Dasadyayee (From Astrological eMagazine)

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Dear All, The following article is from: http://www.astrologicalmagazine.com./Aug2009/dasadyayee.php Love and regards,Sreenadh=======================Dasadyayee

 

Commentary for BRIHAT JAIAKA by Talakkulathur Bhattathiri

 

BRIHAT JATAKA OF THE famous astronomer cum astrologer, Varahamihira is one of the authoritative texts in predictive astrology.

 

 

It

is held that Brihatjaiaka has more than twenty commentaries in Sanskrit

itself, like Mudrakshari, Subhodhini, Sripatiyam, and Bhattotpalavriti.

 

 

It is held that Brihatjaiaka has more than twenty commentaries in Sanskrit itself, like Mudrakshari, Subhodhini, Sripatiyam, and Bhattotpalavriti. Besides, these there are commentaries in other languages also. A prominent commentary "Vivaranam" of Rudran (Uzhutravarier)

that was available only in Sanskrit has been brought out in vernacular,

just a few years ago. Dasadyayee is one of such commentaries in

Sanskrit. This is by the legendary genius Govindan Bhattathiri of

Talakkulathur, who lived in Kerala between 1237 and 1295 AD.

Varahamihira was one among the nine

literary gems who adored the court of Vikramaaditya during the 6th

century BC. Kalidasa refers to him as `Khayato' or very famous. This

great astrological savant has been able to encompass and put into

excellent shape the science of predictive astrology, in his Brihatjaiaka. Restricting the number of slokas to 383, in his famous work, Varahamihira says that his work is `Swalpam Vriththa Vichithram Artha Bahulam.'

This means that though prima facie the work may appear to be small, it

is something strange with a lot of meaning and hidden ideas. It was perhaps during his evening days

Talakkulathur Bhattathiri chose to write an exhaustive commentary for

the famous Brihatjaiaka of Varahamihira. After his extensive travels

and coming back to the Pazhoor village, where he met his famous

astrologer son through a kaniyan woman, he decided to live at the

gatehouse or padippura of the house of the kaniyan. After some years

when he died, his body was interned there itself in the padippura. This

spot has now become a place of high sanctity for astrologers and

seekers of astrological advice. The descendents of the kaniyan family

do the Prasna at the gate, even to day, in front of the samadhi, which

is venerated and worshipped. It is believed that, irrespective of the

erudition of the persons handling the Prasna queries on that spot, the

results come out meticulously correct due to the divine blessings of

Bhattathiri, who it is believed, is guiding them properly, by his

eternal and ethereal presence. This spot is famous in Kerala as the

Pazhoor Padippura.

It is said that when Bhattathiri took up the task of writing a

commentary for the Brihatjaiaka, he wanted to make it extensive and

exhaustive. Brihatjaiaka is a work in 383 stanzas divided into 25

chapters.

 

Taking

perhaps the cue from the words "Swalpam Vrithivichithramartha Bahulam"

of Varahamihira, meaning that `though the work may appear to be small,

it is something unique, with a lot of inherent meaning and hidden

ideas', Bhattathiri endeavoured in his Dasadyayee to bring out many of

those hidden meanings contained in the Brihatjaiaka.

 

 

Taking perhaps the cue from the words "Swalpam Vrithivichithramartha

Bahulam" of Varahamihira, meaning that `though the work may appear to

be small, it is something unique, with a lot of inherent meaning and

hidden ideas', Bhattathiri endeavoured in his Dasadyayee to bring out

many of those hidden meanings contained in the Brihatjaiaka. When

Bhattathiri set out to find the hidden meanings in the slokas,

naturally the work became voluminous. By the time he had completed the

annotations for first ten chapters, he found that he had covered most

of the contents of the remaining chapters. He felt that attempting to

comment on the remaining chapters would be a futile and repetitive

labour. Hence he stopped his commentaries with the tenth chapter. Thus

his work of commentary earned the name "Dasadyayee" or a work in ten

chapters. But the author in all humility, while concluding, says that

he has no capacity to enlarge it further. As it is a full-fledged

commentary of the original text, it was the practice of the astrologers

in Kerala especially of the north and middle regions to learn by-heart

the Brihatjaiaka along with Dasadyayee, a practice, however, now seen

given a go-by. The beauty of Dasadyayee lies in the fact that

while commenting upon elaborately the first ten chapters of the

Brihatjaiaka, Bhattathiri has dealt with the contents of most of the

important slokas of the remaining chapters also. This can be seen from

the exhaustive commentaries for the first ten chapters. The author has

not only touched upon the gist of some of the slokas of the uncommented

later chapters, but also brought out their intricate, relevant and

hidden facets. He has brought out these in the masterly interpretation

of the slokas of the first ten chapters themselves, exhibiting his

incisive and sharp intellect. The commentary contains abundant allusions to many

other treatises. This fact alone can speak for the versatility and

brilliance of the author. A subtle suggestion contained in the

commentary is that the study of the Brihatjaiaka has to be attempted

only with such profound background knowledge.

Prasna Marga extols the necessity for mastering Dasadyayee for effective predictions. It says:

Horaayastu dasaadyayam

Vaakyaayam kriyataam sramah:

Daivagjnena viseshena

Phalamaadeshtya mischata

 

 

In short any astrologer who wants to master the art of predictions should specially study Dasadyayee.

Kamban, the renowned Tamil poet, compares his effort of composing his

mighty Kambramayana to the great desire of a cat to drink the entire

Ocean of Milk. In a way, this feeble attempt of this scribe is also due

to his insatiable desire to drink a few drops of that vast expanse of

ocean of nectar, Dasadyayee. He is well aware that to master or

understand it fully would only be a task well-nigh impossible, with his

limited knowledge. Nevertheless, like taking a sip from a cup, he is

trying to look into some portions of the vast commentary and share it

with our readers. The assessment of his own work by the famous Acharya

as "arthabahula"

- gives us the hint that only Bhattathiri could delve into that vast

ocean and bring to us the variety of meanings and interpretations,

through his work Dasadyayee. Anyone revelling in the reading of the work could

see how the commentator brings out the secret and hidden meanings of

the Brihatjaiaka that in the ordinary course may not be explicable even

to any ardent student or scholar of Astrology.

Let us refer to the first sloka of Chapter 1 of Brihatjaiaka. The first line of the sloka runs thus.

Moorthitve parikalpitha: sasabritho varthmapunarjanmana

 

 

 

Each word of the sloka, apart from what it ordinarily connotes, is supposed to stand for some other meaning.

 

 

Bhattotpala interprets this sloka as merely an invocation addressed to the great and glorious Sun. But Dasadyayee

sees in it multiple meanings. Perhaps this is consistent with

Varahamihira's own claim to this effect. Scholars see in it the method

of casting unknown horoscopes - Nashta Jataka. There are

other equally important or significant meanings, derived from it.Each

word of the sloka, apart from what it ordinarily connotes, is supposed

to stand for some other meaning. The word `moorthitve' is suggestive to

mean one of the ashtamoorthis of Siva. It can also be held

that moorthi implies the bhava or the Lagna. Similarly each word of

this sloka is held to be capable of indicating a variety of meanings

and incisive interpretations.

Let us take the word ` Moorthithveparikalpitassasabritha: and examine its numerical significance.

The word `Moorthitve' means 465 in katapayaadi count. (`thve' is 4 `rthi' is 6 and `mu' is 5)

 

The letters are to be deciphered from right to left. (Anganamvamathogathi)

 

From this number `parika ' or 121 should be subtracted.

When `parika 'is subtracted from `Moorthitve', we get 465 minus 121 = 344.

 

Again from the reminder, got by subtracting `parika' from `moorthitve' the value of the reversed (sodhayed vilomena) `pitha' should be subtracted. `pitha' is 61. When reversed it becomes 16. So 16 should be subtracted from 344. So the answer will be 344-16= 328

The commentary then says to this value the number `sasa ' = 55 should be added.

 

This gives the answer 328 + 55 = 383

This gives the number of slokas in Brihatjaiaka as 383.

This interpretation is according to the famous commentary "Vivaranam".

 

A study of Dasadyayee will convince anyone that the commentator has

enlarged the meaning and purport of each sloka of the first ten

chapters of Brihatjataka, in all possible ways of interpretation. Many

of the lurking details unfold in the commentary. To know how

Bhattathiri has handled the commentary to make it all pervading and

exhaustive, the following few excerpts from Dasadyayee may help. The sloka 4 of Chapter 1, of Brihatjaiaka gives the

details of the different parts of the body ruled by the twelve signs.

Bhattathiri enlarges his interpretations to 13 detailed parts. He

extends its import to the field of Prasna and says in the third part of

his annotation: "This Acharya has done this work, giving importance to

the delineation of horoscopes. But the rules for Prasna are also

inherent in this." Proceeding further he says: "According to Jaataka,

the strength or weakness of that part of the body is to be decided

taking into account the position of benefic and malefic planets found

in the different rasis indicating the different parts of the

Kaalapurusha." Here he refers to sloka 5 of Chapter 24. This is how he

eliminates the necessity for any separate exposition for that sloka. He

says:

"In the chapter on Nashta Jataka, it has been stated `lagnatrikonothamaveeryayuktam bham prochyatemgalabanadibirva'

meaning that the Janma rasi has to be decided, taking into account the

stronger among the Lagna or Trikonas. Otherwise take into account the

part of the body the questioner touches to decide the rasi. Find the

rasi required through the angasparsa. The rasi denoted by the sparsa or

touch of the part of the body by the questioner can reveal the affected

part of wounds, cuts or deformity. Again in part 6 he adds: "This is useful in Prasna

also. If the rasis of Udaya and Arooda are occupied by malefics, it

must be concluded that the disease pertains to that part of the body

indicated by them." It is evident that Dasadyayee explains the various

ways through which the rules of Brihatjaiaka can be used in Prasna.

During the days of Bhattathiri, only texts like Daivagjnavallabha,

Krishneeya and the like were available for delineating the rules for

Prasna. Perhaps Dasadyayee is the first treatise to compare and

correlate the rules of prediction from the Hora sastras and the rules

of Nimittas from the Samhitas to explain how these could be employed

effectively in handling Prasna. Part 2 of the commentary for verse 20 of Chapter 4,

draws attention to the import of the contents of verse 10 of Chapter 21

suggesting the cause for blindness. This is yet another example for

including the comments for a sloka from beyond the chapter 10. Commenting on the term "Malsyoughatee" in sloka 5

of Chapter 1, Bhattathiri in part 9 of his commentary, suggests that

the usage of the terms in a reverse order only indicates that the rasis

may have to be reckoned in that way also sometimes.

Sloka 13 of chapter 2 of Brihatjaiaka reads:

Tridasatrikonachaturasrasaptama-

Nyawalokayanti Charanabhivridhidha:

Ravijaamarejyarudhira: Pare Chaye

Kramasho Bhavanthi Kila Veekshanedhika:

 

 

This means in plain language:All planets aspect their Tridasa (3rd and 10th) one fourth; to its Trikona (5th and 9th) one-half, to its Chatussara (4th and 8th) three fourths and to its Saptama (7th) fully. Saturn, Jupiter and Mars have respectively better or full drishti to the above mentioned places.

 

 

This means that Saturn has full aspect to its 3rd bhava and l0th bhava apart from its 7th house aspect mentioned earlier. Jupiter

has full aspect to its 5th and 9th bhavas apart from its 7th house

aspect. Mars has full aspect to its 4th and 8th houses, apart from its

7th house. The other planets, the Sun, the Moon, Mercury and Venus have

full aspects only to the 7th house.

A Summary of the aspects is given below:

 

 

 

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

 

 

Sun

x

x

¼

¾

½

x

Full

¾

½

¼

x

x

 

 

Moon

x

x

¼

¾

½

x

Full

¾

½

¼

x

x

 

 

Mars

x

x

¼

Full

½

x

Full

Full

½

¼

x

x

 

 

Mercury

x

x

¼

¾

½

x

Full

¾

½

¼

x

x

 

 

Jupiter

x

x

¼

¾

Full

x

Full

¾

Full

¼

x

x

 

 

Venus

x

x

¼

¾

½

x

Full

¾

½

¼

x

x

 

 

Saturn

x

x

Full

¾

½

x

Full

¾

½

Full

x

x

 

 

x = Nil Aspect

 

Bhattathiri explains how the intensity of the various aspects mentioned

varies and how to reckon the intensity of aspect of a planet to any

point. For a planet having one-fourth aspect at the beginning of the

3rd bhava and three-fourths at the beginning of 4th bhava, the aspect

the planet will have on the middle of 3rd bhava will be one-half. He

sees further interpretations for the stanza as well and suggests that

it indicates the distance of the seven planets from the Earth. Commenting on " Ravijaamarejyarudhira: Pare Chaye

Kramasho Bhavanthi Kila Veekshanedhika: he says that one can see Ravija

(Saturn), Amaredya (Jupiter), Rudhira (Mars) and Pare (others) better and better. Pare means the Sun, Venus, Mercury and then the Moon in that order.

Thus, the distance of the various planets becomes evident. But how do

you know that it is the Sun, Venus, Mercury and then the Moon in that

order that Varahamihira meant by the term Pare? The commentator says

that even for this, the great author has given some indications and

that is the order mentioned for the first three planets viz., Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. Planets are normally mentioned in the order of the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Jupiter comes sixth from Saturn and Mars comes sixth from Jupiter.

This is the order referred to by Varahamihira. Hence the next planet

ought to be the sixth from Mars i.e., the Sun and then comes Venus,

Mercury and the Moon in that order. Bhattathirippad says that the word

Cha in Pare Chaye stands for the Moon which comes last. Expanding the meaning of the term "kila" of the

same verse, he emphasizes the need to reckon the aspects in both

Jaataka and Prasna and correlates the verse 1 of Chapter 21 to divine,

progeny. He further says that Kalahoradhipakrama is also

included in this sloka. The order is the same as for the distance of

the planets. Finding more meaning in the term Charanabhivridhdhita: he

says: "gets increased by Charanam (one-fourth)". In other words it is

¼, ½, ¾ and 1 and adding them up, we get ¼ + ½ + ¾ + 1 = 2½ which in

ghatikas represent exactly the duration of a Kalahora. This suggests

that the duration of one Kalahora is 2½ ghatikas and the planetary

order to be considered in this respect will be in the order of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon.

 

 

A

reader of the monumental Dasadyayee will know that each and every sloka

in the first ten chapters of Brihatjaiaka has been dealt with in minute

detail by this incomparable commentator.

 

 

The above narration is to bring out just one instance, of the many,

where the brilliant Bhattathirippad has given various interpretations

to a sloka. This original sloka is meant to deal with planetary aspects

in a conceptual form. But it is astounding to see how Bhattathiri has

so deftly interpreted it to bring out much of the inner implications of

the measure of the aspects A reader of the monumental Dasadyayee will

know that each and every sloka in the first ten chapters of Brihatjaiaka has been dealt with in minute detail by this incomparable commentator.

 

 

It will be only apt to conclude this tribute to Dasadyayee and Bhattathiri echoing the author's own concluding remarks to his monumental work:

 

Punarvachanam apasabdaprayoga:

nyayavirodhaschatra sandyeva sambhava:

tasmadetam vakyamya:

kaschid bhudha:

pasyati chet kshandumarhati.

naisha pandityaprakatanaya krita:

 

 

 

 

"This annotation can contain surely repetitions, faulty use of words

and opinions not acceptable to commonsense. If the learned find such

drawbacks they must pardon me. This has been done not to display any

erudition. This is done to tell what little I know to any neophyte who

is less learned."

 

 

Yes! Surely this attempt of the writing a few lines by this scribe on

Dasadyayee is also definitely not to display any erudition.=======================