Golden Keys to

Jyotisa

MARC BONEY M.A.

VOLUME TWO
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

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Astroloav. Karma & Reincarnation

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The Astroloav of Enliahtenment

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Spirituality and Jaimini's AtmaKaraka

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The Astroloav of Spiritual Ecstas

Chanter Six

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The Astroloav of a Spiritual Marriaae

Chanter Seven

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

OTHER PUBLICATIONS BY MARC BONEY

 INTRODUCTION

I am pleased to present to students this second compilation of my

instructional articles on Jyotisa. This volume has as it central theme a favorite
topic of mine, the astrology of spirituality. My teacher, K.N. Rao, always
emphasized that the higher purpose of astrology was to take a person from
"apara to para" or from the mundane to the transcendent. He was also fond of
quoting the Indian saying that, "in every sinner there is a saint, and in every
saint there is a sinner" The latter spoke to the truth that within each soul there is
the spark of the Divine waiting to be realized. How awake a soul is to this can be
seen to some degree in the birth chart.

The first article, entitled/istro/ogy, Karma and Reincarnation, explains the

interrelatedness of these concepts, and how a person's birth chart reflects a
portion of their soul's karma due to be experienced in this lifetime, created by
their thoughts, words and actions in previous births. Articulated also are the
different kinds of karma as recognized in the Indian philosophical tradition and
their degrees of intensity. This essay further elaborates upon the
microcosmic/macrocosmic relationship between the subtle body of man and our
solar system, and how this relationship forms the very basis of astrology.

The second article, Ketu and Kaivalya, is about what factors in a birth chart
show the potential for achieving spiritual enlightenment, and when this can
occur. The astrological sages of the Vedic civilization perceived that Ketu (the
south node of the Moon) was the graha or planetary entity that signified
kaivalya or spiritual liberation. This article explores die astrological
combinations given in two authoritative ancient texts, the Brhat Pdrdsara Hord
Sdstra and Jaimini's Upadesha Sutras, for achieving this state. These
combinations are then illustrated using the birth chart of Shri Ramana Maharishi.

Some souls when they incarnate are already quite spiritually developed.
Maharishi Jaimini in his Upadesha Sutras states that the degree of bondage or
spiritual liberation of the soul can be assessed by seeing the over-all condition
and disposition of the atmakaraka, the planet with the highest degrees in a birth
chart. The Soul Quality of Saints tests this hypothesis by examining the birth
charts of 15 great spiritual luminaries such a Paramahansa Yogananda, Ramana
Maharishi, and Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Many more methods for assessing
spiritual potentials in a birth chart are discussed along with yogas given in the
ancient texts that incline a person to choose the path of spiritual renunciation.
 In the spiritual tradition of ancient India the guru is a central figure and is
considered essential for making progress towards the goal of God-Realization.
The fourth article in this compilation, entided Jai Guru Dev, explores the
astrology of when spiritual teachers and other important mentors come into a
person's life using the charts of famous (juru-disciple meetings such as
Yogananda with his teacher, Sri Yukteshwar, Swami Vivekananda and his guru,
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the Beades and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and many
more. It concludes with a short story by a contemporary yoga master, Baba Hari
Das, about true and false gurus and the importance of uncovering the guru
within.

In Kundalini Awakening, I share the predictive parameters taught to me by

K.N. Rao regards when a person can experience the spiritual ecstasy resulting
from kundalini shakti emerging from the root chakra as the base of the spine and
flowing in and up the central nodi, the sushumna. These are illustrated using my
own experience of this and that of others.

Next comes a shorter article, Mr. and Mrs. Swami-Ji, about those factors in
a birth chart that indicate the karma of having a long, happy and spiritually-
based marriage. Using the horoscopes of a couple who are also ordained Swamis
in the lineage of Kriya Yoga, these are detailed as well as methods for seeing
spiritual inclinations in general using important divisional charts such as the
navamsha, (D-9) and especially the vimshamsha (D-20).

It is both purposeful and significant that the word used in Jyorisa for the
planets is grahas, a Sanskrit word whose root meaning is "to seize or grasp"
Like all the technical terms used in Jyotisa, this word is plainly suggestive of the
universal forces it describes in so far as their effect. If the planets can be said to
"grasp" us, it should be clearly understood that they do so with our own
attachments and aversions bom of the residue of impressions from experiences
over many lifetimes. These residual impressions, known as karma samskdras in
the Vedic tradition of knowledge, are what the planetary patterns at birth
indicate. Through the examination of an individual's birth chart, a jyotisi
assesses the quality and intensity of these karma samskdras, and what
experiences they are likely to give rise to in this lifetime. The prescriptive side of
Jyotisa is about methods for pacifying these cosmic agents, which is another
way of saying methods by which karma can be modified. This is what is meant
by the phrase graha sdnti, or "making peace with the planets" The Jyotisa sastra
makes it very clear that the sages of ancient India cognized this body of
knowledge so that the karmas that were likely to manifest in a person's life could
be known, along with timing. Why? For the same reason a doctor wants to
accurately diagnose a health disorder, which is to say, in order to prescribe an
effective remedy. The prescriptions in Jyotisa are practices that come from the
spiritual tradition of India and they can be utilized to overcome negative karmas,
or even to enhance positive ones. The last article in this volume outlines the
different approaches to upayes or remedial measures and makes
recommendations as to the most effective ones based on my experience.

It is my sincere wish that students of Jyotisa be uplifted in reading these

articles on the astrology of spirituality

All Praise to the Rishis and their Divine Science of Jyotisa

Marc Boney
Anno Domini
December 2017
Cardiff by the Sea, California USA
 Chapter One

ASTROLOGY, KARMA &

REINCARNATION
The Ancient Vedic Civilization

Many thousands of years ago, in what is now northern India, there existed a
very advanced civilization. Advanced not in a technological sense as ours today
with its microchip supercomputers, space satellites and cell phones, but
advanced in the sense of the extraordinaiy inner spiritual development of its
"wise men." These sages, who were referred to as rishis or "seers" didn't explore
outer space, but the inner realms of spirit and soul. From their enlightened states
of consciousness, these seers produced a legacy of knowledge known as the
Vedic tradition (from the Sanskrit word Veda, meaning "sacred knowledge").

The time period when the ancient Vedic civilization flourished is a matter
of scholarly debate, ranging anywhere from 4,000 to 1500 B.C. It suffices to say
that it is among the oldest civilizations of recorded history. From the standpoint
of a set of spiritual beliefs, the modern form of this ancient tradition is
commonly known in the world today as Hinduism, but the name by which it
refers to itself is "Sanatana Dharma," which means literally "eternal truth."

It is not so much a defined religion as an approach to spiritual experience.

The primary "source material" or "scriptures" of this tradition are the four
Vedas. These are stotras or hymns considered to have been "revealed" to the
Vedic seers from enlightened or divine states of consciousness. They contain
knowledge about all aspects of life, particularly knowledge of the structure of
the cosmos and man's relationship to the Divine.

Volumes could be written about the spiritual perspective on life articulated

in this ancient tradition but reduced to its essence it consists of three interrelated
concepts or "eternal truths."

1. The Reality of the Higher Self

The first truth is that man in his essence is pure spirit (purusha). This spirit
is seen as being identical with the highest reality of life, which is God
(Brahman). The underlying view is that everyone has within them an individual
"spark of the divine," although most are in a state of ignorance (avidyd), and
totally unaware of this Higher Self (Atman).

2. The Existence of the Soul

The second truth relates to the individualization of the universal spirit into
"soul," referred to in Vedic science as the jivo (literally - "living being"). The
jiva itself is non-physical, but takes on physical form at birth. It has free will,
meaning it acts according to its own volition, and is immortal, meaning it
continues to exist even with the death of the physical body. The essential point
of truth about the soul, according to Vedic wisdom, is that it creates its own
reality through its thoughts, words, and actions. Being in essence a creative
principle, and having free will, the soul creates effects and has experiences
according to the law of action and reaction. The process through which the soul
experiences the results of its own creation is known as the Low of Karma,

3. The Law of Karma and Reincarnation

This third truth has to do with the law of karma, and its corollaiy concept,
reincarnation. The word karma comes from the Sanskrit root kri meaning, "to
do", from which our English word "create" is derived. It means literally "the
effects of past actions." The law of karma is the law of action and reaction as it
applies to the soul level of existence. It is the same universal law that is
expressed in the Bible by the statement "As you sow, so shall you reap." An
individual's karmas are the accumulated effects of the soul's past thoughts,
intentions, words, and actions. They are the seeds sown in the past that have
"created" the present, and will condition future experience.

According to this view, the soul experiences these karmic effects in more
than one lifetime. Propelled by the force of its desires, the soul reincarnates
again and again in a continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (Samsara). In
the Bhagavad-Gita, one of the sacred texts of the Vedic tradition, die process of
reincarnation is explained by way of an analogy;

"As a man casting off worn-out garments takes other new ones, so the
dweller in the body casting off worn-out bodies takes others that are new,"

Four Primary Motivations

The innumerable desires that propel this cycle of birth, death and rebirth
span the entire spectrum of all human hopes and fears, dreams and aspirations,
yet are seen in the Vedic tradition as all being related to one of four primary
motivations.

The first of these is dharma, a word that does not translate easily, but
which connotes the desire to do good deeds in the world, to be of benefit to
others, and make the world a better place. These are the people who pursue
humanitarian careers or pursuits not out of a desire for personal enjoyment or
economic gain, but from a wish to serve mankind, and out of a sense that it is
"the right thing to do." Those individuals whose lives are predominately
motivated by dharma or moral duty become the Jonas Salks, Albert Schwitzers
and Mother Theresas of the world.

The second is called artha (wealth), which refers to the desire to acquire
the things of this world and enjoy their comforts. Whereas on one level this can
mean purely material wealth and all the things that can be purchased with it, on
another level this also refers to the desire to have a mate and family, as well as
other close human relationships like friends, business associates and the like.

As we look around us, the vast majority of individuals appear to fall in this
categoiy in that they are predominately motivated by the desire to hold a
position, have status within society and acquire wealth. In keeping with this is
the concurrent wish to many, have children, own property and live a
comfortable life materially. All of this is subsumed under the notion of artha,
which refers primarily to the desire to acquire and possess.

The third motivation is kdma (worldly enjoyment) or the desire for sensory
pleasure and enjoyments of all varieties, though the word is oftentimes
mistranslated to mean purely sexual pleasure. An individual living a life in
which this motivation predominates is what we might call a sensualist or
hedonist. Someone like Hugh Hefner, or at least the playboy image that he
sought to personify, might exemplify a life where kdma is the primary aim.

The last categoiy is moksha, which means "spiritual liberation." In the

West, we would call this fourth motivation the desire to obtain "salvation" or "to
get to heaven." These are the rare individuals for whom the attractions of the
world no longer hold any interest, and who seek a direct experience of a higher,
more permanent reality. Historical figures such as St. Francis of Assisi, or The
Buddha, both of whom renounced all worldly pursuits very early in life in order
to pursue spiritual aims, are examples of individuals in whom the impulse
towards moksha is predominating.

The idea here is not that someone is bom and continuously expresses in
their life just one of these motivations. This would be considered rather atypical.
Most of mankind is motivated throughout life by all of these aims, to various
degrees, and at different phases of their existence. St Augustine spent the first
half of his life in the relentless pursuit of sensual indulgence, and the latter half
in seeking salvation.

However, according to the Vedic tradition there is also a point to all this
striving; there is an end state to all the soul's desires and longings, and this is
referred to as a state of "God-realization." The tradition holds that the only
experience that will ever be completely fulfilling, the only experience that won't
leave the soul longing for more, is the direct experience of God. In fact, the
whole dance of creation is seen as nothing but "God's play," a great cosmic
game of hide and seek so that eventually "the Self might again behold the Self
and realize that it is the Self." This, proclaimed the enlightened sages of ancient
India, is the ending point and culmination of an evolutionary path that the soul is
traveling over many lifetimes. And they saw encrypted in the planetary patterns
at birth a karmic code, revealing the soul's present inclinations concerning kama,
artha, dharma, and moksha.

The Three Kinds of Karma

The "chain of causation" according to the Vedic tradition is that desires

give rise to actions, which result in experiences that leave impressions upon the
mind (samskaras) that then give rises to further desires. Every action also brings
about a corresponding "reaction" or future "effect," which, as we've seen, is
what the word karma means.

Although the basic idea of karma is relatively simple— "as you sow you
reap"—the concept is relatively complex and differentiated in the Vedic
tradition. Four main "categories" are identified.

Sanchita Karma

Sanchita means, "heaped together" and is the term used to denote the total
karma yet to be experienced—good or bad—that the soul has accumulated in all
previous lives. This category therefore refers to the soul's entire karmic "bank
account." It has to do with any effect that the soul has "sown" but not yet
"reaped." There is a saying in the Vedic tradition that "in the same way that a
small calf unerringly finds his mother among a heard of cows, so too the soul's
karma will inevitably find it."

Prarabhda Karma
 Prarabhda Karma is the term used to refer to that portion of the soul's
sanchita karma that is due to manifest in the present life. The concept here is
that the soul does not experience the sum total of its past effects in any given
lifetime, but just a small portion. This smaller part or present allotment is what
an individual's astrological birth chart is said to reveal, and is the primary topic
of this book. Words in our language such as "destiny," "fate," "fortune," and
even "God's will" all connote the same basic idea as Prarabhda karma—those
experiences in life that a person is somehow "meant to have." I once heard
Prarabhda karma described as "now-ready-to-be-experienced" karma,

Kriyamana Karma

Kriyamana Karma is the term used to denote the effects of our present
actions and is the "free will" part of the equation. Kriyamana karma has to do
with the choices we make now and the actions we take in the present that can
alter or modify the past and condition the future. No one, according to the Vedic
view, is a helpless "victim" of past-life karma. There is always something that
can be done to alter "fate" and to create something different in the future, and
this is what Kriyamana karma refers to.

To illustrate the distinction between sanchita, prarabhda, and kriyamana

karma, let's take an instance where an individual is bom blind. This condition is
not some cruel, random accident of "fate" according to the Vedic tradition.
Somehow it became a part of that soul's total karmic account, their sanchita
karma. Now in this birth that karma "comes due" and they experience being
bom blind. Sanchita karma has now become Prarabhda karma since what was
sown in the past is now being reaped in the present life.

But let's say that forty years later medical science has advanced to such a
degree that through an operation their sight could be restored. As it happens, this
person has better karma in the area of finances and can actually afford the best
medical specialists and expensive surgical procedures. They choose to "take
action" (Kriyamana karma) and sight is restored. This scenario is exacdy what
may happen in the life of musical recording artist, Stevie Wonder, who has been
blind since birth. It was announced recently that specialists now think they can
operate and restore his sight, and that he may go ahead with the procedure.

But now take a contrasting situation. A baby girl is bom into an incredibly
wealthy family, a presumably positive type of Prarabhda karma. Both parents
pass away when she is a young adult, and she becomes the sole heir to millions.
But she makes no effort (iCrzyamana karma) to become a wise steward of her
financial fortune, but chooses instead to let her finances be handled by a series of
wastrel husbands who squander her wealth and leave her broke. I know of just
such a person.

Besides illustrating the difference between the three different categories of

karma, I use these examples also to make the point that the Vedic tradition does
not suggest that we are mere helpless recipients of our karma, good or bad. We
can always "do" something about it, though how difficult it may be to change a
karmic trend in our life is said to depend upon how fixed, firm, or flexible it is.

Three Degrees of Karma

Did you ever notice how some aspects of life always seem to "fall in place"
very easily whereas others never seem to "come together" despite great efforts? I
know a gentleman in his mid-Ws who has "the Midas touch." All his business
ventures "turn to gold." Yet he can't seem to have an enduring, fulfilling
relationship with a woman to save his life.

If you examine his birth chart you'll find dramatic and repeated indications
of worldly success and wealth karma. You'll also find equally dramatic and
repeated indications of difficulty and turbulence in his relationship life. Because
these two themes repeat from several different angles in his birth chart, they
represent "fixed karma" and appear highly resistant to change—much like long-
standing and deeply ingrained habits. On the one hand he would find it difficult
not to be successful in business, yet fulfillment eludes him in relationship.

Does this mean then that he has no choice but to just "live with it?" No, not
at all, says the Vedic tradition. There are spiritual practices that can overcome
even these "fixed" karmas. They are referred to as upayes, or "remedial
measures," and are an all-important aspect of Jyotisa. After all, why would
anyone want to become aware of negative karma, if there wasn't anything one
could do about it?

Yet not all karma is so intransigent. President Teddy Roosevelt was

congenitally weak and sickly as a child, but became fanatically determined at a
young age to overcome this condition. By religiously adhering to a strenuous
regimen of exercises and therapies, he developed into the hearty, robust
outdoorsman of American history. His weak and sickly body in childhood can be
seen as an example of what the Vedic tradition refers to as "firm" karma. This is
a pattern in life that is rather "solid," but which yields to determination and
effort. The planetary patterns at his birth revealing his Prarabhda karma show
both weaknesses and strengths with respect to his physical constitution, and his
efforts (Kriyamana karma) in this area made the difference.

Lastly, there is the "flexible" category. This represents some aspect of life
experience—not of your choosing initially—that you find relatively easy to
change. Say, for example, you are bom and raised in a very cold climate, like
Minnesota. However, having grown up, you decide year-around roller skating is
more your style than ice hockey, and you want to relocate to California. Your
family even supports the idea, since now they have a warm place to come visit in
the winter, and your company just happens to have a San Diego office that
welcomes you with open arms. It all comes together very easily, and in such a
case, the person's birth chart would show very favorable, flexible patterns in this
area of their life. Contrast this scenario to real-life friends of mine in Kansas
City who have wanted to move for ten years, but one thing after another makes it
hard for them to leave. Their planetary patterns in the area of "home" and
'location" reveal a much less "flexible" quality of karma.

To summarize this part of our discussion then, the main premise underlying
Vedic astrology is that we are not bom a "clean slate," or "empty vessel," but
come into this world destined to experience certain effects from our actions in
previous lives. These "effects" can be fixed, firm or flexible.

Of course, the problem with concepts like karma and reincarnation for
many people is that they cannot be verified according to the empirical methods
of Western science. They are admittedly metaphysical assertions, and like all
such assertions, very difficult, if not impossible to prove.

However, presuming that the soul exists, reincarnation happens, and the
law of karma operates, what is the connection to astrology? How can it be that
the planetary pattern at birth reveals an individual's karma? To understand it,
one has to appreciate another metaphysical truth, but one that is at least more
empirically demonstrable.

Man is a Microcosm

This notion is expressed in the ancient astrological proverb - "As above, so

below." The statement refers to the idea that the relationship of man to the
universe is that of a microcosm to a macrocosm. In astrology, the macrocosm
portion of the equation means primarily our immediate solar system, and in
particular, that portion of it that is visible to the human eye. This includes the
"ancient seven,"—the Sun, Moon, and the five planets, Mercuiy, Venus, Mars,
Jupiter, and Saturn.

These are all readily observable and apparent to anyone who looks into the
sky. What is not so apparent is that the celestial bodies that make up the
"cosmos" of our solar system correspond to energy centers (chakras) within the
energy field (aura) of human beings. The old astrological dictum "As above, so
below" refers quite literally to the fact that the components and structure of the
solar system mirror the components and structure of the human soul.

To someone with no immediate experience of this, such a statement may

seem preposterous. This is where the insights of Vedic science and the whole
eastern tradition of knowledge come in. For it is here that the
macrocosm/microcosm idea is fully articulated. By presenting a very profound
and detailed understanding of the various aspects and levels of human existence,
Vedic science makes the idea of man as a microcosm explicit.

Spiritual Anatomy

Vedic science holds that man in his essence is pure spirit (purusha), but
that this spirit is enveloped in three types of bodies (sariras). These three bodies,
in turn, are said to be composed of five sheaths (koshas). The three bodies and
their different sheaths are as follows:

1) The physical body (sthula-sarira)

i) consisting of the "food" or anatomical sheath (annamqya
kosha).

2) The subtle body (suksma-sarira)

i) consisting of the energy sheath (prdnamdyd kosha)
ii) the mental/emotional sheath (manomqya kosha)
iii) the intellectual sheath (jndnamdyd kosha)

3) The causal body (karana-sarira)

i) consisting of the bliss sheath (dnandamdyd kosha)

The first body, made up of flesh and bones and sustained by food, is the
one with which we are all familiar. It can be perceived through normal sensoiy
experience, and is the outward, physical aspect of the individual that grows old
and eventually dies.

What is not normally perceived is the "subtle body," so called because it is

said to be made of "fine" or more "subtle" substance, more like energy than
matter as we know it. As indicated above, it consists of three sheaths.

The first of these, the prana, or life force sheath, relates to the
physiological processes such as respiration, circulation digestion etc. Still subder
is the manas or mental/emotional sheath that relates to the functions of
perception, cognition, feeling, and motivation. The third relates to the
intellectual processes of reasoning, discrimination, and judgment and is therefore
known as the Jnana or knowledge sheath.

According to Vedic science these three sheaths make up what we

experience as our inner world of thoughts, feelings, desires, and judgments,
though we would not normally relate to these as having form, substance and
comprising a "body". It is important to note here that this subde body has an
alternate name. In Vedic science and other esoteric traditions, it is also referred
to as the "astral body." The reason for this will become clear later in the
discussion.

Still less perceptible is the "causal body," so called because it is the

"cause" of the other two and without which the others could not exist. This is the
purely spirit level of the individual that is connected with the Divine. It is made
up of the ananda or bliss sheath. This body is the inner most aspect of the
individual, and, according to Vedic science, does not die.

Western scientists do not yet recognize these non-physical "bodies".

However, reference to them can be found in almost every esoteric tradition.
More importantly, they can be directly experienced in the higher states of
consciousness developed through the meditative practices of Yoga. When seen
in these states of awareness, they appear as a luminous energy field that surround
an individual and inter-penetrate each other in succession. Each succeeding
sheath is composed of finer substances. This energy field is known in common
parlance as the "aura."

Cosmic Energy, Energy Centers, and Channels

We know that the physical body is made up of flesh, blood, bone, nerves
and so on, but what of the other invisible, non-physical bodies? Vedic science's
answer to this question is that they consist of different forms of energy (prana),
energy centers (chakras), and energy channels (nadfs).

The Sanskrit word prana is often translated "breath", but actually means
"life" or "life-force." Though connected to the breath in the physical body, it is
not identical with it. Rather, it refers to a subtler energy or animating principle
that permeates all things. It has its corollaiy in the Chinese concept of ch'i upon
which their system of medicine is based.

On the subject of this life-force (prana), a present-day Yoga master

comments:

"It is as difficult to explain Prana as it is to explain God. Prana is the

energy permeating the universe at all levels. It is physical, mental, intellectual,
sexual, spiritual and cosmic energy. All vibrating energies are prana. All
physical energies such as heat, light, gravity, magnetism and electricity are also
prana. It is the hidden or potential energy in all beings. It is the prime mover of
all activity. Prana is the principle of life and consciousness. It is equated with
the real Self (Atman) of the individual which is one and the same with God
(Brahman)."

The prana can be harnessed by yoga technique to enter deep states of soul
awakening. This connection that is made in Vedic science between the breath,
the life-force, and spirit in man can be found in other traditions of knowledge as
well, and is deeply embedded in our own language. The English word "spirit" is
from the Latin "spiritus", which means literally "breath" When a person dies
we say they "expired," meaning literally, they are "out of breath, or spirit."

Just as the physical body has its nervous system over which electrical-like
impulses flow, the subde and causal bodies are said to contain complex networks
of "nadTs" ("conduits") through which vital energy (prana) circulates. Some
72,000 of these are identified, but the three most important are called the
susumna, ida, and pingala, and run along the axis of the spine.

The subtle and casual bodies also contain energy centers (chakras) which
are located along the vertical axis of the spine. Chakra means "wheel," and its
use in this context refers to the fact that when seen in expanded states of
awareness, these centers look like spinning wheels or vortexes. Vedic science
identifies seven major ones, and they are given here in descending order, along
with their location along the spine.
Energy Centers (Chakras) Location on Spinal Axis:

1. Sahasrara-chakra Crown of the head

2. Ajho-chokro Area between the eyebrows
3. Vishudda-chakra Throat
4. Anahata- chakra Heart
5. Manipura-chakra Navel or Solar Plexus
6. Svddishthdna-chakra Sacrum
7. Muladhdra-chakra Coccyx

When Vedic science speaks of the location of the energy centers along the
spinal axis, it should be clearly understood that they are not a part of the physical
spinal cord. They exist solely in the subtle body.

This means that just as there is a Sun in the heavens, so also is there a "Sun
center" within each of us. In Vedic science this is the A/na chakra located at the
point between the eyebrows, and understood to be the center of spiritual
illumination, the so-called "third eye" of occultism. It is represented as having
two petals because it is paired with the Soma-cha/cra, or Moon center in the
middle of the brain. These together form a unit that reflects the basic masculine
and feminine polarity in the psyche, which manifest in such dualities as logic
and feeling.

Mercuiy in the solar system corresponds to an energy center in the subtle

body, known in Vedic science as the Vishudda-chafcra. It is identified with the
throat area, the center of speech. Note that in ancient mythology, Mercury was
known as "the messenger of the gods" and was said to rule over communication.

Just as there is Venus in the solar system, known in mythology as the

"goddess of love," so also there is a "Venus center" in the psyche. This center is
referred to as the Anahata chakra, and is located in the area of the heart,
traditionally recognized at the seat of the affections.

Martial artists are taught to locate and tap into a powerful energy
emanating in the area of the navel, and in everyday language we speak of person
having a lot of "guts" or "intestinal fortitude." Vedic science refers to the area of
the navel as the Manipura chakra, and in the macrocosm of our solar system, it
corresponds to the fiery red planet. Mars, the "god of courage and war" in
mythology.
 Planets are to the cosmos of the solar system what the energy centers
{chakras) are to the cosmos of the human psyche. Just as every normal human
body has a heart, eyes, liver, sexual organs etc., yet is unique, so too does every
human psyche contain Mars, Mercury, Venus etc., though these energies express
themselves in a unique way within each individual.

The importance of this concept for understanding astrology cannot be

overemphasized. It is the original insight which gave birth to astrology, and
makes the statement "As above, so below" come alive. It is from this basic
awareness that the whole edifice of astrological knowledge is built. It is the key
to understanding why and how Astrology "works."

The External and Internal Zodiac

However, one might ask at this point, "What about the constellations or
"signs" of the Zodiac?" "Where do they fit in with this macrocosm/microcosm
idea?" Before going into this important question, a brief explanation of the
Zodiac is in order.

The word "Zodiac" originated in the ancient Greek civilization, though the
concept is much older. In the more ancient Vedic civilization it was referred to
as the Kaal Chakra or Wheel of Time. "Zodiac" is the abbreviated version of
"Zoidiakos Kyklos" a Greek phrase meaning, "Circle of Living Beings, or
Animals." The "Circle" here refers to that area of the celestial sphere in which
the Sun, Moon, and planets have their apparent motion from a geocentric point
of view. This pathway has the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun, as its
centerline, and is divided into twelve thirty-degree sections, each of which is
associated with particular groups of stars. "Animals" refers to the fact that eight
out of the twelve symbols of the Zodiac are animals. The Zodiac is one of the
primary frames of reference used in astrology to locate where the planets are at
the moment of an individual's birth.

It is not the figment of someone's imagination, but a scientific reality. The

orbits of the planets around the Sun all lie relatively along the same plane, such
that if you could look at the solar system from the side it would resemble a disc.
This being so, when we observe the movements of the planets from our vantage
point on Earth, they all appear to move along the same "highway" in the sky.
This highway is what has anciently been referred to as the Zodiac. When related
to the movement of the Sun (which we really know to be the movement of the
Earth around the Sun), the Zodiac represents the cycle of the year. The Sun's
position through this cycle is the basis of the "Sun Sign" astrology of the
newspapers.

The division of the Zodiac into 12 sections is not arbitrary either, though
the reasons for it are less obvious. Within the cycle of the year there are four
"transition" points, the spring and fall equinoxes, and the summer and winter
solstices. These mark the beginning of the four seasons. The division into 12
comes about when each of these seasons is further subdivided into three, an
early, middle, and late period. However, this is all on the external level. To truly
understand the division of the Zodiac into 12, it is necessary to appreciate the
internal Zodiac.

Internal Zodiac? Earlier when discussing the anatomy of the subtle body
mention was made of the three main channels (nadis) along the spinal axis,
through which the life force (prand) circulates. (Think of electricity flowing over
a wire.) Vedic science identifies the middle, one of these as the susumnd nadT,
which means, "the current that is most gracious." It is also called the Brahma-
nadTf or the God channel, because when the life force (prana) flows up this
center channel to the psychic center at the top of the head (sahasrara-chakra),
one has a direct experience of God (Brahman).

Left of this center channel is the idd-nadT, or "pale channel." This reference
is difficult to understand until it is noted that it is also called chandra-nadT, or
"moon channel." "Pale" in this context refers to the pale, soft light of the moon,
and connotes the cool, yin, feminine, negative electrical-like energy that this
channel conducts.

Right of the center channel is the pingala-nadT or "reddish channel."

Again, the name seems obscure until you realize that this nadT is alternately
called surya-nadT, or "sun channel," connoting the hot, yang, masculine, positive
electrical-like quality of the life force (prana) when flowing along this nadT.

The susumnd nadf originates in the psychic energy center at the base of the
spine (mulddhdra-chakra), runs directly up the spinal axis, pierces each of the
intervening chakras, and culminates in the crown center, or "thousand-petaled
lotus" at the top of the head (sahasrara-chakra).

The idd and pingald also originate in the base center, but rather than
moving straight upward, they wind in serpentine fashion around the susumna,
crisscrossing at each of the six lower centers, and terminate at the right and left
nostrils. Taken together, they form a complete "circuit" through which psychic
energy normally circulates in the lower six centers. This "circuit" is die internal
Zodiac. It is the path along which the internal Sun, the life force (prana), moves
in connection with the cycle of the breath.

A clairvoyant describes this energy flow in the following way:

"There is a vertical flow of energy along the spinal axis that pulsates up
and down the aura. It extends out beyond the physical body above the head and
below the coccyx. I call this the main vertical power current."

Where then are the 12 constellations of this internal Zodiac? In every

introductory text on astrology we find the information that the constellations
each have "gender." If they are numbered from one to twelve starting with the
sign Aries, the odd constellations are "masculine," while the even constellations
are "feminine."

Another fundamental principle of astrology is that each sign is "ruled" by

one of the planets. This scheme is given as follows:
 • Sun rules Leo
• Moon rules Cancer
• Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo
• Venus rules Libra and Taurus
• Mars rules Aries and Scorpio
• Jupiter rules Sagittarius/Pisces
• Saturn rules Aquarius and Capricorn

You will notice that the Sun and the Moon each have mlership over one
constellation, and that the five remaining planets "rule" over two. When you take
into account the subtle body and its relationship to the solar system the reason
for these designations becomes clear. Within man, the microcosm, the 12 signs of
the Zodiac are the feminine and masculine aspects (ida and pingald) of the
lower six energy centers (chakras). In other words, each of the lower six psychic
centers expresses their energy in both a masculine and feminine, or "solar" and
"lunar" polarity.

Consider this statement from the beginning of the Bible, Genesis, verse 27:
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him:
male and female created he them." More esoteric interpreters of this creation
myth would say that the verse doesn't refer to the external creation of the male
and female species, but to the internal masculine and feminine aspects of the
soul. These "male and "female" halves are the two sides of the psychic energy
centers associated with the planets.

For example, the zodiacal signs Gemini and Virgo represent the
""masculine" and ""feminine" aspect of the energy center at the throat,
corresponding as we have seen with the planet Mercury. This is why in
astrology. Mercury it is said to "rule" these two signs. This relationship of the
zodiacal signs to the psychic energy centers (chakras) represented by the planets
is as follows.

Masculine Polarity Center/Planet Feminine Polarity

Leo Forehead _ Sun/Moon Cancer
Gemini Throat _ Mercury Virgo
Libra Heart _ Venus Taurus
Aries Navel _ Mars Scorpio
Sagittarius Sacrum _ Jupiter Pisces
 Aquarius Coccyx _ Saturn Capricorn
From an esoteric standpoint, this is how the division of the zodiac into 12
comes into being. This is how the signs get their gender, and this explains why
certain planets "rule" certain signs.

Now I understand that readers may find all of this very difficult to relate to
since most of us have no direct experience of "subtle bodies," "energy centers,"
or "energy channels" crisscrossed in a helix formation along a central axis.
However, an image of this is actually much more familiar than you may realize.

Think of the medical insignia, which we have all seen many times,
consisting of a staff with two entwined snakes and two wings on top. This is the
caduceus, from the Greek meaning "the symbolic staff of a herald." In our
society it symbolizes the physician. To understand the origin of this peculiar
image and its association with the medical profession, it's necessary to take a
short excursion to ancient Greece.

The western medical tradition has its roots, like most western science and
culture, in the ancient Greek civilization. In the medical history books for
example, we find the Greek physician; Hippocrates (as in Hippocratic oath)
regarded as the "Father of Medicine." The representation of the medical
profession by the caduceus dates back to this time. In the pantheon of gods and
goddess of that civilization, Asclepius, the god of healing, and Hermes (known
in the Roman mythology as Mercury) are both pictured holding the caduceus.
However, any information about why the caduceus is associated with these gods,
what the image represents, and what it has to do with healing, is difficult to find.
While it seems only logical that the "messenger of the gods" be pictured holding
a "herald's staff, why the god of healing?

The connection becomes less obtuse when it is understood that the image
of the caduceus represents the flow of psychic energy (prana) through the main
channels (nadTs) of the subtle body, and that the balanced flow of this energy
was seen as being the basis of good health.

Compare this image to one from ancient India depicting the inner subtle
body of a person seated in meditation
 \\ m
ipi

They are essentially the same images representing the subtle body with its
central axis, energy centers (chakras) and male-female "channels." They are an
image that shows the "mirrored" relationship between the solar system and the
subtle body, between the macrocosm and the microcosm.

"Of the Stars"

When describing the subtle body earlier, I made mention that it is also
sometimes referred to as the astral body. The word astral literally means "of the
stars." Why this alternative name? The reason for it is that the ancient sages
perceived that it is this aspect of our being that harmonizes with the position and
movements of the celestial bodies. In other words, it is the electromagnetic
energy field enveloping the body that is responsive to cosmic radiation, in much
the same way as a radio is responsive to radio waves.

That all of this happens on a subconscious level, outside of our everyday

awareness, doesn't make it any less real. The human eye cannot detect ultraviolet
or infrared radiation, but these kinds of radiation exist, and they have their effect
regardless of our being able to see them.

However, in recognizing these microcosm/macrocosm relationships,

neither astrology nor Vedic science is implying that in some way we are puppets
on planetary strings.

"Supposed Influence of the Stars"

The biggest misconception about astrology—and one of the reasons people

find it so objectionable—is that it is seen as a completely deterministic view of
life. If you look astrology up in the dictionary you will see it described as a
medieval pseudo-science dealing with the "supposed influence of the stars." If a
man's fate is written in his stars at birth, where is the free will in that? This idea
is particularly repugnant to the western cultural viewpoint with its strong
emphasis on self-determination and personal autonomy. Those raised in the
Judeo-Christian religious tradition, particularly Catholicism like myself, were
indoctrinated at a young age in the idea of the soul, but a soul with free will. If
there was any influence coming from the heavens, it was from God and his
grace, not the planets!

I have always found a certain irony in this objection since—rather than

denying the principle of free will—astrology, if correcfly understood, actually
affirms it. Look at astrology superficially, and it does seem to deny free will.
Understand its spiritual basis, and quite the opposite picture emerges.

As we saw from the first part of the discussion, true astrological

understanding is based on the concepts of reincarnation, and the law of action
and reaction (karma). An appreciation of these ideas in relation to astrology
reveals a great secret of life. Expressed in the words of a modem-day yoga
master, this secret is that:
 "A child is bom on that day at that hour when the celestial rays are in
mathematical harmony with his individual karma. His horoscope is a
challenging portrait, revealing his unalterable past and its probable future
results,"

Chapter 16, pg. 188.

Autobiography of a Yogi,
Paramahansa Yogananda.

The chart, therefore, shows our mind pattern, our past conditioning, the
mental impressions and patterns referred to as samskaras. The chart shows what
we are now because of what we have thought and done in the past.

The above statement refers to the fact that the unique pattern made by the
celestial bodies at the moment of an individual's birth in some way resonates
with the energy pattern that makes up the subtle body. This energy pattern, in
turn, reflects that soul's individual karma - the effect of its past thoughts and
actions.

Why the moment of birth? Why not the moment of conception? Actually,
the Vedic astrological tradition acknowledges the primacy of conception.
However, the time of birth, more precisely, the moment of the first independent
breath, is the astrologically significant one for the following reason.

We saw earlier that the movement of the breath is seen in Vedic science as
connected with the subtler flow of energy in the main channels up and down the
spine. During the period in the womb, die developing fetus does not breathe but
receives its "life force" supply from the mother via the umbilical cord. It is only
at birth that the infant takes its first independent breath, thus establishing its own
unique energy pattern. It is this unique pattern that is mirrored in the structure of
the cosmos at birth. It is a pattern that has its origin in the past incarnations of
the soul.

Completely opposite then to what is popularly believed, astrology is based

on the view that the soul is free - free, that is, within the law of action and
reaction. Like Vedic science, astrology affirms the view that the soul creates its
own reality. Current reality, both internal and external, is viewed as a function of
the past, with the future being determined by present actions. Eastern spiritual
traditions refer to this cycle as the Wheel of Life, which is seen as being linked
together by the chain of cause and effect.
Planets as Agents Not Causes

It should be dear from the above discussion that astrology does not hold
that the planets are the direct cause of anything in our life. They are rather
"agents," a cosmic mechanism through which the law of cause and effect is
played out on the level of the soul. One of the most andent and authoritative
texts on Vedic astrology, the Brhat Parasara Hora Sdstra, expresses this idea
direcdy in the opening chapters.

"The Unborn lord has many forms. He has incarnated as the planets to
bestow on living beings the results due to their karmas"

A simple example might serve to illustrate this point. If I wanted to send a

loved one flowers, I could purchase a bouquet and directly hand them to her.
More likely, I would call up a florist, place an order with my credit card, and the
flowers would be delivered to her.

In the language of formal logic, my order is the efficient cause of her

receiving the flowers. The florist and the delivery person from whom she
actually receives the flowers are merely the agents of cause. So, it is with the
planets and our karma. We, as souls, reap the fruit of the seeds we have sown.
These fruits come to us via the agency of the different cosmic energies that the
planets represent.

Consider, for example, the planetary force Mars. It symbolizes the force of
dynamism in the soul. It is the "soul energy" of pure desire, the will toward
action, and the impulse to assert oneself and take initiative. On the most
primitive level it has to do with the aggressive and sexual impulses in man. A
positive Mars in a birth chart expresses itself as an appropriate, healthy
aggression and self-assertion. It is "will power: consciously directed towards
constructive aims and actions. It suggests a balanced, constructive use of this
energy by the soul in the past. Negative Mars manifests as impatience, excessive
willfulness, destructiveness, violence, and the wrong use of force. It suggests an
unbalanced use of this energy in the past that is the karmic antecedent for
negative occurrences of this kind experienced in the present.

Freud, Jung and the other early psychoanalytic investigators demonstrated

that much of human behavior was unconsciously determined, that early life
experiences, the memories of which are lost or repressed, continue to hold
powerful sway over our behavior. Early parental and family relationships were
shown to be of particular formative importance. Vedic psychology takes this
idea one step further and recognizes that the circumstances of our birth, as well
as the parents, to which we are bom, are themselves karmic effects.

The net result of this understanding is the inescapable conclusion that we

must ultimately take responsibility for everything that happens to us—good or
bad.

However, it is vitally important to understand that we are not your charts

any more than a gardener is their garden. What we truly are in essence according
to the Vedas is pure creative intelligence, or spirit. The chart and the karmic
potential reflected in it, is only what we as spirits with free will have created in
the past. So, astrology shouldn't make anyone a fatalist. Instead, the real
implication is that we are the architects of your own destiny and in time can
create anything that we want. The chart merely shows where you are at the
moment.

Inherent in all of us is the capacity for self-transformation. In the Vedic

tradition there is the wonderful saying, "Over and above karma is dharma.>, This
means that over and above the law of cause and effect, there is the law of the
evolution of the soul. We can all grow into the greater light and love of the Spirit
if we open ourselves to it. I heard a great teacher say once that karma is nothing
next to God's grace. And how do we grow in God's grace? His answer was
"Love people, serve people, feed people."
A "Proofs-basecP Science

Having outlined this Vedic viewpoint of reality, please understand that I

am not suggesting that you now accept it has "the Truth." I simply wanted to
present the philosophical foundation upon which Jyotisa rests. Accepting
anything on "faith" is actually against the spirit of the Vedic tradition, which
considers itself a "proofs-based" science. In the case of Jyotisa, the student is
asked to learn some interpretive principles and then put them "to the test" using
accurate birth data. If Jyotisa "works," it lends credence to the concepts of
karma and reincarnation, at least inferentially.

However, I fully appreciate that the question of whether Jyotisa "works" is

something about which everyone is going to want to decide for him or herself. I
invite you then to study this science with me and put it to your own test!
 Chapter Two

KETU AND KAIVALYA

THE ASTROLOGY OF ENLIGHTENMENT

The Astrology of Enlightenment

As long as I can remember I've wanted to get to heaven. Having been bom
into a Catholic family, and in particular to a father who took his religion
seriously, "God,, and "Heaven,, were as much a part of my earliest days as the
games that all children play. Sitting on the coffee table of our family living room
was a huge ornate Bible containing reproductions of the great religious art of
Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo and Raphael, depicting scenes from
both the Old and New Testament. Though not yet able to read, I can remember
looking at these scenes over and over again, marveling at them, fascinated by
them. The image from the Sistine Chapel, of God, reaching out from heaven to
infuse life into Adam through the touch of his finger, was by far my favorite.

Then starting at age six, I was sent to a Catholic elementary school where
each day began with attending church and the celebration of Mass. Under the
tutelage of the Dominican nuns, who drilled into me the tenets of the Catholic
faith from the Baltimore catechism, the highest goal of life was made very dear
—become "reunited with God in Heaven. I had no reason to doubt the truth of
this and as a young boy even thought of becoming a priest, since surely these
"representatives of God on Ea^th,, had the inside track and were virtual "shoe-
ins,, for eternal paradise.

But then puberty hit, and the more immediate charms of adolescent girls
quickly put an end to any such aspirations. Besides, a maturing mind along with
a good scientific-based education was making it increasingly difficult to believe
in virgin births, raisings from the dead, water into wine and all such things. By
the time I entered college, I had lost my faith entirely, saw myself as a "rational
empiricist,, and therefore an "agnostic." I simply didn't know whether "God"
and "Heaven" existed, but seriously doubted it. Little did I know how quickly
that was to change.

Early, in my junior year at college, as I was sitting among a group of my

fraternity brothers half-listening to their conversation, I found my attention
drawn to a piece of art on the wall. In retrospect was something of a yantra, or
concentric shaped abstract image that is a meditation aid in the Eastern
traditions. As I began to passively focus on this, I felt my awareness being drawn
more and more inward almost as if I was sinking, until, for lack of a better term,
I seemed to slip into a higher or heightened state of consciousness. It was as if a
light had been switched on inside of me. My mind became flooded with
realizations regarding human existence and its relationship to other dimensions.
and I began speaking about this excitedly to my classmates, who, of course,
looked at me oddly, but surprisingly enough, listened. After a while one
commented that I appeared to be glowing. As the hour was late, we soon retired
to our beds, but I could not sleep as a result of little rushes of energy shooting up
and down my spine. These eventually did subside, and the next morning I woke
up my "normal" self. However, I was not the same, and I've never been the same
since. That evening marked the beginning of a life-long spiritual quest, a quest
that soon took me on a "Journey to the East," to quote the title of a Herman
Hesse novel, that I read soon after that.

In an attempt to understand my experience, I began researching, and came

across the work of psychologist, Abraham Maslow, and his study of "peak
experiences." Later, I participated in a student-organized seminar where
Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" was on the reading list.
The seeker had Found! Within this account, and in the ancient texts of the
spiritual science of Yoga that it led me to, I had a conceptual framework for
understanding my inner experience and found the answers to my spiritual
questions. Later a much more powerful experience (see my article "Kundalini
Awakening") gave me a small taste of a direct experience of the Divine. This
was enough to know for certain that one doesn't have to die to go to "heaven"
and that the true purpose and highest goal of life are to achieve the state of
kaivalya, or complete spiritual liberation. Much to my surprise, it turned out that
the nuns had been right all along!

Kaivalya

I first came across the Sanskrit term Kaivalya in the Yoga Sutras, Sage
Patanjali's incomparable technical manual for achieving spiritual liberation. The
term literally means "aloneness" and refers to "the aloneness of seeing," the
highest state of unity consciousness where "the Seer abides in its own essence."
This is the state of complete spiritual liberation. The individual wave of
consciousness dissolves back into the ocean of unity consciousness, of which it
was always a part, and the cycle of Samsara, of birth, death, and rebirth as an
embodied individual ego consciousness, comes to an end. The purpose of
creation for that soul and the end state of the evolutionaiy process has been
achieved. The reader may recognize the word moksha as a more commonly used
Sanskrit term for this state.

Ketu and Kaivalya

 Jyotisa, the Science of Light, can be thought of as a complete symbolic
model of reality, and any experience or any aspect of reality can be said to be
contained within the symbolism of the planets, signs, and houses, etc. The
ancient classical texts identify Ketu, the south node of the Moon, as the graha
indicative of spiritual liberation, but only under certain conditions. See the
following from the Upadesha Sutra of Maharishi Jaimini, one of the most
revered and authoritative texts of the Indian astrological tradition:

[1:2:69] ketu kaivalyam

"Ketu placed therein gives liberation."

This briefest of sutras directly equates Ketu with kaivalyam but must be
understood in the context of a series of sutras dealing with the results of grahas
falling in the 12th house from a special lagna known as "kdrakdmsa" used in the
Jaimini system. I will return to this series of sutras for a fuller exposition in a
moment, but for now, my purpose in highlighting this reference is to show that
the ancient rishis clearly perceived that Ketu among the grahas was the planetary
indicator of spiritual liberation

The Moksha Triangle

The seers of the ancient Vedic civilization also recognized that four
primary motivations underlie all human behavior. The first of these is dharma, a
Sanskrit word that does not translate well but relates to the idea of virtuous
conduct based on spiritual values and an understanding of the universal law.
This is the impulse to do good deeds or what is "right" in the world. Dharma
also has to do with performing your allotted duty based on your station, or
position in life.

Secondly, there is the pursuit of artha, or material prosperity. This means

all activities aimed at accumulating wealth, security and physical comforts. This
is the impulse to acquire things, which can include a spouse and family.

Thirdly, there is kama, or the fulfillment of desires, including the desire for
sense gratification through sexuality and other sensual pleasures, but also the
desire for interpersonal relationships.

Finally, there is moksha, or the pursuit of spiritual liberation from

the bondage of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. Moksha, as

indicated earlier, is the desire to transcend relative earthly existence

and realize one's own true nature as the Higher Self.

In the symbolism of astrology, these four aims are expressed by

three signs each, along with their corresponding houses.

• Dharma is indicated by the fire signs, Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, and

the 1st, 5th, and 9th houses.

• Artha is represented by the earth signs, Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn,

and the 2nd, 6th, and 10th houses.

• Kama is shown by the air signs, Gemini, Libra, Aquarius, and the
3rd, 7th, and 11th houses.

• Moksha is manifest in the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces,

along with the 4th, 8th, and 12th houses.

When looking at a birth chart from the spiritual angle, placement

of planets in the dharma signs/houses, and moksha signs/houses must
be seen. Among these, the 5th and 9th signs/houses and the 8th and
12th signs/houses are particularly significant.

With regards to spiritual liberation, the three most directly

relevant astrological factors are Ketu on the planetary level, Pisces on
the level of the signs, and the 12th among the houses.

Classical Combinations for Spiritual Liberation

In the ancient classics of Jyotisa, there are some combinations

given that are said to indicate spiritual liberation. Thus, we find the
following verse in the chapter entitled "Effects of the Houses" in that

voluminous encyclopedia of Vedic astrology, the Brhat Parasara

Hord Sdstra.

"If there is a benefic in the 12th while its lord is exalted and is
conjunct or aspected by a benefic, one will obtain final emancipation."

However, the following Jaimini sutra suggests that the mere

influence of strong natural benefics on the 12th lord/house does not
give final emancipation to the soul but rather a "blissful realm" in the
afterlife,

[1.2.68.] ucce subhe subhalokah

"A benefic in the 12th house (from the kdrakdmsa lagna) gives a
blissful realm."

Then see this verse from the Brhat Pdrdsara Hord Sdstra:

Kaarakaamsaad vyayasthaane svabhoccasthe subhagrahe

Sadgatirjaayate tasya subhalokdma vaapnuyaat

BPHS, Effects of Karakamsa, 65.

"From the Kdrakdmsa, the 12th containing a benefic in own or

exaltation indicates that the fortunate native attains a blissful realm."

However, in both texts, these statements are followed by:

[1.2.69.] ketu kaivalyam

"Ketu placed therein gives liberation."

Kaarakaamsaad vyaye ketau subhakhetyutekshite

Tadaa tu jaayate muktih saayujyapadamaapnuyat

BPHS, Effects of Karakamsa, 65.

"From the Karakamsa, Ketu in die 12th joined or aspected by a benefic

indicates that the native attains liberation and divine union."

This is followed by yet another qualifying statement:

[1.2.70,] kriyacdpayorvisesena

"This will be particularly so if Ketu is placed in Cancer or Pisces."

These verses are a very logical progression, one building upon die other, in
which case the meaning of the last verse becomes clear. The progression is as
follows:
 A natural benefic in the 12th from the karakdmsa indicates the soul will
ascend to a heavenly realm after physical death,

Ketu placed therein with a natural benefic indicates an even greater

potential; the soul may achieve kaivalya, or spiritual liberation.

This will be particularly so if the signs involved are Pisces or Cancer.

Why Pisces or Cancer? First of all, recall that they are two signs among the
"moksha triangle" outlined earlier. Then consider who are the two best natural
benefics and in which signs they are exalted. Of course, the answer is Venus
whose exaltation sign is Pisces, and Jupiter whose exaltation sign is Cancer.
What I believe the Sage is telling us here is that should Ketu be in a moksha sign
and in the house about moksha, and with an exalted benefic, while devoid of the
influence of any natural malefic, then this would be the most ideal combination
for indicating kaivalya, or spiritual liberation. Thus, it appears to me that this is a
logical progression of ideas from "good" to "better" to "best."

While the reference to "kriya" and "chapa" as Aries and Sagittarius that
appears in the BPHS has a literal basis, it makes no sense as these are not signs
of moksha, nor do any benefics get exalted in these signs. They don't fit in the
context of the previous sutras, and this reminds me of the caution I have
received from Jaimini scholars that those elements of Jaimini that appear in the
BPHS are not to be entirely relied upon.

The addition of "while devoid of the influence of natural malefics" comes

from the final sutra in this series. See the following:

[1.2,71.] pdpairanyatha.

"It would be otherwise with malefic influence/'

Vyaye ca kevale ketau paapayuktekshitepi vaa.

Na tadaa jaayate muktih subhalokam na pasyati

BPHS, Effects of Karakamsa, 67.

"Only Ketu in the 12th or a malefic joining or aspecting, or no aspects, then

the native has no liberation and doesn't go to a blissful realm."

The astute student will recognize in these verses elements of the most
fundamental interpretative principle within Jyotisa, which is that the indications
of a house "prosper" most when exclusively under the influence of strong natural
benefits, while devoid of any influence of natural malefics. Here the application
is to the 12th house from kdrakdmsa with the addition of Ketu, the indicator of
spiritual liberation, to emphasize this particular 12th house indication versus
some other way the 12th house could be giving good results.

Since these combinations for spiritual liberation are to be found in the

chapter in the Jaimini sutras on the effects from kdrakdmsa lagna, an important
question arises as to whether they should be applied only from this perspective.
The answer is an emphatic "no, " and the Sage says so himself. See this sutra in a
later part of the text having to do with the effects of planets from another
specialized ascendant, the arudha lagna,

[1:3:17,] Swamsavadanyat prayena

"The results mentioned based on kdrakdmsa may be judged also from

Arudha lagna"

It is very characteristic of Jyotisa that an issue can be considered from

some different perspectives or lagnas, and in my researches into the
combinations given in the Jaimini Sutras, I've discovered that they hold true and
can be usefully applied to multiple perspectives, including the birth lagna and
the dasd lagna.

While these sutras may represent some theoretically ideal picture for
indicating the potential for achieving kaivalya, I must confess that I've not come
across many birth charts where this combination applied in total, even in the
charts of supposed spiritual luminaries. I have come across some
approximations, however, and one such chart is that of my Jyot/sa-guru, K.N.
Rao. See this and his navdmsa given below.
ItMNID-IIEMMIU

7 Art 8 Tail 9G«m

JJW
& 10 Can
K.N. Rao
fctenUKNlpitOTV
iOMyiMI ITCIA
7 53 00
11 Lao
Ma„.
(2 See *1 Ubr 12 V«
 mmrnmut i&m
Ma x
- \x
AsKe Ma |
|l2 Prt 1 Art 2 Tau G€m
^ As JpT
x
s Kg / \ Me
Jp
Me \ /
4 11 Aqu (Can
r K&J
Su
Ra / IJLCap 5L«c
Ju ». Mo ^
SaVe
i
BSco 7Ubr jWUB.

In the Jaimini system the planet with the highest degree, regardless of the
sign and excluding Rdhu/Ketu, is designated the Atma Karaka or "Indicator of
Self." The special Jaimini lagna mentioned earlier is determined by seeing the
position of this planet in the navdmsa, and using this as a lagna. In the chart of
K.N. Rao, his Sun at 23-54 of Virgo is the planet with the highest degrees, and it
goes into Leo in his navdmsa. Leo becomes what is known as his "kdrakdmsa
lagna" However, this is where a controversy begins. Some Jaimini scholars
contend that this lagna should be used in the navdmsa only, while others contend
it should be applied back in the birth chart. Shri Rao mosdy advocates the latter
but skirts the issue somewhat by saying it should be applied in both.

Applying this lagna to his birth chart, the 12th house from Leo is Cancer, a
moksha sign, and it contains an exalted Jupiter, without the influence of any
other grahas. This is a rather nice picture.

(Note: Here we are taking into account only the sign aspects that are used
when doing Jaimini. The scheme is very simple. All moveable and fixed signs
aspect each other, except for the one immediately next to them, and all dual
signs aspect each other.)

Apply this lagna in his navdmsa, and it remains a promising picture though
not as dramatically so. From Leo in D-9, the 12th house contains the benefic
Mercury and gets the aspect of the two-other natural benefics, Jupiter and Venus,
though also of Saturn.

Interestingly, applying the combinations given above to his 12th house

from the birth lagna, and we find Ketu, the moksha karaka, with an exalted
benefic, Mercury, who is also the 12th lord in its own house. Since his Moon is
in the 1st house, the view from Chandra lagna remains the same. It can be seen
that these combinations for achieving a blissful realm or even spiritual liberation
apply to his chart from multiple perspectives, and for his sake, I dearly hope that
it comes true!
Atmakaraka or Indicator of Soul

The Jaimini Sutras presented above are not the only ones that refer to
spiritual liberation and its opposite, bondage to the law of karma and the cycle of
birth, death, and re-birth.

Belief in the Atman or soul, as well as the transmigration of the soul

(reincarnation), is fundamental to the Vedic spiritual tradition and is the
foundational concept upon which Jyotisa rests. Without these, along with the
concept of karma, no form of astrology makes any sense at all. Jyotisa is, in fact,
primarily the science of karma-phalas, or a way of assessing the fruits of past-
life actions and their influence in the current life. It exists so that these karmic
effects can be known and so that this knowledge can be used to guide the
individual and to help them on their journey towards spiritual liberation.

Maharishi Jaimini in his Upadesha Sutras initiates us into a unique method

for seeing the state of our souls. He tells us that the planet with die highest
degrees in our charts provides vital clues as to the soul's bondage" or
liberation."

Immediately after introducing this idea of the planet with the highest
degrees being the Atma Karaka or "Indicator of Soul," the Sage states:

[1,1,11] Sa Ishte bandha mokshayoh

Breaking down this sutra word by word gives the following:

"Sa" as a prefix means "with" or "together and along with."

"Ishte" means "lord," "master" and in some contexts "the supreme spirit."
Its use here in this sutra immediately following one introducing the Atma Karaka
identifies this Karaka as signifying the individual "spaik of the Divine" within
each of us.

"Bhanda' means "bondage" and in this context, refers to the soul being
bound to the wheel of Samsara, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, as a result
of its desires and karmas,

'Moksha" means liberation from this cycle by becoming God-realized.

Taken as a whole the Sage is stating in this sutra that the Atma Karaka in a
person's chart, along with its over-all disposition and associations (sa), indicates
the level of that soul's bondage or liberation.
 Some translators/commentators have interpreted this sutra in a very general
way. They believe the two terms "bondage" and "liberation" should be
understood to indicate the general malefic or benefic results that this planet gives
based on its association with natural malefics or benefics.

This may very well be true, but I also believe that the Sage uses the terms
"bondage" and "liberation" very purposefully here and means exacdy what he
says. This is to say that the primaiy import of this sutra is the Sage's instruction
to see the state of the soul and its degree of bondage or liberation from the over-
all disposition of the planet with the highest degrees in a chart. By "over-all
disposition," I mean everything about it, which is what the prefix "sa" or
""together with" indicates in this sutra. This means its placement by sign and
house, its dignity, and its association and aspect with malefics and benefics, etc.
In short, all the standard methods used in Jyotisa for evaluating the results a
planet will give—with possible special reference to its position/disposition in the
navamsa, given the particular emphasis the Sage seems to give to this factor.

Now go back and look again at K.N. Rao's chart and you will see that his
AK the Sun, which falls in the 12th house of moksha, is conjoined with the
planetaiy indicator of moksha (Ketu) and has the additional influence of an
exalted benefic (Mercury.) Though it should also be noted that his AK Sun gets
the influence of the malefics, Saturn, and Rdhu by sign aspect. In the novdmsa,
the Sun is well placed in its own sign Leo as the 5th lord, a dharma house, and is
in a mutual glance with Ketu, as well as the Moon and Rdhu.

So, does this mostly veiy benign picture mean he will achieve spiritual
liberation in this lifetime, or at least make significant progress? Of course, it is
impossible to say. What can be said in my experience is that such an individual
is very inclined towards the spiritual life, aspires to such a goal, and consciously
strives towards this aim if other factors in the chart are supportive. What are
those other factors?

The Spiritual Components of a Birth Chart

There is a saying in India that ""in every sinner, there is a saint," and ""in
every saint, there is a sinner." This speaks to the idea that everyone has within
them the capacity to be both, and these potentials are represented by astrological
factors in the birth chart.

When we speak of ""benefic" (shuba) and ""malefic" (papa) planets, we

must ask ourselves, ""benefic or malefic in what sense?" We really can't fully
appreciate these designations without first understanding what the culture in
which they arose deemed "the highest good."

The Vedic civilization saw spiritual liberation and "God-realization" as

being the greatest achievement possible and the most precious potential of a
human birth. From this standpoint, planets are "benefic or malefic" to the degree
in which they enhance or obstruct obtaining this aim. The lords of the 5th and
9th houses are "most auspicious" not just because they can bring material wealth
when configured in Dhana yogas, but more so because of the spiritual wealth
that they can represent in a chart.

Spiritual inclinations get reflected in a birth chart in many different ways,

and for a fuller and fascinating discussion of these, I recommend K.N. Rao's
book "Yogis, Destiny, and the Wheel of Time." Here, I will only mention the
most obvious and well-known principles.

The two dharma houses 5 and 9 and their lords, both in the rashi and the
navdmsa are the most important factors for giving strong spiritual inclinations.
Parashara gives the 9th as the overt house of spirituality, religion, the guru,
worship, and virtuous actions. He gives the 5th house (the 9th from the 9th) as
about spiritual practice involving the use of mantra etc. In the Jaimini system,
the planet with the 5th highest degrees, referred to as the Putra Karaka (PK)
carries these same significations.

The 5th house is also said to indicate "purva punya" or the merit derived
from spiritual practice and virtuous action in previous lives, while the 9th is
taken to indicate the spiritual merit gained in this life. However, some texts such
as Mantreswara's PhaladTpika give the reverse.

4, 8, and 12 are said to be houses of moksha or spiritual liberation. These

houses and their lords, in the context of a spiritually oriented chart, indicate
strong motivation in this direction. This is one of the positive sides of the much-
maligned 8th and 12th houses.

Jupiter and Ketu, when well placed in a chart and associated with each
other or the 5th and 9th houses and their lords incline an individual towards
spiritual life. Jupiter is the Jnana Karaka or indicator of spiritual wisdom and
insight, while Ketu is the Moksha Karaka or indicator of spiritual liberation.

A preponderance of planets falling in the rashis of benefics, and the sattvic

planets—Sun, Moon, and Jupiter—strong and well-placed, help to give a pure
and spiritually-oriented life style

In the context of spiritually-oriented birth charts, planets placed in portions

of the moksha triangle signs. Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, known as "sarpa
decanates" are significant. "Sarpa" means serpent. These portions of the Zodiac
pertain to "kundalini"—the divine force that is said to reside, coiled like a
serpent, in the lowest chakra or psychic center at the base of the subtle body.
When awakened this force moves up the center channel of the subtle body to the
highest center of consciousness at the crown of the head, described as the seat of
the "thousand-petal lotus." The result is a direct experience of the Divine and
indescribable bliss. The 2nd and 3rd decanates of Cancer, the 1st and 2nd of
Scorpio, and the 3rd of Pisces are given in the ancient texts as "sarpa
decanates"

There is a whole category of planetary combinations called Pravrajya

Yogas (also known as Sannyasi Yogas) that show the inclination for spiritual
renunciation and the joining or founding of religious orders. The Brhat Pdrdsara
Hord Sdstra has a special chapter on these.

The ancient classics also give many other planetary combinations that
incline a person towards spiritual life such as the Vrinchi, Shri Natha, and Shri
Kantha Yogas given in Phaladfpika. These refer respectively to the Brahma,
Vishnu, and Shiva, or creative, sustaining, and dissolving aspects of the Divine.

As always, the placement and over-all disposition of the lagna and lagna
lord form the pillar around which every other indicator in a chart revolves. The
dasd sequence times the unfolding of spiritual promise. My Jyotisa-guru always
emphasizes that the periods of the 5th and 9th lords are the best times for
spiritual development. The dasd of the 12th lord can be good as well, under the
right conditions.

He also shared with me something he had been taught about the correlation
of the first eight houses of the birth chart to the well-known eight angas or
'limbs" of Yoga. These are as follows:

1st House Restraints

2nd House Observances
3rd House Postures
4th House Control of the Life-Force
5th House Withdrawal of the Senses
 6th House One-Pointed Concentration
7th House Meditative Absorption
8th House Spiritual Ecstasy

The aim and culmination point of the 7th 'limb," dhyana, is the unifying
experience of the transcendental Divine in the 8th "limb," samadhl This
happens when the meditator, the object of meditation, and the act of meditating
merge into one. It is at this point that the limited individual self is transcended,
and one experiences the timeless, unbounded Self.

The scriptures of Yoga describe this as an experience of Sat-Chit-Ananda,

or Pure Being, Pure Knowingness, and Pure Bliss. The "seer" in this state of
consciousness is then said to realize the truth of the three "watchwords" of the
Vedas:

Aham Brahmasmi (I am That)

Tat Twam Asi (Thou art That)

Om Tat Sat Om (All This is That)

The Yoga tradition recognizes many different gradations and degrees of

samadhi that the individual can experience on the way. This experience of the
different levels of samadhi is the spiritual and esoteric meaning of the much-
maligned 8th house. This is the same house that from the mundane, worldly
perspective is referred to as a dussthana or "bad" house.

After the direct union with the Divine in the samadhi of the 8th house, true
spirituality dawns which is the meaning of the 9th house. Only then can one be a
genuine Guru—a true "dispeller of darkness." Based on this enlightened state of
consciousness, a God-realized individual fulfills the will of God through their
actions in the world, which is the meaning of the 10th house. Since these actions
are completely life supporting, they result in success and fulfillment, the 11th
house. Having fulfilled life's purpose, the soul obtains moksha, or spiritual
liberation upon the death of the physical body, which is the meaning of the 12th
house.

In the light of all of what has been given thus far, I propose to examine the
chart of a well-known spiritual luminaiy of India to "see what can be seen."

The Birth Chart of Ramana Maharishi

 India has always been the land of saints, sages, sadhus, and gurus. In the
modem era, few have obtained the towering stature of Ramana Maharishi, the
Sage of Amnachala. Whereas his precise time of birth is something of a question
mark—different sources give anywhere from 1:00 to 1:30 AM—Libra as his
ascendant is not questioned. He is an extraordinaiy story of a spontaneous
permanent spiritual awakening at the age of sixteen that goes like this.

Childhood

As a young boy, though he was bom into an orthodox Brahmin family, he

showed no particular partiality to religious matters, and was, in fact, rather
irreverent according to some accounts. Nor was he much of a student, though
very intelligent, with an exceptional memory which enabled him to succeed in
school without having to put in very much effort. His real passion was for games
and sports at which he apparently excelled and at which he was exceptionally
lucky. Whichever team he was on always won, which earned him the nickname
"Tanga-kai," which means "golden hand. The most unusual trait that he
exhibited was that he slept so deeply that he could be physically assaulted
without waking him. Otherwise, he appeared to be a normal boy, playful and full
of mischief.

Father's Death

Then he received a severe shock. At age twelve his beloved father suddenly
fell seriously ill and died very unexpectedly. Paul Brunton, one of his first
biographers, recounts what Ramana told him about that day and the impact of his
father's death.

"On the day his father died, he felt puzzled and pondered over it, while his
mother and brothers wept. He thought for hours, and after the corpse was
cremated, he got by analysis to the point of perceiving that it was the T which
makes the body to see, to run, to walk and to eat. "I know this T but my father's
T has left the body."

His father's passing forced him at a very young age to deeply ponder the
mystery of life and death, and shortly after that, a book detailing the lives of
sixty-three saints came into his hands and further made a very great impression
on him.

Enlightenment

Then four years later at the age of sixteen on July 17, 1896, he became
fully and permanently enlightened. Here is his first-hand account of his
awakening;

"It was in 1896, about six weeks before I left Madura/ for good (to go to
Tiruvannamalai-Arunachala) that this great change in my life took place. I was
sitting alone in a room on the first floor of my uncle's house. I seldom had any
sickness, and on that day, there was nothing wrong with my health, but a sudden
violent fear of death overtook me. There was nothing in my state of health to
account for it nor was there any urge in me to find out whether there was any
account for the fear. I just felt I was going to die and began thinking what to do
about it. It did not occur to me to consult a doctor or any elders or friends. I felt
I had to solve the problem myself then and there. The shock of the fear of death
drove my mind inwards, and I said to myself mentally, without actually framing
the words: 'Now death has come; what does it mean? What is it that is dying?
This body dies.'And at once I dramatized the occurrence of death. I lay with my
limbs stretched out still as though rigor mortis has set in, and imitated a corpse
to give greater reality to the inquiry. I held my breath and kept my lips tightly
closed so that no sound could escape, and that neither the word T nor any word
could be uttered. 'Well then,' I said to myself, 'this body is dead. It will be
carried stiff to the burning ground and there burnt and reduced to ashes. But
with the death of the body, am I dead? Is the body I? It is silent and inert, but I
feel the full force of my personality and even the voice of I within me, apart from
it. So, I am the Spirit transcending the body. The body dies, but the spirit
transcending it cannot be touched by death. That means I am the deathless
Spirit' All this was not dull thought; it flashed through me vividly as living
truths which I perceived directly almost without thought process. I was
something real, the only real thing about my present state and all the conscious
activity connected with the body was centered on that I. From that moment
onwards, the "I" or Self focused attention on itself by a powerful fascination.
Fear of death vanished once and for all. The ego was lost in the flood of Self-
awareness. Absorption in the Self continued unbroken from that time."

Later in his life, speaking of his experience to another biographer, he

contrasted his sudden liberation to the more usual gradual experience,

"Some people start off by studying literature in their youth. Then they
indulge in the pleasures of the world until they are fed up with them. Next, when
they are at an advanced age, they turn to books on Vedanta. They go to a guru
and get initiated by him and then start the process of ^ravana, manana and
nididhyasana, which finally culminates in samadhi. This is the normal and
standard way of approaching liberation. It is called krama mukti (gradual
liberation). But I was overtaken by akrama mukti (sudden liberation) before I
passed through any of the above-mentioned stages."

The Astrology of His Enlightenment

For a researcher like myself, having the birth chart of such an individual, as
well as the date on which this event occurred, presents a rare opportunity to
study the astrology of spiritual liberation. Let's have a look.

See his birth chart and navarhsa given below. On July 17, 1896, he was
running Saturn-Sun-Ketu in the vimsottarT dasd.
Wi»HD-1)Oannl

Jpie-aa1

Ramana Waharishl
Tw. iMOnSM t io.oo
MKkifd,

R323"2tI MSsa-?'
Su,5-36 Ve : ASj'ij
! S«i 1 Liir

iPla pM BTau SGe/n

Ma >(»
As

Me ^ \ Ve

Mo'™ - "L"
IP \ Sa Ra
\| i Ma
Jbsaa 2 See 1 Lfcr 12V1ij

Saturn-Jupiter Exchange

Keeping in mind all that was given earlier about the spiritual components
of a birth chart, we see that this event occurred in the major period of Saturn, the
5th lord from his birth lagna, and the 9th lord from the Moon, Chandra lagna.
Note that it is in Pisces, the sign most about moksha. Its only association—and it
is the strongest possible—is the planet of spirituality and Jnana Karaka or
indicator of spiritual knowledge, Jupiter. See that this Jupiter is varcjottama,
falling in Aquarius again in the navarhsa. Then see that Saturn exchanges sign
with this powerful Jupiter both in the birth chart and in the navarhsa. This is an
extraordinaiy and highly unusual picture in my experience. I cannot recall a
single instance where two planets were exchanging signs in both. It creates an
exceptionally strong sambhanda or '"bond" between them and makes both
planets capable of giving exceptionally strong results.

The Sportsman Becomes a Seeker

As a quick, interesting aside, recall that earlier in this period he had a

passion for sports, was excelling at them, and that the teams he played on were
said to be invincible. This strong connection of Saturn and Jupiter in his chart is
a combination of Jupiter, the 3rd and 6th lord of sports and competition, with the
yogakaraka planet for this lagna placed in the 6th house of competition. It is
therefore capable of giving raja yoga or status and success in this area. From the
Chandra lagna, Gemini, this combination forms the most powerful of raja
yogas, the 9-10 exchange. This is a similar planetary pattern and dasd activation
to what can be seen in the charts of sports champions, as I have illustrated in
other articles (See "Skyhook: Kareem Abdul Jabbar's Extraordinary Gaja KesarT
Yoga).

However, also recall that from a spiritual angle, the 5th and 9th lords
indicate a soul's purva punyaov "previous life spiritual merit." The 5th lord, in
particular, is said to show the soul's deepest and most dominant samskara or
"imprinting" based on past life experience that now inclines the soul in a
particular direction. At the beginning of this dasd, it inclined him towards
engaging in games and sports competitions—quite normal for a young boy. Then
the tragedy of his father's death strikes. He reads a book about the lives of saints
dedicated to a quest for spiritual liberation, starts pondering very deeply on these
matters, and is moved at one point to engage in an impromptu practice where he
imagines his body in death and inquiries into "Who am I." Then this 5th lord, in
the sign of moksha and under the strong influence of Jupiter, gives him "sudden
liberation." How can this be understood? Why "sudden liberation" in the major
period of the 5th lord? The answer to this question can be found in that greatest
of spiritual treatises, the Bhagavad-Gita, the dialogue between God Incarnate,
Krishna, and the seeker after Truth in all of us, represented by Arjuna.

Arjuna's Question and Krishna's Answer

In Chapter Six of the Bhagavad-Gita, Arjuna asks Krishna a very practical

question. Krishna has been teaching him throughout the discourse about the
"imperishable Self" that "fire cannot bum" and "weapons cannot cleave," and
that survives the death of the physical body, only to take on a new body. He has
also instructed him on how perfect union with this Higher Self can be achieved
through various means, such that the cycle of birth, death, and re-birth is broken.

In Verse thirty-seven of this chapter, Aijuna then says in effect '"Yes, but
what happens to the soul who is not "perfected in Yoga" in this lifetime, who
dies before they have achieved spiritual liberation?" Krishna's answer has
always been a source of great comfort to me, as it should be for all seekers who
feel that they have a veiy long way to go. He says in response:

"Aijuna, neither here on earth nor in heaven above is there found to be

destruction of him; No one who does good goes to misfortune. My Son.

Attaining the worlds of the meritorious, having dwelt there for endless
years, he who has fallen from yoga is bom again in the dwelling of the radiant
and the illustrious.

Or he may be bom in the family of wise yogins; such a birth as this is very
difficult to attain in the world.

There he regains knowledge derived from a former body, and he strives

onward once more toward perfection, Aijuna.

He is carried on, even against his will by prior practice; he who wishes to
know of Yoga transcends Brahman in the form of sound.

Through persevering effort and controlled mind, the yogi, completely

cleansed of evil, and perfected through many births, then goes to the supreme
goal."

The Bhagavad-Gita as translated by Winthrop Sargent

Enlightenment as a Result of Purva punya

The story of Ramana Maharishi's enlightenment is rather unique. He had

no gum who initiated him with his shaktipat and under whose guidance he
engaged in a long course of sadhana, or spiritual practice, over a period of years
in the solitude of some ashram or Himalayan cave. Before this experience he had
exhibited no particular devotion or engaged in any intense worship. His just
happened, and it happened during the period of his 5th lord of purva punya, or
spiritual merit from previous lives, just as the above-mentioned verses from the
Bhagavad-Gita suggest that it can, "carried on, even against his will by prior
practice." We can imagine a scenario in which his soul in a previous life had
nearly reached the goal, but not quite, such that in this life it took but a simple
concentrated inquiry into "Who am I" while dramatizing the death of his body to
bring about full and permanent Self-Realization.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

If this explanation appears overly speculative to the reader, passages from

that other great scripture of Yoga, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, support just such a
view. In the first chapter of this text, the Sage outlines two primary forms of
samadhi or direct experience of the Divine, one with cognition (samprajnata)
and the other, higher form, without (osomprajnota). Having described this
highest form, in the next sutra he states:

[1:19.] Bhava-pratyqyo videha prakritilayanam

'The highest samadhi may be attained by birth (versus through effort) in those
who have previously achieved body-less-ness or a merging with Prakriti."

In his book "Meditation and Mantras" Swami Vishnudevananda states in

his commentary on this sutra on page 155:

"The highest state of samadhi is not achieved in one lifetime. It takes many
incarnations to make the innumerable fine adjustments necessary for God-
Realization. Many who do reach asamprajanata samadhi have done the major
part of their work in previous lives and return to attain the final goal. Some
already reached the level of a deva, an advanced spiritual being not living in a
physical form. Or, they may have progressed as far as merging with Prakriti,
when meditation on the elements of nature has been perfected. In either case,
merging with the Self is all that remains to be achieved."

It appears likely that Ramana Maharishi was just such a soul, and that this
previous attainment or purva punya spoken of both in the Bhagavad Gita and the
Yoga Sutras manifested just when the ancient classics of Jyotisa indicate that it
will influence the most—in the period of the 5th lord. We can now appreciate
more the statement made earlier about how my Jyotisa-guru always emphasized
that the periods of the 5th and 9th lords are the best times for spiritual
development.

The Sub-Period Lords

Whereas the major period lord, in this case, Saturn, indicates the karmic
potentials of an over-all time period, it is the sub-period and sub-sub-period
lords that bring a specific event in keeping with those potentials. The event of
Ramana Maharishi 's enlightenment occurred in the sub-period of the Sun and
the sub-sub-period of Ketu.

I find this quite fascinating in the light of the natural significations of these
two grahas, since according to the ancient texts, the Sun signifies the "Atman"
or "Self" and, as we saw earlier, Ketu signifies kaivalya or spiritual liberation.
See this verse from an early chapter of the Brhat Pdrdsara Hord Sdstra which
first introduces the nine grahas of Jyotisa,

"The Sun is the soul of all The Moon is the mind. Mars is one's strength.
Mercury is the speech giver while Jupiter confers knowledge and happiness,
Venus governs semen (potency) while Saturn indicates sorrow."

BPHS 3:12-13, translation by Girish Chand Sharma

The Sanskrit word for the Sun used in this verse is "sarva atman" or the
"Self of all" This is the notion of sthira kdrakas or "fixed indicators" which
means that in all charts the Sun would signify the Self. Now recall Parashara's
dictum that planets in their periods and sub-periods will give their result based
both on their natural significations and on their over-disposition within a chart.
The later means their specific placement by sign, house, associations, etc.

In the major period of Saturn, Ramana Maharishi did experience a great

sorrow when his father died. However, based on its disposition in the chart, as a
5th lord in the sign of moksho and under the strong influence of Jupiter, it also
gave him enlightenment, presumably based on past-life merit. It happened in his
Sun sub-period, the planet that naturally signifies the Self, and die sub-sub-
period of Ketu, the planet that naturally signifies spiritual liberation.

Of course, there is more to it than that—much more. People run sub-

periods of the Sun and Ketu within the context of the major period of the 5th lord
all the time and don't become enlightened. Periods of the 5th lord will only bring
such purva punya, and Sun and Ketu, in their natural significations, will only
bring such experiences as sub-period lords under special conditions and in the
context of a whole chart. It is time then to look at Ramana Maharishi's chart
more holistically.

Lagna/Lagna Lord

The birth lagna is the "pillar" around which a horoscope revolves. It is for
this reason that the over-all condition of the lagna and lagna lord should be the
first point of analysis in a chart. The kind of results a horoscope will give over-
all are a good deal dependent on the favorable or unfavorable disposition of
these vital points. As we assess these factors in the chart of Ramana Maharishi,
keep in mind all of what was said earlier about the spiritual components of a
birth chart.

There are no planets in his lagna, but note that it receives the glance of
Jupiter, so strong, given the exchanges in which it participates. His lagna also
receives the glance of Mars, strong in its own sign, Aries, and placed in an angle
house, giving Ruchaka Yoga. This shows a very strong will and great
determination in the personality.

However, it is the disposition of his lagna lord Venus that begins to

suggest a deep spirituality and the potential for spiritual liberation. Note that
Venus is placed in one of the moksha signs, Scorpio, the 8th segment of the
Kaala Purusha, or Being of Time, and within the first 10 degrees, which places
it in sarpa drekkdna, a segment of the Zodiac about the potential for awakened
kundalini. It is conjoined with another benefic, Mercury, who is the 9th and 12th
lords of his Libra lagna chart. Do you see the significance of all this from a
spiritual standpoint? Actually, all three of his trine lords, those house lords
deemed "most auspicious" by the ancient texts, are in moksha signs.

Over-all, three grahas are in the 5th or 9th houses, three are in the moksha
signs, Scorpio and Pisces, and two are in Sagittarius, the 9th segment of the
Kaala Purusha most about dharma. Only Mars, well placed in its own sign in an
angle, lies outside of the parameters of die spiritual components of a chart given
earlier.

Jaimini's Atma Karaka

Earlier in this article, I referenced Jaimini Sutras that show how in this
unique and different approach to chart analysis the planet with the highest
degrees indicates the Atma Karaka, or "Indicator of Self." This is like the 1st
lord and the Sun as naturally signifying the self or the individual in the more
standard Parashari approach. The Sage then went on to tell us that the over-all
disposition of this graha in a person's chart shows the degree of bondage or
liberation. In the chart of Ramana Maharishi, the planet with the highest degrees
is his Moon at 28-29 Gemini. So, what might it reveal about the soul of Ramana
Maharishi?
Ramana Maharishi 'sAtma Karaka

First note that it is a very bright, full Moon. The standard texts of Jyotisa
tell us that the Moon gives its best results and acts most as a benefic when in this
condition. Secondly, it is vargottama, (literally "the best division"), meaning it
falls in the same sign in the navamso. This makes a planet capable of giving its
results very strongly. The third important thing to see is that it goes into the 9th
house, the house most overdy associated with spirituality. Lasdy—and most
significandy—it is closely conjunct Ketu, the moksha karaka or indicator of
spiritual liberation! Both his Atma Karaka Moon and Ketu are in Jupiter's
naksatra, Punarvasu—that very powerful vargottama Jupiter in the 5th house of
spiritual merit and in an exchange with die 5th lord in both the birth chart and D-
9. This is a very revealing and utterly fascinating picture in the light of the
Jaimini Sutras, and one that sent a great thrill coursing through me when first
contemplating it.

The Sub-Period Lord Again

This event happened in Saturn-Sun, and while noting that Sun naturally
signifies the Self, I intimated there is more to it than that. The question becomes,
"What is it about the Sun in Ramana Maharishi's chart that contributes to it
giving such an event?" First of all, it can be seen to be quite strong, being in the
sign of a Great Friend in the birth chart and more significandy, in its own sign,
Leo, in the navdmsa. In the rashi, it is the 11th lord of gains, honors, and
fulfillment of desires in a felicitous mutual glance with the 10th lord Moon.
However, its disposition in the navdmsa is what really intrigues me with regards
this event. To explain what I mean by this entails getting into the esoteric realm
of "spiritual anatomy" as can be found in the literature of Yoga.

The "God-Channel"

This literature articulates the concept of the "subde body" and the flow of
prana or "life force" within nadis or "channels" within it. The three most
important of these channels are called the susumnd, idd, and pingald, and run
along the axis of the astral spine. These are depicted along with the chakras, or
psychic energy centers, in the following illustration.
 fm *amSSiUip^W ipSZiSiMi

The susumna-nadT, which means, "the current that is most gracious" is also
called the Brahma-nadT, or the God channel. When the life force (pram) flows
up within this central channel from the mulddhdra chakra at the base of the
spine to the psychic center at the top of the head (sahasrdra-chakra), one has a
direct experience of God (Brahman). In the macrocosm of the Kaala Purusha or
Being of Time that is the Zodiac, this central channel is the axis running along
Leo to Aquarius. The former represents the Ajna chakra, the point between the
eyebrows commonly referred to as the "Sun Center," and the later represents the
mulddhdra chakra at the base of the spine. This axis represents the entire range
of creation from inert, unconscious matter signified by Saturn to pure spirit
signified by the Sun.

Dharma and the Navdmsa

From a mundane, worldly point of view, the navdmsa (D-9) is given by

Parashara specifically for seeing details regards spousal relationships. Yet, he
also uses the word dharma (Spiritual Truth) in connection with this varga, and
as the one-ninth division of a sign, it bears a relationship to the 9th house. My
Jyotisa-guru alerted me early on in our association that D-9 has many esoteric
uses related to spirituality. What intrigues me about this event happening in
Satum-Sun is the way in which the Sun in its own sign and Jupiter varcjottama
line up along the Leo-Aquarius axis in his navdmsa, while Saturn, the ruler of
Aquarius as his 5th lord, is in an exchange with Jupiter both in the birth chart
and D-9.

I candidly confess to the reader that I cannot completely articulate why, but
there is something about his Sun in the navdmsa falling along this axis related
esoterically to the "God-Channel" and with Jupiter, so strong and so intimately
connected with Saturn, that indicates why Saturn-Sun gave him enlightenment.
Ketu as the sub-sub-period lord hardly needs explanation. The Moksha Karaka,
or indicator of spiritual liberation, in the 9th house of spirituality.

Timing in Jaimini

Of course, the vimsottorl dasd is just one of many in Jyotiso, though

Parashara refers to it as the "king" among them. Interestingly enough, in another
planetary, na/csatra-based system I was taught to use, Yogini Dasd, this event
took place in Satum-Sun-Satum!

Timing in the Jaimini system is entirely different. Here the periods are of
signs, not planets. When doing this research, I was particularly interested to
apply a special Jaimini dasd that is calculated based on the navdmsa, and is
applied only to this divisional chart. The event took place in Taurus-Taurus in
this dasd.

Now see Ramana's navdmsa again and recall those sutras of Jaimini for
achieving spiritual liberation given in the first part of this article. These
suggested that when Ketu falls in the 12th house from the kdrakdmsa lagna
(position of the Atma Karaka in the navdmsa) and with the additional influence
of natural benefics, while devoid of the influence of natural malefics, the
individual achieves kaivalya or spiritual liberation.
tn.n.inyMt PK— tflf iux
R
a/\ / Mo
Ke
Sa\ / \ /Su
SPl« Art 8 Tau Gam
Ma X
x
AS / \ Jp Ve
5 Apu 0 Can
0
Me / \ Ve / Me
Su
•rv' t Leo
■«\ /2\ MO As
JP / \ / \ Sa Ra
V \ / \ Ma
/ \/ Ke \ asflfl 2 Seo 1 Libf 2Vtra

Focus your attention on Taurus in his navdmsa, the period and sub-period
in this dasd system that gave him liberation. Since his Moon in Gemini is his
Atma Karaka, the 12th house from there is Taurus—containing Ketu and
receiving the sign aspect of two natural benefics, Venus and Mercury—just as
per the sutras of Jaimini!

Life After Life

 Astrological research and investigation into the questions of what happens
to an individual's soul after the death of the physical body are obviously
impossible since there is no reliable way of knowing this. Psychics purport to be
able to give their clients messages from departed loved ones about their place in
the afterlife, but can these be trusted? More credible I believe are the accounts of
some individuals who have had near-death experiences and seem universally
transformed by these. They no longer fear death. They come away absolutely
certain that there is an afterlife and report on encounters with "God" or "The
Light" whom they experience as an overwhelming unconditional love.

Whereas I have long been intrigued by statements in the ancient texts about
the 12th house and its relation to the afterlife—some of which I've shown in this
article—they also raise questions. Are Sage Parashara and Jaimini really
suggesting that this is also determined by our past life karma at birth, like so
many other aspects of our life experience? What of our actions in this life time?
Don't they primarily determine what happens to our soul after the death of the
body?

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna that "No one who does good
goes to misfortune," and in the Judaic-Christian Bible we find, "as a person
sows, so shall they reap." Surely our thoughts and actions in this incarnation are
a major determining factor in the next.

One spiritual teacher of mine would always say "Past is past. What has
been done cannot be undone, so don't worry about the past. Focus on the
present. What choices are you making now? These are what will determine your
future." This advice seems as sound to me today as when I first heard it decades
ago. Then there is that passage from the Yoga Sutras of Sage Patanjali:

[2:16,] heyam duhkham anagatam

"(That which is) to be avoided is the sorrow yet-to-come.w

This sutra speaks to the idea that through spiritual practices of Yoga the
seeds of past-life karma can be "burnt up" or "roasted" and thus rendered
inoperative. I believe in the truth of this statement and have had some small taste
of its validity. It is why I continue to practice Yoga in the most inclusive sense,
and strongly suggest that you do as well. Then one day—in some lifetime—as in
the case of Ramana Maharishi —you too will experience—Ketu and Kaivalya,
Technical Summary:

The ancient classics of Jyotisa identify Ketu as the planet most about the
experience of moksha or spiritual liberation. When under the strong influence of
Jupiter, placed in a moksha sign or house, or in the 5th and 9th houses or
connected to their lords, it can incline a person towards spiritual life/spiritual
experiences in its periods and sub-periods.

The 12th is identified as the house of spiritual liberation and one that is
said to indicate the soul's afterlife in general. According to the Upadesha Sutras
of Maharishi Jaimini, Ketu placed in the 12th house from the Kdrakdmsa Lagna
and under the influence of well-placed benefics indicates the potential for
achieving spiritual liberation, while the influence of well-placed benefics alone
gives a "blissful realm."
 Chapter Three

THE SOUL QUALITY OF SAINTS

SPIRITUALITY AND JAIMINI'S ATMAKARAKA

Sanatana Dharma

Who am I? What is the purpose of life? Is there a God? Is there an

afterlife?

These are just a few of the huge existential questions that confront
humankind. Some of us are troubled by them and seek answers; others may go
through life never feeling the need to reflect deeply upon them. Philosophers
throughout the ages have given many and various answers to these questions,
and we are all free to choose any that might appeal to us, or even come up with
our own. My search in this regard led me to the Sanatana Dharma, or the
"Eternal Truth," the name by which the spiritual tradition of ancient India refers
to itself.

Volumes could be written about the spiritual perspective on life articulated

in this ancient tradition, but reduced to its essence it consists of three interrelated
concepts or "eternal truths"

1. The Reality of the Higher Self

The first truth is that humankind, in essence, is pure spirit (purusha) and
that this spirit is identical with the highest reality of life, which is God
(Brahman). Everyone has within them this individual "spark of the divine"
although most are in a state of ignorance (avidyd), and unaware of this Higher
Self (Atman).

2. The Existence of the Soul

The second truth relates to the individualization of the universal spirit into
"soul" refened to in this tradition as the jiva (literally "living being"). The jiva
itself is non-physical but takes on physical form at birth. It has free will,
meaning it acts according to its volition, and is immortal, meaning it continues to
exist even after the death of the physical body.

The essential point of truth about the soul according to this wisdom
tradition is that it creates its reality through its thoughts, words, and actions.

Being, in essence, a creative principle, and having free will, the soul
creates effects and has experiences according to the law of action and reaction.
The process through which the soul experiences the results of its creation is
known as the Law of Karma,
 3. The Law of Karma and Reincarnation

The third truth has to do with the law of karma, and its corollaiy concept,
reincarnation. The word karma comes from the Sanskrit root kri meaning, "fo
do," from which our English word "create" is derived. It means literally "the
effects of past actions." The law of karma is the law of action and reaction as it
applies to the soul level of existence. It is the same universal law expressed in
the Bible by the statement "As you sow, so shall you reap" An individual's
karmas are the accumulated effects of the soul's past thoughts, intentions, words,
and actions. They are the seeds sown in the past that have "created" the present
and will condition future experience.

According to this view, the soul experiences these karmic effects in more
than one lifetime. Propelled by the force of its desires, the soul reincarnates
again and again in a continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). In
the Bhagavad Gita, one of the sacred texts of this tradition, the process of
reincarnation is explained by way of an analogy:

"As a man casting off worn-out garments takes other new ones, so the
dweller in the body casting off worn-out bodies takes others that are new"

Four Primary Motivations

The innumerable desires that propel this cycle of birth, death and
rebirth span the entire spectrum of all human hopes and fears, dreams and
aspirations, are seen in this spiritual tradition as all being related to one of four
primary motivations.

The first of these motivations is dharma, a word that does not translate
easily, but which connotes the desire to do good deeds in the world, to be of
benefit to others, and make the world a better place. Dharma also has to do with
performing your allotted duty based on your station, or position in life. These are
the individuals who pursue humanitarian careers or pursuits, not out of a desire
for personal enjoyment, status or economic gain, but from a wish to serve
humankind, and out of a sense that it is "the right thing to do." Individuals such
as Mother Teresa, Jonas Salk, Albert Schweitzer and the like appear to have had
this motivation predominant within them.

Dharma is indicated astrologically by the fire signs, Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

and the 1st, 5th, and 9th houses.
 The second motivation is called artha (material prosperity, wealth), which
refers to the desire to acquire the things of this world and enjoy their comforts.
This means all activities aimed at accumulating financial security and material
well-being. Whereas on one level this can mean money and all the things that
can be purchased with it, on another level this also refers to the desire to acquire
a position in society, a mate, and family, as well as other close human
relationships like friends, business associates and the like.

As we look around us, the vast majority of individuals appear to fall into
this category in that their predominant motivation is the desire to hold a position,
have status within society and acquire wealth. In keeping with this is the
concurrent wish to marry, have children, own property and live a comfortable
life materially. All of this is subsumed under the notion of artha, which refers
primarily to the desire to acquire and possess. Business tycoons, so entirely
focused and driven to gain wealth, are individuals that exemplify this impulse.

Artha is represented astrologically by the earth signs, Taurus, Virgo,

Capricorn and the 2nd, 6th, and 10th houses.

The third motivation is kama or the desire for the fulfillment of pleasures
of all kinds, including sensoiy pleasures, though the word is frequently
mistranslated to mean purely sexual pleasure. It also represents the desire for the
enjoyment that arises out of interpersonal relationships. When expressing itself
in a somewhat unrefined way, these are the pure hedonists and sensualists of the
world who live solely for pleasure and enjoyment.

Kama is shown astrologically by the air signs, Gemini, Libra, Aquarius and
the 3rd, 7th, and Ilth houses.

The last category is moksha, which means "spiritual liberation" In the

West, we would call this fourth motivation the desire to obtain "salvation" or "to
get to heaven" These are the rare individuals for whom the attractions of the
world no longer hold any interest, and who seek a direct experience of a higher,
more permanent reality. Historical figures such as St. Francis of Assisi, or The
Buddha, both of whom renounced all worldly pursuits very early in life to pursue
spiritual aims, are examples of individuals in whom the impulse toward moksha
is predominating.

Moksha is manifest astrologically in the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

along with the 4th, 8th, and 12th houses.
 The idea here is not that someone is bom and continuously expresses
in their life just one of these motivations. This would be rather atypical. Most of
humankind is motivated throughout life to some degree by all of these aims, and
at different phases of their existence. St Augustine spent the first half of his life
in the relentless pursuit of sensual indulgence, and the latter half in seeking
spiritual salvation.

However, according to this spiritual tradition there is also a point to all this
striving, an end state to all the soul's desires and longings, referred to as a state
of "God-realization" or "realization of the Higher Self." The tradition holds that
the only experience that will ever be completely fulfilling, that won't leave the
soul longing for something more, is the direct experience of God. In fact, the
whole dance of creation is seen as nothing but "God's play" a great cosmic
game of hide and seek so that eventually "the Self might again behold the Self
and realize that it is the Self." This, proclaimed the enlightened sages of ancient
India, is the ending point and culmination of an evolutionary path that the soul is
traveling over many lifetimes. And they saw encrypted in the planetary patterns
at birth a karmic code, revealing the soul's present inclinations concerning kdma,
artha, dharma, and moksha.

The Astrology of Spirituality

The rishis or enlightened seers of ancient India perceived that the

planetary/heavenly pattern at the time and place of a person's birth reflected their
Prarabhda karma or their karmic allotment in this particular lifetime. The
predominate impulses within their soul and inclinations toward each of the four
motivations could be known to some degree based on the person's birth chart.
Also, whether they are inclined toward spiritual ideals and pursuits, and when
this might manifest, is something that Jyotisa, the science of the soul, could
reveal. This even includes the timing of when a person might have deep,
mystical experiences, such as higher states of consciousness, known in this
tradition as samadhi.

We can speak then of "the astrology of spirituality " those factors in a birth
chart that most incline a person toward spiritual life. In this regard, it should be
understood that spirituality exists within every birth chart because it exists
within every person. All souls are in essence pure spirit; hence all embodied
souls have that within them. Now the degree to which any embodied soul is
awake to this reality differs on a continuum of completely enlightened to not
enlightened at all, but that connection to spirit is there in all of us nonetheless. In
this regard, I once heard Shri Rao quote the Indian proverb, "Jn every saint, there
is a sinner, and in every sinner, there is a saint" It speaks to the truth that both
potentials exist within all of us.

When we first go to consider spirituality in the birth chart, we should begin

by examining two grahas in particular, Jupiter and Ketu,

Jnana Karaka Jupiter

Jupiter, the deva guru, is that planet among the grahas that most naturally
signifies the impulse toward spirituality. It is the jnana karaka or indicator of
higher knowledge and wisdom, and the impulse to seek spiritual truth. It
represents the guru, the "dispeller" of darkness," who can lead a person to God-
realization because they have obtained this exalted state themselves. Under the
right conditions Jupiter inclines a person toward spiritual pursuits.

Moksha Karaka Ketu

The Jaimini Sutras and other classic Sanskrit texts of Jyotisa identify Ketu
as the moksha karaka among the grahas. However, it should be understood that
to take on this status Ketu must get "spiritualized" in some way. Among the
ways this can happen are:

• under the influence of Jupiter, or the 5th and 9th lords

• placement in the moksha signs. Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
• placement in the moksha houses, 4, 8,12
• placement in the 5th and 9th houses

The more these conditions apply to Ketu; the more this graha inclines
toward spiritual life and the experience/obtainment of spiritual liberation. For
example, if for Aries Lagna, Ketu is in the 12th house in Pisces and with Jupiter
as the 12th and 9th lord, this would be a very strong spiritual promise in the birth
chart.

The Moksha Triangle and Sarpa Drekkdna

Earlier we saw that the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces indicate
the impulse toward moksha or spiritual liberation. Planets falling in these signs,
especially Jupiter and Ketu, can awaken spirituality in a person when their
periods and sub-periods are activated in the dasd sequence.

However, within these water signs, there are certain 10-degree segments
that are referred to in the Sanskrit classics of Jyotisa, as "sarpa drekkana." A
drekkdna is a 10-degree portion of any sign.

0 to 10 degrees = 1st drekkana

10 to 20 degrees = 2nd drekkana

20 to 30 degrees = 3rd drekkdna

The "sarpa drekkana" are identified as:

_ the 2nd and 3rd drekkdnas of (10 to 30 degrees)

Cancer
_ the 1st and 2nd drekkdnas of (0 to 20 degrees)
Scorpio
_ and the 2nd and 3rd drekkdnas of (10 to 30 degrees)
Pisces.

Of these six drekkdnas, Mars rules three, Jupiter two, and the Moon one.

Sarpa means "serpent," and from the standpoint of spirituality refers to

kundalini, the spiritual energy locked in the subtle body in the mulddhdra chakra
near the base of the spine. When this energy is awakened and flows up the
susumnd or central channel of the subtle body, a person experiences higher states
of consciousness.

In the context of spiritually oriented birth charts, planets in these portions

of the water signs can give rise to awakened kundalini experiences in their dasds
and antar dasds.

Ironically, in the context of different horoscopes, planets in these segments

of the Zodiac, particularly malefics or those afflicted by malefics, can give rise
to very negative and unpleasant experiences, as well as some of the most
perverted and depraved expressions of violence and sexuality. The sarpa
drekkdnas in Scorpio can be especially bad this way.

The Spiritual Significances of the Houses

In his book Learn Hindu Astrology Easily, and in his classroom

discussions, K.N. Rao has given the spiritual significance of each of the
astrological houses. He has also shown die correspondence between the first
eight houses and the eight ongas, or "limbs" of classical yoga given in Patanjali's
Yoga Sutras. This is as follows:

1st House = Yama (Observances)

2nd House - Niyama (Restraints)
3rd House - Asana (Postures)
4th House = Pranayama (Control of the Life-Force)
5th House = Pratyahara (Withdrawal of the Senses)
6th House = Dharana (One-Pointed Concentration)
7th House - Dhyana (Meditative Absorption)
8th House = Samadhi (Spiritual Ecstasy)

The aim and culmination point of the 7th "limb," dhyana, is the unifying
experience of the transcendental Divine in the 8th "limb," samadhi. This
happens when the meditator, the object of meditation, and the act of meditating
merge into one. It is at this point that the limited individual self is transcended,
and one experiences the timeless, unbounded Higher Self.

The scriptures of Yoga describe this as an experience of Sat-Chit-Ananda,

or Pure Being, Pure Knowingness, and Pure Bliss. The seer in this state of
consciousness is then said to realize the truth of the three "watchwords" of the
Vedas:
 Aham Brahmasmi (I am That)
Tat Twam Asi (Thou art That)
Om Tat Sat Om (All this is That)

The Yoga tradition recognizes many different gradations and degrees of

samadhi that the individual can experience on the way. This experience of the
different levels of samadhi is the spiritual and esoteric meaning of the much-
maligned 8th house. This is the same house that from the mundane, worldly
perspective is referred to as a dussthdna, or "difficult place."

It is, coincidentally, also myitru bhava, or house of death. On the exoteric

level, this refers to the decay and death of the physical body of which we are all
familiar. But on the esoteric level, it also indicates the many psychological
"deaths" that can occur, such as when an individual "dies" to one level of
maturity or stage in life, and is "re-bom" to a new stage.

An example would be when a dependent adolescent becomes an

independent adult. Ancient tribal cultures invariably acknowledged the death and
rebirth quality of this experience in the rituals that were used to facilitate this
passage. Every life contains many such "deaths" or transformations, and it is
these to which the 8th house also refers.

Also represented is the type of loss of self through the merger with another
that can occur during lovemaking, which is why the French have long referred to
sexual orgasm as "le petite mort," or "little death." The 8th house represents
deeply transformative experiences and shows the gateway to other worlds and
dimensions.

Planets associated with the 8th house give kundalini experiences as they
represent the capacity for sublimated sexual energy that then flows upward and
awakens the higher centers of consciousness.
 After the direct union with the Divine in the samadhi of the 8th house, true
spirituality dawns, which is the meaning of the 9th house. Only then can one be
a genuine Guru—a true "dispeller of darkness"

As the 9th house from the 9th house, Parashara gives the 5th house as the
house of spiritual practices and techniques like mantra andyantra.

But these two houses have another important meaning in the context of
spirituality. The 5th house shows an individuars purva punya, or spiritual merit
of the past life, while the 9th house shows the jamna punya or spiritual merit of
this life. The dasas of the 5th and 9th lords can, therefore, be among the best for
spiritual experiences and growth as they bring this out.

Their positions and associations in the natal birth chart show some of the
innate spiritual potential of the individual based on the past and present. They
provide the context that shows how sarpa drekkdnas and planets associated with
the 8th house are likely to express themselves.

The 10th house or karma bhava shows our actions in the world, and if our
consciousness is completely aligned with the Divine, then all of our actions will
be in accord with the Divine Will. The result will be what one teacher of mine
referred to as "spontaneous right action"

This then leads to the fulfillment of all desires represented by the 11th
house.

Upon the death of the physical body, the soul merges with the Divine and
achieves final emancipation represented by the 12th house.

From this, we can extract the understanding that the dharma houses and
their lords, particularly the 5th and 9th, and the moksha houses and their lords,
particularly the 8th and 12th are very important in assessing the spiritual promise
in a birth chart.

Jaimini's Chara Karakas

In the very first class in which I was introduced to the Jaimini system of
Jyotisa by K.N. Rao, he remarked that to go deeply into the spiritual side of a
birth chart, one needed to learn this system. I later came to know that part of the
reason behind this statement is that among the chara karakas or changing
indicators of Jaimini is the atmakaraka, or indicator of the soul, represented by
the planet with the highest degrees in any chart, excluding Rdhu and Ketu, About
this "indicator of soul"

Jaimini tells us:

[1.1.11.] sa Tste bandhamoksayoh

= with, associated
= lord, chief, master
bandha = bondage
moksayoh = spiritual liberation

The atmakaraka is lord among the karakas and depending on its condition,
associations, and overall disposition, indicates bondage or spiritual liberation
for the soul.

In essence this statement implies that an examination of the planet with the
highest degrees in the birth chart and in important vargas like the navdrhsa will
provide clues to the soul quality of the individual.

Upon first learning, this my most immediate thought was to test this
concept using the birth charts of spiritual luminaries. If this were true, then the
AK of such individuals should show some special qualities and be in an
exceptional condition within the context of a chart that showed a great spiritual
promise as a whole. This article is the result of that research.

However, before proceeding, one other chara karaka needs mentioning

with regards to spirituality and the Jaimini system. This is the PK, the planet
with the 5th highest degrees, which embodies all the significations of the 5th
house, and thus purva punya, or the spiritual merit from previous incarnations.

Sign Aspects

When doing a Jaimini style analysis and seeing the influences on the AK or
PK only rashi drishti or sign aspects should be used. Planets get connected in
this system when they are in signs that aspect each other. The scheme is quite
easy.

• All the moveable rashis (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) make
aspect onto the fixed rashi (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius)
except for the ones next to it, and vice versa.
All the dual rashis (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) make aspect onto
each other.

^ /l ASu.4' Me2.38
•-Ma,"*-/ V©2j,55" SlItrMj
As,,., > WSi—NenL
MSavw
Riaw
(Vi 'iC'n
Anandamayi Ma
;iiC=F _ .tun
'SSa--
10 f iao™,& See
M0
IB Ubr L[7 Vira

Anandamayi Ma

She is considered among the greatest saints of India in the modem era.
Swami Sivananda referred to her as "the most perfect flower the Indian soil has
produced" Many regard her as an incarnation of Divine Mother. Her chart is
quite astonishing regards the astrology of spirituality and students are invited to
examine all the factors referenced earlier. I will just highlight a few of the most
salient features.

• Her AK is Venus in the 1st house in extreme exaltation and

vargottama and without the blemish of natural malefics.

• The dispositor of Venus is the lagna lord, Jupiter, also near its
extreme exaltation in the 5th house and in an exchange with the 5th
lord, strongly placed in the 10th.

• Her extremely exalted Jupiter is also her PK, showing the past life
spiritual merit.

• Her chart shows four exalted planets in D-l.

Throughout my articles, I have emphasized the importance of seeing

horoscopes from Chandra lagna, the position of the Moon as the 1st house, in
addition to the birth ascendant. When patterns/indications repeat, they become
even stronger themes in the person's life.

From the birth ascendant, we see an exalted, vargottama 8th lord of

samadhi in the 1st house, disposited by an exalted lagna lord aspecting it. Then
see that from Chandra Lagna the 8th lord again goes to the 1st house, and now
is in an exchange with an exalted lagna lord. This Moon-Jupiter combination
also gives a brilliant Mukuta Yoga,

mc
. AsVe Su
/ Sa
5 Art (eiau
/\ [ Ma .
Do JP
B
As \|U— Can
Ve

X p-
Mo ^
Me \/Jr

From the Moon, moksha karaka, Ketu, is in the 9th house, disposited by an
exalted 9th lord Sun in the 5th house. Also, her Sun is involved in a beautiful
Shubha Ubhayachari Yoga, with two natural benefics flanking it. This patterning
from the Moon is quite fascinating in the light of an experience of spiritual
initiation that she describes which occurred in the major period of the Sun in the
vimsotton dosd.

From Wikipedia:

On the full moon night of August 1922, at midnight, twenty-six-year-old

Nirmala enacted her own spiritual initiation. She explained that the ceremony
and its rites were being revealed to her spontaneously as and when they were
called for. She later stated, "As the master (guru) I revealed the mantra; as the
disciple (shishya) I accepted it and started to recite it,"

The 5th house is given in Parashora Hora as about mantra as well as

indicating the shishya, or disciple. Note how this event and its timing in
vimsottarl is much better reflected from Chandra Lagna, than from the birth
ascendant.

In Jaimini's Chara Dasd, it was the Taurus major period, from where the
5th house gets that aspect of her exalted AK Venus, and the sub-period of
Cancer, the 5th house of her birth chart and containing her exalted PK Jupiter.

Ramakrishna Paramahansa
 _ marn ip-ij aggggl ■uuuuMXUumi
Vfin /\
V«r,
. / As,.,,
>«/ Sii,.0 2 PIS Art (4 Tau 5 Gam
MthrfSUn;
Me.-.Aa,,
1 AQU '£) 6 Can
Man.„
HaWUp-OiMaa,»:2Ja0
TNJ WJIA
7
12 Cap Leo

KSnr Sa V4r
1! Sag 10 SCO jojjbr BViig 1

Equally extraordinaiy from the standpoint of the astrology of spirituality is

the chart of the great Indian yogi and mystic, Ramakrishna Paramahansa.

Just like Ananadamayi Ma, his chart shows an exalted AK (Mars)

disposited by an exalted PK (Saturn). Additionally, AK Mars falls in the 12th
house of moksha, sign aspected by an exalted moksha karaka, Ketu, while PK
Saturn is in the 9th. Also like hers, his chart has many exalted planets. Mars,
Venus, Saturn, and Rahu-Ketu.

Other relevant features to consider are:

• The lagna/lagna lord is solely under the influence of natural

benefics and/or the sattvic planets Sun, Moon, and Jupiter.

• Lagna lord, Saturn, aside from being exalted in the 9th house,
obtains good placements (own or exaltation) in 10 out of 16 vargas.

• All the lords of the dharma houses, 1, 5, 9 are either exalted or

vargottama.

• All the lords of the moksha house, 4, 8, 12, are either exalted or
vargottama,

• Both the vargottama 5th lord Mercury and the exalted 1st lord
Saturn are aspected by Jupiter

• All the exalted planets are disposited by exalted planets except

Venus, which is disposited by Jupiter in the 5th house.

It is a truly extraordinary patterning the reflects a truly extraordinary soul.

Yogas for Spirituality

 Many planetary combinations are given in the ancient Sanskrit classics of
Jyotisa that are said to incline a person toward spirituality, as well as those that
can lead them to officially embrace spiritual renunciation (sanyas). Someone
with the latter in their chart may join an order, take vows, give up worldly
possessions and worldliness, become celibate and make God-Realization their
sole aim in life.

Parasara Hora contains a chapter entitled Pravrajya Yogas, or

combinations for spiritual renunciation, also referred to a Sannyasi Yogas. See
these passages:

"If one house contains four planets duly strong, it will give rise to yoga
which will cause asceticism"

"The planets forming the yoga causing asceticism may be strong, but if
they are combust, the native will not turn ascetic even though he/she may
develop deep adoration in religious tenets."

"If the dispositor of the Moon is weak and only aspected by Saturn, the
native will embrace the religious precepts duly signified by Saturn"

"If the Moon is in a drekkana of Saturn and also in the navamsa of Saturn
or Mars and aspected by Saturn the native will be an ascetic of the type signified
by Saturn"

Translation by Girish Chand Sharma

Brhat Parasara Hora Sastra
Sagar Publications Edition

Not surprisingly, one of these combinations applies to the chart of

Ramakrishna Paramahansa. See his navamsa.
{

•'•v Ve
s
o

\ /
9P1*
c

Jfi Ma
r\c MeSa Ke
Ijs Aflu 10 Can
Ma 0
Ra
«C»p 11
Su AS Ve
sstfl 2Soo ILibr 12 Vira

The Moon in D-9 is in the Mars-ruled sign, Aries, and aspected by a strong
Saturn.

The Sanskrit classic, PhaladTpika, in its chapter on Yogas gives three that
are related to the Hindu trinity of the creative aspect of the Divine (Brahma), the
sustaining aspect (Vishnu) and the dissolving aspect (Shiva). These, along with
the effects they give, are as follows:

"When the lord of the Ascendant, the Sun, and the Moon occupy an angle
or trine in their exaltation, own or friendly sign, the resulting yoga is called
Srikanta"

"When Venus, the lord of the 9th and Mercury are similarly placed, the
yoga is termed Shri Natha"

"When Jupiter, the lord of the 5th and Saturn occupy similar positions, the
yoga formed in known as Virinchl"

Translation by S.S Sareen

Sagar Publications Edition

Sri Kantha is a reference to Shiva who is called mlakantha or "blue-

necked" because in Hindu mythology he saved the universe by swallowing the
poison generated by the churning of the ocean by the devas (gods) and asuras
(demons.) Srinath is a reference to Vishnu, since Natha is a name for Lakshmi,
his consort, and Virihci is a reference to Brahma.

Note that all these yogas are combinations of the dharma lords (1,5,9) with
three pairs of planets.

• 1st lord with the Sun and Moon

• 5th lord with Jupiter and Saturn
• 9th lord with Venus and Mercury

The important additional stipulations for these yogas to give their best
results are that all the planets involved must fall in good houses (angles and
trines), and have a source of strength.

The results given in PhaladTpika are:

"The native having the Srikanth Yoga in his birth chart will have a
rudraksha mala round their neck, have his body smeared with sacred ashes, will
always be meditating on God Shiva, and be magnanimous. He will religiously
and devoutly follow all the rites and consecrate himself to the worship of Shiva.
He will be virtuous and tolerant of other's faith. He will be mentally and
spiritually strong and get delight from the worship of God Shiva"

"The native with Srinath Yoga in his birth chart is resplendent, soft-spoken,
agreeable in speech, and humorous. Marks of God Narayana may be seen on his
body. He is always chanting the charming verses adorning the name of
Narayana with the virtuous people. He reveres the people of his own faith. He is
blessed with a good wife and son. He is loved by one and all and is most
amiable."

"The native with Virihci Yoga in his birth chart will be devoted to
knowledge of God, be very intelligent and give predominant importance to
Vedas over other sacred writings. He will possess all the noble qualities of head
and heart and will not deviate from the course of conduct recommended in the
Vedas. His disciples themselves will be distinguished people. He will be
courteous, be possessing much wealth, a wife and children; will have looks full
of spiritual luster, enjoy longevity, rule over his senses and will be respected
even by kings."

It can be seen that Ramakrishna Paramahansa has two of these yogas in his
chart.

• The Sun, Moon and the 1st lord Saturn fall in angle/trine houses,
although only Saturn is in strength (Srikanth Yoga).

• Saturn, Jupiter and the 5th lord Mercuiy fall in angle/trine houses
and all have sources of strength, with Jupiter in Aquarius in D-9
(Virihci Yoga).

Aside from eveiything else noted earlier about his Saturn, it is also the
common denominator in these two yogas and the Pravrajyd yoga. Recall its
strength, falling in exaltation or own sign in no less than 10 vargas.
Ramakrishna Paramahansa was said to have achieved full God-Realization in his
Saturn mahd dasd.

Ramana Maharshi

Just looking at the picture of Ramana Maharshi, another great saint of India
has always had an uplifting effect on me, his eyes so filled with an unfathomable
wisdom and compassion.
V UM ro-n iwuni ■aiiUBfcuaiaiMi
Ve™ k«w]
Sa,^-
Me,^ Ma2rM MOzbJ
As,-,, B Pis ? Art B Tau Gam
Su,,* 9 V XB
Raa-i,
Jp16'2y
\t/ SAgu OCan
( /
Rairiana MaharisW
Tw».»a»rt«S 1:10.00
Ma,™- MOB's 4 Cap UM.ll.lNDM
Ke2ni 1 Leo
11Xv
/12
Ra^ Me,,-,!
Sa.r, \/ SUi5'>36' Veo-za- ASS^b
&S?|L Sco N Libr 2Viiq 1

Mo
Ke
BPIs 7 Art BTau i9 Gam
n
JP Ve
5 Aqu 10 Car
Me 0
Su
4Cap I t Leo
As
Sa Ra
Ma
3S»fl ESco 1 Libr I 12 Vina

His life story is no less inspiring, and for a fuller exposition of this I
recommend my article Ketu and Kaivalya. Like Ramakrishna Paramahansa, his
AK goes to the 9th house. In his case, it is a vargottama extremely bright Moon
conjunct the moksha karaka, Ketu, From the Parashari point of view, Ketu gets
highly spiritualized, falling as it does in the 9th house and receiving the
planetary aspect of Jupiter.

Also, note that:

• Jnana Karaka, Jupiter, is vargottama in the 5th house and involved

in an exchange with the 5th lord Saturn in both the birth chart and
navdmsa.
• The 5th lord Saturn of purva punya is in the sign of moksha, Pisces,
in D-l, and the sign of dharma, Sagittarius, in D-9. It could hardly
be more under the influence of Jupiter.

• From Chandra Lagna, Saturn becomes the 8th and 9th lord.

Bom into the Jupiter period, he grew up like many boys playing sports. But
at age 13 he moved into his Saturn mahd dasd, and when his father suddenly
died, sitting next to his corpse had a profound effect on him, "Where has my
father gone? This is not my father" he is said to have reflected.
 Several years later at age 16, and after much spiritual seeking through
books, he had the impulse to lie down and imagine that he was now a corpse
while reflecting deeply on the question of "Who am 1." As the stoiy goes, he
achieved full Self-Realization at that moment.

From Wikipedia:

According to Narasimha Swami, (a biographer) in July 1896 at age 16, a

sudden fear of death befell him. He was struck by "a flash of excitement" or
"heat," like some avesam, a "current" or "force" that seemed to possess him, and
he initiated a process of self-inquiry asking himself what it is that dies. He
concluded that the body dies, but that this "current" or "force" remains alive,
and recognized this "current" or "force" as his Self, which he later identified as
"thepersonal God, or Iswara."

Other accounts exist from recorded conversations with Ramana Maharshi

about this experience.

"When I lay down with limbs outstretched and mentally enacted the death
scene and realized that the body would be taken and cremated and yet I would
live, some force, call it atomic power or anything else, rose within me and took
possession of me. With that, I was reborn, and I became a new man. I became
indifferent to everything afterward, having neither likes nor dislikes."

"In the vision of death, though all the senses were benumbed, the aham
sphurana (Self-awareness) was evident, and so I realized that it was that
awareness that we call "I," and not the body. This Self-awareness never decays.
It is unrelated to anything. It is Self-luminous. Even if this body is burnt, it will
not be affected. Hence, I realized on that very day so clearly that that was "I."

In one of his rare written comments on this process, Ramana Maharshi

himself wrote:

"Enquiring within Who is the seer? I saw the seer disappear leaving That
alone which stands forever. No thought arose to say I saw. How then could the
thought arise to say I did not see."

Later in life, he called his death experience akrama mukti, "sudden

liberation," as opposed to the krama mukti, "gradual liberation" as in the
Vedanta path of jnana yoga. It resulted in a state of mind which he later
described as "the state of mind of Iswara or the jnani."
 The vimsottan dasa sequence at this time was Satum-Sun-Ketu, and it is a
perfect example of purva punya, the spiritual merit of previous incarnations
manifesting in the dasa of the 5th lord. Recall what was said earlier about
statements in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras that indicate that samadhi or higher states
of consciousness can arise simply because it is that embodied soul's karma.

Paramahansa Yogananda

He is one of the most beloved gurus of the modem era with millions of
devotees worldwide, even though he passed away in the early IQSO's. His legacy
lives on through the Self-Realization Fellowship that he established to perpetuate
his life's work of spreading the teaching and spiritual techniques of Kriya Yoga.

M3iyiaJ R3i?'4oi
Jp23*5r
Pl» 8 Art 10 Tau 11 G«m

PefsnWynsi
Thu 1^1093vouarenttH
20-1400 IVIv
.
AS3

54', K612-40^
14 Sco [3 Ubr ZViiq

His famous book, Autobiography of a Yogi, has ignited even more millions
of souls onto the spiritual pathway of Yoga, including me.
NOT—lup*
Mo Me Me
\ / As
Mo
pi Pt» 12 Art Tau 2 Gam
VeJp SaRa
IQAqu JCari
0
Ke
9
Cap 4 Leo
Ma
Su
SuMa SSofl 7 Sco 6 Ubr SVirg [

We find his AK Venus in a moksha sign and house, falling as it does in the
4th in Scorpio. It gets the benefit of three unobstructed argalas, Sun-Mercury in
the 2nd, Saturn in the 11th, and Jupiter-Mars in the 5th. In his navdrhsa, it is with
a strong Jupiter in Aquarius.

Further, examine both his birth chart and his D-9. Before reading on, can
you identify any yogas given earlier when discussing the chart of Ramakrishna
Paramahansa?

The Sun, who is also his lagna lord, and the Moon are both in angle or
trine houses, giving Srikanth Yoga, In navamsa, his Moon is in a sign of Mars
and aspected by Saturn giving a Pravrajya Yoga, and Yogananda did, in fact,
become a sannyasin, initiated into a monastic order by his guru, Swami
Yukteswar in 1915.

Another notable feature of his chart from the spiritual angle is the
conjunction of the 9th lord Mars with the 5th lord Jupiter svaksetra in a moksha
sign and house.

Swami Vivekananda

One of the results of a strong Virinci Yoga as seen in the chart of

Ramakrishna Paramahansa is that "his disciples themselves will be distinguished
people," Recall that shisyas or disciples pertain to the 5th house and that this
yoga involves the 5th lord. It was certainly true of Ramakrishna, as he had many
distinguished disciples, none more so than Swami Vivekananda, considered his
chief disciple.

Vivekananda was among the very first to bring the teachings of the
Sandtana Dharma to the West, starting in 1893 when he was invited to speak at
the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago. Subsequently, he embarked on
lecture tours throughout the U.S. and England. The present-day Vedanta Society
and Ramakrishna Mission are a part of the legacy.
RuMra-ltOwwrji
|
MarJ
Ke^J
, i&/' 4PIB 5 Art (fi Tau Gam
"X As,-; j
X \ Su-.
/' MOirw 3A<;u Can
'**!« Sa,rH { &}
Me,,.46 Swami Vivettanarrfa
Ve7.r (Am.C.lcvta.
inatBSJWOIA
ftJJ.OO
2Cap ! Leo I
SlW Ra?vJ i MOl7'26l
1 Jp4*ff 53,3.34
. 1 s&fl 12 Sco lllUbr ovim I

His atmakaraka is the Sun, vargottama in the sign of dharma, Sagittarius,

the 9th lord of his birth chart in the 1st house. It gets unobstructed subha argala
from the two natural benefics in the 2nd house, and from Jupiter in the 11th. His
powerful 9th lord Sun is the image of his famous guru.
 But then see the chart from Chandra Lagna in connection with the
navdmsa.

Ma
Ke
«x Sa x* 7 PIS a An UTiu lOGsm
Mo
5 Aqu 11 Can
AS & 0
Su Me
Ve
5 Cap 12 LBO
Mo
SuAs Ra JP
Sa
«Stw b Sco BUbr vrra

The 9th lord from the Moon is Venus well placed in the 5th house with the
another benefic. Mercury, and forming the best raja yoga for Virgo. Note the
condition of Venus in D-9 where it gets exalted.

. Me Sa Mo
Je
/ jp \/ Ve Ma
V./ 5 Pis l8Art BGsfn
\ As /
(2) M

\i 'acsp Holm
,'i\ /«\,
Sa \ Su AsJp
: MO \_z_ MO B Sag 11 Seo llZUbf 11 Virg

The 5th house/lord of purva punya is also strong from both perspectives.
Mars is the 5th lord in its own sign/house from the ascendant, while from the
Moon there in an exchange between the 1st and 5th lords. His PK is Venus,
exalted in D-9.

He first became a disciple of Ramakrishna, and then was later ordained a

Swami by him, after moving into his Virgo period in Chara dasd. See how
strong the 9th house Taurus becomes from there, containing moksha karaka,
Ketu, and receiving the sign aspect of all three benefics, including its own lord,
Venus. Virgo brings into dramatic effect the Mercury-Saturn exchange, as well
as his Saturn-Moon conjunction. Taking a hint from the Pravrajyd yogas, it has
been my observation that the Moon, which represents the manas (mind,) under
the strong influence of Saturn, which is the planet of detachment and vairagya,
or yogic dispassion, inclines a person toward spiritual renunciation if other
factors in the chart support this.
 In 1885, Swami Vivekananda was said to have first experienced nirvakalpa
samadhi, a very high state of supra-consciousness. In vimsottarT, it was his
Rdhu-Ketu period. To understand it first realize that his Rdhu gives the results
almost exclusively of Mars since it is in its sign and aspects it. Mars is the 5th
lord in the 5th house of purva punya, aspected by Jupiter, but the 8th lord of
samadhi in the 8th house from Chandra lagna.

Ketu is in the 9th house from the Moon and gives the results only of Venus,
in the 5th house from there, and is exalted in D-9.

Ammachi

One of the most beloved gurus of the present time is the so-called
"Hugging Saint" Mata Amritanandamayi, better known as Ammachi. She
tirelessly travels the world dispensing her darshan or blessing by way of giving
hugs to all those who come to see her. Thousands appear at her events, and this
goes on for hours and hours without a break. Her charity projects are prodigious.
From Wikipedia:

"Embracing the wor/d, Amma's network of charily organizations provides

food, housing, education, and medical services for the poor. This global network
exists in 40 countries around the world and has built and supported schools,
orphanages, housing, and hospitals throughout India. In the United States, the
organization has provided soup kitchens and hot showers for the homeless,
books and hospital visits for prison inmates, and support for victims of domestic
violence. The organization also raised $1 million in aid for Hurricane Katrina
victims. The hospital located on the territory of Amma's ashram in Kerala offers
medical care on a sliding scale, allowing people to pay what they can afford.
This is often a minimal percent of the total medical cost."

Her birth chart tells the story.

M05*59' JPa'W
iTau »Gam

Ammachi iJ,25'
R37-A4 Sun. BWnlttJ »1000
P«V>liW»u,INOl* 1
(Cap _ __ Nt Leo

SSaus- Slho •31'

■ SCO h Lfcr b Vira
 Her AK is an exalted Mercury in the 12th house of moksha receiving the
sign aspect of Jupiter from the 9th house. Her PK is an exalted Moon in the 8th
house. Also:

• Both the 5th and 9th lords of her chart are exalted
• Jnana karaka, Jupiter, goes to the 9th house
• Jupiter, and Saturn as the 5th lord are in angle/trines giving Virinci
Yoga.
• Ketu is in a moksha sign, and falls in the 12th house from
karakamsa lagna (Leo), and receives the rashi drishti of an exalted
bright Moon exclusively.

jKimDtph—JHf |IJM_ J
Su/ 1
/' Ra Su As
v /
'' ■ r. n PI» fl2 Ari 11 Tau !2G«m
Mo
Ve
Mo N
\?/ l|io^ 3 Can
Ma
Ma
Me
>.10 r-l»CJF
-T- — 4 Leo
'"X Sa Jp Ke
\
i.Scs JSLir ' !

Presently running the Saturn mahd dasa, her exalted yogakdraka planet in
the 1st house, she is famous world-wide for doing tirelessly what all great
spiritual luminaries do, each in their own way. They serve God by serving
humankind.

Yogi Bhaskarananda-ji

ASzyty Sazyso-
i ; B2, 12 p>s 1i Art )!>Tau 3G«m
Razrur

Vogi 0
Bhacfcaranada-ji f381"
14M. 12/1/1913 1925* i
Y* jp^,ocap 5
—
te-ff Ve^
SUw , Jp25-*ff Meyg'
Mg.-. .! P Sag lasco |7Ubf SVim

Unless you have read K.N. Rao's book, Yogis, Destiny, and the Wheel of
Time, you will not recognize this name. Shri Rao refers to him in the book as his
"Jyotisa-guru," but also regards him as among the many saints he has had the
good fortune to know intimately in his life. He spent 40 years in caves in the
Himalayas doing yo^a sadhana starting at around age 16.

The striking feature of his birth chart from the spiritual angle is;

• a vargottama atmakaraka Moon in the sign of Dharma, Sagittarius

• in the 9th house of spirituality with Jupiter, the 9th lord, strong in
its own sign

• without the blemish of natural malefics or any other karakas

An equally striking feature is the over-all disposition and condition of his

5th house/5th lord and the Jaimini PK, showing his purva puny a.

• The 5th house contains the moksha karaka, Ketu, with the planetary
aspect of his 9th lord svaksetra Jupiter. These are the very
conditions under which Ketu becomes most "spiritualized"

• The 5th lord Sun is vargottama in the 8th house of samadhi in a

sarpa drekkdna, and the focal point of a truly superior Shubha
Ubhayachari Yoga, flanked as it is by benefics in their own sign.

• Sun is also the PK

In his navdmsa, the AK Moon is with moksha karaka, Ketu, and in a

mutual glance with the natural benefic, Venus, while the vargottama PK is with
jnana karaka, Jupiter.

RaVfi
IPIs 7 Art «Tiu BOm
MeSa
Ma
«f* E! nU.
Ma lr-
\ Me /
cap I LBO .
Eai
SuJp As
Sag IZSeo |l Ubr liaVnq

Kdrakdmsa/swamsha Lagna is Sagittarius, from where the Sun is in a

moksha sign in the 12th with a natural benefic, both in the birth chart and D-9.
Swami Vidyaranya (Moorkhananda-ji)

Another name you may not recognize unless you have read Shri Rao's
book is Swami Vidyaranya who made some remarkable predictions about his
life that subsequently came true decades later, using his yogic powers (siddhis).
He was an expert in mantras and their different effects, having made these
potent through his anuthasan or practice.

Jpjr.t/
\V Su». i PI» w An i Tiu 6 G«m
/> Ve,r
Me.

Swami Vidyafanya
SflL 12113/1613 034:00 Ktvu-
StMUntWCHA

11 SCO lOLIbr BVirt

Focus on the 5th house of mantra, as it is quite remarkable. The lagna lord
Saturn goes to the 5th house with an extremely bright, waxing and exalted
Moon, with the aspect of the two benefics Venus, and Mercury, who also happen
to be the 5th and 9th lords of the chart. Like Yogi Bhas/caranand-ji his 5th lord
and PK (Venus) are in the moksha sign, Scorpio, in a sarpa drekkdna, and
vargottama.

In the birth chart, his AK is a vargottama Jupiter in the 12th house without
a blemish.
Mjuimah* M Ph—iillpiiim
Ra /\
<

Su Ra
(/>

Ma \ 11 Pis 12 An 1 Tau G«m

Sa «X
WaMo
Sa
10 Aqu Can
(5)

EtCap Leo
JpKe Ve
Me
BSafl 7 Sco (e Lfljr Vira i

In navdmsa, it is with moksha karaka, Ketu, aspected by an exalted

benefic. Mercury.

Sagittarius again becomes the kdrakdmsa/swamsha lagna and has a

vargottama benefic in the 12th both in D-l and D-9.
Swami Paramananda Sarasvati

' /
Ke! Vto.^Su,
Moc, \, '-" SUa,,
/\ Ve.rw
\Mer»
/■ \ft /
Ma..* >
\ /"X Rj Shmrtn, XanwralP MOJAT
&*ra* IKOU ^rf/ir
V \/
/%\\
Ra*r<» /"\
Jpra \ Sco 13 Libr 2Vin

This is the chart of K.N. Rao's beloved guru, Swami Paramananda

Sarasvati, who also displayed many siddhis or yogic powers, including the
ability to foresee the future. At times, Shri Rao lived in his ashrams and helped
managed them. Were you to visit him in Delhi you would see Swami's picture
prominently displayed in the room.

His AK is a vargottama Sun and under the influence (rash? drishti) of three
benefics, including Jupiter and Mercury, both strong in their own sign. Mercury
is also the PK of his chart.

Other notable points are:

• The 5th lord Jupiter in its own sign in the 8th house Pisces, and
involved in Mukuta Yoga, the same pattern we saw in the chart of
Paramahamsa Yogananda.

• The 9th lord and yogakaraka planet, Mars, is vargottama and

placed in the strongest angle.
 • Moksha karaka Ketu is in the 12th house in a moksha sign, in a
sarpa drekkana and receives the planetary aspect of a strong
Jupiter.

• His chart has two Pravrajya Yogas, one in the birth chart, one in D-
9. Four planets are Gemini in strength in the rashi, including the
10th lord, Venus and in the navdmsa, the Moon is in the sign of
Mars aspectedby Saturn.

Mo Ma
Su
Ra
r \4/ B PIS 9 Art llO Tau 1 Gam
>-' As Si i
Jp SaKe
7 Aqu 2Can
RaJp
Ve
As
8 Cap J Lao
Me ^

SSafl 4 SCO 0 Libr JVirp 1

A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada

Through his International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON)

Swami Prabhupada spread the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and bhakti
yoga throughout the entire world. He became an influential scriptural
commentator of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. He taught thousands to
seek spiritual liberation through the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, the 16
word "Mahd Mantra" of this Vaishnava tradition.
Rar,r
Ma,™
\ii/ A6v
" 3 PIS 4 Art b Tau SGam
/
X
w san.« 2 Aflu 7 Can
A
/ \ / Swami Prabhupada JPn SU J
ASr.r TtM.arviaaa i5:4Soo Ka... n
V // \ / Caloma. INDIA
1 Cap 8 Leo
/J\ 5x
-Su,rwXn Ve"J S.,,. Me,,.
\ / K®rir \ Ve™
J l2Safl 11 See 110 Ubr BVirn
/ .. , . Prr ...

As one might imagine, he also has a remarkable birth chart from the
perspective of the astrology of spirituality, as well as for being a world-famous
gum. Like we have seen with all these spiritual luminaries, both his AK Moon
and PK Mercury are in an exceptional condition. They are exalted in his birth
chart and falling in the good 5th and 9th houses respectively. Other notable
features are:

An exalted lagna lord strongly placed in the 10th

A Dharma-Karma Raja Yoga in the 9th house of guru, with an

exalted 9th lord Mercury applying to its extreme point of exaltation.
He came to great fame as a spiritual teacher in his Mercury maha
dasa.

• Venus, Mercury, and Mercury has the 9th lord in trine houses gives
Srinath Yoga

• An exceptional 8th house of samadhi, with the 8th lord Sun its own
sign/house conjoined with jnana karaka, Jupiter, and moksha
karaka, Ketu

As his Kdrakdmsa/Swamsha Lagna is Virgo, Leo becomes the 12th house

from here, containing the very combination given in the Jaimini Sutras for
spiritual liberation.
tevmkVpouM
Vie Jp Ma
SaKe
t
Sa )■"/
/ As 2 Pig 3 Art Tau Gam
J
P /\
Ke/ As
1 Aqu rA 6 Can
v!
Ve
12 Capr- . . TUeo
Ra
Ra ^
Su
n saa 0 Sco SUbr B Vim 1

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

At the same time, Swami Prabhupada was inspiring people to chant Hare
Krishna, the man known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was teaching thousands
world-wide his technique of Transcendental Meditation (TM), while training
others to do so, including me.
 \ii
«.x Ufi,r,r
As»-^

MXivicM MAoti Yogi Mo,

Mj , 1| Fri, IflZHBir fl SOOO
Ma,w ^P-'.iNtw
I Cap B Leo

llZSaq 111 Sec llOUbr bvitg

Like Swami Vivekananda, his AK is a vargottama Sun in the sign of

Dharma, Sagittarius, only his goes to the 12th house with the natural benefic and
yogakaraka 5th lord, Venus. It also gets the aspect of its sign lord, Jupiter, and
the influence of the vargottama Rahu-Ketu axis. His PK is Saturn, getting
directional strength in the 7th house.

The very distinctive feature of his chart is the Mars-Mercmy combination

in his 1st house in a mutual glance with the lagna lord, Saturn. See that it is a
combination of;

• Mercury, the 9th lord of gum, in the 1st house getting directional
strength, conjoined with an exalted 4th lord Mars, giving raja yoga.

• The mutual glance of these trine and angle lords with the 1st lord
Saturn, also getting directional strength, form multiple, high-powered raja
yogas.

After spending the latter portion of his Moon period doing yoga sadhana in
a cave in the Himalayas following the death of his own famous guru, Swami
Brahmananda Sarasvatl, the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, he emerged and
first gained worldwide recognition as a spiritual teacher in his Mars mahd dasd,
activating the raja yogas.

Padre Pio

Of course, the spiritual tradition of India is not the only one that has
produced spiritual luminaries. All the great religious traditions have their revered
saints and holy men and women. One from the Catholic tradition is Padre Pio,
who exhibited the miraculous phenomenon of the "stigmata" or the bleeding
wounds of Jesus Christ.
 ■HailMtMMM
\ /\ / Ma.^Su,,
Me«
8 S™ \// Is PI. 7 Art 8Tau 9 Gam
A8,n,
SMirtJ
10 Can
\ Kejrw /"x /W Kt~v
Padre Pio
\ / \ /Sa <cj HVM wwtas? 17COCO
IT
\'» 5. v 7
11 Leo
/"X Mo.r, P —
\ .'SUii.rN
\ / Me,,,
\ ■ Ma,-® \ JSad Z Sea IlLfcf 12 Vlrg

Like Ramana Maharshi, he has his AK Saturn in the 9th house vargottama.
His Saturn is joined by the natural benefic Venus, strong by an exchange with
Mercury, and the Moon.

His PK is Mercury, strong also by the exchange, and falling in the 8th
house as we saw in the chart of Ammachi. It receives the sign aspect of jnana
karaka, Jupiter and moksha karaka, Ketu, but is also with the Sun and Mars.

The worldwide recognition received by this simple priest from an obscure

Italian village can be seen from the Parashari angle by the powerful raja yogas
formed by the 1st lord Venus, the 10th lord Moon, and the yogakaraka planet
Saturn in the 9th house of the priesthood. These grahas receive the planetary
aspect of Jupiter, getting dik bala in the 1st house. Saturn, Jupiter, and Saturn as
the 5th lord give a powerful Virinchi Yoga, The phenomenon of his stigmata and
the subsequent fame from it started in his Satum-Venus-Moon period in
vrnisottaril

From the Jaimini angle, it can be seen from the major raja yogas formed
by these same planets in Gemini. There is the special Moon-Venus raja yoga,
but more significantly, a conjunction of the AK and AmK, with these karakas
having sources of strength. It happened in a Pisces sub-period in Chara dasa,
receiving the aspect of these grahas, and a Virgo, sub-sub-period, from where
these fall in the 10th house.

See this interesting account of his life from the Lois Rodden's
Astrodatabank web site.

"His stigmata first appeared 9/20/1918 when one of the brothers found him
with his hands bleeding copiously. He was taken immediately to his cell. When
the doctor arrived, he insisted that photographs be taken. There was no reason
for the wounds, and the blood did not coagulate but left a pleasant odor. These
stigmata remained visible for his lifetime. The church did not welcome the
phenomena and they restricted Pio to his quarters, not allowing him to give the
Mass or sacraments while conducting examinations and inquiries, both by
medical specialists and church dignitaries. He was kept under tight watch to see
that he was not physically mutilating himself, with his hands in tight dressings
and sealed with wax. No fraud could be found; indeed, the bloody bandages
remained sweet smelling. With a dilemma on their hands, the Vatican forbade
him to show his hands to anyone other than his inquisitors. From 1931 to 1933,
he was sentenced to remain incognito.

On 6/05/1923, the Vatican had published an apostolic act officially

informing the public that the phenomena associated with the Capuchin Brother
Padre Pio had not been authenticated by Rome as supernatural. In 1933, to
silence the Padre, his superiors ordered him to another monastery. When word
got out, the people revolted. Peasants, businessmen, hotelkeepers and even the
mayor blocked all the exits from the monastery, armed with hatchets, scythes,
and rifles, ready to stop any attempt to take their priest away. Business was
booming in the town due to the rumors and declarations of evidence, and the
good Italians wed their sense of devotion with their sense of commerce. iVever
again did Padre Pio receive orders of transfer.

While the priest was in solitary confinement, people reported that he was
seen at different bedsides of the ill and stricken. At times he was seen hundreds
of miles away, comforting and healing, at the same time that he was known to be
at prayers in the chapel. Pio was allowed once more to celebrate the Mass - at
5:00 AM. The people were not deterred by the hour but flocked to the church to
see the man whose hands bled when he lifted them in blessing, as had those of
Christ.

No mystic was ever the victim of so many attacks by his peers or faced such
hostility in the bosom of the church. It was the sheer weight of the mass of
people who sustained him. During WWII, soldiers from Europe and as far away
as American made the rugged trek up to the mountainous village and carried the
awesome story home with them of the priest who bore the wounds of Christ. One
day in 1947, a Polish priest, just ordained, came to the monastery to make his
confession and heard Pio say, "One day you will be Pope." Later, John Paul II
prayed before the tomb of Padre Pio.

His miracles numbered in the thousands. In the tradition of stigmatics, he

had the graces of bi-location (being seen in more than one place
simultaneously); distant vision; knowledge of the past, present and future life of
the faithful; reading of souls; and healing. He suffered continually, with the
wounds also on his feet, and it was witnessed that on occasion while saying the
Mass, he levitated. While in the state of mystical ecstasy, he appeared to be
catatonic, though at times he was heard conversing with unseen angels. Known
as a great healer, he was visited by multitudes, whose donations helped build
and support a hospital.

Padre Pio died on 9/23/1968. On the day of his death, the stigmata
disappeared, leaving a clear and immaculate skin. He was beatified by the
Roman Catholic Church on 5/02/1999 and canonized on 06/16/2002, Rome at
10.21 AM."

In light of this account, the other feature of his birth chart worthy of note is
the exchange between the 8th and 9th lords, with the 9th lord Mercury coming
under the additional influence of the malefics, Mars and the Sun. This was the
virtual "house arrest" and continuous enmity and persecution that he suffered at
the hand of Church authorities. As the article above states, "From 1931 to 1933,
he was literally sentenced to remain incognito." This coincided with the advent
of his Mercury period in late 1930, his 9th lord but also his 12th lord of
confinement.

Given his unique and unusual stature in Church history, and his relatively
recent canonization, it is also instmctive to see his Vmsdmsa (D-20), which
Parashara gives specifically for seeing spirituality.

Five of nine grahas obtained an excellent dignity. The Moon and Jupiter
are exalted, Venus and Saturn are in their mulatrikona signs, and Mercury is in
its own sign. He ran Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury consecutively. Recall that the
stigmata first appeared in Saturn-Venus, both dignified, and in a 5-9 relationship
in D-20.

Mo Me
!PIS 8 Art (4 Tiu 5G«ni
AsSa JJDSU
2 a
Mo $

)/ VelF**

Jd SU |U Sag ItO See jBUfar SVin

Whereas this period and sub-period marked the beginning of the

phenomenon, the question remains as to the specific planetary combinations in
his chart that indicate the potential for something like stigmata, I am not aware
of anything given in any Sanskrit classic of Jyotisa that speaks to this.

However, it is a "supernatural" occurrence, and like all such phenomenon,

including the miraculous powers he was reputed to have like bi-location,
levitation, etc., it speaks of the 8th house. One of the meanings attributed to the
1st lord in the 8th house in the Brhat Parasara Hora Sastra is "siddha vidya
visharada" meaning that the individual may acquire "knowledge of occult
powers." This reference and others, clearly mark the 8th house as having to do
with such matters.

There is something about the exchange in Padre Pio's chart of the 1st and
8th lord Venus with the 9th and 12th lord Mercury that points in this direction.
Mercury is the karaka of the hands, and its presence in the 8th house, closely
conjunct Mars, the planet signifying wounds, is suggestive this way.

His canonization as an official saint of the Catholic Church came some 34

years after his death. The presiding Pope at the time was John Paul II, who Padre
Pio had told back in 1947 when he was just a newly ordained priest from Poland
that he would one day become the Pontiff of Rome.

Saint Teresa of Avila

She is another saint in the Christian tradition, who lived in the 16th
century. A Carmelite nun. St. Teresa is credited with the reformation of that
religious order, and was canonized in 1622, by Pope Gregory XV and later
named a Doctor of the Church.

She is said to have never sought out the mystical experiences she is known
for, but resigned herself to God's will and considered the experiences a divine
blessing. She spent long hours in meditation that she called the "prayer of quiet"
and the "prayer of union" the descriptions of which sound exactly like those of
different stages of samadhi in the literature of Yoga,

During such prayers, she frequently went into a trance, and at times entered
upon mystical flights in which she would feel as if her soul were lifted out of her
body. She said her spiritual ecstasies were like a "detachable death" and her soul
became awake to God as never before when the faculties and senses are dead.

The birth time given here comes from a written record of her mother's. I
believe the lagna of the birth chart can be relied upon, but probably not that of
the vargas.

Ke_ As Me
\ / \ / VeSu
2M. 3 T8U k G«m

SX«A ra

\\ // Saanf Tereta of< Avila

W#<J. Avila. SPAINHBOO
siboo rxQ
Si.
— Mo
\lllO Sao |6Sco BUir l7Vim

Regardless, her AK is a vargottama Sun in Pisces in a sarpa drekkdna,

with the additional influence of a vargottama Mercury, exalted Venus and a very
bright, waxing Moon. There is no influence of natural malefics.

Her PK Saturn is also in a moksha sign and sarpa drekkdna, falling in the
9th house.

One of the distinctive features of her chart is the 1-3 exchange between
Venus and Jupiter, the latter her lagna lord, while Venus is also the 8th lord of
her chart. Though her Jupiter-Mars conjunction is that of the 1st and 9th lords, it
is also the lagna lord closely conjunct a natural malefic and in a dose mutual
aspect with another one, Saturn. Much of her life she was plagued by illnesses.

But these combinations are also quite interesting in the light of some
mystical experiences she had in her Jupiter-Venus period, which she describes in
her autobiography. Keep in mind the exchange between these two planets,
Venus' lordship of the 8th house, and Jupiter afflictions.

"In another vision, a seraph Cangel) drove the fiery point of a golden lance
repeatedly through her heart, causing an ineffable spiritual-bodily pain.

I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the point, there seemed to be
a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to
pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also
and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great that it
made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain,
that I could not wish to be rid of it"

This vision was the inspiration for one of Bernini's most famous works, the
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa at Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome.
 In Chora dasa, many of these spiritual ecstasies that she describes in her
autobiography occurred in her Leo major period, from where the planets in
Pisces including her AK, fall in the 8th house.

Therese Neumann

In his Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda has a chapter

entitled Therese Neumann, The Catholic Stigmatist of Bavaria, in which he gives
a vivid first-hand description of one of her re-occurring visions of the Passion of
Jesus Christ on Good Fridays. Like Padre Pio, she is said to have exhibited the
stigmata.

From Wikipedia:

"She said that on 5 March 1926, the first Friday of Lent, a wound had
appeared slightly above her heart, but that she had kept this secret. However,
she did report a vision of Jesus at Mount Olivet with three Apostles.

On 12 March, she said she had another vision of Christ at Mt. Olivet,
along with the crowning of thorns. She also claimed that the wound above her
heart reappeared on this day, and she spoke to her sister about it. She claimed
the wound also reappeared on Friday of the following week. By 26 March, she
was claiming the same wound accompanied by a vision of Christ bearing the
cross and a similar wound on her left hand. Blood was observed on her clothing,
and she no longer attempted to keep the information to herself.

On Good Friday, Neumann, according to her testimony witnessed the

entire Passion of Christ in her visions. She displayed wounds on her hands and
feet accompanied by blood apparently coming from her eyes. By 3 p.m. that day,
her parish priest Fr. Josef Naber was summoned to give Neumann the Last
Rites. By 4 o'clock, her condition improved. The wounds on her feet and hands
were observed when she was bathed.

On Easter Sunday, she claimed a vision of the resurrection of Christ. For

several consecutive Fridays after that, she stated she was experiencing the
Passion of Christ, apparently suffering in her own body along with all his
historic agonies. She claimed to have especially suffered the Passion on Good
Friday each year.

By 5 November 1926, she displayed nine wounds on her head as well as

wounds on her back and shoulders. According to several sources, these wounds
never healed or became infected and were found on her body at death."
 One hardly knows what to make of such phenomenon. All we can do is
look her birth chart. It has some similar features actually to that of St. Teresa of
Avila's.

• She also has an AK Sun vargottama in Pisces, getting the additional

influence of the natural benefic, Jupiter.

• There is the 1-9 combination brought about by the mutual glance

between these same grahas from the Parashari angle.

• Her lagna lord Jupiter gets the affliction of Mars as well

/
^ Ve™
y-j. SUmms-MSIS'SJ
b 4 p|s 5 Ar1 b Tau y

Thefsw Naumann
p
I \an'?'
a ♦GCR
s«KtmwfMauih.
wises voooo
woo
Vera \ / ?Ca
Vi P BLOC
ASarSS' | Sa 19-3y[ MO25 A3-
. I JPinn
\J l< Sag llZSeo [11 Ubf iOVirg I

She also suffered many physical problems, becoming partially paralyzed

and bedridden after a fall in her Saturn major period, with this planet in the 12th
house of confinement in an exchange with the 12th lord.

However, it was in the last sub-period of this maha dasa, Saturn-Jupiter,

that her initial visions and the stigmata occurred. Note that Saturn is in a sarpa
drekkdna at 19 degrees of Scorpio.

In Chara dasa, it seems her visions began in the Leo period, from where
her vargottama AK in Pisces falls in the 8th house, similar to what we saw in the
case of St. Teresa of Avila.

As a final note, the placement of Mercuiy, Venus and the 9th lord Sun give
Srinath Yoga.

Revisiting Pravrqjya Yoga

It is not all that uncommon to find four planets in a sign/house, yet rarely
will you see just this fact alone producing a real sannyasin as in the case of
Swami Paramananda SarasvatL The verse from BPHS stipulates that the planets
involved must be strong, and from my observation, it helps if the 10th lord is
involved and not combust. But generally speaking, additional factors need to
come into play, and we saw that Swami had the Moon in the sign of Mars
aspected by Saturn in the navamsa as well.

However, the verses quoted earlier about this particular Pravrajya Yoga
also suggested that this could simply make someone inclined to revere such
people and spiritual teachings. Of course, this would be particularly so if four
planets were in the 9th house.

See the chart of Deepak Chopra.

2 PIS 3 Art (4 Tau 5 Gam

/

1 Aqu ' •&

P)1 8 Can
6
Ve,„ Deepak Chopra
TUs. MiWOU'
ICHanMSd, IPCU
IMSM
12
Cap 7 Leo
1
Ma^-w
V#,., -SPr- Mo,..
SM,..,
It Sag 10 SCO BUbr B Virg

Four planets are in his 9th house Libra, including his 10th lord Mars,
involved in a very powerful 9-10 exchange. His great fame as an author/teacher
on spiritual topics is readily seen from this configuration.

It started in his Jupiter major period when he began the practice of

Transcendental Meditation and subsequently became a close personal disciple of
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He went on to become hailed as a "New Age Guru"
himself on the cover of Newsweek magazine, and for decades has conducted
retreats and seminars with such titles as "The Seduction of Spirit" at his Chopra
Center for Weil-Being. He is not by any definition an ascetic in that he is quite
affluent, is a householder with the family and so on. But he does very much
revere such individuals and the spiritual goals to which they dedicate their lives.
In 2011 he did become an ordained Buddhist monk, at least for a month.

You can read an article about this online in the Huffington Post entided "A
Monk's Journey" dated May 25, 2011. He concludes it by summing up what he
learned from the experience.

What did I learn?

"When we let go of our habitual certainties and the labels and definitions that
we and that others have given i/s, what emerges is a pure innocent, joyful,
humble, creative, and free consciousness. It certainly is the experience of a more
real, authentic self that lies beneath our social masks.

• The monks themselves were the perfect embodiment of the elegance

of simplicity, equanimity, compassion, kindness, and joy.

• The peasants and villagers were generous and giving, and in my

view, they had more happiness than some of the wealthiest people
in the world.

• The awareness of impermanence makes every moment precious and

an opportunity for giving and receiving.

• Compassion helps us go beyond the illusion of the separate self.

• Life is a continuum of experiences that occur in an eternal now.

When we are grounded in present-moment awareness, there is an
awakening of innocence, joy, and knowingness that is our essential
nature.

• Understanding and embracing impermanence and being aware of

our death makes every moment precious and reminds us of what is
really important in our life so that we can be happy and make
others happy.

• We create our own environment. The quiet dignity and serenity of

the monks and the villagers who embraced us created an
atmosphere of peace, joy, and a feeling of abundance that money
cannot buy."

Earlier in this article, I mentioned my observation that Satum-Moon

contacts in a chart can incline a person toward renunciation. Look at his chart
again, and you will see that Saturn aspects his Moon. It was in his Saturn-Moon
period that he became a monk!

Then there is the curious case of Osho, better also known as Bhagwan
Rajneesh, another very prominent guru from the hippie era.

llPift i2An 1 Tau zGam

Bhagwar) R^natart
IJISOO
Gadamara, INCtA
LC?P
v«„J
MSrr UOi-. Sco e Libr 5Vt
Ve \«

His AK is an exalted Jupiter in an exchange with its sign lord, the Moon,
giving Mukuta Yoga and getting only the sign-aspect of the Sun in the birth
chart.

In his navamsa, it goes into its own sign Pisces with the moksha karaka,
Ketu, but is also under the influence of the worst natural malefics. This seems
rather fitting for the very controversial spiritual leader that he was.

The quite obvious distinctive feature of his chart is the Pravrajya Yoga
produced by the five planets in Sagittarius in the 8th house, including the 10th
lord Saturn, with none combust.
Pi pmwmtnw WMMMMCtimanaawoM— ^
1
[ Me/\ Ma . I Ma

A 8 Pl« |1Q/W |l1 Tau 12 Ow

As
\ / Su As
/ ^—I (V) 'C4n—
Me
\Mo/\ /'j ^
\ / \ / Jfi Cap ,
•X' Ke '
x Mo
" " Sa WeRa
/ Sa Su \| pSaq 5 Sco (4 lAr 3 Virg

Some have chosen to see this as an indication of yoga-brashta or the "fall

from yoga" spoken of in the Bhagavad-Gita. About this, I cannot comment, but
it did produce a life of many ups and downs, and some very dark intrigues
around him, some of the more unsavory meanings of the 8th house.

The aspect of so many planets onto the 2nd house, including the lord,
Mercury, made him a truly spell-binding speaker by all accounts. There exist
several thousand audio and video discourses of his.

He once said he became spiritually enlightened on March 21, 1953, when

he was 21 years old, in a mystical experience while sitting under a tree in the
Bhanvartal garden in Jabalpur, though he said on other occasions he had not. It
was Moon-Venus-Jupiter in vimsottarL Since the period and sub-period lords are
in the 8th house, while the pratyantar dasa lord, Jupiter, is an exalted 8th lord, it
certainly is a dasd sequence that could give mystical experiences. Then again,
with so many planets in the 8th, many such periods become eligible.

Ordinary People

In all the charts shown thus far, we have not only seen factors that incline
these individuals toward the spiritual life but yogas that made them very well-
known, in some cases even world famous. But of course, great spirituality exists
as well within individuals living very ordinary lives.

It has been my privilege over the past 11 years to host a satsanga or

"gathering of truth-seekers," in my home on Thursday nights. We study the
sacred scriptures of Yoga like the Bhagavad-Gita and engage in yoga practices
like pranayama and meditation. Many who have participated over the years are
life-long spiritual aspirants dedicated to pursuing the goal of God-realization and
spiritual liberation. They are not sannyasins, they live in the world, have careers
and families, but still, their lives are centered around spiritual values. They have
beautiful souls and have beautiful soul-indicators in their birth charts.

Su™, /\ tit"*
\«/ Ver« I Pis 6 Art «Tau 7 Gam
'K ASinr
MSbi
// \\
A
A
\ /
v7 . -
As,,, sa™
A r »V«r- BSrir
v
111 Sag 112 Sw 111 Ubr HOVira

This is the chart of a woman nearly sixty who since her adulthood has been
a devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda and a dedicated practitioner of the Kriya
Yoga that he taught. She and her husband host kirtans or devotional music
concerts at the temple they built on their property, and take pilgrimages to sacred
sites in India each year. She teachers hatha yoga and is a holistic health
practitioner, besides doing volunteer work for the Self-Realization Fellowship
Church that they attend. She maintains a purely vegetarian diet and has one of
the most sattvic lifestyles of which I am aware.
 Like we have seen in the charts of so many of the spiritual luminaries, her
atmakaraka is a vargottama planet (Mars) in the moksha sign of Pisces. In her
case see that it is also under the influence by Jaimini sign aspect of all the
natural benefics, including a bright waxing Moon and its sign-lord Jupiter.
Jupiter is her PK, strong by an exchange with its sign lord, Mercury.

The next chart is concerning a woman who in recent years has had the
unusual karma of being trained as a pujari at a Hindu temple in northern
California, not a common occurrence for a woman. She has purchased a large
home which she calls "The Peace House" and has turned it into a center for
spiritually-oriented gatherings and events. She does daily yoga sadhana and
maintains a purely vegetarian diet.

MB,.» SU»,
ve.„

\ / SUjr,! L -

Seo B Lifer H Viiq

Her AK is Saturn in its own sign in the 5th house of mantra, spiritual
practices and purva punya. It is with a bright Moon and receives the sign aspect
of two other benefics Mercury and Venus.

Her lagna lord Mercury goes to the 9th house of religious rituals with the
9th lord Venus. She is currently running her Satum-Venus period in vimsottan.

Remarkably, her chart has all three yogas given earlier than can incline a
person toward the spiritual life, Srikanth, Srinath, and Virihci Yogas.

^ Rj.MID-lia.ran RHM tDI I Om* i

Rdrv
//\\ Mlun KVJJ
Sunw Jc>. <'
.11 / AV» 3 Pis 4 Art 15 Tau 6 Gam -1
Ve^w
/\ ■ \ Su..„
SSw-iu- . 2AC|U Can
Ma 1 in r ( &'>
' //
V««„
A*,,,
v's i Cap BL©0
■I /■»\ 1
SS'I'V
Ea-w
/ Ke™ \/ MOirr \ 12 Sag 11 See IIOLftr 9Viro
 The chart given above is that of her spiritual partner in life. His
atmakaraka is an exalted Saturn in an exchange with its sign lord Venus, and
getting the sign aspect of the Sun and a very full waxing Moon. His PK is Mars
in its own sign.

His chart also shows Srinath Yoga, as Mercuiy, Venus, and Mercury as the
9th lord are together in the lagna. Accordingly, he is a very dedicated devotee of
Vishnu's avatars, Ram and Krishna, and has spent a good deal of his life
chanting their sacred names, one of the effects of this yoga given in PhaladTpika.
His guru came into his life in his late teens in the Venus-Mercury period, and he
has done the daily yoga sadhana taught to him by his teacher ever since.

After a very successful career as a professor of astrophysics, he is now

retired and spends his time teaching all aspects oi yoga science, going on retreats
at the ashram of his guru, and doing Vedic rituals with his partner.

Below is the chart of another lifelong devotee of Yogananda, but someone

who is also a disciple of a Swami who himself had been a close shisya of the
great master. He made a fortune as a high-ranking corporate executive, is now
retired and dedicates his life to carrying on the legacies of his guru. He built a
beautiful temple on his property where he holds weekly services, hosts satsangas
and teaches Kriya Yoga. He makes frequent pilgrimages to sacred sites in India
and teaches there as well.

tPl8 9 Art 10T8U 11 Gem

I SCO a Libr 2 Vira

His AK is Jupiter in the 9th house in a Friend's sign in the birth chart, but it
goes into its own sign, Sagittarius, in the navdmsa with moksha karaka, Ketu and
the sign aspect of three benefics.

Distinguishing features of his birth chart from the spiritual angle are his
strong 9th house of the guru, where the 9th lord is in the 9th house with two
benefics, including the 5th lord Jupiter. His lagna lord goes to a moksha house in
a moksha sign in a sarpa drekkana and is in a Shubo Ubhayochari Yoga, as it is
flanked by all the benefics. He has had a lot of mystical experiences.

iMeRa
!
Up X. As Ve
Ke s" Sa npi« [7 Aii WTau ,9 Gam

Ve-
\ .fide |^jp Su SaAs
Mo\/ Mass: asco ,'1Uto- -avira

The chart below is that of a beloved woman friend who co-hosts the
Thursday night satsanga with me and is simply one of the finest human beings I
know. She is a yoga and meditation teacher, maintains a pure vegetarian diet,
and never fails to help anyone in need.

lie.,, -
Mo,™
Jpat,/ Majr,/
'-■* As,™, _
Su,», 1 Ptfc l\2M 11 Tau 2 Gam
/ \ / \ I
\*/
'f?'
/ VCro
\\ //
| Sfco.
'Scd leiAr 5 Vin

Her AK is Mars in its sign in the 12th house, sign aspected by two
benefics. In the navamsa, it goes into the dharma sign Sagittarius, with the
moksha karaka, Ketu, and has the influence of two benefics again, including a
vargottama Jupiter.
luwdn. i
Me | Me RaSa
As
Ra Up
3 12 Pt» 1 Art BTau }G«m
Up x
Sa
Mo
P)
MO
10 Cap 5 Leo
1
Ve
Su
MaKe
9Sas a sco (/Lkr JVirg !

This shows her innate spirituality that expresses itself not in any outward
display, but in her simple goodness, beneficial actions and the uplifting effect
that she has on everyone who comes in contact with her.

The last chart I would like to discuss this way is that of my Jyotisa-guru,
K.N. Rao. I know he wouldn't like it, since he always dismisses any attempt to
put him on any pedestal, especially a spiritual one, with remarks like "I am just
an ordinary man." Thousands of his students over the decades would disagree,
including me. He has been on a very dedicated spiritual path for most of his
adult life, and through his astrological activities has influenced so many people
to take to spiritual life and do spiritual practices. I heard him confess once that
this is one of his main purposes in teaching astrology.
lUalK IB-11 0---r-crrl
KSirw / 1
/ Me*.. Ba,r»
MOj-u \Su«^/
Veru w1 B PIS TArt (BTau SGar
S- AS*.* A
*' Ma*..
V/jp^ > 5 A<!U &
\ /\ / K.N. Rao
\ \ / * Cap
■A /\ S'ir. |

\ isa 1■2 Sct> |l Ubf :1?Viry

His AK is the Sun in the 12th house of moksha, with the moksha karaka,
Ketu and with an exalted benefic, who is also the PK of his chart. In navdmsa,
his AK Sun is strong in its own sign, Leo, and gets the sign aspect of Ketu,

It was this combination and the spiritual promise that it holds that his own
Jyotisa-guru, Yogi Bhaskarananda-ji, saw and spoke to him about, as recounted
in his Shri Rao's book Yogis, Destiny and the Wheel of Time.

Summary

At the beginning of this article, I quoted a Jaimini sutra implying that the
over-all condition of the atmakaraka in a birth chart provides clues to the soul's
bondage or liberation from the karmic cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The
implication is also that the AK indicates the degree to which a person may be
inclined toward spiritual goals and ideals, or may even achieve these. I wrote of
my initial reaction upon first seeing this sutra of wanting to research this concept
by examining the AK in the charts of spiritual luminaries. I've now shared some
of those researches, and they can be summarized in the tables below;

Spiritual Luminary Condition of AK

Anandamayi Ma Exalted and vargottama in Pisces
i i
 Ramakrishna Paramahansa Exalted in the 12th with mutual
aspect of Ketu
Ramana Maharshi Vargottama in the 9th house with
Ketu
Paramahansa Yogananda In moksha sign/house and with
Jupiter in D-9
Swami Vivekananda Vargottama in Sagittarius with subha
argala
Ammachi Exalted in the 12th with aspect of
Jupiter
Yogi Bhaskarananda-ji Vargottama in Sagittarius in the 9th
with Jupiter
Swami Vidyaranya Vargottama in Sagittarius and in own
sign in the 12th
Swami Paramananda Vargottama and aspected by Jupiter
in own sign
Swami Prabhupada Exalted in the 5th

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Vargottama in Sagittarius in the 12th

with the influence of a benefic and
Ketu
Padre Pio Vargottama in the 9th and with
benefic influence
St. Teresa Avila Vargottama in Pisces and with an
exalted benefic
Therese Neumann Vargottama in Pisces and with
benefic influence
Bhagwan Rajneesh Exalted benefic

Additionally, we saw that the PK, representative of their purva punya, were
also very often in an exceptional condition.

Spiritual Luminary Condition PK

Anandamayi Ma Exalted in the 5th

Ramakrishna Paramahansa Exalted in the 9th

Ramana Maharshi Vargottama in the 5th

Paramahansa Yogananda In Pisces in the 8th with Jupiter

Swami Vivekananda Exalted in the navamsa

Ammachi Exalted in the 8th

Yogi Bhaskarananda-ji Vargottama in the 8th

Swami Vidyaranya Vargottama in Scorpio

Swami Paramananda In own sign

Swami Prabhupada Exalted in the 9th

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Gets dik bala

Padre Pio In the 8th and involved in an

exchange
St. Teresa Avila In the 9th in Scorpio and a sarpa
drekkana
Therese Neumann In the 5th with a benef ic

Bhagwan Rajneesh In the 8th in Sagittarius

Observations

From this overview, it can readily be seen that the atmakarakas of all these
extraordinary souls are in exceptional conditions. Furthermore:

• 10 out of 15 are vanjottama

• Five are exalted
• One is in own sign
• 3 are in Pisces, the sign most associated with moksha
• 4 are in Sagittarius, the sign most associated with dharma.
• 4 are in the 12th house of moksha.
• 3 are in the 9th house of dharma
• 2 have the additional influence of moksha karaka, Ketu
• 8 have the additional influence of natural benefics

As to the PK of these spiritual luminaries, eleven out of 15 are either

exalted, in own sign, vargottama, or have some other source of strength. Almost
all fall in spiritually significant houses or signs.

Whereas IVe shown this only sporadically in this article, such an analysis
should also be done in the navdmsa.
The Caveat

Students are cautioned not to conclude from these findings that just seeing
an exalted or vargottama AK or PK means that the person is highly spiritual.
Many such instances can be found in the charts of people, not at all known for
this, or exhibiting such traits. A great spiritual promise will only be indicated
when these conditions of the AK and PK coincide in the context of a chart where
many other factors support awakened spirituality, both from the Parashaii and
Jaimini angles. This was seen in all the example charts, even those of "ordinary
people"

However, if such supportive and confluent factors are there, the vargas
confirm this, and the condition of the AK and PK are as we have seen in these
charts, then you just might be seeing someone with... The Soul Quality of Saints,
 Chapter Four

JAI GURU DEV

WHEN SPIRITUAL TEACHERS COME INTO

YOUR LIFE
When Spiritual Teachers Come into Your Life

My senior year in college was a very pivotal time for me. I was searching
for answers to the larger, existential questions of life and this eventually led me
to enroll in a student organized seminar whose reading list contained such
curious tomes as The Teachings of Don Juan by Carlos Castaneda and
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Both books contained
fascinating accounts of spiritual teacher-disciple relationships and reading them
left me wishing for one of my own. Fortunately, I did not have long to wait.

When discussing The Autobiography of a Yogi with fellow students, one

mentioned that there was a place nearby called the Temple of Kriya Yoga where
a man, Swami Kriyananda, was the spiritual preceptor, and that as a class project
we should all go on a "field trip" to "observe" him, something that strikes me
now as really quite humorous.

The good Swami held a satsanga (gathering of truth seekers) every Sunday
morning that was open to the general public and it was this that we attended. The
time period was still very much the "hippie era" in the U.S. and I can remember
walking into a large, crowded room full of very colorful-looking characters, both
men and woman, who were even more colorfully dressed. Think "tie dye" and
you will get the picture. A wall was adorned with pictures of the "Kriya Lineage
of Gurus" including Yogananda, his guru, Shri Yukteshwar, and others I
recognized from the Autobiography. I can remember being filled with a
wonderful sense of anticipation, but then feeling rather surprised and
disappointed when Kriyananda himself appeared.

I mean the man was dressed like what I expected a guru to be dressed like,
in Indian garb and all that. He had the requisite long, flowing beard and hair, was
handsome and of impressive stature, but his face was that of the ruddy
complexioned, bright blue-eyed Irish Catholics that I had grown up with. "How
can this man be a guru, he's not Indian!" I can remember thinking. Of course, I
am laughing at myself in retrospect here, and at the superficial and naive
assumptions with which I came to this encounter. However, as he began to speak
my initial disappointment faded and after about a half an hour I started to feel
like I may have found the guru I was looking for after all, that is, until he made a
reference to astrology. "This man believes in astrology! You've got to be
joking!"

Such were my thoughts at the time, since my view of the stellar science
was that of a medieval superstition that any reasonably intelligent, educated
person in their right mind could not possibly countenance. The comical irony of
this reflection should not be lost on the reader, since an astrologer is what I am,
and have been, since not long after meeting this man forty-three years ago!

I got over my qualms and began frequenting the Temple of Kriya Yoga
every Sunday thereafter, and after graduating from college enrolled in this man's
"Yoga Seminary," a two-year training to become a Swami in the Kriya Lineage.
The curriculum included learning Western astrology.

There is a saying in the Indian spiritual tradition that when the student is
ready the teacher appears, and had I known Jyotisa at the time I could have
easily foreseen that I was "as ripe as a tomato in July" for one to come into my
life.
lUlM^
Suru
/ \ K&w Jp™ Ve,„
\ / _ UCTU
\ ? // SiS v \,/ rpis Art 3 Tau Id Gom
Bln/t
/ \ / \
3 Aqu 11 Can
/'«\ vry
Marc Boney Mo
-
5Cap 12 Leo
** Jprir /I \
, BSa-M , \ ASru
sa~>
/ \ Ma.rr \ 3 Sco 2Ubf
/ , , . \/ Svw * Sao i vim

It was the major period of Mars and the sub-period of Venus. From
Chandra lagna, Leo, Mars is the 9th lord in the 9th house, and from the birth
lagna, Virgo, Venus is the 9th lord in the 9th house. See also that Mars is in
Venus' naksatra, Bharani. Ripe indeed.

The Guru

In the ancient culture and spiritual tradition of India, the figure of the guru
is very central and is considered to be of paramount importance for spiritual
development and advancement. The Sanskrit word guru according to some
etymologists literally means "heavy," the connotation being "heavy with spiritual
knowledge and wisdom."

Another etymological theory considers the term "guru" to be based on the

syllables gu( ) and ru( ), which stands for "darkness" and "light that
dispels it", respectively. The guru is seen as the one who dispels the darkness of
ignorance.
"The syllable gu means darkness, the syllable ru, he who dispels them, because
of the power to dispel darkness, the guru is thus named."

Advayataraka Upanishad, Verse 16.

From Wikipedia:

The gum-shishya or teacher-disciple relationship is at the very heart of the

many spiritual traditions of India including Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism.
Reference to the guru can be found in the oldest of the Vedic scriptures, the Rig
Veda where he/she is described as "the source and inspirer of the knowledge of
the Self, the essence of reality," for one who seeks. In the Upanishads, the guru
is mentioned repeatedly as indispensable for the acquisition of spiritual
knowledge.

The guru, and gurukula school run by guru were an established tradition in
India by the first millennium BCE, and these helped compose and transmit the
various Vedas, the Upanishads, texts of various schools of Hindu philosophy,
and post-Vedic Shastras ranging from spiritual knowledge to various arts. By
about the middle of the first millennium CE, archaeological evidence suggests
numerous larger institutions of gurus existed in India, some near Hindu temples,
where guru-shishya tradition helped preserve, create and transmit various fields
of knowledge. These gurus led broad ranges of studies including Hindu
scriptures, Buddhist texts, grammar, philosophy, martial arts, music and
painting.

Though in the India of today gurukuls have been replaced for the most part
by ashrams, the guru remains as an important a figure in the spiritual life of India
as ever before, and the whole history of the Sanatana Dharma is replete with
famous gum-shisya relationship stories.

Whereas the term has also become synonymous simply with "teacher," the
higher connotation is that of "spiritual guide," and the ultimate spiritual guide is
a Sat Guru, or someone who has themselves realized the Truth, become fully
enlightened or God-Realized, and can therefore lead and guide others to this
same state of spiritual liberation (moksha). Such individuals are quite rare, of
course, and it is a rare good karma to have such a guru. This is why I have
always found it very interesting to examine the charts of such individuals and to
also see the timing of when these sat gurus came into their life.

Paramahansa Yogananda
 One of the most famous first meetings of a spiritual seeker with the man
destined to be his sat guru is that of Paramahansa Yogananda and Sri Yukteswar.
Millions of people world-wide have read about this encounter in Autobiography
of a Yogi.

Yogananada recounts that he was out running an errand with a friend

when:

"I turned by head to survey a narrow, inconspicuous lane.... a Christ-like

man in ocher robes stood motionless at the end of the lane. Instantly and
anciently familiar he seemed; for a trice my gaze fed hungrily."

He walks away but soon turns back.

"Retracing my steps as though wing-shod, I reached the narrow lane. My

quick glance revealed the quiet figure steadily gazing in my direction. A few
eager steps and I was at his feet."

"Guriideva!" The divine face was one I had seen in a thousand visions. The
halcyon eyes in a leonine head with pointed beard and flowing locks had oft
peered through the gloom of my nocturnal reverie, holding a promise I had not
fully understood.

"O my own, you have come to me!1 My guru uttered the words again and
again in Bengali, his voice trembling with joy. "How many years I have waited
for you!"

"We entered a oneness of silence; words seemed the rankest superfluities.

Eloquence flowed in soundless chant from heart of master to disciple. With an
antenna of irrefragable insight I sensed that my guru knew God, and would lead
me to Him. The obscuration of this life disappeared in a fragile dawn of prenatal
memories. Dramatic time! Past, present, and future are its cycling scenes. This
was not the first sun to find me at these holy feet!"

The year was 1910. The future Yogananda was seventeen at the time and
running his Venus-Jupiter period in the vimsottan dasa. Can you see why this
period and sub-period brought a guru into his life?
 (MS 13'iJ RSlTUO'
I Jp23*5r
I Pis B Art IQTsu IIGsm

0
Yooenwda
TNJ,GofaHnw.lNOA IVIUj
20 1400 ASa'Jl
.

SUjS'l? \^624"*3' SSjOMJ-

Me^! Ke
5Sag kSco P Lfcf g VitB

Jupiter as a sub-period is readily apparent since this graha whose name in

Sanskrit is actually Guru is the natural signifier of spiritual teachers, here
strongly placed in its own sign, Pisces. Jupiter is also with the 9th lord Mars, the
9th being the house pertaining to spiritual teachers. However, Venus, the major
period when this happened, is related to the 9th house/9th lord only circuitously
through dispositorship, though it also gets the aspect of Jupiter.

The key to a fuller understanding of this timing is the concept of Karaka

lagna. Parasara Hora makes a special point of stating that when assessing
certain potentials in a chart, the relevant house must be seen, but also the
relevant house from the Karaka or planet indicating the person in question. For
example, for mother the 4th house, but then the 4th from the Moon. For father,
the 9th house but then the 9th house from the Sun. For younger siblings the 3rd
house, but also the 3rd from Mars and so on.

For guru, this would mean the 9th house but also the 9th from Jupiter.
When you see the chart using Jupiter in Pisces as the Karaka lagna then this
timing of Venus-Jupiter for meeting his guru becomes clear.

jftdfluM® Ra
1 Jpza-sr
1 Tau koam

PBIW™IW»B
THi. 20:14.00 IVIU3T
.
ASS-KT
II Cap BLco
Sujj'i j-1V ©ja'wl Sajo-u
I SCO PU*

The major period lord Venus is in the 9th house from there and the
combination of Jupiter-Mars becomes that of the 1st and 9th lords in the lagna.

It should also be noted that both Venus and Jupiter fall in Mercury's
naksatra. The placement of these planets by naksatra becomes quite relevant to
the results that these period and sub-period lords can bring. Mercury falls in the
5th house of purva punya or spiritual merit from previous lifetimes, which must
be very great and be activated for an individual to be so fortunate this way.
Jupiter, the sub-period lord, rules the 5th house.

From the Jaimini perspective it was the major period of Libra in Chara
dasa, with this sign containing the moksha Karaka, Ketu, and the 9th from Libra
getting the influence of five grahas including the svaksetra Jupiter, Karaka of
guru.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Karaka lagna also shows the timing of when a sat guru came into the life
of a teacher of mine, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It is a much beloved story among
those of us who studied with him and participated in his global efforts to get
people established in the regular practice of Transcendental Meditation (TM).

Mahesh Prasad Varma was a student of Physics at Allahabad University in

1941 when he first met Swami Brahmananda Sarawati, a wandering holy man of
great renown. Here is an account of that experience in his own words from an
interview:

"We sat outside his door a long time until we were finally admitted. We sat
down by the door which had been left open. Guru Dev sat in darkness. We could
only sense his presence since he didn't talk to us. Suddenly a car drove by on the
road and the headlights momentarily shone through the open door. For the first
time, I was able to see Guru Dev's face. Oh, it was a wonderful sight! I have
never seen anything so wonderful. Immediately I experienced a deep reverence
and devotion to him and I decided to do everything in my power to be in his
surroundings."

Shortly thereafter the wandering holy man disappeared into the forest
again. For over twenty years local officials had been dying to get him to accept
the position of Shankaracharya of the North (somewhat like becoming the Pope
of Northern India), which had been vacant for one-hundred years for lack of a
candidate deemed worthy. Finally, he relented not long after this meeting.

The man who later would be known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi applied to
become a monk and disciple of the new Shankaracharya, much to the
consternation of his parents. Brahmananda Sarasvatl agreed on the condition that
he finish his degree and get his parents blessings, which after some time he was
able to obtain, however reluctantly.

What happened next reveals both his shrewdness and his determination in
his avowed goal of being in his guru's presence as much as possible. He
approached the man whose job it was to daily clean and tidy up the private
quarters of the master with the idea that he would be happy to take over his
duties when the man might want a day off or to go on vacation. This man readily
agreed.
One time, when he was doing this and his master was present, Mahesh
observed that correspondence was piling up and going unanswered, and he
volunteered to sort through this and draft responses subject to his approval. In
this way, he gained his trust, became Brahmananda's personal secretary and
achieved his goal of "breathing in Guru Dev's air" as he put it. He recalled how it
took about two and a half years to attune himself to the thinking of Brahmananda
Sarasvatl and to gain "a very genuine feeling of complete oneness."

The year of the first encounter was 1941 and it was his Sun-Jupiter period.

Maharrthi
Prt i/uneuMahesrt Vogt
aeo-oo
Jabalpur, ffJOiA
6 Leo
, aa,.r
Su^Ve-r,
Iz MCW_ \[|12 Saa .11 SCO Iw U» BVtm !

His Sun is vargottama in Sagittarius, and as we saw in the case of

Yogananda's Venus, it falls in the 9th house from Karaka of guru, Jupiter, and
also receives its aspect. From the dasd lagna, Sagittarius, the Sun is the 9th lord.

Like in the previous case, the sub-period was of Jupiter itself, which also
falls in the 9th house from the Moon. The involvement of the 5th house/lord of
purva punya comes through the Sun's conjunction with the 5th lord and
yogakaraka planet, Venus.

That he would embrace spiritual renunciation and live in the ashram of his
guru during his Sun period is clearly indicated by the Sun's position in the 12th
house and with this graha falling in the 4th from the 9th (the guru's home).
 In Chara dasa it was the major period of Leo, from where Jupiter is in the
9th house and this sign also receives the rashi drishti of Jupiter. The sub-period
was likely Sagittarius.

The Beatles

The British rock group, The Beaties, were Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's most
famous disciples, and their stay in his ashram in Rishikesh in February, 1968, as
a part of a teacher training course received enormous world-wide press coverage.
They first met him in August in 1967 when they attended a lecture in London
and subsequently were initiated in TM, in a course in Wales.

Their interest in Eastern spirituality and a guru was prompted by George

Harrison of the group, and seeing the dasd he was running at this time very
obviously shows why.

VSg"i6' SSirsv

As"0" •"s "Pis 7 Art p Tati jaGwn

BaJ|SlW
I' K6i'47-|
5 Aqii ^ 10 Can
George Warrtson B&iar
I h/ta "*( 2/2V1943 010.00
>3 |i-
/a\ liftMSsa'zoj [As 10-10'
MOT-jd-
! Sco llUit* 12 VTlc

It was his Jupiter-Ketu period, with Jupiter in the 9th house from both the
birth lagna and the Moon. Note that from the dasd lagna, Gemini, Ketu falls in
the 9th house and is in the 5th house of purva punyahom the birth lagna,

John Lennon, rather the skeptic and cynic of the group, was in his Rdhu-
Mercuiy period.

|f Ke„ I

v
John Lennor *"
! y/ SUlTl*
I Ra.r.
Ma^Tr Ra„,
Mo+-,r
I Sco P LSx
 A guru coming into his life at this time shows up in a couple of different
ways. Rahu gives the results of Mars, the strongest house lord that it is with, and
Mars is the 9th lord of his birth chart. But then see that from the chandra lagna,
Capricorn, Rdhu is in the 9th and Mercury is the 9th lord.

. S3<2-5- SU3-4'
|\ /\ 711 Ve^riMe^ Jps-w
3 Art h Tau jSGtm
- X «r 7 I AS 18'8'
K6i8<44 MOingi
Sau-, (&)
Me*-* / \ Paul McCartney
TKi JOO 00 1
■au,-. -v /- \ _ _
Jpr« /g '

Mo,..,.
Mav. . 11 Sag 110 Sco 9 Ubf

Paul McCartney had just moved into his Venus major period and this again
obviously shows the potential for bringing a guru into his life as it is the 9th lord
of his birth chart aspecting the 9th house and residing in its own naksatra.

A*™ Jp,
Ktu-c 8«.
1 Pis p Art B Teu Gim
M#.n
Can
Su*.*
Ringo Starr
Su., ITHHO 008:110
Ma,,. ,11. cap
_ U«i«i UK p Leo
MO„.r « 1
Me,,.,.,

lOSaa 0 Sco B Ubf Vim |

For Ringo Starr, this period coincided with Ketu-Moon and Kefti-Mars.
From a strong chandra lagna Ketu is in the 9th house and from the birth lagna
Mars is the 9th lord with the Moon, the 5th lord of purva punyam the 5th house.

The Beaties weren1! the only celebrities that were with Maharishi in
Rishikesh at this time. Mike Love of The Beach Boys and movie star, Mia
Farrow also participated.
 SUl°4«' Sai8-2* ASrw
Ke
A m \ /ll » *W JpZITST
X.^'illOPIs .'ll Art 12T«u 1 G§m
A1 Lt —— f \
Ve^a
M6g«38'
Ke,., ■JP*®
Su... (?)
Mike Love
SM In&IMI 10:35 03

/" Me^dMa^
M03>46-| Rag-aB-
If/Sao
Sac gSoo
li BJJhf kvifg I

Mike Love had been initiated in Paris some months earlier in 1967, in his
Jupiter-Mercury period. Besides being Karaka of guru, Jupiter is with his 9th
lord Saturn, and Mercury is the lagna lord in the 9th house, with Venus the 5th
lord of purva punyaand mantra.

yf
s«.^
A*,rx.
3
V As,, ———

{&) 4 Can
Mia Farrow
Fn2fl>ri943
Lni At-jhIm,1i:2T«0
CA 5 Leo
. / K&rr

Jar,
SSco 7 Ubf evira

For Mia Farrow, it was her Moon-Saturn period, with the Moon in the 9th
house in a mutual aspect with Saturn.

Dr. Deepak Chopra was another famous disciple of Maharishi's and a

close associate and spokesperson for his organization for a long time before
becoming something of a guru himself. His birth chart and the timing of when
all this happened clearly reveals why.

Deepak Chopra
Tu. maMhl.NDM
ItfiVDO
\ /u*™
12 Cap
/f \ JpVT F
Su,,,. BS^ Mafw
V®r* JP'rv MOf
SU^T.
11 Sag 10 SCO 9Ubf SVifo

He has four planets in his 9th house including the 10th lord Mars involved
in a very powerful 9-10 exchange with the yogakaraka Venus. He met Maharishi
and was initiated in TM just after moving into his Jupiter mahadasd.

In all the illustrations shown thus far the role of Jupiter and the 9th
house/9th lord in timing this event is readily apparent, which is not at all
surprising. However, my researches into these periods when gums come into a
person's life indicate that this can happen in ways not as obvious.

One of the most famous guru-shisya relationships in all of Hinduism is that

of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda

< rai
VCnr /\
Me„.„ Ma™
JB&IK |Ke?r34-
\io/ 4 Pis 5 Art B Tau Gam
/\ AS an
SUarj, JPr.
\./ Mo,,-a \ Car
\
Swami Vniekananda
M<M 1)12/1(63 S33.00
Man. \ iVe™ CjkuSa. MCM
2 Cap Ler
s\
Sfim. N
SUzros' Razj-34
- A«? ,2'
"02e Jp4rO j Saiy34-
\- , 1 San ISco JllJJhf 1 0 Van

He first met his legendary gum in his Rahu-Satmn period. Jupiter is not
involved here and any relationship to the 9th house/9th lord is rather circuitous.
Rahu does influence the 3-9 axis from chandra lagna, Virgo, and using its
position in Scorpio as a lagna, Saturn is with the 9th lord Moon from there.
Another roundabout connection is that Rdhu falls in Mercury's naksatra, who is
with the 9th lord Venus from the Moon.

Rdhu's connection with the 5th house is more direct since it gives the
results of Mars, the 5th lord in the 5th house.

Chara dasd shows this life-defining event in Vivekananda's life much more
clearly and in a very straightforward way since the timing is Libra-Libra, with
this sign containing Karaka of Gum, Jupiter.

Swami Chinmayananda

The story of this famous guru's first encounter with his equally famous
teacher, Swami Sivananda, is a rather interesting one. Balakrisha Menon was a
journalist doing investigative reporting and writing articles about swamis and
sadhus aimed at exposing them as frauds. He traveled to Rishikesh in the
summer of 1947 with this intention. He met with Swami Sivananda at his
ashram, the Divine Light Society. Subsequently the skeptic became an ardent
admirer and then later was initiated by this guru as a monk.

1
r
1

3
1
ve..
1 ^
™ A8u BAri W«u iBGwn
~ MO:.,.
Kom
B Can
0
Moo 20-15 00
IHCBA
Meiw -4 K«C?Cap 10 Loo
Mo,,, A.™ 1
,1 Soo |l2 Libt [11 Vm

The initial meeting took place in his Mercuiy-Satum period. Again, we see
no influence of Jupiter or the 9th house/9th lord (Jirectly. My explanation comes
from a principle I have been emphasizing repeatedly in my articles and that is
the importance of seeing the naksatra lord of the planet whose major period is
operating. This planet provides an invaluable clue as to what this period can
bring.

Mercuiy, in this case is in the Moon's naksatra, Rohini, and the Moon is
the 9th lord in the 9th house aspected by a strong vargottama Jupiter in its own
sign. Saturn does become the 9th lord from dasa lagna, Taurus.

Certainly, his own destiny to become a world-famous guru is clearly

indicated by the combination of the 1st lord Mars in the 9th, with the 9th lord
giving a powerful raja yoga. The 9th lord Moon is also configured in a beautiful
Gauri Yoga, brought about when the Moon is in its own or exaltation sign in an
angle or trine and aspected by a strong Jupiter.

It was in the subsequent Ketu major period, with this graha also in his 9th
house giving the results of these combinations, that he became a monk, and was
then encouraged by his guru to study with another teacher. From Wikipedia:

"With Sivananda's blessing, Chinmayananda sought out one of the greatest

Vedantic masters of his time, Tapovan Maharaj of Uttarkashi, and devoted the
next few years of his life to an intensive study of Vedanta under his tutelage. As
his disciple, from 1949, Chinmayananda led an extremely austere lifestyle and
underwent a rigorous study of the scriptures. His day began at 3:00 a.m. with an
icy bath in the Ganges and sometimes ended late in the night after hours of
meditation by the river."

More often than not though, Jupiter and/or the 9th house/9th lord from
some important lagna does come into play for timing such periods. See a couple
more examples.

Swami Prabhupada

At the same time that Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was spreading the practice
of meditation throughout the world as a means for spiritual liberation, A.C.
Bhaktidevananda Swami Prabhupada was inspiring millions to follow the path of
bhakti yoga and to seek liberation through the chanting of the Hare Krishna
mantra.
HnM H>' kOmrjl
Ms,..*
Mo.,,7
3 PIS 4 Art S Tiu G«m
R»„,.
ZAqu
./ rz Can
/ •— JPM SU,„
AS,., Swsml
SmMSPrabtKipsw
Tin.Cjloulte. 15:4ft no
UMOIA 1
>:* Me,,. 'Cap Leo
. 6\Ve... Me,,.
Vo,„
Kflrir \
JP.-r l2S8q 11 SCO lOUbr 9Vira

He met his guru in 1922 and was encouraged by him to spread the message
of the great sixteenth-century Krishna bhakti, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
throughout the world, specifically in English. To what degree he accomplished
this is really quite extraordinary.

This occurred in his Jupiter-Saturn period. This is one of the reasons that
his astrologically-minded devotees prefer Sagittarius lagna where Jupiter would
be the 1st lord in the 9th house with the 9th lord Sun. K.N. Rao always insisted
on Capricorn since, among many other reasons, Prabhupada himself became a
world-famous guru in his Mercury major period.

Regardless, the sub-period was Saturn, an exalted 9th lord from a strong
chandra lagna.

Speaking of K.N. Rao, he tells the story of meeting his own guru, Swami
Paramananda SarasvaG in his marvelous book Yogis, Destiny and the Wheel of
Time. It was his Jupiter mahadasa in one of the later sub-periods, though I am
uncertain as to which one exactly.
 •awp-lOMM -)
Moru &
Ve,« 7 Art B Tau ) QtfTl
ASst-M /
Ma,., /
v / io Can
0
K.N. Rao
Mon 75300
111m
—
Su«.vJSi,r,
ZSco llUbf 12 viia

His is an exalted Jupiter but note also that it falls in Mercuiy's naksatra,
Ashlesha, the 9th lord of his birth chart.

In Chara dasd, it was his Pisces period from where his exalted Jupiter
aspects the 9th house.

Non-Celebrity Illustrations

Of course, gurus don't just come into the lives of celebrities, or those who
later become gurus themselves. It is quite a common experience, though it is
more likely to happen when a person is spiritually seeking.

Here are the birth charts of a married couple who I met as fellow
seminarians at the Temple of Kriya Yoga in 1973 and who have remained
lifelong friends on the spiritual pathway.

Me„.o / Jiw
Su,r^/
y®""*! (rPte bm jaiau lOG«m

B
q' f'&j !iJ

3 SCO 2 Ubf It VlfQ

This is the husband's chart and it was in his Saturn-Venus period. Saturn is
an exalted 9th lord from chandra lagna receiving the aspect of Jupiter, and is 5th
lord of purva punyafrom the birth lagna. The sub-period was that of the 9th lord
Venus.
 1 mun
Jp.»
Mo^.r Vtwui
"X Asn (Pn 5 Art I T*j |7 Otfn
Bilru
1*9* . l'

\/ ,12 Sco 111 libr |1QV>t

Coincidently, it was the wife's Venus-Saturn period. From dasa lagna

Taurus, Saturn is the 9th lord aspected by a strong Jupiter.

In Chara dasd it was her Leo major period and see how strong the 9th
house from there (Aries) becomes. For him it was Sagittarius from where the 9th
house Leo also becomes strong with two grahas, including the Sun in its own
sign.

Below is the chart of a man that as a teenager became a life-long disciple of

Baba Hari Das, the silent yogi of Mt. Madonna, California. It happened in his
Venus-Mercury period. Mercury is the 9th lord of his birth chart conjunct with
the 5th lord Venus in his lagna. During this period, he also spent time in India
with the great Indian female saint, Anandamaya Ma.
u
• JC,.:
SUaw
\„/ AS,, BPis «Art 1 T*J pGotn
«X Ve„ [
/ \ Me», SUuu
?*9*
® Mo*
, A*,
ItC* B too
'JIW 1
112 Sao 111 Sco 10 Libe IB VI rg

This man also became a lifelong devotee of his guru, someone who had
been a direct disciple of Yogananda, when he first met him in his late teens in
his Mars period, the 9th lord in the 9th house with the 5th lord Jupiter.
 ittn
$IW M«u„.
Jp™
3 Pis Art
/\%
>.v3
Mc,.,

Si,.*
) Sac jtSco blfcf gWg

Curious Cases of Disembodied Gurus

Around this issue of when a gum comes into a person's life I have also
been very interested in instances where the gum in question is no longer living.
One of the more fascinating cases this way is that of famous Indian philosopher
and yogi, Sri Aurobindo.
tV
SU™
Ve..*.
Bi,™
D Ma,- lOAri 11 T»u 12 Own
•>< JPr,- BS-r
Asw
Jp«.»
f 3*) 1 Can
Su^
Sri Aurobindo v*..«
ThuflWWTZ 5;»K»
CAulb. WrUA 2 Leo
Ka-r..
BSco 4 Lib |3 Vim 1

See this episode of his life from Wikipedia:

"In July 1905 then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, partitioned Bengal. This
sparked an outburst of public anger against the British, leading to civil unrest
and a nationalist campaign by groups of revolutionaries, who included
Aurobindo. In 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki attempted to kill
Magistrate Kingsford, a judge known for handing down particularly severe
sentences against nationalists. However, the bomb thrown at his horse carriage
missed its target and instead landed in another carriage and killed two British
women, the wife and daughter of barrister Pringle Kennedy. Aurobindo was also
arrested on charges of planning and overseeing the attack and imprisoned in
solitary confinement in Alipore Jail. The trial of the Alipore Bomb Case lasted
for a year, but eventually he was acquitted on May 6,1909. His defense counsel
was Chittaranjan Das.
 During this period in the jail, his view of life was radically changed due to
spiritual experiences and realizations. Consequently, his aim went far beyond the
service and liberation of the country

Aurobindo said he was "visited" by Vivekananda in the Alipore Jail: "It is a

fact that I was hearing constantly the voice of Vivekananda speaking to me for a
fortnight in the jail in my solitary meditation and felt his presence."

His chart has many interesting features, none the least of which is the
exchange between the Moon and Jupiter creating a very strong connection
between the 1st, 6th and 9th lords. The Moon is also with the 8th lord Saturn and
it was in his Moon-Saturn period that he had these experiences.

Upon his release from prison he immersed himself in four years of

secluded yoga practice, and come the Mars major period, the 5th lord in the 1st
house with an exalted 9th lord Jupiter, his own destiny as a famous spiritual
teacher and author began to unfold.

Hollywood movie star, Julia Roberts, also had a famous Indian guru "speak
to her" as it were, though not in his voice like Vivekananda to Sri Aurobindo,
but through his picture. When visiting India in 2010 in preparation for her role in
the movie "Eat, Pray, Love," she saw a picture of Neem Karoli Baba and it had a
profound impact on her. She subsequently became a practicing Hindu, and you
can hear her account of this experience in a video on YouTube.

It is quite interesting to see the timing, which was shortly after she entered
her Mars major period. It falls in Sagittarius, Jupiter's sign, and is aspected by
Jupiter as the 9th lord of her chart. From chandra lagna Mars is the 9th lord.
From the dasd lagna, Sagittarius, the 9th house becomes very strong and
contains Jupiter.

In Chara dasd it was her Aquarius major period, from where the 9th house
gets the influence of 6 grahas, including Jupiter.
 1
R*,*
10 Art 11 Tiu 12 Gam
A*..*
* ,1 1 C*i
Julia Roberts Mo,T,Ve*.*)
S«t llWa'tWT <11600 Jpw
SaJp* ZJJBO
So*,
KB..*
5 Sco i L2x 3Vitg

I am fortunate to live in an area that is one of the main centers of the Self-
Realization Fellowship which is the organization that Yogananda founded to
perpetuate his teaching of Kriya Yoga in the United States. It is located on a
beautiful property right on Pacific Ocean and contains the famous hermitage
where he wrote his autobiography.

Consequently, there are numerous devotees of Yogananda in the vicinity,

all of whom have been initiated into the spiritual practices of Kriya Yoga and
who regard Yogananda as their guru with whom they have a personal
relationship, even though they never experienced him in his embodied form.
They frequently refer to "The Master" as a living presence in their lives.

See the chart below of one such devotee who is particularly fervent this
way.

Mew / "N i AwJ sw

Bfi'W JfV,
I Saa ,12 Bca 111 tlbr IIQVfca

I am uncertain of the exact date when Yogananda as her adopted guru came
into her life, but I know that it happened in her Jupiter major period, strongly
placed in an angle, and involved in an exchange with its sign-lord. Mercury.
Moreover, it is in the naksatra of Uttara Phaguni, ruled by the Sun, the 9th lord
of her birth chart.

Predictive Parameters
 Most people come to astrologers with very mundane concerns in mind such
as career, finances, health, love relationships, children and the like. However,
many people become aware of Jyotisa as a result of having gotten involved in
Yoga or the spiritual tradition of India in general. In which case, I've been
approached at times by individuals seeking a "spiritual reading," and have been
asked questions like "Will I have a guru?" or "When will a guru come into my
life?" The researches I have done this way have not just been for the sake of
theoiy but have had a practical usefulness on such occasions.

Based on these researches I have formulated the following predictive

parameters for seeing such an event, which the 20 example charts shown thus far
have illustrated:

•Spiritual teachers come into a person's life in the periods and sub-periods
of Jupiter, especially if this Karaka of guru is strong.

•If Jupiter falls in the 9th house, is the 9th lord or is with the 9th lord then
this event becomes even more likely, as we saw in the cases of George Harrison
and Deepak Chopra, both of whom have Jupiter in the 9th house of their birth
charts.

•Periods of planets in the 9th house or ruling the 9th house from the birth
lagna bring this event. But this can show up from alternative lagnas as well,
which was seen in the examples repeatedly. Planets falling in or ruling the 9th
from chandra lagna, Karaka lagna, or dasd lagna become eligible as well.

•More subtle associations of a planet to the 9th house/9th lord or even to

Jupiter can also mark periods that bring a guru into a person's life. Chief among
these in my experience is when the naksatra lord of the planet whose dasd is
running is the 9th lord, as we saw in the cases of Swami Chinmayananda and
K.N. Rao.

•In the sign-based Jaimini system, the influence of Jupiter on the mahadasd
sign or on the 9th house oftentimes comes into play. The event can also occur
when the 9th house from dasd lagna becomes strong and gets emphasized by the
occupation or aspect of many grahas.

Just like when predicting all events, my recommendation to students is that

they use the Parashari and Jaimini systems in parallel (without mixing the two!)
to identify periods that show the potential for such an event simultaneously.
Using these parameters and this "composite technique" I have been able to make
successful predictions regards spiritual teachers coming into a person's life.

Mantra Diksha

A guru coming into your life very often coincides shordy thereafter with an
initiation into a spiritual practice, usually involving the use of a mantra, though
this does not occur invariably. Parasara Hord gives the 5th house/5th lord as
pertaining to mantra and it appears likely to me that Jupiter is the planetary
indicator, though this is speculation on my part. Over the years I have observed
many instances of a person being given a mantra-based spiritual practice, and the
timing of this usually did bring planets associated with the 5th house into play.
Recall how often the periods when gurus came into a person's life were also
connected to the 5th house/5th lord in the examples given above.

Learning Transcendental Meditation is essentially an initiation into a

mantra-based practice and those of us who were trained to do these learned
mantras, and a method for instructing others in the use of them from Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi. It is much more optimum to be initiated into such practices by a
highly spiritually developed guru. To make up for this, teachers of TM were
trained to perform a ceremony (puja) that invoked the blessing and presence of
Brahmananda Sarasvatl prior to imparting the practice. I once possessed the birth
charts of many former teachers of TM but currently only have two, mine and one
other.

Below is a chart of a man who was very active teaching TM in the Chicago
area in the mid to later 1970's. This coincided with Rdhu-Rdhu, and Rdhu-
Jupiter.
I /\N. hmm rO-
Sa^
/I Me^ VSoTT
MO,-ar \ / . 7Ma23'18 Jp22'3r
AScor X'/4 lS£.r»
K PIE 8 Art 3 Tau 10 Gam

\ KeWM
\ 3 Aqu 11 Can
/ \ Rdtft'se'
Maa-,, V
\/£// 5
cap 12 Lao
JPa-if' ASl6T
x
SU.r.r Sa3»33' MOnr
Ve.nr \ 3 Sco 2 Utx IVirg

It can be seen that Rdhu is in his 5th house of mantra giving the results of
an exalted 5th lord Saturn, aspected by two benefics, Jupiter and the 9th lord
Venus.
 Interestingly, for me it was also Rahu-Rahu and i?dhu-Jupiter, with Rdhu
again giving the results of a 5th lord Saturn that is aspected by Jupiter.

I Tmi 10 G«n

Marc Boney F£-

TolwJo. OH
X* Ve,, • Cap

Jyoti§a and Jyoti§a-Gurus

Whereas this is only very tangential to the main subject matter of this
article, I have also informally studied the periods when people get fascinated
with Jyotiso and begin to study it seriously, and also when significant Jyotiso-
gurus come into their lives.

Early on in my association with K.N. Rao, he shared his observation that

periods and sub-periods of Jupiter and Mercury, and planets associated with the
4th house/4th lord will very frequently come into play when a person is studying
Jyotiso, and my own experience corroborates this. It was certainly true for me.
Additionally, all the parameters given earlier for when a spiritual guru appears in
a person's life holds true in my experience for any significant teacher/mentor.

I met K.N. Rao in November, 1993, in Jupiter-Jupiter-Saturn and became

absolutely obsessed with Jyotiso thereafter. Note that Jupiter is lord of my 4th
house. Along the way I met this person who started attending Shri Rao's classes
in the U.S., becoming quite enamored with the subject as well. She was running
Rdhu-Jupiter at the time, with Rdhu giving the results of Jupiter as the 4th lord of
her Virgo logna chart. See that it is also connected to the 9th lord of the teacher.
 / \
\ Ari 1 Tax 0 G#m
JD«v«
\ Asit-j}
\
11 Can
\ MOMi- \ (?)
M®rw \ / Sa^-i,. 121M
^.v Ve,^ ll5-^
/' "v Bfrlr MO,- .is....
Aa„.,rtSS'-,i
^ Sui-« \/ 3 Sco I Ubf Vitfl

Below is the chart shown earlier of a fellow seminarian who studied Kriya
Yoga with me. He also got interested in Jyotisa when I did, and once hosted Shri
Rao in his home for a four-day intensive. It was his Mercury-Jupiter period, with
Jupiter again as the 4th lord.

SUtrrr
- ■. MvL,. ■■ •
/' Ke.i.
I Iy MOa *5
I
\ JP™

/ / S»,;t
4Safi OSco g Ubf 1 Vim

K.N. Rao first started learning Jyotisa from his mother, starting at age ten,
when he was sick in bed with typhoid, and she used it to distract him. It was in
his Rahu period in the 6th house of illness, but giving the results of an exalted
Jupiter who is both its dispositor and aspects it. The sub-period was of his
exalted Mercury who also aspects it. Note additionally that Rahu is in Saturn's
naksatra, Uttara Bhadra, the 4th lord of his chart.

K.N. Rao
MenMKM<a*an.KM
? 53:00

Much later in life as a government officer he was introduced to Yogi

Bhaskarananda who he refers to as his Jyotisa-guru. The year of their meeting is
unknown to me but it would have been in his Saturn mahadasd, the 4th lord of
his birth chart.

Good Chart Features for Doing Jyoti^a

In the chapter in Yogis, Destiny and the Wheel of Time on his association
with this teacher, he shared Yogi Bhaskarananda's views about features of a birth
chart that are good for doing Jyotisa. The following is a summary of these:

•Both for spirituality and astrology he liked Ketu in the esoteric houses, 4,
8 and 12 with the additional influence of strong natural benefics, especially
Jupiter or Mercury, or alternatively, the influence of the 5th and 9th lords.

•For astrology, a strong Mercury and Jupiter in general. He thought

Mercury in the 4th house was the best, second best in the 8th, and third best in
the 10th. In general, he liked Mercury in the angles.

•Jupiter in the 10th without affliction was the best, in his view, since it
would aspect onto the 4th as well as the 2nd house of speech. This last point
means that a person would speak truly, which is to say their predictions would
be accurate. He liked Jupiter also in any of the esoteric houses (4, 8, 12) from
where it would aspect the other two.

•Saturn in the 3rd, 5th and 9th could give a detached, unbiased view of
matters, but only when without a blemish.

•For lagnas he liked the Mercury-ruled rashis as well as the intellectual air
signs, Libra and Aquarius, but added that any lagna could be good as long as the
four planets outlined above were well-placed.

Not surprisingly, if you go back and examine K.N Rao's chart you will find
that every one of these factors apply.

Case Studies

It is always of interest to me when a set of birth charts come into my hands

from individuals who are having a shared experience at the same time. This
happened recently when I began a Jyotisa Mentorship Program in which
students who applied were asked to submit their birth data as a part of the
application process. The shared experience they are having currently is:

1. They are studying Jyotisa seriously.

 2. They are having a closer teacher-student relationship with me

What follows is a completely random sampling of 10 charts of people in

the program.
AMM iO-n OMMJl imw o.
/
Su^.„ / Su^
Ve3,.,/ JP.r^ ve„.
-.1, Me,.„ .3 / 3 PI* 10 Art 11 Tlu 12 Gem
Sa,,v„ •)<
ISCjTlT Al*»
1 JPans'
\1 - 5 At*J Can
Ma,,, /1D\
Blnu 0

Q" \ Ea--- \ / [Cap Lac

Ma vp Si^„
Mo„.
5 Sag 5 SCO ILibf avini |

This chart is of a retired former corporate executive in India who began

studying with me in Jupiter-Mercuiy, the period and sub-period of the two
planets associated with Jyotisa. Jupiter is also the 9th lord of this chart, and
Mercury is in the 1st house getting directional strength.

This person caught the Jyotisa "bug" in her current .Rdhu-Venus period.
Her exalted Rahu is aspected by and therefore gives the results of Mercury,
Jupiter and the 4th lord Sun. From the Moon, Rahu is in the 9th house of the
teacher and the sub-period lord, Venus is the 9th lord.

Note the placement of the benefics and how they give SarasvaQ Yoga and
how this combination for classical learning is being activated in the dasd
sequence.
 Pis M Art p Tat

I |l2 Sag 'll Sco W Lil

This man has become a very serious student of Jyotisa in his Mars-Saturn
period. Mars is his 4th lord and is with Saturn in the 9th house of the teacher.
From the Moon, Mars is also the 9th lord.

His chart features Jupiter in the 8th aspecting the 2nd as a part of good
LagnaAdhi and Shuba Ubhayachari Yogas.
ftwup-ijaMH
ir

BPte lOArt In Till 12 Own

—
\ As. X ^ 9«w
\„/ sa« IL.BAqu tC»i
|

I^Cap Loo
/ \
/«««..
SUffbr
Rann Ir 5 Sco i U* 3Virg

The chart above is of a man who has been studying Jyotisa with me for the
past year or so. He is in the mahadasa of Venus, his 4th lord, and he entered the
mentorship program in Venus-Sun. The Sun is in the naksatra of Jupiter, the 9th
lord of his chart.

This man is also a long-time student of Jyotisa running his Venus

mahadasa, which aspects the 4th house and resides in the naksatra of his exalted
Jupiter. He is now in the sub-period of Mercury, the 9th lord of his birth chart.
 This person began studying with me in his Rahu-Satum period, Rahu is in
Saturn's sign, giving its results, and Saturn is in the 9th house.

VSaMi- Me^r Ma 13^ Kfivss-

MOi2-63| SU6-42 I JpZB-aO1
As*, 3 PIS 7 Art 9 Tau b Gem
5a*..

ii>c' Su..^ >'3

Me,... /*\ Kg,.
RSA-MM ASjO'Ay
!5co il L8x 12 W]

The chart above is of a man who has been involved in the healing arts
throughout most of his life. See the lord of the 10th in the 6th house, with an
exalted lagna lord, and configured in Kesan Yoga with the 6th lord Jupiter. He
has also been a long-time student of both Western astrology and Jyotisa, and
studied with K.N. Rao in the iggO's as well.

Now in his Moon major period, falling in the naksatra of his exalted 4th
lord Saturn, he joined the mentorship program shortly after entering the sub-
period of his 9th lord Mercury.

The timing for this next individual could hardly fit the parameters better.
She joined in her Mercury-Jupiter period. Mercury and Jupiter are a part of a
beautiful Sarasvatl Yoga with Mercury getting directional strength in the 1st
house besides being in its own sign in D-9, while Jupiter is vargottama in the 9th
house of the teacher.

7\ SBj.u / |
\SO«T Ml,,
M1er
? " \'/ SPls
'X As,,,. /V
WOjur, \ / \
Rflwi t/
Ma.

\/ l-C*

ISCO P Ubf

A somewhat similar picture exists in the chart of another woman member

who likewise is running a period and sub-period of these two grahas. In her case
it is Jupiter-Mercuiy who also participates in Sarasvatl Yoga, with Mercury as
the 9th lord of the teacher.

Pis /Art

,0
(V) ^r

AS|r» MO,ik
■-SCO liubr liiviia

The following is the chart of a woman who started her Jyotisa journey in
her Jupiter mahadasd, once again configured in Sarasvatl Yoga from both the
birth chart and the Moon. Now in her Saturn major period, she entered the
program in the sub-period of Mercury, her 9th lord.

/ Ve.M, \ y
ASm-M /\ s
^
MOm-W /
M
A\7wo^

Su„
J |l2 Sag 111 SCO _ Iw U(» IBVlrg
Summary

From this random sample of students from my mentorship program, it can

be seen how frequently Mercury, Jupiter and planets connected to the 4th
house/4th lord are the periods they are running while immersed in the study of
Jyotisa.

Every one of them is also running periods/sub-periods of either Jupiter,

Karaka of teacher, or more often planets connected to the 9th house/9th lord. In
some cases, both situations apply.

Remarkably, five out of the ten charts (and I truly did select them
randomly) have SarasvaG Yoga, a combination for classical learning that is
being activated in the current dasa sequence.

Sweeper to Saint

It has been my great good fortune to have had wonderful spiritual teachers
who have come into my life at different times. Towards the end of my Jupiter
period I was introduced to Baba Hari Das, "the silent yogi of Mt. Madonna." As
part of his sadhana he has practiced mouna or silence since the 1950's. American
disciples persuaded him decades ago to come to the U.S and be the resident guru
at a retreat center they built in the mountains and redwood forests of Northern
California. He communicates by writing on a small chalk board that he carries
with him, and even delivers his spiritual discourses this way. Through the
gentleman whose chart I showed earlier, who has been a lifelong disciple, I have
been able to spend some personal time with him and receive his guidance. His
translation and commentary on PatanjaWs Yoga Sutras is the most complete and
profound I've yet come across, and I highly recommend it to any serious students
of Yoga.

He has also written a number of short stories, all of which center around
the quest for spiritual liberation. One wonderful collection of these is Sweeper to
Saint, and my favorite story within this volume is entitled True Master. It came
to mind that the best way to end this article about when spiritual teachers come
into a person's life would be this story. It won't teach you anything about Jyotrsa,
but to my mind contains a much more valuable lesson than anything I might
share astrologically.

True Master
 In a valley of the Himalayan mountains there was a family that had been
living there several years. The father whose name was Sudarshan had left his
home town of Naintal when ten or twelve years old. He began to live with a few
holy men who were traveling by foot to different sacred places in the Himalayas.

After visiting several places, the group of saints returned to the meeting
place, the holy town of Haridwar. From there they all separated and went to their
own places. Sudarshan had no special place to go because he was not yet
initiated into any sect. He really had no idea of what a saint was, what a sect
was, or what was the meaning of traveling to all the different places. He had left
home only because he did not want to go to school and take responsibility.

For a few days, Sudarshan wandered in different places around Haridwar;

then fortunately he met an old man who was kind and veiy learned in Sanskrit.
The man saw that Sudarshan had a good mind and that he could be a good
scholar. He told Sudarshan to live with him and that he would give him food and
would teach him Sanskrit. Sudarshan was very tired of traveling and he was
eager to find someplace where he could live happily. So, he agreed to the old
man's suggestions.

Sudarshan lived for eight years with the old man. He learned Sanskrit and
read all the scriptures. Gradually the learned people around Haridwar began to
appreciate Sudarshan's ability in explaining the meaning of the scriptures.
Sudarshan was happy and he almost forgot about his parents and birth place

One day the old man said, "Sudarshan, listen. Now you have two possible
paths; either take the vows of sannyasa (renunciation) or get married to a girl,
and do your household duties while you continue searching for God."

Sudarshan was very intelligent. He knew perfecdy well how difficult it was
to take the vows of sannyasa and fight against desires. He did not want to cheat
himself so replied:

"Sir, I learned all the scriptures from you and I understand perfecdy that to
crush the desires by force is not an easy job. On the other hand, the
householder's life is full of attachment and desires that create pleasure and pain;
and also, it confuses the mind when you try to understand yourself. But if I get
married to a girl and practice seeing that the same God is in her and myself, and
if I separate the physical attachments from real love, then it will be easier to
realize the truth."
 Hearing this answer, the old man became very happy and said, "Sudarshan,
you have understood the reality of life. Now I am going to give you my youngest
daughter, who also is very intelligent and pious in nature. I'll arrange for the
marriage, and then you can choose your own place to live."

Sudarshan got married to the daughter of his teacher. Her name was
Sunanda. She was very beautiful and just seventeen years old. Still, she was fully
acquainted with the duties of a wife.

After their wedding, Sudarshan and Sunanda left Haridwar and went north
to live in the Pauri Mountains. A few years passed, and Sunanda gave birth to a
boy. She named him Sri Charan. Sudarshan would write poems, stories, books
on the scriptures, and in this way, he would earn money enough to keep his
family.

Sri Charan was growing up. When he was seven years old, his father was
stricken by some disease and died suddenly. His mother received a heavy shock
by her husband's death, but she knew that everyone will die. And no one can say
when and where he will die. So, she strengthened her mind and began to
continue her duties as before.

Once when the sun was about to set Sri Charan became veiy sad. He began
to weep. Sunanda thought that the boy was missing his father, so she took him
on her lap and kissed him. Sri Charan hid his head on his mother's breast, and
then slowly said. "Ma, where is this sun going."

Sunanda said, "The sun always goes away in the evening and again appears
in the morning/

Shri Charan again said, "Ma why is this sky covering us like a box? My
breath is choking. Can you take me out of this sky where I can get open space to
breathe?'

Sunanda said; 'My son, what are you saying! I can't take you out of this
sky. You are hungry now. Take food and go to bed."

Next morning Sri Charan woke up and washed himself. He went to his
mother who was grinding wheat to make flour. Sri Charan said. "Ma...you really
can't take me out of this sky?"

Sunanda said, "No, my son, I can't. Forget it. Why do you ask such
questions?'
 Sri Charan said, "Ma, I am going.' His mother did not pay much attention
because she thought he might be going to play neaiby.

After half an hour, she called Sri Charan but did not receive a reply. She
looked here and there. At once she remembered that his father had also left home
at an early age. It could be possible that Sri Charan would also run away.

She ran down to the trail and saw Sri Charan going very fast on the other
side of the valley. She yelled, "Sri Charan! Sri Charan] Where are you going?"

Sri Charan yelled, "Ma don't worry about me. I am going out of this sky. I
can't live here anymore. My breath is choking.'

Sunanda called; "My son, your father just died, and now you are also going
away from me!"

Sri Charan said, "Ma I don't want to leave you. But if I live here I'll be
choked to death. I tell you truthfully, I can't live in this box. I have to get out
from this box!"

Sunanda was in a great dilemma. She could not think what to say, and Sri
Charan was in a hurry. So, with tears in her eyes she said, "My son if you want
to go, then I don't want to stop you. But I request that as long as I'm alive, you
won't go very far from me."

Sri Charan at once said, "All right. Ma. I won't go very far." And he ran
down the trail very fast and disappeared.

He walked and walked and did not know what to do, or where to go.
Finally, when the sun was about to set, he saw a watermill. He went inside the
small water mill, where an old man was grinding wheat. It was getting dark and
the old man saw that the small boy was all alone. He asked "Where are you
going." Sri Charan did not reply. He was so tired that he had forgotten about the
earth and the sky making a box that choked his breath. "Are you hungry?"
"Yes," the boy replied. So, the miller gave him two small breads and a cup of
water, and said, "If you want to stay here tonight, go sleep in the comer. There is
an old sack you can cover yourself with. I am going to my house." And he left
before it got too dark.

Next morning, Sri Charan woke when the sun was quite high up in the sky.
But he had slept like the dead and was completely relaxed. He came out of the
watermill like a bird comes out of his nest in the morning. He washed his face
and dusted off his clothes. He felt very good...like a bird out of its cage. He
again continued his journey.

Now he was in a vast plain. He could see veiy far in the distance as he
went on walking. Sometimes on the way he would meet some villagers that
would give him bread and fruit. Again, the sun was about to set and it was
getting dark. Sri Charan thought that he should find a place to sleep before it got
too dark, but there were no houses, or huts, or any kind of shelter nearby. He was
a litde afraid, but all at once he saw a big rock suspended over two other rocks
so that they made a small cave. He went inside and sat down, resting his back on
the rock and stretching his feet forward. He fell asleep at once. When he woke
up in the morning, he saw two men standing outside. They asked, "Why are you
sleeping there? Don't you know this is a place famous for poisonous snakes? Are
you running away from your house? Or are you a thief?'

Sri Charan said, "I am going somewhere. I don't know where yet. I am not
a thief."

Both of the mean felt kindly to the litde boy and said, "If you want to live
in our village, then come with us. We will give you food. You'll have nothing to
do except to watch the cows of the village while they graze in the pasture. If you
don't want this, then you can go ten miles south where there is a trail going into
the jungle. Inside the jungle you will see some huts. A few boys of your age are
living here and they practice yoga exercises with a teacher."

Without thinking which plan was good or which plan was bad, Sri Charan
replied, "I'll go to the huts where the boys are living."

One of the men said, "You are a tender litde boy and the trail is very rough
and full of snakes and wild animals. So, go carefully and reach there before the
sun sets." They gave him some roasted barley flour mixed with honey to eat. Sri
Charan ate the food and picked up the trail to the south.

Now he was accustomed to walking, so he arrived at the huts early in the

afternoon. He stood outside of a hut until a boy saw him. The boy at once told
the others to come see this newcomer, who looked completely different from
them. All the boys surrounded him and asked him where he was going.
Meanwhile the teacher came and asked his name and how he had reached there.
The boy said, "My name is Sri Charan and two men told me about this place so I
decided to come here."
 The teacher replied, "If you want to live here, then you have to obey all the
rules. And you can't wear the clothes you are wearing now. I'll give you a few
days to decide. Meanwhile you can rest here, and if you feel you can do it then
tell me."

Early in the morning all the boys would wake up, wash themselves and
then do Yoga exercises. After resting for thirty minutes they would recite
prayers and then hear Sanskrit from the teacher. They all had their duties;
cooking food, collecting food from the villagers, grazing cows, collecting grass
and firewood, planting fruit trees, etc.

Sri Charan liked this life very much. He was feeling very free inside
himself. He agreed to follow the rules, so the teacher gave him a red loins cloth
to wear, one yellow cloth to cover his lower body down to the knees and one
yellow cloth to cover his upper body. He said, "Sri Charan, now you are initiated
in a Brahmacharya order, beginner's stage. You have seen all the rules, and you
can live here happily.

Sri Charan had some God-given abilities in Hatha Yoga. In doing asanas,
he was the only one who could do them all, some even more perfectly than the
teacher. After completely all his duties at the ashram, he would go to the river
and perform some cleansing methods. No one had taught him these techniques,
and he himself did not know the effect they might have. Afterwards, he would sit
under a tree and meditate. Not one of the boys, not even his teacher knew about
Sri Charan's meditation.

One day while he was doing his cleaning methods, he drank several glasses
of water and then vomited it out. Again, he drank several glasses of water and
rolled his stomach around in different ways; he did a few asanas and pushed the
water out through his lower intestinal tract. Then he went in the water waist
deep; he rolled his stomach around and pulled water in through his anus, and
then flushed it out.

A saint was cooking his food on the other side of the river and was
watching all the activities of Sri Charan. As soon as Sri Charan had finished his
meditation, the saint crossed the river and stood in front of him. The saint asked,
"Who taught you all these methods?"

Sri Charan was surprised and said, "What methods?"

The saint said, "All that cleaning by water, and that meditation. Sri Charan
said, "Nobody told me or taught me any of those things." I started doing these
things by myself. I don't even know what they are for. But I feel very dean and
pure inside afterwards, and when I sit in meditation I totally forget my body and
see only light in my forehead." He raised his head and looked into the eyes of the
saint. His whole body began to feel as if an electric current was passing through
it. The saint said, "My child, you are a very gifted person in Yoga. You did Yoga
in your past birth and that learning pulled you to do the same in this birth. No
one teaches anyone. We learn everything ourselves. All the methods you are
doing are perfect."

Sri Charan grabbed the saint's feet and began to weep with love and
devotion. He said, "Sir, I have a great desire to live with you and learn more
from you."

The saint said, "My child, I have already accepted you, I'll tell you a few
methods, but you have to live separately and do them yourself. If you live with
me, you will be dependent on me and your practice will not advance. But I give
you my word that when I feel you need some change in your method, I'll meet
you. A small tree can't flourish under a big tree. So, do it by yourself and live
freely wherever you want to live." The saint crossed the river and disappeared.

It had become veiy late and it was Sri Charan's turn to cook food. He was
afraid that the boys and the teacher would be veiy angry with him. Sri Charan
rushed to the ashram and saw that the boys had already cooked and served the
food. No one told Sri Charan to sit and take food. No one asked why he was late.
No one asked where he had been.

As it happened, when it got late the boys had complained to the teacher that
Sri Charan was not obeying the rules. They were jealous of him. The teacher
loved Sri Charan but was uncomfortable having someone there who could do
asanas better than he could. So, after taking food, the teacher stood up; without
washing his mouth or hands, he said. "Sri Charan, I don't want you here
anymore. You can go anywhere you like."

Sri Charan had nothing to say in his own support. He bowed to his teacher
and all the friends, and left.

After leaving the ashram, Sri Charan met several holy men.... some were
good and some were bad. But always he would live separately from them and
would do his practices according to die saint who had accepted him as a disciple.
One day, while roaming into the jungle he saw a litde hut on high ground, just
two hundred feet away from a small river. He went inside the hut and saw an old
saint wearing eyeglasses. Sri Charan tried to ask a few questions but the saint
seemed to be deaf and could not hear, or he would not listen. Instead he showed
different kinds of magic, like starting a fire without a match, simply by blowing
through his mouth, or changing a rock into a flower. He told Sri Charan that if he
would dig under a tree, which was three hundred yards north of his hut, he
would find a large precious stone. Out of curiosity, Sri Charan went to the tree
and dug in the ground. And there he really found a bright, shining stone. He took
the stone to the hut and asked by gestures how the saint could know everything
hidden under the ground. The saint said; 'These powers are all given to me by
God. I can see the future of the world."

Sri Charan was much impressed by this saint and decided to live nearby in
a separate hut. One day the saint said, "Sri Charan, go tell the people about
me...that I can liberate the human being from worldly pain, that I can forecast the
coming danger. Sri Charan went to the village to get food, there he told about the
miracles of the saint. Slowly the villagers began to visit the saint, and they were
veiy impressed with his miracles.

Once, while all the villagers were collected there, the saint said, "In this
Kali Yuga, the greatest sin is sitting on one's gold. I'll make a sacred fire, and all
should offer their gold to the fire in order to get rid of their sins." Hundreds of
men and woman started coming to the saint and they would offer gold ornaments
to the fire. In this way, they would feel that their sins were burnt up and that God
would give them peace."

Some days later, while Sri Charan was still meditating in his hut, he heard
people talking and yelling. "He was a cheat! He was a cheat! He ran away with
the gold! Where is the boy who is his agent? We will beat him!" Sri Charan
came out of his hut and saw that there was no sacred fire. The ash had been
carefully collected and taken away. He went inside the hut and saw that the saint
was not there. He could not understand what was happening.

A few boys pushed him and hit him. Sri Charan was in his blooming age
and so he could not tolerate this misbehavior. He pushed one boy so hard that he
dashed against three or four others. Everyone was in a rage and wanted to beat
Sri Charan. Sri Charan was also full of anger and stood in front of them like an
angiy cobra.

An old man said, "Listen, all of you! If this boy had been in partnership
with that cheat, he would have gone with him. He would not sit here to get
beaten up by people."

Then Sri Charan said, "I really don't know what is happening here. Where
is the saint? Where is the sacred fire? Who did all this?"

The old man said, "The man was not a saint. He was a cheat. He bluffed us
all. He collected all of the gold we offered on the fire and ran away. You are
innocent...we understand that now. But you should not live with such people."

For the first time in his life, Sri Charan saw how one can cheat others. But
his faith in God remained unshaken. "I tell you all, I'll stay at this place as long
as I want. I don't expect anything from you, but I won't ignore any one of you
either. God will give me food right here, I have faith in God."

The villagers begged him to forgive them for their misdeeds, and they left
for their villages.

That same night, when Sri Charan was sitting in his hut, the saint who had
accepted him as a disciple came and sat down. Sir Charan bowed to him with
much love, but at the same time he had doubts as to whether he was being
trapped again. The saint at once guessed his inner thoughts and said, "Tell me
what is bothering you so much. Your mind is not at peace." Shi Charan related
the whole story and told him he had become very angry at the villagers and had
also pushed them very badly.

The saint said, "Sri Charan, you are a yogi. You should control anger. Now
I will tell you the easiest method to control anger. 1) don't talk to anyone by
mouth; 2) don't invite anyone to come to you; 3) don't tell anyone to go away; 4)
reply only when someone asks a question. Otherwise sit in a peaceful mood.
This is your next sadhana. I'll meet you when I feel you need my help. The old
saint, who was the real master of Sri Charan went out of the hut and disappeared
in the dark.

Villagers started coming once again to Sri Charan. He had stopped talking.
Whenever anyone would ask anything he would write a short reply with his
finger on the ground. He reduced his needs to a minimum: one blanket, one
loincloth, and milk to drink if anyone brought it. He stopped eating grains, fruit
and all other things.

The villagers were much attracted to Sri Charan, so they would bring milk
even if it were raining or snowing...they would feel it was their duty to feed Sri
Charan. And Sri Charan was getting more and more detached from everything.
 There was one old man whose only son had died when he was just nineteen
years old. Suffering from the shock of his son's death, he would come to Sri
Charan every day and bring milk. It gave him such pain to see Sri Charan sitting
in the cold, eating nothing, talking to no one. He began to love him as his own
son, and he would try to take great care of him.

Sri Charan now had a little beard, delicate moustache and long, matted hair
hanging to his waist. Everyone respected him as a saint... he was no longer a boy
in the eyes of the villagers. So that no one would disturb him he would meditate
at night and sleep during the day. His faith and devotion began to grow day by
day, and he had no anger, hate, or jealousy for anyone. The villagers built a huge
hut for him where he could sit with the people while they chanted spiritual
songs.

One night the master came. Sri Charan bowed to him and said, my master,
I have no one else who I love. Whenever I meet you my heart fills with joy. Why
don't you allow me to live with you?"

The saint said, "Sri Charan, you have to realize the truth by yourself. I can
cook for you, but I can't eat for you. Your faith in me is your master."

Having spoken, the master put his hand on Sri Charan's head. At once, Sri
Charan felt an electric current running from the tip of his spine to the top of his
head. He could not see a thing...only a brilliant light shone everywhere. He could
not hear a thing...only the sound of Om...m...m... reverberated.

For several hours, he remained like this. When he came to his senses, he
fell at the feet of his master with much love, thanking him for giving him such
experiences. The saint said, "Sri Charan, it is already in you. I have done
nothing. It is your faith that has done this."

Next morning, Sri Charan sat outside facing the rising sun. He was at
peace. The bereaved old man came at his regular time with the milk. He saw Sri
Charan sitting on the ground in the cold. He went near him and put his hand on
his head. Sri Charan at once felt the same energy...same light...same sound. He
became unconscious.

When he returned to consciousness, he saw the milk man sitting in front of

him with tears in his eyes, saying "What happened to you? I simply put my hand
on your head and you fell to the ground!"

Sri Charan said, "Was it your hand?" Now he realized that his own faith
was the cause of his bliss. He said to himself, "My master is always inside me."
And he never desired to live with his master again.

From Sweeper to Saint:

Stories of Holy India by Baba Hari Das
Sri Rama Publishing
Jai Guru Dev

It was from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi that I first heard the phrase Jai Guru
Dev which means "victory or glory to the Divine Teacher." He always taught in
his guru's name and would end all his discourses with this phrase. The true
master, the true sat guru is God, as it says in the following well-known passage
from the Guru Gita, and we need not seek for this Divinity anywhere but within
ourselves.

Guntr Brahma, Gurur Vishnur

Gurur Devo Maheshvarah
Guru Reva Param Brahma
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah

The Guru is no other than Brahma, the Creator,

Vishnu, the Preserver,
The Guru is no other than the great god Shiva, the Destroyer,
The Guru is verily Brahman itself.
To the divine Guru, I bow,

Jai Guru Dev!

 Chapter Five

KUNDALINI AWAKENING

THE ASTROLOGY OF SPIRITUAL ECSTASY

The Astrology of Spiritual Ecstasy

It happened in the winter of 1975. I was only twenty-three. Like many

momentous events in life, it was foretold in a numinous dream several nights
before.

I was in my bedroom when all of a sudden, I found myself astride a huge

white stallion. I began to panic when the horse started to buck and toss as if to
throw me. At first, I tried to cling to its mane but realized quickly that this would
be futile. Somehow it came to me that if I relaxed my body and calmed myself
this would also quiet the animal. To my amazement, the stallion responded
immediately. By exerting a slight pressure with my knees, I seemed to be able to
communicate with it. My panic turned to exhilaration.

Upon awakening, I marveled at the vividness of the dream. What did it

mean?

I was a "seminarian" at the time, preparing to be a "priest," though not the

Catholic kind that had educated me in high school, and had asked me to look
into my heart to see if God was calling. As it turned out, He was, but not in a
way they—or I—would have ever imagined. This was a Kriya Yoga Seminary
and was training those enrolled to instruct seekers into the spiritual practices of
Kriya Yoga, brought to this country by Paramahansa Yogananda. Goswami
Kriyananda of Chicago, a direct descendant of this lineage, was our spiritual
preceptor.

A good portion of my day back then was spent in doing my own sddhana,
or spiritual practices. Each morning I would rise and sit in meditation, utilizing
and experimenting with the techniques I was being taught. I was also devouring
the literature on the spiritual traditions of the East, including a curious tome
entitled The Serpent Power by an Englishman who had lived in India for many
years.

It described in great detail a mysterious divine force that was said to reside,
coiled like a serpent, in the lowest chakra or psychic center at the base of the
spine. Yogis, through their spiritual discipline, sought to awaken this force and to
have it travel up the center channel of the subtle body to the highest center of
consciousness at the crown of the head, described as a "thousand-petal lotus."
The result was said to be a direct experience of the Divine and indescribable
bliss. Sounded good to me.
 Until that morning, my experiences in meditation had been good but not
remarkable. I was practicing the technique of Transcendental Meditation (TM)
taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and the result so far had been a state of deep
physical relaxation and mental stillness. This often gave rise to feelings of deep
inner peace and wellbeing.

That morning, after doing TM for about a half an hour, I subsequently

practiced one of the "kriya breaths" that we had learned in the seminary. This
involved a combination of pranayama, or breath control, combined with the use
of mantra and visualization. After doing this procedure for some time, my mind
became very quiet, and I felt my attention drawn further and further inward.
Spontaneously, I had the impulse to chant Gayatri Mantra, one of the mahd
mantras of the Vedic tradition, which I had recently learned.

Then it happened.

I felt an indescribable sensation of liquid-like heat break open at the very

base of my spine, while simultaneously my entire being seemed to go into a state
of expansion and suspended animation. External sensory awareness receded,
and along with the intense sensation in my lower spine, an equally intense,
brilliant white light appeared on the inner screen of my mind at the point
between the eyebrows. It seemed like I had stopped breathing. Instead of the
inhalation and exhalation of the breath, an electrical-like current rose and fell in
my spine. With each oscillation, the liquid-like heat also rose and fell, but only
to the level of my solar plexus where it seemed to encounter a block.

While almost unbearably pleasurable, the experience also began to

frighten me. Somehow, I felt that if the energy were to break through the block
there would be no turning back. Some primitive self-preservation instinct took
hold of me, and this fear began to dominate. The energy in my spine receded and
I rapidly came out of the experience. I felt my breath return to normal.

But I was euphoric. "It's true!! It's true!! God in heaven, it's all true!!" I
can remember thinking. I wept with joy, awestruck by the experience, and at the
same time laughed through my tears. I would never be the same. It was a
defining moment in my life.

The euphoria lasted for days, and for a while I was as transformed as
Scrooge on Christmas morning. I spoke to no one about the experience, except
to Kriyananda. He only gave me an enigmatic smile and nodded his head. Was it
the smile of a gratified teacher when the student makes progress? Since then I
have often wondered if he played a part in some way. Later I came to understand
that a true guru is able to inspire a sincere student by using his own awakened
sakti to give them an experience they would not yet be able to have on their own.
Or maybe it was fostered just by being so often in his presence. I'll probably
never loiow for sure, but I suspect it was so.

That was many years ago. I continue to do my daily sadhana, and have felt
at times on the verge of such an experience again. Alas, though I long for that
intense spiritual bliss, it has not happened. Yet I am not discouraged, and feel
incredibly blessed to have had even a small taste of this spiritual ecstasy. For my
course is set now; my faith unshakable. Though like everyone else I am pulled
this way and that by my karma, my unfulfilled desires, and the endless
attractions of this world, I know in the inner recesses of my heart that nothing
external can, or ever will, satisfy. I have been fortunate to experience firsthand
the truth expressed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita when he tells Arjuna:

That which is night for all beings, therein the self-controlled is awake.
That wherein beings are awake, is night for the sage who sees.

Chapter 2, verse 69

For a brief moment I was truly awake, and though I am very far from being
"that sage who sees" continually, I have no doubt that it is possible. Nor should
anyone else.

The enlightened rishis of old, in their compassion, have shown us the way
out of our suffering. They have given us Yoga, the divine science for
experiencing God. I continue to practice Yoga.

The Astrology of Spiritual Ecstasy

Another equally important awakening was simultaneously occurring in my

life at this time. I discovered astrology, or I should say that I discovered the
validity of astrology. This and the kundalini experience turned my world upside
down.

The ideas of karma and reincarnation were now no longer just interesting
but debatable concepts. For me, they now became demonstrable universal laws
and eternal truths. An individual's birth chart reflected his/her karma in this
lifetime, and it unfolded from birth in a highly predictable way that made me
marvel at the creative intelligence and order behind it all.
 However, I only knew Western astrology at the time. Whereas there
seemed to be clear correlates with the transits of the planets, it was not until I
learned the Vedic system that I fully understood this experience from the
astrological perspective.

For this I am indebted to my Jyotisa-guru, Mr. K.N. Rao, and his book
Yogis, Destiny, and the Wheel of Time. This is an extraordinary account of his
experiences with highly evolved yogis and saints of India. To an astrologer these
accounts are of particular interest since he shares his original research
concerning the combinations in a birth chart that give rise to spiritual
experiences and the awakening of kundalini.

This book is highly recommended to the reader for the fullest discussion of
these. What follows is a mere outline as it relates to timing the experience of
1975.

The Moksha Triangle

The seers of the ancient Vedic civilization recognized that four primary
aims motivated human beings. The first of these is dharma, a Sanskrit word that
does not translate well, but relates to the idea of ethical, moral conduct based on
spiritual values and an understanding of universal law. Dharma also has to do
with doing your allotted duty based on your station, or position in life.

Secondly, there is the pursuit of artha, or material prosperity. This means

all activities aimed at accumulating wealth and physical comforts.

Thirdly, there is kdma, or the fulfillment of desires, including the desire for
sense gratification through sexuality and other sensual pleasures.

Finally, there is moksha, or the pursuit of spiritual liberation from the

bondage of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. Moksha is the desire to
transcend relative earthly existence and to be reunited in life everlasting with
God.

In the symbolism of astrology, these four aims are expressed by three signs
each, along with their corresponding houses from the lagna.

1. Dharma is indicated by the fire signs, Aries, Leo,

Sagittarius,

& the 1st, 5th, and 9th houses.

 2. Artha is represented by the earth signs, Taurus, Virgo,
Capricorn,

& the 2nd, 6th, and 10th houses.

3. Kama is shown by the air signs, Gemini, Libra, Aquarius,

& the 3rd, 7th, and 11th houses.

4. Moksha is manifest in the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio,

Pisces,

& with the 4th, 8th, and 12th houses.

In the event of kundalini and other spiritual experiences, these moksha

signs and houses will play a prominent role, as we shall see in the illustration.

Note that the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter are the rulers of these three moksa
signs. More about this later.

Sarpa Decanates

In his Brhat Pdrdsara Hord Sdstra, Maharishi Parashara singles out certain
10-degree portions of the water signs as sarpa drekkdnas or "serpent decanates"
Decanates are the three 10-degree portions of any sign.

0 to 10 degrees = 1st decanate

10 to 20 degrees = 2nd decanate

20 to 30 degrees = 3rd decanate

The "sarpa decanates" are identified as:

The 2nd and 3rd decanates of Cancer.

The 1st and 2nd decanates of Scorpio.
The 2nd and 3rd decanates of Pisces.

Of these 6 decanates, Mars rules three, Jupiter two, and the Moon one.

In the context of spiritually oriented birth charts, planets in these portions

of the water signs can give rise to kundalini experiences in their dasds and
antardasds.
 Ironically, in the context of different horoscopes, planets in these decanates
can give rise to the most perverted and depraved expressions of violence and
sexuality.

The Special Significance of the 8th house

In his book Learn Hindu Astrology Easily, and in his classroom

discussions, Mr. Rao has given the spiritual significance of each of the
astrological houses. He has also shown the correspondence between the first
eight houses and the eight angas, or 'limbs" of classical yoga. Thus:

1st House = Yama (Observances)

2nd House = Niyama (Restraints)
3rd House = ^sana (Postures)
4th House = Pranayama (Control of the Life-Force)
5th House = Pratyahora (Withdrawal of the Senses)
6th House = Dharana (One-Pointed Concentration)
7th House = Dhyana (Meditative Absorption)
8th House = Samadhi (Spiritual Ecstasy)

The aim and culmination point of the 7th "limb," dhyana, is the unifying
experience of the transcendental Divine in the 8th "limb," samadhi. This
happens when the meditator, the object of meditation, and the act of meditating
merge into one. It is at this point that the limited individual self is transcended,
and one experiences the timeless, unbounded Self.

The scriptures of Yoga describe this as an experience of Sat-Chit-Ananda,

or Pure Being, Pure Knowingness, and Pure Bliss. The seer in this state of
consciousness is then said to realize the truth of the three "watchwords" of the
Vedas:

Aham Brahmasmi (I am That)

Tat Twam Asi (Thou are That)

Om Tat Sat Om (All This is That)

The Yoga tradition recognizes many different gradations and degrees of

samadhi that the individual can experience on the way. This experience of the
different levels of samadhi is the spiritual and esoteric meaning of the much-
maligned 8th house. This is the same house that from the mundane, worldly
perspective is referred to as a dussthdna, or "evil" house.

It is, coincidentally, also mrityu bhava, or house of death. On the exoteric

level, this refers to the decay and death of the physical body of which we are all
familiar. On the esoteric level, it also indicates the many psychological "deaths"
that can occur, such as when an individual "dies" to one level of maturity or
stage in life, and is "re-born" to a new stage.

An example would be when a dependent adolescent becomes an

independent adult. Ancient tribal cultures invariably acknowledged the death and
rebirth quality of this experience in the rituals that were used to facilitate this
passage. Every life contains many such "deaths" or transformations, and it is
these to which the 8th house also refers.

Also represented is the type of loss of self through merger with another that
can occur during lovemaking, which is why the French have long referred to
sexual orgasm as "le petite mort" or "little death" The 8th house represents
deeply transformative experiences, and shows the gateway to other worlds and
dimensions.

Planets associated with the 8th house will play a role in kundalini
experiences as they represent the capacity for sublimated sexual energy that
then flows upward and awakens the higher centers of consciousness.

Planets associated with the other two moksa houses, 4 and 12, must also be
considered.

Spirituality and the 5th and 9th Houses

After direct union with the Divine in the samadhi of the 8th house, true
spirituality dawns, which is the meaning of the 9th house. Only then can one be
a genuine Guru—a true "dispeller of darkness."

As the 9th house from the 9th house, Parashara gives the 5th house as the
house of spiritual practices and techniques like mantra andyantra.

However, these two houses have another important meaning in the context
of spiritual experiences. The 5th house shows an individual's purva punya, or
spiritual merit of the past life, while the 9th house shows the jamna punya, or
spiritual merit of this life. The dasds of the 5th and 9th lords are therefore said to
be the best for spiritual experiences and growth.

Their positions and associations in the natal birth chart show the innate
spiritual potential of the individual based on the past and present. They provide
the context that shows how sarpa drekkanas and planets associated with the 8th
house are likely to express themselves.

Jupiter, Ketu, and Jaimini's Karakas

When teaching the astrology of spiritual experiences, my teacher also

highlighted the importance of Jupiter, Ketu, and some special karakas of the
Jaimini system within Jyotisa.

Jupiter, of course, is the natural significator of the 9th house of spirituality,

and represents higher knowledge and divine blessings. Ketu, normally a natural
malefic, is known in Jaimini as the moksa karaka, or indicator of spiritual
liberation. When connected with Jupiter, the 5th lord, or the 9th lord, it develops
the capacity to give exalted spiritual experiences, particularly when placed in the
12th, 8th, or 4th houses.

The planet with the highest number of degrees, regardless of sign, is known
as the Atma Karaka in Jaimini, The planet 5th highest in degrees is the Putra
Karaka. The first one represents the "self" while the latter takes on the spiritual
practices/ purva punya connotation of the 5th house in the Jaimini system. These
two factors are also important to consider when timing spiritual experiences.

Summary of Parameters

Before looking at the illustrations, the following summary of parameters is

being given. It should be noted that these are all the original research of K.N.
Rao and not my own.

1) Planets in the moksa signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) and houses (4, 8,
12) play a prominent role in giving kundalini experiences in their dasds and
antardasds. Planets in the sarpa drekkanas of these water signs, or in the 8th
house, are particularly significant.

2) The 5th and 9th houses and their lords provide important clues as to the
innate spiritual inclinations of the individual. They, along with the whole chart,
and appropriate vargas, must be seen for context, and for understanding how
sarpa drekkdna and 8th house planets are likely to manifest.
 3) Jupiter and Ketu, as well as the Atma and Putra Karakas of Jaimini,
should also be seen for their role in giving spiritual experiences.

Keeping these parameters in mind, now see this rdsi and navdmsa. Note
that in the winter of 1975 the dasd sequence was Mars-Moon-Jupiter.

1 ID- 1»W
\ Ke,.^ JPrd Ve,„
, MOjftr. Us..:
7 Pis R Sf< To I

<o xs Ve„. 5Cipr

X Jpr"
Ban-ar / 8Sfiuir\
\ / Ma,s.r \
\/ Su™ [!«Saa 3 Sco ZLfcr J
Mwnna*. )a4> Dliwi(t.nm.
Ve Sa IF7 1
As Ve SuRa
Su 1 Pte IM 3 Tau 4 Grit
Ra / Sa
Ma
,lp2Aqu 1 & be*
Me
il .SUMJP
I n cap 1 I 1
2

J bo Sao I BUbr iTViro

The Inherent Potential

When giving consultations, I have often used the analogy of a seed. A birth
chart is like a seed in that it represents a set of potentials. When making
astrological interpretations, it is important to bear in mind that apples do not
grow on pear trees or vzce-versa. For an event to occur, the chart would need to
reflect that inherent karmic potential and then the dasd sequence would need to
activate that potential.

In keeping with the parameters researched by Shri Rao, see first the
disposition of the 5th and 9th houses and their lords, both in the birth chart and
the navdmsa, when looking at the spiritual inclinations.

Here we find that Saturn is lord of the 5th house and is in mutual aspect
with Jupiter. This shows to some degree the capacity for a disciplined (Saturn in
Virgo) regimen of spiritual practice (Saturn as lord of the 5th, aspected by
Jupiter). The 9th lord, Venus, is also well disposed being in its own house and
unblemished.

But the real key to understanding this event and its timing is revealed by a
close examination of the 5th and 9th houses in the navdmsa. Here we find Mars
in the 5th house in its debilitation sign. Cancer, and the Moon conjunct Ketu in
the 9th house, also in its debilitation sign.

However, from the Pisces navdmsa lagna, the Moon rules the 5th house,
and Mars rules the 9th house, resulting in an exchange (parzvartana yoga)
between the 5th and 9th lords in D-9. This exchange gives neecha banga. or
cancellation of their debility. It gives these grahas a somewhat disguised ability
to bring such experiences in their periods and sub-periods, especially when
acting together. (Note that this event took place in Mars/Moon!)

These two planets are also connected in the birth chart, only in a more
circuitous way. Their house placements conform with the above-mentioned
parameters. Mars is in the 8th house in his own sign, and therefore also lord of
the 8th. It is conjunct the lagna lord and an exalted 12th lord. The Moon is in the
12th, another moksa house, and is connected to Mars since it is in the sign of the
Sun who is conjunct Mars. Notice also, that their house position relationship to
each other is 5/9.

By their combined disposition in the birth chart and the navdmsa. Mars and
the Moon, particularly acting together, show the inherent potential of bringing
powerfully transformative spiritual experiences.

A Closer Look at the Moon

Until the Mercury sub-period, the Mars dasd had been mostly a time of
higher education. Note that Mars is the 9th lord in the 9th house from Chandra
Lagna and rules the 9th in the navdmsa. Spirituality and philosophy greatly
interested me intellectually, but my inner experiences were very limited. I had
begun practicing Transcendental Meditation in the Mercury sub-period, and that
continued on a twice-daily basis through the Ketu, Venus, and Sun sub-periods.
It wasn't until the Moon sub-period that anything dramatic occurred. Why?
Applying some of the other parameters in examining this Moon provides the
answer.

We have already noted its position in the 12th house. See also that it is very
closely conjunct Ketu, In this case, Ketu becomes a moksa karaka because it is in
the 12th. The Moon is also conjunct Ketu in the navdmsa where they go into the
9th, and where the Moon itself is the 5th lord. Given these house placements and
associations, Ketu takes on a moksa karaka status, and contributes to
spiritualizing the expression of the Moon.

In the birth chart, this bright, waxing Moon is a benefic:

• in the 12th house of Moksa

• conjunct Ketu, the Moksa Karaka,

• disposited by an exalted Sun in the 8th, another Moksa house

• and also, the Jaimini Atma Karaka.

In the navamsa:

• the Moon rules the 5th house of spiritual practices and merit from
practices in a past life,

• is in the 9th house of spiritual pursuit in this life time,

• is again conjunct Moksa Karaka, Ketu.

From the Mars-ruled sign, Scorpio, the Moon is aspected by the 12th
lord Saturn from its own sign in the 12th (sanyasa yoga).

It is for these reasons that the Moon sub-period in the Mars dasd gave a
kundalini awakening experience and spiritual bliss.

The Sub-Sub-Period Lord

In his discussions on the use of the vimsottarT dasd, Mr. Rao has
emphasized the importance of the sub-sub-period (pratyantar dasd) for timing
the event in the thematic context of the dasd and antardasd. The birth time needs
to be reasonably accurate to work on this level, but in this case, it can be relied
upon.

The sub-sub period running from February 2, to March 2,1975 was that of
Jupiter. Jupiter also conforms to the parameters mentioned previously in a
number of different ways.
 First of all, it is in Pisces, a moksa sign, though not in a sarpa drekkdna.
However, note that it falls in the 8th house from the Moon. Normally, Jupiter in
the 8th from the Moon forms an inauspicious yoga known as a Shakata (Bullock
Cart) Yoga. However, since Jupiter here is well placed in its own sign, this
becomes instead an auspicious Mukuta (Crown) Yoga, and is thought to be
particularly good foryocja sadhana.

Given this condition, its status as natural significator of spiritual

experience, its mutual aspect with the 5th lord of spiritual practices, and the fact
that it is the Jaimini Putrakaraka, Jupiter's role as a precipitator of this event is
not a big mystery.

Some Subtler Points

Though the roles of the 5th and 9th lords in the navdmsa in giving this
experience are readily apparent, they seem, on the surface to be non-existent in
the birth chart, except for the 5th lord's aspect on the sub-sub lord, Jupiter.

However, if we look beyond the sign rulerships to the naksatra rulerships,

a different picture emerges. See that both the dasd lord Mars and the antardasd
lord Moon are both in the naksatra of Venus, the 9th lord in its own house. This
is the astrological correlate for the divine-like bliss that characterized the
experience. Besides being aspected by the 5th lord, Saturn, Jupiter is also in
Saturn's naksatra. Such is the subtlety of Vedic astrology.

Intervention by the Guru?

In my narrative on the event, I alluded to my feeling that Goswami

Kriyananda, my guru at that time, may have been instrumental in my having this
experience. An interesting question arises as to whether the astrological factors
at play support that idea. It would seem they do. Jupiter represents the guru, or
spiritual teacher, in astrology, as does the sign Sagittarius, and the 9th house.
The dasd lord Mars is a case of the 9th lord in the 9th house, viewing the chart
from Chandra Lagna. The antardasd lord Moon is in the 9th in the navdmsa,
and in an exchange with the 9th lord. The pratyantar dasd lord is Jupiter itself.
My entire life at this time was completely focused on studying with this teacher,
and he was an enormous influence. I believe that influence extended to this
event.

An Area for Future Research

 Though I have no classical reference, and Mr. Rao only hints at this idea, it
stands to reason that if the sarpa drekkanas are instrumental in giving kundalini
experience, then the whole drekkdna divisional chart itself would also be
important for seeing these events.

MHMi
iVla MeMa SuMo
Ve Ke
if? Pte B/W 9 Tau ID Gem
Sa '
As
1 0»n
Ma
Me
12 Leo
% '' .
Ra -
— AsVe
SuKeMo ,1)4saa asco atfcf 'ivirfl

The points of interest are that the dasd lord Mars, and antardasd lord Moon
reverse their position from the birth chart. The Moon with Ketu goes into the 8th
house, while Mars, with the lagna lord Mercuxy, goes into the 12th house.
Jupiter remains in the moksa sign, Pisces, but instead of being 8th from the
Moon, it is now in the 12th from Chandra lagna. In this sub-division, Jupiter is
in mutual aspect with both the 5th and 9th lords in the lagna. All of this seems to
dovetail significantly with the indications in the birth chart and the navdmsa for
the potential of this experience in Mars/Moon/Jupiter.

This may be a fruitful area for future research.

Timing Through Another Dasa System

The vimsottarf dasd used to show the timing of this event is by far the one
most commonly used by Vedic astrologers. There are problems in its use,
however. Since it is a naksatra-based dasd system, dependent upon the exact
degree of the Moon's position at birth, different ayandmsas can make a
substantial difference in timing. Even inaccuracies in the birth time can make a
difference, particularly when working on the pratyantar level. Then there is the
controversy about the 360-day year dasd versus 365.25 day.

It is because of these issues that Mr. Rao teaches his students Chara Dasd,
the sign-based dasd from the Jaimini system. With this dasd system, only the
lagna need be correct for the timing to be accurate. It can be used to see rough
timing that can then be refined in vimsottarf, or it can be used to cross-check
events first seen in vimsottan.

In some respects, this event is revealed even more clearly in Chara Dasa,
which was:

C apricor n/C apricor n/Le o

From Capricorn, the 5th house has Venus in its own sign Taurus, from
where it aspects the lagna (using Jaimini sign aspects). The 9th house contains
the lagna lord, Saturn, aspected by Jupiter, the Putra Karaka, and the 9th lord
goes into the moksa 4th house, conjunct an exalted 8th lord, Sun.

Leo, the sub-sub period, is not only 8th from both the mahd dasa and
antardasd sign, it contains the Atma karaka Moon conjunct the Moksa Karaka,
Ketu,

From Leo, the 8th house contains the Putra Karaka Jupiter in the moksa
sign Pisces and is aspected by Saturn, the Dara Karaka. In Jaimini, the
combination of the Putrakaraka and Dara Karaka are a Raja Yoga forming
combinatioa It can be seen that all the parameters outlined earher come strongly
into play.

The Double Transit of Saturn and Jupiter

Shri Rao has repeatedly shared with his students a principle that was
passed on to him by one of his astrological mentors. Whenever anything of
importance happens in a person's life, the simultaneous double transit of Saturn
and Jupiter comes prominently into play. When applying this principle, he
emphasizes the necessity of using the Bhrgu technique of seeing a retrograde
planet as making aspect from both the sign it is in, and also from the previous
sign. In late Februaiy of 1975, Saturn was retrograde in Gemini, and Jupiter was
in Pisces.

What seems significant here is that both Saturn and Jupiter were making
aspect onto the pratyantar lord, Jupiter, in the 8th house from the Moon.

More Illustrations

In his marvelous book, Yogis, Destiny and Wheel of Time, K.N. Rao refers
to mystical experiences that he started having when his kundalini was activated
after doing the spiritual practices that he had been initiated in by his guru,
Swami Paramananda Sarasvatl. It was in his Jupiter maha dasa. His exalted
Jupiter falls in the last 10 degrees of Cancer, a sarpa drekkdna.

|
. / Mor„.
i'/ Vew BP* 7 Art STau ioam
AS*,,
Ma^v Jpwu
5 Aqo 10 Can
(?)
K.N. Rao
UsnIrtKUnWBTV
1(Vl211Wl KM.
1 51-00
jiGap
| 11 Loo
Saw. Mlw. Virv
a Sao 7 Sco ILitr 12 Virq

When you read the autobiographical accounts of the spiritual ecstasies

experienced by Saint Teresa of Avila, it seems clear that when she speaks of the
"spiritual fire" burning within her that this is a reference to awakened kundalini.
These experiences occurred in her Jupiter-Venus period, two planets involved in
a parivartana yoga in her chart, and with Venus exalted in a sarpa drekkdna.
ma* fengiflgg iokwii
vs— 7\ 1 VS.r,
Me^ Me™
SlJ Sow. Jp»1.
,13"V
/ Ke QSI-Sl ,10// 2 Pte 3 AH * Tau G«m
AOJK.
!
San lAcpi 8Can
0 Ba...
St Tef&sot AvJa
WW.VZWISIS
A«M». SAWN530 00
[l2 Cap 7 Leo
1
Mo,.,,
111 Sag 10SCO BUbr

Therese Neumann had many mystical experiences, including the

witnessing of the passion of Jesus Christ that then produced the stigmata on her
body in her Saturn major period, placed in sarpa drekkdna.
JSalUfeflflmmL
L y. ™' 6
S U 26*45' Me (5'5^
-,»/ 5 Art 6TW1 TG«n
llMa^j KeQ.3

Th»r#ss N«umann
Vea.„ \ / ,1 IDaVOo-y S«1.4W1B9« 100:00
KOflMrtWuW.GCT
I [2 Cap 9 Leo
'v
i ASzo-syl Saiyja- M025*4y
111 Sag n2 Sco -IILibf llOVitg

Padre Pio had a similar experience and also became a stigmatic. This
happened in his Saturn-Venus, period, with Venus being the 8th lord of his chart
in an exchange with Mercury who goes into the 8th house.
m"RUOMnu
/' \ Mou-u n
MlvKrSu>i'ir Ve*.„
\ /
\«
tX 1 (6_p^ _ 7 AM JBTSU 9iG<m
ASij-ar
y \
/ \ fil- ->
/ \
^ T/ { "A \) 10 Can
A 13"
/ Kl^~j Padre Pio
mm nrtrttMl,
vanMr wIT coon
\. /&. Ca '1 Lao 1
>\ / \ Mou-.
Su,,. A*«-w
x\/
Mera
/ Mara \l b S« n Seo 1 Li* tz Vim ^

After presenting on the topic of the astrology of spirituality to a group of

Russian students in the spring of 2014, and discussing how the periods of planets
falling in sarpa drekkanas can bring kundalini experiences, a woman
approached me and related that this had happened to her in the Mars mahd dasd.
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Her Mars in a sarpa drekkdna at 12 degrees of Cancer with the 9th lord
Venus. The debility of Mars gets effectively cancelled by its exchange with its
sign lord. Moon.

These examples further illustrate that kundalini can be awakened/activated

in the periods and sub-periods of planets placed in sarpa drekkanas, and those
connected to the 8th house. However, it should be clearly understood that they
will only do so in the context of certain charts that show a good spiritual
orientation and promise in general.

Yoga Science

Jyotisa is the science of karma and its remediation. Through its dasds, it
can show what karma will manifest and when, even the karma of experiencing
divine bliss. Whereas this has value, of much greater value is Yoga Science, the
knowledge through which a person can transcend karma, free their soul from the
cycle of birth, death and re-birth, and achieve complete union with the Divine.
Jyotisa is fascinating, no doubt, and for me it has become something of a
sadhana or spiritual practice in its own right, as it was for my teacher, K.N.Rao.
He spoke of how it helps to develop dharana, or one-pointed concentration.
Yoga, though, is the much higher vidyd and should take the pre-eminent place in
our lives. As stated in the Yogasikha-Upanishad:

Verily, there is no merit higher than Yoga,

No good higher than Yoga,
No subtlety higher than Yoga;
There is nothing higher than Yoga,

Through Yoga and God's grace may we all experience a Kundalini

Awakening.

Technical Summary

• Kundalini experiences are largely a province of the 8th house of

the horoscope and planets associated with it. However, planets in the moksa
signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces), especially the sarpa drekkdnas of these
signs, and planets associated with the other moksa houses, 4 and 12, also
play an important role.

• For these planets to give kundalini experiences in their dasds and

antardasds, the overall chart must reflect a spiritual orientation, seen in part
by the disposition of the 5th and 9th houses and their lords, both in the birth
chart and navdmsa.

• In the main example given, the dasd lord, Mars, is both in the 8th
house and lord of the 8th. The antardasd lord Moon is in the 12th, but
disposited by an exalted Sun in the 8th. In the navdmsa these planets are in
an exchange, wherein they both rule and are placed in the 5th and 9th
houses. This latter condition gives them the ability to give spiritual 8th
house experiences.

• Jupiter, because of its inherent nature, its status as Putra Karaka,

but primarily because it is placed in its own moksa sign in the 8th from the
Moon, precipitated the event as the pratyantar lord.
 • The event can be additionally seen through Jaimini's Chara Dasa
and the double transit of Saturn and Jupiter on the pratyantar lord, Jupiter,
in the 8th house from the Moon.

• The likely influence of the Guru can be seen from the dasa lord,
Mars, ruling the 9th from the Moon and the 9th in the navamsa, as well as
from Jupiter, natural significator of Guru.

• The role of mantra in inducing the experience can be seen by

Saturn's aspect onto Jupiter as the 5th lord, the Moon's rulership of the 5th
house in the navamsa, and Jupiter's status as Putra Karaka.
 Chapter Six

MR. AND MRS. SWAMIJI

THE ASTROLOGY OF A SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE

On the Train to Enlightenment

The year was 1973 and I had just graduated from Northwestern University
in Chicago. Like many of my generation, immediately jumping into a career
really didn't appeal to me. "Plenty of time for that later" I told myself.
Moreover, having just read Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a
Yogi" I'd concluded that the only goal really worth pursuing in life was "God-
Realization" and "Enlightenment" "That's where it's at!" I can remember
thinking, and so with all the excess zeal of youth and a Sun in Aries, I set about
racing towards my lofty ideal.

However, there was a slight problem. Where exactly did one go to get
enlightened? Then there was the troublesome business of needing a "guru"
India was very far away, and having been nothing but a student until then, I
didn't have two nickels to rub together. As if by an act of Providence—or so it
seemed to me at the time—I discovered that right in my own backyard (Chicago)
there existed a place called the ^Temple of Kriya Yoga" The resident yogi was
Goswami Kriyananda, an offshoot of the Kriya lineage of gurus, and after
attending several lectures, I decided that he was "the real deal" Problem solved.
It was the sub-period of my 9th lord in the 9th house.

I took initiation into the spiritual practices of Kriya Yoga from the good
Swami and subsequently learned that he conducted a two-year seminary for
those who wished to become teachers. Convinced that these were the folks going
straight to heaven, I enrolled. Thus, it came about one Sunday on a commuter
train on route to my first class that a handsome couple seated across the aisle
first caught my eye. They looked like a page right out of Woodstock with their
long hair and "flower child" clothes. They also looked like people worth
knowing. The ensuing conversation brought to light that they too were on the
train to Enlightenment.

Fellow Seekers and Lifelong Friends

Their names were Deborah and Eric. They had just relocated from
Colorado in order to study with Kriyananda and were enrolled in his seminary as
well. We became instant friends, and in the following two-years spent many
wonderful hours together, united in our common interests and growing mutual
affection. After the completion of our studies, I decided the role of "Swami"
didn't quite fit after all, while they went on to be ordained, and subsequently
married.
 Thereafter, the former students became teachers. They gave classes in yoga
and meditation in their home, whilst I did additional training with Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi and taught Transcendental Meditation.

The years unfolded, a child was born and a little later they followed the
Sun to California. Career-building, graduate school, and all the responsibilities
of home and family life consumed them in the usual way, but through it all they
remained faithful to their commitment to teaching Kriya Yoga, For a long time,
their living room was their "temple" and classroom. Then in the late ISSO's they
became part owners of a yoga center.

To this day they teach the spiritual tradition of Kriya Yoga together every
Wednesday evening and Sunday morning. Occasionally, they are asked by their
students to officiate at weddings, christenings, and house blessings. Love and
their intense mutual interest in spirituality drew them together some forty-four
years ago, and it keeps them together still, though like every married couple
they've had their ups and downs. They are the most spiritual couple I know,
united in their mutual commitment to "wa/k the pathway" together. Their birth
charts tell the story.

Spirituality in the Birth Chart

Spiritual inclinations are reflected in a birth chart in many different ways,

and for a fuller and fascinating discussion of these, I recommend K.N. Rao's
book Yogis, Destiny, and the Wheel of Time, Here, I will only mention the most
obvious and well-known principles:

• The two dharma houses 5 and 9 and their lords, both in the rasi and
the navdmsa are the most important factors for giving strong
spiritual inclinations. Parashara gives the 9th as the overt house of
spirituality, the guru, worship, and virtuous actions. He gives the
5th house (the 9th from the 9th) as pertaining to spiritual practice
involving the use of mantra etc.

• The 5th house is said to indicate "purva punya" or the merit

derived from spiritual practice in previous lives, while the 9th is
taken to indicate the spiritual merit gained in this life. However,
some texts such as Mantreswara's PhaladTpika give the reverse.

• 4, 8, and 12 are said to be houses of moksa, or spiritual liberation.

 These houses and their lords, in the context of a spiritually oriented
chart, indicate strong motivation in this direction. This is one of the
positive sides of the much-maligned 8th and 12th houses.

• Jupiter and Ketu, when well placed in a chart, and particularly when
associated with each other or the 5th and 9th houses and their lords,
incline an individual towards spiritual life. Jupiter is the Jnana
Karaka or indicator of spiritual wisdom and insight, while Ketu is
the Moksa Karaka or indicator of spiritual liberation.

• A preponderance of planets falling in the rasis of benefics, and the

sattvic planets-- Sun, Moon, and Jupiter-strong and well-placed,
help to give a pure and spiritually oriented life style.

• Gaja Kesarl Yoga, or Jupiter in a quadrant from the Moon, can lend
high-mindedness, idealism and religiosity depending on the houses
associated, and if this trend is supported by other indications in the
chart.

• As always, the placement and over-all disposition of the lagna and

lagna lord form the pillar around which every other indication in a
chart revolves.

• The vimsamsa or D-20 is the divisional chart that Parashara gives

for seeing religious worship and spiritual progress. Be mindful
however, that a very accurate birth time is necessary to give a
reliable vimsamsa lagna,

• Of course, dasa sequence must allow the spiritual promise in a birth

chart to unfold. My Jyotisa-guru always emphasizes that the
periods of the 5th and 9th lords are the best times for spiritual
development. The dasd of the 12th lord can be good as well, under
the right conditions.

With these parameters in mind, first see Eric's birth chart and navamsa.
 )OMM«
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Ve
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Samskaras for Spiritual Practice

Looking at Eric's horoscope one Is immediately struck by the precious

jewel that is his 5th lord—an exalted vargottama Saturn that goes into the 2nd
house of classical learning, aspected by Jupiter. Given its placement in the veiy
early degrees of Libra, Saturn remains exalted in no less than six yargas out of
the ten that make up the dasd varga scheme.

Moreover, from the Moon, Saturn becomes an exalted 9th lord in the 5th
house. In the navdrhsa Saturn is an exalted 1st lord in the 10th house conjunct
Venus, who is the 5th lord of this navdrhsa, also very well placed in its own sign.
Jupiter is with these planets as well.

This excellent condition of the 5th lord in both the rdsi and the navdrhsa is
a very great promise of spirituality and it was exactly in the Saturn period
beginning at age thirteen that this began to blossom.
 \ / Ma Mo
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N
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Ve 7Csn
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^ M,
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\ /
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e VeJpr6®11
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Deborah's 5th lord is no less beautiful. Her chart is given below.

Tau 'Gam

[12 SCO 111 Ubr _ 10 wa

Her 5th lord is Mars in its own 5th house with an exalted 9th lord Sun.
From the Moon, this Mars becomes the 9th lord, well placed and aspecting its
own 9th house. It obtains five good divisions, including own sign in the
navarhsa. She is currently running the Mars dasd.

/ Mo
x" "w SuVe \./ ipls B Art BTau OGam
^ /\ Asjp

/'■A) klCaa
'vw
/Me ~
Mo / Ra ^

The high number of "good divisions" obtained by both their 5th lords in the
dasd varga scheme is significant from the standpoint of spiritual development.
In Chapter 41 of his Hora Shastra, Parashara comments on the good effect of
this condition. A 5th lord falling in five good divisions as in Deborah's case is
termed simhasanamsa, and gives the effect of endowing "minister-ship," while
the six good divisions obtained by Eric's 5th lord is termed paravatamsa and
"endows knowledge of the Supreme Spirit"
 The reason I am first emphasizing the 5th lords in their charts is that the 5th
lord is the key to seeing the deepest samskaras or impressions carried over from
previous lifetimes that now inclines a person in a particular direction. The 5th
house/5th lord is also said to show the "purva puny a " or "the previous spiritual
merit" carried over from former existence.

Looking at the 5th lords of Eric and Deborah calls to mind those passages
in the Bhagavad-Gita where Krishna reassures Arjuna that any effort made
towards realizing the goal of Yoga is never lost. If the goal is not reached in one
lifetime, then one is bom in circumstances conducive to resuming the practice in
the next. Given the young age at which they took to spiritual life very seriously,
and the fact that they remain steadfastly involved, it is reasonable to assume that
this life-long focus is a carry-over from previous lives. Their 5th lords show that
samskara very clearly.

It should also be noted that Parashara gives the 5th house as pertaining to
mantra, and since their initiation into the meditation techniques of Kriya Yoga,
the use of mantra has been a daily feature of their lives.

A Foreign Religion

However, the 9th house and its lord are equally important when assessing
spirituality in a chart and for seeing the strong influence of a guru, I have already
noted that Deborah has an exalted 9th lord from her birth lagna and the 9th lord
in its own sign form the Moon. Her 9th house also has the influence of the Rdhu-
Ketu axis. Ketu in the 9th "spiritualizes" the Dragon's Tail and makes it capable
of being a moksa karaka, yet it also creates a "deviation from the norm," and
brings an element of unorthodoxy into her religious life. What this oftentimes
means in the modem context is that a person adopts a foreign religion. Deborah
was brought up in a Protestant Christian denomination. Yet, like so many of her
generation, it had no meaning for her, and she became attracted to the spiritual
traditions of the East.

This same influence can be seen in Eric's chart where his 9th lord Venus is
conjunct Ketu, producing the same "spiritualizing" effect on the Node, and also
inclining him to a spiritual tradition not of his birth. He was bom and raised in
Judaism. Note also that his 9th lord is conjunct the 8th lord in the birth chart and
that there is an exchange between the 8th and 9th lords in the navdmsa. This can
be combination for changing one's religious faith, as the 8th house connotes a
break or interruption. It can also be a combination for changing fathers, another
9th house meaning. His mother's second husband adopted him at a young age
and he has never known his biological father.

In this regard, it is interesting to see that Eric's chart fulfills one of the
conditions given for adoption in Manstreswaro's Phalodipika, [Chapter 16:26.]

"If the 9th house or its lord is in a moveable sign, associated with or
aspected by Saturn, and if the lord of the 12th house is powerful, the native born
shall be adopted by someone else"

Eric's 9th lord Venus is in the moveable sign Cancer, and receives the
aspect of Saturn. The lord of the 12th house is strong being in its own sign. The
combination applies in full and it gave the indicated effect.

Signs and Houses of Spiritual Liberation

The moksa houses 4, 8, and 12 and their lords are also very favorably
disposed in their charts, for the most part. Deborah has her lagna lord, Jupiter, in
the 4th house in its own sign Pisces, giving Hamsa yoga. It is conjunct the 8th
lord Moon giving Gaja Kesarf Yoga, So, we see here a combination of two of
the most important factors in a chart—the lagna lord and the Moon in a sign of
moksa and a house of moksa, forming two benefic yogas, both of which can give
high-mindedness, idealism, and religiosity.

Her 8th house Cancer also receives the aspect of a well-placed Jupiter, and
her 12th lord Mars is in its mulatrikona sign Aries, aspects its own 12th house
and is conjunct an exalted 9th lord. These favorable conditions help bring out the
more positive, moksa-inclining meanings of the 8th and 12th houses. Since the
8th house in particular pertains to the experience of samadhi, it should also be
noted that from the Moon, the 8th lord Venus is in its own sign Taurus.

Eric's lagna lord also falls in a moksa house, going into the 12th with the
12th lord. His 4th lord Jupiter also participates in Gaja KesarT Yoga and aspects
the 4th house itself. From the lagna his 8th lord is a debilitated Mars, but it is in
mutual aspect with the exalted 5th lord who also aspects the 8th house. From the
Moon, the 8th lord is exalted. As with Deborah, the Sun, Moon, and lagna lord
in his chart are all closely connected to the moksa houses. Little wonder that the
quest for spiritual liberation has been the dominant underlying theme of their life
together.

The Spirituality Givers, Jupiter and Ketu

 When examining the potential for spirituality in a chart the disposition of
Jupiter and Ketu must be carefully considered.

Jupiter, the devaguru, is the significator of higher knowledge, transcendent

wisdom and the impulse within man to seek union with the Divine. We have
seen how in both charts Jupiter is configured in benefic Gaja KesarT Yogas, well
placed in angle houses. In Deborah's case, it is the lagna lord in its own sign.

But for a person to take on the public identity of the priest or priestess there
must also be a strong Jupitarian influence on the 10th house or 10th lord.

Eric's Jupiter is in the 10th house from the lagna, and rules the 10th from
the Moon. Deborah's Jupiter aspects the 10th house from the lagna and rules the
10th house from the Moon. The navdmsa further confirms this influence, with
Jupiter going into the 10th house for Eric, and aspecting the 10th lord in
Deborah's D-9. These repeated influences have made them in their professional
lives teachers, counselors, consultants and priest/priestess—all of which are
signified by Jupiter.

Ketu is ordinarily a natural malefic, like its sidekick Rdhu, but the Moon's
South Node becomes a moksa karaka and can bring extraordinary spiritual
inclinations and experiences under certain conditions. These are:

• When placed in the 5th and 9th houses, and not afflicted.
• When placed in the moksa houses 4,8, and 12 (particularly the
latter two) AND
• conjunct or aspected by Jupiter or the 5th and 9th lords.

Deborah's Ketu is placed in the 9th house, without affliction and gives the
results of an exalted 9th lord.

Eric's Ketu is conjunct the 9th lord, Venus and is aspected by his exalted
5th lord, Saturn. The additional conjunction with a debilitated and malefic 8th
lord Mars, may not be good from a worldly perspective, but as this lord rules the
house of samadhi it may not be bad from the spiritual angle.

So, we see that Jupiter and Ketu in both their charts are well disposed to
give their spiritualizing influences.

Sattv/c Planets and Signs

 Sattva, or the quality of purity is one of the three gums or attributes that go
to make up every aspect of Creation, according to Sankhya-Yoga philosophy that
underlies Jyotisa.

The two luminaries and Jupiter represent the quality of sattva on the
planetary level, and in addition to the signs ruled by these grahas, the signs of
the other two benefics, Venus and Mercuiy, give a more sattvic disposition.

Note, how in Eric's case, his Sun in Leo, his Moon in Gemini, and his
Virgo lagna are all in this category. In fact, of the nine grahas, only Rahu in
Capricorn is in a sign of a malefic. Yet even in this case it gives the results of an
exalted Saturn in a benefic rdsi.

Deborah's lagna and Moon sign are also very sattvic since they are ruled
by Jupiter, and this quality is further insured by Jupiter's placement in its own
sign, Pisces. Though her Sun in Aries is in the sign of a malefic, it just happens
to be one where it gets exalted, and since it is also the 9th lord in the 5th, this
more than compensates.

In the time that I have known them, they have lived one of the purist life
styles imaginable. For example, from the standpoint of food, they have practiced
strict vegetarianism for most of their adult years, fasted regularly, used only
organic produce, at times grown in their own garden, and totally abstained from
alcohol or anything else that might be considered "bad" for health or spiritual
life. Deborah, without being overly strict on this point, has also set good limits
on the quality and quantity of what gets ingested from the TV as well.

A Spiritual Spouse and Marriage

Thus far the focus has been on the spiritual-orientation indicated in their
individual charts. However, not everyone with this inclination also marries
someone with a similar focus. How does this get reflected?

Note that the 7th lord Mercuiy in Deborah's chart goes into the 5th house
and is with both the 5th lord and the 9th lord. From the Moon, Mercuiy is again
the 7th lord and is again with the 9th lord.

In her navdmsa, the 7th lord Jupiter is with the 9th lord Venus and together
they aspect the 7th house.

For Eric, the 7th lord from both the lagna and the Moon is the devaguru
Jupiter, and therefore the image of Deborah in his chart is the benefic and
completely unblemished Gaja Kesan Yoga,

In his navamsa it gets even better, where the 7th lord is an exalted Moon in
the 5th house.

The 7th house and navamsa of both of their charts reveal so clearly how
they were destined to attract a spiritual spouse.

One additional fact should be highlighted in this regard. The Jupiter of one
spouse influencing the 7th house of the other is an indication of a marriage based
on spiritual or idealistic values. See how Eric's Jupiter and Gaja Kesan Yoga in
Gemini falls in Deborah's 7th house, and how Deborah's Jupiter and Gaja
Kesan Yoga in Pisces falls in Eric's 7th house.

It is the astrology of a spiritual marriage.

A Home like a Temple

It can be noted also that the Moon-Jupiter conjunction in both of their

charts is the configuration most influencing their 4th houses. Deborah's is
actually in the 4th house, while Eric's rules and aspects his 4th house. In their
home and on their grounds, they have many beautiful religious icons and
statuary. They also have a large meditation room complete with altar, pictures of
their guru and so forth.

My own Jyotisa-guru, K.N. Rao, once taught a seminar there and also did
consultations out of this room. I was witness that day to his astonishing skill in
seeing specific events from a person's past. Afterwards he attributed his success
in part to the spiritual vibrations of the room, declaring that "this home is like a
Temple," I am privileged to teach Jyotisa there on Thursday nights.

The Vimsdmsa for Spiritual Progress

Parashara gives the vimsdmsa or D-20 for "worship" and if a birth time has
been verified this division should be used when seeing spirituality in a
horoscope. However, a Jyotisi needs to be very cautious in using D-20 because
even with recorded birth times there can be a few minutes error, which could
make a difference in the vimsdmsa lagna,

Eric's birth time of 7:40 AM, for example, gives a rdsi lagna of 1-28
Virgo. If his actual birth time from the astrological standpoint (whatever that is,
because this is controversial!) is even a minute later, his vimsomsa lagna
changes from Leo to Virgo. In such an instance both possibilities must be
considered.

Deborah's is not so much on the edge, but still, if she were bom just two
minutes earlier than 12:55 AM her vimsomsa lagna would change from Virgo to
Leo.

So, you can see that getting a correct vimsomsa with even a recorded birth
time is anything but a given, and the question must be approached judiciously.

However, based on events related to their spiritual life, I do believe that the
vimsomsa lagnas given here—Leo for Eric and Virgo for Deborah—are correct.

Eric's vimsomsa:

iBPte B Art lOTau G«m

MO •*1
Ma /

/ \
/ \
WSco BUbr ZVini

Deborah's vimsomsa:

Ma Mo
KeRaJSu
Pis B Art STau ,10 Gam
Ve
JP
S U
• ^ 1^

Xi ^ 4-
Mo /'X Su SaAs
Sco <2 Lihr i Vl

The Meeting of Two Soul Mates

A promise in a horoscope may remain only a promise unless the right dasa
comes at the right time in life to give the full fruit.

Eric's interest in spiritual life began in his Saturn dosd, which is easy to
understand, given what we have seen about his Saturn. Additionally, one of the
reasons that I believe that Leo is the correct vimsamsa lagna is that this puts
Saturn in the 9th house, whereas Virgo would put it in the 8th.

Deborah's spirituality began to flower in her Venus dasd, which is not as

obvious from the standpoint of the rasi. But when you see that Venus in the
navdmsa is the 9th lord, in a beautiful exchange with the 1st lord, it becomes
perfectly clear. Venus is also the 9th lord of the vimsamsa.

Parenthetically, the ruler of the naksatra that the dasd lord is in provides
very significant clues as to what that dasd will bring. In Deborah's case her
Venus, well placed in its own sign, goes into the naksatra of Mars, the 5th lord
in the 5th with the 9th lord.

They met at a mountain meditation retreat in Boulder, Colorado, a Mecca

at the time for those spiritually awakening. This was in April of 1972. The
timing for Deborah is an astonishing display of the vimsottarl dasd (Lahiri
Ayandmsa 365.25) and the importance of the navdmsa in timing relationship.
Her dasd sequence was Venus-Jupiter-Moon, the three planets that combine
along the 1-7 axis of her navdmsa.

Mo . | Me
'PIS a Art (9Tau 10Gem

(5) ^
/ Sa
^ Mo X Rd
Ke AsJp
Ma SuVe
I Sen B Scp g mr h Virq

For Eric, it was Saturn-Venus-Venus. See that these two planets are
conjunct in the navdmsa, one exalted and the other in its own sign.
M DhMkliBfOUM lMrmak*9pouM
■y /X / Ma Mo

Ma As , Art 5T»u 5 Gem

Ra \ / \
/' \ / Ve Can
;li sa (?) Me
\ / \ Jp As
Mo\ / \ /Ke
i vrP SUK>
X X Sa
/\ Su KeSu
VeJp
/ \/Me _ \l 12"-" 11 Sco lOUbr >Viiy
 So, it was in these periods that they met their soul mate—the individual
with whom they were destined to walk the spiritual path.

They Meet Their Guru

These same periods and sub-periods brought another equally important

soul into their lives—their guru, Goswami Kriyananda of Chicago. The 9th lord
and the 9th house rule the guru or spiritual preceptor, as does Jupiter on the
planetary level.

Eric was running Satum-Venus, and the connections of these planets to the
9th house and Jupiter are manifold:

• Saturn aspects the 9th lord from the birth lagna and is aspected by
Jupiter.
• Saturn is the 9th lord from the Moon.
• Saturn is conjunct Jupiter in the navarhsa.
• Saturn goes into the 9th house of the vimsamsa, aspected by Jupiter.
• Venus is the 9th lord from the lagna.
• Venus is aspected by the 9th lord from the Moon.
• Venus is aspected by Jupiter in the yimsamsa.

Deborah was running Venus-Jupiter:

• Venus is the 9th lord of both her novdmsa and vimsamsa.

• Jupiter is...well...Jupiter, but it also conjuncts the 9th lord and
aspects the 9th house in the novdmsa.

It was time for a spiritual teacher to come into their life.

Swamis Tejas and Modhanananda

Between September of 1973 and early 1976 they completed their

seminarian studies. For Eric, it continued to be the period of Satum-Venus as
well as Saturn-Sun. Note that the Sun falls in the 9th in his novdmsa.

For Deborah, this period was entirely encompassed by Venus-Saturn. Note

that Saturn is the 5th lord in the 5th house in the novdmsa, and the 5th lord in the
1st in the vimsamsa. However, one point of particular interest here is that her
Saturn is the 3rd lord from the birth lagna, and Venus is the 3rd lord in its own
3rd house from the Moon.
 Bear in mind that there is a correlation between the first eight houses of the
horoscope, and the eight classical "limbs" of Yoga, The 3rd house therefore
pertains to the 3rd limb of "asana" Deborah was learning, practicing, and
training to teach hatha yoga during this period. Since the 3rd lord, Saturn, is in
the 10th of career she has at times done this as her profession.

In 1976, they were both ordained as Swamis. Eric was given the name
Tejasananda—he who will find his bliss through the subtie cosmic fire—and
Deborah was named Modananada—she who will find her bliss through "greater
joy."

(Note: The Sanskrit word moda, which literally means "greater joy,"
doesn't translate very well here. It refers to the second level of the "anandamaya
kosha," or "bliss sheath" in the subtie body.)

Eric became a Swami in Saturn-Moon. His Moon is not only with Jupiter
in the rasi, but also falls in Jupiter's naksatra. Jupiter's multiple connection with
the 10th house of career identity has already been noted. From dasa lagna,
Libra, the Moon-Jupiter combination falls in the 9th house.

Deborah became a Swami in Venus-Mercuiy, which provides another

brilliant illustration of the vimsottari dasa. Mercury is the 10th lord of her birth
chart, conjunct both the 9th and 5th lords, but then these planets must also be
seen in her navamsa and vimsamsa.

In D-9 Venus and Mercury are in a breath-taking 9-1 exchange, with

Mercury as the 10th lord again, forming one of the best raja yogas for this
lagna. In the vimsamsa, the lagna is again Virgo and Venus and Mercury
combine again, this time in the 11th house of rewards, honors, recognition and
fulfillment. This is how this period made her a priestess.

This major event in her life coinciding with Venus-Mercuiy also highlights
the great importance of using the divisional charts when interpreting dasd-
antardasd. One would have been hard-pressed to see this event just based on the
birth chart alone.

Fulfillment of a Life's Ambition

Ten years later in the spring of 1988 Deborah and Eric fulfilled a dream
they'd had ever since completing the Kriya Yoga Seminaiy. They opened their
own yoga center. In partnership with another couple they established the North
County Yoga Center in Solana Beach, California, just north of San Diego. As of
this date it has been in operation now for over eleven years.

It was the period of Mercury-Venus for Eric. Note that Mercury is in the
3rd house from the Moon with the 3rd lord. During his Mercury period, he has
both practiced and taught hatha yoga continuously. Venus, the sub-period lord is
with the 3rd lord Mars. Deborah was running Moon-Rahu. The Moon is in
mutual aspect with the 3rd lord Saturn, and Rahu is in the 3rd house.

Several years later, they began organizing yoga retreats to Hawaii on a

yearly basis. This began for Eric during Mercury-Sun, the dasa and antardasa of
the two planets placed in his 12th house, including the 12th lord. This is again a
remarkable demonstration of the efficacy of the vimsottarT dasd. It was Moon-
Satum for Deborah, which is not as obvious. Saturn rules the 12th house from
the Moon in both the rdsi and the navdrhsa.

Looking Ahead

I was taught that the best dasds for spiritual development are the periods
and sub-periods of the 5th and 9th lord. After these, the 12th lord can be good if
the chart as a whole shows a spiritual orientation. We have seen that Eric ran the
dasd of an exalted 5th lord from his early teens to his early twenties. Deborah
ran the dasd of an exalted 9th lord starting in her late twenties and extending to
her mid-thirties. She is now in the period of her 5th lord. Mars-Sun beginning in
February and extending through July of 2002 holds a very good promise from
the spiritual standpoint.

Eric will begin his Ketu period in March of 2001, and after seven-years
moves into the Venus period. Ketu closest association is with Venus, the 9th
lord, and therefore gives the results of Venus very strongly in its period. Both of
these are also aspected by the exalted 5th lord Saturn. The twenty-year Venus
period follows thereafter. In terms of the unfolding of their spiritual Ufe, it looks
as if the best is yet to come for both of them.

The 12th House from Kdrakdmsa Lagna

In a class conducted several years ago by K.N. Rao, he greatly aroused my

interest by stating that the techniques of Jaimini astrology were particularly
useful in seeing spirituality in a birth chart. It is not within the scope of this
article to go into detail about these, but I did want to apply one principle to the
charts of Deborah and Eric. There are a series of Jaimini Sutras that deal with
what happens to the soul subsequent to physical death, and with combinations
for moksa, or spiritual liberation.

The influence of well-placed benefics and Ketu on the 12th house from the
Kdrakdmsa is praised in this regard, but likely there is much more to it than this,
since achieving final emancipation is a rare occurrence. Applying this principle
to charts of Deborah and Eric reveals an intriguing symmetry.

For those unfamiliar with the techniques of Jaimini, the Kdrakdmsa Lagna
is derived by seeing the navdrhsa position of the planet with the highest degree
of longitude regardless of sign, and using this position as a lagna in the birth
chart. This can also be applied in the navdrhsa.

In Deborah's case, her Venus obtains the highest degree of longitude and
goes into Virgo in the navdrhsa, Virgo becomes her Kdrakdmsa lagna and Leo is
the 12th house from there. Note that it contains the Moksa Karaka Ketu, and that
the 12th lord itself gets exalted in the 8th house of samadhi. It also makes
Jaimini aspect back onto its own 12th house.

Eric's Mars is the planet with the highest degrees, and goes into the sign
Pisces in the navdrhsa. This placement alone is praised by Jaimini for progress
toward spiritual liberation. Aquarius becomes the 12th house from his
Kdrakdmsa lagna. Now see how—just like with Deborah—it becomes an
exalted planet in the 8th house, aspecting back onto its own 12th house.
Aquarius also receives the Jaimini aspect of Ketu,

I am not suggesting that this means they will both achieve final
emancipation, but this condition of the 12th house and the 12th lord from the
Kdrakdmsa lagna does seem to bode well for progress towards the goal of
spiritual liberation and the state of their souls in the afterlife.

Still Aboard

It is now four decades since Deborah and Eric and I met on that commuter
train. So much has happened. So much has come and gone in our lives. Yet
through all the changes and ups and downs of life, one thing has remained the
same. We are still walking the spiritual pathway together. We are still fellow
travelers on that train to Enlightenment...me...and Mr. and Mrs, Swamiji,
Technical Summary

• The 5th lord in the birth chart and navamsa gives important clues
for seeing samskaras for spiritual practice in this lifetime. Their
strength in das avarga and connections with the 9th lord are very
favorable factors.

• To take on the public identity of a priest, minister etc. the strong

influence of Jupiter on the 10th house or 10th lord is necessaiy.

• The influence of a spouse's Jupiter on the 7th house of the other

spouse helps to create a marriage based on idealistic or spiritual
values.

• The vimsamsa or D-20 is the division given by Parashara for seeing

worship and spiritual activities, but must be used with caution due
to its sensitivity to minor errors in the birth time.

• Periods and sub-periods of the 5th and 9th lords in the rdsi and the
navdmsa are among the best times for spiritual development. It is
good when they come later in life and can be taken full advantage
of with the maturity of older age.

• Seeing the influences on the 12th house from the Karakamsa Lagna
provides clues to the state of the soul in the afterlife.
 Chapter Seven

GRAHA SANTI

MODIFYING KARMA WITH UPAYA

God and Guru's Grace

My first introduction to the idea of karma getting modified through

spiritual practices was from K.N. Rao's book. Astrology, Destiny, and the Wheel
of Time. It begins with the stoiy of the son of some family well known to him
who had gotten involved in a militant political group. They had committed a
violent terrorist act in which people had died. The son was implicated and
wanted by the police for this. Shri Rao knew this family because they shared a
common spiritual guru, Swami Paramananda Sarasvatl. I no longer have the
book to confirm the details but somehow it came about that the son was hiding
out in one of the ashrams of this guru who was having him do pujd, or
ceremonial worship, continuously all-day long. Either he was finally
apprehended or eventually turned himself in, and was put on trial. In a famous
prediction of Shri Rao's, he had told the family that their son would be acquitted
and released, and gave the timing within a few days. It proved correct. He
entitled this true stoiy "God and Guru's Grace."

Later in the book he tells another stoiy about how one night when he was
doing some astrological researches one of the notebooks where he records charts
kept inadvertently opening to the horoscope of his brother-in-law. Taking it as a
cosmic hint, he looked at the current period and sub-period and did not like what
he saw. A clear, upcoming danger was evident. Not wanting to alarm the family
unduly, when he saw them next he merely suggested that it would be good to
include in their daily worship the chanting of a mala, or 108 repetitions of the
Mdha Mriiyunjaya Mantra. Out of respect for him and his recommendation they
began doing this.

One evening not long afterwards, Shri Rao received a phone call. There
had been an accident. If memory serves the brother-in-law was an engineer and
while working in a warehouse a large, multi-level shelf of materials, possibly
bags of cement or some other building materials, had toppled over onto him and
those who witnessed the accident could not see how he would have survived.
Yet when rescuers dug him out, he was unconscious but still breathing. Later at
the hospital it was discovered that the only injury he suffered, aside from
bruises, was a hairline fracture of his hip. Everyone considered it something of a
miracle.

In November of 1996 when I went to stay with Shri Rao in India and sat
with him daily, I was witness to an endless stream of visitors from all parts of
the world, most of them seeking astrological consults. One day a radiantly
beautiful young Indian girl appeared. As they spoke together in Hindi, I could
not follow the conversation but got the impression that she was thanking him
profusely. Later I got the stoiy.

Several months earlier she and her mother had come to him, both of them
very distraught. The girl was at that age when her marriage was to be arranged,
but there were no suitors. Although quite beautiful, well-educated and from an
affluent family, she was suffering from a skin disorder that had disfigured her.
The best skin specialists had been consulted, but to no avail. No one could say
for sure what was causing it and all treatment attempts had failed.

She was running the major period of Mercury, karaka or indicator of the
skin, in a poor condition in her chart. Mercury was the cosmic agent you might
say of a karmic condition that was thwarting her desire to many. Seeing this,
Shri Rao prescribed an upaya, a spiritual remedy. He told her to chant The
Thousand Names of the Lord {Visnu-Sahasranama) every day intensely.

Why? The classical texts of Jyotisa give a correlation between each of the
grohos, or planets and the main Vedic deities. Mercury is associated with Visnu,
the Hindu representation of that aspect of the Divine that sustains creation. By
doing this practice, she could make peace {Graha Santi) with Mercury, the
planet that was "causing" this difficulty. She did it and within a matter of months
the condition cleared. She was engaged shortly thereafter and had come to invite
my teacher to her wedding in gratitude.

The skeptic would no doubt say that her doing this spiritual practice had
nothing to do with her skin condition disappearing, that it was a case of
"spontaneous remission" or at best, a "placebo effect" They might also contend
that the pujds performed by the man accused of a terrorist act or the Mdha
Mrityunjaya mantras chanted by the engineer's family had nothing do with them
getting off rather lightly from situations in which the suffering could have been
much more severe. And of course, there is no way of proving otherwise.
However, anecdotal evidence like this from those who have experimented with
Updya, including myself, suggests that they oftentimes do have a very powerful
effect. The Vedic tradition and its practices are thousands of years old and have
withstood the test of time. For this reason alone, they warrant our attention.

Remedial Methods

The potential downside of learning Jyotisa is that it reveals how much of

our life experience is conditioned by past-life karma. Indeed, a close observation
of our birth charts, in relation to our life events, shows that planetaiy periods
come and go, and with them predictable events, good or bad, regardless of
whether we desire them or not. If you let it, Jyotisa could turn you into quite a
fatalist. Of course, this predictive science is entirely based on the theory of
karma and reincarnation, the notion that the soul creates its own experience
through its thoughts, words and actions in a series of lifetimes. This idea is
expressed in its essence in the Christian Bible as "As you sow, you reap"

The concept of karma, as articulated in the spiritual tradition of India, is

quite intricate and complex. For a fuller exposition of this I refer the reader to
my article Astrology, Karma and Reincarnation available free on my website
(www.marcboney.com).

Suffice it to say that our birth chart reflects our prdrabhda karma, or
allotment of karma due to come to fruition in this lifetime. In Maharishi
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras this whole matter of karma and its fruition is summed up
in a series of three brief aphorisms in the second part dealing with sadhana or
spiritual practice.

Leaving the Sanskrit aside mostly, these are as follows:

• [2.12] Latent impressions of action (karmasqya) have their

origin in the causes of suffering (klesas) and are experienced in
the present and future births.

• [2.13] As long as this root exists, the (karmdsqya) ripens into

birth, span of life, and life experience.

• [2.14] Pleasure and pain are the fruits of these (birth, span of
life, life experience) according to the merit or demerit
(punya/apunya).

Klesas or "afflictions" refer to the five causes of suffering enumerated

earlier in the text. Chief among these, and identified also as the ksetram or
"field" of the others, is avidyd, or "ignorance." Ignorance, in this context, refers
to our ignorance of the Higher Self, of our own true divine nature as being one
and the same as purusa or pure spirit.

Must we then just passively enjoy or suffer our prdrabhda karma? Two
sutras later the great Sage tells us otherwise:
[2:16] heyam duhkham anagatam

The sorrow yet to come is to be avoided.

This sutra clearly indicates that karmas from which we are destined to
suffer can be avoided. How? Well, there is a reason that these sutras about
karma and its fruition appear in the chapter entitled Sddhana or "Practice." Later
on, in this part of the Yoga Sutras, the Sage outlines his famous astdnga, or
"eight limbs" of Yoga, about which he says:

[2:28] The sustained practice of the limbs of Yoga destroys impurities of the
mind, at which point the light of knowledge of our own true nature dawns.

The Sanskrit word upaya simply means "method." All of Yoga science,
including what is given in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, is aimed at one thing;
permanently ending all suffering of the soul by achieving spiritual liberation, or
moksa. When this happens, all karmic seeds are "roasted" as it says in the
literature, and cannot bear fruit. In fact, all karma is completely transcended. In
this sense, Yoga science is the ultimate updya, a complete methodology for
avoiding any "sorrow yet to come"

However, for most of us the impulse towards moksa, the desire to achieve
spiritual liberation in this lifetime, is not strong enough such that we are inclined
to completely devote our lives to this aim. We are not yogis and yoginis in caves
in the Himalayas or sddhaks in ashrams spending the majority of our time
engaged in spiritual practices. Yet this doesn't mean that we cannot also benefit
from an "updya" that could help balance/modifying negative karma.

When I first discovered Jyotisa, one of the many things that greatly
appealed to me is that it had a prescriptive side which I now consider to be every
bit as important as its predictive side. The Jyotisa sdstra makes it very clear that
the sages of ancient India cognized this body of knowledge so that the karmas
that were likely to manifest in a person's life could be known, along with timing.
Why? For the same reason a doctor wants to accurately diagnose a health
disorder, which is to say, in order to prescribe an effective remedy. The
prescriptions in Jyotisa are practices that come from the spiritual tradition of
India and they can be utilized to overcome negative karmas, or even to enhance
positive ones.

In my opinion, this is the best and highest use of Jyotisa, and the purpose
for which it was most originally intended. Too often in my view it is used as a
mere fortune-telling device, and I say this as someone long enamored with its
predictive power. Yet I also recognized early on that it is a powerful tool for
diagnosing which cosmic agents (grahas) are delivering what quality of effects
from the soul's previous actions, and how good diagnosis then becomes the basis
for an effective prescription.

The Grahas as Cosmic Agents

It is both purposeful and significant that the word used in Jyotisa for the
planets is grahas, a Sanskrit word whose root meaning is "to seize or grasp."
Like all the technical terms used in Jyotisa, this word is plainly suggestive of the
universal forces it describes in so far as their effect. Anyone who has ever been
overtaken by a strong feeling, a strange mood, a sudden notion or an
overwhelming desire, knows what it is to be "grasped" by something apparently
beyond their control. In fact, it is a cliche to speak of being "in the grip of
desire."

Yet the jyotisa sastra makes it clear that the planets merely act as agents,
distributing to us the fruits of our past actions from previous births.

"The Unborn Lord has many incarnations (forms). He has incarnated as the
planets to bestow on the living being the results due to their karmas."

Brhat Parasara Hora Sastra

Chapter 2, verse 3

If the planets can be said to "grasp" us, it should be clearly understood that
they do so with our own attachments and aversions bom of the residue of
impressions from experiences over many lifetimes. These residual impressions,
known as karma samskdras in the Vedic tradition of knowledge, are what the
planetary patterns at birth indicate. Through the examination of an individual's
birth chart, a jyotisi assesses the quality and intensity of these karma samskdras,
and what experiences they are likely to give rise to in this lifetime. The
prescriptive side of Jyotisa is about methods for pacifying these cosmic agents,
which is another way of saying methods by which karma can be modified. This
is what is meant by the phrase graha sdnti, or "making peace with the planets."
As we shall see, there are different types of methods given in the ancient texts.

Different Approaches to Updya

 The Updya or "remedial measures" of Jyotisa consist of many different
approaches, but generally speaking they fall in die following five categories.

• The use of sacred hymns and primordial sounds {stotras and

mantras)
• Ritual ceremonies (pujds mdyagyas)
• Acts of charity (ddn)
• Acts of service (seva)
• Austerities (tapas)

The first three are the methods emphasized in the Brhat Pdrdsara Hord
Sdstra, considered the most authoritative text on Jyotisa,

Some may find it surprising that gemstones are not being listed here since
the use of these is veiy prevalent in the world of Jyotisa, I am not stressing them
for two reasons:

• I am following the example of my teacher who did not favor this

approach, stating that Pdrdsara Hord makes no mention of them.
• Secondly, they are something of a rich person's updya. To have the
desired effect, supposedly they should be of at least three carats and
of flawless quality, which is beyond the means of most people.

While not dismissing the idea of some potential benefit, I personally feel
that anyone who thinks they are going to alter their karma significandy by
merely wearing a gem stone is misguided. In his famous Autobiography of a
Yogi, Paramahamsa Yogananda in a chapter entided "Outwitting the Stars" tells
the stoiy of how his guru, Sri Yukteshwar, who was a jyotfsf, asked him to have
an astrological bangle made of certain metals and precious gems when he
foresaw astrologically a health problem coming up. The predicted problem did
occur but was apparendy short-lived and not as severe as it might have been
without this updya. However, what anyone reading this story should realize is
that Yogananda was doing hours of daily sddhana and had the blessing of a
satguru to go along with this. He was also from a wealthy family and could
afford it.

References to Updya in the Brhat Pdrdsara Hord Sdstra can be found in

the chapters dealing with the effects of dasds. Remedial measures are often
given when the possible negative effects of a period are outlined. For example,
see the following passage concerning some potential harmful effects of the
Venus major period.

"If Venus be the lord of the 2nd or the 7th (two mdraka houses), there will
be physical pains and troubles. To get alleviation from these troubles the person
should perform Mrityunjaya Japa in the prescribed manner and give in charity a
cow or female buffalo"

Mrityunjaya Japa refers to the repetition (japa) of the Mdha Mrityunjaya

Mantra, which means literally "The Great Mantra for Victory over Death" It is
something of a standard prescription for anyone suffering from any mental or
physical ailments. The "giving of a cow or female buffalo in charity" may appear
quaint to us in the modem era, but in the predominantly agrarian culture of
ancient India it would constitute a substantial and valuable gift.

I highlight this passage to show the extent to which the ancient Vedic sages
clearly believed that such practices and actions could modify the karma coming
to a person by way of the planetary periods. Based on his experience of many
decades, K.N. Rao strongly prefers the recitation of stotras or sacred hymns,
embedded in which are mantras, or also simply doing mantra japam, as the most
effective Updya. My own experience and experiments support this view. It is
this method then that I will focus on first in this article.

However, before going into this fascinating topic, it should be said that the
traditional approach to updya given in the classical texts of Jyotisa, all of which
is based on the Indian spiritual tradition, is not necessarily to be recommended to
everyone. It is important to adapt the approach based on the individual you are
counseling and their receptivity.

Recommending Vedic mantras or yagyas (ritual ceremonies) to an

orthodox Jew, a strict Roman Catholic, or a devout Muslim may not be the most
efficacious approach. They are much more likely to be receptive to a practice in
keeping with their own spiritual tradition. This is the approach used by Shri Rao
and I have oftentimes heard him say that any form of sincere worship is an
effective updya. Once, when counseling a Roman Catholic woman with a very
difficult Moon, I recommended a practice with which I was familiar centering on
Mother Mary, the archetype of the Divine Mother in that tradition. It appealed to
her. On the other hand, I have found that most people seeking a consultation in
Jyotisa are usually also receptive to Vedic spiritual practices.

Mantra
 What is a mantra? This Sanskrit word is composed of the two root words,
manas, which means, "mind," and trai, which means, "to heal or protect."
Mantras can therefore best be defined as "primordial sounds that have a healing
or beneficial effect on the mind and consciousness"

In the spiritual tradition of India, mantra is a whole science in itself, based

on oral tradition thousands of years old, and then later a vast literature known as
mantra sdstra. It is grounded in the recognition that specific sounds or vibrations
have specific physiological and psychological effects. Like Jyotisa, this science
is said to have originated when the enlightened risis of the ancient Vedic
civilization cognized or discovered in their higher states of consciousness what
sounds produced what effects.

Probably the simplest way to relate to the idea of mantra having a profound
effect on a person is to think of something with which we are all very familiar—
music. We are also very familiar with how different types of music can affect
and sometimes profoundly move us in different ways, making us feel happy, sad,
aroused, sedated, mellow, agitated or many other ways.

Every sound, every vibration, represents a certain kind of energy, and each
sound has, you might say, its own "energetic value" By saturating the mind in a
particular sound this energetic value affects and can even transform the energy
pattern of the subtle body, thus changing an individual's attunement to the
cosmos and planetary stimuli. Vedic science holds that if you want a different
experience in life then you have to change the vibration of the person having the
experience, and mantra is viewed as one of the most powerful tools for doing
that.

As a spiritual teacher of mine once expressed it, the human brain and
nervous system and their correlates in the subtle bodies are the most sensitive
receiving and transmitting instruments imaginable. Think of a highly-
sophisticated two-way radio capable of operating at any frequency. An
individual's planetary pattern at birth shows what frequencies they are dialed
into based on their soul's karma-samskdras—the psycho-physical-spiritual
tendencies generated by their actions in past lives. If a person wishes to attune to
a different set of frequencies, the vibrations or sounds associated with these can
be used to do this. A simple example may serve to illustrate this concept.

Say that a person has some ddridra yogast or combinations for

impoverishment in their chart, and the planets involved are currently active in
the dasd sequence. Sure enough, they are having great difficulty making ends
meet. Feeling desperate, they may seek out an astrologer. Why? So, they can
hear all about these combinations and get more depressed? Of course not, they
want to be assured that their financial fortunes will immediately improve, and
hopefully starting tomorrow! However, what if that is not what the astrologer
honestly sees? Better financial periods in the times ahead can always be
highlighted, but this is also an opportune time for a jyotisi to offer a spiritual
remedy aimed at modifying that person's karma which respect to prosperity and
abundance in their life.

SrTm (pronounced shreem) is said to be the bija mantra, or "seed sound" of

abundance. It is quite literally the vibration or sound of abundance according to
the ancient sages. The goddess LaksmT in the Hindu pantheon personifies this
sound and the principle of abundance.

The bTja mantra, SrTm, could therefore be used to "dial into the frequency"
of abundance, attracting more of that into a person's life. More often, however,
bTja mantras are embedded in longer mantras that include the name of the
associated deity and other meaningful primordial sounds as well. Thus, one
mantra utilized to create more abundance and prosperity is:

OM SrIM MAHA LAK$MiYEI NAMAH

This is pronounced:
OM SHREEM MAH-HA LAHKSH-MEE-YEINAHM-AH-HA)

Of course, "abundance" and "prosperity" come in many forms and can

mean different things to different people. Money has sometimes been referred to
as the "root of all evil," but in actuality it is just a form of energy, and like any
energy it can be used self-indulgendy and in ways very harmful to oneself,
others and the environment, or it can be used in a very life-supporting way. One
always needs to be mindful—and careful—about what you create in your life
and why.

Sanskrit, the language of mantra, is held to be quite unique and special in

that there is said to be a perfect correlation between name and form in this
language. What this means is that the name of something in Sanskrit is said to be
an exact vibratory representation of its essential form and substance. Thus, the
difference between chanting the English word "peace" and the Sanskrit word
sdntz is that while they both mean the same thing, chanting the sound "peace"
won't necessarily make you peaceful, while chanting sdnti will.

The science of mantra is the science of the specific effects of particular

sounds and it should be understood that it is not faith-based at all. A soaring,
female soprano hitting a high C-note can shatter glass, while a gentie Beethoven
sonata can soothe frazzled nerves. These effects are well known and can be
understood and explained according to well-known principles of physics. From
this perspective, the use of mantra transcends any one religious creed or
tradition. Whereas the Sanskrit mantras given here come to us from a spiritual
tradition now identified in the world as Hinduism, it should be clearly
understood that one doesn't need to accept or embrace Hinduism in order to
benefit from a mantra practice.

Mantra Japam

There are two basic approaches to working with mantras as a remedial

measure (updya).

One involves a repetition (japa) of the mantra for a prescribed number of

times. The other involves repeating the mantra on a daily basis as often as
possible for a certain period of time.

For example, for propitiating the Sun and making peace with this graha,
Pdrdsara Hard prescribes 7000 repetitions of the Sun mantra. Theoretically, this
could be done in one month, or over a period of months.

In contrast, if a person were looking to ward off or cure illness, repeating

the Mdha Mrityunjaya Mantra 108 times over a period of 40 days would be
another approach.

Both approaches are effective, but with regards to any updya the following
formula applies:

Intention + Intensity + Duration = Effect

An effective mantra updya begins with a good intention, and to make that
intention clear and concrete it is oftentimes helpful to write it down. Whatever it
is, this intention should be completely life supporting.

Secondly, it should be done intensely, meaning with a certain mental focus.

Whereas mantra japam can be performed while doing mindless chores like
cleaning the house or what not, the mind should be focused and absorbed in the
sound of the mantra.
 Some traditions teach that it is optimum to do your practice at the same
time and place each day, just before rising in the morning and before going to
bed at night. However, there is no need to get hung up on this or be too rigid
about it. The most important thing is to just do it with a good intention and
reasonable focus.

"Duration," as indicated above, can mean either a total number of

repetitions, or a certain number of repetitions for a subscribed number of days.
Traditionally, a string of beads called a mala is used to facilitate counting the
number of repetitions. Normally, these consist of 108 beads, a sacred number
that has an astrological basis.

The circle of the Zodiac (Kala Purusa) consists of 27 naksatras or lunar

mansions, each with four pddas or parts. 27 x 4 = 108.108 repetitions represent
movement through this entire cycle, a complete journey of the soul to wholeness.
Repeating a mantra this number of times in any given session or for a day's
period is therefore recommended. If time constraints make this difficult, 27
repetitions are an alternative option, one for each of the naksatras.

However, I want to re-emphasize that one approach to mantra practice is to

immerse the mind in the repetition of it as much as possible for a certain period
of time, such as a month or 40 days. In this case, tracking number of repetitions
is not so much the point as taking advantage of every unoccupied moment to be
with the mantra.

Keep these recommendations for using mantras in mind, should you

choose this type of upqya.

Mantra Selection

As mentioned previously, mantra japam as an updya begins with a

sanhalpa or stated intention. What effect is the practice intended to have in your
life? This can range anywhere from the very general to quite specific. One can
also do mantra practices for another; a sick relative for example.

The chart below is that of a woman friend of mine who has been getting
astrological input from me since 2004. This began in her Ketu major period and
as she approached her Venus mahddasd beginning in 2008, she wanted to get my
thoughts about it generally. At this time, she was a single mother of two young
children struggling financially to make ends meet as a self-employed Ayurvedic
chef with a catering business. Her fondest wish was to find a suitable husband
with whom to share life.

Venus as a major period certainly held the promise of this since this graha
is in the 7th house. However, exam all the factors related to her 7th house of
relationship, including an exchange between the 7th and 8th lords and the
influence of malefic 6th and 8th lords, and you see the astrological picture of her
difficult karma in this area of life.

IPte 2 Art 3 Tau l«G«m

temr / Ra?B-?4! MOe*2r

(i) -

jD Mai'irl ■
>/ ^ \( lie*. BLW
/yS ' • /T \ l
•SUl5'25 JPlT-Sff)
su„„ Me9.,o Ve25.z
_ Mer., lllOSaa 'fl SCO 6 Ubr TVirg

She was semi-aware of these challenging patterns and wanted to know

what she could do to overcome them. In her case I saw that a single
recommendation could serve multiple purposes.

Here I must pause and explain that when attempting to propitiate or "make
peace" with a particular graha through a mantra practice there is a choice
involved. Mantras for each of the nine grahas are given in the ancient texts like
Pdrasara Hord, along with a prescribed number of repetitions. The most general
approach then is to do the mantra japam of the major period lord with the
intention of enhancing any favorable karmas the period can bring and to
ameliorate negative ones. This is quite a common and efficacious approach
within the world of Jyotisa,

However, I was taught by K.N. Rao that it is more powerful to do jqpam

using a stotra or mantra specific to the deity associated with a planet. The stoiy
at the beginning of this article about the young girl of marriageable age with the
mysterious skin disease is an example of this. Afflicted Mercuiy in her chart was
bringing the problem, so a practice related to Visnu was prescribed since Visnu is
the deity related to Mercuiy.

I have emulated this approach, so in this case the LaksmI mantra shown
previously was prescribed, as well as the practice of chanting the 100 names of
LaksmI on Friday, which is the day of the week associated with this goddess of
abundance. This recommendation served multiple purposes since it is also a
practice specific for increasing prosperity, another fond hope of hers, and since
Venus is also the karaka of love and love relationships and is positioned in her
7th house, it becomes an appropriate choice for this intention as well. In her
case, though, I was aware of how that Shakespearean line, "never did the course
of true love run smooth" applied, and the Venus major period brought more ups
and downs in her relationship life, including a marriage that lasted only briefly. I
am glad to report though that she is now happily married and enjoying much
greater prosperity in life after doing these practices faithfully.

Along the way to this greater fulfillment, an occasion arose that illustrates
giving an updya as a specific prescription for a particular problem. Her ex-
husband, with whom she had her children, was repeatedly trying to take them
away from her, taking her to court again and again with totally false charges of
her being an unfit mother. It has been more sheer harassment than anything else.
He is someone who suffers from untreated bi-polar disorder, is unable to
maintain consistent employment, and has been chronically delinquent in his
child support payments. This has made her life at times a living hell, and at one
point she asked me to recommend a practice aimed at protecting her and warding
off these attacks, as well as empowering her to defend herself. Durga is a
feminine deity in the Vedic tradition that represents fierce protecting energy.
One translation of her name that I have seen is "the invincible" I prescribed the
simple Durga mantra.

OHfiDUM DURGAYE NAMAH

It is pronounced:
OMDOOMDUR-GA-YE NAHM-AH-HA

She is very disciplined in her application of these practices and doing this
made her feel strong enough to fight this battle and not be intimidated. After
several more spurious incidents of this, the courts ruled that her ex-husband was
abusing the system and that they would not hear any such allegations again.

The chart below is of another woman friend of mine who has also had a
very challenging relationship history. Examine her 7th lord and karaka, Venus,
and you should be able to see why. I had predicted that a relationship would
come into her life in the Edhu-Jupiter period that could mean a marriage or
marriage-like situation. It proved correct but before .Rdfiu-Saturn ended it was
over.
 I An 5Tau

• Sl«, 1
n2*n*\ Mo,,., Va,
Me^v J|V«
SU...« I [12 Sag IIISco 10Ubf PVIm

Her problem has never been attracting men, but rather attracting the right
man, someone with whom she feels romantic love, but who also shares her
spiritual values and passionate interest in spiritual life. She has had great
difficulty finding the two together.

Having heard of this concept of Upaya, she asked me to recommend one

for her, especially for attracting such a suitable mate. As it happens, there is a
mantra practice in the Vedic tradition specifically designed for a woman
wanting to attract a suitable mate into her life. It is as follows:

SAT PATIM DEHIPARAMESVARA

It is pronounced:
SAT PAHTEEM DAY-HEE PAH-RAHM-ESH-WAH-RAH

It can be loosely understood to mean, "Please give to me a man of truth

who embodies the perfect masculine"

I saw this as an appropriate prescription not just because it was a mantra

practice specific for her intention, but also because she was running her Rdhu
major period. Rdhu, as a chdyd graha or shadowy planet, gives the results of the
lord of the sign it is in and the strongest planets with which it is connected. In
her chart, Rdhu is in the Sun's sign and with a svaksetra Sun. The Sun correlates
to the Vedic deity, Siva, who is referred to as Paramesvara. She obtained a CD
which has a beautiful musical rendition of this mantra and listened to it
constantly while working in her jewelry designing business.

Sometime later I asked her about this, and she reported that no such
suitable mate had appeared in her life, but that a curious thing had happened. For
the first time since she could remember she felt at peace about it, and didn't feel
like she was suffering as a result of not having a love relationship. This brings
me to another point about Updya that I have observed. They do not always bring
about the desired change in the external circumstances, but oftentimes do bring a
change in your internal relationship and/or attitude to those external
circumstances, as it did in her case.

Later I predicted a major love affair and potential marriage or marriage-like

situation in jRd/iu-Venus that did happen. It has sustained itself over a period of
years, but has also been quite thorny at times. Karma will out.

vei>n\ISs»-»/
»x/ As,,
Aa ■" >•/' Pts 10Art -llTau W Gam
jpJr« y\
Su-T-1« ■

f Sa,:

Jpnw

This is the chart of a woman who in mid-year 2004 consulted with me

regarding specific questions about her career prospects. She was nearing
completion of a course of study to become a practitioner of Tradition Chinese
Medicine and an acupuncturist. She would then need to pass a rigorous
examination to become licensed in California. Subsequently she wished to
establish her own clinical practice. She was running her Mercury-Saturn period.

For the successful completion of her studies and passing the examination, I
recommended a SarasvatT mantra japam as follows:

OMAIM SRIM HRIM SARASVATl DEVYAINAMAH

It is pronounced:
OM EYEM SHREEM HREEM SARASVATl DEV-YAINAMAHA

SarasvatT is the Vedic deity of learning and knowledge whose bTjashara or

seed syllable is aim. Contained within this mantra are also the seed sounds for
LaksmT (SrTm) and ParvatT or Mother Divine (hrim), such that chanting the
mantra invokes the blessing of all three aspects of the Divine Feminine.

After seeing her siddhamsa and dasamsa, I predicted that she would
successfully complete her course of study, pass the examination and get
established in her own practice based on the exchange of signs between Mercury
and Saturn in her D-24, and their conjunction together in her D-10 lagna.
 Su KeRa Sa
1o »x As I'-ls PH ,10 Art 11 Tail 12 Gam
'■ Me
As
Jp
IteAgu _ [t Can
'■w'
Ve
Ma
If? Cap /Uho
»\
Ma

o
JteSag Is SCO 4 Ubr

/\Mo Ma
x KeVe
/' Me \ /• '

MeSa
As
^ f0"'-
\ Jp Ra
Jl5JSQ_ i4S<» 3 Ubt gVIn

She passed her examination in Mercuiy-Saturn-Sun, with the Sun exalted

in the D-24. Mercury, Saturn and the Sun are also the three grahas that are
sambandha along the 1-7 axis of the D-10, and her newfound professional status
as a licensed acupuncturist occurred at this time. She also went on to establish
her own successful practice during this period and sub-period. She had done the
recommended practice and reported that she felt it helped her gain confidence.

Correlation Between Grahas and Vedic Deities

These examples of mantra practices, selected and recommended based on a

person running a particular planetary period or on a specific intention, require an
understanding of the different Vedic deities and also their correlation to the
grahas. This is a little problematic because there is some conflicting information
regarding this in the ancient texts, though mosdy agreement. I go primarily go
by what is given in the Jaimini Sutras, as I consider this to be very authoritative.

[1.2.72.] raviketubhydm sive bhaktih

The Sun with Ketu - devotion to Siva.

[1.2.73.] candrena gaurydm

The Moon - to Gauri.
(Gaun is another name for PdrvatT, Siva's consort, representing the gentle aspect
of Divine Mother.)
[1.2.74.] sukrena laksmydm
Venus - to Lak$mL

[1.2.75.] kujena skande

Mars - to Skanda.
(Skanda is the son of Siva and ParvatT, along with Ganesa. He is the celestial
general of the angelic forces and is also called Kdrtikeya, and Subramanya)

[1.2.76.] budhasanibydm visnau

Mercury and Saturn - to Vi$nu.

[1.2.77.] gurund sdmbasive

Jupiter - to Sambasiva
(Sambasiva refers to Siva along with the goddess Pdrvati, his sakti or powers of
expression)

[1.2.78.] rdhund tdmasydm durgdydm ca

Rahu - to TdmasT and Durgd
(TdmasT is another name for goddess Kali)

[1.2.79.] ketund ganese skande ca

Ketu - to Ganesa and Skanda

In the Vedic tradition there is the concept of the ista devatd, or "preferred
form of the Divine" I have also seen these two words translated as "soul-guiding
deity" The tradition recognizes that people have different psychological make-
ups, such that a particular form of the Divine may resonate more with their souls.
As a result, the bhakti or worship of this form of the Divine may then be
particularly efficacious for them. The Jaimini sutras listed above refer to this
idea, and are given in the chapter on the effects of planets in the 12th house from
kdrakdmsa lagna.

For example, sutra 1.2.72 states that if the Sun and Ketu are together in the
12th from kdrakdmsa lagna, then a person is devoted to Siva, and so on. I can
remember feeling quite excited when I first came across these sutras, as they
suggested an astrological method for determining a person's ista devatd.
However, as I began testing this idea with the charts of individuals famous for
being devotees of particular Vedic deities, I found it working only occasionally.

Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKON, is probably the most famous

Krsna devotee in the modem era, Krsna being an avatar of Visnu. He does have
a veiy exalted Mercury in the 9th house of devatd, but if you see the planetary
influences on the 12th house from both kdrakdmsa lagna in the birth chart and
swamsha lagna in his navdmsa, devotion to Krsna is not what is indicated based
on these Jaimini sutras.

\ / \ /
X 7
■'
A8s ,
'• Pte
^ fl/W
h STau
/ \ / \
sa
"- Jj^_
Swaml Prabftupada
\ A.„, Tw.ft'WIMe 1 ft; 43 00
CaleUb,MaA
lq ,
X
_ Ver- "
\ X K©r,r
ll i Sco 10 l-ibf
llimnni |ni|niiii«iiii(iiiii M—M caimmnifaim
/^\ Vb jMeJp
m
\ / as \ . SaKe
Sa 3M 4 T*U i
kS/\ /\ XsT

)r
Ve
Ma^. 12 Cap

[/ XySuMO \l|l1 Sao llOSco 9 UOr BVirp

His AK is the Moon which goes to Virgo in the D-9, making this sign his
kdrakdmsa/swamsha lagna. In the 12th house from there in the birth chart we
find the Sun in its own sign with Ketu and Jupiter, which should make him a
devotee of Siva according to sutra 1.2.72. Leo in his navdmsa does get the
aspect of Mercury, but of five other grahas as well.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was known for his devotion to many forms of

the Divine in his lifetime, even Jesus Christ, but is most famous for his mad love
of goddess Kali, represented by Rdhu according to sutra 1.2.78.
ii4.MiD-nq.nwi
Ve„ El^»
3 SlW
\! / As,-W 2 Pte Tau 5 Gam
' \ Mgipr /Mlhr,,
MOir.j US.yr
1 Su.-j
1 Agu scan
(&)
Ke, Ma»>i( Tnu €MCO
\ , 112 Cap rtao
r —
SitV4l
111 Sao 10 Sco BUbr mi
 If
' \ /
Su s . / 1)4 Pit Mo
IS Ar( 0 Tau 7 Gam
Ma
MeSa Ke
3Agu SCan
1 ' @
Ra
lt2C«P BLeo
AsSu Ve
llis* 12 Sen 11 Ubf iovha

His Rdhu is exalted in his birth chart and gives the results of an exalted 9th
lord Venus.

His AK is Mars, going into Cancer in his navamsa, making this sign his
karakamsa/swamsha lagna. Applying this to the birth chart, the 12th from there,
Gemini, has Jupiter and the aspect of Venus, suggesting devotion to Siva and
LaksmL In the D-9 there is the influence of the Sun and Venus again, suggesting
the same.

So, I have not found this to be a reliable technique for seeing a person's ista
devata, but when asked to prescribe mantra practices aimed at propitiating a
particular £jra/ia,J do use the correlations given in the Jaimini Sutras. However,
I may use this method, if asked a direct question, though this is rather rare in my
experience. I can remember a time once when I was in Chicago giving a
consultation to a practitioner of Kriya Yoga. He asked my opinion about his ista
devata based on his chart I saw that Ketu was in the 12th from his KL. I told
him it suggested Ganesa, whereupon his face lit up and he said this was his
feeling as well and that he had been using a Ganesa mantra for some time.

More often though when prescribing mantra practices as an updya, my

approach is to see which planetary period or sub-period a person is running that
may be causing problems, or a particular issue in a person's life that pertains to
significations of a planet. Say, for example, a woman desirous of children is
having difficulty conceiving and Jupiter, kdraka of children, is not in a good
condition in her chart, being afflicted by natural malefics, especially Saturn, the
planet of delay and denial. Since Jupiter correlates with Siva, a mantra such as
OM NAMAH SIVAYA could be prescribed.

It seems to be my particular karma as an astrologer to be frequently

consulted in cases of unexplained infertility. In fact, the veiy first prediction I
was asked to make using Jyotisa involved such a case in which the hopeful
mother had even tried the vitro process in her attempts to become pregnant, but
it had failed. I was able to make a successful prediction, but have long since lost
that chart. Here is the chart of a husband in a more recent case.

\ „ / ASn, 10 Art hlTau 12 Gom

Ra,0.„ »>:, Ma,,.,, / A»,.„
/ \ MOh-M Ma,,,,
Mo*,,,
1 Can
{&)
^—

2 tec
r

Is SCO 4 Ufcr 3 Viro

He had approached me in early 2014 after he and his wife had been trying
to have a child for some time, but to no avail. Doctors were again calling it a
case of unexplained infertility. It seemed rather unexplained astrologically to me
as well when I saw that he was running his Venus-Mercury period, with Venus
in the 5th house, both from the birth lagna and the Moon, and Mercury in an
exchange with karaka Jupiter. The Sun, a non-fertile planet, with Venus in the
5th house was not helpful, but there is no combustion.

I saw that Venus-Mercury was a rather long period and sub-period, running
up to the end of 2015. It was my astrological assessment that it could bring a
child, so then it became a question of which sub-sub-period, and of cross-
checking this indication and timing from the Jaimini angle. Venus-Mercury-
Jupiter, coinciding with the spring of 2015, appealed to me immensely.
Aquarius-Gemini in Chora dasd confirmed it, and I predicted on this basis. Not
many months afterwards he let me know that his wife was pregnant. They
welcomed their child into the world in the given timeframe.

I am telling this story of a prediction about child birth as a means of

highlighting another effective approach to Updya involving the use of stotras or
hymns, embedded in which are mantras. In his book, Planets and Children, K.N.
Rao recommends the use of the Santan Gopal Stotram for any couple wanting to
have a child. This is essentially a hymn/prayer to Bal Krsna (Krsna in his
childhood form). I have recommended it on every occasion in which I was
consulted by an Indian couple having difficulty conceiving. It could just be my
luck, but I can think of at least five cases where the predictions I have given such
couples who did the practice faithfully subsequently proved correct. Of course,
these were all Hindu couples familiar with it since it comes from their religious
tradition and they are therefore more likely to do it. It would not be an
appropriate recommendation for everyone.

Stotras then are also powerful Updya in my experience and I have

personally made use of two very extensively. I have employed one to try to
enhance my astrological abilities, and another to ward off any negative karmas
that my current Saturn major period might bring.

The Sun is the graha that rules vision, both physical sight that happens
with our eyes, but also prakdsa or the inner light with which we accurately
perceive, know and apprehend. Shri Rao took me to a Brighu reader in Rajasthan
in 1996 and some things that came out in that reading regarding a future
astrological career have come true to some extent. The session was recorded and
I later made a transcript of it for future reference. See the following excerpts:

- Ybii will be opening a school for Jyotisa, and it will be very

successful, very prosperous, and also very monetarily beneficial

Ybu will create an institution where you will have satsanga.

You will be in charge. A big astrological institution where you do
the teaching.

Ybu will be very famous as an astrologer. You will be

writing books on astrology, they will be very popular, people will
like them, and you will get a commission for it.

-> You will be able to give predictions to people in writing, and

you will develop in that manner.

-> The Aditya Stotra will help you to such an extent, that you
will understand the secret meaning of the planetary combinations,
going beyond the textbooks.

I came to understand that statements in Bhrgu readings like this tend to be

hyperbolic, and these excerpts from mine certainly fit that description. Yet at the
same time I marvel 20 years later at the relative accuracy of these statements.
For 12 years now, I have led a satsanga. I have written many articles and now a
book that have been popular and sold well. I have given public predictions in
writing that proved correct, and currendy I am in the process of founding a
school of Jyotisa, having taught online the past couple of years.

Yet what intrigued me the most about these statements at the time and why
I mention them now is the reference to the Aditya Stotram, the full and proper
name of which is Adityahrdayam. From Wikipedia:

"Adityahrdayam is a devotional hymn associated with Aditya or the mobile

Sun God (Surya) and was recited by the sage Agastya to Rama on the battlefield
before fighting the demon king Rdvana. This historic hymn starts at the
beginning of the duel between Rama and Rdvana, Agastya teaches Rama, who is
fatigued after the long battle with various warriors of Lanka, the procedure of
worshiping the Sun God for strength to defeat the enemy. These verses belong to
Yuddha Kdnda (Book 6) Canto 107, in the Rdmdyana as composed by Agastya
and compiled by VdlmTki,"

Essentially, the Bhrgu reading was suggesting an updya by which I could

develop my astrological perception, a recommendation that I have followed.
How effective it has been is impossible to measure since it cannot be known
what my astrological perception would be now had I not recited this stotram so
many times. However, I absolutely love doing the practice. A certain inspired
feeling comes over me when I chant it, and personally I have no doubt that my
astrology has greatly benefited. I strongly recommended it to all my students
who are desirous of developing astrologically.

Yet since it is specific to the Sun, it is also my preferred recommendation

when a person is running the Sun's major period, or if the Sun is problematic in
their chart or if they have chronic life problems related to the different
significations of the Sun like self-confidence, father, authority figures, personal
empowerment, the government, pitta imbalances and the like.

The Adityahrdayam Stotram is composed of some 31 verses of Sanskrit

which can be intimidating at first, but recordings of Vedic pundits chanting it are
available online with transliteration. I put my headphones on with the
transliteration in front of me and chant along with these pundits. It engenders a
rather blissful feeling within me.

The other stotra of which I have made extensive use is the Hanumdn
ChalTsd, or Forty Verses in Praise of Hanumdn, It was composed in a dialect of
Hindi by the legendary saint and poet, Tulsidas, in the 16th century. My
involvement with this practice also began with this same Bhrgu reading. It
indicated that I could overcome obstacles in my life through Hanumdn bhakti.
Hearing this, Shri Rao immediately made a cassette tape with him chanting it.
Upon my return to the U.S., I would play it and chant along while commuting in
my car to and from work. I did this for years, such that eventually the tape wore
out and broke.
 Hanuman figures prominently in the Hindu epic, the Ramdyana, as an
ardent devotee and chief aid to the avatar, Ram, the solar incarnation of Visnu.
He symbolizes perfect, selfless service to the Lord. He is said to be the son of
Pavan, the Wind-god which symbolically refers to prdna or the life force within
the subde body, the mastery of which gives rise to superhuman powers and
which when harnessed in service to the Divine leads to spiritual liberation.
Astrologically, Hanuman is associated with both Mars and Saturn, which is why
he is most often worshipped on Tuesday (Mars Day) and Saturday (Saturn's
Day).

After chanting the Hanuman ChalTsd for many years I discovered that there
is a popular belief that worshiping Hanuman will help in removing the hardships
caused by Saturn. There is an interesting story regarding why worshipping
Hanuman will help in overcoming the affliction of Saturn. From Hindu-
Blog.com:

"Rdvan, the demon-king in the Ramdyana, had defeated all the Devas and
had brought all the grahas under his control. He kept all the grahas suppressed
beneath his leg. Rdvana was also a great astrologer. When his eldest son,
Indrajit, was about to be born he forcefully kept all the grahas in the most
favorable astrological position.

Devas were worried that if Rdvana's son was born in a favorable

astrological position, he would be invincible. So, the Devas asked all the grahas
to move from the favorable position. But they were unable to escape from the
foot of Rdvana. §ani agreed to help provided he was able to glance upon
Rdvana's face.

There is a popular belief that Sani Drsti, or Sani's glance, is as deadly as

his position. Sani is believed to cast an evil eye and this causes deep trouble. The
Devas took the help of Saint Narada to achieve Sani Drsti. Saint Narada
reached the palace of Rdvana and saw Sani and other planets under the feet of
Rdvana. Saint Narada praised Rdvana's victory over the grahas and said that he
should stamp on their chest as this is true symbol of victory and not on their
back as he was doing now. Rdvana agreed to Narada's observation and
immediately got the planets turned up. As Sani turned up, his glance fell on
Rdvana's face and this kick-started his hardships. To take revenge on Sani,
Rdvana kept him in a tiny prison that had no opening so that no one will again
see Sani's face.

After several years, when Hanuman arrived in Lanka - Rdvan's kingdom -

as a messenger from Sri Ram to Mata Sita, he heard the cry of Sani from a dark
prison with no holes. Hanumdn broke open the prison and rescued Sani. Sani
was very thankful for Hanumdn's help but since he had looked at the face of
Hanumdn there would be the hardships of Sade Sati or Sani Dosa for Hanumdn.
It is the divine scheme of things and no one can escape from it.

Hanumdn wanted to know what sufferings he will have to face. Sani

explained that first I will come upon your head and this will make you leave your
home, wife and sons and go about suffering. Hanumdn said that Sani can
definitely come upon his head as he had no family and his abode was at the feet
of Ram. Sani took refuge on Hanumdn's head.

Hanumdn then began to fight the demons that chased him in Lanka. In the
process, Hanumdn began to head heavy boulders, trees and rocks. He crushed
huge rocks with his head and Sani was getting hurt and suffering in the process.
Finally, Sani got away from Hanumdn's head and said that he was the only one
who will have no effect of inauspiciousness from him. Since Hanumdn had saved
him from Rdvana's prison he would give him a boon. i4s a boon, Hanumdn asked
Sani not to trouble or cast an evil eye on his devotees. Sani promised not to
trouble or cause hardships to Hanumdn devotees. From that day people
started worshiping Hanumdn to escape from Sani."

As with all such myths in the Vedic tradition, this one is a "teaching tale"
that imparts spiritual truths and wisdom in an engaging, story-telling way. To me
the message is clear; align yourself with Hanuman and become like him, a
perfect servant to the Divine will. If you do so, then you will generate no
negative karmas that Saturn can deliver.

When assessing the karmas that my own Saturn could bring in its major
period, which started in July of 2009,1 saw the potential of it giving both Raja
and Dhana Yoga, and this has happened to a degree. I also saw it giving the
potentials of the good Virinci Yoga in which it participates. These have
manifested as well. But as a mulatrikona 6th lord in the lagna, disposited by the
lagna lord Mercury in the 8th with the 8th lord, I saw the arista potentials also.
In Saturn-Mercury these had to happen, and they did.
 1 Su™
Mtur Ve,,,
hie,..*
PAd 9Tau ID Gem
1

MCM
®
Marc Boney
W*} tnieoo, OH165400
Ve 1 I2LBO
/ \ "
Mfin-Si- . Sl-
Ma.jr
Su„r 13 Sec ZUbr JIViTJ.

But since entering this period I have chanted the Hanuman ChalTsd
extensively, and by in large I have felt incredibly blessed in this Mdhadasd. I
feel like the favorable indications have been enhanced and the unfavorable
indications softened. Again, there is no way of knowing this for sure, or proving
it empirically. What I do know for sure is that doing the practice is invariably
uplifting and makes me feel good. If it is only a placebo effect then I am fine
with this, though I don't really believe that it is.

What I am highlighting here is that in the Vedic tradition Hanuman bhakti

is seen as an effective antidote against the suffering that Saturn's influence can
bring, and it has become my standard recommendation whenever a person is
running their sade-sati, or when Saturn in their chart is causing obstruction to
fulfillment in some area of their life, regardless of whether they are running
Saturn periods. See a recent example.

ASs-sy Me 26,15| SlJ J'591

Jpirw |Ma26,4r
.Ma
eaJ——— ^
Re 19-5)

Vi IllOCap
■'\ Mo Jl
Mew
1 S«o 7Ubr 6 Vin

This chart belongs to a friend and member of the aforementioned satsanga.

His Moon is at the very earliest degrees of Sagittarius, the current position of
Saturn in transit. He has therefore entered the peak phase of the seven and half
year transit of Sani in the signs before, of, and after the position of his natal
Moon. The favorable points about his Moon are:

• It is completely full
• It falls in the good 9th house as an angle lord in a trine house
 • It is in Jupiter's sign forming KesarT Yoga with Jupiter, strong in its
own sign.

The unfavorable points are:

• It is in a gandanta position
• Aspected by Mars
• Closely kendra to Saturn

To evaluate the effects of different phases of the sade-sati it is also

critically important to see the ashtakavarga.
ilMill
\ 28 / \ 31 / 31 27 28 25
OR i v 7
O"? OR (12 Pte I 1 Ati 2 Tau I JGflm
ZO Zl >" ob
// 36 29
\ z7 \ ♦ Can
v
29 & 36 ® '
Z z. ' '
\ / \ / 36 21
26 10 Cv SUM
21X 28 Z
26 21
29 v/21 \JIssaa 28 29
1BSco 7 Ubr I SVira

\2 / X3 z 3 4 2 3
12 Pts 1 Ah 2 Tau soam
4
3 X X6
/\ / \ 6 5
5 [ll Aqu ♦ Can
5 ®
5 1
10 Clip 5 Lao
1 •. 3 .-3
3 \ /'i\\ 3 1 :
3 3
1/ \/ NJ ioBaa IBSco TLibr SVirp

This picture reveals that Saturn's transit through Scorpio in the first phase
of his sade-sati would likely prove quite challenging since the SVA total is very
low at 21 for this sign, and Saturn's individual point total is also very low. It was
a very difficult time for him, one in which he felt that all his endeavors were
thwarted in some way or another.

There is some improvement during the next two and a half years during
which Saturn transits Sagittarius, but both totals are still below baseline strength.
In contrast Capricorn is quite strong.

The theme of the sade-sati is oftentimes "loss." In his mid-sixties now, he

was able to purchase a small home in 2015 during his .Rdhu-Venus period, the
first property he has ever owned. Note the position of Venus in the 4th house.
However, presently his income from a business has declined so dramatically that
he is very concerned about being able to make his mortgage payments, and is
even considering selling the home as a result. He asked for an upaya
recommendation and I suggested a daily recitation of the Hanuman ChalTsa at a
minimum. As fate would have it, he is now also running a Moon sub-period.
Will Jupiter's influence on this graha help save the day? Very possibly, but it
remains to be seen.

Vi$nusahasranam

Earlier I mentioned K.N. Rao's comment that the best upaya for all karmic
difficulties is any form of sincere worship. This is something that I have heard
him say frequently. If you then asked him what he would most recommend,
invariably his answer would be Vismsahasranam, or the chanting of the
Thousand Names of the Lord. If you visited him In his Delhi home on a
Wednesday evening (Mercury's Day), you would find it over flowing with
devotees and him leading them in the recitation of this stotrom. The reason for
his recommendation of Vismsahasranam above all others practices is that it is
regarded as one of the most powerful and beneficial among the many in the
Indian spiritual tradition. We saw earlier that the Adityohrdoya Stotram comes
for the Rdmdyana whereas Vismsahasranam comes from the other major Indian
epic, the Mahdbhdrata.

From Wikipedia:

"According to the 135th chapter of Amshdsanaparva (verses 14 to 120) in

the epic Mahdbhdrata, the names were handed down to Yudhisthira by the
famous warrior Bhlsma who was on his death bed (of arrows) in the battlefield
of Kuruksetra. Yudhisthira asks Bhlsma the following questions:

kimekam daivatam loke kirn vdpyekam pardyanam

stuvantah kam kdma rcantah prdpmyurmdnavdh subham
ko dharmah sarva dharmdndm bhavatah paramo matah
kim japan mucyate jantuh janmasamsdrabandhandt

"In this universe, Who is the one refuge for all? Who is the greatest Lord in
the world? By eulogizing Whom can a person reach auspiciousness, peace and
prosperity? What is, in thy opinion, the Greatest Dharma of all Dharmas? By
chanting whose name, can a person proceed beyond the bonds of samsdra?"

Bhlsma answers by stating that mankind will be free from all sorrows by
chanting the "Visnusahasrandma", which are the thousand names of the all-
pervading Supreme Being Visnu, who is the master of all the worlds, the
supreme light, the essence of the universe and who is Brahman, All matter,
animate and inanimate, reside in him, and he in turn resides within all matter."

There are two ways in which to recite these 1000 names of the lords. The
longer and more time-consuming method is known as Visnu Sahasrandmavali,
In this approach each of the 1000 names is chanted separately preceded by OM
and followed by NAMAH as follows:

1st OM Visham NAMAH The Lord Who is the Universe Itself

2nd OM Visnu NAMAH The Lord Who Pervades Everywhere

3rd OM Vashatkara NAMAH The Lord Who is Invoked for Oblations etc.

The other method is known as the sloka form consisting of 108 verses in
which a number of the names are included in a single verse.

visvarh visnurvasatkdro bhutabhavyabhavatprabhuh |

bhutakrdbhutabhrdbhdvd bhutdtmd bhutabhdvanah || 1 ||

For example, this first sloka or verse contains nine of the 1000 names.

1. Visvam
2. Visnuh
3. Vasatkarah.
4. Bhuta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh
5. Bhutakrd
6. Bhtltabhrd
7. Bhavah
8. Bhutatma
9. Bhutabhavanah

Either practice can be rather intimidating because of the amount of Sanskrit

pronunciation involved and the length of time is takes. Again, there are many
resources online where one can chant along with Vedic pundits while seeing the
transliteration. The separate chanting of the names, which is the form I prefer,
can be done in approximately 45 minutes, while the sloka form can be completed
in about a half hour. There is also an astrological "short cut"
 Each of the 27 naksatras of Jyotisa has four pddas or parts consisting of a
navdmsa of 3 degrees 20 minutes. For example, the four pddas of the first
nnkpatrn, AsvinT, encompassing the first 13-20 of the sign Aries, are as follows:

1st pdda: 0 to 3-20

2nd 3-20 to 6-40
pdda:
3rd 6-40 to 10-00
pdda:
4th pdda: 10-00 to 13-
20

Since there are 27 naksatras, each having four pddas, there are a total of
108 pddas (27x4 = 108).

Each of these 108 pddas correlates with one of the 108 slokas of
Visnusahasrandma as follows:

1 to 4
1. Asvimverses

5 to 8
2. Bharanzverses

9 to 12
3. Krittikdverses

13 to 16
4. Rohimverses

17 to 20
5. MrigasTrsaverses

21 to 24
6. Ardrdverses

25 to 28
7. Punarvasuverses

29 to 32
8. Pusyaverses
 33 to 36
9. Aslesaverses

37 to 40
10. Moghaverses

41 to 44
11. Purvd-Phalgumverses

45 to 48
12. Uttard-PhalgunlveTses

49 to 52
13. Hastaverses

53 to 56
14. Citroverses

57 to 60
15. Svdtfverses

61 to 64
16. VisakhdveTses

65 to 68
17. AnurddhaveTses

69 to 72
18. Jyesthdverses

73 to 76
19. Mu/overses

77 to 80
20. Purvd-Asddhdverses

81 to 84
21. Uttard- Asddhdverses
 22. Sravanaverses 85 to 88

89 to 92
23. Dhamsthdverses

93 to 96
24. Satabhisdverses

97 to 100
25. Purvd-
Bhddrapaddverses

101 to 104
26. Uttard-
Bhddrapaddverses

105 to 108
27. Pevatfverses

In the Vedic tradition, a person's janma naksatra or "birth star" is the

Moon's naksatra at birth. The exact degrees and minutes of the Moon indicate
which pdda it falls into within this naksatra. For example, my Moon at birth was
at 25-51 of Leo, falling in the fourth pdda of Purvd-PhalgunT. When consulting
the list above, this means that the conesponding sloka in Visnusahasrandma is
verse 44.

vaikunthah purusah prdnah prdnadah pranamah prthuh \ Hiranyagarbhah

satrughno yydpto vdyur adhoksajah || 44 ||

The idea here is that I would derive maximum benefit from focusing on
chanting this specific verse. Learning just two lines of Sanskrit should not be
intimidating at all, and then one can make a practice of chanting this verse 27
times daily or even 108. It is also then worthwhile to comprehend the meaning
of the names of the Lord contained within your verse. For this sloka they are:

405. Vaikunthah - "One who prevents men from going astray into wrong paths
(Vikunthah)" In Mahdbhdrata it is mentioned, "I united the Earth with Water,
Space with Air with Fire, hence, the name 'Vaikunthah' has come to Me.

406. Purusah- "One who dwells in all bodies (Pun's)." In Brihadaranyaka

Upanisad (3-4-1) it is said, "because He as the first (Purvd) of all of them
consumed (Aushad) by fire, all sins, therefore, He is called Purusah" In short,
He is the One Self which thrills all living creatures everywhere at all times.

407. Paanah - "One who is the form of 'Prdna' exits in the body, propels all
sense organs to act in their appointed fields, it is the Lord Visnu that activates
the body as the 5 prdnas', is found in the Visnupurdna. As Prdna, He causes
movements.

408. Prdnadah -This can mean "One who gives 'Prdna9 or as one who takes
away 'Prdna9, because the root 'da' has both the meanings, 'to give' and to
break.' Therefore, Visnu is the supreme being who gives Prdna to all creatures
in the beginning of the creation, and He alone is again the one who destroys all
the Prdnas (movements) at the time of the dissolution.

409. Prdnavah - "That which is praised or adorned by even the gods." There is a
declaration of Sanatkumara, "because it is being worshipped and adorned by the
gods, the self is called as Prdnavah. This great reality is indicated in Vedas by
the symbol OM and, therefore 'Omkdra9 is called as Prdnava. Thus, the supreme
self, 'Omkdra9 is Visnu.

410. Prthuh - "The expanded." He whose expanse is expressed as the world of

infinite forms. In short, "He who is All-pervasive." Looking at the world,
through Puranas, it suggests, "the one who is bom as the king Prthuh, the son of
the king vena -for bringing prosperity to the country, is Lord Ndrdyana"

411. Hiranyagarbhah -It is the term used in Vedanta for the "creator." He is the
expression of the creative urge of the lord Ndrdyana. "The Golden-egg" means
here that from which all the objective world had emerged out, indicating the
creator." The term thereby suggests that the entire creative power of the creator
is but the expression of the Self, Ndrdyana.

412. Satru-ghnah - "The destroyer of the enemies." The lord is the one who
annihilates all the enemies of the gods, meaning, He is the one who destroys all
the negative tendencies in all serious seekers totally devoted to Him.

413. Vydptah - "The Pervader." The effects can never remain without the Cause;
the Cause is concurrent, and inherent in it, effects. And thus, the world that has
risen from the Infinite, should be pervaded by the Infinite. He who thus pervades
everything is Ndrdyana.

414. Vdyuh - "One who in the form of the atmospheric air, sustains all life
everywhere." He is not the air, but He is the life-giving rower in the air.
415. Adhoksajah - Mahabharata says, "at no time My vitality flows downwards,
and hence, I am called, Adhoksajah, The term can also mean, "One who is not
available for the powers of the sense organs to perceive." Or, it can also mean,
'Tie who remains under both the atmosphere and the earth as the Supporter of
the entire universe."

All such extensive information about each verse of Visnusahasrandma can

be found online.

Another "short cut" approach would be to identify the verse associated with
the naksatra/pdda of your current major period lord. For example, I am currently
running my Saturn Mdhadasd. Saturn is at 3-40 of Virgo, putting it in the third
pdda of Uttard Phalguni. When consulting the list above, this correlates with
verse 47 of Visnusahasrandma. Chanting this sloka then becomes an appropriate
updya for the Saturn period.

Whereas my first and strongest recommendation is the full recitation of all

1000 names in one of the two forms, these "short cut" approaches can be
practical yet powerful alternatives, even if one just recites the verse once a day,
preferably before or after meditation.

Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

At the beginning of this article when recounting K.N. Rao's Updya stories,
I mention his recommendation to a family that they do japam using the Maha
Mrityunjaya Mantra. It is the great healing/protecting mantra of the Vedic
tradition related to Siva, the dissolving/destroying aspect of the Divine. It is
therefore my standard recommendation when individuals are suffering from
mental or physical ill health.

A psychiatrist woman friend of mine once shared with me the birth data of
a patient of hers who was often so severely depressed that she would become
suicidal. This patient also reported that she had nightmares every single evening
when she slept.
 LuMID-liamaul KUHID-IIUWH
Siw K«„.
AVr
\7 / . a,' 7 Pis A/1 9Tau OGwn
MO™; \ V0;,» •JpM-37-
N
/ \ 6 Aqu
/v. \ B /3 { ii ICM
"t /
// Psycliifllric Patmn?
Sun GrWdBflM.
anrt«7 &28.W
Su.™
/ \V / IN
\/ Xi \8 5 Cap 2 LM
/ \ Uo,r,r R»ra
Ke™ Sa,r* JP,^. Aln
/ \/ Virp J
\ MSaa, _ 3 S«i 'ZLiir

Her Moon is in its debilitation sign Scorpio in a sarpa drekkana and

closely conjunct the 6th lord Saturn, while aspected by the 8th lord Mars. Three
benefics are in her lagna including the lagna lord Mercury, but these grahas are
all hemmed, along with her ascendant, by natural malefics forming Papa Kartarl
Yoga. This poor soul has suffered greatly from mental/emotional illness
throughout her life.

My psychiatrist friend was learning Jyotisa from me and when she became
aware of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra as a healing updya, she asked me how I
would prescribe it for her patient. I shared with her a compact disc of the mantra
being chanted over and over again in a very resonant, powerful way and
suggested that she have her patient listen to it with headphones for at least one-
half hour before going to bed, preferably longer. Through sheer repetition she
would soon learn it and be able to chant along as well.

This was a very foreign idea to the patient since she had no background in
Eastern spiritual traditions, but she had great faith in her psychiatrist, so she
readily agreed. Remarkably, after the very first "treatment" she slept a full night
without being awakened by a nightmare. She continued with the practice, and
this, along with good psychiatric treatment, brought her significant relief from
her suffering.

Though this is not an article about mantras per se, I consider this mantra to
be so important as an updya, that I am presenting it here in greater detail. Like
many of the great mantras of the Vedic tradition, this one's origin in expressed in
a story.
From Wikipedia:

"Risi Markandeya was the only one in the world who knew this mantra.
The Moon was once in trouble, cursed by King Daksha. Risi Markandeya gave
the Mdha Mritryunjaya Mantra to Sati, Daksha's daughter, for the Moon.
According to another version this is the BTja mantra as revealed to Risi Kahola
that was given by Lord Siva to sage Sukracharya, who taught it to Risi Dadhichi,
who gave it to King Kshuva, through whom it reached the Siva Parana.

It is also called the Rudra mantra, referring to the furious aspect of Lord
Siva; the Tryambakam mantra, alluding to Siva's three eyes; and it is sometimes
known as the Mrita-Sanjivini mantra because it is a component of the "life-
restoring" practice given to the primordial sage Sukracharya after he had
completed an exhausting period of austerity. Its Devatd is Rudra or Lord Siva in
his fiercest and most destructive rupa or aspect In the Vedas it finds its place in
three texts - a) the Rig Veda VIL59.12, b) the Yajur Veda 111.60, and c) the
Atharva Veda XW.1.17."

When I learned this mantra from Shri Rao, he emphasized that its power is
a result of having been made potent by the sages and saints of India who have
chanted it over a period of thousands of years. It is as follows:

Om tryambakam yajdmahe sugandhim pustivarDhana m

urvdrukamiva bandhandnmrtyormuksiya md'mrtat

Word-By-Word Meaning of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

From Wikipedia:

aum = is a sacred/mystical syllable in Sanatan Dharma or Hindu religions, i.e.

Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism & Sikhism.

tryambakam = the three-eyed one (accusative case),

yajamahe = We worship, adore, honor, revere,

sugandhim = sweet fragrance, fragrant (accusative case),

puts = A well-nourished condition, thriving, prosperous, fullness of life,

vardhanam = One who nourishes, strengthens, causes to increase (in health,

wealth, well-being); who gladdens, exhilarates, and restores health; a good
gardener,

urvdrukam-iva = like the cucumber or melon (in the accusative case); or like a
big peach.

Note: Some people have decomposed the compound urvdrukam in this

way: 'arva' means "vishal" or big and powerful or deadly; 'arukam1 means
'disease'. But urva ( ) does not mean 'yishaT in Sanskrit;

bandhanan = "from captivity" {i.e. from the stem of the cucumber} (of the
gourd); (the ending is actually long a, then -t, which changes to n/anusvara
because of sandhi)

Note: bandhanan means bound down. Thus, read with urvdrukam iva, it
means 'I am bound down just like a cucumber (to a vine)'. If you read it with
mrtyormuksTya it means 'liberate from the bounds of death'

mrtyormuk§lya = Free, liberate from death

md'mrtat can be translated in a number of different ways:

1) ma + amrtat = not + immortality, nectar

Translation would be: (Free me from death but) not from immortality.

2) ma (short form of mam) + amrtat = myself + immortality

Translation would be: Give me some life rejuvenating nectar

3) ma (short form of mdm) + amrtat = myself + sure, definitely

Translation would be: Free me from certain death.

Full Translation:

"We meditate on Siva, the three-eyed one, of sweet fragrance, who expands
spiritual growth. Like the fully-ripened cucumber easily snapped from its stem,
may I be free from the bondage of death, and given the nectar of immortality "

Whereas the mantra can be translated in this way, in which case it appears
like a prayer, Shri Rao emphasized that its efficacy lies not in its intellectual
content but rather its vibratory value, its combination of primordial sounds and
their effect on the subtle body. Many renditions of the mantra being chanted in
different ways can be found online and anyone wanting to learn it can select one
that appeals to them. I learned it by repeatedly listening to a cassette tape of Shri
Rao chanting it.

Ritual/Ceremonial Worship

Following my teacher's example, I have primarily prescribed the recitation

of stotras and chanting of mantras as Updya. This is not to say, however, that
the other methods mentioned at the beginning of this article are not effective as
well. Methods are also not mutually exclusive. You can utilize them together, as
I have often done, combining mantra japam with ritual worship, for example.

The two main forms of ceremonial worship in the Vedic tradition are pujd
and yajna. Both involve offerings, with water in the case of pujd, and into fire
with respect to yajnas. These range from the incredibly elaborate, involving
many elements and taking hours, to simple ceremonies that anyone can leam to
do that take just a few minutes.

Mosdy they are performed by Brahmin priests at temples, and if being used
as an individual updya, a person "sponsors" these for a "donation."

Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-Gita speaks of the power of these Vedic

rituals and this is unquestionably true, but as Shri Rao pointed out to me once
when I asked him about it, the effects greatly depend on the level of sattva or
purity of the person performing the ritual and their motivation. Unfortunately,
whenever there is money to be made and the profit-motive gets involved, things
can become corrupt. Many times, I heard him speak openly about how the
prescription of gemstones and even rituals have become a "racket" in India. This
could be where an astrologer, in league with the jeweler or the priest, warns the
client of some dire consequence yet hanging in their stars, which he then says
can only be avoided through the expenditure of large sums of money on such
updya. This is one of the reasons he favored updya that one performs oneself
like mantra japam.

No doubt, there are sattvic, non-mercenary priests that one can find to
perform these rituals as an individual updya, and I have had the good fortunate
to have known two that I've employed in this way for myself and members of the
satsanga. I also have a long-time friend who has made this his life's work, and
his chart is instructive this way. He has had the unusual karma as a westerner of
being formally initiated as a Brahmin priest and being trained by Indian Brahmin
priests in the performance of Vedic rituals.
ftuMJD-liiawml
ve™
i JPzraT-
1BAri 9 Tau lOGsm
H
'ISUiy'sri
Ke^
11 Can
1
Ben Collins
SuvSM/lWa 20:03:00 1
New Vort«. HY 2 Leo
feitrw 1B>'
[ ASIST
Sara MOra
[3 Sco atfcr 1 VlrB
 This began intensively in his Jupiter-Venus period, the two Brahmin
planets situated in the 8th house of past-life profession, with Venus as the 9th
lord of worship and religious rituals. These two grahas are in a mutual glance
with an exalted 5th lord of purva puny a.

Since the Jupiter-Venus period, and now well into his Saturn mahddasa,
his life's work has been making arrangements for individuals and groups to have
pujas and yagyas done as Updya for a wide range of purposes by priests in India
that he considers of a sattvic nature and motivation. He has also participated in
the performance of many of these rituals himself. Pdrdsara Hord gives the
vimsdmsa or D-20 as the varga pertaining to updsana or worship. See his.
yirrxftMMM iP-2f) wwiwa
Jp /\ VeRa
\ Ra Ke
Sa f "Art 12T«j |1 Gam
/ As z Ve
/ Mo / \ I

Me , Ma l
a Sap IfiSco SUbr KVi

Note that Jupiter is exalted, Venus is vargottama relative to this division

and the current major period lord Saturn is in the lagna of the D-20. For a good
portion of Jupiter and all of Saturn thus far, his whole life has been about Vedic
ritual worship.

I have referred astrological clients to his service who have expressed

interest in these rituals as Updya for a wide variety of life difficulties and/or
specific intentions like removing karmic obstacles to getting well married,
having a child, increasing prosperity and the like. His website is www.puja.net.

It needs to be said, however, that there are simple pujds and yajnas that
anyone can easily leam to perform. One that I particularly enjoy is the simplest
of homams or fire rituals known as Agni Hotra. It involves offering rice into a
cooper kund or small vessel wherein a fire has been made from dried cow's dung
and ghee. This is done at the exact moment of sunrise and sunset at your locality,
while intoning some simple mantras.

At these important transition and balance points in the day, the ritual is
symbolically acknowledging that the light of the Sun is to the macrocosm as the
light of pure consciousness within us is to the microcosm of our souls. In
enacting this ritual, you offer your individual spirit into the Great Spirit. The
ritual is said to have a very positive effect on the surrounding area, increasing
sattva in the atmosphere. It takes only a matter of minutes and I invariably feel
very uplifted thereafter. There are equally simple pujas that can be learned
where fruit and flowers are offered.

I did once hear Shri Rao say that one's inclination to engage in such ritual
worship will be more so in periods of Jupiter, who is karaka of such activities,
and in those of planets in or ruling the 9th and 5th houses, the latter being the 9th
from the 9th. The placement of planets in the D-20 will also have a strong
bearing on this as well. These predictive parameters certainly held true in my
case.
ltju.jp-, i OtrmM
/\ SU.V
/ \ JP.-., Mij,, v«„-.
\MOiw-'
•i » f3"' \»X* II1- "M 9 ran n

—1;—
Me \
Ma,.. \
Siiw \.il4San 13 Sco gUbf ivim

Upon entering my Moon period, coinciding with early grade school, I was
sent to a Catholic institution where the day began with attendance at Mass, the
main religious ritual. Later in this period I became an "altar boy" assisting the
priest. It can be seen in the birth chart if you note that the Moon is in a subtle
naksatra exchange with the 9th lord Venus in the 9th house. Li Moon-Saturn,
with the latter being the 5th lord of the birth chart, I was selected to serve in the
more elaborate rituals that took place at Christmas and Easter. The vimsamsa
shows it very clearly where the Moon is in its exaltation sign in the 5th house
and Saturn is an exalted lagna lord.

/\Ma Jp
KeRa
As \ /
iPt* AM 5Tau 6Q«m
X
Me / \

Ke .f' Sa ) W; N ,
Ba / \ /
lov As
■x Ve xi
/\ Su /'X Ma
/ \ / Jo
112 Sao 111 Sco lOLibf BVim
 I first learned to perform a puja when I became a teacher of Transcendental
Meditation in Rahu-Rahu. In the birth chart, Rdhu gives the results of the 5th
lord Saturn and its naksatra lord, Jupiter. Yet it has been in my Saturn major
period that I have been most involved with Vedic rituals, which is obvious in
both the rdsi and vimsdmsa.

See the chart of Pope John Paul II, who as a priest of the Catholic Church,
then Bishop, then Cardinal and finally the Pope, performed innumerable rituals
throughout his life, starting with his Rdhu major period and ending at the very
end of his Mercury period when he died.
KuM^D-DOdrMral MMjb {•(nw
\ /\ / VeOT
IStm. Su,.
Ma,™/ We,.,. Mo™
\a / AS'-w \« / BPts 7 Art BTau 9 Gem
BSJTO'
JP»,,
5 Aw OCan
(?. 1
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In his vimsdmsa, Rdhu is in the lagna, Jupiter is strong by virtue of an

exchange, Saturn is vargottama, and Mercuiy is exalted.

Dan and Seva

The Sanskrit word dan refers to acts of charity. Shri Rao always translated
it in the broader sense of any act of helping a needy person in some way, not
necessarily through a monetaiy gift. I quoted earlier a verse from Pdrdsara Hord
in which donating a cow is given as a updya against potential suffering resulting
from Venus falling in the 2nd or 7th house where it would become a mdraka.
This is not something we would do today in our modem urban society, but there
can an endless number of equivalents.

In Deepak Chopra's little gem of a book. The Seven Spiritual Laws of

Success, the second one is what he calls The Law of Giving. He goes on to say
that it should actually be called the law of giving and receiving because if a
person truly understands the law of karma and the truth of "as you sow, you
reap," then they would know that the universe operates through dynamic
exchange. Therefore, this might also be called the law of reciprocity. Chopra
points out that the word affluent comes from the Latin "affluere" which means
"to flow to." Affluence comes about through the continuous flow and exchange
of giving and receiving.

My favorite true stoiy about this concerns a group of Tibetan Buddhist

monks who established a Dharma Center in Southern California and relied a
good deal on donations to sustain it. The center thrived for a long time, but then
went through a period in which donations dried up. Rather than hold some fund-
raising event like most other religious groups or non-for-profit organizations
might do, the monks concluded that they must not be giving to the community
sufficiently to deserve its support. So, they quite literally began giving things
away, their own material possessions, but then they also re-doubled their efforts
to serve the community in various ways. Upon first hearing this story, it actually
brought tears to my eyes. What an absolutely brilliant response to their dilemma
based an understanding of cosmic law! Not long thereafter, donations began to
flow again.

The concept is really so simple, and it is what we all heard growing up.
"Give and you shall receive" In keeping with this, I can remember the advice of
one of my spiritual gurus, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who told his students that
one should try to give something to everyone you encounter. This could be
simply a warm greeting and a smile to a stranger you pass while taking your
morning walk, or a sympathetic ear to a friend going through a difficult time. It
could be removing the snow from the walkways of a very elderly neighbor after
you've shoveled your own, as I once saw my father do.

Of course, if you can afford it, donating financially to some worthy cause
is, in my view, a powerful upaya. It doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe it is
just the cookies you buy from the Girl Scouts who knock on your door, even
when you don't really eat them, simply because it is a worthwhile organization to
support. We all have clothes in our closets that we don't ever wear and probably
never will. Organizations like the Salvation Army and The Goodwill would
happily distribute these to people in need, but, of course, it means making the
effort to get them there.

Probably the most precious thing we have to give is our time and expertise
and giving that gratis to a worthy cause or recipient creates a powerful cosmic
wave of reciprocity. Seva, or selfless service, is another form of graha santi
rather akin to dan. An example would be a woman I know who devotes some
time each week to delivering food to shut-ins through a program called "Meals
on Wheels" or another of my acquaintance with considerable astrological skill
who does consultations for the benefit of others without charging a fee.

Dan and seva as Upaya can be made more specific astrologically by

making the beneficiaries individuals signified by troublesome grahas in a chart.
For example, if you have a dark, afflicted Moon, including the strong influence
of Saturn, you could direct your charitable contributions or services to elderly
women in need. If Saturn is a problem in the chart, an appropriate upaya might
be supporting organizations that serve the poor and indigent. There is an endless
number of people in need in this world, so there is an endless number of
opportunity to be give and to serve.

Tapas

The Sanskrit word tapas means "heat" and has different meanings in
different contexts. In Yoga science it refers to intensity in spiritual practice that
creates a heat that purifies much in the way that heating gold removes impurities.
The word is often seen translated as "austerities" and in this context, refers to
another category of Upaya, In every spiritual/religious tradition of which I am
aware, you will find the concept of engaging in austerities as a means of
atonement for past cosmic transgressions. Some of these have been extreme, like
self-flagellation in the Christian tradition, and extreme forms can be found in
other traditions as well. The only thing I have practiced myself this way and
have recommended to others is fasting. This can be made astrologically specific
as well by fasting on the day of the week associated with the major period lord.
If a person is running the major period of the Moon they could do a 24-hour
water or juice fast on this day, or if the mahddasd lord is Mars, on Tuesdays etc.

Fixed^ Firm and Flexible

When considering upaya the question naturally arises as to whether any

karma can be altered through these methods. I would like to think so and it
 certainly never hurts to try, but practical experience over a period of 20 years has
led me to the view that it is likely not so. At the beginning of this article I
mentioned that the theory of karma, as articulated in the Vedic tradition, is quite
elaborate. A part of that elaboration is the notion that karma has three degrees of
intensity as follows:

Drda fixed
Drda-Adrda fixed/non-fixed

i Adrda non-fixed I

I translate these degrees of karmic intensity as "fixed, firm, and flexible" It

can be seen then that the tradition recognizes how some karmas are really quite
fixed and therefore very difficult or maybe even impossible to alter, and must
simply be suffered if of a negative kind. The astrological question then becomes
how such fixed karmas can be seen in a birth chart. There is no simple and easy
answer. However, when considering some factor in a chart from many different
perspectives, if you find that all indications point in the same direction, this
reflects a more fixed karma in my experience. Earlier I showed a chart of a
woman friend, now in her mid-fifties, who as neither ever married or had
children, though she has been in a lot of relationships which don't last.
RMH P~1 i i
MOij-JV /
4 AH 5Tau iSGam
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rcjft
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M®wjr v
SUn't. IISCD lOUbf JI 9 Vim-

With regards to relationship karma, see that:

• Kdraka Venus is in its debilitation sign and is aspected by Saturn.

• From the birth lagna, 7th lord Moon goes into die 12th house with
the 12th lord conjunct Saturn and aspected by Mars.
• From Chandra lagna, the 7th lord Mercury goes to a mild
dussthdna with Rdhu and aspected by Mars.
• From kdraka Venus, the 7th lord Jupiter is with Saturn aspected by
Mars.
With regards to children:

• Karaka Jupiter is in the 12th with Saturn and aspected by Mars

• From the birth lagna, the 5th house has Mars and the 5th lord
Venus is debilitated and aspected by Saturn
• From the Moon and karaka Jupiter, the 5th lord becomes Mars in
the 6th house

This is a confluent picture that shows a rather fixed karma when it comes
to marriage and children. You have seen my own chart in this article. Go back to
it now and do a similar analysis and you will again see a confluent picture that
has resulted in no marriage or children.
The Guru's Hidden Agenda

K.N. Rao has mentioned in his writing how there were times in his life
when he thought seriously of giving up astrology. He recounts in his book Yogis,
Destiny, and the Wheel of Time, how he was told by one of his spiritual advisors,
Mookananda-ji, that he should not and would not because it was his destiny to
help bring about something of a revival of this veda vidyd that was getting lost
and corrupted. This saint predicted that Shri Rao would create and become head
of a big teaching institution and travel to foreign countries to spread the light of
Jyotisa. It has all come true.

What is also true is that through his incredible output as an astrological

researcher, author, teacher and practitioner, he has all along had what might be
called a "hidden agenda" Through astrology, his intention has been to influence
people to live more sattvic lives and to engage in spiritual practices like those
discussed in this article, and in this he has been tremendously successful. There
are thousands upon thousands of people that have gone through the two-year
program of the Institute of Astrology, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in New Delhi over
the past 20 years, and I would venture to say that as a result most have been
inspired to do such practices as a means of dealing with their own karmas. How
many more thousands, maybe even millions, world-wide have read his books
and have been inspired to do likewise? If memory serves, there is even a video
that can be found on YouTube where he openly acknowledges this "hidden
agenda." "Like teacher, like student" as the saying goes, and so now, dear
reader, this is my own not-so-hidden agenda. I will candidly confess that my sole
purpose in writing this article is in the hope of inspiring you to do...Graha Santi.