Finding the Lost Horoscope
By Visti Larsen - Guide and Guru: Sanjay Rath
Words of Mukunda DaivajïaàagSvaPsimit àbaexsmye y> àTyiÉ}ayte
tSmE ïIguémUtRye nm #d< ïIdiKz[amUtRye. 6.
A person who awakens to the consciousness of the Self recognizes his previous state of ignorance as unreal. He by whose grace alone does one awaken to the consciousness of the Self - to that Dakshinamurti, who is embodied in the auspicious Guru, I offer my profound salutations.
What is it?
Nañöa Jätakam – Varaahaadi-yukti-prakaranam – çloka 2 & 4
Aaxan-kalaePyw jNm-kalae n }ayte ySy nrSy nUnm!,
àsUit-kal< àvdiNt tSy nòaiÉxanadip jatka½.
ädhäna-kälopyatha janma-kälo na jïäyate yasya narasya nünam|
prasüti-kälaà pravadanti tasya nañöäbhidhänädapi jätakäcca||
When people have not endeavoured to know the conception time nor birthtime. And yet birth has occured, then name the birthchart as lost.
Aaxan-jNmapirbaex-kale sMp&CDtae jNm vdedœ ivl¶at!,
ädhäna-janmäparibodha-käle sampåcchato janma vaded vilagnät|
The time of conception and time of birth can be ascertained through the Prañna chart.
The lost son
The Graha responsible for giving us the results of our past karma is Saturn or Shani.
Shani had two sons: Gulika and Mandi. Between these two sons, Gulika was appointed the job of giving us the results of our past karma, whilst Mandi disapeared and became lost.
This loss in the horoscope is hence indicated by Mandi, specifically also when Jupiter is weak and hence deprives the native of their Jätaka. Understanding this, we find that Mandi is the clue to understanding and finding the lost horoscope.
Steps in ascertaining the lost horoscope
The steps to determining the Varña (year), Ayana (course of the Sun), Åtu (season), Mäsa (month), Tithi (lunar day), Ahoratra (day/night) and Lagna (rising sign) at birth are now explained.
Finding the Samvatsara
The parampara teaches:
- If praçna lagna is a movable sign, the navämça number will be the number of star counted from Açvin.
- If it is a fixed sign, count navämça number from Magha.
- If a dual sign, count navämça number from Müla.
This will reveal the nakñatra occupied by Saturn at birth, and hence the year of birth. Saturn is usually one nakñatra ahead or behind the resultant nakñatra.
Example: if the praçna lagna is at 21 degrees Cancer. Cancer being a movable sign requires us to count from Açvin nakñatra. 21 degrees is the 7 th navämça, hence we are required to count to the 7 th nakñatra from Açvin. The 7 th nakñatra is Punarvasu. Hence the nakñatra of Saturn could be ärdra, punarvasu or puñya.
Varña
Nañöajätakädhyäyaù sloka 5½.
praçnäìgadvädaçäàçarkña-sthite janma vaded gurau|
Guru will be placed in the sign indicated by the Dwadasamsa Lagna in the Prasna.
A different and more accurate method is also give: Count from the sign of Jupiter in the räçi chart, to the sign of Jupiter in the dvadaçämça chart. Take the resultant amount of signs and count the same distance treating Jupiters position in the dvadaçämça as lagna. The resultant sign will be the position of Jupiter at birth.
Example: If Jupiter is in Cancer in räçi and in Pisces dvadaçämça, then Jupiter is in the 9 th from his räçi placement. Similarly count to the 9 th from Pisces, and we get Scorpio which will be the natal placement of Jupiter for the native’s birth.
Note: this can vary by one year, i.e. Jupiter could be in the sign ahead or behind the result – as the basis of the calculation is dependant on the understanding of the jovian years.
Jupiter transits 1 sign per year; hence when attempting to find the birth-year of the native, we look to Jupiter’s position and fix the appropriate year, depending on the apparent age group of the native.
Ayana
ayanaà lagnapürvärdhe saumyaà yämyaà parärdhake|
If the Lagna is in the 1 st half, the suns course belongs to Soma (northern). In the other half the course belongs to Yama (southern).
The Zodiac is divided into 2 halves depending on the course of the Sun. The northern course of the Sun is called Uttaräyana and is the transit from beginning of Capricorn to end of Gemini. This course is lorded by the Moon, but will be indicated by the Suns horä.
The Southern course of the Sun is called Dakshinäyana and covers the signs from beginning of Cancer to end of Sagittarius. This course is lorded by the Sun, but just as above, the lagna in moons horä will belong to the suns ayana – this is a vital principle of nashta jataka, where the birth is happening opposite to the indications of the prasna.
Hence when Parasara advises us to look at the 1 st or 2 nd half of the sign, he is asking us to look for the Sun or Moons Hora. If the Lagna is in Suns Hora, the native was born during Uttaräyana.
Åtu
Nañöajätakädhyäyaù sloka 6.
åturlagnadåkäëarkñasvämibhiù çiçiradayaù|
The 6 åtu’s from çiçira is indicated by the occupants of lagna, or the drekkana (lord).
The parampara teaches, If there are planets in the lagna, then they will indicate the season. The nodes do not indicate any seasons. If none are in the lagna, then see the lord of the Drekkäëa lagna, that will indicate the season.
çani-çukra-kujendujïa-jévairgréñmastu bhänunä||
The seasons beginning from çiçira are lorded by; Saturn, Venus, Mars, Moon, Mercury and Jupiter. The Sun and Mars share åtu.
Nañöajätakädhyäyaù sloka 7.
ayanartuvirodhe tu parivartyoù parasparam| budha-candra-suräcäryaù kuja-çukra-çanaiçcaraiù||
When the ayana and åtu do not match, and exhange of planets can apply. Mercury and Kuja can exhange. Moon and Venus can exhange. Jupiter and Saturn can exhange.
Mäsa
Nañöajätakädhyäyaù sloka 8½.
mäso dåkäëapürvärdhepürvo'nyastu parärdheke|
The first half of the drekkana (of lagna) shows the birth in the first half of the åtu, similarly see the 2 nd half for the 2 nd part of the åtu. This will indicate the month.
Example: one Drekkäëa is the equivalent of one season or åtu. So half of a åtu is the equivalent of a month. Hence half of a Drekkäëa is also the equivalent of a month. One Drekkäëa is 10 degrees, and half of it is 5 degrees. So assume the lagna is 13 degrees of cancer. This is the 2 nd Drekkäëa spanning from 10-20 degrees. Half of this is between 10-15 degrees and 15-20 degrees. 13 degrees is in the first half, namely 10-15 degrees and hence the native would have been born in the beginning of the season, namely the first month. If this had been the åtu of Gåñma (summer) comprising of the signs Taurus and Gemini, then the first half, namely Taurus would be the sun sign at birth, and hence the solar month at birth.
The åtu lasts for 2 months. Finding the half in which birth happened will reveal the birth month, or Sun-sign at birth.
Tithi
Nañöajätakädhyäyaù sloka 8.
anupätät tithirjïeyä bhäskaräàçasamä dvija||
Twiceborn, after previously having ascertained the mäsa, the tithi is known from the degrees traversed by the Sun.
The Tithi is ascertained by seeing the degree passed by the Sun. The parampara teaches, that since the Sun is the karaka for the lagna, similarly the degrees of the lagna lord can also ascertain the Tithi of the native.
Example: for Taurus lagna, Venus at 10:30 minutes is in the 11 th degree of a sign, and hence the 11 th Tithi at birth (ekadashi) will be the janma-Tithi.
There are 30 degrees in a sign, coinciding with the 30 Tithi’s. Question is whether this should commence from the New Moon or Full Moon. Modern day authors have all started this from the new moon, this is known as Änanta, or ‘after Krishna Pakña’. However, as per Varähamihira (Båhat Samhita) the traditional practice, is to start the calendar from the Full Moon, or ‘Çuklänta’.
This author has also found this to hold true in practice.
Ahoratra
Whilst in our present version of Mahaåñi Päräsara’s work, there is no mention of how to specifically determine the Ahoratra and Lagna at birth; the following çloka’s have been quoted from Nañöa Jätaka by Mukunda Daivajïa.
dyu-rätri-nämadheyeñu vilomajjanma-sambhavaù|
lagna-bhägaiù krameëaiva velä-mågyänupätataù||
Whatever be the Lagna, the opposite will indicate the birth during day or night.
Here Mukunda Daivajïa is reffering to the day and night signs of the zodiac. If the Prasna Lagna is a day sign, birth happened during night, and vice versa. This is in conformity with the principles of nashta jataka.
The Day signs are: Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces.
The night signs are: Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Capricorn and Sagittarius.
Example: Assume that the Prasna Lagna is Scorpio being a day sign. The birth must have happened during night on the specific day.
Lagna
praçna-lagna-naväàçasya yo räçiù saïjïayä samaù|
tasmin lagna-gate räçau vaktavyaà janma påcchataù||
From the navämça lagna of the praçna, one will know the rasi lagna at birth.
Here a standard principle is given, from which we ascertain the rising lagna at birth. The dharma of the queerest asking a praçna, is seen from the navämça, and hence the navämça lagna (and its trines/7 th or lord) whichever is stronger, should reveal the lagna of the queerest at birth.
The parampara teaches, to treat the stronger between the lagna and 7 th houses in the navämça, and from there find the stronger between the trines/lord of that particular sign to identify the lagna of the native. If however the query is from a third party, then the house of that particular relation should be treated as lagna instead. Example: if the query is on behalf of a friend, treat the 11 th house as lagna in the navämça and analyze the based on the given rules.
Further rectification of the natal chart
Rectification of the Navämça
Various tools are there to rectify the Navämça chart. Among which the one of the easiest is performed with the use of the Suns progression in naväàça.
Method:
Open the navamsa and progress the Sun 1 sign per year in forward direction.
Results:
- When the progressed Sun has Rasi dristi on the houses of marriage, marriage happens.
- When the progressed Sun has Rasi dristi on the lord of the break of marriage, marriage breaks or is troubled.
- When the progressed Sun is in trines to a karakatwa, that karakatwa prospers.
Rectification of the Praëapada
athavä prakäräntareëa lagna-bhränti-niräkaraëam
Now follows the (method) of determination of the various species from the traversal of the lagna – Mukunda Daivajïa
kià vaikatä praëa-padäìga-bhägayoù çuddhaà vilagnaà gulikädutendutaù|
If there is no difference between Navamsa Lagna and Praëapada, then no rectification is required – Translated by Mukunda Daivajïa
tasmättrikoëäbhidha-bhe janustanurbhanüdbhavasyetarathä paçorjaniù||20||
From that (Moon and Navamsa Lagna are mentioned in the prior çloka) it (Praëapada) can also be placed in trines to it (and 7 th according to the commentary). If Navamsa Lagna is different from this, the birth of an animal is noted. – Translated by Mukunda Daivajïa
Here we have a clear reference to the use of Praëapada’s use when rectifying the chart. The Praëapada can be placed in trines to the Lagna or the Moon for human-births. For other births it depends on the planet lording them. I.e. for Birds Sun is the ruler, and hence Praëapada in trines to the Sun is required in such cases. The other lordships will depend on the planets designated to the various species in the Käla Chakra.
For people who do not know their birth details it’s a prerequisite that Mandi be placed strongly in the Kendra from Navamsa Lagna.
Rectification of Kunda
Kunda literally means 9, and is equivalent to the Nava-Navamsa lagna, i.e. D-81.
Kunda will indicate the birth of ones tattwa, i.e. when ones physical embodiment enters the world. Following are the dictums.
- Determine the strength between the Lagna and its lord.
- The Kunda must fall in trines or 7 th from this position to cause the birth of ones physical embodiment.
Other traditional methods
People present
Count the total number of persons present in the horary session, including the astrologer and the querist. This number should be multiplied by 3 and divided by 27. The resultant number gives the natal star of the querist.
If Prasna Lagna is;
- Movable, count from Aswini.
- Fixed, count from Magha.
- Dual, count from Moola.
Dhruvänka method
In order to find out natal birth star of a querist certain basic numbers have been assigned to the 12 signs of the zodiac as below.
Aries - 12 , Taurus - 5 , Gemini - 10 , Cancer - 3 , Leo - 8 , Virgo - 1 , Libra - 6 , Scorpio - 11 , Sagittarius - 4 , Capricorn - 2, Aquarius - 9 , Pisces - 7.
These numbers are utilized when one of these 12 signs becomes Arudha. There is a basic group of 49 in this scheme. It is variously called Dhruvanka or basic number or guiding number etc. Numerical system as well as Varnadi Chakra, remains the most oustanding features of Kerala system. In this system a querist may be asked to name a flower, a river and a deity. Each of these is used by assigning a numerical value to the first letter of the word uttered by the querist.
Now the number allotted to the Arudha sign should be deducted from basic group i.e 49. The balance should be multiplied by 7 and divided by 27. The remainder (henceforth called R ) will give star counted from Aswini.
Example - Arudha is Gemini. Basic number of Gemini is 10. Thus we get 49-10 = 39. Now 39 x 7 / 27 = 10 , R is 3. So we get Krittika as counted from Aswini.
Expired Navamsa position
See the Moon in the chart. See how much of the Nakñatra pada has expired. Proportionately project this into the rasi chart starting from Aswini.
Let`s take an example with Moon at 6S 5degrees 54` 22``. This is 2nd Navamsa of Libra i.e 4th quarter of Chitra star. Next we find out the expired portion of this second Navamsa, which is 2 degrees 34` 22``. Converting this into minutes and seconds we get 1389` 18``. Dividing this by 5 we get 277` 52`` or 278`. Dividing this by 27 we get R of 8 which is Pushya, as counted from Aswini.
Prañna Arudha - method
Count the number by which Prasna Lagna is away from Arudha. Let it be X. Multiply it by 2 and subtract 1 from the product. Thus we get the formula 2x - 1. Next we count from Aswini, the number of stars to star of the day in question. Let it be Y. Add this to the previous formula. Thus we get 2X - 1 + Y. Now subtract 27 from the result. Finally we get the formula 2X - 1 + Y -27. The final number counted from Aswini gives the natal star of the querist.
Using Directions
The 8 directions beginning with the East have their own numbers assigned to them as follows.
E - 2, SE - 3, S - 14, SW - 10, W - 15, NW - 21, N - 9, NE - 8.
Note the direction the querist occupies (facing). Multiply the number of that particular directionby 15 and add the number of persons facing the same direction at the time. Deduct 27 from the result. The R will represent the number of star at birth, counting from Dhanishtha.
Using body parts touched
PART TOUCHED |
NATAL STAR |
Head |
Krittika |
Fore head |
Rohini |
Brows |
Mrigasira |
Ears |
Ardra |
Temples |
Punarvasu |
Chin |
Pushya |
Tooth |
Aslesha |
Neck |
Magha |
R. Shoulder |
P.Phalguni |
L.Shoulder |
U.Phalguni |
Hands |
Hasta |
Fingers |
Chitra |
Nail |
Swati |
Chest |
Vishakha |
Heart |
Anuradha |
Nipples |
Jyeshtha |
Stomach |
Moola |
R. Side of abdomen |
P.Asadha |
L.Side of abdomen |
U.Asadha |
Navel Pit |
Sravana |
Hips |
Dhanistha |
Privities |
Satabhsa |
R.thigh |
P.B.Pada |
L.thigh |
U.B.Pada |
Knees |
Revati |
Shanks |
Asvini |
Feet |
Bharani |
If the querist touches one of different parts of his body, his natal star can be found out using above table.
If the querist`s touching of limbs is not clear, this method is not of much use. In that case other methods can be used.
Source: Varga Chakra – Sagar Publications, Edited by Sanjay Rath.
There are 2 pakshas in a month – Sukla paksha and Krishna paksha. The light or increasing half (new moon to full moon) is called Sukla paksha, whilst the other half is Krishna Paksha. The starting of the months from the new moon is called; Ananta or ‘after Krishna paksha’, whilst the starting of the months after the full moon is called suklanta.
Source: Varga Chakra – Sagar Publications, Edited by Sanjay Rath.
7 th house is for first marriage, 2 nd for 2 nd marriage, 9 th for 3 rd, and etc.
The lord of the 2 nd from the house of marriage causes the break of marriage – i.e. 8 th lord breaks the first marriage, whilst lord of 3 rd breaks the 2 nd.