A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life. – James Allen

Such is the complexity of Jyotish that for every one topic at least three different aspects of the chart can be examined to derive an answer. So highly complex is the topic of work or profession, that it drives astrologers to examine multiple points in the chart such as tenth house, Moon, second house and eleventh house, bhāvāruḍhas of first, tenth and seventh houses, Sun, Jupiter, Mercury, Drekkāṇa, Daśāṁśa to mention a few. Among the various perspectives in the chart is the work which is the desire of the soul. But just how many people are following the path of their soul? And which combinations leads a person to forego their mundane needs for a higher soul-purpose and how do they get rewarded for that act?

This article takes a closer look at the Veśi Yoga, and seeks herein to investigate how this yoga affects the persons work.

Veśi Yoga

Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śastra, Raviyoga adhyāya

सूर्यात्‌ स्वान्त्योभयस्थैश्च विना चन्द्रं कुजादिभिः।

वेशिवोशिसमाख्यौ च तथोभयचरः क्रमात्‌॥ १॥

sūryāt svāntyobhayasthaiśca vinā candraṁ kujādibhiḥ |

veśivośisamākhyau ca tathobhayacaraḥ kramāt || 1||

Translation: From the Sun, the 2^nd, 12^th and both jointly occupied by planets other than the Moon cause Veśi, Vośi and Ubhayacara yogas respectively.

Commentary: The Veśi yoga (2^nd house from Sun) causes a person to contribute to the world, whilst the Vośi yoga (12^th house from Sun) enables receipt of great blessings or knowledge. Ubhayacara yoga refers to either planets in both houses or to one graha associating with both through rāśi dṛṣṭi ensuing the person is both giving and receiving one single gift. These yoga are formed by placement or sign aspect (rāśi dṛṣṭi) on these particular houses, for which the entire chart can be divided into three sections of planets joining/aspecting the 1^st, 2^nd and 12^th houses from the Sun. The only exception is for the Sun in dual signs wherein the 3^rd and 11^th houses therefrom do not participate in any of the yogas and thus none of the karmas.

Gola Yoga

No mention has been made of the 1^st house from Sun, and the yogas it forms, as this is the birth/beginning stage of life. It shows the native experiencing knowledge/life without giving or receiving. This is the learning or schooling stage, and is akin to being in constant communion with the creator/Prajapati. When all seven planets join the Sun it forms Gola Yoga, giving constant union with the Veda and great faith and knowledge. It is akin to the first yuga called Kṛta or Satya Yuga wherein all beings knew the Veda in their hearts (ref. Bhagavad Purāṇa). The Mahādaśā of a planet associating in this way with the Sun takes you back to school!

Excluded Moon

The Moon indicates the mind of all beings, but only the individual truly knows what is in their mind and so also one cannot share one’s mind in its entirety with the world. So also the Moon has been excluded from forming any of the Sūrya yogas. The mind is also the cause of individuals straying towards or away from the path of the soul or any other path asked upon one, and thus also indicates the selfishness of individuals. However, it must be asked whether beings other than humans actually follow the path of the soul.

Moon, karaka for human beings

Each being in this world has a karaka or significator. Sun indicates birds, Mercury indicates dogs, horses, Jupiter indicates elephants, Ketu indicates insects, etc. The karaka for human beings is the Moon, and so also when rectifying the charts of human beings the Prāṇapada in Navāṁśa (D-9) should be in trines or seventh houses from the Moon. Human beings attain this signification because their minds are most developed compared to the other beings occupying this world.

Chandra ācchādana

Every being has a soul signified by the Sun and further specified by the Chara Ātmakāraka in the chart, however, this special life that human beings are blessed with can at times seem like a complete eclipse of the soul and spirituality. To that extent that human beings identify themselves with their life through the Moon, to that extent their existence is that of an animal gratifying its needs, of which the primary need is wealth and thus food. So also the most important house from the Moon is the tenth house, to which it has its ācchādana dṛṣṭi (lit. concealed or hidden objective).

Soma-maṇḍala

The Moon is the creator of the Soma-maṇḍala and governs the head of all beings as well as their desires (rajas). As a result the rajas grahas, Mercury and Venus are created by Soma and the Moon and thus come under the banner of the Moon. They as a result become the most important indicators of happiness in matters of wealth (Mercury) and relationships (Venus) in the chart. The doors through which these opportunities flow are the 10^th and 7^th from Mercury and Venus respectively, from which we examine the entire flow of rajas in a person’s life. These houses or doors from Mercury and Venus (and Moon) are blocked when Sarpa doṣa exists therein. This is formed by either of the nodes joined either Saturn or Mars. A natural blockage exists in Aquarius and Scorpio as they are lorded by nodes and malefics. Such a block makes the native unwilling to pursue these aspects of life, despite being capable, and can lead to pursuing either the higher objectives of the Sūrya maṇḍāla (sattvika graha: Sun, Moon and Jupiter), or the lower ones of the Agni Maṇḍala (tamasic graha: Mars, Saturn, Rāhu and Ketu). Should malefics be associated with these houses, yet no block exists, the native will be willing to pursue the agendas of work or relationships, despite some setbacks.

Two paths

It is, when this ulterior objective of human beings is either discarded, or aligns itself with the goals of the soul that the native begins to fulfil their soul’s purpose. This brings us to 3 possible life paths.

• Following the Moon/mind and ignoring the Sun/soul.
• Achieving the Sun/soul’s goal by rejecting those of the moon/mind.
• Achieving the goal of the Sun/soul through the pursuit of the moon/mind.

Of these 3 paths, the 1^st is the most common, the 2^nd is extremely rare and indicates great souls and the 3^rd is the most comfortable.

The analysis of the above boils down to whether the goals of the soul match those of the mind.

Veśi Yoga results

समदृक्‌ सत्यवाङ्‌ मर्त्यो दीर्घकायोऽलसस्तथा।

सुखभागल्पवित्तोऽपि वेशियोगसमुद्‌भवः॥ २॥

samadṛk satyavāṅ martyo dīrghakāyo’lasastathā |

sukhabhāgalpavitto’pi veśiyogasamudbhavaḥ || 2||

Translation: even-sighted, truthful, bigbodied and indolent, giving happiness and knowing little are the effects of Veśi yoga [for the planets from Mars to Saturn].

Commentary: The effects require some explanation.

• Mars (and Ketu) requires a person to be even-sighted or even-minded. Such a person should be fair and respect others regardless of their own personal views.
• Mercury requires one to speak, write or in any way communicate the truth.
• Jupiter has to preside over a large quantity of any kind, be it people, wealth, knowledge, etc. and particularly ensure that this large quantity stays large!
• Venus requires a person to give happiness to the world. This can be in various ways but in the end happiness to the people is the pursuit.
• Saturn (and Rāhu) requires one to avoid sharing one’s own intelligence and avoid leadership. Servitude and fulfilling the task laid upon one is the requirement.

Tycho Brahe

Born 14^th December 1546 Jul in Knutstorp, Denmark (currently Sweden) at 10:47 (Trutina Hermetis corrected by Brahe himself). Original birthtime available: 9-10 AM.

With Jupiter in the second from the Sun, Veśi yoga is formed. The administration of large entities is indicated herein. Despite being in Capricorn, the exchange of Saturn and Jupiter causes Jupiter to act as if in Sagittarius instead. Sagittarius is symbolised by a humans upper body joined at the torso to the body of a horse, namely a centaur.

Jupiter occupies 21 degrees which is the 4^th part of the sign. This represents the stomach of the centaur wherein most knowledge and wealth is kept. Further, with Jupiter being the dispositor of the Ātmakāraka knowledge would be the particular entity that has to be preserved or maintained. Being the third lord, Jupiter would make Brahe extremely studious due to the formation of Dhimantaḥ yoga.

Brahe was the royal court-astronomer and astrologer to King Frederik II of Denmark, his son Christian IV of Denmark, and later to the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II of Hungary and Croatia.

Brahe was a Danish astronomer and astrologer. Like most astrologers of his day, he is most notable for his contributions to astronomy. However, with the exchange with Saturn his contributions to modern astronomy did not come willingly. In 1600 Saturn Daśā had begun and the time to share his knowledge as well. Brahe hired Johannes Kepler to work in his Prague observatory however Kepler sought to have access to Brahe’s many observations that Brahe had acquired in his many years. A request which became a sour point as they negotiated their contract. After having failed one negotiation the two came to terms allowing Kepler to begin work, but due to political problems this began only in 1601, one year later.

With Brahe sharing little-by-little of his data with Kepler throughout Saturn Daśā, they in collaboration sought to publish new astronomical tables to replace the previous erroneous tables of Adolphsine. However, with Jupiter in the third from the Ārūḍḥa Lagna (AL), Saturn daśā, Saturn Antaradaśā portended danger to Brahe’s life. Jupiter indicates kidney, bladder and gastric problems, and following a bladder infection Brahe died supposedly from kidney failure or bladder infection. As Rāhu is joined the Ārūḍha Lagna suspicion of malign intent was cast later, but as evident in the chart this is not the case.

Only at the event of Brahe’s death did the entire catalogue of Brahe’s data pass on to his apprentice, Kepler, the aftermath resulting in the construction of Kepler’s planetary formulas on the basis of Brahe’s observed data. Kepler managed to publish the tables, named the Rudolphsine Tables post the demise of Brahe.

Sophia Brahe

Born 3^rd September 1559 Jul at 5:11 in Knutstorp, Denmark (currently Sweden). Source: Urania Titani, by Tycho Brahe.

Mercury and Ketu are placed in the second from Sun forming Veśi Yoga. Mercury in own sign and exaltation becomes the most prominent herein, whose indications are: speaking, or communicating the truth. With Ketu that which is communicated is about families or lineages.

The sign Virgo consists of four parts, of which Mercury in the first part is situated in the portion indicating the lamp of the boat. This lamp gives enlightenment and the knowledge of foresight, suggesting among other things, Jyotish.

Sophia was the younger sister of Tycho Brahe, and assisted Tycho in the casting of many horoscopes. Tycho quotes in his Urani Titani, wherein he describes her horoscope, that had she been born a man she would be most respected and distinguished for her knowledge of astrology. Besides astrology and astronomy, she was a horticulturist (Virgo) and studied medicine and chemistry with a focus on understanding herbs.

Ketu’s position in Virgo with Mercury is not auspicious for family, and with the Śatrupada placed there her family disapproved of her science studies and disowned her. With Mercury lording the second from Ārūḍha Lagna, this led at one point to her living in utter poverty with her second fiancé cum husband Erik Lange, whom was an alchemist. Notably Mercury is Dārakāraka confirming these events with the spouse, and being in the second house this is specifically second spouse.

Upapada (UL) is placed in Libra with Venus in own sign indicating the first marriage to the well-to-do Otto Thott. In Navāṁśa (D-9) 8^th house is unoccupied as the lord Mars exchanges houses with Venus. Venus is joined Rāhu and thus causes a yoga of the 6^th and 8^th houses for the marriage ending with demise of spouse. 8^th house in Rāśi (D-1) is housed by Rāhu whose exchange with Jupiter would give 36 years (18 x 2) of marriage. However, Rāhu’s debility in navāṁśa reduces this to 1/3^rd of the same, namely 12 years, after which Thott passed away.

Second husband is seen from the 8^th from Upapada and the 2^nd house of Navāṁśa. 8^th house from Upapada is Taurus housing Saturn indicating a poor husband. Eleventh house from Upapada houses Rāhu indicating earnings from research, yantras and machines. Mars further shares Abhimukha dṛṣṭi with Rāhu to indicate metallurgy or working with the earth/soil.

She moved with Lange in the south-western direction (Rāhu) to Eckenförde (currently Germany). There they lived in utter poverty whilst Lange hid from his debtors and pursued his alchemy practices. They wedded during her fifth daśā of Jupiter. The fifth house in Navāṁśa is occupied by Dārakāraka Mercury and receives the aspect of both Venus and Ketu justifying the Mahadaśā. The second lord Venus is joined Rāhu and so also in Jupiter-Rāhu Daśā-Antara they wedded.

Unfortunately the exchange of Mars and Venus was also to show its colours in ending this marriage and thus death of spouse is expected. The third house in Rāśi (D-1) shows the longevity of the second marriage and with Venus in own sign 40 years should be indicated. Again because of Venus’ position with debilitated Rāhu in Navāṁśa this can be reduced to one-third of the same, e.g. 13 years 4 months. In 1613 Lange passed away in Prague.

With the conclusion of the second marriage the second house from Taurus (2^nd Upapada-spouse) gets activated. Mercury is in Saturn’s Navāṁśa (D-9) and with the advent of Saturn Daśā, Saturn Antaradaśā she in 1616 began her most important contribution to society. After returning to northern Denmark, Helsingør, she began writing the genealogy of the Danish noble families. The Bhrātṛārūḍha (A3) shows ones publications and being in Cancer brought the first published edition in Moon Antaradaśā. The work ranges 900 pages with a detailed genealogy of 60 Danish noble families.

Johannes Kepler

Born 27^th December 1571 jul. in Weil dar Stadt, Germany at 2:37 PM (Trutina Hemetis corrected by Kepler himself). Original birthtime available: 1 PM.

The available birth times place the Lagna between Taurus and Gemini, requiring our rectification.

• The first name Johannes (pronounced yohānes in German) suggests that Gemini Lagna is more appropriate, as the Lagneśa Mercury is joined Sagittarius where the sound ’yo’ is placed in the Hoḍa chakra.
• His father never returned home, presumed dead, after working as a mercenary in the Netherland wars. Venus antaradaśā caused this event which being the dispositor of the ninth lord should be badly placed for it to happen. Among the two Lagna, Gemini fits better placing Venus in the eighth house.

Based on the above the more appropriate Lagna would be Gemini, suiting the rectification that Kepler himself ascertained.

The tenth from Moon is unoccupied with Saturn and Rāhu lording over it.

The second house from the Sun is occupied by Venus and Ketu. Among the two Venus is in an exchange with Saturn, just as in the case of his contemporary Brahe. We note that Saturn is also the tenth lord from Moon and in this case is contributing to the work of Kepler. Instead Rāhu would pose a predicament in his life.

Venus in the second house from the Sun suggests offering compassion and love to society. Ketu’s results are synonymous with those of Mars, e.g. respecting others and being fair despite personal views.

Herein Capricorn is divided into seven parts of 4°17’9” each. Herein the first half of the sign consists of a deer’s head and torso as the second is that of the lower-waist and tail of a crocodile. Being in the absolute beginning of the sign, Venus is affecting the head which gives supreme intelligence, abstract thought and in Capricorn is particularly is known to understand the movement or orbiting of flying bodies, even birds.

Normally Venus would have given some influence of art or design, but Venus being Vargottama suggests the blessings of Ṛṣi Pulaha giving great insight into the greater scheme of the universe. With Ketu joined it this takes a more mathematical turn.

Venus was to instigate his major contributions to the world, however Venus Daśā would only manifest very late in life. Still, Venus’ aspect on Rāhu would give its results in the latter half of Rāhu mahadaśā. In 1594 Kepler finished his education and became a mathematics teacher in Graz. There in Ketu Antaradaśā he had an epiphany which would lead him to write his first work Mysterium Cosmographicum. The work detailed a heliocentric view of the galaxy, as per the theorem of Copernicus, and a commentary on biblical passages which at the time were believed to support geocentricism. The work was published in 1596, during Venus Antaradaśā, delaying his marriage to his fiancé Barbara Müller, which occurred only after the publication. It is from this work that we have Kepler’s Platonic Solid model of the solar system, true to the design of Venus in Capricorn. Venus is placed in the eleventh house from Ārūḍha Lagna and so also during its Antaradaśā he became recognized in his hometown of Graz, and earned a patron among the heads of society who would support his further research.

It was this work which made him known as a skilled astronomer and mathematician and led to his meeting with Tycho Brahe. On February 4^th 1600, the two met for the first time, despite prior exchange of several letters. This was a necessary meeting for Kepler who had been suffering severe financial hardships at the time. Moon antaradaśā was running, which despite being exalted, Vargottama and in Puṣkarāṁśa, is also placed in the third house from Ārūḍha Lagna (AL) indicating poverty and renunciation. The negotiations broke down in an angry argument leading to Kepler leaving on April 6^th. In the Daśāṁśa (D10) chart, Rāhu Mahādaśā aspects the 5^th house from the Sun, as the Antaradaśā of Moon has no strong association with the 5^th house from it. Instead Moon is conjoined Saturn which lords over the eighth and ninth houses from Moon. As Saturn is in an odd sign its lordship over the even-eighth Capricorn dominates and hopes of joining new employment become difficult. The Pratyantaradaśā of 5^th lord Jupiter was undergoing on the dire occasion of the argument, which unfortunately also lords over the 8^th house from Lagna.

However, in June the two reconciled and a formal contract was made between them. Jupiter Pratyantaradaśā was still undergoing, true to its 5^th lordship, but it took until the Sūkṣmāntaradaśā of Rāhu which aspects 5^th from Ātmakāraka for the tides to change.

Still, the Moon is not favourable for work or earnings, and hence despite having made a formal contract Kepler could not join Brahe in Prague because of religious disturbances in his hometown. The culmination of which saw him and his family banished from his town for not converting to Catholicism in August of the same year. Saturn Pratyantaradaśā was running and being placed in 6^th house from Moon would have brought terrible enmity, and being in 11^th from the first lord, Mercury, would have left a terrible scar on his psyche.  With Saturn being the 9^th lord the banishment was an act of law. Its exaltation was of no avail being in 8^th from Ārūḍha Lagna and simply deepening his financial duldrums.

Notably this was the conjoined period of planets placed in 8^th, 6^th and 11^th from his Lagneśa. During October of the same year, Mercury Pratyantaradaśā, brought him and his family to Prague. Mercury despite being in Māraṇa Kāraka Sthāna and causing the sudden flight from home, is in the seventh house which brings such travelling. Being the fourth lord it also brought a new home.

Rāhu Mahadaśā culminated in Keplers appointment to his highest office yet. During Mars Antaradaśā Tycho Brahe died. This left Kepler to take his mentors place as court astronomer and astrologer to Emperor Rudolph II. Mars in the seventh house to Ārūḍha Lagna is not auspicious for one’s prosperity, but being debilitated in Navāṁśa is akin to a nīcabhañga rājayoga. With Mars being eleventh lord form Lagna this would affect his mentor and teacher, Brahe. Mars is further the dispositor of Rāhu, the tenth lord from Moon, bringing him a new employer and source of salary.

The advent of Jupiter Mahadaśā saw Kepler working with the completion of the Rudolfine Tables, an almanac in tribute of the then emperor, and Kepler’s study of the Brahe’s astronomical observations, which were now available to Kepler it their entirety.

Venus, Ketu and Saturn Antaradaśā would be of special interest due to their placement from the Sun. Among these Venus and Ketu are placed in the eleventh from the Mahadaśā of Jupiter, but Venus being a benefic in this eleventh placement would not amount to much achievement during its Antaradaśā. Saturn being the lord of Capricorn could have presented an opportunity, during which he published his work on the use of Optics, and his work of the Supernova that he observed in 1604.

It wasn’t until 1609, when in Ketu Antaradaśā, Kepler published his legacy. The book New Astronomy brought the first and second laws of planetary motion to light, formulas which are still are applied today to understand the planetary movements. With Jupiter in Pisces, Ketu placed in the eleventh therefrom indicates progress and fortune arising in the combined Daśā/Antaradaśā.

As expected, Venus Antaradaśā would not be as fortunate due to its placement from the Mahādaśa, and so also he did see misfortune. Venus is placed in the eighth house from Lagna and can affect relationship with spouse, more so being joined Ketu. In the same Antaradaśā his wife of 14 years, Barbara, died. Two years later he remarried the 24 year old Susanna Reuttinger during the Antaradaśa of Moon, in Mahādaśā of Rāhu. Unlike the previous occurrence of Moon’s Antaradaśā, the Mahadaśā was of Jupiter which would prove more beneficial for Kepler.

With no other opportune Antaradaśā insight to continue his major contributions, he waited until Saturn’s Mahadaśā, Saturn Antaradaśā before releasing his last law of planetary motions. With Saturn in the eighth house from the Ārūdḥa Lagna, the Mahadaśā would prove difficult financially. In Venus Antaradaśa the city of Linz was besieged due to religious tensions, and Kepler moved with his family to Ulm where he continued his work. Ketu with Venus in the fourth from the Mahadaśā can definitely make the home disturbed by fanatics and terrorists (Ketu). This led him to find other patrons and doing so joined General Wallenstein as official advisor in Sun’s Antaradaśā. Sun being in the third from the Mahadaśā would encourage him to associate with a battle or war, and so also Wallenstein was a successful general of the then emperor.

Saturn aspects the seventh and second house in the chart making it a dire māraka. Among the Antaradaśā, Moon and Mars are placed in duṣthāna from Saturn making them very evil. With Moon exalted, Mars is more likely to kill and so also in Mars Antaradaśā he passed following his voyage from the general’s location.

Alan Leo

Born William Frederick Allan on 7^th August 1860 in Westminster, United Kingdom at 5:49 AM (approximately according to Leo).

Saturn is placed in the second from Sun causing Veśi yoga. Saturn’s indications are to avoid leadership and avoid sharing one’s own views and ideas, and instead focus on one’s task at hand. There is no greater irony when one compares these results of Saturn to the achievements of Alan Leo. Being one of the most important contributors to the Western Tropical Astrological sphere, we cannot help but how he followed the path of Saturn.

With the tenth house from Moon occupied this was sure to distract Leo from his soul’s calling. Mars is so placed and being in a sign of Jupiter and vargottama gives powerful intuition and foresight. Had it not been for Mars’ vargottama placement an interest in engineering or the likes could have driven Leo in a different direction.

With the Ātmakāraka Mercury lording over the eleventh house from Lagna, a student of the occult is born. Venus is placed in the eleventh house, and lord Mercury is joined Rāhu in the Navāṁśa. So also his journey into astrology began in Venus Daśā, Rāhu Antaradaśā when he met Dr Richardson, whilst managing a grocer’s shop in Manchester. Until then he had pursued a career as a salesman and taken various odd jobs due to frequent unemployment! Rāhu is also the lord of twelfth from Kārakāṁśa and would bring deep spiritual knowledge during its time. Joined the Kārakāṁśa gives many harsh spiritual realisations in topics of wealth and earnings. Venus is in the Ārūḍḥa Lagna suggesting a career in PR, as Mercury lords the Ārūḍha Lagna specifying the career in business or sales.

With Mercury being joined the Lagneśa Sun a change in name is expected to bring fortune. It was during this first introduction to astrology that he chose the pseudonym Alan Leo. Notably Rāhu antaradaśā was undergoing which is joined Mercury in the Navāṁśa.

In 1888 in Jupiter antaradaśā he met with astrologer Aphorel (FW Lacey) through The Celestial Brotherhood, an organisation Leo and Aphorel both were a part of. The Daśā was of Jupiter, the dispositor of Amatyakāraka Mars. Meetings with the topmost people in one’s career arises when the tenth lord is associated with the Amatyakāraka. Here Mars is the Amatyakāraka and is in mutual aspect to Venus the tenth lord, justifying the meeting with Aphorel who had links to the best in the Astrological field. They frequented in weekly meetings with other astrologers from the Brotherhood, and especially Leo and Aphorel began meeting more frequently over the week.

Aphorel was a member of the Theosophical Society, which Aphorel introduced to Leo in the summer of 1889. By then Saturn Antaradaśā had begun and the time for his karma yoga had come. Seeing the decline of the Brotherhood’s own magazine, Leo and Aphorel introduced the topic of starting their own Magazine with Sepharial (Walter Gorn Old), a well-known astrologer at the time. Leo and Aphorel launched The Astrologer’s Magazine. With Saturn in Māraṇa Kāraka Sthāna this would be a daunting task, and even Sepharial attempted to compete with them by producing a rival magazine! With sixth lord in Maraṇa Kāraka Sthāna, Sepharial’s magazine only lasted four issues afterwhich Sepharial became a contributor to The Astrologer’s Magazine. It was Sepharial’s rivalling magazine that led the two to offering free horoscope analysis to all its subscribers, making the magazine a sure hit!

The choice of name for the magazine reflects very positively in the chart of Leo. The Astrologer’s Magazine [thī āsṭrolojars magajīn]: ‘th’, ‘ā’, ‘ṭ’, ‘l’, ’j’, ‘s’, ‘m’, ‘g’, ‘j’: 701387538ó835783107/12 = REM 3 or Gemini. Gemini happened to be his Ārūḍha Lagna. Ensuring grand success in the pursuit.

The Magazine was launched on the 21^st of November 1889 with Moon and Venus occupying Svatī Nakṣatra. This happened to Leo’s Sañghatika (16^th) Tārā from Moon which brings family bonds and marriage. 3 years later Leo’s to be wife asked for her horoscope to be read, and this resulted in the couple being married in September 1895. The daśā-antaradaśā was that of Venus-Ketu, with Ketu being lord of Upapada, and lording the 7^th house in Navāṁśa. Ketu being in the fifth house in Navāṁśa in trines to Saturn and Venus made him embrace vegetarianism and vows of celibacy in marriage, upon the request of his very spiritual wife, who also practiced palmistry and phrenology.

With Saturn as Chara Dārakāraka and seventh lord, the spouse is bound to be deeply spiritual and a great benefactor for Leo. Their marriage year coincided with Aphorel leaving the Magazine to pursue other interests, and Leo changed the Magazine’s name to ‘Modern Astrology’. [maḍern āsṭrolojī]: ‘m’, ‘ḍ’, ‘n’, ‘ā’, ‘ṭ’, ‘l’, ‘j’: 5300138ó8310053/12 = REM 5 or Leo. This happens to be his Lagna where Bhāva Lagna (thoughts, views) and Horā Lagna (wealth, fortune) are placed.
In 1898, during Sun daśā, Saturn antaradaśā, Leo’s clerk discovered that much of the written work had repetitions. This led to the idea of making templates for each planetary placement, and simply copying the portions relevant to the chart in question. This became a huge monetary success for the Leo’s and the magazine grew more and more lucrative, and by 1903 the Leo’s employed 9 astrologers to work full time in providing huge horoscope-reports for its readers.

This idea of assembly-line-horoscopes birthed the modern-day computerized horoscopes and has become a working method among many practitioners of Western Tropical Astrology. Saturn is the bringer of that work where little knowledge is employed and the field of labor is that of Leo, the sign of astrology.

However, Saturn is also opposite his mūlatrikoṇa sign, Aquarius and would cause professional humiliation at one point in life. As Saturn is placed in the third from Ārūḍha Lagna this event must occur close to his demise.

Mars Badhakeśa began his daśā in 1912. Jupiter, Mercury, Sun and Ketu are placed in 8^th from Mars and among these Jupiter is also lord of the Śatrupada (A6). Jupiter Antaradaśā arrived in 1913, during which he was summoned on charges of fortune telling. The case was dismissed because the specific proof provided was not produced by Leo, as he had been travelling in India.

Venus Antaradaśā would prove most evil, being in the 11^th house (punishment) and in 7^th from the Mahadaśā (Māraka, death). He was again summoned by the courts and this time convicted of fortune telling, for which he had to pay a fine. Being deeply affected and humiliated by the event the couple decided to pursue their planned holiday (3^rd lord Venus) during which Leo had decided to write a book meant to change the practice of astrology to be less deterministic and more character-tendency oriented. The book was never finished and during the holiday itself Leo fell ill and suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.

Sepharial

Walter Richard Old (later Walter Gornold) born 20^th March 1864, Handsworth, UK at 1:30 AM (available time). Rectified to 2:03 AM by Sepharial.

The Lagna degree is on the border of Scorpio and Sagittarius which requires rectification:

• Notably among the two options Mercury is placed in Māraṇa Kāraka Sthāna in the fourth house in case of Scorpio Lagna. In such a case Mercury being the fifth lord from Venus would suggest no children, which is contrary to the events of Sepharial who had seven kids!
• Scorpio’s ninth lord is Moon in Gaṇḍāṇta which would have confirmed father’s early demise, however ninth lords dispositor Sun is not badly placed to indicate the health problems face by father. Instead for Sagittarius Lagna, the ninth lord Sun is placed Pisces as its lord Jupiter is in the twelfth house confirming bad health. This is further justified by the event of father’s demise occurring in Ketu daśā, Jupiter Antaradaśā.

Based on the above two events, Sagittarius Lagna is deemed most appropriate and confirms Sepharial’s own rectification of the birth chart.

Ātmakāraka is the same Mercury and with its dispositor Rāhu being in the eleventh house a student of the occult is born. Rāhu is exalted in the Navāṁśa (D-9) chart suggesting that such a study would bring comfort and prominence in life. The other dispositor Saturn is the Amātyakāraka placed in the tenth house ensuring association with the topmost people within his field.

Sun is placed in Pisces as the second therefrom is occupied by Ketu. The results of Ketu are the same as that of Mars, namely exhibiting fairness regardless of personal views. Ketu is placed in the last portion of Aries which is the head of the ram/Aries. This is the part of the brain and indicates high intellectual acumen. Ketu there brings the interest in spiritual practices, and aspected by Mars in Mars’ sign can bring practices with spirits and bordering black magic. Being the fifth house from Lagna the focus is on predictive methods. The Lagna and its lord becomes important at this stage as to determine the character, ethics and intuitive faculties. The Lagna is unoccupied as the lord Jupiter is in the twelfth house of Scorpio. Being in the twelfth house risks causing lapses in judgement. The lords Mars and Ketu suggests rash decisions and mistakes respectively being the cause. However, with exalted Mars and Ketu well placed the intuition is very strong.

With no planets in the tenth house from the Moon, there are little or no distractions on this path.

Mars is in the second house in a sign of Saturn as first lord Jupiter is in the nakṣatra of Saturn. So also during the second Mahadaśā of Venus, Saturn Antaradaśā, Sepharial had a mysterious experience pertaining to a crystal ball. The image in the crystal ball expressed that it was his “inner self” and that he had now found/rediscovered it. Saturn lords the ninth house from Kārakāṁśa and is joined Jupiter, removing any suspicion of black magic. Instead this indicates the coming of the spiritual teacher or Guru who would now guide Sepharial on his spiritual journey. Finally, Saturn is the Amātyakāraka placed in the tenth house leading him to meet Madame Blavatsky, the fountain head of the esoteric scene at the time.

From then on he began studying and writing at length on the various aspects of mysticism, which had gained popularity at the time.

However, his work with mysticism would not gain the momentum that would lay the foundation for his life’s purpose. At least not until Venus daśā, Ketu Antaradaśā during which he joined the Theoophical society. He was immediately catapulted into executive positions within the group and was directly involved in the administration of the entire organisation. He was looked upon as a teacher and head astrologer within the organisation and taught extensively on the topics of the occult. With Moon in the ninth house as the ninth lord is in a sign of Jupiter, Sepharial would have a very close bond to the female leaders of the organisation. Herein it was Madame Blavatsky, the head of the organisation, who took a special liking to Sepharial and maintained a close friendship. As Moon is in Gaṇḍāṇta this teacher has a special link to beyond the void of life and death.

Moon does share rāśi dṛṣṭi with the second house from the Sun which would interrupt Sepharial’s work as the Moon has no place in the soul’s work. The predicament being that the tenth house from Moon is Taurus, being the mūlatrikoṇa of Moon and own sign of Venus. The daśā of both these can derail Sepharial from his desired path, with the exception being Venus as it is placed in the twelfth house from the Sun and gives new opportunities. In Sun daśā, Moon antaradaśā, the leader, Madame Blavatsky, passed away. Moon is placed in Gaṇḍānta, and by lording the ninth house from Jupiter it would bring hardships pertaining to his association with his teachers. The demise of Blavatsky left a vacuum in the organisation leaving it without a clear leader.

Thus when W.Q. Judge, the male leader of the American fraction, began stating that he had also begun receiving messages from beyond the void, Sepharial chose to intervene. With Moon in the ninth house a mother or lady has to fill the shoes of the organisation, and in 1892 Sepharial set upon investigating Judge’s claims, suspecting him of forgery.

Rāhu when strong indicates exposition of wrong doings, and being exalted in Navāṁśa (D-9) indicates such a path. In Sun Daśā, Rāhu Antaradaśā Sepharial set out on such a path. However, Rāhu is also joined the Ārūḍha Lagna and would risk causing a scandal that would leave a lasting impact on the reputation of Sepharial. Mercury is joined Venus as Venus and Rāhu exchange signs causing letters (Mercury) to be the cause of the scandal. A careful note being that Venus is also the tenth lord from Moon and can derail Sepharial’s soul-purpose, however being in the twelfth from the Sun must also enable him to derive new opportunities.

Organisations and clubs are seen from the fourth from Ārūḍha Lagna. Its lord Saturn is retrograde which can suggest leaving an organisation. Seeing no respite in his pursuits, he left the Society in Saturn Antaradaśā and doing so exposed the entire situation by giving the information to the press. The scandal, having come into the limelight, shook the Society leaving it divided in fractions across the world. Leaving the carnage he had created he changed his last name during the same Antaradaśā as Saturn exchanges with Mercury. This in turn led to his marriage in June 1896 during Venus Antardaśā, being joined Mercury the seventh lord and also fifth lord from Venus.

As Venus is lord of Dārapada (A7) he participated in a new Society, the Astrological Society, led by Alan Leo, with Sepharial as secretary. Venus is in the twelfth house from Sun encouraging Sepharial to participate in new organisations.

The next Mahādaśā was that of Moon which would give Sepharial several new opportunities. He wrote and contributed to several books, contributed to astrological journals and also attempted to set up the Alchemy Society. Being in Leo, the Moon would invite him to work specifically in astrological circles. Despite his work within the same, he gained a reputation of being highly unreliable in both personal and mundane predictions!

In Mars daśā his path would return. Mars is the dispositor of Ketu and would encourage more occult leanings. He wrote on the Kabbalah, lottery speculation, sold magic mirrors, calculating machines, astronomical tables and a number of other gadgets.

Ketu indicating math and calculations also brought with it a contribution which he is remembered for today in Western Tropical circles, namely the circular radix chart which is now employed by almost all western-astrologers.