interesting reading

[Guest guest]

Hello Paulo,

 

Unnecessary sending irrelevant mails to the group wastes the precious time

of others. I hope you appreciate that.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

 

 

-

" misterfengshui " <misterfengshui10

 

Saturday, October 28, 2006 7:45 PM

Interesting reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Articles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surya: The Sun in Vedic Astrology

 

By Gary Gomes

 

The Background of Jyotisha / Historical Theory

 

There is an enormous difference of opinion regarding the antiquity of

Jyotish. According to some Hindu spiritual traditions, the Surya Siddhanta;

a classical reference on Vedic Astronomy, dates back to 1,000,000 BCE, and

is an Atlantean text. At the other end of the spectrum, in accordance with

theories perpetrated by Dr. David Pingree and other Western scholars and

astrologers, Jyotish formed in Indian as the result of the introduction of

Greek astrology into Indian, either through trade, the invasion of

Alexander, or through some sort of Persian influence. More moderate

positions either date Vedic astrology back to the time of the Vedas

(estimated now at 1,500 BCE) or credit it as being an outgrowth of ancient

Babylonian or Chaldean systems. Although I have not seen this concept

postulated in any text, Chinese astrology could be argued as an influence,

because of its use of 28 Lunar Mansions. (The sky in China does not lend

itself to the use of horizons as rising points, so the Chinese zodiac

developed a rather different orientation than other astrological systems.).

Interestingly enough, both Chinese and Indian astrology seems to be built on

multiples of 12 years (roughly equivalent to cycles of Jupiter)

 

Some recent investigations of ancient Druid time cycles seems to

indicate that they, like the Hindus and Chinese (and later the Arabs) used

Lunar Mansions. (1) As a matter of fact, there is an inferred use of lunar

mansions in some Western Astrology. Roughly every 13 degrees along the

Zodiac there are " sensitive points " . Planets located in these positions

become powerful. This measurement is not so far from the measurement of a

Lunar mansion -- 13 degrees 20 minutes constituting one lunar mansion. There

are other " shadows " of Vedic practices in Western Astrology (or perhaps vice

versa?) -- in traditional Western astrology, house rulerships are extremely

important, as they are in Vedic, and a Hindu technique called bhavat

bhavam -- literally, from house to house, can give detailed information

regarding areas in the lives of spouse, child, parents, workplace, by using

the house which rules those things as a rising sign and reading the chart

for that particular person or matter from that rising sign. In my experience

with Western Astrology, this technique works well within the structure of

that system.

 

I do not hold that Western astrology is mostly psychological and that

Jyotish is mostly predictive. I have seen many fine predictions using

traditional Western astrological techniques, and have discovered incredible

psychological subtleties using Jyotish. They both work. My bias is that

Jyotish is an older and purer system, and that it tends to produce its

effects more consistently, and with less work, than Western Astrology. This

last statement may strike some of you out there as bizarre, especially if

you have been struggling with Jyotish for awhile. But, as one who learned

and practiced Jyotish first, I can assure you...it is easy to get to the

essence of the subject, provided the proper combinations are learned. It is

tempting to want to know the details of a chart right away. As in

approaching anything, it is better to learn the outline --- to sketch the

outline (in art), or to figure out the key and the chords (in music) before

you try to identify the specifics. Any of you who have played musical

instruments may have some idea of what I am talking about --- it is the best

analogy that I can use. Many young guitarists when I was growing up could

play Led Zeppelin or Cream songs until they got to the guitar solo -- that

took practice, determination, and the development of comfort with the

instrument (as well as some manual dexterity). But the song structures

themselves were easy. Prediction, as J.N. Bhasin titled one of his books, is

an art. Merely learning a structure is not quite enough. Practice,

application and, yes, inspiration are also necessary.

 

Around the time of Ptolemy, Western Astrology started taking a

different direction, with the advent of Ptolemy and his Tetrabiblos.

According ot Robert Schmidt and certain other Western scholars, the

traditions of Greek astrology were experimented with and modified by

Ptolemy. The result was the evolution from a system, which, as apparently

practiced -- I say apparently based on his writings, but we have no way of

knowing for sure -- by Vettius Valens and others, was remarkably close to

Jyotish. There has even been a dasa system found in early Western astrology.

To be sure, it is nowhere as sophisticated as the Hindu system, but its

presence is tantalizing and provocative. Did one global astrological system

once exist?

 

It is difficult to tell. From what little we know of earlier cultures,

Jyotish has certain similarities to Chinese Astrology, and certain

similarities to what little is known of ancient Druidic astrology, and there

are some interesting similarities in certain Mayan astrological traditions.

We still don't really have a good handle on early oral cultures. We may also

not have a really good handle on early written cultures -- paper, papyrus

and palm leaves, the three predominant writing media, are quite perishable,

and we may never know what knowledge was destroyed as a result of fires,

invasions, or other mishaps through time, and there are a lot of bizarre

anomalies in terms of what some oral socities seem to know -- look at the

bizarre set of astronomical facts that the Dogon tribe of Mali seem to

possess without any astronomical instruments.

 

One of the incontrovertible facts of Hindu / Vedic Astrology is that

it is virtually the only astrological system in the world today with

officially sanctioned links with its orthodox religious tradition, so much

so that the Sankaracharya of Madras (one of the religious leaders of

Southern India) regularly contributes to the Madras-based astrological

magazine Express Star Teller and the international religious magazine

Hinduism Today regularly features articles on Jyotisha. Jyotisha also

informs several of the other structural systems used in India and in Hindu

centers, namely Ayur Veda (the doshas and health afflictions can be judged

from a Vedic chart) and Vaastu ( also called Stapathya Veda) are used in

tandem with Jyotish. Although similar systems are used in Buddhism, there

was an anti astrological period in Buddhism which makes it less of a fully

realized system than the system practiced in India.

 

First of all, Vedic astrology (also known as Jyotish or Hindu

astrology), is a compendium of techniques and approaches to astrology, which

are used extensivley on the Indian subcontinent and which influence the

various forms of divination practiced in many parts of Southeast Asia,

including Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. The signs, houses and

classical planets used in Western astrology are used in Jyotish, and there

are many overlaps in the meanings of these symbols in both systems, but the

Vedic system uses a sidereal zodiac which places all the planets and signs

roughly 23 degrees earlier than their positions in the Western chart. The

other major significant differences are the extensive use of harmonic charts

(the Vedic concept of harmonic charts inspired Western astrologer John Addey

in his work); the use of Nakshatras (Lunar mansions) which surround the

Zodiac and are used extensively in the predictive work of Vedic astrology;

and the ability to use remedial measures to rectify certain chart problems.

 

Much is made of the " fatalistic " bias of Vedic astrology and the

system's complexity. The former point has been emphasized by certain Vedic /

Hindu astrologers, and logically, how else could predictions be made if the

pattern were not there at birth? However, recognizing a pattern does give

one an option and a path to other things. The use of remedial measures such

as gemstones,. yagnas (rituals), mantras (prayers) can be used to correct

problems in the chart, but certain behavioral patterns can also be overcome

through will power, avoidance, or simple understanding. Also, although the

Vedic system(s) can be incredibly complex (and it is often taught this way),

there are many techniques which are quite simple and can be stunningly

accurate.

 

 

Differences between the Western and Vedic Systems of Astrology

 

Vedic astrology's bias is extremely predictive. I have given and

received readings that have been, through the grace of God, stunningly

accurate. And I firmly believe that this predictive ability is not

particularly difficult to acquire...a significant part of the accuracy of

the Vedic system lies in the use of a different Zodiac than that used in the

West. The Western zodiac primarily follows the seasons as a reference point,

assuming that the earth's axis is stable and does not shift. But the earth's

axis does shift in terms of its relationship to the skies. This shift is

caused by a slight wobble in the earth's axis. The entire perspective of the

heavens changes gradually over a twenty-six thousand year period; Western

astrology pays homage to this reality through its adherence to the tradition

of world ages--that is, the age of Pisces, the age of Aquarius, and so

forth. The Hindu system however, uses the sidereal zodiac as its standard

reference point.

 

Perhaps significantly, the reckoning of when the two traditions

started separating in their use of zodiacs probably occurred somewhere

between 200 and 300 years after the birth of Christ. This is roughly the

time that Ptolemy was making his influence felt in Western astrology, and

some scholars claim evidence that Ptolemy felt that the tropical zodiac was

better for individual charts, but the Greeks, with several notable

exceptions (Archimedes comes to mind) were rather anti-experimental and

extremely theoretical in approach... this bias was inheroted by later

Western astrology even though within about 1000 years after Ptolemy's death,

the precession had already shifted the difference between the two Zodiacs by

more than ten degrees. As of the twenty-first century, there is now nearly

twenty-five degree difference between the sidereal and tropical zodiacs--a

significant difference, with significant interpretational implications. (It

should be mentioned that, because of Cyril Fagan and Donald Bradley's

pioneering work in the 1950's, a small Western-based sidereal tradition

exists, but Hindu/Vedic astrology (also known as Jyotisha) has many other

factors that differentiate it from the Western system.

 

The Hindu system also makes extensive use of a second zodiac that

surrounds the constellational twelve sign zodiac used in the West. This

zodiac contains the twenty-seven nakshatras, or lunar mansions. The lunar

mansions assume incredible importance in the Vedic system because they

provide a modifying influence on the planets in a chart, and they also

provide a starting point for the destiny of the individual. The Moon in a

particular placement in a nakshatra day birth is extremely important to the

person's future. The Nakshatras or lunar mansions are ruled by planets --

the Hindu system uses the seven classical planets and the North and South

Lunar nodes, which are also referred to as Rahu and Ketu. The lunar mansions

are also mentioned in Western astrology several hundred years ago and are

also used in Arabic and Chinese astrology, but have limited predictive

utility.

 

In the Vedic system, the Nakshatras (lunar mansions) are an integral

part of the system, predicating the direction that the individual's mind

(represented by the Moon) will take, and as we think we act.

 

The Hindu system also uses the nakshatra placements to analyse

personality characteristics, but personality can also be identified through

use of the planet / house system in Vedic astrology, and gives an excellent

perspective on how an individual responds to his or her environment.

 

The Indian system even has a special condition in the astrology

chart - Mangalika - which shows marriage difficulties. In order to have a

good marriage, individuals with Mangalika should marry someone who has a

similar condition in their chart. A difficulty with Mangalika is that

neither party will usually be interested in linking with somebody with a

similar condition. There has been a Mangalika condition present in the

charts of most individuals with relationship problems for whom I have done

readings.

 

 

Nodes, Aspects, remedial Measures

 

Other factors which distinguish the Hindu/Vedic Astrology from the

Western tropical system is the lack of emphasis on the outer planets

(Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) and in the attention paid to the North and South

Lunar Nodes (called Rahu and Ketu), how it considers aspects and its

elaborate system of planetary remedial measures dating back to its ancient

origins.

 

The North and South Lunar Nodes are the points in space that are

tracked to predict solar and lunar eclipses. These nodes -- Rahu and Ketu -

are dominant features in the Hindu Astrological system. They are treated as

planets and are assigned rulership over certain periods of our lives. In

point of fact the Nodes have some traits in common with Uranus (the North

Node); Neptune (the North and South Lunar Nodes) and Pluto (the South Node).

These " shadowy planets " can cause both overwhelming problems and extreme

good fortune during our lifetime. The placement of Rahu can give outstanding

material gain and public recognition, but little piece of mind (Mick Jagger

and many rock stars start their rise to fame and power during Rahu

periods.). The placement of the South Lunar Node (Ketu) can bestow great

spirirual success and sudden fame and recognition, but can also cause

difficulties with society and personal health.

 

Hindu astrology also takes a different approach to aspects than

Western astrology does. Aspects in Western astrology are usually considered

according to the nature or characteristic of the aspect. For example, trines

(planets that are 120 degrees from each other (or five signs apart) create

luck and opportunties. Those planets which are ninety degrees apart create

conflict and difficulties, but also push the person forward in life. These

are examples of the Western aspect principles.

 

In Hindu/Vedic astrology, every planet (there are differences of

opinion as to whether the nodes cast aspects) influence the entire house

seven signs aways from itself. So, the Sun in Aries will always influence

the sign Libra in this system. In addition, Jupiter casts aspects on spaces

that are 5, 7 and 9 houses away (similar to trine aspects); Mars casts

aspects 4, 7, and 8 signs away (similar to squares); and Saturn casts

aspects on houses 3, 7 and 10 signs away, another type of square aspect.

Some schools also hold that Venus casts aspects on the 6th, 7th, and 8th

houses away from itself. Since Jupiter is regarded as being a benevolent

benefic, usually giving good results, this treatment is consistent with the

way it acts in a natal chart. Saturn and Mars, being the two great malefic

planets in the Vedic system reflect difficulties even in their looks! For

example, Saturn's aspect on the second house will cause some problems in

education, affects family fortune adversely, and can cause speech problems

like stuttering or hesitation. Jupiter's aspect will, however, cause

expansion, increased luck and benefits to the house it aspects. It should

also be mentioned that this system of astrology is not static--as the

individual goes through certain periods of life, transits of the planets

through various houses and sign and over various planets will improve or

worsen the effects of the planetary period in which the individual finds him

or herself.

 

In the extensive astrological literature of the Hindus, a significant

amount of attention is paid to remedial measures which can ease difficult

properties in a person's chart. For example, certain gem stones (which must

be administered carefully), mantras and rituals are said to alleviate the

effet of particular difficult planetary configurations. I have experimented

with these remedial measures and have obtained very good resulrs with them.

In many cases, what could have been a serious problem from the chart was

averted or delayed. I once noticed what should have been a major car

accident in my chart. All that happened was a broken hose.The car was

stopped, but I was not injured. So, from my experiene, this system certainly

works.

 

There are certain other elements of Jyotish, such as the use of

sixteen subsidiary charts to analyse things like career, education and so

forth, which can be analyzed from these charts.

 

Jyotisha or Hindu/Vedic Astrology shows a great deal of promise to

become the premier astrological system in the world. It is already the

official astrology of the world's third largest religion. The literature

available on Jyotish is enormous and a great deal of it still needs to be

translated into English. In addition, it needs to be interpreted so that it

can be translated to a twenty-first century reality. Fortunately this system

is becoming more and more accessible to the public and is also being made

more affordable because of the efforts of some dedicated souls. There are

several exceptionally good software programs available at this time, and

many Westerners, associated primarily with the American Council of Vediand

the British Association Vedic Astrology, are teaching Vedic astrology and

interpreting charts. This attention to Jyotish has, I believe, encouraged

Westerners to become more interested in the work of organizations like

Project Hindsight here in the United States that are systematically

examining the available old historical literature on astrology in the

Western tradition. Certain similarities have been uncovered between early

Greek, Roman, Arabic and Mediaeval systems of astrology and Jyotisha. It is

an extremely interesting and exciting time to be involved with astrology,

and the researches these efforts bring forth will certainly be utilize

extensively this century. Jyotish, I am sure, will be a centerpiece in this

astrological renaissance.

 

 

Surya: The Sun in Vedic Astrology

 

" Om Bhur Bhuva Swaha! Tat Savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi

dhiyo yo nah prachodayat. "

 

This the famous Gayatri mantra, kept secret in India for hundreds of

years as a special mantra used by the priestly caste. The Gayatri translates

as a hymn of praise to the deity Savitri,[1] who is one of the many

manifestations of Surya, the Sun God. As a female deity, Savitri can be

interpreted as the shakti or divine feminine energy of the Sun, its active

principle. It is appropriate that any discussion of the Sun in Vedic

astrology start with a mantra of praise to the life-giver of the universe.

 

The biggest shock that any Westerner encounters when first approaching

Vedic astrology is that, about 70% of the time, the familiar Sun sign

placement will be changed to another sign. The free-spirited Sun in Aquarius

becomes the stodgy Sun in Capricorn; the forceful Sun in Leo becomes the

motherly Sun in Cancer; the dynamic Sun in Aries becomes the scattered,

mystical Sun in Pisces. It is as if the person's very identity becomes

changed by the use of the Vedic adjustment, which takes into account the

precession of the equinoxes.[2] However, the shock and (sometimes) denial of

this transformation is misplaced, because the evaluation of the Sun is

different than in Western astrology.

 

Vedic astrology's interpretation of the Sun in its role as king of the

solar system and ruler of the zodiac is a bit similar to that of the West,

but there is also a more difficult component to the Sun. In India it's often

stated that the Sun " burns a hole in the chart. " Not having experienced the

unbearably hot Indian springs and summers, it is difficult for Westerners to

understand this concept. However, if one thinks of the hottest day of the

year, and reflects that this heat is one infinitesimally small component of

the Sun's power, we can understand the intensity and (sometimes) damage that

the Sun's placement in a chart brings. In Vedic astrology the Sun doesn't

represent the personality, but the self or ego, the inner nature of the

individual. It represents one's essence, not the outer shell. The Sun also

represents the direction in life which will give the person confidence, or

create a self-defeating personality. It also represents the person's father.

 

Vedic (or Hindu) astrology's major focus is predictive, so the main

component in chart analysis is uncovering what may happen to the individual.

The Sun represents the soul of the individual, but it also functions as the

penultimate authority figure. It is interesting to note that there are

familial relations among the planets in Vedic astrology, and that the Sun

functions as the father of Saturn through his relationship with a shadow

(Chhaya) who is the handmaiden of the Sun's wife. (Saturn represents

limitation, grief or sorrow, as is befitting its shadowy origin.) The Sun

also stands for the government and for religious authority (temples). A

partial listing of other items the Sun rules in Vedic astrology follows:

 

Self-esteem, physical appearance, risk taking, ego development,

status, authority, the government (the king or ruler), father, courage,

confidence, illumination, achievement, determination, domination, dignity,

elevation, the heart and spine, the head, right eye, pitta nature (in

Ayurveda, the Indian holistic health system, there are three humors or

essential natures, which show the extent of fire, air, water or earth in our

being; pitta is the fiery humor). The Sun does best placed in the 10th

house.

 

Its gemstone is ruby or red garnet; its metal gold.

The Sun is exalted in Aries (in Sanskrit: Mesha) and fallen in Libra

(also known as Thula).

It has Sunday (naturally enough) as its day.[3]

 

The Sun, as the natural atmakaraka (soul indicator) in Vedic

astrology, can give the individual great pride and authority, when well

placed by sign and house. It can give a great or powerful father, or give

the individual " royal " stature, or benefits from rulers. The Sun, of course,

when too strong can give too great an ego, or too high a level of pride.

This often results in a great fall, particularly if other planets in the

chart (especially the Moon) are weak by sign and house placement. When too

weak, the Sun can give low energy and a timid personality, but can also, on

the positive side, give great humility, essential for success in spiritual

pursuits. Such a weak Sun, however, is often inauspicious for the person's

father. (This is very true of day births, but less true of evening births,

in which Venus (!) represents the father).

 

 

Sun Combinations

 

The influence of other planets on the Sun will ameliorate or amplify

certain traits in a chart. For example, the Sun and Jupiter in the same sign

show an individual who is very religious, or who is very authoritarian about

religious pursuits. Jupiter also gives good luck (Indians believe Jupiter

represents the grace of God), and this placement usually generates a very

righteous person. But this combination can also indicate somebody who can

convince anyone of the correctness of his or her position, and who gets away

with things easily, thereby creating someone who may be extremely unethical

or who takes shortcuts in business dealings.

 

Contrariwise, a Sun/Saturn aspect or conjunction, which is difficult

on the individual's ego (Saturn depresses the Sun's natural fire and

ebullience), usually creates a high degree of anxiety and lack of

self-confidence, but usually also creates a great deal of honesty and

humility, because the Sun continually illuminates their " grief " , their

responsibilities, underscoring Saturn's role in making sure that we all

carry our share of the burden, and then some.

 

The Sun conjunct Mercury usually shows high intelligence, but usually

in the service of the ego, while the Sun conjunct Mars shows very high

energy, a very hot tempered individual, good at arguments and battles, with

strong will power but little patience. The Sun in the same sign with Venus

gives a great deal of beauty to the individual, and perhaps ability in the

arts and mathematics, which Venus also rules in this system of astrology.

 

All of these combinations show the way the Sun amplifies planetary

energy. But there is also a phenomenon in Vedic astrology called combustion,

in which planets close to the Sun are " damaged " by the intense rays of the

Sun. How is this damage reflected? As Edith Hathaway pointed out in The

Mountain Astrologer several months back, the obvious damage to the planet is

not readily apparent. This is particularly true when we look at a

" combusted " Mercury or Venus. These planets are close to the Sun so often

(Mercury always being within 28° of the Sun and Venus always within 45°),

that we can usually see little discernible difference between a " combust "

and a " non-combust " planet. Mercury close to the Sun certainly does not

affect intelligence (unless they are within one degree of each other).

Acombusted Venus has been said to affect the happiness of the individual in

terms of their romantic involvements, but there are many other combinations

which can produce romantic unhappiness so such a pronouncement is difficult

to measure objectively.

 

There is another area which must be considered, however. Vedic

astrology pays a great degree of attention to rulership of houses. For

example, Venus is the natural lord of Libra and Taurus. If Venus is within

close range of the Sun, then these signs will suffer, and the houses which

these signs represent will be damaged accordingly. If Libra or Taurus is the

10th house, career suffers badly, because the lord of the house " must " first

serve the lord of the solar system. The house the Sun rules, however, will

flourish. In our example, a Taurus 10th house has a Leo rising sign, so

Venus would serve the ruler of the Ascendant, giving great attractiveness

and grace to such an individual. If Libra were our 10th house, then Venus

would be serving the ruler of the unfortunate 8th house. This would give

high spiritual aspirations and abilities, but little career success in life.

 

 

Solar Cycles

 

The Sun obtains maturity in the individual's 22nd year. The concept of

planetary maturity is important in Vedic astrology because it demonstrates

when the effects of the heavenly bodies will most aggressively manifest. It

is another element to consider when assessing the patterns of the person's

life. These manifestations will then become part of the individual's make

up, personality and life pattern for the remainder of his/her years, finally

ceasing to unfold at the age of 48, when Ketu, the south lunar Node reveals

itself. The Sun manifests right at the time that young men and women in our

society have traditionally been deemed to enter adulthood. It is the time

when they start to shoulder the responsibilities of career, of making their

own lives for themselves, of becoming their own fathers, as it were. I live

in a section of the Northeast which has a high unemployment rate and a

disproportionate share of poverty and I have seen many charts with weak

Suns, so we have maturity and self-support delayed, absent fathers (through

divorce, abandonment, illness, or death) and a consequent damage on the area

of life which Leo governs in the person's chart. Since Leo represents

children (or the entire patriarchal lineage of the family), an afflicted Sun

also damages the children of the individual.

 

This does not mean that every person with a weak Sun has a lack of

male parental contact, or a bad male role model. A strong 9th house will

usually offset this aspect of the chart. But I have noticed that these

individuals will tend to break away from the father's authority, then

reconnect with the male side of the family when the lord of the 9th or 10th

house " achieves maturity " if that planet is strong. The initial qualities of

responsibility may be too much to assume at age 22, or the individual's

father may not be a good or trustworthy role model, but after the individual

matures, peace may be made with the male parent at a later time.

 

Vedic astrology, especially in the Vimshottri (120 year) dasa system

used by the vast majority of astrologers, ascribes especially strong

planetary influences on the individual during certain periods. The dasa

system is said to be the best predictive instrument, better (and more

complete) than transits, progressions (yes, these exist in Vedic astrology)

or the planetary maturity measures I discussed earlier. The dasa system

ascribes a certain number of years to each planet. For example, Jupiter dasa

lasts for 16 years; Saturn for 19 years, Mercury for 17 years, Ketu for

seven years, Venus for 20 years and the Sun for six years.The Sun dasa is

the shortest in the Vimshottri system, which is just as well because, if the

Sun is weak and afflicted, it is the worst period one is said to encounter.

It produces intense difficulties, wanderings from place to place, and time

spent " in the desert. " And this is not merely allegorical. I have examined

dozens of charts in which a weak Sun produces intensely malefic results.[4]

Why is this so?

 

The Sun, the primary giver of life, is considered a krura or cruel

entity. The heat of the Sun in India (reaching 110 Fahrenheit or higher in

Southern India in the month of April, coincidentally the same period of time

in which the Sun is exalted in Vedic astrology) is unbearable in its

intensity. This period is usually between April 15 and May 15, the time when

our Sun (government) is most difficult to bear because of tax season.

Everyone must obey the Sun during this time. Life, it must be realized, is

often difficult, but we need to obey the rules of the universe in order to

preserve our bodies and minds. Every planet contributes something to the

preservation and continuance of life from the Vedic perspective, but the

ultimate giver of life is the Sun. Those for whom the Sun is weak often have

unfortunate or " defeated " fathers. They often do not understand the need for

authority. They often have little luck with the government or other

authority figures, and usually lack confidence. Is it any wonder that these

individuals have so much difficulty with the Sun dasa, when the heat from

the Sun is felt so intensely? Such people will often find themselves at

extreme odds with established society, moving from job to job, from place to

place with little relief or respite.[5] (Remedial measures for a weak Sun

are mentioned in the last section of this article.)

 

Those with a strong Sun will find that they must assume positions of

high authority, perhaps working for the " king " (in our case, some

administrative post or other position of authority), but these types of

position require a great deal of personal responsibility and sacrifice.

 

 

The Solar Incarnation

 

The Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra, [6] considered by many Hindu

astrologers to be the most comprehensive classical work on Vedic astrology,

contains a short passage on the incarnations of the Hindu God Vishnu as they

relate to the planets. It is Rama, the second most popular incarnation of

Vishnu (after Krishna) who manifested through the Sun. There is even a chart

which has been constructed for Lord Rama as a teaching and religious tool in

India.[7] As you would imagine, God has an exceptional chart. All of the

planets are in their own sign, or exalted, save Mercury.

 

But Rama's life is full of problems, as described in the enormous epic

poem, the Ramayana. First, he is cheated out of his kingdom because of a

foolish promise made by his father to his stepmother. He is exiled from his

kingdom with his wife, and forced to live in the forest. Then Ravana, king

of the demons, kidnaps Rama's bride Sita. After a series of tremendous

battles, Rama finally succeeds in rescuing Sita and killing the nearly

invincible demon king.

 

Rama, as a solar incarnation, is all duty and honor. He must do the

right thing. He honors the foolish vow made by his father, although he and

his family suffer exile. He must defeat the evil king Ravana to rescue his

wife and the population Ravana has been terrorizing. Even after he has been

restored to his throne, he must destroy his own happiness, by exiling his

wife because his people falsely believe she is unworthy to be queen. All of

these episodes are allegories for the way the Sun functions in a chart.

Exile, battles, wanderings from place to place, ethical issues regarding the

ruler and the right to govern, public service even at the cost of personal

happiness are all symbols of the Sun's activities. The Sun destroys those

demons who thrive on darkness by casting light on them, and Rama's bow is

said to belong to the Sun God Surya. The Sun has no choice; it must throw

light on the matters of the house in which it resides, and in which sign of

the zodiac and which lunar mansion (nakshatra) it finds itself. A strong Sun

in the 10th house will give a strong career, in the 1st house, a strong

personality. There will be an intensity in the matters which this house

rules which will not be felt in any other house.

 

For illustration, compare Krishna's life to Rama's. Krishna is an

incarnation of Vishnu through the Moon according the Brihat Parasara Hora

Sastra, and a bringer of delight and popularity. Certainly, Krishna's life

is also filled with battles and confrontations, but it all seems so easy to

Krishna. His life is filled with fun as well. Since the Moon is filled with

soma (the nectar of delight), it makes sense that Krishna would be

attractive, bringing delight to all he encountered. Rama, on the other hand,

suffers isolation, banishment, separation from his love, and extremely

formidable enemies. Other myths explain the effects of other planets.

 

This mythic information can be used in interpreting events for

individuals, so that their life pattern will be revealed. The Sun is almost

always unaware of its intensity. It is the indicator of the inner self, the

part of ourselves of which we are most often unaware. It is also a primary

spiritual indicator, because it emits self-generated light. All the other

heavenly bodies reflect this light; they do not create it.

 

 

The following charts are prime examples of well disposed and weak Suns

and how these affect all areas of a person's life. Looking at the chart of

Bob Dylan and George Harrison, we see examples of two individuals who have

had incredible success and popularity through music, but their personal

presentations differ dramatically. Dylan's chart shows he could never be

less than staggeringly popular, yet Harrison (dubbed the " quiet Beatle " when

the group first gained popularity) has had extended periods of retirement

from the public eye since the Beatles disbanded.

 

Dylan's chart shows a conjunction of the Sun, Jupiter and Venus in the

7th house in Taurus. The 7th house in Vedic astrology is considered one of

the houses of career, and the Sun rules Dylan's 10th house, the primary

house of career. The fact that the Sun in the 7th accentuates a high public

profile, and that he is also " married " to his career (the ruler of the 10th

house in the 7th) is determined by this placement. The close conjunction of

the Sun and Jupiter gives him great popular support and the ability to break

existing rules. His image as a rebel and his image as " the voice of his

generation " is underscored by this combination. The placement of Venus (in

its own sign) close to the Sun and Jupiter strengthens Dylan's ability to

charm people and influence individuals and gives him a unique ability as

someone who teaches through his music. The Sun is in a sign which connects

with wealth, and in the Navamsa chart, the most important divisional chart

for analysis of a birth chart, Dylan's Sun is exalted in Aries in the 2nd

house of wealth and speech, giving him eloquence and great wealth. It is

interesting to note that Dylan gained enormous popularity in the early to

middle 60s. This coincided with the start of his Rahu dasa (Rahu major

periods often generate fame) but also at the time of his Sun's planetary

maturity in 1963. The Sun, as ruler of his 10th house, brought his career

life into focus in his early 20s. The Sun is also the natural atmakaraka (or

soul indicator) planet; he found his mission in life at this time.

 

George Harrison's Sun is much more eccentric and unpredictable. While

he was a member of one of the most popular musical groups in history, his

Libra Ascendant chart treats the Sun like an enemy planet. This combined

with the placement of Ketu (the South Lunar Node) next to the Sun in his 5th

house (Aquarius) is good for him financially and gives him " good " friends

( from his days with the Beatles to his partnership with the late Roy

Orbison, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan, among others), but also gives a variety

of recognition problems. Harrison was a talented but underrated musician. He

was among the first to experiment with what is now called " world music "

through his work in Indian music. He pioneered the use of electronic music

and synthesizers. The Moog synthesizer used 0 throughout Abbey Road is

played by Harrison). His interest in Transcendental Meditation helped

popularize a wide ranging spiritual movement. (The Sun in conjunction with

Ketu makes spiritual interests overwhelm worldly concerns.) In addition, the

Sun (meaning good name or reputation) can be easily tainted by bad judgment,

such as the law suit which Harrison lost regarding the song, " My Sweet Lord "

(because of its similarity to the Chiffons' " He's So Fine. " The Sun is also

in an enemy sign in both the natal chart (Aquarius) and in the Navamsa chart

(Capricorn). Both signs are ruled by the Sun's bitter enemy Saturn (see

above), minimizing his long term popularity (or even his interest in

self-promotion). Harrison is still a serious spiritual seeker. He engages in

a regular spiritual practice (Kriya Yoga through the Self Realization

Fellowship), unlike most rock stars from the 60s who only temporarily

engaged in such practices.

 

Billy Graham's chart show a weak, debilitated Sun in the 8th house in

the sign of Libra. Of interest is the fact that the debilitated Sun,

particularly when located in the 8th, can give a very humble nature (like

Harrison's Sun-Ketu conjunction, but Ketu favors contact with " foreigners "

and mystical practices) The Sun in Libra can give rather narrow obsessive

nature, all else besides service to God (and my personal viewpoint of God)

becomes irrelevant. I also find it interesting that Graham s to a

rather " occult " form of evangelism. He does tend to favor apocalyptic

prophecy and angelic intervention. This is also manifestation of the 8th

house Sun in his chart. The Sun rules his 6th house (house of work), so

" salvation " becomes his daily work. Also, his Navamsa Sun is extremely

strong. If it were not, there would be no way he could have achieved the

fame that he did.

 

One final illustration of a Sun is from an individual who is a current

client of mine whose identity will remain secret for confidentiality

reasons. This individual has the Sun in the 7th house, debilitated in the

sign Libra. The father of this individual was absent from a very early age,

and was alcoholic. The individual has just left a Sun Dasa, and went through

almost all of the classic negative significations of a weak Sun period. The

Sun being in the 7th house of relationships, the individual went through

several very difficult relationships. In addition, this individual changed

residence four or five times in the course of six years. Finally, there were

several job changes during this period, as well as delays and obstruction in

attending and completing school,. Luckily, this person had other factors in

the chart which supported and helped during this period.

 

In Jyotish, these solar placements do not necessarily produce thesame

results regardless of other chart factors. There must be support (or lack

thereof) from other factors in the chart to manifest the results of the Suns

shown in these charts. There are many remedial measures in Hindu Astrology

which can partially offset the effects of a difficult Sun. These include the

wearing of Ruby or Garnet, the recitation of certain mantras (the Gayatri

cited at the start of this article among these), the wearing of certain

colors (reds, in particular) the practice of the Surya Namaskar series of

Yoga postures, meditating on the sun within,. and the devout worship of

Hindu and non-Hindu solar representations of divinity. Shiva, and Rama are

two popular solar deities in India. Kriya Yoga is one of the most solar yoga

practices, but many other yoga and spiritual practices qualify as well.

Also, depending on your rising sign, a weak Sun may also be a blessing,

minimizing losses, weaknesses and illnesses.

 

The planets in Vedic Astrology have personalities. They have lives,

loves, happiness and disappointments. One of the unique features of Hinduism

(properly called Sanatana Dharma, or the eternal law) and Jyotish, is that

the religious tradition has maintained its link with astrology. You will

often find anthropomorphic forms representing the planets in Hindu Temples,

and the priests of the Temple are trained in the proper rituals for their

worship. There was even a period in medieval Indian history in which the Sun

and the planets inspired a sect devoted to them. In addition, it is said

that by worshipping at certain temples in India (notably the Surya Temple at

Pushkar) one can improve his/her astrological practice. Jyotish is the

" Science of Light " . The source of light in our cosmos is the Sun, the life

giver. The Sun also rules the inner light of spirituality, the source of

spiritual and (according to Hindu and Yogic theory) eternal life. Many times

the difficult periods in Hindu Astrology cause us to turn inward, giving us

inner strength, and ultimately, true happiness.

 

 

References

 

. Braha James: Ancient Hindu Astrology for the Modern Western

Astrologer, Hermetician Press, Miami, Florida, 1986.

. DeFouw Hart and Robert Svoboda: Light on Life, Penguin Press,

London, 1995

. Dreyer Ronnie Gale: Vedic Astrology, Samuel B. Weiser, New York, NY,

1996.

. Frawley David Dr.: Astrology of the Seers, Lotus Press/Passage

Press, Morson Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1990.

. Harness Dennis Dr.: The Nakshatras, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes,

Minnesota, 1999.

 

 

Notes

 

[1] There are several translations of the Gayatri. One translation of

the Gayatri, which underscores its spiritual meaning,follows: " Om, the

infinite Beyond Conception, the gross body, the subtle body and the causal

body; we meditate upon that light of wisdom which is the Supreme Wealth of

the Gods. May it grant us increase in our meditations. " from Kali Puja by

Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Devi Mandir Publications, Napa, California,

1996. « Text

 

[2] Richard Houck discussed this in an excellent article in the June

1995 issue of The Mountain Astrologer. « Text

 

[3] These significations are taken from a variety of sources,

including classical Vedic texts and the work of Vedic astrologers such as

Dr. Dennis Harness and Dr. K.S. Charak. « Text

 

[4] A recent article in the Indian publication The Astrological

Magazine corroborates my findings. See B. V. Raman, Editor, The Astrological

Magazine, March 1997, Bangalore, India. « Text

 

[5] Braha, James, Ancient Hindu Astrology for the Modern Western

Astrologer, Hermetician Press, Hollywood, Florida, 1986. « Text

 

[6] Parasara Muni, Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra, translated by R.

Santhanam and G. S. Kapoor, Ranjan Publications, New Delhi, India, 1989. «

Text

 

[7] Frawley, Dr. David, Astrology of the Seers, Passage Press Morson

Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1990. « Text

 

8. Behari, Bepin, Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology, Passage Press

Morson Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1990.

 

9. For introductory information on Hindu myths, I would recommend

Indian Mythology, by Jan Knappert, Aquarius Publishing, New York, NY 1991.

This gives an excellent overview of Indian mythology in clear, easily

understood terms.

 

10. Translated by Burgess and Whitney, Surya Siddhanta, Wizard Press,

San Diego, California, 1978.

 

11. Richard L. Thompson's Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy

(Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Los Angeles, California, 1989) discusses recent

interpretations of the measurements of this text in a scholarly fashion and

makes a compelling argument for the correctness of its calculations.

 

12. Kalidas, Uttara Kalamrita, (translated by S.S. Sareen), Sagar

Publications, New Delhi, India, 1993.

 

13. Charak, Dr. K.S., A Textbook of Varshaphal, Systems Vision, New

Delhi, India, 1993.

 

14. Frawley, Dr. David (Vamadeva Shastri), " Jyotisha " , Hinduism Today,

December 1995.

 

15. Brown, Richard, Editor, Ganesh, State University of New York

Press, Albany, New York, 1990.

 

 

 

Gary Gomes is a Vedic Astrologer, Shaivite Hindu (Gangadhara Girish),

Kriya Yoga priest (Swami Kampananda), and an authorized instructor of the

American Council of Vedic Astrology. One of his teachers has been K.N. Rao

of India, among many other prominent teachers in the United States, India,

and Great Britain. Gary is also the founder and president of the North East

Institute of Vedic Astrology through which he promotes Vedic Astrology as a

spiritual discipline. He is available for lectures, readings, and

instructional assistance. Contact him c/o Crystal Expectations, 854 Brock

Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02744; Tel (508) 990-7898 or (508) 994-5725.

 

 

 

 

Author´s Email By Gary Gomes

 

 

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[Guest guest]

pranam guruji

 

your messages do make interesting reading. i am in the group and log in at times

as i enjoy your way of putting things across. i had sought your advise in dec

2008 and still recall your ''ghoda ghas... '' ideology.

 

just an query - it is clear that you entertain only 1 query but can a member ask

a query after a interval - like in my case after 15 months?

 

thanks for your insights on life, beliefs and also on frauds that solicit

business thro the group.

 

best regards. raja