Answers on Foundation of Jyotish

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Dear Sanjay,

Namaste.

 

First of all; thank you for this excellent lesson. Allow me to try to answer on

questions that you posted.

 

Q1. List the various Avatars of Vishnu and explain the role of each in your life.

 

A1. Dear Sanjay, I'm not sure if you think on the Vishnu avataras like Vasudeva,

Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Sankarsana or on the ten avataras of Vishnu given by

Parasara. I suppose that you are thinking on Vasudeva and other (because lesson

was about that), but in any case on the end of this message you can find my view

on ten avataras also.

From Garbodhakasayi Vishnu firstly Vasudeva evolved. He is representing pure

consciousness or pure sattva guna (sudha sattva, which is completely

transcendental). From this Vasudeva evolved Aniruddha (representing sattva guna

and mind), Pradyumna (raja guna and intelligence) and Sankarsana (tama guna,

ahamkara or false ego).

Vishnu is deity of sattva guna, so he maintains goodness in universe (if mind is

calm then everything can be maintained). Brahma is creator (for creation

intelligence and passion/raja guna is needful) and deity of raja guna. Siva is

deity of tama guna. Ahamkara is not so easy to overcome, so, we need help of

Siva in this. False ego is also created when ignorance/tama guna prevails.

My mind, intelligence and false ego are certainly under the influence of gunas.

Vishnu avataras or deities which presiding over the various gunas can help me

to use my mind intelligence and false ego in the right way and in the ultimate

level free myself from all the gunas and influence of them.

 

 

Q2. Why does the Jyotish paradigm have only NAVA -GRAHA..nine planets.

 

A2. There are 2 luminaries (Sun and Moon), 5 planets (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter,

Venus and Saturn) and 2 nodes (Rahu and Ketu). This is exactly nine planets or

nava graha.

Sun and Moon are luminaries and Rahu / Ketu are nodes, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter,

Venus and Saturn are planets which residing over 5 material elements (fire,

earth, ether, water, air). There is nothing more left so no planet except nava

grahas can have any influence on material elements and on the life on the

Earth. Also energy from distant planets and stars cannot influence life on

earth, no other planets influences Bhu mandala except nava graha.

I hope that answer is clear enough.

 

Q3. Why are there only Pancha (Five) Mahapurusha Yogas? Explain the relevance of each.

 

A3. Like I said in previous answer nava graha consist of 2 luminaries, 2 nodes

and 5 planets. Answer on this question in similar as answer on previous

question; 5 planets rules over the 5 material elements and they can form

Mahapurusha Yoga. Mahapurusha Yoga is formed when planets are in his

exaltation, multrikona or own sign in kendra. Kendra represent Vishnu

(sustenance - sattva guna), Vishnu sustain material creation, He is neither

destructor nor creator, so, He can easily sustain all material elements and

because of this, material energy can give best result under the care of Vishnu.

 

Pancha Mahapurusha Yogas are;

Ruchaka Mahapurusha Yoga (formed by Mars),

Bhadra " " " Mercury

Hamsa " " " Jupiter

Malavya " " " Venus

Sasa " " " Saturn.

 

I would like to hear more about this also.

 

Q4. What is the link between the Gunas and tatwa and how does this change with

dasa (use Vimsottari to explain).

 

A4. There are 3 Gunas; sattva, rajas and tamas. In the first phase of creation

the Vishnu forms (Anirudha, Pradyumna and Sankarshana) in connection with His

energies created the 3 gunas. Then from these forms also expanded Brahma

(devatas), Ahamkara (False ego) and Mahat tattva (material elements). Then,

from the contact of Ahamkara with 3 gunas, demigods, senses and material

elements manifested.

>From the Gunas, under the direction of Vishnu, are born material elements (gross

and subtle), senses and demigods which are presiding deities of the senses and

elements. Gunas are superior to the all tattwas. So, any element can be under

the predominance of certain guna.

In our life it is like this; sometime person can be under influence of sattva

guna, sometimes under influence of raja guna and other times under the

influence of tama guna. In most of the cases people of Kali Yuga are under

influence of all 3 gunas in the same time. Gunas will influence and person will

act accordingly.

I'm not sure if influence of gunas can be connected with dasa periods, but I

think that it can be. In that way we can say also that in the period of sattvik

planet person is more under the influence of sattva guna. And so on...

 

I need more clarification on this also.

 

 

 

Dear Sanjay those are my answers on your question. I hope that I will soon hear

your comments and guidance. And bellow are my view about Dasa avatara.

 

Darpaha Dasa

 

Ten avataras given by Parasara are:

 

Sri Rama (represented by Sun)

Sri Krishna (Moon)

Sri Narasimhadev (Mars)

Sri Buddha (Mercury)

Sri Vamanadev (Jupiter)

Sri Parasurama (Venus)

Sri Kurma (Saturn)

Sri Varaha (Rahu)

Sri Matsya (Ketu) and

Sri Kalki (Lagna).

 

Sri Rama is ideal king and ruler (like Sun). Nobody can be king in his

presence accept he himself. He is supporter and protector of dharma, ideal

husband and loved by all of his subordinates. He defeated ten headed demon

Ravana which was unconquerable, nobody was able to defeat Ravana, neither

Lakshmana nor any other deva or human being. Rama simply, with the help of army

of devoted monkeys, killed the demon and destroyed all his kingdom. We can

remember the example given by Ramacandra and try to get his blessings to obtain

a small portion of his virtues.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam Sri Krishna was described as svayam bhagavan or

Supreme Personality of Godhead (Srila Prabhupada uses this term). So, He is God

Himself, full of all opulence's and always engaged in his blissful pastimes. By

worshiping Krishna a person can attain highest goal of life - pure love for

Godhead or Krishna-prema. My Ista Devata is Sri Krishna and by some "mystic"

force I was assured by the words of Srila Prabhupada and accepted Krishna as

Supreme Godhead and I'm trying to serve Him.

Sri Narasimhadev is avatara which protected His devotee Prahlada Maharaja

from the anger of his demoniac father who wanted to kill him. So, Narasimhadev

protects His devotees and he is also called bhakti vigna vinasa which means

that He removes all obstacles from the path of bhakti or from the path of the

bhaktas or His devotees. I understand Narasimhadev in this way.

Lord Buddha appeared because Lord wanted to distract people of that age from

executing so many sacrifices which were aimed only for sense gratification and

not for gratification of Supreme and fulfilling the dharma. He reestablished

the principle of ahimsa and self-control. Mercury is also very talented in

diplomacy and logic, presenting various arguments, comprehending absolute truth

with the help of logic etc.

Sri Vamanadev was a dwarf brahmin which "cheated" Bali Maharaja. He

(Vamanadev) requested only three steps of land from Bali Maharaja and then He

took the whole universe (Bali Maharaja was the king of the whole universe).

Sukracarya (Venus) was also present there and did not agree when Bali Maharaja

decided to show his devotion to Vishnu. So, we can see various approach to the

same problem between Jupiter and Venus. Sri Vamanadev then pushed Bali down to

the lower planetary system and there He give a planet to Bali Maharaja and He

agreed to be a doorman on this planet. Bali Maharaja then happily lived there

in association and under the protection of Vishnu Himself, Sri Vamanadeva. So,

Vishnu will take all of ours material possession (even if we posses the whole

universe) and then (when we are free) He will give His association to us. Sri

Vamanadev is also capable of executing of wonderful tasks, like for instance in

this form as a dwarf He step over the whole universe in just two steps. He is

the real proprietor of material energy.

Sri Parasurama is also brahmana who decided to eradicate all the dynasties

of unrighteous ksatriyas and he did so 20 or more time (I don't remember the

exact number). So, he also maintain dharma in His own way.

Kurma is the tortoise which was the pedestal for mountain Meru with which

demigods and demons churned the ocean of milk in attempt to produce the nectar.

So, only by the mercy and help of Vishnu we can get nectar of immortality or

moksha. He is like the background on which we must base all of our activities.

Without Him there is no nectar.

Sri Varaha rescued Earth when she was thrown in the Garbhodaka ocean on the

bottom of the universe. Demons tried to stole all of the gold from the earth

planet and because of this loss in weight Earth fell down in the ocean.

Varahadev then lifted the Earth, killed the demon and put the Earth in original

orbit. There is a story which told something about Varaha and Balaji Deity from

Tirupati. There is also a reason why is Varaha worshiped there in temple in

Tirupati. I don't know the story exactly, if someone on this list knows

something about it, please share it with me.

Matsya was fish which rescued humans (rishis) and all other living spices

from the flood at the end of Manvantara. This is also a form which rescues

people, knowledge and dharma (rishis).

Last one is Kalki which will appear on the end of the Kali yuga. People will

be degraded and corrupted to the core. Advent of Kalki will mark the end of Kali

Yuga and beginning of the new age - Satya Yuga. Ascendant also signifies the

birth of new life and opportunity to advance toward the ultimate goal.

So, this is my understanding of the ten avataras. Sanjay, I would like to

hear more about it from you, especially about connection of grahas with related

avataras.