Journal of Astrology Newsletter December 2009

The bulging Jupiter of Kaliyuga moves from Capricorn to

Aquarius on December 20^th, 2009

Did you know of a fountainhead of blessings eternally spouting goodness?  It seeks the deprived and has loads and loads of happiness, wealth, knowledge and bonanzas stored for all. It is of course the most benefic planet, Jupiter, that showers blessings always. The flow is unending but needs to be harnessed and harvested. Jupiter as the giver sits in the skies but as takers we have to be deserving to maintain its flow or else the bulge of Jupiter will simply expand with goodwill and we will remain dry of its munificence.

For the convenience of interpreting the influence of Jupiter on human and mundane affairs, Brihat Parasher Hora Shastra (BPHS) describes it as the one with a big body, tawny hair and tawny eyes, phlegmatic, intelligent and learned in all sastras.  BPHS also reveals that the force of Lord Vishnu that reincarnated as Vamana Avtaar was indeed Jupiter- the dwarf form of the Lord that brought about the evolutionary change from the animistic to the human during initial centuries of creation. Jupiter , Mercury and Ketu are described as jeeva- the living things. Jupiter has hold over the past, present and future lives also.

Astrology all over regards Jupiter as by far the best among the planets. BPHS declares that its abode is the treasure house, the taste is sweet and it is the superior most in planetary caste as well - the brahmin. Not swayed by royalty and power like the Sun and the Moon, Jupiter is the minister and advisor in the planetary cabinet. Some more inputs from BPHS suggest the pivotal role assigned to Jupiter in sustaining life.

It governs water - the essential element to sustain life ; has lordship over hemant ritu –the pleasant weather and over the fruitful trees.  It has digbal (directional strength)  in the east and therefore it is said to clear off one of (sawa lakh dosha) one and quarter lac misdeeds when in the ascendant. Jupiter lords the ninth house (that governs fortune , dharma, morality, righteousness and spirituality) and the twelfth moksha of the natural zodiac (kaal purusha).

Jupiter is the significator of the 2^nd house (family,wealth and speech) 5^th (children, knowledge and education) 9^th  and the  11^th (income and gains). There is no planet which is the significator of so many houses.  Jupiter is  the bestower of knowledge, the Guru. The Gyani. It is the significator of history. The preserver of heritage and culture.

Knowledge is not for cold storage. It for sharing, delving, dissecting, developing, demonstrating, valuing and spreading.  Jupiter is the thinking planet. It is generous, kind, wise, optimistic and full of goodness.

Mythology describes Jupiter as the guru of the devtas. His father, maharishi Angira and his wife longed for a son. The advice as to how to go about  worship for the best possible offspring came from Sanat Kumar. the sons of lord Bramha. The procedure was followed religiously and with total devotion. The result a son called Brihaspati, who was the best. The lord of wisdom, Jupiter, owns a chariot called Nitighosh, that has 8 horses of yellowish hue. The chariot travels through the zodiac in about 12 years. The sidereal period of Jupiter is 4332.589 days (11.86 years) Lord Indra was presented “ Brihaspati Samhita” composed by Jupiter. This Samhita (encyclopedic arranged collections with methodology ) explains various daans and the dharma. Jupiter is the father of sage Bhardwaj.

The wars between asuras and devtas was an ongoing feature and how to score over the other in war capabilities was the lifelong obsession of leaders. The guru of asuras was Shukracharya (Venus) who learnt the vidya of making the dead come alive. The asuras were feeling invincible and guarded their prized possession -the sanjeevini vidya.  Kach, one of the sons of Jupiter, tried to get to the knowledge but was not fully successful. A determined devguru Jupiter then organized tapas and yagnas to reduce the effect of sanjeevini vidya. This resulted in a conflict between Shukra and Brihaspati.

Such stories were perhaps devised for channeling the findings of our rishis, for use in astrology. The findings came through divya drishti (the supernatural power of our Rishis attained through their yogic kriyas and tapas )thousands of years ago. For instance, how one should interpret a horoscope when Jupiter is conjunct with Venus or is aspected by it or the result of when Venus is placed in the house of Jupiter or Jupiter in the house of Venus  and other planetary relations can be interpreted and understood on reflecting on the numerous stories in the  vedas.

For scientists and astronomers, Jupiter is a gaseous  giant with a mass slightly  more than one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times of all of the other planets in our solar system put together.

Not all good is to be blindly inferred from Jupiter.

Jupiter, like all planets changes with its lordship and avastha. It has also to perform the role assigned to it by the creator – of bringing about major changes in life along with Saturn (Kaal) and for delivering the karmaphala.  One of the guiding mantras for successful predictions given by our guru Shri. K. N. Rao is  “nothing of importance has ever happened or will ever happen without the joint blessings of Saturn and Jupiter”.

Brihat -Samhita of Varahamihira  (575 A.D) fixes the ascendant for India (Bharat Varsha of that time stretching to present Afghanistan towards the West and Burma to the East ) as Capricorn. In the brilliant book on mundane astrology by M.S. Mehta and Radhika, the ascendant is Capricorn and Scorpio for Delhi. B.V. Raman fixed Virgo as the ascendant. Which is the relevant ascendant in the pre-independence era or during Ram Rajya needs yet to be ascertained. Mr. K.N. Rao, presently the best in mundane astrology, finds convincing results from Capricorn ascendant for India and Leo as the ascendant of the U.S.  Today, with complex problems in front and spirituality on the back burner Taurus as ascendant for India’s Independence horoscope has been consistently giving convincing results. 

With the swing and a shift of ascendants for different nations, perhaps due to ayanamsha or other reasons, it is possible that the ascendant for India at some time becomes Sagittarius as it is adjacent to Capricorn. This presumption gets support in view of India’s spiritual wealth and a rich cultural heritage that still stands undisputed. The Jupitarean influence can be felt even now with spirituality still persisting in the atmosphere, perhaps, as a result of the collective tapasya of so many rishis done on its soil !

India was known as the land where rivers of honey and milk flowed and coined , the golden bird (sone ki chidiya). In the north of India we have mountains from where rivers perennially flow. This blessing of Jupiter is still to be properly harnessed, when done perhaps it would give relief from scarcity of power and water. Middle (madhya Bharat )and South have mountains loaded with minerals and metals. And to add to the riches, we have coastline of line of 6100 kms that garlands the nation.  

What combinations made us serve the British for centuries needs to be explored astrologically. Are we still living with the divisions created by the British and have still to understand the philosophy of cohesion demonstrated by Japan. If not, in the dasha of Sun, then when will we change???

Despite no oil and no coal Japan produced surplus energy at a lesser cost than India and the cheapest steel by importing iron ore from India and coke and oil for power from other countries. Clearly. How a good natural inheritance can go untilised and misused can be seen from India as the example. In recent decades it has been like a spoiled pampered wayward brat who is directionless.

The environment no longer is holistic and pure for us to breathe healthily and peacefully  It is certainly not the influence of poisonous gas polluting the bulging Jupiter. Are they our karmas or is it the result of destiny of Kaliyuga?. Surely it is a man made disaster that we are going to discuss in the Copenhagan climate change summit.

The Ladoo of corruption is hard to resist. The sweetness tempts most and makes them forget the evil karmas swallowed, which though remain dormant for some time, have  to erupt one day in the form of disease, accident to the self or  near and dear ones. It is easier to get into the corruption mode as money is easily available now than ever before to those with authority and responsibility. It can be had at every nook with just a slight stretch. All that the people in power do is delay and out comes the bribe from the busy urbanite.

During Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s time a few stalwarts controlled the Congress party’s purse strings- It was  Kidwai in UP, Shukla in MP and B.C. Roy and Atulya Ghosh in West Bengal. B.C. Roy had a good rapport with the city’s businessmen, while Atulya Ghosh was the strongman who knew how to wield the danda. At that time, companies could donate up to five per cent of their net profit to political parties. But during Indira Gandhi’s rule, the government suddenly withdrew this provision from the companies act.

Indira redefined fund collection. Naturally, businessman began to panic. As per G.L. Bansal , secretary-general of FICCI from 1954 to 1975 a delegation of  FICCI went to meet Indira Gandhi. One of the members told her. “ Madam we have always been loyal to the Congress party.” But she reacted. “ I know who all you have been funding.”  The industrialist then said. “ Madam we have done so much for the country by setting up so many factories.” But Indira Gandhi was unmoved and said : “ In the process you have also lined your pockets.” An authoritarian, socialist and dictatorial statement indeed. This is how the industrialist were seen in that era. ( entrepreneurship and capitalism was detested).

Subsequently, alternatives were searched and researched to fund elections. The concepts were quickly adapted by every political party. Each party has there share of innovation and creative manipulation that contributed to a strong foundation for a towering corrupt system with far reaching  consequences that we now face.  

Is Sun going to shine on the corrupt and expose them in its dasha and its heat make the frozen money flow back  Corruption cases appear  with the morning cup of tea and are discussed during the day. We laugh and comment “nothing would happen as they will manage all” and soon forget. Some in the news recently include the acting chairman of the company law board R. Vasudevan who was arrested for accepting a bribe of Rs.7 lakh. MCD staff scam - A responsibility is being fixed for having  23, 853 employees on rolls  who are still untraceable. Is this not ridiculous.? Satyam scam is fast being forgotten. CBI  is to investigate the multi-crore money laundering charges against former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda. A labourer becomes the Chief Minister and amasses 4000 crores by giving mining licenses. Does it not shock us.???

Opposition in AP has urged the government to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe illegal mining claiming it had subverted democracy and bled the country’s natural resources dry .Parties allege the “monumental mining scam” could run into crores.

Some positive developments can be seen in the dasha of SUN

Right to information that was started four years ago is fast gaining in popularity with the aam aadmi and increasing confidence in governance. Declaring assets and dragging corrupt judges to court is another positive development.Judges standard and acountability bill is likely to be brought before the cabinet and moved in parliament soon. Did Justice M.S. Liberhan  need 17 years and a thousand pages to tell us what has been public knowledge since December 6, 1992.  Exemplary action like Vajpayee canceling allotment of pumps when he smelled a rat is the need of the time.

If the government cannot control corruption it should restrict itself to policy making and shed administrative powers. As predicted China is quiet on surface but the inherent tensions with neighbors remain .What New Delhi now needs to do is to shrug its shoulders if China gets upset, said a newspaper headline. In a statement during his visit to U.S. in the last week of November,2009 prime minister Manmohan Singh said  “The world has to come to terms with the peaceful rise of China…..However, there is a certain assertiveness on the part of China. I am unable to understand it. It should be taken note of”. Singh’s statement is indeed a strong Indian response to China’s aggressive posturing in recent months, ranging from raising noise on the border dispute to issuing stapled visas to Indian passport holders from Jammu and Kashmir .

JOA’s JOURNAL OF ASTROLOGY turns bi-monthly.The first issue Shishir from the group of six is being released on 25^th December, 2009. Indeed a sixer.

Meeting more often has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are you share your thoughts and thereby enhance your knowledge. Meeting a person of your interest who is well read, knowledgeable and is morally and spiritually sound helps you mentally. We would like IOA’s Journal of Astrology to be like a true friend and maintain its reputation as the best astrological Journal of the world always. What prompted us to go bi-monthly was the flow of articles from our researchers. We have to maintain the standards so far achieved by being selective. The only disadvantage is we have to give more time from our already tight schedules;  we are ready to do so for the sake of astrology. Subscribers have to do nothing but wait for a more friendly subscription renewal form in the Shisher Ritu issue being released around 25^th of December, 2009. It needs to be filled only if your subscription amount is exhausted. 

Remedial Measures 
Shedding unjustified actions  or changing lavish lifestyles,  unhealthy eating and drinking habits helps but what is most essential is the shedding of our ego.  We are taught to do namaskar to greet everyone we come across. Namaskar makes you bend and shed your ego. Just imagine how much touching the feet or shastang pranam would help in reformation and spiritual progress.

An uncontrolled ego can lead you to the wrong path without your realizing it. Did you feel like flaunting a bogus Dr.on your nameplate?  Many do ! Have you observed that a politician is restless and depressed when he does not find people around him in his self created durbar (kingdom). Ego is also tamasic, like meat, fish, onion or garlic. You crave it; having once tasted. Politicians get depressed if they do not have their  chamchas around.

When the ego “ I” consciousness has sided with the materialistic forces of creation, it is said to have six faults (doshas)  1. Kama (Lust) 2.Krodha (Anger) 3. Lobha (Greed) 4.Moha (Delusion) 5.Mada (Pride)  6. Matsarya (Envy). Only when one has conquered these does he acquire true soul nature. Even part conquered would mean  a big remedial measure that is sure to counter the adversity caused by the badly placed planets.   

Stotra manjari has all the remedial measures that could be required in your lifetime. All that you require is recitation with shraddha (devotion) and astha (faith).