1. May the Sun give us speech, who by his light illumines the Moon,(a) who is the path of those who have no rebirth, who is the Atma of those who know the Atma, who is the Deva worshipped in sacrificial rites, who is the Lord of the Devas and of the Lights of the sky, who is the Author of the origin, growth and annihilation of the worlds, who is sung in the Vedas in various ways, who is possessed of many rays and who forms the Lamp of the three worlds.
Notes
(a). In connection with this we would draw the attention of the reader to what the author says on the subject of the Moon receiving light from the Sun in Stanza 2 of Chapter IV (On Nisheka Kala Or The Time Of Conception) of his Brihat Samhita, which runs as follows:
"The rays of the Sun falling on the watery Moon remove the darkness of the night (on Earth) just in the same way as light reflected from a mirror (placed in the Sun) removes the darkness (from) within a room,"
And in the Vedas we find the (visible) Moon briefly defined as follows:
"Surya rasmischandramah." The Moon is the rays of the Sun.
2. Though various well written works on Astrology (a) the productions of able men exist for the enlightenment of intelligent students (of horoscopy), I begin to construct (this) small boat (consisting) of stanzas (written) in various metres and of several meanings for (the benefit of) persons of broken attempts to cross the vast ocean of horoscopy.
Notes
(a) Such works as those of Parasara, Garga, Badara-yana, Satyacharya and others.
3. According to some, the word hora is a corruption of the word Ahoratri the first and last letters (syllables) being dropped. The science (of horoscopy) treats of the effects of the good and bad deeds (karma) of nun in their previous births.
4. The (twelve) signs of the Zodiac, commencing with the first point of Aries and of (the asterism of) Aswini, and consisting, each, of nine stellar quarters and forming a circle, are respectively the head, face, breast, heart, belly, navel, abdomen, genital organ, two thighs, two knees, two ankles and the two feet of Kalapurueha. (The terms) Rasi, Kshetra, Graha, Riksha, Bham, Bhavana, are synonymous terms.
Notes
The following table will be useful for purposes of ready reference:-
Rasi
Sign,
Part of body.
Mesha
• • •
Aries
...
Head
Vrishabha
...
Taurus
• • •
Face
Rasi.
Sign.
Part of body.
Mithuna
• • •
Gemini
• • •
Breast
Kataka
• • •
Cancer
• • •
Heart
Simha
• • •
Leo
• • •
Belly
Kanya
• • •
Virgo
• • •
Navel
Tula
• • •
Libra
• • •
Abdomen
Vrischika
• • •
Scorpio
• • •
Genital organ
Dhanus
• • •
Sagittari
• • •
Two thighs
Makara
• • •
Capricorn
• • •
Two knees
Kumbha
• • •
Aquarius
• • •
Two ankles
Meena
• • •
Pisces
• • •
Two feet
The twenty-seven asterisms are:-
Aswini
• • •
• • •
β
Arietis
Bharani
• • •
• • •
35
Arietis, and Musca
Krittika
• • •
• • •
ή
Tauri, Alcyone
Rohini
• • •
• ••
α
Tauri, Aldebaran
Mrigasirsha
• ••
• ••
ρ
Ononis
Ardra
• • •
• ••
α
Orionis
Punarvasu
• ••
• • •
β
Gemini Pollux
Pushya
• ••
• • •
h
Cancri
Ashlesha
• • •
• • •
δ
Hydrae
Magha
• • •
• ••
α
Leonis, Regulas
P. Phalguui
• • •
• ••
δ
Leonis
U. Phalguni
• • •
• • •
β
Leonis
Hasta
• • •
• ••
δ
Corvi
Chitra
• • •
• • •
α
Virgin is Spica
Swati
• • •
• • •
a
Bootis,Arcturus
Visakha
• • •
• • •
ί
Librae
Anuradha
• • •
• • •
δ
Scorpionis
Jyeshta
• • •
• • •
α
Scorpiouis, Aritares
Mula
• • •
• • •
l
Scorpionis
P. Ashadha
• • •
• • •
§
Sagittarii
U. Ashadha
• • •
• • •
δ
Sagittarii
Sravana
• • •
• • •
a
Aquilae, Atair
Sravishta
• • •
• • •
β
Delphini
Satabhishak
• • •
• • •
λ
Aquarii
P. Bhadrapada
• • •
• • •
ό
Pegasi
U. Bhadrapada
• • •
• • •
γ
Pegasi & Andrcmedae
Revati
• • •
• • •
ς
Piscium
These asterisms or lunar mansions are divided each into four equal parts known as Nakshatrapadas. 1 here are therefore 108 such parts in the ecliptic, and each sign contains nine such parts or 2 1/4 stellar divisions. The first asterism, Aswini, commences at the first point of Aries, which is the star Revati, about 20° to the east of the Vernal Equinox - (Vide Introduction), so that the second quarter of the asterism of Krittika commences at the first point of Taurus. The third quarter of the asterism of Mrigasirsha commences at the first point of Gemini and the fourth quarter of the asterism of Punarvasu commences at the first point of Cancer, and so on.
Bach of the terms Rasi, Kshetra, Graha, etc., means A sign of the Zodiac, which is a twelfth part of the heavens or 80° of the ecliptic.
5. Sign Pisces is of the shape of (a) two fish; sign Aquarius is of the shape of a man with a (water) pot; sign Gemini is of the shape of a man and woman, (the former) with a stick and (the latter) with a lyre, both seated in one seat; sign Sagittari is of the shape of a man who in his lower parts is a horse; sign Capricorn is of the shape of a crocodile with the face of a deer; sign Libra is of the shape of a person with scales (in his hand); and sign Virgo is of the shape of a virgin in a boat with crops (in one hand) and a light (in the other). The other signs resemble in shape (b) the different creatures denoted by their names. The dwelling places of the several signs are places appropriate to the several creatures.
Notes
{a) Sign Pisces is of the shape of two fish lying side by side, the head of the one being near the tail of the other.
(b) That is, Aries (Mesha) is of the shape of a ram; Taurus (Vrishabha), of the shape of a bull; Cancer (Kata-ka), of the shape of a crab; Leo (Simha). of the shape of a lion;and Scorpio (Vrischika), of the shape of a scorpion.
This stanza as well as stanza 4 are chiefly useful in questions connected with horary astrology - in the discovery of stolen property and the like.
6. Mars, Venus, Mercuiy, the Moon, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Saturn and Jupiter are respectively the lords of the Signs, and of the Navam-sas and Dwadasamsas; and the several signs (of the Zodiac beginning from Aries) commence respectively with the Navamsas of Mesha, Makara, Tula and Kataka.
Notes
Six modes of division of the ecliptic (360°) for horo-scopic purposes known as the Shadvarga are mentioned (vide stanza 9). These are Rasi (sign) in which the ecliptic is divided into 12 equal parts of 30° each (vide stanza 4); Hora in which each sign is divided into two equal parts of 15° each (vide stanzas 9 and 11); Drekka-na in which a sign is divided into three equal parts of 10° each (vide stanzas 11 and 12); Navamsa in which a sign is divided into nine equal parts of 3° 20' each; Dwada-sama, in which a sign is divided into twelve equal parts of 2° 30' each; and Trimsamsa, in which a sign is divided into thirty equal parts of a degree each (vide stanza 7).
The Navamsas: Each sign being divided into 9 equal parts and there being 12 such signs, there are in all 12 x 9 or 108 such divisions in the ecliptic. We have already (vide stanza 4) seen that the ecliptic contains 27 x 4 or 108 stellar quarters or Nakshatrapadas; it follows therefore that a Navamsa is a Nakshatrapada, that is onefourth of a lunar mansion. The 108 Navamsas beginning from the first point of Aries bear the same names as the twelve signs of the Zodiac counted over and over again: the first Navamsa of Mesha is Mesha itself; that of Vri-shabha is Makara; that of Mithuna is Tula; and that of Kataka is Kataka itself. The same order holds for the 4 signs from Simha to Vrischika and for the 4 from Dhanus to Meena. In other words the four sets of Trikona or triangular signs begin with the same Navamsas: that is, the Trikona signs of
Mesha, Simha, Dhanus begin with the Navamsa of Mesha. Vrishabha, Kanya, Makara begin with the Navamsa of Makara. Mithuna, Tula, Kumbha begin with the Navamsa of Tula, and Kataka, Vrischika, Meena begin with the Navamsa of
Kataka. The Dwadasamsas: The twelve parts into which each sign is divided bear the same names as those of the signs of the Zodiac. The name of the first Dwadasamsa of a particular sign is the name of the sign itself. So that the 12 Dwadasamsas of Mesha are Mesha, Vrishabha, Mithuna, etc, ending with Meena. Those of Vrishabha are Vrishabha, Mithuna, Kataka, etc, ending with Mesha. Those of Mithuna are Mithuna, Kataka, Simha, etc, ending with Vrishabha and so on.
The lords of the Navamsas and Dwadasamsas are the same as the lords of the Rasis (signs). These are mentioned in the text in the order of the signs. It will be found that the Sun and Moon have each a house, while the other planets have each two houses. These houses are known as Swakshetras: thus
Mars is the lord of Mesha and Vrischika.
Venus is the lord of Vrishabha and Tula.
Mercury is the lord of Mithuna and Kanya.
Jupiter is the lord of Meena and Dhanus.
Saturn is the lord of Kumbha and Makara.
The Moon is the lord of Kataka, and the Sun is the lord of Simha.
There are several modes of constructing a figure of the heavens. The one used in Southern India is the one recommended by Jaimini the author of Astrological Aphorisms. It is given below and the reader is referred to the appendix for diagrams relating to the several modes of division of the ecliptic referred to above.
Meena, Jupiter.
Mesha, Mars.
Vrishabha Venus.
Mithuna -Mercury.
Kumbha, Saturn
RASI CHAKRA.
Kataka, Moon.
Makara, Saturn,
Simha, Sun.
Dhanus, Jupiter.
Vrischika, Mars.
Tula, Venus.
Kanya, Mercury.
7. Five, five, eight, seven and five parts (degrees) are respectively those of Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Venus in the odd signs. In the even signs their order is reversed. The ends (last Navamsas) of Kataka, Vrischika and Meena are known as Riksha saudhis.
Notes
This stanza defines Trimsamsas, and their lords. As already observed, Trimsamsa is division of each sign into thirty equal parts, each part being a degree. The odd signs are Mesha, Mithuna, Simha, Tula, Dhanus and Kumbha. The even signs are Vrishabha, Kataka, Kanya Vrischika, Makara and Meena.
In the odd signs, the first five degrees are the Trimsamsas of Mars; the next five are those of Saturn; the next eight are those of Jupiter; the next seven are those of Mercury; and the last five are those of Venus. In the even signs, the first five are those of Venus; the next seven are those of Mercury; the next eight are those of Jupiter; the next five are those of Saturn; and the last five are those of Mars. The Trimsamsa division is used by the author in his Chapter relating to the horoscopy of women.
8. The terms Kriya, Tavuri, Jituma, Kulira, Leva, Pathona, Juka, Kourpi, Toukshika, Akokera, Hridroga and Antyabha are other names for signs of Zodiac.
Notes
All the above names, excepting Kulira and Antyabha, are evidently Greek terms - a circumstance clearly indicating that the intercourse between the learned men of India and Hellas was more than superficial.
9. A planet is said to be in its Varga if it be in its Drekkana, Hora, Navamsa, Trimsamsa, Dwadasamsa and Kshetra. The term Hora means both the rising sign and one-half of a sign of the Zodiac.
Notes
These terms have already been explained (vide stanza 6).
The term Kshetra means a house or a sign. For the Names and Lords of the Hora divisions of a sign, vide, Stanza 11.
10. The signs Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Sagit-tari and Capricorn are known as the night signs; (a) and, with the exception of Gemini, they rise with their feet (b). The other signs rise with their heads (c) and are powerful by day (d), The two fish rise by both (head and foot), (e).
Notes
(a). Therefore the day signs are Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces,
(b) Signs that rise by their feet are known as Prish-todaya Rasis and these are Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Sagit-tari and Capricorn.
(c) Signs that rise by their heads are known as Siro-daya Rasis, and these are Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Aquarius.
(d) Therefore the Prishtodaya signs are powerful at night.
(e) For the shape of the sign Pisces, vide Stanza 5'
11. The signs (from Aries) are (by turns)malefic and benefic, masculine and feminine (a) and movable, fixed and both (movable and fixed) (b). The signs Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer with their triangular signs denote each respectively the East, South, West and North (c). The two horas of the odd signs are respectively the Solar and Lunar horas, and the two of the even signs are respectively the Lunar and Solar horas. The lords of the Drekkanas, (d) (of a particular sign) are respectively the lords of that sign, the 5th sign and the 9th sign.
Notes
(a) In other words the odd signs are all malefic and masculine, and the even signs are all benefic and feminine.
(b). Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn are movable signs.
Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius are fixed signs.
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittari,and Pisces are both (movable and fixed) and are also known as common signs.
(c) The signs Aries, Leo and Sagittari are known as the Eastern signs;
Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn as Southern signs. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius as Western signs. Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces as Northern signs.
(d) For example: The lords of the three Drekkanas of Leo are respectively the Sun (lord of Leo), Jupiter lord of Sagittari, the 5th house) and Mars (lord of Aries the 9th house).
12. According to some (a) the lords of the two horas of a sign are respectively the lords of the sign and of the 11th sign (b); and the lords of the three Drekkanas of a sign are respectively the lords of the sign, the 12th sign and the 11th sign (c) from it.
Notes
(a). That is, according to Garga and men of his school. But the author's opinion is that expressed in stanza 11 in which he is supported by the opinion of Satya-charya.
(b). The lords of the two horas of Sagittari, for instance, are respectively Jupiter (lord of Sagittari) and Venus (lord of Libra, the 11th honse)
(c). The lords of the three Drekkanas of Sagittari, for instance, are respectively Jupiter (lord of Sagittari), Mars (lord of Scorpio, the 12th house) and Venus (lord of Libra, the 11th house).
13. The signs Aries, Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo, Cancer, Pisces and Libra are respectively the Uccha (exaltation) signs of the Sun and other planets. The 10th, 3rd, 28th, 15th, 5th, 27th, and 20th are the degrees of main exaltation of the several planets. The 7th or opposite signs are the Neecha (depression) signs; and the degrees of main depression are the same as given above.
Notes
A planet in his exaltation sign is considered as exceedingly powerful and one in his depression sign as exceedingly weak. The Sun and Moon are also treated as planets. The Hindu Astrological order of the planets is the same as the days of the week. The following table is given for convenience of reference.
Planets. Uccha or Exal- Neecha or de- Degree of main tation signs. pression Signs. Exaltation or
Depression.
Sun.
Aries.
Libra.
10
Moon.
Taurus.
Scorpio.
3
Mars.
Capricorn.
Cancer.
29
Mercury.
Virgo.
Pisces.
15
Jupiter.
Cancer.
Capricorn.
5
Venus.
Pisces.
Virgo.
27
Saturn.
Libra.
Aries.
20
14. In the movable and other signs (a), the first, the central and the last Navamas are known as Vargottama positions. Planets in such positions will produce good effects. The signs Leo, Taurus, Aries, Virgo, Sagittari, Libra, and Aquarius are known as the Moola Trikona houses of the planets respectively. (b)
Notes
(a). The Vargottama places are:-
The 1st Navamsas of the four movable signs Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.
The 5th Navamsas of the four fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.
The 9th Navamsas of the four movable and fixed signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittari and Pisces.
These Navamsas will be found to bear the same names as the signs themselves. For example: the first Navamsa of Aries is Aries; the first of Cancer is Cancer, and so forth.
The fifth Navamsa of Taurus is Taurus; of Leo is Leo and so forth.
The ninth Navamsa of Gemini is Gemini; of Virgo is Virgo, and so forth.
(b). The following list contains the Moola Trikona signs of the planets:
Planets.
Moola Trikona signs.
Sun.
Leo.
Moon.
Taurus.
Mars.
Aries.
Mercury.
Virgo.
Jupiter.
Sagittari.
Venus.
Libra.
Saturn.
Aquarius.
15. The significations of the 12 houses from the rising sign (ascendant) are respectively (a native's) body, family, brothers, relations, sons, enemies, wife, death, deed of virtue, avocation, gain and loss (a). The 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses from the ascendant are known as the Upachaya (improving) signs, but not so according to some (b).
Notes
(a). The following is a list of significations of the several houses of the Zodiac from the ascendant. Ascendant or
1st house...Body, fame, limbs.
2nd „ ...Family, wealth, eyes, speech, truthfulness. 3rd „ ...Brothers, bravery, meals. 4th „ ...Relations, education, mother, cows, dwelling place, carriage, comfort.
5th „ ...Sons, intelligence, previous karma.
6th „ ...Enemies, kinsmen, diseases.
7th „ ...Wife, generosity, respect.
8th „ ... Death, duration of life.
9th „ ...Deeds of virtue, father, medicine.
10th „ ...Avocation, knowledge, clothes*
11th „ ...Gain, earning.
12th „ ...Loss, bad deeds, travels.
(b) Garga and astrologers of his school are of opinion that the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses cease to be Upa-chaya places if malefic planets or planets which are unfriendly to the lords of these 4 houses should either occupy such houses or aspect the same. But the Author does not agree with Garga and he is supported in his views by Satyacharya and by Yavaueswara.
16. The twelve signs of the Zodiac beginning from the ascendant are known technically as the signs of (1) Kalpa (power), (2) Sva (wealth), (3) Vikrama (prowess), (4) Graha (dwelling place), (5) Pratibha (intelligence), (6) Kshata (wound), (7) Manmatha (desire), (8) Randhra (hole), (9) Guru (father or preceptor), (10) Mana (respectability), (11) Bhava (acquisition), (12) Vyaya (loss). The 4th and 8th houses are known as Chaturasra signs. The 7th house is known as Dyuna and the 10th house is known as Agna.
Notes
A number of astrological terms is defined in this stanza.
17. The 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses are known as Kantaka or Kendra or Chatushtaya houses (quadrants or angles). If these four houses should happen to be biped, aquatic, centiped and quadruped respectively, they then possess strength.
Notes
The biped signs are: Gemini, Libra, Virgo, the first half of Sagittari and Aquarius.
The aquatic signs are: Cancer, the first half of Capricorn and Pisces.
The only. centiped sign is Scorpio.
The quadruped signs are Aries, Taurus, Leo, the second half of Sagittari and the first half of Capricorn.
18. The houses next to the angles are known as Panapara houses and those next to them are known as Apoklima houses. The 4th house is known as Hibuka, Ambu, Sukha and Vesma. The 7th house is known as Jamitra. The 5th house is known as Trikona. The 10th house is known as Meshoorana and Karma.
Notes
Panapara and Apoklima are Greek terms.
The Panapara houses are the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th houses.
The Apoklima houses are the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses.
19. If the lord of the ascendant or Jupiter or Mercury should either occupy it or aspect it. the ascendant (Lagna) would become powerful and not by other planets. The Kendra signs are naturally powerful. (a) The biped signs are powerful during the day, the quadruped signs at night, and the centiped signs at sunrise and at sunset. The Mana (measurement), (3) of the first six signs from Aries are 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, and 40 respectively; and those of the next six signs are 40,36, 32, 28, 24, and 20 respectively. The 3rd house is known as Duschikya and the 9th as Tapas and Tritrikona.
Notes
(a). It therefore follows that Panapara houses are less powerful than the Kendras, and Apoklima houses are the weakest houses of all. Of the 4 Kendras again, the biped signs are powerful in the first Kendra, the quadruped sign in the 10th Kendra, the centiped sign in the 7th Kendra and the aquatic sign in the 4th Kendra.
(b). This is used in Stanza 23, Ch. V.
20. The twelve signs beginning from Aries are respectively (Aries) red, (Taurus) white, (Gemini) of the color of the parrot, (Cancer) of the color of Patali (trumpet flower), (Leo) black white, (Virgo) variegated in color, (Libia) black, (Scorpio) of gold color, (Sagittari) of the color of the husk of paddy, (Capricorn) white red, (Aquarius) of the color of Mongoose, and (Pisces) of the color of fish. The signs are known as Plava (a) (depressed) in the direction of their lords. The 2nd house to that occupied by the Sun is known as Vesi.
Notes
(a). For the use of this vide stanza 21, Ch. V.