BIRTH HOROSCOPE : A WINDOW INTO OUR KARMAS

Generally, astrologers have to closely examine the questions connected with the Karma (Actions). The modern man of today does not believe in birth, accumulated karmas of past-life, and karmas acquired in this birth and Astrology. He, like Krishna, delivers the definition of "AHAM KARTA" (I am the Doer), and understands that whatever he does, its consequences, success or failure are bounded through his own efforts; and, if, in such times you are asked that what is the connection between Jyotish and Karma? And to write an article on the subject, then does it not appear to be a very complicated subject. .

Because, if any explanation about this is available, then it is given in chapter 2 to 5 of Bhagawat Geeta, where Bhagwan Sri Krishna explained to Arjun about - discrimination between Karma Yoga, Sankhya Yoga and Karma, Sanyas, Bhakti yoga etc, and told that Karma yoga is the most simple and feasible way to attain salvation, and to become one with God. Again he said that ‘as a calf recognizes his mother in a herd of cows, similarly the action performed in previous lives easily find the individual for auspicious or inauspicious karmas, and when the right time comes, confer the results on them accordingly. In short, we can take this intricate observance as "Karma Siddhanta."

We must have been participants before also in this never-ending discussion. But, never the inferences of these discussions were such, as to establish this fact wholly. Then what is the way to understand this? How can we enquire into this complicated subject, and after investigation if we find that, yes, we have to endure the past-life actions into this life also, then how can we correct them or maintain their auspiciousness, we will search the measures for that.

Before proceeding any further, first let us come to an understanding that, what this birth-chart, Kundli (horoscope) or Tippana is, and what is its connection with the Karmas of an individual. There are 12 houses in a birth-chart. These houses begin from the Ascendant or Lagna house (first house). The Lagna (Ascending sign) is that sign which is rising on the eastern horizon at the time of birth of that individual. So now, this Lagna and the sign occupied by Lagna has established an intimate relationship with this particular person. The second house is of family (Kutumba) and Speech.

The third house denotes younger brother / sister, courage, and efforts. The fourth house represents mother, property and comforts. The fifth house denotes past-life karmas, children and spiritual practices (mantra-siddhi). So, our Rishis have fixed a house, among other houses of the birth-chart, to past-life karmas, that is, to assess the qualities of our accumulated karmas. Hence the 5th house of the horoscope, which is a trine (trikona) also, is very significant to estimate the quality of the chart. In a horoscope – four houses are called Angles (Kendra), and three houses are called Trines (Trikona), and planets posited in these houses are considered to be strong. Out of these, the Lagna or Ascendant is such a house that is considered both as a Trine, as well as, an angle. Hence, the Ascendant becomes more significant from both ways.

After the fifth, the sixth house governs the diseases and enemies. The seventh house is the house of marriage and spouse; the eighth house denotes longevity, and the ninth house represents religion, luck and fortune and prarabdha (destiny). The 9th house is 5th from the 5th house and is the most powerful trine. Besides others, things concerning father are also seen from this house. Hence, the three trines of the horoscopes have intimate connection with your present and past-life karmas. The set up of the houses is done like this only.

The tenth house denotes karma. Here the karma means career or profession. This is the meaning of 12 houses of the birth-chart. Now, the nine planets of these 12 houses relate to one or the other house. The house, in which Moon is placed, is known as the Rasi house (Moon sign). And, Rasi is the second important component to know the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the effects of planets. Hence, in a horoscope, the Lagna and the Rasi become very significant for a particular person.

In the horoscope, out of 12 houses, 6 are visible and 6 are invisible. Now, look at the 5th house, which is the house of past-life actions that tell us about what we have brought forth in this life, and what will be our mien / condition in this life, is the house of past-life Punya or meritorious deeds, which are not before us, which we cannot see but only feel; and who all can feel, astrologers and wise persons, come in the invisible part of the horoscope.

The 9th house, which is the house of fortune, Guru, father, religion, or in other words is the house of reckoning / accounts (lekha-jokha) of this life, comes in the visible part of the horoscope. Now, can you understand from this a little of the purport of pre-decided ordinance. That, which is invisible, which is not before you and which you cannot see, but which has very significant and complete connection with every incident of your life, is situated in the invisible part; and which is known to society, apparent before everyone, and the religion you follow living in society, is present in the visible part of the horoscope, the 9th house and to cap it all, these two houses, the 5th and the 9th houses, of the birth-chart are the strongest houses, and ups and downs in life, in many ways, mostly depend on the strength of these houses.

This was an effort to introduce you to the houses of the birth-chart (horrorscope), and to make you understand that the horoscope has very deep connection with the past, present and future of an individual. And it is said that, who else can ever know about the past, present and future of a man except the Rishis and astrologers. Only the present is revealed to the man. The past and future is covered under the Veil of TIME, which ignorant persons can neither know nor recognize, and carry their ignorance in the form of "AKAM KARTA" (a doer).

Have you ever made an effort to think that why you are born in a particular family? Why a man and a woman became your parents and why you got brother-sister? You got married; a stranger, a girl born and brought up in a distant family suddenly enters your life. You have children. Did you perform all this as a doer (Karta). Could you select your parents? Could you choose your brother-sister? You can say that you chose your wife yourself, but thereafter, could you select your children? You could know the sex of the fetus with the help of the modern equipments, but did you know that what kind of life this conceived life will have to endure. If you are a doer, you must have been aware of all this. But how helpless doers we are. We do behave in a very ostentatious way to be a doer, but how ignorant, how foolish and in such a unrestrained way. In other words the doer is someone else? Then who is that Doer? How can we know Him and recognize Him? Do we have any system?

You are getting education. In one institution many students receive education from one teacher. Out of those students, some are very intelligent, some are average and some lag behind. This arrangement is karmic, or divine / destined, or of doer, who will decide this. You must be remembering that a few years back, the age-limit for Indian Administrative Services was suddenly increased. Because of this increase in age-limit, some students who could not qualify earlier passed this paramount service examination and got eminent postings. Or, in the life of a successful person some sudden incidents happen, which takes him back in life instead of forward. The modern doers of today have no such instrument to see or measure such happenings.

If anybody does have such an instrument, it is with an astrologer, who can see the events many years before through the medium of birth-chart. The astrologer can forecast about your father, your mother, youngsters, your children, or other relatives. So, eventually, what does it mean? Does this mean that human life is totally pre-destined? And if it is so, then what can be the difference between man and a mechanically operated robot? Only this, that the man has a throbbing heart, which is sympathetic, perceptive, and beats, and the robot does not possess anything like this. But, this is straying away from the subject.

You must have had astrological consultations on many occasions, and found that an astrologer is a person who is capable of peering in to your past, present and future and sensing your pre-destined life through your horoscope, explains it to you. Here we are talking only about an expert astrologer, not about the hypocrites found in every nook and corner.

In a birth-chart, when two or more planets relate to each other, it is known as yoga. Both auspicious and inauspicious yogas are present in a birth-chart. The conjunction of beneficial planets causes auspicious yogas and conjunction of malefic planets form inauspicious yogas. Besides this, when lords of the 5th and the 9th houses combine with any other planet; they impart auspiciousness to that planet also.

The 5th and the 9th houses are known as trines, and are considered to be extremely auspicious houses, this we have mentioned before also. Then, can we say that auspicious yogas present in a horoscope indicate the meritorious deeds done in past- life, and the planetary periods, which ascertain the time of happenings in the lifetime, shows man the time to enjoy the fruits of these virtuous deeds and past-life actions, which an astrologer can understand through the horoscope, various Vargas, and other astrological parameters.

It is mentioned also:

Jyotisha madanam sakshad yantajjanamatiinndriyam,

Pratitam bhavata yena puman veda paravaram.

It means that, which is beyond the region of five sense organs, and which can know the past, present and future hidden in the womb of time – that is Jyotish Shastra (Astrology), which is created by you. Shukadev Ji said this to Maharishi Gargacharya. This verse is also referred from the book " Karma and Punarjanma" written by Shri K.N. Rao, only to indicate that Jyotish Shastra is the only such Shastra, which is capable of understanding past, present and future verbatim, in other words, only this Shastra can define Actions or Karmas.