Journal of Astrology Newsletter February 2012

Can Astrology find where happiness is lying?
Of course it can! It can bring an end to your hunt for contentment. All you need to do is to understand Venus deeper.

The Fascinating Venus
A sensuous planet that ignites sensuality. A germ found on the tip of cupid's arrow that is difficult to duck. A significator of beauty, art, love and woman. These are few among a host of descriptions of the fascinating Venus in poetry and literature of perhaps every language. Venus in Greek and Roman literature is a goddess, principally associated with love, beauty, sex, fertility, prosperity and military victory.

Venus in the sky
Venus has been forever attracting - some time before dawn and sometime after dusk. It is the most beautiful glowing object that adorns the sky and greets many mornings and evenings. Even when it is temporarily eclipsed, for a few days, on being close to Sun, its radiating shine survives in the mind. The switch over from dawn to dusk and temporary fading happens in phases, cyclically. This gives it a character and makes Venus beautifully unique. Venus retrogrades once in 21 months. Its sidereal period ( the revolution time with reference to a fixed point in the zodiac is of 224.7 days and its  mean synodic period (the  time that elapses between two successive conjunctions with the Sun–Earth line in the same linear order) is of 583.9 days

The unchallenged Benefics -Jupiter and Venus
In astrology, Venus, more in the worldly sense, is an undisputed benefic. It is like an angel in the heaven whose sighting for ceremonies and rituals of significance, including marriage is essential. As per the principles of electional astrology no muhurta is favorable unless Venus is sighted.  Also known as the morning and the evening star, Venus has been guiding sailors and adventurers from times immemorial...

Venus Clearly is the Cheer Leader among Planets
In astrology it represents a galore of what attracts - beauty, glamour,  prettiness, loveliness, comeliness, man and woman with sculpted features, gorgeous looks, style, fashion,  stunning lifestyles, all that which is  trend-setting and worthy of being showcased, film and television celebrities, decorations, glittering functions, jamborees, floral displays, music, dance, tunes, poetry, songs, lyrics, melody, orchestra, symphony, love, romance, sex, lust, marriage, relationships, ecstasy, passion, fun, joy, colorful carnivals, pomp and show aesthetics, arte - facts, tableaux, exotic handicrafts, designer wear, gems and jewelry, beautiful and exquisitely designed homes, home accessories, culture, harmony  symmetry, magnificent structures, architecture, wonders of the world, splendor, grandeur,  ramp walks, beauty shows, home decor, leisure, exotic holidays,  beautiful gardens, fountains,  art, painting, shining silver, sparkling diamonds, treasure, designing, cars  currency, gambling, cuisines, hospitality entertainment,  parties, clubs, restaurants, celebrations, festivals,  festivities, dance, drama, films, television, Hollywood,  Bollywood, multimedia, travel, It can give a purpose for living and a desire to live forever.

Classical Venus

Description of Venus in Chapter 3 of Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra: Venus is charming, has a splendorous physique, is excellent, great in disposition, has charming eyes, is a poet, is phlegmatic and windy and has curly hair. The Moon and Venus are endowed with vigor when in the north.

Phaldeepika Chapter 2 :All about one’s wealth, conveyances, clothes, ornaments, treasures (including hidden treasures), amalgam of song dance and music, scents, flowers, co-habitation, bed, house, richness, fondness for poetry, indulgence in all kinds of comforts and luxuries, ministership, soft-spokenness, marriage, and other holy deeds, celebrations.

Venus is dressed in clothes of various colors. He possesses curly hair. He has a huge body with similar limbs. Phlegm and wind are predominant in his composition. His body is of the color of durva sprout. He has well maintained virile power. The Moon and Venus rule over the generative organs because they govern the watery element. Venus represents diamonds, silver, white color and sour taste.

Venus in its own signs or in exaltation in a Kendra (quadrant) gives rise to Malavya yoga.

The person born in in Malavya yoga will have strong limbs, will be very rich, blessed with wife and children and good fortune. He will be prosperous, will enjoy pleasures of life, will possess good vehicles and will become renowned and learned. He will have unperturbed senses.    

Venus has jurisdiction over semen.

Venus in Mundane
Assets, cattle, conveyance, art and music, women, love, sex, marriage, movies, dance, drama, actors, ballroom, dancing halls, entertainment, pleasures, bedrooms, cosmetics, fashion designers, events and festivals, gambling, modeling, photography, sports and hobbies, hotel and restaurants, silken fabric, fine cloth, designer and branded outfits in modern context.

Venus in Mythology
Sage Brighu had a son who was himself a renowned sage called Shukracharya. Shukra means Venus and Acharya means preacher. He was the preceptor of the demons. Shukra is the only one who was considered worthy of being granted the knowledge of mrit-sanjivani vidya (knowledge that could revive the dead and give immortality) by Lord Shiva.

The Story is gripping
Shukracharya prayed to Lord Shiva by constructing a Shiva-Linga. The devotion eventually bore fruit and lord Shiva appeared before him. Shukra greeted the manifestation of Shiva with a specifically prepared Ashta Murtyashtak Stotra. This salutation was appreciated by Shiva. Shukra was told that the steadfastness and the discipline shown by him; his total surrender, faith and absolute devotion make him an apt devotee who can be given the mrit sanjivini vidya. This knowledge will permit him to bring the dead to life. Lord Shiva was so pleased with his devotee that he conferred on him the following distinctions:

(a)    He will be the foremost amongst the planets

(b)   His luster and shine will surpass even the luster and shine of the Sun and fire.

(c)    The men and women who would commence any task when you are sanmukh (in front) will not succeed in completing it. Venus is "sanmukh" in the East when it transiting the 7 constellations Krittika to Ashlesha. Samskaras. It is in the south when it transiting Magha to Vishakha. In the west the seven constellations are Anuradha to Shravana; Abhijit nakshatra is to be counted in this group of seven nakshatra and in the north are nakshatra Dhanishta to Bharani.

d)     When Venus has risen in the skies only then will auspicious tasks like marriages and religious undertakings will be done.

e)     The nanda tithis, 1, 6, 11 will be called auspicious as they are associated with Venus.

f)      Anyone who prays to Venus will become virile and will beget lots of children.

g)     The shivalinga to which Venus has prayed would be known as shukresh.

h)     Venus was told that in course of time he would bodily enter the body of Lord Shiva and will be released as `Shukra' that is semen. He will be looked after as son.

During one of the periodical wars between devas and asuras. Andhaka, the asura king was invincible. He had requested Shukracharya to use the mrit-sanjeevani vidya and bring the dead asuras to life. Lord Shiva was approached by the devas to bail them out. He sent Nandi, the celestial bull, to go to get Shukra. When Nandi brought Shukra to Shiva, he swallowed Shukra alive so that the slain asuras would remain dead.

Shukra continued to be imprisoned in the abdomen of Shiva. His constant offering of prayers was at last listened to by Shiva, who agreed to release him. He was released in a torrent of semen by lord Shiva. Shiva and his consort Gauri accepted him as their son and gave him the boon of immortality.

Sukh (happiness) and Shukra (Venus) are interlinked
Sukh (happiness) is governed by the fourth house and Venus is the significator of the fourth house. Venus lords the second and the seventh house of the natural zodiac. We see wealth, family, face, right eye among many significations from the second (artha) house. The seventh (kaama) indicates marriage, relationships, partnerships and the like. Clearly, Venus is the planet to be seen for worldly goodies.

Some astrologers on the basis of Venus alone, in a horoscope, assess the level of contentment. My observation has been that an exalted or an unafflicted Venus gives contentment in life and a debilitated or an afflicted Venus discontent and disorientation with respect to happiness. Happiness eludes the person with afflicted Venus. People with an afflicted Venus are more flashy. For a proper assessment of its strength, Venus should be seen in the navamsha and other divisional charts also.

Venus signifies the eyes
Well-placed Venus gives beautiful eyes. Moon in the sign of Venus also gives attractive looks and beautiful eyes. Afflicted Venus gives eye problems.

Venus is Style
We try to present the best in us. We create an image, a style that identifies and distinguishes us. The benefic, refined, sense oriented, worldly Venus contributes most towards achieving a style.

Dasha of Venus

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. It has been observed that, with the onset of Venus dasha a person starts to appreciate the beauty in nature, art and in people around. It can bring forth the best in us for it comes after the seven years dasha of moksha karaka Ketu- a blissful refined spiritual life, a developed sense to appreciate art and beauty and a host of other refinements is what can be expected from Venus dasha.

Mahadasha
Venus if well placed, that is, exalted, in its own house, mooltrikona, in the Kendras, in the 5th, 9th or 11th house from the lagna, in its own navamsha or exalted in the navamsha, great results and benefits can be expected. If Venus is debilitated, combust, ill associated, or in the 8th or 12th house, then adverse results may manifest. But the conclusion cannot be drawn without keeping in mind its lordship and placement.

However, there are certain antardashas during the mahadasha of Venus which have to be assessed very carefully because they sometimes yield peculiar results.

Venus-Rahu
According to Mr. K.N Rao, Venus-Rahu always needs a very cautious approach. This dasha can give great rise or a terrible fall, setbacks, accidents or even death. Assessment must be done very carefully keeping in mind the lordship of Venus, Rahu’s dispositor and association, their placement from the lagna and each other in birth chart and the divisional charts also.

Venus-Jupiter
The results of this dasha are seen primarily from the condition of both the planets. If they are blemishless, one can generally expect good results. If Jupiter is well placed from the Lagna and from Venus, there is rise in career, happiness, wellbeing and general prosperity. If Jupiter is ill placed, there are quarrels, difficulties, opposition, and loss of money.

Venus and Jupiter are enemies to each other but they promote spirituality. Venus-Jupiter period can produce some family tragedy or separation. Venus-Jupiter dasha needs to be studied most carefully for Taurus and Libra ascendants.

Venus-Saturn
Venus-Saturn period will give good or bad results according to their overall position. The peculiarity of this dasha is that Venus-Saturn behaves like Venus-Venus. General results are success when least expected, sudden humiliation, tension, troubles, transfers, climax or termination of career. Venus as the second or the seventh lord is bad for health and well-being.

This surely depends upon the lordship and avastha of Venus. This dasha has been debated at length in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Meneka Gandhi had Venus-Saturn and Indira Gandhi Saturn-Venus during the emergency from 1975 to 1977 and a little after when the family was humiliated and disgraced. It is undoubtedly an eventful dasha.

Venus and Professions

Professions ruled by Venus in ancient astrological text.

Horses, cattle, assets, vehicles, jewels gold, curd, butter, milk, cooked rice, jaggery, salt amorous occupation caused by women, dealer in scents and perfumes, musicians, singers, dancers, actors.

Venus and Professions. The spectrum today has widened
A person with Venus dominating in his horoscope, in terms of placement and lordship is attractive and looks younger for his age. Therefore, the career, he gets inclined towards is related to glamour and looks. Most film, television and stage actors, singers, musicians, painters, artists, poets, lyricists have a strong influence of Venus in their horoscopes. Hair stylists, beauticians, cosmetologists and dieticians come under Venus. The secondary influence of other planets in such horoscopes gives professions in hotel management, tourism in the semi-technical category; and in computer animation, graphics, vehicle designing, architecture, and engineering in the technical category. Since Venus represents vehicles it gives profession in car designing, ship architecture, interior designing, airplane design and the like on being influenced by malefic technical planets. It gives profession in tourism and hospitality sectors when the influence of malefic planets is a little less. Even the entertainment and advertising industry people have a strong dominance of Venus. The background technicians in the industry will have more of malefic and artist’s a tenth and Lagna unafflicted by malefics influence on Venus. The cosmetic and fabric industry also comes under the Venusian influence.

Venus is Minister in the Planetary Cabinet
Honorable, comfortable executive jobs have a Venusian influence. When Venus is found influencing the tenth house of the birth chart, the tenth of navamsha or the dasamsa, it has been observed, that the person holds an honorable, comfortable executive position and he has an elegant office. Marketing and branding segments in commercial organizations also have a strong influence of Venus and the people there have Venus dominating in their horoscopes. To be called a Venusian the person should have the influence of Venus on the Ascendant and the tenth house.

Venus and Education
Fine arts, humanities, music, dance, painting, sociology, social psychology Semi-technical: Hotel management, fashion designing, tourism, hospitality, photography horticulture, agriculture, computer graphics, cosmeticology, Technical mula-botany, architecture, computer animation, designing of vehicles, ship architecture.

Venus and the twelfth House
Traditionally, the twelfth is vyaya sthan (house of loss). It is also one of the houses for assessment of marriage prospects. Most classical texts give bed pleasures as one of the significations of the twelfth house. Even moksha (salvation) is seen from this house. Venus placed here needs careful interpretation. According to the classic, Phaldeepika by Mantreshwar, Venus in the twelfth gives sexual enjoyment, wealth and splendor.  Brihat Jatak of Varahmihira mentions that the person having Venus in the twelfth house would be rich. Kalyan Verma states the person will be indolent, happy, corpulent, fallen in moral sense, will eat cleansed food; will be skillful in providing sleeping comforts and attendants. He will be won over by woman. Almost all classical books and their commentators have said that Venus in the twelfth will make the person rich.  With globalization affecting everyone the importance of the twelfth house, which represents a foreign country also has gone up manifold.

The modern spending pattern (consumerism) should also see from the twelfth house. How you spend your money and how is your sex life logically should also be seen from the twelfth house. It has been observed that an afflicted twelfth house also could mean denial of conjugal happiness.

Venus and Marriage 1, 2, 4, 7, 8 and 12
These six houses directly relate to marriage. Traditional astrologers called the horoscope with manglik dosha if Mars was spotted in these houses. Vishvijay panchang mentions if Mars is found in 1, 4, 7, 8 or 12, the spouse would suffer.  In south India the second house is also considered for manglik dosha.

Venus is the lord of the second and seventh house of the natural zodiac. The seventh house governs partnerships and the second, family. The first house is the seventh from seventh-the seventh from the house of the spouse. The second is also the eighth (the mangalaya house for the spouse). Venus is the undisputed significator (karka) for the fourth house seen for happiness and home. The eighth house is again the second house for the spouse and the twelfth house is the established house for bed pleasures. Venus is the unifier as the significator of marriage and a benefic. As karaka of the fourth house it controls happiness.

Reading marriage and relationships charts
Chart readers should perceive planets as rolling balls of energy which never stop even for a moment. The split-second frozen position of the planets forms a horoscope. But planets are always on the move, influencing their frozen horoscopic positions from where ever they are. Their influence, while away from the split-second frozen position is known as the transit effect.

The destiny of a person, a contract or even a thought can be read from the planetary position at the time of its conception or birth. This we call as the static promise. The static-transit impact works in the ratio of 70 (static):30(transit). At another level we have 75 percent predestination and 25 percent free will.

Marriage is a sensitive subject that is driven by natural desires - emotion, sentiment, love. Hence, the subject requires careful handling by astrologers. The subject deals with pursuit of a dreamy bliss and the most intense joys and sorrows. Astrologically, marriage houses decide happiness and unhappiness. At the end, no astrologer can escape questions on marriage. The transit Moon determines the changing mood of couples hooked by Venus and therefore an astrologer who advises them has to understand the planetary influence of Moon and Venus in depth. The play of innocent looking love, emotion can turn volatile.  Fifty percent marriages in the US end up in divorce. Other nations are fast catching the US...

Marriage Matching & Marriage Muhurta
Many atheists in India too start understanding the planetary influence on human affairs to ensure happiness for their children in marriage. They do want any stone to remain unturned. Numerous astrologers are consulted... Huge money is spent to buy a better groom. Celebrations that follow also drain a lifelong accumulation.

Venus in medical Astrology
Almost all ancient medical astrology texts mention Venus as the planet having jurisdiction over semen. Though not adequately researched, Venus is found to representing glands in the human body. Most astrologers agree that it governs eyes, generative system, throat, chin, cheeks and kidneys. It can give disease related to phlegm and wind as classics mention Venus as phlegmatic and windy. The color of Venus is taken as white and it is supposed to have a soothing influence. It gives rise to cold and moisture, therefore the disease related to cold and moisture should also fall under the jurisdiction of Venus. In modern context, cosmetic surgeons and beautician should also be included.

Many dimensions of the Planet Venus

The multi-level interpretation of the effects of planets gives a depth to astrological analysis. The much discussed three are:

i)       adi-bhauthika: dharmic way of life.

ii)      adi-daivika: dharmic with full faith in God

iii)     adhyatmika: dharmic with full faith in God, going beyond the state of duality, beyond the mind; is found in Venus also.

Venus is the lord of the second house (artha) and of the seventh (kaama) of the natural zodiac therefore it signifies most of what these houses signify. At the same time it is the significator of the pivotal fourth house that governs happiness. The fourth house is a moksha in the classification of dharma, artha, kaama and moksha for horoscopic houses.

Hunting Happiness

We all strive for happiness. But learn the hard way where it lies. It eludes most throughout life. We have developed many phrases, in our struggle to get to happiness: "If you want to feel happy and rich just count all the things that money cannot buy". "To defy all arithmetic logic to multiply happiness one should divide" Daan (charity) is advocated by all religious and spiritual guides.

Once you graduate to an optimum contentment level, then everything else is secondary.

Satyam Shivam Sundaram

Truth and beauty inspire spirituality for truth is beauty and beauty is truth. Beauty and truth are both the manifestation of God. Satya (truth) is Shiva (God) and Shiva is beauty.

This is the absolute. The ultimate for all living and non-living entities. Poets and philosophers have been ecstatic in their writing on the subject.

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever" are immortal lines of the romantic poet John Keats (1795-1821)

In his poem Ode On A Grecian Urn he identifies an age old urn as the source of the ultimate happiness for it does not change like love.

"Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time ...
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

The poet could perhaps find beauty that remains for eternity only in a Grecian Urn the other beauties dwindle and fade away. The living love stories mostly disappoint.

The story of Shankuntla is one such tragic story
"Shakuntala was born of the sage Vishwamitra and the Apsara Menaka. Menaka had come at the behest of the King of the Heaven, Indra to distract the great sage Vishwamitra from his deep meditations. She succeeded, and bore a child by him. Vishwamitra angered by the loss of the virtue gained through his many hard years of strict ascetism, distanced himself from the child and mother to return to his work. Realizing that she could not leave the child with him, and having to return to the heavenly realms, Menaka left the newborn Shakuntala in the forest. It was here that the new born child was found by Kanva Rishi surrounded by Shakunta birds, he thus named her Shakuntala. Kanva Rishi took the child to his ashram, on the banks of the Malini River which rises in the Shivalik hills of Himalayas and lies about 10 km from the town of Kotdwara in the state of Uttarakhand, India. This is corroborated by Kalidasa in his famous play Abhijñanasakuntalam in which he has described the ashram of the Kanva Rishi on the banks of river Malini.

Shakuntla's Love Story
King Dushyanta first encountered Shakuntala while travelling through the forest with his army. He was pursuing a male deer wounded by his weapon.

Shakuntala spent much time dreaming of her new husband and was often distracted by her daydreams. One day, a powerful rishi, Durvasa, came to the ashrama but, lost in her thoughts about Dushyanta, Shakuntala failed to greet him properly. Incensed by this slight, the rishi cursed Shakuntala, saying that the person she was dreaming of would forget about her altogether. As he departed in a rage, one of Shakuntala's friends quickly explained to him the reason for her friend's distraction. The rishi, realizing that his extreme wrath was not warranted, modified his curse saying that the person who had forgotten Shakuntala would remember everything again if she showed him a personal token (ring) that had been given to her.

Time passed, and Shakuntala, wondering why Dushyanta did not return for her, finally set out for the capital city with her father and some of her companions. On the way, they had to cross a river by a canoe ferry and, seduced by the deep blue waters of the river, Shakuntala ran her fingers through the water. Her ring slipped off her finger without her realizing it.

Arriving at Dushyanta's court, Shakuntala was hurt and surprised when her husband did not recognize her, nor recollected anything about her. She tried to remind him that she was his wife but without the ring Dushyanta did not recognize her. Humiliated, she returned to the forests and, collecting her son, settled in a wild part of the forest by herself. Here she spent her days while Bharata, her son, grew older. Surrounded only by wild animals, Bharata grew to be a strong youth and made a sport of opening the mouths of tigers and lions and counting their teeth.

The beauty of Bhakti
Real enduring beauty that settles only for few words of truth is what that can give happiness. In Bhagavat it is mentioned that the kaliyuga man will achieve salvation even through bhakti. Bhakti should drive us onward to the much sought whole truth of infinite conscious, beauty about which one cannot say enough. The great stalwart on the path of knowledge, Sankara, reasoned “consciousness is truth, the world is false.” But this is not enough, nor is the world altogether false.  We must progress from this half-truth to the whole truth of the beauty of consciousness in its fullest expression, a beauty whose mere reflection is the charm of the world. It is this beauty, the reality behind the reflection that India’s sacred Upanishads and devotional Vedanta refer to when they speak of Krishna. Sri Krishna, the speaker of the Gita, is, in Hegel’s terminology, “reality the beautiful”; in Upanisadic language “Krishna is sacred aesthetic experience—rasa.” And we are to drink from the fountain of beauty and charm that is Krishna.  

Venus signifies Currency
Floating among crispy notes is not rare but unfortunately happens mostly in dreams.  The desperation to acquire the irresistible currency is often projected in action movies. The popular belief is that if we have it in plenty we can rule the world and have all our desires fulfilled.  For most, it is getting to the peak of the "Wheel of Fortune"- a dream come true. The strength of nation can be gauged by just a look at where its currency is afloat vis-a-vis other currencies.

We need the currency of another country when we are going to visit it or wish to import something from it. Depending on the financial policy of a nation, the exchange rates of currencies are either regulated by the government or by free play of market forces. Foreign currency is any currency other than the domestic currency of the country. Exchange rate is the price of one currency in terms of another.

India doesn't have a fixed value of rupee against dollar but it also doesn't keep its currency completely floating against dollar. We have a system where the central bank allows rupee to fluctuate within a specified range.

Why did the dollar climb a record high vis-a-vis Indian Rupee?

The Sun-Jupiter dasha from September, 2011 had to bring about sudden changes as Jupiter is the eighth lord of the Indian Independence horoscope. The dasha combined with the transit of Saturn in Libra made the 6/12 axis of the Indian Independence horoscope active as the Saturn-Jupiter, the changers started to aspect each other. Changes related to sixth, twelfth and the second house had to manifest in some form. In addition to this the movement of Venus in the seventh house with Rahu-Ketu axis and the eighth house seems to have triggered the fall of rupee. It is noteworthy that Venus was transiting in Scorpio which has 23 points in Ashtakvarga chart of the Indian Independence horoscope. Sagittarius which is the eighth house of sudden changes brought the volatility in the exchange rate. Capricorn which has just 20 points in ashtakvarga is the eighth from the second had to maintain the negative trend. The second house in mundane astrology governs the financial system, banks and the exchange rate. It was only when Venus entered Aquarius on 10th January, 2012 that both the exchange rate and stock market improved for India.

With intercontinental range missiles, that can bring total destruction, the world wars are not likely to happen on the borders of nations. The undeclared war on the spectrum and information systems of nations is a reality. Silicon at the core of computers can be jammed. Attacks on the currencies with counterfeit notes and policy changes are well known. National security establishments of nations are perhaps devising safeguards against such attacks.

The exchange rate of US$ vis-a-vis Indian rupee recently hit the headlines. The rupee relentlessly fell in the past six months, got a reprieve after the world's big six central banks banded together to try to ease dollar funding strains, helping it to snap a four-week losing trend. It was Rs. 45 to a dollar in August, 2011 and breached the Rs. 53.9-mark  on December 14, 2011

The currency attacks on India created a panic. India relies heavily on portfolio inflows - foreign purchases of shares and bonds - as a means of covering its current account gap.

The problem is suspected to be much more than the readiness to blame ISI and requires a total overhaul of the laws pertaining to counterfeit currency.

If the RBI is too timid, it risks adding fuel to the fire of portfolio investors, which India relies on heavily to cover its imports tab.

Aggressive intervention would lead to criticism that it is wasting precious money on problems that are beyond India's control anyhow, notably Europe's debt crisis.

Unlike most other Asian countries, India has recently been running large fiscal deficits. That means it must attract sufficient foreign money - namely U.S. dollars - to close the gap, and a weaker home currency makes that costlier. 

According to Newspaper reports
The last line of defense of RBI against a currency meltdown has cautiously begun to support the rupee, but its firepower may be limited." 

Oil is India's biggest import item and consequently, local oil refiners are the largest buyers of dollars in the domestic foreign exchange market. They lost a great deal.

Venus is the significator of Sports and Gambling
The places of recreation and casinos come in the fold of Venus. The stock-market is also influenced by the movement of Venus in transit. The dasha of Venus witnessed in the Indian Independence horoscope witnessed big rises and falls in stocks and stock market scams too. 

Use Astrology to Utilize Time
Time is the essence of life. It is its driver. It is the decider and the deliverer of destiny. It is key to all astrological predictions. Most Vedic scholars support the view that rituals and celebrations too need an auspicious time to turn positive. They consider celebrations of convenience that disregard the sensitivity of time and its auspiciousness as wrongdoings, erroneous, even a waste of energy source, effort, and money and of knowledge accumulated over several centuries.  

A glaring example of this error is the celebration of the New Year on January 1- the date which has no value in terms of auspiciousness. We debated this issue in our newsletters of January, 2010 and April 2010. In the newsletter of April, 2010, we wrote "Why did we get the New Year wrong by 3 months?” I have often reflected on this issue in my subsequent writings.

On tracing astrological history one encounters revealing clues which indicate that our rishis tracked and recorded, in shlokas, the moments that could create destinies. The traditional rituals were based on planetary alignments and designed to best utilize such sensitive moments. To the astrology conscious, an auspicious and sensitive elected time, when stars are favorable, serves a dual purpose-maximum yield with maximum happiness from feasting and merry- making.

Skepticism with respect to planetary influence on human affairs is perhaps a curse of kaliyuga. Disregard of auspicious moments could be one of the major causes of today’s sufferings. The misconceived New Year of January 1 has got so deeply entrenched into our lives that a reversal to the saner, astrologically and naturally correct New Year of Chaitra shukla pratipada in March-April looks quite difficult.

We have many calendars that have shifted to the faulty Gregorian calendar as the link to international dates cannot be avoided due to an inevitable global connection that is getting stronger with each passing day.  Any change is sure to upset many schedules, projects and businesses. Sensing that there is not even an outside chance of nations  switching over to the just and rewarding chaitra shukla pratipada new year, even many of  the astrologically bent  have also started to orient themselves to the wrong dates for the convenience of marketing their produce.

The Year of inward looking
The year that commenced on chaitra shukla pratipada of 3rd April, 2011, 20:02 hours New Delhi with the sign of balance, Libra rising can truly be called an year of inward looking for India. The ascendant lord, vargottama Venus, in a friendly sign in the auspicious inward-most house-the fifth; makes the year positive for India, in spite of a five planet concentration in the damaging sixth house. The planetary influence made India focus and perform in planning and policy making. This can be clearly seen from the chaitra shukla pratipada chart where strong vagottama ascendant lord, Venus is in the fifth house. The ongoing dasha of Sun in the foundation horoscope of India of midnight of 15th August, 1947 also indicates similar results.

Excerpt from our newsletter of February, 2011

The Hindu New Year
"As we are heading towards the New Year Vikrami 2068 and Saka1933, it will be of interest to understand the Varsh Pravesh Kundlis (New Year Charts) for several nations. There is a concentration of 5 planets in Pisces-Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Mars with the influence of Saturn on them from Virgo. This concentration in Pisces is in the 6th house for India which indicates border clashes, strikes and unrest. The chart of 3rd April, 2011 at 20:01 has Libra ascendant rising with Lagna lord Venus in the 5th which could also mean uprising by students and youth against corruption. The concentration of planets in the 6th could mean fear from virus, disease, epidemics or bacteria coming from neighboring countries. On the positive side the sixth concentration can give the strength to compete and the capacity to fight back. The lagna lord Venus in 5th indicates strategic planning to overcome inflation and other economic and social problems faced by the country".

The transiting Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Rahu and Ketu in dual signs, occupying the four Kendras in March-April, 2011 jolted many strongholds in West Asia and Maghreb which came under their sway as the concentration of the five planets was in the damaging seventh and eighth houses in their chaitra shukla pratipada charts (New year charts) of April 3 with no relief from their ascendant lord. An indication of such turmoil was also found in the foundation horoscopes of these nations.

These pratipada charts have been found consistent in giving results and have been used by most panchang makers for some astounding predictions. The recent being the prediction of Tsunami of 11th March 2011 in Japan. Viswavijaypanchang published a year before the Tsunami and mentions, based on the chaitra shukla pratipada chart of Japan that Japan would face severe damage to crops as the fourth house has Ketu and Lagna lord has gone to the 12th house.

Excerpt from our Newsletter of April, 2011
Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (Hindu New Year Horoscope) for Japan: The Lagna lord has gone to the 12th and the fourth house has Ketu. The 12th lord Saturn aspects the fourth house. The eclipse took place on the 4/10 axis. Major loss to agriculture on account of a natural calamity was predicted on the basis of this horoscope in Viswvijay panchang that was printed in January 2010 (14 months before the Tsunami of March 11, 2011). 

Year horoscope of 2011 (Chaitra Shukla Pratipada) of Iran shows a year of terrible aggression against it. Kanya lagna rising and five planets in the seventh house. Mars and Saturn are in the lagna of this chart.

At global-macro level, the war with Iran has already begun. It's not a shooting war--yet. What the United States and Israel are now waging with Iran is what experts call unrestricted warfare. This is warfare that consists of sabotage, assassination, special operations, psychological operations, attacks on critical infrastructure, cyber warfare, and--the most recent addition to the arsenal--financial warfare.

At global-macro level, the war with Iran has already begun. It's not a shooting war--yet. What the United States and Israel are now waging with Iran is what experts call unrestricted warfare. This is warfare that consists of sabotage, assassination, special operations, psychological operations, attacks on critical infrastructure, cyber warfare, and--the most recent addition to the arsenal--financial warfare.

This clearly validates the methodology, based on chaitra shukla pratipada charts used for yearly predictions of nations. It also establishes that the Sun-Moon degree conjunction in Pisces in March-April that creates the chaitra shukla pratipada charts of nations is the most logical time for reckoning the commencement of the New Year.

In the chaitra shukla pratipada chart of the current year for India, the focus on the fifth house with vargottama ascendant lord, Venus going there. It reveals why corruption could be brought 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, whose role this year is also indicated in the current year chaitra shukla pratipada chart and the surya vidhi chart of August, 2011. The corruption rooted in Rahu which has an overpowering impact on the ascendants of both the Indian Independence and the Republican horoscopes did bite.

The five planets in the sixth house of the chaitra shukla pratipada horoscope of 3rd April, 2011 (New Year chart for current year) triggered the August, 2011 kranti, but the strength of Ascendant lord did not let it damage rather it made India look inwards. 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.

I wish to reiterate that with Saturn moving to create an opposition with Jupiter; and Mars joining them towards the end of 2012, followed by Rahu and Ketu, some devastating jolts that would remind us of a few disasters of the past are perhaps in store. The alignment of all malefic planets-Mars, Rahu, Ketu, Saturn and Sun on the Aries-Libra axis surely will bring some revolutionary changes. For India, the planetary concentration will be in the 7th house in 2012 and in the eighth in 2013 in the chaitra shukla pratipada horoscopes. With no relief from the ascendant lord, the Anne Hazare movement of 2011 could be seen as very mild problem in comparison to the likely threats in 2012-2013. The problems are likely to be from neighboring countries. Will the favorable dasha of Sun avert a disaster and help us correct and reform in a dangerous transit alignment? Prayers can help.

Business and Economics

Words of confidence from Obama
America has been built to last. We have our plans in place. America will not tolerate Iran's nuclear threat. Osama chapter that had upset Americans for over a decade is closed. Protectionism is being debated in the US too. The biggest threat is from China.

I stand by my predictions made in the earlier newsletters uploaded at www.JournalofAstrology.com about the global economy getting out of the crisis situation and a second term for Obama. As maintained this prediction is based on Obama's horoscope, on the horoscope of the US with Leo lagna and on many other horoscopes.