Jyotiṣārṇava

Guru Chandala Yoga is one of the more controversial and widely discussed yogas in Jyotiṣa. For a long period of time it has been used as a tool for fear-mongering to generate good amount of income after creating hypothetical stories of past life and what not! To me this appears to be a marketing gimmick and nothing less than a corrupt practice which maligns the science of Jyotiṣa. In this article, certain aspects of this combination have been discussed with classical references and examples. Image Source: Pinterest Classical Dictums The Candrakalā Nāḍī declares — गुरुचण्डालयोगोऽपि पापकृत्यरतः प्रदः। [Even when the Guru–Caṇḍāla Yoga occurs, the native becomes inclined toward sinful or impure actions.] This dictum refers to the conjunction of Bṛhaspati with Rāhu, a combination known in Jyotiṣa as Guru-Caṇḍāla Yoga. The symbolism behind this union is deeply instructive. Bṛhaspati is the preceptor of the Devas, a Brāhmaṇa by nature, and the embodiment of sattva-guṇa. Whereas, Rāhu symboliz...

This article contains the Sanskrit Subhāṣita collected and translated by me. I developed an interest in learning Sanskrit when I was in 7th standard and since then I have tried to collect several Subhāṣita-s. These verses that are a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom; have been taken from different sources which are also mentioned for the reference of sincere seekers. Image Source: Pinterest. भार्यानुकूला तनयाश्च वश्याः । लक्ष्मीः स्थिरा नित्यमरोगता च । भक्तिः शिवे धर्मपरा च बुद्धिः । एतत्तु लभ्यं बहुपूर्वपुण्यैः ॥ [A wife who is compatible, children who are obedient, wealth that is stable, constant good health, devotion to Lord Śiva, and an intellect inclined toward righteousness — These are obtained only through great merit accumulated from previous lives.] {Sajjanapaddhatiḥ} वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे दंष्ट्रायां भुजगस्य च ।  शीर्षे विषं मक्षिकायाः दुर्जनस्य मुखे विषम् ॥ [The scorpion's poison is in its tail, the serpent's in its fangs, the fly's poison is in...

Mr. L. Sarma came and sat next to me. This morning he could not recognise me, though I was only about three feet from him. So I was advising him to undergo an operation for his  cataract. He said that he had been able to retard the development of this disease and that, if he could do so in the future also, he  would rather manage for the rest of his life with partial eyesight than risk an operation. Then I told him it all depended on what  further lease of life he had and in this connection I asked what the reading of his horoscope in this matter was. Thus we talked about astrology and I asked Bhagavan for his view on astrology.  He said, “It is all right . Why not? If one accepts the theory of karma,  one will have to accept the theory of astrology and horoscope also.” After this, Sarma, Dr. Syed, G. Subba Rao and myself talked about the science of astrology and whether there was any use or sense in knowing our future and so on; and  then Mr. S...

Samartha Rāmadāsa Svāmī's father Sūryājī Panta was a great devotee of Sūrya Deva. Sūryājī Panta started doing Upāsana of Sūrya Deva at the age of 12. He would not eat food unless and until his daily Upāsana was completed. Sūryājī Panta's ‘tapa’ resulted in Sūrya Deva manifesting before him on Ratha Saptamī in Śaka 1525.  Sūrya Deva bestowed his blessings upon Sūryājī Panta and Rānubāi, granting them two sons — one being an incarnation of Sūrya Deva himself and the other an incarnation of Māruti. Sūrya Deva informed Sūryājī Panta that Śri Rāma would manifest in front of him on the auspicious occasion of Śri Rāma Navamī, and then He disappeared. As promised, Śri Rāma incarnated before Sūryājī Panta and blessed him. In Śaka 1527, Śreṣṭha Gangādhara Svāmī Mahārāja (Aṃśa of Sūrya Deva) were born, and in Śaka 1530, Nārāyana (Aṃśa of Māruti), who would later be known as Samartha Rāmadāsa Svāmī was born.

This is the preface to my translation to Gauri Jataka: The ancient writings of Jyotisha can be divided into three distinct categories based on their authors: Deva Hora, Rishi Hora, and Acharya Hora. The Devas are credited with the creation of this sacred discipline of Jyotisha, while the Rishis acquired this knowledge from the Devas and adapted it for the people of Kaliyuga. The Acharyas distilled the core principles from these various texts into a more accessible format, facilitating easier comprehension for the general populace. Below is a table listing the founders of the different schools of Hora Skandha. Image Source: Pinterest Schools System Originators Vedic Tropical Brahma Tantric Sidereal Shiva Arsha Sidereal Skanda Jain Sidereal Brahma According to the Kashyapa Samhita, there are eighteen proponents of Jyotisha. While some fragments of their writings exist today, they are not comprehensive. सूर्यः पितामहो व्यासो वसिष्ठोऽत्रिः पराशरः। कश्यपो नारदो गर्गो मरीचिर्मनुरंगिराः ॥ लोम...