As we write, Saturn is approaching transit - peyarchi - to Vrishikha (Scorpio) and is at present sandi, within one degree of the boundary between Libra and Scorpio. Planets in such a position are regarded as depleted of energy, until they reach 1° of the sign entered. Saturn will leave exaltation in Libra to transit Scorpio fo the next two-and-a-half-years. Mundane astrology and predictions left aside, we look to the significance of Shaneshwara in Vrishikha, Lord Saturn in Scorpio. We also look to true humanness and the importance of thoughts creating your reality.
Obesity is a matter of public health concern. The World Health Organisation says that obesity is a disease. What is obesity, what drives obesity and what does Vedic Astrology have to say about obesity? What is our body, what is the constitution of the body and how is this determined. There are many questions surrounding obesity and the cultural signals which give rise to this. In this article we look at some matters surrounding this topic.
Promoting or being involved in a one-way trip to the Red Planet is prohibited in Islam, a fatwa committee under the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE has ruled.
“Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam,” the committee said. “There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may not be able to remain alive there, and is more vulnerable to death.”
Planet Saturn is sometimes known as Kala Raja, for he rules the passing of time and how we fill time. Time passing slowly, duroshya, is one of Saturn’s principal duties, for how we fill time is critical. Do we repeat karmic patterns, do we endlessly go around in circles doing the same thing again and again, or do we yoke ourselves to what Saturn offers and learn the lessons, love ourselves and build a sustainable life-long discipline? Here, we look to the role of Saturn as duroshya-karaka (giver of slowness), and examine how human values might be yoked to the discipline Saturn enjoins.
This is the 7th day of the Navaratri celebrations – nava meaning nine, rathri meaning nights. All festivals are meant to remind mankind that they should cultivate noble qualities by engaging themselves in activities beneficial to one’s own self and society. Sai Baba has told that the navaratri festival of nine nights represents the Nine Planets.
Sai Baba went on to say that each planet has its own significance. However, these planets are not outside, they are within. This refers to the cosmic energies of the planets within, and pursuit of the spiritual path would include influences within us from birth. Taking up the opportunity presented by Navaratri we look to the influence of Planet Saturn within and examine how the Divine Mother is related to these energies, in the form of Ma Durga. The colour for the 7th day of Navaratri is GREY so we scribe in GREY for this 7th day of Navaratri.
Rahu presents many challenges to us as it is the repository of energies and stored desires within. We may easily be driven by the ego and its wants, our desires and felt needs to be included, valued, wanted and needed in the station in life that we feel we belong. These are subtle energies within driven by the pull of energies allocated to Rahu to manage and expend in our daily lives.
There are many challenges presented by Rahu, which, when met face on, can bring us to a higher knowing and understanding of the purposes of our lives, and how we might best live as human beings with dignity, self respect and self-control. The desires presented by the action of Rahu are met by the practice of ceiling on desires.
Om Aswadhwajaaya Vidmahe
Dhanur hastaaya dheemahi
Tanno Shukra prachodayaat
Translation: “Om, Let me meditate on him who has horse in his flag,
Oh, He who has a bow in his hand, give me higher intellect,
And let Shukra illuminate my mind.”
The Planet Venus is known in Vedic Astrology as Lord Shukra, the celestial poet, son of Lord Bhrigu (var, Bhrugu), and is dispositor or karaka of artistic grace and beauty, refinement and contentment, and is concerned with harmonious relationships.
Venus rules wealth; Venus is generous when wealth is shared in the habit of selfless giving to others. Attitudes which give expression to generosity are a willingness to share time, talents and resources for the betterment of others around them; Venus seeks an amiable atmosphere around, a a satisfied, festive environment where goods and appreciation of beauty is shared all round, to the happiness of others. Venus is not petty in character nor mind; generosity is a form of creating that environment which forfends goodness, beauty and truth for others; it has the quality of being warm-hearted, considerate, humane and sympathetic. There are elements of sharing and sacrifice in the generosity of Venus.
From time to time, it behooves Vedic Astrology to pay some attention to the cousins; those who practice and follow western (tropical) astrology. It is sometimes of benefit to check horoscopes cast for confirmation; it is also important, as many minds cast their attention to this form of astrology, and hence, it has a certain validity. We take our point of departure from Leonard French's teachings on self-fulfilling prophecy. As so many westerners only know this form of astrology, attention must be given, if only to explain certain phenomena.
On July 29, classical tropical astrology advises that many planets will form a disposition known as the "Grand Sextile". This event has a subtle spiritual significance far beyond the considerations and interpretations of astrology and astronomy. It indicates – albeit on a subtle level – the rise and rise of energies which will result in a rise in mass consciousness.
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Love; Sub-value: Joy
Planet (graha) Mercury – Lord Budha
The Planet Mercury – sometimes known in Vedic Astrology as Budha, is son of the Moon, and is regarded as the most intelligent planet of all the planets. The Sanskrit name for Mercury, Budha, has a marked similarity to the term Buddhi – the Sanskrit erm intellect. Mercury removes obstacles for those who worship him and creates prosperity for all. Lord of the North and Wednesdays, he rules the signs Gemini and Virgo and has a shared house lordship with Ketu in the 6th House. Of the five human values, Mercury has reference to Love and is karaka (disposer) of Joy.
Om Chitravarnaya vidmahe
Sarpa Roopaya Dheemahe
Tanno Ketu Prachodayat
Ketu, the opposite node to Rahu, came into being during the churning of the Ocean of Milk. The last gift of that churning was the emergence of the God of Healing, Dhanvantari, with the pot of amrit, the nectar of immortality. Ketu and Rahu were whole at that time, in the form of a demon known as Swarbharnu, who engaged in subterfuge to obtain the nectar whilst it was being served out by the enchantress Mohini. The deception was discovered by the Sun and Moon, who ran tale-telling to the great God Maha Vishnu, who promptly sent his discus and separated the head from the body; the body is today known as Lord Ketu, South Node of the Moon.
Ketu has very poor reputation garnered over the ages and in narrative, yet, is disposer of intelligence of a deep order. Ketu is also disposer of Spiritual Intelligence.
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Peace; Sub-value: Inner Strength
Planet (graha) Mars – Lord Kuja
The Planet Mars – sometimes known in Vedic Astrology as Mangala, is son of the Earth, and is a focus of energy or shakti of the Earth. Mars is told to be of Pitta dosha – of a fiery nature, and rules two fire signs, Aries and Scorpio. Mars is lord of the Third House and – in debilitated aspect, is Lord of the Eighth House.
Mars is the chieftain, the commander, the leader. He is found frequently in occupations where there is protection of the community – such as the defence forces, the policing forces, the security forces. In these roles, Mars can be tamasic in nature and appearance, but this obscures what is beneath the surface – extensive skills, acquisition of skills relevant to duty (to the extent of bringing order out of chaos) and inner strength.
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Peace; Sub-value: Fearlessness
Planet (graha) Mars – Lord Kuja
Om veeradhwajaaya vidmahe
vighna hastaaya dheemahi
tanno bhooma prachodayaat
Mars is ambitious, energetic, firm, brave, ardent, resolute, resourceful, enterprising and inspiring. Mars also empowers Fearlessness, a sub-value of Peace.
Om veeradhwajaaya vidmahe
vighna hastaaya dheemahi
tanno bhooma prachodayaat
Mars is a planet of strength. The sloka for Mars describes this planetary deity has having the (weapon) (instrument) Shakti in his hand. So we may take strength, power, energy and force as signatures of the planet Mars.
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Truth; Sub-value: Self-Awareness
Planet (graha) Rahu – North Node
Om nakadwajaaya vidmahe
padma hastaaya dheemahi
tanno rahu prachodayat
Understanding Rahu as a Planet
The North Node is known in Vedic Astrology as Rahu, and is considered a shadow planet, symbolised by a head. In the myth of the churning of the ocean of milk, the demon Swarbhanu stole a taste of the nectar of immortality and was decapitated by Lord Vishnu. Rahu is not actually a planet, rather a shadow planet, chhaya graha, the cause of eclipses of the Sun and Moon. Where Rahu eclipses the Sun and Moon, there is a similar eclipse of the light within the mind.
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Peace; Sub-value: Contentment
Planet (graha) Venus (Sukra)
Om Aswadhwajaaya Vidmahe
Dhanur hastaaya dheemahi
Tanno shukra prachodayaat
The Planet Venus is known in Vedic Astrology as Shukra, the celestial poet, son of Lord Bhrigu (var, Bhrugu), and is dispositor or karaka of artistic grace and beauty, refinement and contentment.
Venus shows our affection and sense of harmony in life. Among the planets, Venus is our appreciation of the beautiful and as such represents our aesthetic sense. Venus is significator of art, poetry, painting, music and dance. Venus is the muse in life, our sense of the beloved that draws out our creative expression. Venus indicates sensitivity, refinement and gentleness.
Human Values and Astrology
Value: Truth; Sub-value: Discrimination
Planet (graha) Saturn (Sani)
Oh Lord Saturn! The mysterious one,
Thy mother is the shadow and thy father is the Sun,
You are considered, only malefic, by some,
Others know you as the benevolent one.
God gave you the task to purify each one
Through all types of experiences under the Sun.
Bless us and remove our shackles, one by one.
The Planet Saturn is dispositor of limits, control (and when we try to push past that control, frustration); and completion. We should never be trying to push back the barriers that limit us without using our discrimination.
Human Values and Astrology
Value:Truth; Sub-value: Conscience
Planet (graha) The Sun
The Sun is the first Planet (although it is actually a star and the centre of our solar system). One is the number of unity and a prime number. Every planet is the centre of some radiating force or energy. These planetary radiations are absorbed by all the beings in the universe in proportion to their capacity. The planetary forces pass through them along the line of least resistance
In Vedic Astrology, The Sun is the karaka (disposer, energiser, motivator) of Truth and the Conscience within.
The five human values given by Sathya Sai Baba are composites of human qualities and behaviours. Truth is the basis of the Universe and all other values. All the worlds rest on truth, it resides in all times, time past, time present and time future. As such, it is an eternal value, innate, knowable by all, and able to be elicited from within.
