Some Thoughts on Jyotischakram

8/14/2019 Some Thoughts on Jyotischakram

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This is an attempt to have a close look at some of the controversial aspects in'graha_ganitam'.

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Kalyanavarma begins Saravali with this beautiful verse that extolls Surya by highlightingthe three fold activity rising, culmination and setting with which he imparts life to thebiosphere and remains the life process of breathing itself. We can also see such

references as " ) * + , -- " in describing the divine light that sustains the

biosphere as Jyoti and Prana and serve as the enlightener of Karma or Janma to thehuman beings.

Jyotisha in fact is the science of Prana as it is Prana or Praja_pati who made the form ofKala (Time) visible and thus made possible a study of Time or Hora and thus theformulation of Hora_sastra. Scriptures highlight this basic fact by declaring that the firstborn was twins, Kala & Manu or Kala & Jiva or Yama & Yami etc. Kala_murthy made itsapperance in Jiva in terms of Prana and therefore all our notions of time intervals arebased on Prana_ one exhalation and inhalation = breathing _ is the basic unit of time.Hindu time begins at Suryodayam and runs in cycles of 21600 Pranas through which Suryasustains the life on Mother Earth. Surya thus remains eternally wedded to Prthvi andscriptures have alluded to this divine relationship on innumerable occasions.

Aforesaid manifestation of Surya as Pranasurya is described in Jyotisha by the principle of

equivaelnce of the microcosm and macrocosm [ . ) / 0 ) /0 ) / 0] and through the conception

of Jyotischakram [ ] in exact concordance with the successive stages of breathing

process. For example, Sages who were adept in Yoga, Siddhas conceived 12 Rasis inJyotischakra in view of the 12 major phases of 1800 Pranas each that characterizedbreathing duiring an ahoratra, day and night of 24 Horas. Each such Rasi further gotdivided into 9 based on amsas of 200 Prana each to give the 108 navamsas that constitutethe Jyotischakra.

Today we don't know the experience and the logic used by the Siddhas in theastro_mathematical conception of Kalachakra. Looking into the few Yoga works of Siddhasand some Jyotisha texts that give allusions of Yoga precepts, we may gain a rough idea ofthe thinking that guided the Siddhas. For example, in the above case of Nav_amsas of theRasi, we can trace the division to the 9 Pranas that constituted the play of life as perYogasastra. There are 10 Pranas but Dhananjaya is excluded as it exists in bodies devoidof life or it does not accompany the chief Prana and the Janma_sareera. By the same logicwe may understand that the first to nine Houses of Jyotisha are akin to the ninedepartments of Jiva arising from the seven functions of Prana _ it may be noted here thatthe 7th Hose is Nivrtti-sthana (death or liberation etc) and 8th is Aayusthana while the 9threpresents the Punya or Dharma which reside in the Janma or Linga_sareera. Jyotisha

therefore consider only the nine Pranas in deciding the Rasi_Nakshatra configuration of108 quarters or Padas. Further, we may note that the same logic is working behind the -



Navamsa and its significations, dharma, marital life (of the 7th House) etc.

Jyotisha is Karma_vidya and Karma is not possible without the physical body orSthoola_Deha and the 10th Vayu called Dhananjaya. Dhananjaya in fact happens to bethe name given to the Karmayogi in the great epic, Mahabharata. Karma therefore isrepresented by the 10th House and the harmonic chart, Dasamsa.

Coming to Dvadasamsa, 12, signify the 10 indriyas, mind and intelligence, which make the

12 indriyas that support the sthoola_deha. Indriyas decide the merits of the Karmaundertaken by the sthoola_deha and thus the 12th House maintains the account of Papaand Punya.

Karma_vidya and Kundalini

What do we mean by Karma_vidya and on what physical force does it rest upon? We allknow that the Grahas keep themselves in their orbits because of the gravitational force andthe Surya shines because of the nuclear energy released and plants derive their energyfrom Surya etc. Every observed phenomena has as its basis a force, energy whichchanges its form to make the phenomena manifest. Jyotisha, the effect we see of Grahas

as if they are embedded in our Pindandum and transform the Pindandum itself into theJyotischakra cannot be without a mysterious or subtle force. Classical texts have someisolated references in slokas culled out from ancient original sources of Jyotisha - see theverses of Balabhadra in Hora_ratnam and Punjaraja in Sambhu Hora on Karma_vidya:

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It is evident that Jyotisha deals with the phenomena that is happening across different livesof a human being _ Jyotisha reflects the continuity across the apparently disconnectedlives of a being and is therefore subtle in operation and content_ and has to be understoodagainst such Siddha or mystic background of its origin.

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At the time of '! + ', when the embryo is formed, one who is born of the Lotus engraves

one's destiny over the forehead. Siddhas adept in Horagama read that with their eyes ofwisdom.

Reference to 'adhana' must be noted. According to Tantrik precepts, Jyotischakra is in factengraved in the sookshma-sareera itself. Mesha or Aries the Ram is the ignorance (avidya)that surrounds the soul taking a re-birth, Vrsha or Taurus the Bull is the Karma_mix(sad_asad), Mithuna or Gemini the Twins represents the terrestrila entry of the soul lookingfor couples engaged in copulation and when the right time as per the configuartion of thePancha_tattvas comes, the soul enters the sperm suited to it. Kataka or Cancer represents

the embryo formed in the Mother and its nourishment with motherly care and affectionleading to the development of Consciousness while Simha, the Lion represents the soul -



caged in the body, the individual. Rasi opposite Kataka, the Makara is symbolized as apregnant mother while Kumbha opposite Leo is the delivering Mother. Kanya is theindividual embracing the outerworld with his sensory apparatus and the opposite Fishesreflect his Pranayama, breathing process of Prana and Apana that sustains his/her life.Now comes Libra or Tula, opposite avidya and as one may expect naturally, Tula is thehouse of Vidya, Viveka. Vrschika is opposite Karma and so obviously it represents Siddhi,death and resurrection, Jnana & Amrtakumbha (nectar of immortality) and the individualwho transcends death and the samsara chakra. Last to me mentioned, Dhanu, the

half_man_half_horse holding the bow and arrow is opposite Mithuna and Tantra picture itas a monkey holding the fruit. It is the soul destined to take birth again and so it hasbecome monkey which is the symbol of sensory apparatus and fruits of karma that givesinstinctual nature (chapalyam).

It is therefore evident that the Jyotischakra is conceived by Siddhas quite logically and rationally, taking into account the subtle process and factors involved in the manifestation of life and cosmos .

About the subtle force behind Jyotisha, Balabhadra quotes an anonymous source_

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Hari, Surya_narayana, Vishnu_who pervades everything manifests as the Kundalini Saktiby transforming himself into the subtle graha_nakshatra limb-structure of Jyotischakram. Inthat the Lagnadi bhavas and limbs have been modeled to be indicative of the karma-phalafor the world of life.

Ancient savants could not have slipped anywhere to leave any ambiguity in the divine

science of Jyotisha. What we see as logical absurdity or ambiguities today is the result of2000 years of darkness since the decline of the Tantrik tradition and the age of theSiddhas. We must remember that what we see in the surviving works of the Jyotihsastratradition, the works of Mihira, Parasara etc are just glimpses or minor compilation of theancient Siddha wisdom.

How to derive the Vargas?

In my studies leading to the publication of Rasichakram in 1996 in Malayalam and almost adecade's experience afterwards have convinced me that the Vargas are really Vargas - thatis multiples or harmonics of the Rasi _ and there is no room for any logic other than the'multiplication' in deriving the Vargas known by numerals. See what the Saravali says:

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To avoid the loss of fractions of degrees in multiplication, it is stated that "ascetain thekalas (minutes of arc) of Lagna and Grahas and derive the Vargas beginning with that ofthe 2nd house as respective multiples and by removing 1800 kalas (that make one Rasi)".

Even though this is an isolated reference, we must think as to how can suh a clearcut mathematical method appear in one of the most important classical texts likeSaravali?



Without some traditional origin and supporting rationale Kalyana Varma would not haveincluded such a verse in his work. Absence of this verse and method in later workssuggest that the method of multipliaction had gone into oblivion after the time of KalyanaVarma due to some historical reasons. Kalyana Varma belonged to the royal dyansty ofVyaghramukhas in North Gujarat, near to the present day Siddhapur (ancient seat ofSiddha Kapila) and he is the father figure in astrology, who lived around 700 AD(Bhattotpala who gives the date of 900 AD has quoted from Saravali) after the times ofVaraha Mihira of neraly 550 AD. His early date and the origin of Saravali before the works

that popularized the anomalous definition of Vargas, point towards a traditional practice asenshrined in the above sloka. This assessment receives support from the partial versesavailable in the modern day compilation known as Parasara Hora.

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Whatever may be the methods by which the amsa-rasis are decided, like thechara_sthira_ubhaya rasi rule of Navamsa, such rules secondary in character have toevolve from a rationale and this is well evident in the case of Nava & Sapat amsa that therules of charasthirodaya and ojayugma based counting of amsas evolved from themultiplication method. In the above quoted Sva_Tri Vargas too the Parivrttis arise out of themultiplication method.

Unless the multiplication method was a part of the ancient tradition that existed beforeVarahamihira, there is no reason for the term "Parivrtti" to appear in the definition ofVargas.

Why Meshadi Rasi Parivrtti Required? Zodiac = Siddha_Purusha?

What is the reason for the multiplication method? Meshadi rasis in fact represent the limibsof the living macrocosm and the Jyotischakra inscribed within every being. Kalapurusha isSiddha Mahapurusha and is engaged in Pranayama. Each kala or minute of arc, beginningat 0 and ending at 21600' is a breath of Jivapurusha and a solar year in which Surya covers360 degrees is a breath of Kalapurusha. Zodiac as such represents one breath ofMahakala or Siddha Pasupati in terms of Surya_Prthvi correlation under which Prana ismanifested. 21600 breaths of Kala constituted His dina when Prana_Surya again returnedto the original state at the beginning of manifestation. This is not rubbish imagination orguesswork that is increasingly becoming the hallmark of Jyotisha. Suryasiddhanta providea mathematical proof for this derived rationale. 21600x Suryasiddhanta years =

21601Tropical years = 7889596.5 days and it is the half day that inspired the Siddhas todefine the Yuga as 2 or 20 times such as 432000 years = 157791780 days, for effectingastronomical computations.

Above factor also lead to the precession rate of 1 kala in 1 year, that is, Siddhas conceivedyearly precession as the breathing of Kalapurusha and thus we find the year described interms of Prana movement. In ancient Indian astronomical texts Makara samkranti marksthe beginning of year as it marked the onset of breath from the heart to Dvadasantha atMithunanthyam, Uttarayan of Prana_Surya while the inhalation marked Solar movementfrom Karkkadi to Makaradi, Dakshinayana. These astronomical texts lack the true rationaleas the Siddha tradition had extinct by the time when astronomical Uttarayana coincided

with Makara and thus a mix up of the astronomical and yoga principles created confusion.Exhalation and inhalation thus represented the two paths of Devayana (Sun) and Pitryana -



(Moon) in ancient scriptures like Prasnopanishad. Samkrantis and Vishuvas stated inIndian astronomical works actually refer to the breathing states, Vishuva for examplemeans the state when the breath flows equally in the two nostrils vis-a-vis Pingala and Ida.All the references are to sidereal rasis, not tropical as interpreted by Sri Krishen Kaul andthis is the reason by which the sidereal zodiac flourished in India even though scholarshave quoted innumerable references from the scriptures that apparently describe thetropical zodiac.

Sun and Moon thus came to represent the two halves of breathing and thus the pointswhere they met - points of origin of exhalation and inhalation, symbolically represented theintersection of solar and lunar orbits viz, the nodes, Rahu & Sikhi. Exhalation or onset ofbreathing was Jiva or life (Rahu) while the end point of the same represented Sikhi orKaivalyam, as Dvadasanta was the seat of Sambhu. In Pranayama exhalation proceededfrom Muladharam or Vrschika rasi (240) and ended at Vrshabha (60) or Dvadasanthamwhere Sambhu was seated on the Bull. This symbolism is reflected in the tradition thattreats Vrschika and Vrshbha as the exaltation signs of Sikhi and Rahu.

Considering the above Yoga rationales and the conception of Zodiac as Mahayogi, it is

easy to understand that arbitrariness has no place in astrology. InJyotisha, conceptions arelogical, mathematical and are based on the Yogic feel of the correlation between Prana andSurya. Inconsistencies we see in the description of Vargas must therefore be understoodas arising from the errors crept in during the dark centuries that caused the extinction ofSiddha traditon. Anybody having doubts on the Prana theory may havea look into Tantraworks dealing with Pranayama and Svara_sastra where assertions as below may be found:

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2. Irrationality of the 'Bhava_Madhya & Sandhi' concept.

Much ado is being made about the 'bhava_sphuta', 'bhava_sandhi' etc without caring tolook at the contradiction it has with the concept of Vargas. Varga in effect means a multipleof the rasi longitude of Lagna and the Grahas. It is obvious that every 'bhava_sphuta' isakin to Lagna [denote by L without 30 (rasis)] and the multiplication process of creatingVargas like Navamsa (Rasix9) and Saptamsa (Rasix7) results in multiplying the arc "L ~ G"and thus the Varga configuration is a reflection of the deviation of the Grahas from theBhavasphutas. How can then the concept of Bhava_Madhya/sandhi be reconciled with themore basic concept of Vargas?

§ Example1:

Lagna is 04_00 (Mesha) and so Rx9 L = Vrshabha rasi 06_00 (or 36deg = 01rasi06deg)Sun = 243_10 and so Rx9_Sun = DhanuMoon = 187_00 and Rx9_Moon = Dhanu

In this case, Sun and Moon are nearly in Bhava_madhya in the 7th and 9th houses but inNavamsa, both the Sun and Moon fall in the 8th of Navamsa_Lagna. How this and similarsituations can be interpreted? Bhavamadhya is more important or Navamsa configuration?

§ Suppose Lagna is 11 degree Mesha and Kuja too 11 degree Mesha, in Navamsa andDasamsa we can find that the Lagna-pati is debilitated in Varga which is not at allcontributive/or positive indication to the significations of that Varga. On the other hand for11 deg Mesha_Lagna, Kuja at 00_30 Mesha gives a most beneficial Varga configuration



even though Kuja is near to the so called 'Bhava_sandhi'.

§ Such contradiction as above is not discussed in ancient works, as the Bhava_ Madhya_sandhi concept was not coined by the seers who had developed the Vargaconcept.

3. Purpose/Interpretation of Vargas

Astrology will become a bundle of confusion if we fail to understand the classical principlescorrectly. Any logical extension or extrapolation won't qualify as research in any subject.Vargas are derived with reference to the 'bhava' or 'houses' having a set of significations.For example Dasamsa (Rasix10) signify career or 10th house matters and the Vargaconfiguration has to be viewed in terms of the relative disposition of the Lagna and Grahasin Rasi and the Varga. Grahadrshti and Yogas operate only over the Rasi chart and Yogasor prosperity that is not apparent in Rasi cannot be deciphered from Varga. Varga indicatesthe manifestation of the seeds we as sown in Rasi. Without seeds no manifestation ispossible.

If we are to interpret Yogas from Vargas or say even from Bhavas other than Lagna inRasi, we will find Yogas relative to Bhavas and Vargas in plenty and may miss them withreference to Rasi_Lagna. What is the use of Yogas in Vargas or relative to Bhavas, whensuch Yogas do not exist from Lagna? How shall we decide the operation of such Yogas interms of the dasa_bhuktis and benevolence_malevolence of the planets to the native?

4. Classical Astrology as in Parasara Hora

Those who may would like to pay attention, it is pointed out that the P_Hora undercirculation is a spurious text fabricated in modern times to make it the humbug it is. Firsttime caution was advised to me in this regard by Late. Sri R. Santhanam in late eightiesand my later studies in the history of Bharatiya Jyotisha has confirmed this aspect. It maybe noted that_

(1). In respect of all other Jyotisha texts like Brhatjjataka and Nadi granthas, oldhandwritten copies are available in manuscript libraries like Sarasvati Mahal, Oriental MLsat Chennai, Baroda, ancient repositories in states like Kerala etc and associated to variousother Institutions of Indological research. But not a single such copy is available ofParasara Hora as published today in such places.

(2). In Kerala where there had been a strong Jyotisha tradition, Parasara's name occurs in

isolated references and no Parasara Hora is available as a standard text for astrology. Allgreat Kerala astronomers who wrote excellent commentaries on Brhatjjataka ofVarahamihira had missed the magnum opus today getting credited to Parasara. Sanskritmanuscripts of Bhasa's work, Aryabhatiya, Parahitaganita, Vakyaganita, Aganita etc (mostancient Sanskrit dramas), which were not available in North India, were found in Kerala inMalayalam script and this is demonstrative of the significance of the literary/astronomicaltradition of Kerala and thus the missing Parasara Hora is not a genuine text of the tradition.

(3). Can anybody give some information on the ancient manuscripts of Parasara Horaavailable anywhere?

(4) If we look for classical astrology of Siddha tradition, Saravali may be the ideal choice asit predates Bhattotpala and is probably by a Rajarshi of the siddha/ tantra tradition.



5. Vimsottari Dasa and Conditional Dasas

As a timing technique of general application, Vimsottari dasa is of unparallel importance.No one has demonstrated any other dasa as capable of superceding Vimsottari under evenany specific conditions. Can anyone provide 10 cases where Vimsottari fails and any otherdasa provides more satisfactory performance? Without knowing astrology and withouthaving a scientific spirit, if we start using dasa techniques, then we may find Vimsottarifailing and some other thing working in isolated cases. Conditional dasas have been foundto fail despite the satisfying conditions and Kalachakra dasa is a very appropriate example.Failure of the Vimsottari in isolated cases only points to imperfections in understanding thetrue ayanamsa and true rationale of Vargas like Dasamsa.

Lastly, we must remember that the only reference available for many of these conditionaldasas is the spurious text of Parasara Hora. So we need to make a re_look with the use ofthe correct ayanamsa and rationale of Vargas like Dasamsa as to whether Vimsottari isinadequate or not?

6. Non-existent Planetary Forces and Influences in Jyotisha

Many people tend to believe that physical planetary forces are the cause of the astrologicalphenomena. This is not all correct. All the known physical forces like electromagnetic orgravitational are functions of distance and thus depends on the spatial distance of theplanet. In Jyotisha spatial distance is not all reckoned for predictive purpose and thelongitudes are all over an imagined celestial sphere at the same distance from the center ofthe Earth. All planets are represented in Jyotisha as simply moving orbital points just likethe nodes of Moon, Rahu & Sikhi, intersection points of the lunar and solar orbits that led tothe name Rahu_Sikhi Chakra or Ra_Si Chakra. No known physical forces can arise frompoints like Rahu and Sikhi on the celestial sphere. Forces responsible for Jyotisha operate within the microcosm and the celestial points are important as they represent the inner cosmic phenomena of human beings. Celestial rhythms are indicative of the Karma_structure of Time which arise from or are correlated to the Time_structure of breathing or Prana.

7. Definition of Birth time in Jyotisha

Can there be confusion on such basic points in a sastra of the Sages? Can we imagine thatthe ancient Yogis or Savants gave shape to Jyotisha_phalabhaga without defining the birthtime i.e. zero point of a particular life? Can we allege such idiosyncrasy on our heritage?

I am not going into the details of the controversy that is already under discussion. As I havestressed again and again, Jyotisha is a part of Tantra and only Tantra provides the truerationale to Jyotisha concepts. Birth time according to Tantra precepts is the "first cry" orfirst breath with which Pinda_Kundalini communicates to Brahma_Kundalini, Prana (or say,atma) communicates to Paramatma, first breath is the parinaya of Sakti and Siva (Prakrtiand Purusha of Samkhya). Kundalini passes through Para at Muladharam, Pasyanti,

Madhyama stages to become the audible Vaikhari at Visuddhi.

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It is this process that gaves credence to mantra_sastra, use of mantras to awaken theKundalini. Vaikhari's relation to genitals or Muladhara is apparent in the change of soundobserved when children attain puberty.

8. Controversy on Muladharam

Some controversy arose as to _ What is the location of the Muladharam? It is the bottom ofthe cerebro_spinal axis (Merudandam) that coincided with the lowest point of dynamicequilibrium between Prana and Apana that sustains a Jeeva_Purusha. In a discussion onthe most vital aspect of the rationale of Jyotischakram and its zero point vis- -vis thedesign of the celestial instrument that facilitated the tapping of Mahakundalini, we shouldnot resort to "kidding" to condemn divine precepts. We must make sincere efforts tounderstand the precepts using all the available evidences and through appropriateinquiries. Without caring to study the tantrik precepts, deliberating on Muladharam ismeaningless. 0 to 240 degree is the path of the Kundalini over the Merudandam andzodiacally this is from the end point of Scorpio to the initial point of Aries and Mula star(Lambda_Scorpii) is the end point of Scorpio or Junction point of Scorpio and Sagittarius.This has been proved mathematically and astronomically based on Suryasiddhanta and the

paper has been published in Indian Journal of History of Science.

Muladharam or bottom of Merudandam coincides with the genitals and that is why theMahakala and Mahakali have been symbolized as Linga and Yoni for Tantrik worship. It isbecause of this rationale that Rahu and Sikhi are worshipped as Jyotir_Linga at Kalahastiand Navagrahas are worshipped as Jyotir_Lingas in the Navagraha temple atPragjyotishapura (Kamakhya). In all Navagraha temples of Thanjavur area too,Jyotir_Linga is the main deity and the Graha is only a servant of Mahakala_Lingam knownlocally by different names.

To conclude this discussion, nothing may be more appropriate than the following Mangala

sloka _

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It may be noted that the Rahu & Sikhi have been meditated over the Nadis while theseven others got ascribed to the seven Chakras.

K. Chandra [email protected]

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Some Thoughts on Jyotischakram