Namaste

[Guest guest]

Respected Gurus and List Members,

Namaste.

 

My name is Sudha Iyer and I have been a silent part of

this list for a while now. I had the great good

fortune of attending a small part of the Conference in

Mumbai and meeting many of the illustrious Gurus

there.

 

I have officially joined the SJC as a student and have

the good fortune to be accepted by Lakshmiji as her

student.

 

I have worked on the first lesson and am posting my

answers here for your comments and guidance.

 

Regards,

Sudha

 

SJC Lesson 1 Assignment Answers

 

Q1. Explain the changing of the seasons and its

connection with the above-mentioned astronomical

factors.

 

1. We know that the earth moves around the Sun and

not vice versa. However, for the purposes of

astrology, we take the geocentric solar system and

construct imaginary paths of all the celestial

objects around the earth. So there is a seeming

motion of the Sun around the earth, which is the

Ravimarga or the ecliptic.

 

The earth is not strictly vertical, but its axis is at

an inclination, tilted from to the plane of the

ecliptic by 23.45°. This tilting coupled with the

Sun's movement along the along the tropical zodiac

(Sayana) is what gives us the six seasons of the

year, each lasting two months (Sisira, Vasanta,

Grisma, Varsa, Sharada and Hemanta). Since the axis

is tilted, different parts of the globe are oriented

towards the Sun at different times of the year,

during the motion of the sun around the earth. The

distance between the Sun and the earth is fixed

(though ecliptic, the earth's speed compensates to

maintain distance). The declination or Kranti of the

Sun, as it moves, which is its angle with respect

to the celestial equator will change

continuously.

 

During two equinoxes, i.e., when is sun is above

the equator, the duration of day and night is

equal. The Vernal equinox, on Mar 21 signifies the

start of spring in the North. The Sun enters 0 degrees

of Aries around April 14th, which is the start of

the New Year for many solar calendars. Similarly,

the Autumnal Equinox is on Sep 21, and soon after

that, when the Sun enters 0 deg of Libra, we get

autumn in the North. The solstices correspond to the

Sun's position over the Tropics of Cancer and

Capricorn. When the Sun is above the Tropic of Cancer,

we have the summer solstice; the longest day in the

Northern

hemisphere, and around 10 days later, the sun enters

Cancer. The days then progressively get shorter

till the sun is above the Tropic of Capricorn and we

have the shortest day. This is the winter solstice,

followed by the sun's entering 0 deg of Capricorn.

The opposite is true of the Southern hemisphere.

The reason for this few days' difference between

the start of the seasons and the entry into the rasi

is due to the Ayanamsa (Precession), which has

pushed the equinoxes into Pisces and Virgo.

 

I will now try and also relate this to the other

astronomical concepts in the lesson, in turn (each

astronomical concept italicized). We have seen that

the seasons will be absolutely opposite in the

Northern and Southern hemispheres, according to the

angle of the sun's rays falling in that area. Also,

the season will depend heavily on the latitude of the

place, even within the two hemispheres.

 

Longitude will not affect the seasons too much,

due to the earth's rotation; evenness is assured

around the globe.

 

Rasi chakra: The rasis, in which the sun spends 1

month each will then have specific seasons

associated with them. Each season extends into two

rasis. This will influence the nature of the rasis,

which will

correspond to the seasons that they are associated

with in some way. In the Northern Hemisphere,

Mesha, which has the sun in it in March-April, is

bound to have characteristics of early spring. (Liking

new things, implying starts). Similarly, rasis

that are associated with rainy season will be more

emotional and rasis associated with winter, more

cold and detached. Does this mean that a person born

in

the Southern Hemisphere, where Mesha is actually a

cold season is less spring like and more airy and

cool, corresponding to the Libran of the Northern

Hemisphere? I would like to know the answer to this.

 

Nakshatra Chakra: Just like the rasis, the

nakshatras also line the zodiac. The sun does pass

through each one of them in turn, spending

approximately 13 days in each nakshatra. The

nakshatras may also be aligned with the movement

of the sun by having natures in part at least due to

the timing of the Sun's movement through them and

the

changing seasons.

 

Q 2. There are some days of the year where the sun

either doesn't rise nor set above certain parts of the

globe. Explain.

 

2. The earth is tilted, so for half the year, the

North Pole faces the Sun and the South Pole faces

the Sun for the other half. On Mar 21, the day and

night are of equal length. As the Sun moves towards

the summer/winter Solstice, when it is above the

Tropics of Cancer/Capricorn, its direct rays reach

the areas around the poles at these times. The Kranti

of the sun and its position is such that despite the

earth's rotation, the sun is always on the polar

horizon at this time. So before and after June 21,

there is no sunset at the North Polar Region. During

this time, of course, the Southern Polar Regions are

experiencing a continuous sunset as the South

Pole is tilted completely away from the Sun.

The positions are reversed for the Winter Solstice.

 

Q. 3. Parasara mentions two classes of heavenly

bodies: the moving and non-moving ones. Please

explain, what will be the difference between their

roles in the astrological interpretation.

 

3. The zodiac is a continuous broad band extending 9

degrees on either side of the ecliptic. In it

are the nakshatras and the grahas. A nakshatra is

actually a group of stars arranged in a

constellation.

These are extremely far from the earth and hence,

relatively do not move at all in space and perhaps

time (?) also with respect to earth. (I am not sure of

the latter factor and how it may apply to influences

of nakshatras in the timing of events on earth)

Their locations are fixed, as far as earth is

concerned. There are 27 nakshatras occupying

the 360 degrees of the zodiac, so each nakshatra gets

13.20 degrees (a 28th nakshatra is defined, but

it shares zodiac space). Parasara defined grahas (we

loosely translate this as planet) as bodies that do

move within this zodiac. The grahas are much, much

closer to earth than the Nakshatras.

 

(My guru had also asked me to look at the Vasus and

correlate their significance.) The Vasus are eight

elemental gods representing aspects of nature,

representing cosmic natural phenomenon. The include

the sun, moon, nakshatras and the pancha

bhutas. (Aditya, Soma, Nakshatrani (Dhruva) Agni,

Prithvi, Vayu, Apa (Antariksha/Aha), Dyaus).

 

The best explanation, meaning and significance I

found for the Vasus is from the Brihadaranyaka

Upanishad (beautifully translated by Swami

Krishnananda, The Divine Life Society). I give the

relevant portion here, because it made several

things clear to me.

 

ete vasavah? etesu hidam sarvam hitam iti, tasmad

vasava iti.

 

Ete vasavah: "Why do you call them Vasus?" What is

the meaning of the word Vasu? Vasu is that in which

something resides. Now, the things mentioned here,

eight in number, are really the substances, in a

subtle form, out of which everything is made,

including our selves. Agni, Prthivi, Vayu, Antariksa

etc. are not solid bodies, though names are given

here, which are applicable to physical bodies. Even

the earth is not a solid body. It is a vibration.

There is no such thing, ultimately, as a "solid"

body. Everything is a conglomeration of forces. The

increased density of a particular force is the reason

why we give it a particular name in a particular

context, as it becomes visible. Even these

distinctions between earth and fire and air etc.

are tentative distinctions. One is convertible into

the other. So we see that there is an internal

connection among the gods. We know that solids can

become liquids, and liquids can become gases, and

anything can be converted into anything by certain

processes to which they are subjected. The solidity of

the earth; the fierceness of fire, the fine character

of air; the glowing nature of the sun etc.,

can be attributed to the increased density of the

manifestation of the force of which they are all

constituted. Distance does not matter here. Even

if the sun is so many millions of miles away, it

can regulate us, control us. Distance is

completely overruled by the existence of invisible

powers, cosmic energies that can reach over great

distances

as immense light does. So, all bodies are constituted

of these Vasus. Our physical body, our subtle body

and the physical bodies and the subtle bodies of

everyone and everything everywhere - all these are

made out of the energies of certain forces which go

to make up these elements - the fire, the earth etc.

They are, therefore, called Vasus because everything

abides in them. Etesu hidam sarvam hitam iti,

tasmad vasava iti: "Everything is deposited as

it were in these constituent principles. Therefore,

they are called Vasus."

 

The above excursion into Vasus shows that though

the distances from the nakshatras are tremendous, they

do not matter at the cosmic scale. Grouping the

nakshatras along with the Sun and Moon, pancha

bhootas

and indeed earth, as Vasus brings home the

importance and the extent of their influence on us.

 

Now, let us examine Grahas and Nakshatras and compare

and contrast and look at roles in prediction:

 

Due to the closeness, the influence of the grahas may

be more obvious and may be more on the gross plane.

The influence of the nakshatras will be more

permanent and long-term and may be exerted more on the

subtle or causal planes. The effect of the

nakshatras is both direct and through the effect

on the grahas themselves, which in turn influence

the native. Due to the motion, the grahas keep moving

into

the different nakshatras. The natal chart can tell

us which planet occupied which nakshatra. The

nakshatras thus can influence the grahas, but not vice

versa. Nakshatras being fixed, one should be able

to predict their direct effect on an individual's

entire life, after seeing the natal chart, at

birth. The grahas show the blue print in the natal

chart, however, with constant movement, their

circumstances

are changing continuously (As they influence

one another, get influenced by different rasis and

nakshatras). So it is necessary to pay a lot more

attention to their movements across the zodiac and

thereby the changing influences, during prediction.

 

4. If you are able to construct your own chart,

please do it and explain as many astronomical

principles from it as you can (terrestrial

latitude/longitude, season, Sun's cycle,

Sunrise/Sunset etc.). Also try to determine which

planets are above and under the horizon in your chart.

In which Ayana is the Sun?

 

A 4. The following details were taken from the Jag.

Hora program.

 

April 5, 1966

Time: 2:48:42 am

Time Zone: 5:30:00 (East of GMT)

Place: Chittur, Kerala: 76 E 45' 00", 10 N 42' 00"

 

Lunar Yr-Mo: Parabhava - Chaitra

Tithi: Pournimasya (Sa) (66.90% left)

Vedic Weekday: Monday (Mo)

Nakshatra: Hastha (Mo)

 

Taking the Vedic week date (sunrise to sunrise) as

still being April 4,

Sunrise: 6:22:08 am (April 4)

Sunset: 6:30:24 pm (April 4)

 

The Sun is in Uttarayana. It has almost entered

Aries and the season is Spring. The Lagna is the

constellation rising on the east and it defines the

horizon. The tenth house is the zenith and the 4th

house the nadir. So everything between the 7th and

the 1st house is above the horizon and the others are

below. So the planets above the horizon in my natal

chart are Moon (9th) and Ketu (11th). The planets

below

the horizon are Saturn, Venus, Mercury (in 2nd),

Sun and Mars (in 3rd), Rahu (5th), Jupiter (6th).

 

Sri Gurubhyo Namah

 

 

 

 

 

 

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