Benedictory Message from our Kulaguru Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri
Dharma - The Source of Happiness and Welfare Everyone naturally desires happiness and detests suffering. However are these desires satisfied? We cannot say so because many keep on suffering and remain unhappy. We can reason this out as follows: people desire happiness but do not go after the proper means to obtaining it. People detest sorrow and suffering but hold on to actions that lead to suffering. This attitude of not undertaking the proper means is equivalent to a student failing to touch his textbooks and desiring to pass his exams in flying colors. The Shastras state that Dharma leads to happiness and Adharma leads to sorrow. Our ancestors have stated that man usually abstains from good deeds though desiring Punyam and willingly engages in actions leading to sin despite the aversion to suffering:
HegC³em³e HeÀueefce®íefvle HegC³eb ves®íefvle ceeveJee: ~ ve HeeHeHeÀueefce®íefvle HeeHeb kegÀJe&efvle ³elvele: ~~ This strange behaviour is seen in many of us. This is the reason for our desires to not fructify. This truth must be realized. The nature to hold on to Dharma and give up Adharma, must be cultivated. Many hear discourses but fail to grasp the values conveyed in the discourse. For instance, many hear Ramayana. However, one does not realize that one must follow the example of Sri Rama in life for He was verily Dharma personified. Even animals came to Sri Rama’s help while his own brother deserted Ravana.
³eeefvle v³ee³eÒeJe=Êem³e efle³e&_®eesçefHe mene³eleeced ~ DeHevLeeveb leg ie®ívleb meesojesçefHe efJeceg_®eefle ~~ Even animals help those who tread the path of Dharma and Nyaya, while one’s own siblings desert those who tread the wrong path. Such being the greatness of Dharma, may everyone follow Dharma and attain Shreyas.
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
Sri Surya Prakash Memorial Number
Inside
3
4
The Role of Brahmanaism
Jyothisha Chinta Nidhi
7 Remedies from Sundarakanda
Astrology
ve
Co
y
or
t rS
& Happy Marriages
15
19
9
A Note on Simha Lagna
25 23
Sankhya System in Astrology
PANCHANGA
for December 2014
The astrological emagazine
29
The Significance of
This Month for You
32 DECEMBER 2014
1
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
Words of Wisdom Sri Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji
6 DECEMBER 2014
The astrological emagazine
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
Remedies from
Sundarakanda E. S. N. Moorthy
T
is a part of a long chain of births and rebirths and has to go undergo the good and bad results of these births. While one enjoys and gets the benefits during favorable periods of the chart, suffering and miseries crop up during the unfavorable periods of one's chart. During the bad phases recitation of verses from Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, Bhagvatham, etc. can assist in eliminating or minimizing these difficult situations of life. 24,000 slokas of Valmiki Ramayana cover seven ‘kandas’ or chapters – Balakanda, Ayodhyakanda, Aranyakanda, Kishkindakanda, Sundarakanda, Yuddhakanda and Uttarakanda Sundarakanda, in particular is recommended for regular parayana – recitation. The sages say that one’s wishes are fulfilled by Recitation of Sundara recitation of the Sundarakanda of ka n d a a n s w e r s a n y Ramayana. They prayer and is said to have also extolled bestow everything that the recitation of all is possible through Veda the seven chapters mantras. each day for 68 days.
ring and Sita’s choodamani. Sri Rama’s coronation is performed by Hanuman (in his heart).
he human being
Why is Sundarakanda particularly recommended for recitation? Balakandam has Dasaratha lamenting for being issueless, Ayodhyakanda ends with coronation of Sri Rama being cancelled, Aranyakanda has Sri Rama suffering in the forest with the abduction of Sita and Yuddhakanda is full of gory details of the war between Sri Rama and Ravaneswara. Sundarakanda has no unpleasant incidents. Hanuman burns Lanka and kills Ravana’s son Akshayakumar. Sri Rama and Sita get to know of each other through Hanuman who tells the story to Sita. Sri Rama and Sita’s marriage is re-enacted by the exchange of Sri Rama’s The astrological emagazine
A poet aptly describes the Sundarakanda as ‘everything is wonderful beauty of Sri Rama, Sita, various events, Ashokavana, Lanka and heroic acts of Hanuman’. Ramayana is inspired by the virtues of Sita during ten months of her imprisonment in the Ashokavana and this is recorded in the Sundarakanda chapter. Sundarakanda has 2885 slokas in 68 sargas/ chapters.Recitation of Sundarakanda answers any prayer and is said to bestow everything that is possible through Veda mantras.Sundarakandarecitation is said to remove daridrata, misery, mental worry, evil spirits, imprisonment, enemies, etc. The recitation has the power to negate defects in one’s horoscope and assists in fulfillment of any desire. When the recitation is done as a daily routine, it works as a metaphysical tonic that can remove or minimize obstacles and suffering. The parayana can be done in several ways.
Each day all the 68 sargas – 7 chapters - can be recited.
This is done for 68 days and is called Sapta Sargi Parayana.
68 sargas in 2 days at the rate of 34 sargas per day.
2 sargas in 34 days or
1 sarga in 68 days December 2014
7
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
Astrology
&
Happy Marriages G. P. Vaidyanatha Aiyar, B.A.
I
N my article on ‘Marriage in the Light of Astrology’ that appeared in the August 1955 issue of THE ASTROLOGICAL MAGAZINE, I have endeavoured to present the identity of outlook of the Vedas and astrology on the formation of marriages. I have also briefly indicated the method of approach for scrutinising horoscopic matching of intending couples. Necessarily the discussion has had to proceed on a rather general or academic plane while expounding the basic principles governing the topic, and, as the thesis had already grown somewhat too long, I had to compress into a penultimate paragraph the important astrological aspects that have to be considered when judging comp arison of horoscopes proposed to be yoked together. An ardent reader of the A.M.a gentleman of high position writes to say that he ‘was much disappointed to find only an introduction’ explaining the basic rituals, etc., was given in the article, He adds that he is eagerly awaiting my promised further article on the topic. Other references are also coming in touching this all important subject. Hence the present article. The main points calling for a thorough study in a horoscope before judging questions relating to the matrimonial life of the native are : 1. 7th house 2. Lord of the 7th house, and 3. Sukra
Where the 7th house is occupied or aspected by benefics or by its own lord or his friends, all of them wielding full power or bala, and similarly The astrological emagazine
where the owner of the 7th house or Sukra is situated in Subha vargas and has strength, the native will be wedded to a good wife nature and characteristics will be analagous to the respective benefic planets. Taking the contrary case, where the 7th house or its lord, or Sukra be bereft of Veerya, or strength or if they be posited in the navamsa of an enemy or be in their neecha (debilitated) navamsa, or if they be combust, or be aspected by or be in association with malefics, without having any benefic aspect or union,save in the case of the 7th house which may well be aspected or occupied by its own lord, though a malefic, and where Sukra, besides being afflicted as above, is in the 12th, 6th or 8th house in the chart unaspected by and un associated with benefics the Jataki will never get married: and even if a marriage is somehow or other brought about, the wife will meet with certain death. The Acharyas enunciate further rules for our guidance in the matter. If the 7th house of a person be occupied by Kuja, either his wife will die or the couple will have to suffer constant separation. If such Kuja be aspected by Sani, being also unaspected by and unassociated with any other planet, he (Kuja) brings about the death of the wife beyond doubt. If Makara be the 7th house and Jupiter be posited there, the wife will die; so also if Vrischika be the 7th house and Sukra be there. If Budha occupies Vrishabha which is the 7th house, he kills the 1st wife. If Meena be the 7th house and Sani be in it, he certainly kills the bride. If the lord of the 8th or the 5th house be in the 7th, the wife will perish as stated above. If the 7th house be Kanya and be occupied by Guru and the 4th house be occupied by a malefic, the woman will not live. December 2014
9
www.astrologicalmagazine.com
existence, to the lord who provides for its sustenance, and its withdrawal into Himself in the end. Since we have been given bodies, we are seen. We are exuding light and hence we become visible. This grateful awareness that we are emerging from God and again merging into God should be with us always. What should be our level of reverence and devotion? It should be immense. Datta devotees must stand as an example to the rest of the world in this awareness and in their expression of grateful reverence.
Satyatmanenamaha – Sat Jnaptyatmanenamaha – Chit Anandatmanenamaha – Ananda
All that we see now is fleeting. Everything in this world is transient and this is obvious. It is not necessary for me to reiterate it or make a particular mention. It is common knowledge. (In a Telugu scripture there is a famous verse: kaareraajulu …?) Are there any kings, since time began, who were able to take with them a bundle of precious things when they left this world? Emperor Bali who became the king of the three worlds and aspired for the position of Indra, posed this question. Even kings have to depart this world leaving all their treasures behind. Hence, Bali said, be generous. Always be ready to give charity to others. This merely proves that Paramatma or the Supreme Soul alone exists and is eternal. Existence itself is His form. Why should one study of Vedanta? What is the benefit? What do we gain? If it is said that we attain liberation, it makes no sense to us. Hence, we describe God. We say that He is all powerful, all knowing, and is everywhere. He is far greater than we are. Therefore, we need to offer prayers to Him. Like this, we develop devotion in our hearts. That is how our practice of devotion begins. He is the Supreme. He grants us all good things. The greatest amongst the rewards that He grants is salvation. He alone is capable of granting it to us. If there is a thing that is separate from us, we can search for it with the hope of finding it. But God is said to be all-pervasive. How is one to search for Him? It is not possible to look for Him outside. He is inside us and also outside. How to look for Him inside? We all have the experience of ‘I am’. ‘I’ exist while ‘I’ am awake, while ‘I’ am asleep, while ‘I’ eat, and whatever ‘I’ 16 DECEMBER 2014
may be doing, ‘I’ am there, existing. That is the common experience of all living creatures. Who is this Supreme Soul? He is existence itself. Everything that exists has emerged from Him. He is the very beginning. He is Truth. In the first verse we offer prayers to such a God. In the second verse we describe another feature of God. He is Consciousness. He glows with knowledge unlimited. Light is everywhere. The radiance of awareness is everywhere. As long as we have the eye to see (or are aware), we can see His effulgence reflected as knowledge. Triputi is important. Mother Goddess is called Tripura. Trinatha is Dattatreya, the form of the Trinity. The number 3 appears everywhere in Creation. Panchaputi means five. Stavya, Stavaha, Stotram, Stuti, Stota are features of God mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It is another point of reference. These five are said to signify the five Koshas (sheaths) that are within us. Knower, knowledge, and knowing are 3. Knowing is the bridge that takes the knower to what is to be known. The bridge connects both ends. Sometimes in the middle of the bridge they place a national border, as happened on the way to Manasarovar. Unless you reach the end of the bridge on the other side, you do not achieve your purpose. Knowledge is God. When you transcend these three, you reach the Supreme Soul. At that stage there is no knower, no knowing, and no knowledge. The three merge into one. 3 x 3 – it is now shown in a different threesome. Cause, action, and the instrument of action – are again three. The third feature of the Supreme Soul (Paramatma) is ananda (eternal bliss). Everything that we do is to gain happiness. The strange fact is that even those who are wicked engage in their wickedness only to gain happiness. What kind of happiness they derive from it, is a different matter. Ambara is earth and the worlds above. Avani is earth and the worlds that are below.The Taittireeya Upanishad praises the glories of happiness (ananda). The type of happiness may vary with age. What gives happiness to children is one type. What the youths enjoy is something The astrological emagazine
From this issu
e – Yoga Vas
hishta