sign Sagittarius, and Rahu will usually involve separation or discord during its the mahadasa of a sign in which it is placed.

The Dalai Lama's most recent Mahadasa is Gemini (Mithuna); with both the Sun (the ruler of the Karakamsha) and the planet Mercury in it's own sign, accompanied by Ketu, aspected by Mars, Rahu, and Yamaganda, it is no wonder that Tibet has, since 1991 the time of commencement of the Gemini Mahadasa, become a cause celebre, championed by movie stars and rock performers.

One final thought: the Mahadasa into which the Dalai Lama was borne was a Virgo Mahadasa. The pada of the first house is Pisces, possessor of the benefic upagraha Yamaganda. As many are aware, the Dalai Lama is chosen through signs and the placement of the previous Dalai Lama's possessions in front of the child candidate. This placement of Yamaganda implies gifts at birth. And, one final point -- the placement of Venus and the Moon, two extraordinary benefics, are usually an indicator that the soul will attain heaven after death -- while awaiting the next reincarnation perhaps.

These two cases have illustrated, in a very basic fashion, how Jaimini principles can be used to illustrate spiritual tendencies in a chart. The two individuals chosen were selected mainly because they were well known -- there are many spiritual individuals in this world who are not and who will never be well known, because this is not their role to play. However, just the indicators shown in these brief analyses will, I hope, whet the appetites of others to examine spiritual tendencies through the use of Jaimini and Upagraha principles. Research is essential because so few reference texts are available. With any luck, this is merely the start of this process, and we will expand our knowledge of Jaimini to the point that other dasas, and more sophisticated utilization of the padas and upagrahas, will prevail.

Bibliography
Sage Jaimini, Jaimini Sutram, translated by P.S. Sastri, Ranjan Publications, Delhi, India, 1990

Sage Parasara, Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra, translated by R. Santhanam and G. S. Kapoor, Ranjan Publications, Delhi, India, 1989

Rao, K. N., Predicting through Jaimini's Chara Dasa, Vani Graphics, Lucknow, India, 1995.

Rao, K. N. , Predicting through Karakamsa and Mandook Dasa, Vani Graphics, Lucknow, India, 1995.

Sastri, P. S., Jaimini Astrology, Sagar Publications, 1992.

Yogananda, Paramahansa. Autobiography of a Yogi. Los Angeles, CA: Self-Realization Fellowship, 1979.

The major text in this tradition is the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra which is considered the Bible of Vedic Astrology. The Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra is an encyclopedic collection of astrological techniques, many of which are only sparsely used or investigated by many contemporary astrologers. The other major reference texts in this tradition are Phaladeepika by Mantreswara; the Brihat Jataka (a curious collection which seems very much influenced by Greek astrology) by Varaha Mihira; the Jataka Parijata (a compendium of collected knowledge from various sources); the Uttara Kalamrita (a much later text, but clearly derived from earlier works) by Kalidas -- a little gem of astrological knowledge which contains a wealth of astrological gems; and the Saravali (a medieval text).

These texts are the backbone of Jyotish. The problem with many of these texts is that the translations of many of these texts have been relatively disorganized -- many astrology students have found the experience of approaching these texts very daunting because the techniques are often presented in a very random fashion. In my opinion, it is extremely important for the student to start to familiarize him or herself with these texts, primarily for the purpose of getting closer to the source.

Perhaps, as some have insisted, these techniques were not meant to be studied without the aid of a Guru. However, this belies the number of successful and accurate astrologers who are able to utilize Jyotish techniques successfully without a Jyotish Guru. This does not mean that I downgrade the importance of learning from those who have come before us, but I think that the Jyotir Vidya reveals itself to the sincere soul. Jyotish has rules, of that there is no doubt, but after the rules are learned, creativity can be introduced, and tested. I have seen quite a few eminent teachers disagree with each other. Every teacher has something of value to teach us. But keep in mind that the most important teacher is the Ishta Devata -- the teacher inside.

It is an interesting myth and while it is not conceivable in my mind, there is speculation that at one time, Kerala was covered by water. Archeologists believe that the Arabian Sea once extended to the foot of the Western Ghats, and that Kerala emerged out of the sea as a result of either sudden or gradual earthquake activity. [i] While the first actual record of Kerala appears in the inscriptions of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (269-232 B.C.), archeologists have found evidence of an earlier civilization. They have unearthed small chambers that were cut into rocks, with covered capstone entrances and vaulted roofs, that are dated some time between 1000 and 300 B.C. [ii] This may have been the Dravidians, an ancient people from the Mediterranean that were one of the earlier inhabitants of Kerala.

(Faculty note: This is a highly controversial assertion that is openly contested by many mainstream authorities. Some authorities hold that the Dravidians were the original natives of India; others that the Dravidians and Aryans were originally indistinct groups in India.)

The Dravidians were a matriarchal society that believed in the “Mother Goddess” as their protector and bestower of wealth, wisdom, and the arts. It is interesting that one of the most popular temples in Kerala today, is the temple of the Hindu mother-goddess Bhagawati. [iii] The Dravidian culture and religion may have been one of the first to come to Kerala; Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and the Islamic faith followed it. Both India and the Kerala region are a melting pot of varying cultures and religions.

(Faculty note: The origins and development of religious system are a point of controversy as well. Hinduism and Jainism can make equal claims for antiquity; although Jainism dates from Mahavira, there were the tradition numbers many similar prophets before him. Hinduism claims to be the oldest religion, encompassing everything, including the pre-historic Goddess traditions, which are still in some degree of dispute as to their antiquity. However, Kerala was, and still remains, a one of the centers of goddess worship in India and the female form of divinity is honored there.)

During my research on this subject, I came across an article by a Vedic astrologer named Shyamasundara Dasa. In it, he discusses the difficulty in finding a teacher of Prasna. After a long search, he found a family of Jain astrologers in Bangalore, headed by the late B.G. Sasikantha Jain, who practiced Bhrgu Prasna and the late Krishnan Potti, the scholar of Prasna Marga. [iv] It is interesting that one of the only two astrologers that he found to teach him, was a devotee of Jainism.

Jainism is one of the oldest religions in India. The devotees have a strong belief in Karma and their purpose in life is the removal of karma and an extinguishing of the self. Jainism as a religion is highly ritualistic, involving daily rituals, which may include meditation, bathing, offering food, flowers and lighting lamps for their shrines, as well as reciting mantras. They constitute a small section of the Kerala demographic, but they are highly educated, wealthy and politically powerful.

 

Geographically, Kerala lies between the Arabian Peninsula and the Western Ghats. These geographic barriers served to insulate Kerala from invading forces in Northern India and may have enabled Kerala to keep much of its own way of life and social institutions in place for centuries. While at the same time, Kerala was able to exchange ideas and philosophy with other countries, such as Egypt, Arabia and China, because of its location along the Malabar Coast.[v] In fact, archeologists have unearthed evidence of an ancient port city in Pattanam, dating back to around the 1st or 2nd century B.C., which may be the lost city of Muziris.[vi]

 

There is also indication of trading between ancient Kerala and the Egyptians, Romans, Phoenicians, as well as ancient China. Teak from Malabar has been found in the ruins of Ur. It is believed that Indian cotton was traded to Egypt, while ivory, sandalwood and spices were traded to the Phoenicians. It has also been speculated that King Solomon sent his commercial fleet to Ephir, which is said to be somewhere in Southern Kerala.[vii]

 

In my opinion there are several factors that contributed to the development and continuation of Prasna in Kerala today. First, considering the attention given to the Moon, its house placement and aspects, as well as the dominance of omens and rituals involved in Prasna Shastra, indicates a Dravidian influence. This original belief may have continued to evolve as the early Keralites came into contact with other religions and cultures. Second, Prasna is a highly ritualistic and complicated technique and although the Jains are a minority in Kerala, they make up a highly educated, wealthy and politically dominate group. The ritualistic nature of their faith, in combination with their education and influence may have been a contributing factor in the techniques used in Prasna, as well as the fact that it is still practiced today.[viii] Third, Kerala represents a melting pot of cultures and possibly, the techniques used in Prasna actually developed over time through the influence of many cultures and religions. Finally, the geographic terrain served to isolate and protect the people of Kerala and allowed the culture to continue to develop through the centuries.

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Works Cited

 

[i] Gopal, K.R., “Ancient History of Calicut and Kerala” Nov. 2007, http://www.calicutnet.com/mycalicut/prehistory.htm

[ii]French Institute of Pondicherry, “Historical Atlas of South India Timeline“, Nov. 2005, Nov. 2007, http://www.ifpindia.org/Historical-Atlas-of-South-India-Timeline.html

[iii]Wikipedia, “Chottanikkara Temple”, Sep. 2007, Nov. 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chottanikkara_Temple

[iv]Shyamasundara Deva, “Ashtamangala Deva Prasna“, 1996, Nov. 2007 http://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/adp/ashtamangala_deva_prasna_1.html

[v]“Kerala History and Culture” 1998, Nov. 2007, http://www.kerala.cc/keralahistory/

[vi] Mahadevan G., “Tracing an Ancient Trading Route”, Tomber, Roberta, 2006, Nov. 2007, http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/01/stories/2006030102540200.htm

[vii] “Ancient Kerala History“, 2005, Nov. 2007, http://www.kerala.com/ke_historyancient.htm

[viii] Wikipedia, “Jainism”, Nov. 2007, Nov 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism