ASTROLOGY - INTRODUCTION

“ASTRO” means light, star, eye, Sun or rays. Since time immemorial, the Sun,
Moon, Star, planets, etc., were recognized as sources of light and of enjoyment.
The effect of the rays of such bodies on various living and non-living beings,
regular seasonal climatic conditions, relation of these to human life are causes for
the innovation of this science. The knowledge of “Direction, Place and Time” is
only due to the Sun, Moon, stars etc. The ancient man was well acquainted with
this knowledge.

Initially, the thought in human mind was generated only due to Astrology. The
observations of stars in open sky, identifying them, their structure were treated as
Astrology.

Due to the importance of this science, Astrology became a part of Vedanga. Siksha
(Phonetics), Vyakarana (Grammar), Chanda (Meter), Nirukta (Etiology), Jyotisha
(Astrology) and Kalpa (Rituals) are the six limbs of Vedapurusha. Vedas are the
sources of knowledge.

Astrology deals with planetary movements. The details of planet movement were
dealt in Siddhanta Bhaga. The effect of planet is dealt in Phalitha Bhaga. Hence it
would be precise to say that Astrology deals with the movements of planets, their
aspects and results. The total activity of human being is fully dependent upon daily
Sunrise, sunset, Moonrise, Waxing & waning Moon and Stellar effects.

DIVISION OF ASTROLOGY – VARIOUS ASPECTS:

Arithmetic astrology – Siddhanta, Tantra, Karana

Predictive astrology – Hora, Muhurtha, Tajaka, Prasna, Medini & Samhita
According to Narada Samhita, Astrology is a combination of the three skhandhas,
namely, Siddhanta, Hora and Samhita. Later the five parts, Pancha Skahndhas,
namely, Siddhanta, Hora, Samhita, Sakuna and Prashna put together formed into
Astrology.

Astrology directs the native to act appropriately, keeping in view the prospects of
the native basing on the time factor. Astrology has got its effects from the ancient
days to modern days. Astrology became the inventor of various sciences.

ASTROLOGY – SCIENCE:

Science directs the life style or a nature, the duties to be performed, encourages
work (Karma). Science means one, which helps in the day-to-day activities,
development and prosperity of the mankind. Astrology developed itself duly
spreading its roots among all other sciences from the time even before the birth of
language. It has also considered the aspects of Direction (Dik), place (Desa) and
time (Kala). Man started studying astrology from cosmic sphere it self before the
recognition of various sciences. From that time it is spreading its branches and is
developing as a science with a number of parts.

Only astrologer can explain the reason for the differences in the treatment of same
illness between two patients. When two persons are putting the same effort on a
particular object, both of them are not getting the same results. The reason for this
disparity is well explained in astrology and none of the other sciences.

LIGHT – IT’S EFFECTS:

Manly astrology deals with the planets Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus,
Saturn, Rahu and Ketu; Aswini and other constellations; Aries and other signs.
Due to his constant searches and observations, man could recognize various
planetary bodies, which are showing their effects on the living beings. Sun is a
star. Earth and other planets are rotating around the Sun. The person’s good or bad
qualities are no way concerned with the feelings of others. Only the energies of the
objects what we are using are seen with Godliness, then the remenesance of that
person will definitely give pleasure and happiness.

Moon is not a planet. It is only an Upagraha to Earth. The light of Sun falls on the
Moon and it shines. Except stars, planets cannot shine themselves. The Sun light
falls on various planets and the light when reflected possess the qualities of the
body. Sun light energizes the living beings. As it is closer to the Earth it is much
attracted towards the Earth due to its gravitational force. Earth rotates around the
Sun. The rotation of Earth and Moon are in a systematic way. Due to this reason,
the Moon is visible in full on a full Moon day and disappears on a New Moon day.
On these days, when it is closer to Earth, its effects are more. According astrology
Moon is a watery body. The way in which Moon attracts the water in a sea, so
only attracts the human body, which has 2/3 rd of water. The blood and plasma,
which are in the form of liquids, are flowing at faster rate due to gravitational
forces. Because of this, the mental stability gets disturbed.

The planets other than the visible Sun and Moon also have equal effects. Each
planet has its own climate in the solar family. The Sunrays are falling on them and
are again reflected on earth. The effects are changed when the light passing
through different bodies.

Astrology refers the terms of Kendra Drishti, Kona Drishti, Special aspect, benefic
aspects and malefic aspects and so on. When we observe scientifically, every thing
in this nature comes under fold of astrology.
The scientists in their researches learnt that Mars, the red planet, is covered with a
substance like rust layer. On falling of Sun’s rays on it, it gets red color. Due to
this color, the blood pressure in the human beings increases. The cause of cancer
and blood related diseases, clot in the blood vessels are attributed to the planet
Mars in astrology. The professionals like defense personnel, surgeons, and dentists
come under the fold of Mars.

Mercury is the cause of greenery. Jupiter is for knowledge. Venus is for happiness.
Saturn is for laziness. Rahu is for over ambition and Ketu is for depression. The
shadows are also having equal power as that of light. Rahu and Ketu are shadow
planets.

The mind, which is in the microform, is easily carried away. Which planet is
causing which result can be known from the position of planets in the natal
horoscope. The planets and their evil effects can be learnt. To remove these evil
effects, Homa, Daana, Japa and Aushadhis (medicines) of the concerned planets
are performed.

Thus astrology tells about or indicates about the good or bad results that are going
to be experienced by a person. By performing the appropriate remedial measures,
one can get the maximum benefic results and minimize the adverse effects.

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 MENTAL DISORDERS

God has given special gifts to human being. They are mind, knowledge and
intelligence. These gifts are the demarcations between a man and an animal.
Mind is the main platform for all activities related perceptions. Mind refers to the
integrative functions of the brain. Psychology is the systematic study of the mind.
The important faculties of the mind are knowledge, will, feeling, emotion,
perception, thinking, memory and intelligence. Psychiatry is the branch of
medicine, which deals with the recognition, treatment, and prevention of mental
abnormalities and disorders.

Mental illness or psychological disturbance is the result of a person’s failure of

maintaining the equilibrium and in coping with his responsibilities. The failure to
carry the load can be either due to the size of the load or due to the inherent
weakness of the personality or there can be a multiple factors in causing mental
disorders. The mental disorders can be from birth itself also because of various
reasons.

ASTROLOGICAL PARAMETERS:
Mental activities such as perception, thinking, memory, logic and intelligence can
be easily established according to astrological principles. The following points
need attention for the assessment of the mental health of a native.

MOON: Moon is the significator of mind. Its strength or weakness reflects the
state of one’s mind. It includes attachment, feelings, emotional reactions,
compatibility with others, understanding and such faculties, which cannot be
explained logically. Astrologically Moon is not having any enemies. That means
mind is pure as a white paper and it accepts every thing, whether it is good or bad.

JUPITER: Jupiter is the significator of maturity and wisdom. Jupiter represents the
inclination and interest to know the unknown things. The acquired knowledge is
stored in mind. While Jupiter is neutral towards Mercury, the latter happens to be
the enemy of Jupiter. This indicates that the acquisition of knowledge has no
boundaries but one has to intelligently discriminate and identify the good and bad
things out of the acquired knowledge. The strict limits of logic can only restrain
the exercise of wisdom.

MERCURY: Mercury signifies nervous system, academic discipline, rationality,

logic and intellect. Using the acquired knowledge at appropriate place and
appropriate time is intelligence. Its enemy is Moon. Hence the mind (signified by
Moon) opposes to reasoning and intellect (signified by Mercury) in many
circumstances.
To understand the phenomenon let us consider an example. Suppose there is
overhead water tank. Pumping water into the tank and storing in tank is acquisition
of knowledge, which is represented by Jupiter. The tap at the washbasin is
Mercury. When washing of hands is needed we open the tap in the washbasin and
wash our hands. So at the time of washing is required we open the tap. Only when
there is sufficient water in the water tank and only when we open the tap we can
get water at the time of water. Hence the timely usage of known thing is
intelligence. If water is not present in the tank or if we cannot open the tap, we
cannot get water for washing. Moon is just like a platform for overhead water
tank. So knowing new things and storing is knowledge and using the stored known
things at appropriate time and place is intelligence.

Hence when Moon, Mercury and Jupiter are strong and well placed, the native will
have sound mind, a healthy reasoning and a mature wisdom. When these three
planets are ill placed there is a possibility of mental illness, nervousness, showing
no interest in knowing the new things, indiscriminate quality, intellectual
confusion and inability to take wise decisions.

FIFTH HOUSE: The fifth house is the house of fascination, thinking, logic,
wisdom, reasoning and planning. For a sound mental health, the 5 th house and 5th
lord must be strong.

LAGNA AND SIGN ARIES: The Lagna is the first house and head of the native.
Aries is the first house in Kalapurusha charka, equivalent to head. Hence both
should be unafflicted for a sound mental health.

AFFLICTIONS TO MOON:
Most of the mental disorders manifest when Moon is afflicted. These vary from
simple mental aberrations to gross neuro-psychotic disorders. Moon suffers
affliction when it is weak, placed in Trik houses, under aspect or association of
malefics.

When Moon is afflicted by

a) Sun: Quick temper, quarrelsome, self-aggrandizement.
b) Mars: Quick temper, aggressive, violent
c) Saturn: Acute depression, maniac depressive psychosis.
d) Rahu: Cunning in thought, schizophrenia, phobias, maniacal suicidal
tendencies.
e) Ketu: Maniacal/suicidal tendencies, phobias, irrational suspicion of others.
Affliction to Mercury and Jupiter causes abnormalities in behavior.

Affliction of a planet can be because of any of these following reasons.

1. When planet is in debilitation
2. When planet is combust
3. When planet is eclipsed (in Rahu/ketu axis)
4. When planet is in planetary war
5. When planet is associated with Aprakasa grahas
6. When planet is in Mrityubhaga position
7. When planet is associated with 6th, 8th or 12th lord
8. When planet is in Paapa kartari yoga

Similarly a house gets afflicted in the following cases.

1. When a debilitated planet is posited in the house
2. When 6th , 8th or 12th lord is posited in the house
3. When house is in Paapa kartari yoga
4. When the sign of the house happens to be a Dagdha Rasi

PLANETS IN THE MRITYUBHAGA:

Every planet has a particular position called Mrityubhaga, in every sign.
The planets in Mrityubhaga carry infection. Planets associated with and planets
aspected by planets in Mrityubhaga carry malefic influence with them and cause
illness. If in any chart, planets in Mrityubhaga influence the planets or houses
involved mental factors, then such a native becomes prone to mental illness.
A table of Mrityubhaga is given at the end of the article.

UPAGRAHAS OR APRAKASA PLANETS:

As per Hindu astrology each planet has a sub planet called Upagraha. These are
not physical entities but mathematically calculated points. These are considered to
be the Amsas of planets and generally give adverse results. These Upagrahas are
mathematically calculated sensitive points, which can be located basing on the
longitude of natal Sun. These Upagrahas can adversely influence the Moon,
Mercury and Jupiter resulting in mental disorder.

The upagrahas for the planets are as follows.

PLANET UPAGRAHA
Sun Kala
Moon Paridhi or Parivesha
Mars Dhooma or Mrityu
Mercury Ardhprahara
Jupiter Yamakantaka
Venus Indrachapa or Kodanda
Saturn Mandi or Gulika
Rahu Pata or Vyatipata
Ketu Sikhi or Upaketu

Out of the above Dhooma, Vyatipata, Paridhi, Indrachapa and Upaketu are Sun
based Upagrahas and the other are Day based Upagrahas.

SUN BASED UPAGRAHAS:

The positions of these Upagrahas are calculated basing on the position of Sun.

Dhooma = Long of Sun + 133 degrees 20 minutes

Vyatipata = 360 – Dhuma
Paridhi = 180 + Vyatipata
Indrachapa = 360 – Paridhi
Upaketu = Indrachapa + 16 deg 40 min

(Cross Cheking: Upaketu + 30 = Sun’s Long)

DAY BASED UPAGRAHAS:

The duration of the day or night is divided into 8 equal parts.
In case of birth during the daytime, the first part is allotted to the lord of the day
followed by remaining lords of the week in cyclic order. The 8th part is lord less
and is called Nireeshwara khanda.

Similarly if the birth is during night the first part is ruled by the 5th lord from the
day lord and the others are the lords of week in cyclic order. The 8th part is again
without lordship.

The part allotted to Saturn is called Mandi, Jupiter’s part is Yamakantaka, Sun’s
period is Kala and Mercury’s period is Arthaprahara. For calculation of placement
of these upagrahas in the horoscope, ascendant is calculated at the beginning of
each period, which gives the longitude of the corresponding upagraha.

For example if the birth is on Sunday during daytime,

Sun Moon Mars Merc Jup Ven Sat

Kala Parithi Dhuma Arthprahara Yamakantaka Chapa Mandi

For example if the birth is on Sunday during night,

Jup Ven Sat Sun Moon Mars Merc

Yamakantaka Chapa Mandi Kala Paridhi Dhooma Arthaprahara

Gulika and Mandi are considered to be one and the same. But in Uttarakalaamruta,
Kalidasa mentioned that Gulka and Mandi are the sons of Saturn and Gulika will
be in the last part of Saturn. The results due to Dhuma, Gulika etc., will mature in
the dasa periods of their dispositors. The effects of various Aprakasa grahas in
different bhavas were mentioned in Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra.

DAGDHA RASI:
In natal charts verification of Dagdha Rasis plays an important roll. The houses
where the Dagdha rasis fall will loose their significations. The tithi on the date of
birth is taken and the corresponding Dagdha rasis are identified as per the
following table.

NUMBER OF NUMBER OF NUMBER OF NUMBERN OF

THITHI DAGDHA RASI THITHI DAGDHA RASI
1 7 & 10 8 3&6
2 9 & 12 9&10 5&8
3 5 & 10 11 9 &10
4 2 & 11 12 7 &10
5 3&6 13 2&8
6 1&5 14 3,6,9,12
7 4&9 15/30 NIL
 ASTROLOGICAL FACTORS FOR MENTAL DISORDERS

DIVISIONAL CHARTS:
Birth chart – D1: Rasi chart indicates the planetary position and different benefic
and malefic yogas.

Navamsa chart-D9: Navamsa chart indicates the internal strength of planets

Drekhana – D3 : Drekhana chart is very much useful in medical astrology.

Dwadasamsa chart – D12: Any diseases that come from parents can be studied
from this chart.

Shashtamsa –D6 : This chart indicates about the diseases that can be cured and
also tells about the resistance capacity of an individual.

Ashtamamsa –D8: This chart tells about incurable, long standing diseases and
accidents.

SHASTYAMSA-D60: This chart indicates the shastyamsa deities of the planets.

HORA in which the native was born also plays an important roll. The birth hora
lord should not be afflicted.

PLANETS: Moon, Mercury and Jupiter and any other planet in Mrityubhaga.

UPAGRAHAS: Parivesha, Dhooma, Chapa, Mandi or Gulika, Vyatipata, Upaketu.

COMBINATIONS FOR MENTAL DISORDERS:

Some of the combinations for mental disorders taken from Jataka tatwa and some
other texts are as follows.

1.Jupiter in the lagna and Mars in the 7th house or vice versa.

2.Saturn in lagna and Mars in the 5th or 7th or 9th house.

3.Saturn in lagna, Sun in the 12th house and Mars or Moon in trines.

4.Satrun in the 12th house associated with wanning Moon. Saturn’s association
with Moon leads to a tendency towards negative thinking.
5.Association of Saturn and 2nd lord with sun or Mars.
6.Birth in the Hora of Saturn or Mars, Sun-Moon conjunction in lagna or 5 th or 9th
house and Jupiter in Kendra.

7.Mandi in 7th house or 5th house.

8.Rahu and Moon in lagna and malefics in trines.

9. 4th lord in 2nd house in Rahu/Ketu axis can cause brain disorder.

Thus the planets and their evil effects can be learnt through astrology. To remove
these evil effects, Homa, Daana, Japa and Aushadhis (medicines) of the concerned
planets are performed.

Thus astrology tells about or indicates about the good or bad results that are going
to be experienced by a person. By performing the appropriate remedial measures,
one can get the maximum benefic results and minimize the adverse effects.

As per the above guidelines I intend to do research work on the horoscopes of

Mentally Retarded people.

The following persons expressed their willingness to extend their cooperation and
help in providing the data of mentally retarded persons.

1. Superintendent, Govt. Mental Hopspital, Erragadda, Hyderabad

2. Principal, Ayurvedic Medical college, ESI, Erragadda, Hyderabd

3. Some other private doctors and psychiatrists also promised to assist

REFERRENCE BOOKS:

1. BRIHAT PARASARA HORA SASTRAM

2. PHALADEEPIKA

3. SARAVALI

4. JATAKATATWAM

5. ESSENTIALS OF MEDICAL ASTROLOGY – BY DR.K.S.CHARAK

6. JATAKA PAARIJAATAM

7. JAIMINI SUTRAS

8. M.A. (JYOTISHAM) CORRESPONDENCE COURSE STUDY MATERIAL

9. VALUABLE INFORMATION FROM ASTROLOGICAL GIANTS LIKE

DR.C.V.B.SUBRAHMANYAM, DR. S.KAMALAKARA SARMA &
OTHERS