Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima wishes to all. Let the Guru - Sishya Sampradaya continue. Below is photo of my Guru "Maha Mahopadhyaya" Sri Iranganti Rangacharya

New articles published on Saptrarishis Astrology

Dear All,

After a long time, my two articles were published on Saptarishis Astrology online magazine website.

The links are given below.

First one is an article on Yogada concept. In fact, it is not really an article, but a letter explaining the concept to the editor of the magazine. But, he insisted on publishing it as it is. I promised him I would add some more notes later.

New Light on Yogada

Second one is article on Tara Lagna which I delivered at ICAS, Secunderabad earlier this year.

Tara Lagna

Please read them and post your comments.

Sarve Janah Sukhinoh Bavantu

Regards
Shanmukha

A Rejoinder to Sanjay Rath's artcle on Netraha Yoga

Recently, there was a blog published by Sri Sanjay Rath on his site on Complexity of Jaimini Sutras and it was referring to my blog Jaimini on Blindness. Hence, I posted a detailed reply to the site, which is given here below.

Update: Some paragraphs from this write-up below were chopped off in reply to Sanjay Rath, as I felt them irrelevant to his article. Shall I delete them from this blog also? Hmmm. Let me think.

The URL of Sanjay Rath's article

Tiny URL Link to Sanjay's Blog
or
Link to Sanjay's Blog


Dear Sri Sanjay Ji,


Sri Gurubhyo Namah

Thank you very much for writing a blog referring to my article published on my blog more than 5 years ago. Now a day, I am not very active on weblogs except occasional visits to favorite websites. Anyway, as you were referring to my article and explaining your interpretation of Jaimini Sutras, I felt it was my responsibility to respond. Here goes my response to some of the points raised. Hope it would be taken by all in positive and educative spirit.

There was a general statement by you in the article, though it was not directly addressed to me, I felt it would be proper to respond to the statement.

You wrote

“Another problem that is consistently seen is the young mind taking anything written by a commentator as the final and only truth in the sutra.

You also wrote:

Nothing is final, nobody understands everything. Every scholar of the past, present and the future is yet another seeker of the upadesha sutra, struggling to see the big picture.”

Let us call the above statement of yours as Stmt1 for easy reference.

That is exactly the point I have been trying to expose through my blogs on my bog site http://sutramritam.blogspot.com . One would definitely appreciate the fact that my efforts were only to bring out the other side of the story of Jaimini Sutras and I did never mean the interpretations written by me or taken from ancient commentaries were final.

I met a very responsible member of SJC in Delhi and mentioned about Sri Iranganti Rangacharya. Then, I was advised by that person to read Books by Sri Sanjay Rath only to understand Jaimini Sutras. Though, I am very sure that advice was friendly and from a person who cared for me, but I felt it was not proper to ignore the great doyen of Jaimini astrology. At that time, my thoughts were similar to Stmt1 cited above.

You Wrote:

There are two errors in this argument

Error #1: Removing the matra from the word शुक्र (śukra), we have the consonants श (śa) and क (ka)

The Katapayadi Varga for this is श (śa) = 5 and क (ka) = 1; reverse this we get 15; Now expunge multiples of 12 and the remainder is 3

Therefore the numerical value of शुक्र (śukra) = 3 or third house. The first error is an incorrect calculation which shows Shukra as meaning Lagna whereas the calculation actually shows third house.

I beg to pardon me. Unfortunately or fortunately, there is no error in my interpretation in decoding sukra as Lagna. You advise to remove a non-existent matra from word शुक्र (śukra). Kra is a conjunct of to consonants Ka and Ra. Removing Ra in conjunct kra amounts removing consonant not the matra. According to katapaya numeric system, in a conjunct consonant, the last of the consonants alone will count. Thus decoding sukra shall be as follows.

Su = Sa = 5

Kra = Ra = 2

Thus word sukra yields numeric value of 25 which means 1 after necessary decoding.

Your deciphering sukra as 3rd is definitely wrong. You may check the same in case of word bhagya in argala sutra, which yields number 2. Please refer to your own book JMUS page 93, where you interpreted sukra as number one (1). I sincerely hope you stumbled in hurry.

This echoes the Stmt1.

However, in my article, I interpreted sukraat as either from Venus or Lagna and I have given ample explanation on why sukraat in the sutra suitably mean from planet Venus.

You Wrote:

“Error #2: Maharsi Jaimini has explicitly stated previously that the Katapayadi Varga shall only be applicable for Bhava and not for Graha. This means if the Graha names are mentioned at all, in any place, they have to be interpreted only as the planet.”

Definitely Jaimini wanted us to use katapayadi to understand Bhavas and Rasis but not Planets. There are other interpretations as well, which I am not going to mention here..


Scholars ignorant of vast knowledge of Jaimini hidden in manuscript libraries, tend to hold on magnum opus like BPHS to reason out everything of JMUS from that only. One would understand why Paryaya Dasas do start from stronger of Lagna and seventh once they understand the words like sukra and sasi. Else, they would fall to prey like Sri XXXXXX, who writes Sukra and Sasi as Venus and Moon.

You Wrote:

Interpretation #1: śukra+āt gauṇa pada+astho rāhuḥ sūrya dṛṣṭo netra+hā

āt is an emphasis like ‘further'; the argument that shukra has to indicate Lagna as reference point holds no water as there are umpteen sutra without direct reference to lagna and only referring to the bhava in question

Translation: “Further, Shukra associating the Gauna-Pada with Rahu and Surya aspects causes damage to the eye [sight]”

Again I beg to differ. Your interpretation is wrong. I am not an expert in Sanskrit language, but my humble learning of Sanskrit reminds me that Sukraat is Panchami Vibhakti, which means From Sukra. Thus, your interpretation of Sukra association with xyz is wrong. Interpreting Jaimini Sutras without knowledge of Sanskrit language and its grammar leads to such errors. This is where our guru Sri Iranganti Rangacharya, an expert in both Jyotisha and Sanskrit did excellent service to this fraternity by commenting Jaimini Sutras. Sri Rangacharya after 3 decades of his study of Jaimini wrote his first book on Jaimini with impeccable meaning according to Sanskrit grammar.

As you call it Jaimini Sutras are complex, I tend to call them as cryptic as stated on my blog banner. Only the words differ but meaning the same. Mathematical problems seem very complex to novice. Once the correct formula to solve the sum is applied, the problem would be solved easily, so are Jaimini Sutras. Understanding Jaimini sutras requires hard work as you endorse it but understanding of Sanskrit language is also an important toolset.

Many Vriddha Karikas use words Sukra and Sasi to denote bhavas. As I already mentioned earlier, “Sarvatra Savarna Bhava Rasayascha” sutra has much more to it than on its face.

Bringing in Graha Drishti in understanding Jaimini Sutras, is the starting point where I departed from the well followed internet based learning. Rasi Drishti and Graha Drishti are different drishtis of planets only. Use Rasi based Drishti of planets in Jaimini and longitude based drishti of planets in Parasara system. It is as simple as that. As you know, longitudes do not hold much water in Jaimini barring calculation of certain special lagnas. One does appreciate this fact if they agree upon Parasara and Jaimini are two different system of Vedic Astrology, else it would of course, seems rubbish. Ekam Sat Viprah Bahutha Vadanti.

You wrote about Aacchadana Drishti. I learnt planets Jupiter, Saturn, Ketu and Full Moon do have Aachadana not all planets. The houses you mentioned for different planets are strange to me. Alas, I missed that part. Thank you for enlightening me.

You Wrote:

ReCap-B

The dictum that affliction to the fifth house from Venus leads to Netra Roga from BPHS is based on a totally different yoga called Acchadana Drsti of Graha. There is just no need to extend this to the ninth house nor to trines from Lagna.

I clearly mentioned in my article that the verse from BPHS Telugu version exactly endorse my view. It is not based on Aachadana Drishti. I don’t remember Aachadana Drishti mentioned in the BPHS version I cited. The BPHS verse exactly mentioned trikone, which is plural meaning both 5th and 9th house.

I am not going to the examples and the case studies given by you. My view point on them had been already given on my blog. I guess you took the same charts I give in my article. Didn’t you? I concluded my article saying Sukra i.e, Venus is more appropriate than Lagna, which is in line with your view.

At last let me reiterate my stand on my approach for whatever worth it be. I do respect BPHS as much as I respect JMUS. I never try to mix these two systems and also admit them as two branches of the same tree, the Vedic Astrology. There are very important reasons to come to the above conclusion. The reasons are well documented below.

1. My Guru advised me not to mix Parasara and Jaimini.

2. Sri Vemuri Ramamurthi Sastri is believed to never using Parasara System. Sri VRS is the only astrologer in recent past, who used exclusively Jaimini in interpretation.

3. I never saw any ancient commentator doing the mixing job.

4. Whenever the ancient scholars find it necessary to bring in the Parasara Principles they specifically mentioned the reason why they did so.

5. There are certain hints given by scholars of yore when to use a particular sutra. That itself is enough food for me for this lifetime to understand Jaimini. That way I am fortunate enough not to get misguided.

6. I never meant ancient commentaries are final neither the paramparas. Yet, manuscripts of ancient commentaries are better documentary evidences of how to interpret Jaimini than the undocumented paramparas.


Sarve Janah Sukhinoh Bhavantu

Seeking Blessing,
Shanmukha

A Journey towards Jaimini System - Full

Dear friends,

Please find below the link to the full presentation of the subject matter.

Link to the pdf file

Regards,
Shanmmukha

A Journey Towards Jaimini Sutram - Part 1

Namaste,

Sri Gurbhyo Namah

After more than 4 years of silence, today I am writing a blog today.

Yesterday, I delivered my first lecture on Jaimini Astrology at ICAS Secunderabad Chapter.

I will put some of the slides of power point presentation I had shown on this blog.
I promise to you that I will never transgress Jaimini Sutras and whatever I put on this slide would backed by references from commentaries.

Go through them and give your feedback.

Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavatu

Shanmukha

An Important Announcement

Dear Friends,

I have an important announcement to make. Before that let me tell you another important information.

Mahamahopadhyaya Sri Iranganti Rangacharya, the living legend of Jaimini Astrology released another important  book on Jaimini System. The book is a commentary on Jyotisha Phalaratnamala of Krishna Mishra. This work was first rescued by painstaking efforts of the editors of the Madras Oriental Library and was brought out in print by them 1960's. They consulted more than five manuscripts in preparing the final version.  Of course, this translation is now in Telugu only, but Sri Rangacharya has already completed the translation and commentary on this important work in English. Unfortunately, that is not still published due to unavoidable (avoidable, perhaps) circumstances. Nevertheless, it is published for the benefit of Jaimini students, who can understand Telugu language. It is the first time, this Jyotisha Phalaratnmala of Krishna Mishra is in print form with perfect translation. I know, there was a Telugu translation, probably in manuscript form, but it might not be as authoritative as this Sri Rangacharya's translation. Remember, Sri Rangacharya is having a rich research oriented experience in Jaimini since the last 5 decades.

Now, the important announcement I am to make.

I have been a disciple of Sri Rangacharya, but I couldn't keep up the promise I made to him. I failed a couple of times in the past, though. But, this promise always lingers in my mind. Now, I am sure that I am unfit for being a disciple of Sri Rangacharya. 

The name of this blog was also inspired by Sri Rangacharya's book Jaimini Sutramritam. As I have not been a faithful disciple of Sri Rangacharya, I am morally not justified to run a blog like this quoting him as my Guru. Hence, I decided to stop this blog indefinitely. 

If I could clear myself from this guilty feeling or obtained his blessings to continue, I would continue to write blogs. I thank one and all for encouraging me by writing their views. I must specifically thank the Editor, Saptarishis Astrology Free Online Global Magazine for backing me all the time.

I sincerely, hope the Jaimini Astrology would find its deserving place in the world of Astrology and I will continue to do my studies further, of course, I have been very busy from the last year in my professional front.

Sarve Janah Sukhinoh Bhavantu.

Regards,

Shanmukha

Argala – The Linchpin

Argala – The Linchpin

Dedication: This small write up is reverentially dedicated to Sri Krishna Mishra who brought out the correct interpretation of Argala among the ancient commentators and Sri Iranganti Rangacharya for his beautiful explanation of the concept.


Note: Some of the Sanskrit verses below couldn't be given in Devanagari due to my computer problem, which I will correct later.

Om Namah Sivaya

“There is much to be discussed about Argala” – so say the experts on Jaimini System. Yet, we never find a clear cut explanation of this concept. Of course, never did I. Am I going to clear the confusion regarding Argala  in this blog? No, then what is the purpose of this post?

Well, the purpose of this post is to write a very small introduction of this concept.  While I was going to archives of some of the yahoo groups, I found that even the experienced teachers like Sri PVR Narasimha Rao writing a natural malefic in 2nd house gives a malefic Argala. Yet, there are some silly argument that a planet in Virodha Argala sign do harm even if no planet in Argala sign. Some scholars write, planets in 2^nd, 4^th, 11^th houses from any house give Argala for that house.These are very much contrast to the basic concept of Argala. Then, I decided to introduce the Argala concept in a step by step basis, with reference to the commentaries.

Sage Jaimini stated his divine science with the word “Upadesam”. The letter “U” refers to Lord Shiva. Hence Sage invocating Lord Shiva’s feet started his description of the science. According to Yadava Kosa, the letter “U” refers to Lord Vishnu. So, it can be understood that the Sage invocated Lord Vishnu also. Now, Updesam is a imparting the knowledge in a very mythological and secretive way.  Thus, became this Jaimini System is a very secret branch of divination and has been kept for centuries.

The very next sutra deals with aspects.

अभिपश्यन्ति ऋक्षाणि १-१-२

abhipaśyanti ṛkṣāṇi 1-1-2

पार्श्वभे च १-१-३

pārśvabhe ca 1-1-3

तन्निष्टाश्च तद्वत् १-१-४

tanniṣṭāśca tadvat 1-1-4

Translation: The above three sutras explain that Signs do aspect the frontal signs, signs in both sides and the planets there in aspect as the signs do. Here it is to be understood that Sage Jaimini gave importance to the frontal aspect. So, it is very important to first look at the frontal sign aspect, and then go from lateral aspect.

So, what Sage is instructing us? He first explained how Drishti to be reckoned from signs in contrast to the Graha Drishti. It is just like telling this another type of aspect. Then, he instructs us which does have aspect. That is, explaining planet in these signs have aspect. As a sign always have aspect on the opposite and beside signs, which is permanent doesn’t add the dynamism that translates the horoscope unless there is a planet. The planet in aparticular sign having aspect in Rasi Drishti will add the dynamic influence.

Let me state another Vriddha Karika explains that aspects be calculated only for planets, not for the signs, though we use the misnomer term Rasi Drishti.

चरस्थः स्थिरगं पश्येत् स्थिरस्थः चरराशिगम्।

उभयस्थं तूभयगो निकटस्थं विनाग्रहम्॥

carasthaḥ sthiragaṁ paśyet sthirasthaḥ cararāśigam |

ubhayasthaṁ tūbhayago nikaṭasthaṁ vināgraham ||

Then,  comes the very important sutra as follows.

दारभाग्य शूलस्थार्गळा निध्यातुः १-१-५

dārabhāgya śūlasthārgaḻā nidhyātuḥ 1-1-5

As most of the students know, दार = 4, भाग्य = 2 शूल= 11.

Translation: So, the planets in 4th, 2nd, 11th from the ******, give Argala. What do the ****** doing there. This is where the confusion comes in. Most scholars interpret the above word as sign. Is it correct interpretation? This question needs to asked by every student as my guru puts it Argala is the linchpin of the Jaimini Astrology. Without understanding this Jaimini will ever be hardnut to crack.

The keyword here Jaimini puts in is निध्यातुः

What’s that? It’s literal meaning is the one which has sight. So, the 4th, 2nd and 11th houses from the aspecting one provide the Argala. Which is the Aspecting one? Is it the sign, or all signs, or Lagna, or all the bhavas?

As Sage Jaimini mentioned all signs do aspect, then is there a need of the word Nidhyatuh in the above Argala sutra? Even without the word, the meaning suffices to say that 4^th, 2^nd, and 11^th are the Argala places.

Another point as mentioned a couple of paragraphs above, Sage mentioned above only another drishti in contrast to longitudinal based Graha Drishti. So, here aspecting ones in the above Argala sutra are only the planets and NOT the signs. If Sage wanted to mention that signs without occupancy of a planet do aspect, then there is no meaning of specific word Nidhyatu as all signs become Nidhyata.

So, it is evident from the discussion above that only we need to calculate Argala for aspecting planet. This aspecting planet is also called Drashta which is an equivalent term of Nidhyata.

कामस्था तु भूयसा पापानाम् १-१-६

kāmasthā tu bhūyasā pāpānām 1-1-6

Translation:This next sutra talks about the more than two malefic planets constitute Argala. Why more than two, why not only two? The key word here is भूयसा, which is plural. In Sanskrit we have sigular, dual, and plural in contrast to many other languages. So, only more than two malefic planets in 3^rd house constitute Argala.

riḥphanīca kāmasthā virodhinaḥ 1-1-7

Translation: The planets in 10^th, 12^th and 3^rd respectively provide obstruction (virodha) to the Argala formed by the planets in 4^th, 2^nd and 11^th houses.

na nyūnāvibalāsca 1-1-8

Translation: The planets in the Virodha Argala signs do not obstruct when they are small in number or weaker than the planets in Argala signs.

This is very important rider as the smaller in number don’t obstruct the Argala is fine, but if they are equal in number, then we need to ascertain the relative strength of the both parties and then decide the result. This is often overlooked, for the planets equal in number in both Argala and Virodha signs is not very common.

prāgvat trikoṇe 1-1-9

Translation: Similarly, the trinal signs (5^th, 9^th signs) Argala may be understood in the above lines.

Most commentators seems to understand that 5^th sign is Argala sign and the 9^th sign is Virodha Argala sign. Here, it is to be noted that the Sage used plural word “TrikoNe”, which means that both trines are Argala signs. The, which are the Virodha Argala signs? The riddle can be solved by taking an alternative argument that if planets are in 5^th house cause Argala, then planets in 9^th cause Virodha Argala and vice versa.

viparītam ketoḥ 1-1-10

Translation: The Argala shall be reckoned in reverse manner for the sign occupied by Ketu.

It clearly indicate that for the signs occupied by Ketu 10^th, 12^th, and 3^rd are the Argala signs and 4^th, 2^nd and 11^th are respectively the Virodha Argala signs. Why, we need to calculate in reverse manner for Ketu? As Ketu moves in reverse, so do the Argala calculation. If that is the case, then we need to calculate reverse manner to Rahu as well.

To support this argument, we have some classical references “viparītam rāhuketvoḥ” as an alternative text. This needs to be probed further. Nevertheless, it clearly proves the concept of Argala be calculated only for planets, not to the signs.

Thus far, we have three types of Argala. Is there any difference between them, or they are same? For example is a planet in 4^th is equivant to the planet in 5^th? The answer is NO. There is a clear cut classification between these Argala, which I introduce below.

The Argala can be divided into three main concepts.

1. Primary Argala
2. Visesha Argala
3. Trikona Argala

Primary Argala: The planets in 4^th, 2^nd and 11^th places form primary argala. Any planet either natural benefic or malefic in these primary Argala place constitute Subha (Benefic)  Argala. So, the believed notion of a natural malefic in 2^nd house is bad is not acceptable in Jaimini System. Any planet will have a benefic bearing on the aspecting planet, if it is placed in the respective Argala houses. Similarly, we need to ascertain the strength of the planets Virodha Argala signs.

Visesha Argala: Only more than two malefic planets in 3^rd house provide a benefic Argala and this Argala never be obstructed. This is a special case of Argala, which is rare and we can observe this type of Argala in the charts of Queen Victoria etc.

Trikona Argala: In this Argala, only benefic planets in 5^th or 9^th house constitute benefic Argala. For example, any natural benefic or an exalted planet in 5^th house from aspecting planet results in benefic Argala, which is basically results in Dhana Yoga. Similarly, natural malefic or debilitated planet in 5^th house doesn’t provide Argala at all. Further Rahu in Trine definitely spoils many positive Yogas in the chart.

Well, why do you need to believe this classification, while this is not explicitely stated in Jaimini Sutras? The answer lies in the following indispensable Vriddha Karika.

bhaya puṇya vinā bhāvādraṣṭurāhuḥ śubhārgaḻam sphuṭago jñeya bhāvāttu viparītārgalaṁ viduḥ

yasya pāpaḥ śubho vā pi grahastiṣṭhet śubhārgale

tena draṣṭe (yukte) kṣitaṁ lagnaṁ prābalyāyopakalpate yadi tasmātgrahastatra viparītārgaḻa sthitaḥ

tena draṣṭe (yukte) kṣitaṁlagnaṁ daurbalyāyopakalpate

Translation: Bhaya = 2, Punya = 11, vina = 4 houses from the aspecting planet are subha Argala places. Sphuta = 12, ga = 3, jneya = 10 houses are the virodhargala places. Either benefic or malefic planets in the above said Argala places results in Subha Argala. The planet aspecting Ascendant having Argala will strengthen the Lagna. If at all, planet aspecting the ascendant is having Argala obstructed by planets in Virodha Argala places, will results in weakness of the Ascendant.

As you can see from the above Vriddha Karika, it is very clear that any planet either malefic or benefic in the Argala places results in Subha (Benefic Argala) only and if the aspecting planet without being obstructed by Virodha Argala will result in strength to the bhava. So, we have an authentic information about Primary Argala. What about the other two? To be frank, we can’t find much description or usage of this Vishesha Argala involving only malefic planets in the available ancient commentaries, but for its mention in the Jaiminmi Sutras. The Trikona Argala was mentioned in Jyotisha Phalaratnamala 5^th chapter as “Kone Paadamiti Brivanti”. Sri Krishna Mishra mentions a variety of Argala in quantifying the strength of Argala and allots one quarter strength to the benefic planets in Trikona places. Remember he mentions only benefic planets in the trines and any planet in other Primary Argala places.

In the above Karika, it was mentioned only about the Ascendant only. Why only Ascendant? The answer is that it is the planet which aspects the Lagna with unobstructed Argala gives the Rajayoga to the native. We will go into Argala Rajayogas, may be, in Part 2 of this write up.

Let me know how do you like this article.

Wish You All A Happy Sankranti.

Best Wishes,
Shanmukha