ASTROLOGY SIMPLIFIED BEPIN BEHARI What Can It Do For You? * Provides a nosegay of 1001 terms and concepts with annotations to make your study of Indian (Vedic) Astrology interesting and meaningful. * Describes the basic features of the 9 planets, 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 house divisions of a Natal Chart, 27 Nakshatras beside Abhijit, 125 planetary combinations, 155 planetary deities and nature spirits, ancient rishis and mythological personalities, 155 metaphysical and religious concepts, 415 abstruse and technical astrological terms, besides a large number of miscellaneous astrological principles. * Explains Dasa Systems, Kala Chakra Dasa, Muntha, Gulika, Hadda System, Annual Horoscope, Kala Purusha, Periodicity of Manifestation, Vedic Concept ofTime, Nishekha Lagan, and several other complicated terms. * Concretise important astrological concepts with 5 illustrations and 10 diagrams. * Guides student of yoga and astrology by elucidating concepts frequently used in occult literature. * Synthesises astrological, mythological and spiritual approaches to various astrological principles so as to give a deeper understanding of this ancient knowledge highly useful for self- awareness. Bepin Behari is a noted authority on Vedic Astrology. Primarily an economist, the author in his perceptive approach to Eastern Science has brought into the light of day the aspects of Vedic Astrology wh ich were hitherto thought to be lost. Author of many books and articles, Bepin Behari has also given lectures and talks on the subject so close to his heart. 1357 v f~C\ A CONTENTS Symbols and Abbreviations Used vi List of Tables vii List of Figures viii Terms and Concepts 1 Suggested References 213 Index 214 SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS USED SIGNS OFTHE ZODIAC T Aries V Taums n Gemini G Cancer 4 Leo Tfl Virgo =Q= Libra m Scorpio Sagittarius Capricorn sW Aquarius H Pisces Signs of the Planets O The Sun c The Moon 0 Mercury 9 Venus cr Mars 4 Jupiter h Saturn n Rahu o Ketu Abbreviations BPH Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra BS Brihat Samhita G&BB Graha and Bhava Balas (RV. Raman) ItEA Introduction to Esoteric Astrology IU Isis Unveiled (H.P. Blavatsky) JR Jyotish Ratnakar ML Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett MSVA Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology (B. Behari) RiW The Revelations in the Wilderness (G.H. Mees) SD The Secret Doctrine (H.P. Blavatsky) Sk Sanskrit SoV The Secret of the Veda (Sri Aurobindo) SoY The Science ofYoga (I.K. Taimini) TG The Theosophical Glossary (H.P. Blavatsky) LIST OF TABLES 1. Aspects of Different Planets 22 2. Aspects According to Jaimini System of Astrology 23 3. Asterisms and Planetary Rulership under Ashtottri Dasa System 24 4. Inherent Friendship between Planets 68 5. Planetary Rulership over Different Hadda Divisions of the Signs 76 6. Hala Chakra 77 7. Relationship between /ttdn'yflS, Tanmatras and Bhutas 85 8. Table of Mandi Indices 132 9. Astronomical Details of Planets 155 10, Basic Astrological Details of Seven Vedic Astrological Planets 156 11 Main Characteristics of the Zodiacal Signs 168 12, List of the 60-year Cycle of Samvatsaras 175 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Bhachnkra 32 2. Significance of the Houses 45 3. The Ecliptic 65 4. Methods of Representing the Birth Chart 82 5. Kala Purusha, Zodiacal Signs and Asterisms 101 6. Relationship between I'aiicli Maha I'unisha Yogas, Yogic Energy-Centres and Zodiacal Signs 128 7. Parallex (Geocentric) of Moon 150 8. Puranic Representation of Planetary Deities 153 9. Seven Planetary Impulses for Human Progress and Unfoldment 157 10 The Phenomenon of Equinoctial Precession 159 11 Quadruplicity and Triplicity of Zodiacal Signs 162 12 Retrogression; An Observational Illusion 171 13 Significance of the Signs 210 A Amiijn ADHI The asterism occupying 270° 40' to As a prefix it means the chief or the 280° 54' 13" of the zodiac. It is repre- presiding deity. sented by three stars, which includes ADIll MITRA Vega, the brightest star of the north- Very close friend. (See Planetary ern hemisphere. A name of Vishnu, Friendship) Krishna acknowledges it to represent him. Brahma presides over the star. It ADHI YOGA is important in Muhurtha (q.v.) deter- An auspicious planetary combination mination. formed by benefices in the 6th, 7th and 8th houses from the Moon sign ABIIIMANI while Mercury is not combust (q.v.) Meaning dignified, proud; also and Jupiter does not form Sakata yoga personifies Agni, fire, who is said to (q.v.). It makes an individual polite, be the eldest son of Brahma. He has trustworthy, affluent and capable of three sons, viz., Pavaka, Pavamana, defeating his adversaries. and Suchi from his wife Swaha (q.v.). ADHOMUKHA Abhimani also means a planet in The sign occupied by the Sun in a strength and moving towards its natal chart. exaltation sign. ADI ACHARYA Meaning Beginning. The Original A spiritual teacher. One who invests Cause; the parent-source of the nomi- a boy with the sacred thread and nal impersonal self. The initial phase instructs him in the Veda\. When affixed of illusory manifestation produced to proper names (as in Sankaracharya) by Avidya (ignorance). H.P. Blavatsky it means learned and venerable. stated Adi to stand for the one on the ACHCHADANA unreachable plane of absoluteness Meaning cover, concealment. Special and infinity, on which no speculation aspect (q.v.) of Jupiter and Venus. is possible, while Aditi (q.v.) stands Kapii Nadi, a classical text on astrol- for the one on the plane of emana- ogy suggested Jupiter to have 3rd tion. Ac'/ is eternal, absolute, and and 11th aspects as Achchadana, while immutable while Aditi is a reflection Venus gets it as its 5th aspect. of Adi. The Vedas used Adi in the sense Brahma was used in subse- ACHYUTA quent scriptures. Buddhists refer to Meaning firm, imperishable; often Siddhartha Gautam as Adi Buddha refers to Vishnu. to imply him as the first or the ADANA LAGNA Supreme Being. Also known as Nisheka Lagna. Ascen- In astrology, Adi represents the dant at the moment of impregnation. Sun being the primeval cause of the solar system. Among the zodiacal The Vishnu Purana describes Aditi, signs, it stands for Aries, and among the daughter of Daksha and the wife the Lunar Mansions (q.v.) Ashwini is of Kashyapa, to be the mother of 8 considered Adi, while in a natal chart, Adityas (q.v.), including Vishnu and Adi stands for the ascendant. other shining ones. ADI BHUTA According to the Matsya Purana, The first-born; Brahma, the primeval Indra gave to Aditi a pair of earrings element. that were produced by the churning of the ocean. Several Puranic stories ADI BUDDHA refer to these earrings being stolen The chief deity of Southern Buddhists. and taken to the city of Prag Jyotish The abstract principle of all Buddhas. by the Asura king Naraka, from Siddhartha Gautam is also referred where they were brought back and as Adi Buddha to imply him as the restored to Aditi by Krishna. first or the Supreme Being. Occult tradition establishes a close ADI BUDDHI resemblance between Krishna, Aditi Original perception. Pure Conscious- and the Cosmic Mother principle. ness. Aditi gave birth to 8 Adityas (q.v.), ADI NIDANA of whom the 8th one, Martand, the [(Adi = first) + {Nidana = rope that present Sun of the present solar binds, cause)]. The original cause. system, was cast away as a 'dead eggL In the Mahabharata there is a ADI SHAKTI reference to Devaki who bore eight Primeval divine fire. The female foetuses, of which seven were creative power. An aspect of every destroyed by Kamsa while the eighth male deity. one, which was Krishna, was trans- ADITI ported to Gokula by her husband, Meaning Fres, unbound. Boundless Vasudeva. In such legends, Devaki, heaven as compared with the finite the mother of Krishna, is represented earth. A Vedic goddess representing as a new birth, or manifestation of the primeval generatrix of all that Aditi, and Krishna of the Sun emanated. The eternal space of connected with the origin and nour- boundless whole, the unfathomable ishment of the earth. depth signifying the veil over the Aditi is variously represented in unknown. Indian occult literature. Besides being The Rig Veda describes it as the the goddess who mothered 8 Sun father and mother of all gods; it is gods, she even represents Prithvi, the named Devamatri, mother of all gods, mother earth, Vach, the goddess of or Swabhavat, that which exists by speech who articulates noumenon itself. She is frequently implored for into creative impulse, and in south- blessing children and cattle, for ern Buddhist schools, she is identi- protection and forgiveness. fied with Akasha, the all- pervading In the Yajur Veda, Aditi is substratum of all manifestation, and addressed as the support of the sky, with Nirvana, liberation. She repre- the sustainer of the earth, the sents the Great Deep, the primeval sovereign of this world, and the wife waters of space, the chaos, and the of Vishnu. celestial Virgin Mother of all the visible and invisible universes, and the beginning of every Kalpa (q.v.). the primordial light which provides They are also called Ajitas, Tushitas, life and substance to every form of Satyas, Haris, Vaikunthas, Sadhyas, creation. Aditi is symbolised as the and Adityas on different occasions. central point in the Sun symbol O . Aditi is said to have given birth to Aditi presides over the 7th 8 Adityas, 7 of whom she gave to the asterism, Punarvasu. Mees states that gods, and they became different Aditi has six or seven forms as apply- planets. The eighth one, named ing to six or seven spheres, or twelve Martand, was thought dead and was forms referring to the stages of spiri- cast away. It became the Sun of the tual path connected with the twelve present solar system.