5. Peculiarities of the Zodiacal Signs

Peculiarities of the Zodiacal Signs
Each zodiacal sign has certain peculiarities attributed to it by ancient Maharishis. For instance, each sign represents some element in nature, such as fire, air, earth and water.
Movable signs (Chara Rasis) are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius arefixedsigns (Sthira Rasis). Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces are said to Be common signs (Dwiswabhava Rasis). Aries Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius are odd signs. Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricornus and Pisces are classified as even signs. All odd signs are cruel and masculine and all even signs are mild and feminine. Again, we have an account of fiery signs (Agnitatwa Rasis), viz., Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are airy signs (Vayutatwa Rasis). Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are earthy signs (Bhutatwa Rasis). And finally Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are classified as watery signs (Jalatatwa Rasis). Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius are signs of long ascension and those of short ascension are Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini. Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are fruitful and Gemini, Leo and Virgo are barren. Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Aquarius rise by their heads and are consequently called Sirodaya Rasis which, excepting Gemini, are powerful during the day. The Prushtodaya signs (rising by hinder part) are Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Sagittarius and Capricorn. These signs along with Gemini are powerful during the night. Pisces forms a combination of the two and is called Ubhayodaya Rasi with power both during day and night.
These details would be highly useful in the delineation of character and mental disposition.
Gemini, Virgo, Aquarius and the first half of Sagittarius, are the signs of voice. Quadrants (Kendras) are 1, 4, 7 and 10. Trines (Trikonas) are 5 and 9. Cadent houses (Panaparas) are 2, 5, 8 and 11. Succeedent houses (Apoklimas) are 3, 6, 9 and 12 (9th being a trikona must be omitted). Upachayas are 3, 6, 10 and 11.

4. Planets, Signs and Constellations

Planets, Signs and Constellations

There are nine important planets considered by the Hindu astrologers as affecting the terrestrial phenomena. Their Sanskrit equivalents and the symbols used by Western astrologers are also given here for ready reference:-

The twelve signs of the zodic are

The zodic is a circle of light and consequently it knows no beginning or end. In order to measure the distance an arbitrary point is established, which is called the first point of Aries. The zodiac is marked by 27 constellations or nakshatras. The first point of Aswini, the first constellation, synchronises with the first point of Aries, which is the starting point of the fixed zodiac. Each nakshatra measures 13° 20´ of arc and consists of four quarters or padas of 3° 20´ each. Thus 2¼ constellations or nine quarters comprises a zodiacal sign. The Rasis (signs) and Nakshatras (constellations) are both reckoned from the same point, viz., and the zero degree of the zodic or the first point of Mesha (Aries).
The constellations are:-
1. Aswini—Arietus, 3 stars resembling like a horse’s face.
2. Bharani—Arietisa Mus, 3 stars resembling like a female sexual organ.
3. Krithika—Touri Alcyoni, 6 stars resembling like a razor.
4. Rohini—Tauri Aldeboran, 5 stars resembhling like a chariot.
5. Mrigasira__Orionis, 3 stars resembling like a head of a deer.
6. Aridra—Orionis, one star resembling like a head.
7. Punarvasu—Gemini Pollux, 5 stars resembling like a bow.
8. Pushyami—Cancri, 3 stars resembling like a flower.
9. Aslesha—Hydrae, 6 stars resembling like a serpent.
10. Makha—Leonis Regulas, 5 stars resembling like a palanquin.
11. Puba—Leonis, 4 stars resembling like the legs of a cot.
12. Uttara—Leonis, 4 stars resembling like the legs of a cot.
13. Hasta—Corvi, 5 stars resembling like a palm.
14. Chitta—Virginis Spica, one star resembling like a peral.
15. Swati—Bootis Arcturus, one star resembling like a sapphire.
16. Vishaka—Librae, 3 stars resembling like a potter’s wheel.
17. Anuradha—Scorpionic, 3 stars resembling like an umbrella.
18. Jyeshta—Antares, 3 stars resembling like an umbrella.
19. Moola—Scorpionis, 6 stars resembling like a crouching line.
20. Purvashadha—Sagittarii, 4 stars resembling like a square.
21. Uttarashadha—Sagittarii, 4 stars resembling like a square.
22. Sravana—Aquilae, 3 stars resembling like an arrow.
23. Dhanishta—Delphini, 4 stars resembling a drum.
24. Satabhisha—Aquarii, 100 stars resembling a flower.
25. Purvabhadra—Pegasi, 4 stars resembling the legs of a cot.
26. Uttarabhadrs—Pegasi and Andromedae, 4 stars resembling the legs of a cot.
27. Revati—Piscium, 3 stars resembling a fish.
The following quarters (padas) of the constellations comprise the twelve zodiacal signs:-

The above table interpreted means those four quarters of Aswini, four quarters of Bharani and the first quarter of Krittika make up Aries or Mesha. The remaining three quarters of Krittika, four quarters of Rohini and the first two quarters of Mrigasira compose Taurus or Vrishabha and so on. This will enable one to fix up the positions of planets in a horoscope as in Hindu almanacs; the planetary longitudes are generally given in constellations and quarters.

3. Cycle of Years, Ayanas, Months, etc...

Cycle of Years, Ayanas, Months, etc.

Among the Hindus, 60 lunar years constitute one cycle; they are :-

The first year of the cycle denotes the evolution of a new creative force which apparently is supposed to end in the last or 60 th year after getting fully matured, when the new year gives rise to new force. In Vibhava this force is expanded ; Shukla denotes its vitality; Pramoduta causes development; Prajotpathiincreases activities ; Angirasa connotes the different forms the newly evolved force takesand similary the names are given for all the 60 years indicative of the function that the force is supposed to do, till the year Akshaya or destruction sets in which means that the force generated in Prabhava has been destroyed.

AYANAS

There are two Ayanas—periods—in a year,the Uttarayana commencing from the winter solstice, when the Sun enters Capricorn or Makara and moves in a northerly direction and Dakshinayana beginning with the summer solstice or the ingress of the Sun into Cancer or Kataka when the Sun takes a southerly course.

RUTHUS OR SEASONS

The principal seasons among the Hindus are six, whereas the Europeans consider only four, viz., Autumn, Spring, Winter and the Summer.
The six seasons are :—
Vasantha Ruthu: Chaitra and Vaisakha Spring). Greeshma Ruthu : Jyestha and Ashada Summer). Varsha Ruthu: Sravana and Bhadrapada (Rainy season). Sarad Ruthu : Aswija and Kartika (Autumn). Hemantha Ruthu: Marga-sira and Pushya (Winter). Sasira Ruthu: Magha and Phalguna (Winter).
The twelve lunar months :-

The name of each lunar month is given as a result of the constellation falling on the Full Moon day of the particular month.
Solar months with their Tamil and English equivalents :-

SHUKLA AND KRISHNA PAKSHAS

Shukla Paksha consists of the bright half of the lunar month when the Moon waxes. The fifteen days from the next day of the New Moon to including the Full Moon constitute the Shukla Paksha. Thedarkhalfof the lunar month or the other 15 days from the next day of the Full Moon to the New Moon day make up Krishna Paksha.

2. The Zodiac and the Solar System

The Zodiac and the Solar System

The zodiac is a broad band or belt in the heavens extending 9 degrees on each side of the eclip-tic. The ecliptic or the path of the Sun passes exactly through the centre of the zodiac longitudinally. It is an imaginary circle of 360 degrees and the ancients divided this zodiac into 12 equal parts of 30 degrees each, each being named after the constellation. Though each of these signs differs considerably from the other, yet there is a sort of continuity through all the twelve. The quality of each sign is not equally spread, but every degree in a sign has its own peculiar qualities. The zodiac, known as the Bhachakra in Sanskrit, revolves on its axis once in a day from east to west.
The planetary orbs, which the ancients recognized as having the most powerful influences on our earth are seven, leaving aside the shadowy planets, Rahu and Ketu, and the so-called newly discovered planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto whose influences Hindu Astrology does not recognize.
As inhabitants of the earth, we are concerned with the influences of these celestial bodies on our planet. All the planets perform the double function of not only revolving on their own axes once in a day (from west to east) but also round the Sun. According to Suryasiddhanta, Saturn is the most distant planet from the earth. Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon come next in the order of their distance from the terrestrial globe. Thus we see that the nearest planet to our own orb is the Moon. The velocity of each planet diminishes as its distance from the earth increases.
The Sun moves at the rate of roughly 1 degree of this Circle of Light (zodiac) in one day com-posed of 24 hours or horas, and takes 365 days and 6 hours 10 complete a circuit round the zodiac. The Moon takes the average rate of 4½ ghaties or 1 hour and 48 minutes to traverse through a degree of this space. Mars moves at the average rate of 45 days for 30 degrees or 1½ days per degree. Mercury moves at the average rate of 1½ degrees a day; but on account of his closeness to the Sun and due to the solar influence, he is very unsteady. He completes his average turn in 27 days. He gets into forward and backward motions from the Sun and attains what is called Astam or combustion. He hardly takes a day to move in each degree, but moves on more rapidly for sometime, gets in front of the Sun and then begins to move slowly and goes backwards from the Sun. These two states of combustion, viz., moving forwards and backwards from the position of the Sun, is designated in the Astronomical works as Pragasthambha and Paschadasthamba--Prag indicating to wards the East of the Sun, and Paschad indicating towards the West of the Sun. In these double motions of backwards and forwards, Mercury never gets away more than 28 degrees from either direction from the Sun. Though the time allotted to Jupiter is one year in each sign of 30 degrees, there is also some variation and the Jovian year or Barhaspathyamana will be a little less than 12 years in the 12 signs. Venus moves at the rate of 1 degree per day. Saturn is the slowest moving planet of the lot. He takes 2½ years or 30 months to move in a sign of 30 degrees and thus he takes 1 month to move in a degree. Rahu and Ketu which revolve in the Apasavya order, i.e.. from east to west, take 18 months to travel through each sign of the zodiac.
All the planets, excepting the Sun, the Moon and the shadowy planets Rahu and Ketu, undergo retrogression or vakra and this will be fully explained in a future chapter. This much of the explanation of the solar system seems to be necessary to facilitate comprehension of the astrological terms described in the subsequent articles.

1. Why Astrology?

Necessity for the Study of Astrology

Various theories have been set up to discover the influences of planets upon the terrestrial phenomena. While some people admit the intimate relationship that exists betwixt the movements of those "mysterious intelligences" in the heavens and the fortunes and misfortunes of men, rise and fall of Empires, ebb and flow of human passions and the regeneration and degeneration of Arts, Sciences, Literature and Philosophy, there are others who always deny the existence of any sort of connection between the stars and the inhabitants of this earth. This attitude is due to the fact that they do not approach the subject with an unbiased and unprejudiced mind. Dispassionate inquiry alone can enable one to appreciate the truth behind any branch of knowledge. In any field of enquiry, the student will find it useful to remember, it is a major error of the intellect to attempt to oppose prejudices based on a priori arguments to the evidence afforded by facts. The final test of a theory is that it should work satisfactorily in practice. This is the test by which astrological theory should be judged.
No science or art is mere interesting, instructive and useful to mankind in contributing to his moral and material advancements than the sublime science of astrology. This is the most ancient of all sciences and had reached considerable perfection in India thousands of years ago.
While the modern scientists acknowledge astronomy, they sneer at astrology and reject it with supreme contempt charging it with the profligacy and dogmatism of charlatanry and superstition. They preach frankness and research as fair and reasonable; but show the greatest bigotry, when the subject of astrology is taken up or introduced.
Astrology is the science which comprises the foretelling of the regular movements of the planets, the fortunes and misfortunes of men, fates of empires and kingdoms, inundations, earthquakes, plagues, volcanic eruptions, pestilences, and other incidents relating to terrestrial phenomena. It is called Hora Sastra in Sanskrit meaning the science that treats of Time. It is also called Jyotisha or the Knowledge of Light, from Jyoti or Light which is the root-cause for fall known creation. According to the Western interpretations, Astrology is derived from Aster—a star, and Logos—reason or logic.
No sane brain could ever deny the influences of planets upon man and how they affect, deter and facilitate his future career on the three planes of human existence, viz., physical characteristics, mental peculiarities and spiritual aspirations.
That a certain ethereal power, derived from nature, pervades the entire universe and the earth we inhabit is also subject to this mysterious and subtle power is evident to all. The various elements encompassing all matter, are altered by the motions of this ethereal power. The acts of creation (srishti), protection (sthithi) and destruction (laya) are embedded in the womb of the All Powerful Time and these variations are brought about as a consequence of this ethereal power. The Sun by his daily movements and the change of seasons brings to perfection and embryo in plants and animals and brings about various changes on the earth. The Moon being nearest to the earth exercises much influence on it and as she wanes and waxes, rivers swell, the tides of the sea are ruled and the plants and animals affected.
The Sun as the central figure predominates over the entire arrangement of the celestial system and the other plants and stars are directed by his rays.
Thus it invariably follows, that all bodies in nature, whether animate or inanimate, are subject to the motions of the celestial bodies. Not only those that are already in existence are influenced by the movements and configurations of planets; but also the impregnations and growth and developments of the seeds from which all bodies emanate are moulded by the quantity and quality of these influences at the time of the impregnation.
Astrology must not be confused with fatalism, witchcraft; palmistry and card-shuffling. It interprets what it conceives to be the future of man as moulded by his previous Karma and indicated by the planetary positions at the time of birth.
The greatest men of the world believed in and practiced astrology. Dante declared it to be “the highest, the noblest and without defect”. Kepler, Bacon, Pythogoras and Democrats were masters in astrology. The ancient Hebrews called the astrologer Asphe meaning “the mouthpiece of the star”. It is recorded that Newton was attracted to the study of Mathematics and Astronomy by the contemplation of an astrological figure of the heavens.
When one has acquired a thorough knowledge of the everlasting and ever-changing influences of the stars, he will be able to prognosticate correctly the mental and physical qualities of any man and the fortunes and misfortunes that await him and his progress in the world, whose actual moment of birth is accurately known.
By thus knowing the future correctly, man can so create an environment that, he can cope with the adverse periods of his life and alleviate the evils, indicated by the planets to a great extent. The human will is limitless in its potentiality and the trivial mind, unable to appreciate its intrinsic capacity is unhappily deprived of its elevation to a higher plane of existence. “Fools obey planets while wise men control them.”