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Brihat Jataka
By Varaha Mihira |
Chapter 1
Explanation of technicalities used
Sloka 1:
The Sun, who is one of the AshtaMurthies of Siva, who
forms the path for those who go to Moksha, who represents Atma for those who are
well versed in Atmavidya, who accepts the results of the sacrificial rites, who
is the master of Amaras and Jyotishas; who destroys, creates and protects the
Lokas, who is praised in the Vedas in various forms, who is possessed of many
rays and who is the lamp of the three worlds, may he grant us speech?
Sloka 2:
Although there are great many works ably written by
intelligent men in accordance with excellent literary style, many people get
dispirited in trying to cross the vast ocean of horoscopic knowledge; to such I
offer a small boat, constructed with metre of various kinds, short but very
suggestive and full of instructive ideas, to enable them to cross this ocean.
Sloka 3:
The science of astrology is called Hora Sastra from the
compounding of the two words Aho and Ratri and the dropping of the first and
last letters; and it speaks of the results of the good and bad deeds done by men
in their previous births.
Sloka 4:
In the celestial Chakra (globe) the signs commencing with
Mesha and Aswini, are each formed by nine padams (quarters) of stars and govern
the following organs of Kalapurusha, namely, head, face, chest, heart, belly,
waist, lower belly, sexual organ, thighs, knees, buttocks and feet respectively.
Rasi, Kshetra, Griha, Ruksha, Bha and Bhavana refer to and signify the zodiacal
signs.
Sloka 5:
Meena is represented by two fishes lying close to each other
with their heads pointing in opposite directions; Kumbha is shown by a person
bearing a water pot; Mithuna is indicated by a man with a club and a woman with
a lute, in close embrace; Dhanus is described as a Centaur with the hind part
resembling that of a horse and the front of an archer; Makara bears the
representation of the face of a deer with the hinder part of a crocodile; Thula
represents the appearance of a man with a balance in hand; Kanya is shown by a
virgin seated in a boat with a crop in one hand and with a light in the other,
and the other signs are represented by their names and move in places congenial
to their nature.
Sloka 6:
Kuja, Sukra, Budha, Chandra, Ravi, Budha, Sukra, Kuja, Guru,
Sani, Sani and Guru are respectively the lords of the signs and their divisions
from Mesha; the navamsas commence from Mesha, Makara, Thula and Kataka, etc.,
Dwadasamsas commence from the houses themselves.
Sloka 7:
Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Venus govern five, eight,
seven and five Bhagas (degrees) respectively in the Trimsamsas of the odd signs
while the order is reversed in those of the even signs. The last part of Cancer,
Scorpio and Pisces goes under the name of Rikshasandhi (junction of two rasis or
constellations).
Sloka 8:
Kriya, Thavuri, Jitheema, Kulira, Laya, Pathona, Juka, Kowrpi,
Thaukshika, Akokero, Hridroga and Anthya are names for Mesha, Vrishabha, Mithuna,
Kataka, Simha, Kanya, Thula, Vrischika, Dhanus, Makara, Kumbha and Meena
respectively.
Sloka 9:
If a planet is in its Drekkana, Hora, Navamsa, Trimsamsa,
Dwadasamsa and Rasi, it is said to be in its Varga.
Sloka 10:
Vrishabha, Mesha, Dhanus, Kataka, Mithuna and Makara are
Ratribala Rasis or signs powerful during night. With the exception of Mithuna
these same rasis are called Prustodayas, The other rasis, viz., Simha, Kanya,
Thula, Kumbha and Vrischika are called Dinabala Rasis. These with Mithuna are
called Sirshodayas. Meena is called Oobhayodaya.
Sloka 11:
The signs are cruel and beneficial regularly, they are
also masculine and feminine, the same are also movable, fixed and common; the
lords of the cardinal points are the lords of the triangular houses from Mesha,
Vrishabha, Mithuna and Kataka. In odd signs, the first hora is governed by Ravi
and the second hora by Chandra and the reverse holds good in the even signs. The
lords of the Drekkanas are the lords of the 1st, 5th and 9th in a rasi.
Sloka 12:
Some writers on astrology say that the first hora is governed
by the lord of that house while the second hora is governed by the lord of the
eleventh from that house. They further say that the lords of the Drekkanas are:
(1) the lord of the first, (2) the lord of the 12th, and (3) the lord of the
eleventh houses respectively.
Sloka 13:
Aries, Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo, Cancer, Pisces and Libra are
signs of exaltation for the Sun, etc., respectively. The 10th, 3rd, 28th, 15th,
5th, 27th and 20th degrees of the above signs are deep exaltations for the Sun,
etc., respectively. The seventh from these are the signs and degrees of
debilitations for those planets.
Sloka 14:
The first navamsa of movable, the middle navamsa of the fixed
and the last navamsa of the double-bodied signs are technically called
Vargottama, Leo, Taurus, Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius, Libra and Aquarius are
Moolathrikonas for the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn
respectively.
Sloka 15:
The twelve houses from lagna have been given the following
names: (1) Thanu, (2) Kutumba, (3) Sahotha, (4) Bandhu. (5) Putra, (6) Ari, (7)
Patni, (8) Marana, (9) Shubha, (10) Aspada, (11) Aaya, and (12) Ripha. The
Oopachayas are the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses from lagna, while the rest are
Apachayas. Some say that these should not be taken as permanent.
Sloka 16:
Kalya, Swa, Vikrama, Griha, Pratibha, Kshata,
Chitthotha, Randhra, Guru, Mana, Bhava, Vyaya are names of birth, second, third,
etc., houses, respectively. The fourth and eighth from lagna are technically
called Chaturasra, the seventh goes under the name of Dyuna and the tenth is
Agnya.
Sloka 17:
Kantaka, Kendra and Chatustaya denote quadrants and
these are Saptama (7th), Lagna (1st), Chaturtha (4th) and Kha (10th) Bhanam
Rasis (signs). The Nara Rasis (masculine signs) are Mithuna, Kanya, Thula, the
first half of Dhanus and Kumbha and these are powerful when they happen to be
birth signs. The Jalachara Rasis (Aquatic) are Kataka, Meena, the second half of
Makara, and these become powerful in the fourth. Kita Rasi (Vrischika) becomes
powerful in the7th, and Pasu Rasis (quadruped) Mesha, Vrishabha, Simha, the 2nd
half of Dhanus and the 1st half of Makara become potent when they become the
10th houses.
Sloka 18:
Those houses next to kendras are called Panaparas and
those next to Panaparas are designated Apoklimas. Hibuka, Ambu, Sukha and Vesma
denote 4th house, Jamitra denotes 7th, Suthabham, Thrikona shows 5th, Meshurana
and Karma are names for Dasama (10th).
Sloka 19:
If the lord of the birth, Jupiter or Mercury occupy or
aspect lagna (birth) it becomes most powerful. If other than these planets
aspect or occupy it, it will not be so. All signs in kendras are powerful. Signs
in Panaparas are of moderate strength while signs in Apoklimas are powerless.
Biped signs are powerful during day, Quadruped signs in the night and Kita Rasi
during the two twilights. The measure of the rasis from Mesha to Kanya inclusive
is 5-6-7-8-9 and 10 multiplied by four, respectively, the other half from Thula
to Meena in the reverse order, Sahaja (3rd) is called Duschikya, Navama (9th) is
denoted as Thapas and Trikona.
Sloka 20:
Blood-red, white, green, whitish red, smoky,
variegated, black, golden, reddish yellow, whitish yellow. Darkish white, and
fish tint are the colours of Aries, etc., respectively. The signs of planets get
Plava in the direction of their lords. The second from the Sun becomes Vasi.
Index
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