Journal of Astrology Newsletter August 2011

Can Mercury reveal the thickness of your skin?
Are you aware who is inside you, knocking, questioning and irritating? Astrologically it is Mercury. You tend to reconcile to such tickling of your nerves, ascribing it to your own stress. But it is Mercury, being the significator of skin and nerves in astrology that causes itching both on the surface and inside. It is to be interpreted as governing that faculty of the mind that reasons and rationalizes. This faculty controls the power of discrimination in us. Our conscience is also attached to it.

The influence of Mercury can take you to places as Mercury signifies communication, travel and weather – it can take you even from nonsense to sense of finer things. Through Mercury in a horoscope one can gauge one’s stress bearing capacity and understand lifestyle options better.  Though we are, perhaps constructed brick by brick with all the planets contributing, Mercury holds the responsibility of skillfully presenting you. With advancement in cosmetic surgery and growing use of beauty aids by both by men and women, the influence of Mercury is fast spreading. Mercury signifies finance accounts, logic and education also.

In addition, Mercury in Astrology represents friends, relatives, colleagues and competitors.  It also signifies interpreters, messengers and reporters. It is vaishya by caste and belongs to the commercial community. The duality and changeability of Mercury is a unique feature, not found much in other planets. With malefics it becomes a malefic and with benefics a benefic.

Among the seven planets, Mercury is the only one which is not allotted a house as Karka, perhaps for it cannot function to its potential independently. Sun is the karka of the 1sthouse, Jupiter of the 2nd, Mars of the 3rd, Moon of the 4th,Jupiter again of the 5th  , Mars again of the 6th, Venus of the 7th,Saturn of the 8th Jupiter again of the 9th, Saturn again of the 10th ,Jupiter of the 11th again and Saturn again of the 12th. Mercury is an associated karka of second house as (speech giver), 4th (friends and relations), of 10th (profession related to Mercury) and of the 2nd house as the karaka of speech.

Venus retrogrades once in eighteen months, Mercury three times in a year. The remaining three, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn retrograde once in a year. Retrograde planets mean reversals. This makes Mercury the most frequent in reversals, therefore predicting Mercury’s behavior becomes difficult. In this letter we explore the wide ranging influence of Mercury. The domain of Mercury seems to be scattered. It is closest to the Sun among the planets.

Classics on Mercury
Phaldeepika: From Mercury is to be ascertained all about learning, eloquence, proficiency in arts, praise by learned people, maternal uncle, dexterity in speech, aptness for acquiring knowledge expertise in ways of worship, intelligence, religious acts related to Lord Shiva, truthfulness, oyster, spots of recreation and enjoyment, skill in mechanical arts, kinsmen, heir apparent, friends, sister’s son daughters, etc. 

Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra: Mercury is endowed with an attractive physique and the capacity to use words with many meanings. He is fond of jokes. He has mix of all the three humors. Among the Panch Bhootas- fire, earth, ether, water and air, Mercury governs the earth. Mercury is the speech-giver. Mercury's is hue akin to green grass. Mercury is neuter. Moon and Mercury belong to the commercial community Mercury governs weather. As per Sapt Nadi Chakra it represents Jala (water) and rain giving nakshatras. The planetary deity of Mercury is Maha Vishnu. In the planetary cabinet, Mercury is the Prince-apparent.

Mercury is a malefic if it joins a malefic. Sports-ground is planetary abode of Mercury. The Ritu (season) allotted to it is Sharad (September-October). Its taste is mixed. It is strong in the east (Ascendant).It governs fruitless trees. It is a Moola planet (governing plants). Both the signs of Mercury are Sheershoaadhaya (rising head first)

Mundane: Intellectual caliber of the country, publishers, booksellers, editors of newspapers and magazines, trains, entertainment media, TV, trade, commerce and industry. It rules literary world, scientific organizations, means of communication, transport vehicles communications, treaties and written documents, computer programmers, news, media, written and spoken words, radio, television, anchors, literary organizations In minerals, emeralds, in commodities-peas, green vegetables, moong dal.

Both signs of Mercury are human signs. A person who has his Ascendant or Moon in a Mercurian sign can read another person better. Mercurians are intelligent and practical.

Mercury gave India Global Presence
With Mercury as the lord of the 2nd and the 5th house in the 3rd from Taurus Ascendant of India's Independence horoscope of August, 1947,the international IT boom greatly benefitted India both on the monetary (2nd)and knowledge(5th) front. The Capricorn lagna fixed by Sage Varahmihira some 1700 years ago has Mercury as the 6th and the 9th lord representing legal (6th)and judicial(9th) matters. India was known for its political science (Chanakya niti) during Varahmihira time.

Mercury in Mythology
Tara the beautiful and virtuous wife of Jupiter was abducted by Moon in a perverse and fallen condition. Jupiter requested the fellow sages and his student Gods to get his wife back. They all agreed to help Jupiter to recover stolen Tara. The clever mind of which the Moon is an embodiment thought of a diabolic plan. He approached Shukracharya (Venus), Guru of asuras, a sworn enemy of Jupiter. Jupiter and his supporter Gods continued to appeal to the better sense of Moon. When Mind controlled by Moon regained its equilibrium, a remorseful Moon returned Tara. Tara was carrying Moon’s child. The child was so beautiful that Jupiter became ecstatic on seeing the child. The child was Mercury. Tara disclosed that Moon was the father of the child. Jupiter, who is known for his brahamanical attributes forgave and accepted the inevitable. In Astrology the influence of Mercury makes one young in looks. Mercury is also known as the celestial prince in astrology  

Can we get the much needed direction from Astrology
Internet also comes in Mercury's fold
Net and its damaging fallout on children prompts us to adopt the “Catch them young approach”. It is the need that requires immediate attention now than ever before. Educationists and policy makers have to decide fast before the virus that leads the juvenile to drug addiction and other waywardness spreads further. Diversion of children from academic pursuits is a common concern of parents. The assessment of the sensitivity of the mind to disturbances from the surroundings can best be done by astrologers and not psychologists.

An analysis of the promise of education in a horoscopes lead astrologers to the vital area of mental inclination. An astrologer can play a lead role in helping the society by predicting to the parents the likely response of the child to distractions that are found at every nook and corner today.  

Education of the child today has become a critical concern of parents and astrological counseling is increasingly sought for relatively minor matters like the specialization streams to be opted for in schools and colleges. Parents are also concerned about the behavior of children and their attitude towards elders. The aspirations of a parent for the child tend to be limitless. The problem of hyperactive children with small attention spans becoming indecisive due to peer pressure in choosing specialized streams is increasingly common, often compelling parents to seek psychological or astrological help. Guidance on education is fast becoming crucial not only for children but for all those struggling for growth in career. There are mid-career courses and trainings which are fast getting more and more popular.

Moon and Mercury unfold the Mindset: Mercury in mythology is the child of Moon. In astrology Moon represents the mind in totality and Mercury that faculty of the mind that reasons and argues. In astrology, therefore Moon treats Mercury as a friend for Mercury is the child of Moon and Mercury regards Moon as its enemy for the child does not want the father to dominate and control. Mercury represents the questioning and reasoning faculty of the mind, intellect. It has been observed that whenever there is the dasha of Mercury-Moon or Moon- Mercury, it gives rise to aberration in the mind, more so when they are together. Worse is when they are together and conjunct with a malefic or aspected by it.

Mercury and Mimamsa: Mercury is Mimansak-someone who can grasp even the difficult points and interpret them with ease. Mimamsa involves investigating the Vedic texts and churning out interpretations and innovative meanings.

Every planet is like a different person
Each planet has a character and individuality of its own.  Mercury rules documentation and recording, teaching, writing, clerical jobs, accounting, book-keeping, mailing, driving a bus a car, a train or a plane. It characterizes an architect, correspondent, stenographer, interpreters, messengers, reporter, radio, and other communication media, stationers, printing and telephone operators. Jaimini sutras hint on professional inclination (if Mercury is in the fifth house, one is an author of lesser importance than in case of Venus. The Moon should be with Mercury.)

The third house also reveals something valuable: Moon and Jupiter gives an author all round knowledge. But Jupiter in such a place makes one a grammarian, a scholar of the Vedas (scriptures) and a scholar in philosophy of Vedanta. Venus makes ordinary author, poet eloquent speaker. Mercury makes ordinary author. But makes one an expert in Mimamsa.  Clearly, Mercury on its own is not effective. It has to mix with other planets to give effective results. 

Shri K.N.Rao gave us meanings of different planets for predicting suitable education and profession through 70 years of original and fundamental research. Shri.Naval Singh in his book Planets and Education and Col.A.K.Gour in his book Astrology of Profession developed his researches.

Journal of Astrology (October-December 2001 page 66) Mercury: Astrology, Journalism, Public Relations, Accountancy. Semi-Technical-Accounts, Technical-Higher Accountancy.

Is education seen from 5th from Mercury?
Education is better seen from 5th from Lagna, the 5th from Moon and the 5th from Karakamsha lagna than from 5th from Mercury as perhaps Mercury is good at mixing and stand alone can do very little. A more extensive research is required to arrive at the conclusion whether 5th from Mercury gives hints on education or not.

Mercury and Acting
Mercury represents nat (actor) and is a significator of speech. Talking heads of TV channels, people in print media and film stars have strong Mercury.

Mercury is Astrology
Many astrologers fast and do their poojas more intensely on Wednesday, the day of Mercury to enhance their astrological knowledge. It is an off day for many astrologers in Orissa.

Mercury and Medicine
Virgo sign being the 6th house of the kaalpurusha makes it sensitive to disease. Shr K.N.Rao has rightly observed that people with dual signs are prone to diseases of the joints. Mercury also gives diseases of the skin and nerves.

News Zone

Sun dasha brings Corruption to the receiving end
Who could imagine that the thickening cloud of corruption on the Indian horizon, of the last two decades, during the dasha of Venus of India’s Independence horoscope, could ever dissolve. It is thinning in the dasha of the Sun. Thanks to Anna Hazare. The corruption rooted in Rahu which has an overpowering impact on the Ascendants of both the Indian Independence and the Republican horoscopes did bite.

Perhaps, the three eclipses of June-July, 2011, created the tidal wave against corruption.  The degree of harm or gain of eclipsed luminaries – Sun and Moon is in accordance with dasha. Ramdev was most affected perhaps due to an adverse dasha (Ramdev’s horoscope is not available). Followed by Kapil Sibal and Shiela Dikshit. Sonia Gandhi’s health and Manmohan Singh’s speech on the rampart of Red Fort also took the brunt. The sheen and sting in leaders seem to have disappeared. In mundane astrology Sun represents leaders and men in power.

With Rahu-Ketu transiting on the 1/7 axis of the Indian Independence horoscope and mahadasha of Sun on, such a plight of leaders was predictable.  

The 5 planets in the 6th house of the Chaitra Shukla Pratipada horoscope of 3rd April, 2011(New Year chart for current year) further point towards the August kranti in the month of August, 2011. This meltdown of corruption was long overdue.  The beneficiary clearly is the moneyless aam admi (common man) and their leader Anna Hazare who beat them all and losers, the moneyed parliamentarians on the issue of money.   

The government and the party are in chaos. They either did not have a clue or gravely miscalculated. They planned to remove Anna with the ease with which they could neutralize Ramdev. They needed to be reminded by astrologers that the impact of eclipses would not be wiped out, so soon, for Anna as it seemed for Ramdev.

The message of the middle class is clear. It is not enough to elect or eject representatives. In the five years that they are in power they must deliver corruption free governance for the people who send them to power. And those who fail in their democratic duty should either be recalled or even jailed. If the political class fails to decipher this message from Anna movement, they should fear not just their ejection from power but also the meltdown of the political system crafted for over 64 years.

“The second freedom struggle has begun… Time has come, my countrymen, when there should be no place left in jails in India” Anna Hazare (The Times of India August, 17, 2011)

“The government is making one mistake after another. It does not seem to be getting proper advice…  Raja & co will get valuable lessons from Anna in jail” Sri Sri Ravishanker (The Times of India August, 17, 2011)

“We are not prohibiting a peaceful democratic protest. Police laid down conditions…. We did not. If someone is aggrieved, legal remedies are available” P. Chidambaram (The Times of India August, 17, 2011)

“Why not elevate the debate and fortify Lokpal by making it a constitutional body accountable to Parliament like the EC? I feel the time has come for us to seriously consider this idea” Rahul Gandhi (The Times of India August, 27, 2011)

After Lokpal the following should be done; poll reform, judicial accountability, new code to select SC judges and Bill to endorse citizens’ charter in Govt. depts.” T.N. Seshan former CEC(The Times of India August, 27, 2011)

We made no mistakes. What we did may not have turned out the way it should. May be our calculation and anticipation turned out to be not what we thought. But I’m not prepared to admit that we made mistakes Salman Khurshid (The Times of India August, 29, 2011)

Parliament had to bow down to people power, but our fight does not end here …. Only when these reforms are complete will I really end my fast. I will not rest till all the changes… are achieved: Anna Hazare (The Times of India August, 29, 2011)

Our democracy is powerful enough... flexible enough to accommodate different viewpoints. Parliament does not necessarily follow the conventional way of lawmaking... I accept the lapse of my govt.: Pranab Mukherjee (The Times of India August, 30, 2011)

“The Congress party…………………………………………..The full vehemence of Saturn in the sixth house will become fully visible in this sub period of Saturn. It is a clearly a year of chaotic thinking and some unimaginable tragedy for the party” (K.N.Rao IOA’s Journal of Astrology-July- August, 2011. Uploaded at www.journalofastrology on 14thJune, 2011.

Clearly, the drama that unfolded from16th August, 2011 till 28th August, 2011 established that astrologers and spiritual leaders can read the future better. Where parliamentarians could have enjoyed the bark of a puppy tied outside the parliament as their Lokpal watchdog, they allowed an Alsatian to watch them now. 

The parameters of Mundane Astrology are best demonstrated with India’s Independence Horoscope of midnight of August, 15, 1947.
If you are required to prove the worth of mundane astrology and are looking for a model  to prove your point, India’s horoscope is a sure bet. The events in our country, in the past 64 years fit to a T.

Rahu representing corruption, crimes, wars, violence, riots, political plots, spies, imprisonment, disasters, slavery, suffocation, aggression, rebellion, mutiny, unorthodoxy, unconventionality, poison, foreigners, immigration, spread of disease, epidemics, cancer, humiliation, mass murder and tragedies, is in the Ascendant of both the Independence and the Republican horoscopes. 

What more, the five planet conjunction in the 3rd house show the never ending neighborly problems. The 2nd and 5th lord Mercury in the 3rd house show our global strength in IT. Money orders play a significant role in strengthening our economy. It is estimated that there are 27 million Indians, scattered in 180 countries contributing $55 billion to Indian economy by way of remittances. Being the 9th and 10th lord the Saturn dasha for 18 years (1947to 1965) witnessed growth in agriculture and infrastructural development, the building of institutions. Saturn-Rahu brought the aggression from China and the humiliation suffered by the country as a result of it. Mercury mahadasha saw the development of educational institutions and their progress. Mercury also brought progress in trade and commerce. Ketu mahadasha (1982-1989) brought neighbor driven international terrorism and Venus dasha cars, women, TV channels, development and corruption of sorts.

India escaped many disasters planned by its neighbors through some divine providence or perhaps due an intelligently chosen horoscopic time from only the available one day in August, 1947. It was first in the dasha of Saturn-Saturn-Ketu and Saturn-Saturn-Venus in October, 1947 that our impatient neighbor attacked Kashmir. Saturn and Mars were transiting the 3rd house of neighbors. In October, 1962, in the dasha of Saturn-Rahu- Moon, China attacked an unprepared India which could do nothing but seek sympathy from the world outside. Saturn was transiting in the 9th house, Capricorn having 20 bindus in Samudaya Ashtakvarga of the Indian Independence horoscope. Mars and Rahu were transiting the 3rd house and Saturn and Ketu the 9th. India lost its land on both the occasion due to a faulty approach of the government in power represented by the 10thhouse of the horoscope. The 10th lord, Saturn has gone to the 3rd house and is conjunct with the 3rdlord Moon. The 3rd being the 12th from 4th and a house of   neighbors, the nation lost its land to the neighbors. The transit of the time also allowed the situation to drift to such a humiliation. During the Chinese aggression Saturn-Mars- Rahu-Ketu-Moon were on 1-7 axes at exactly the same degree which was a strong reason for such a disaster. 

In contrast, in December, 1971 in the dasha of Mercury-Sun from 4th December, 1971 to October, 1972, Saturn was transiting in Taurus with 44 bindus.  Our neighbors had come this time with a strategy to pre-empt India by ensuring that big brother America was on their side. It is now revealed that in 1971when Henry Kissinger visited India, Pakistan and China, it was clearly a pro-Pakistan policy and Pakistan had received assurance from both US and China in their fight to retain what is now Bangladesh.

Will Sun mahadasha be able to bring a revolution to defreeze us from corruption having proven its worth in 1971?  

Business and Economy
Is Obamanics failing? Obama’s horoscope has a definite promise with respect to improvement in his career in the coming years. This drives us to believe that he will be elected for the 2nd term. The indication from other charts also is that US economy will improve in September 2011 and so would that of India. Obama is likely to announce reforms in September, 2011, which would help economies to recover. As China looms, US tells India to lead Asia. Hilary Clinton said during her recent visit to India “Among all emerging economies, India is the one whose potential as a global player commands the enthusiasm from Washington.

Marma therapy introduced in the syllabus of Institute of Astrology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan   significantly establishes the effects of traditional Indian cures. This is not the experience of a handful but many now. 

Superstition Prevails
Inspite of judgment of Supreme Court directing stock taking the sixth vault of Padmanabah Temple has not yet been opened.

Judiciary is found inspired by Anna Hazare in taking the Government institutions upfront.
Why did the cops take three years to reveal that Amar Singh’s aid bribed MPs a day before the July, 22, 2008trust vote? The development created a flutter in political circles and the media then but intelligently grounded. The resurfacing is more intriguing. The allegation also brings Amar Singh at the center of the scam that rocked Parliament during the confidence motion in July 2008.

With the Sun dasha going on, all dimensions of this scam are likely to be unearthed. The Delhi police are probing the source of the Rs. 3 crore that was allegedly paid to buy the votes of three BJP MPs. The police have reportedly tracked down the Banks from where this money was withdrawn.

Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS) -- After DMK MP Kanimozhi, jailed former communications minister A. Raja Wednesday informed a Delhi court that he would call Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as witness in the 2G spectrum allocation case. Raja, presently lodged in Tihar Jail along with other accused in the case, told a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court that apart from the prime minister he would seek the presence of the then finance minister P. Chidambaram and Communications Minister Kapil Sibal in the witness box.

YOUR QUESTIONS
From the forthcoming issue a space in the Journal is proposed for the questions received from our readers. These will be answered by Dr.S.B. Goel, a senior member of the Faculty, Institute of Astrology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, and New Delhi. 

More the number of research articles fed to an astrological research project, more its credibility. Replicability is always measured quantitatively. It is the numbers and patterns that make a research project empirically sound. It was in anticipation of increase in the number of articles with the increase in the number of research scholars and teachers that the Journal was made bi-monthly from quarterly from January, 2010. Thanks to the infusion of timely and quality research, we have since been able to meet deadlines and the Journal still enjoys the reputation of being the best Astrological Journal available in the market.

Remedial Measures
Mercury rules Wednesday, the day of lord Vishnu, our preserver. Recitation of Vishnu Saharsnaama on this day has a special significance. The Vishnu Sahastranaam literally is a list of 1,000 names of Lord.

It is also one of the most sacred and commonly chanted stotras. The Vishnu Sahastranaam as found in the Mahabharata is the most popular version.  Another version exists in the Padma Purana and Matsya Purana. Each name eulogizes one of Lord’s countless great attributes.