Basics of Hindu Astrology

This series of blog posts is being written without dealing with the mathematical part. If you read it step by step and then see your own and others’ horoscope, you will be able to understand, technically, the astrological discussion. You will also get familiar with the terminology of Hindu astrology.

1. To do that remember the first lesson in three parts: start counting the weekdays – Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. These seven days represent seven planets – Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.

2. In Hindu astrology we make use of two other planets, called the shadowy planets, called Rahu and Ketu.

This gives you a total of nine planets. It is why we have the famous navagraha stotra or worship of nine planets.

Note – In Hindu astrology we do not use, Uranus (Herschel), Pluto and Neptune. In the scheme of stotra these planets have no place though an American has given mantras for these three planets also in his book which is not given in any book of Hindu astrology we have or know of.

Note – Now, also remember the sacred number 108 which are the number of beads we have in the garland, of tulasi or rudraksha with which we do our japam.

3. The part of the first lesson is: there are twenty seven nakshatras that we make use of in Hindu astrology. It is a very remarkable, brilliant and subtle division which is being explained later. Each nakshatra has four equal parts. Again you will see that twenty-seven multiplied by four gives you one hundred and eight number (108) which are the number of beads we have in the garland, of tulasi or rudraksha with which we do our japam.

A horoscope is a diagram. A horoscope is also described as a map of man’s destiny. South Indians and north Indians use different diagrams. There is no difference in the predictions given on their basis.

Note – In the north Indian form the lagna is not shown, as it has always to remain at the top centre.

Now you must know something about the twenty-seven nakshatras. Each nakshatra takes 13 degrees and 20 minutes uniformly. If 13°20 is multiplied by 27 it gives you 360 which is the total equal to the twelve houses.

Importance of Lagna, Moon and Janma Nakshatra

Remember that in Hindu astrology three most important descriptions of any horoscope are always necessary. If you are asked to describe the briefest but the most important pivots of your horoscope, you should be able to tell-

1. What was the Lagna you were born with?
2. What was the Moon sign?
3. What was Janma Nakshatra of your birth?

Check List One (Birth Details)

1. POB – Has the place of birth been noted down correctly with its correct Latitude and Longitude?

2. DOB – Has the date of birth been noted correctly.

Note – Remember in India, our day is from one sunrise to another sunrise. So if anyone is born, say at 01:40 am. of 15 February, the question you must ask is-

• Is it 14/15 February midnight or is it 15/16 February midnight.

If you do not want to care for such details, you are not learning astrology sincerely.

3. TOB – The trickiest area for the preparation of a horoscope is the accurate birth time. Now understand different practices:

• In astrology-conscious families, the birth time is noted down upto seconds.
• Hospital time is dependable but rarely accurate. Doctors and nurses are anxious to save the mother and the baby and are least bothered about the accurate birth time.
• If the birth time is given vaguely, as happens as many people say.

4. Twins – You may be aware that all critics of astrology ask you to explain why twins have different fates. The astrological answer is that their birth details are never recorded most accurately upto seconds, which is absolutely necessary.

Happy and Unhappy Conditions of Planets

Planets have different conditions and different moods. The condition of planets in a horoscope reflects it.

Note – Do not take it literally because there are many brilliant exceptions to these rules. If that is not remembered, only a gloomy and fatalistic view of a horoscope will have to be taken, as many astrologers do.

Just as the company of different human beings and different surroundings create different moods in you so do planets in a horoscope. Planets are happy in some conditions and unhappy in some other conditions. There are varying emotional states.

Caution – Before you learn the following lesson, overcome the mechanistic attitude of the age we live. Astrology of Hindus is not a set of formulae to be applied in a push-button way. What is being given here is for a quick understanding of the fundamentals only. Do not take them as final pronouncements. If you commit that mistake, you will become dogmatic.

Hindu astrology is world’s most developed astrology because India is the land where astrology originated and, was developed over a period of thousands of years. Here many astrological experiments have been done and many techniques tested and re-tested. Avoid dogma but follow the steps given below. The more flexible but, not romantically stupid, you are in learning astrology, the better are the chances of your developing proper astrological ability.

Remember It Step By Step

1. A planet is in an extremely happy condition when it is exalted and is in an extremely miserable condition when it is debilitated (It is not always true, But this fundamental principle is useful for prediction). When and upto what degrees in a sign is a planet exalted is the first lesson you learn.

Note – Except Mercury who is exalted in Kanya no other planet gets any exalted status in its own house.

Note – All exalted planets get debilitated in the seventh house from their points of exaltations.

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For instance the Sun is exalted in Mesha. Now count in this way – Mesha first, Vrisha second, Mithuna third, Karka ending with Tula which is the seventh house from Aries.

2. Moolatrikona – The second best condition for planets is called as the Moolatrikona.

Note – Except the Moon all other planets get the Moolatrikona condition in one of their own houses.

3. Own House – The third best condition for a planet is to be in its own house (other than Moolatrikona house which, except in the case of the Moon is of course in its own house).

Note – Sun, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn recognize the same house in which they are in a moolatrikona condition, as their own houses. But their other houses are also their own houses. The only exception is the Moon.

These are three of the happiest conditions for planets in different houses.

4. Next a planet is happy in the house of a friend.

Friendships of the Planets

In Vedic astrology, planetary friendships define how planets interact, with relationships classified as natural (permanent) or temporary based on their positions in a horoscope. They are grouped into two camps: Devas (Sun, Moon, Mars, Jupiter) and Assuras (Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Rahu, Ketu), which dictate their friendly or hostile, or neutral behavior toward one another.

Never overemphsise the friendships or enmity factor. Lot of new factors have to be looked into and new research has to be done.

All that is being stressed here is remember the principle but do not overstress these factors. Also do not ignore them. The art of judgement in astrology is the art of developing a judicial balance. In various ancient texts, different results are given for the conditions of planets.

They, if used liberally, not literally make an astrologer avoid dogmatic interpretation of horoscopes, a very common weakness and fault of astrologers. Given below is the result of different conditions with certain remarks.

Ascribed Result

1. Exalted – Gives courage, valour high positions etc.

2. Moolatrikona – Favours come in many ways. Wealth, position, learning etc.

Note – Jupiter and Mercury in exaltation or Mooltrikona have been found to be promoting idealism, learning, authorship etc.

3. Own House – Generally favourable. On the balance more good than bad results have been seen.

4. Great Friend’s – Generally good. Has not been found to be very extraordinary.

5. Friend’s House – Generally peaceful. Generally one is cheerful genial in behaviour.

6. Neutral’s House – Enmities, sicknesses. It is correct always. But one will have to try hard to achieve success.

7. Enemy’s House – Open hostility is visible.

8. Debilitated – Generally unfavourable. It has not been found to be so.

In fact debilitated Saturn and Mars give humility. Debilitated planets have to have their weaknesses. They manifest in different ways at different times.

Caution

1. The above given results get modified through the association or aspects of other planets with them. They can improve or get worse.

2. A planet within, say, about three degrees of the Sun is said to be combust and is said to give bad results. In our experience it is not always so, though for a brief period there can be mental pain.

3. A planet defeated in a planetary war is the planet which is almost of the same degree as another one (not the Sun and other exceptions). This has been interpreted also differently by different writers. There is no sound research to guide us.

4. A planet when retrograde (other planets except the Sun, the Moon) gets into retrograde motion. Read a little bit of astronomy to learn about it). No astrologer should jump to any conclusion without a sound research and observation.

Note – The interpretation of the results of all these, particularly of retrograde planets has been mostly done through loose generalisations. Such an approach and tendency must be avoided.