ZODIAC & ASTROLOGY
Zodiac is an imaginary belt in the heavens extending to 9º on both sides of ecliptic containing 12 signs of 30º each. The first sign starts from 0º of the sign Aries (Mesha) and extends to 30º. Each degree can be divided into 60 minutes, and each minute can be divided into 60 seconds for the purpose of precision in calculations.
From the earth, the signs appear to be moving in a clockwise motion. The earth has two revolutions: one around the Sun which is completed in 365,25 days, and the other around its own axis which is completed in 24 hours. Due to earth's movement around the Sun, when the Sun is viewed in the background of the zodiac it appears from the earth that the Sun moves/rotates at the speed of 1º per day in an anti-clockwise direction. The other revolution of the earth i.e. around its own axis causes rise of all the 12 signs in the horizon or east in a period of 24 hours.
The zodiac is also divided into 27 nakshatras (constellations) consisting of groups of fixed stars.
ASCENDANT / ASCENDING SIGN/ LAGNA
The Ascendant or Lagna is that point in the zodiac which rises at the time of birth of a person with reference to the place of birth.The position of planets in the zodiac is noted with reference to the earth.
The ascendant is the first house in a horoscope and the rest of the houses are reckoned from it.
IMPORTANCE OF ASCENDANT/ASCENDING SIGN / LAGNA
The functional nature of the planets in a birth chart is identified through the ascendant. The functional nature helps in identifying the strength of planets and the planets which cause unfavorable influences in the birth chart. The ascendant helps us in identifying the strong aspects of life and the aspect of life under stress including health. The astrological remedial measures for various life problems are recommended on the basis of the functional nature of the planets.
The functional nature of the planets in a birth chart is identified through the ascendant. The functional nature helps in identifying the strength of planets and the planets which cause unfavorable influences in the birth chart. The ascendant helps us in identifying the strong aspects of life and the aspect of life under stress including health. The astrological remedial measures for various life problems are recommended on the basis of the functional nature of the planets.
GENERAL TERMINOLOGY
NATAL CHART/BIRTH HOROSCOPE
Natal chart or radical chart or horoscope or natal positions are the positions of the ascendant and planets in various signs as noted for the time of the birth. Natal positions, therefore, are fixed. The planetary positions noted with reference to a particular chart for subsequent periods are known as transits or transit positions. .
PLANETARY CONJUNCTION
Conjunction is the apparent coincidence or proximity of two or more celestial objects as viewed from the earth. The conjunction can be exact or close. If the difference in longitudes happens to be less than one degree, the resulting conjunction is known as an exact conjunction. If the difference in longitudes is within five degrees, the same is known as a close conjunction.
PLANETARY ASPECT
The aspects are partial and full. In the Vedic system of Astrology, we are concerned with only full aspects. Each planet is believed to aspect fully the seventh house, reckoned from the placement of the former.
In addition to this i.e. the seventh aspect, planets posited outside the orbit of the earth as well as Rahu and Ketu have additional special full aspects as under:
a) Saturn aspects third and tenth houses from its location.
b) Mars aspects fourth and eight houses from its location.
c) Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu aspect fifth and ninth houses from their location.
b) Mars aspects fourth and eight houses from its location.
c) Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu aspect fifth and ninth houses from their location.
Planets influence other houses/planets aspected by them favorably or unfavorably, depending upon their functional nature in the horoscope. The principle of exact or close aspect is identical to exact or close conjunction i.e. when a planet casts its aspect on another planet(s) or on the most effective point of house(s) within an orb of one degree, the aspect is known as an exact aspect. If the difference in planetary longitudes is within five degrees, then the aspect is known as a close aspect.
The conjunctions or aspects with more than five degrees of longitudinal difference are wide conjunctions or aspects. These do not have permanent impact in life except the short lived transit influences on the planets involved in wide conjunctions or aspects. The wide aspects give their results in later part of life, say around 60 years or after.
The aspect of the planet will be effective corresponding to the strength of the planet. If the aspecting planet is weak due to any reason including debilitation its effectiveness will be weak and limited.
The close aspect of a functional malefic will act as a damaging force and the close aspect of a functional benefic will act as a helping force.
The conjunctions or aspects with more than five degrees of longitudinal difference are wide conjunctions or aspects. These do not have permanent impact in life except the short lived transit influences on the planets involved in wide conjunctions or aspects. The wide aspects give their results in later part of life, say around 60 years or after.
The aspect of the planet will be effective corresponding to the strength of the planet. If the aspecting planet is weak due to any reason including debilitation its effectiveness will be weak and limited.
The close aspect of a functional malefic will act as a damaging force and the close aspect of a functional benefic will act as a helping force.
GENERAL AND PARTICULAR SIGNIFICATIONS OF PLANETS
The general significations of a planet mean the aspects ruled by that planet. For example, the Sun rules father, status of the native, heart, digestive system, etc., irrespective of the lordship of the Sun in a particular nativity. The particular significations of a planet mean the significations of its mooltrikona house, the significations of its natal house and the significations of its transiting house i.e. the house where its mooltrikona sign is placed, the house where the planet is placed in the natal chart and the house where the planet is placed in transit.
The results of the significations of a weak planet fructify with delay and suffer whenever that weak planet is afflicted due to close aspect or conjunction with any functional malefic planet. The natal affliction causes damages in the entire sub-periods of the weak planet and the afflicting planets while the transit affliction cause short term damages during that effective transit influence.
The results of the significations of a weak planet fructify with delay and suffer whenever that weak planet is afflicted due to close aspect or conjunction with any functional malefic planet. The natal affliction causes damages in the entire sub-periods of the weak planet and the afflicting planets while the transit affliction cause short term damages during that effective transit influence.
PLANETARY AVASTHAS (STATES)
The planetary avasthas are the conditions in which a planet is placed. The prominent avasthas and the results produced are as under :
a) INFANCY: Whenever the longitude of a planet in a particular sign is less than 5 degrees, it is said to be in the state of infancy. Such a planet is incapable of fully promoting/protecting its general and particular significations.
b) OLD AGE: Whenever the longitude of a planet in a particular sign is more than 25 degrees, it is said to be in the state of old age. Such a planet is incapable of fully promoting/protecting its general and particular significations.
c) OWN SIGN: A planet in its own sign is treated as strong and is capable of generating the expected results, provided it is otherwise strong.
The own signs of various planets are as under: PLANET OWN SIGN SUN LEO MOON CANCER MARS ARIES, SCORPIO MERCURY GEMINI, VIRGO JUPITER SAGITTARIUS, PISCES VENUS TAURUS, LIBRA SATURN CAPRICORN, AQUARIUS
d) MOOLTRIKONA SIGNS : A planet in its mooltrikona (MT) sign is treated as very powerful, provided it is otherwise strong.
Under the Systems' Approach, the mooltrikona signs of various planets are as under:
PLANET MOOLTRIKONA SIGN
SUN :LEO
MOON : CANCER
MARS : ARIES
MERCURY: VIRGO
JUPITER : SAGITTARIUS
VENUS : LIBRA
SATURN : AQUARIUS
Under the Systems' Approach, the mooltrikona signs of various planets are as under:
PLANET MOOLTRIKONA SIGN
SUN :LEO
MOON : CANCER
MARS : ARIES
MERCURY: VIRGO
JUPITER : SAGITTARIUS
VENUS : LIBRA
SATURN : AQUARIUS
e) EXALTATION: The planets are in the state of exaltation in particular signs and give good results by promoting/protecting their general and particular significations, provided they are otherwise strong.
The exaltation signs of various planets are as under:
PLANET | EXALTATION SIGN |
SUN | ARIES |
MOON | TAURUS |
MARS | CAPRICORN |
MERCURY | VIRGO |
JUPITER | CANCER |
VENUS | PISCES |
SATURN | LIBRA |
RAHU | TAURUS |
KETU | SCORPIO |
f) DEBILITATION: The planets are in the state of debilitation in particular signs, and therefore weak, failing to fully protect/promote their general and particular significations. Rather, there can be deterioration in their ruling sub-periods.
The debilitation signs of various planets are as follows
PLANET | DEBILITATION SIGN |
SUN | LIBRA |
MOON | SCORPIO |
MARS | CANCER |
MERCURY | PISCES |
JUPITER | CAPRICORN |
VENUS | VIRGO |
SATURN | ARIES |
RAHU | SCORPIO |
KETU | TAURUS |
g) DISPOSITOR:
According with Systems’ Approach, the dispositor is a planet in whose mooltrikona sign another planet is located in the natal chart. Suppose in a natal chart the Sun is placed in the sign Libra ruled by Venus. In this case Venus will be the dispositor of the Sun. No planet which is in a non- mooltrikona sign will have a dispositor i.e. the planet(s) in Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces have no dispositor. If a planet is posited in Aries, its dispositor would be Mars; if a planet is posited in Cancer, its dispositor would be the Moon; if a planet is posited in Leo, its dispositor would be the Sun; if a planet is posited in Virgo, its dispositor would be Mercury; if a planet is posited in Libra, its dispositor would be Venus; if a planet is posited in Sagittarius, its dispositor would be Jupiter; and if a planet is posited in Aquarius, its dispositor would be Saturn
According with Systems’ Approach, the dispositor is a planet in whose mooltrikona sign another planet is located in the natal chart. Suppose in a natal chart the Sun is placed in the sign Libra ruled by Venus. In this case Venus will be the dispositor of the Sun. No planet which is in a non- mooltrikona sign will have a dispositor i.e. the planet(s) in Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces have no dispositor. If a planet is posited in Aries, its dispositor would be Mars; if a planet is posited in Cancer, its dispositor would be the Moon; if a planet is posited in Leo, its dispositor would be the Sun; if a planet is posited in Virgo, its dispositor would be Mercury; if a planet is posited in Libra, its dispositor would be Venus; if a planet is posited in Sagittarius, its dispositor would be Jupiter; and if a planet is posited in Aquarius, its dispositor would be Saturn
g) COMBUSTION: Whenever a planet comes very near to the Sun, it is divested of its brightness (luster). The said state is called combustion. While in the state of combustion, the planets fail to fully protect/promote their general and particular significations. If such a planet is weak on other accounts too, the significations ruled by them do not even take birth.
The planets are said to be combust when they are within the below mentioned degrees on either side of the sun.
MOON | 12 | DEGREES |
MARS | 17 | -DO- |
MERCURY | 14 | -DO- |
VENUS | 10 | -DO- |
JUPITER | 11 | -DO- |
SATURN | 15 | -DO- |
More later..
Krits :)
