[vedic astrology] What Parasara Advocates...

June 6, 2006

Dear Sanjay,

> I have no issue with connecting the third chapter and using Vishnu's

> avataras. My only problem is with insisting that only Vishnu's avataras

> should be prescribed and, moreover, attributing that view to Parasara.

> [s.Rath:] That is because you are not connecting the natural 12th house

> Pisces which is ruled by Jupiter and natural 9th house also ruled by Jupiter

> which indicate the akasa tatva of guru. That is why dharma devata and ista

> devata are to be seen in Vishnu. I think you are getting stuck with

> forms,names and rasa which is for the beginners and are not appreciating the

> sarva-vyapakesa meaning of Vishnu. In another mail today I have elaborated

> more on this.

You can write as much as you want. But the bottomline is that Parasara explicitly mentioned Shiva and Gouri in the context of ishta devata.

If you do not "get stuck with forms, names" and recognize that Vishnu is "sarva-vyapakeswara" and hence covers all deities, why can't you accept Shiva as a form of Vishnu and accept him as ishta devata?

> Secondly, Parasara did not specifically mention Kaali, but he did say that

> Saturn in a malefic sign shows devotion to taamasik deities. Here Saturn is

> in Aquarius, a malefic sign.

> [s.Rath:] Narasimha, are you saying that Kali worship is Tamasik or that

> Kali is a tamasika devata? Please think again about this statement.

Of course, Kaali is referred to as "taamasi" in Sapta shati. She is of course the taamasik energy of the universe. And, BTW, that is not a bad thing as some may be tempted to think.

I did not say worshipping Kaali is taamasik.

A personal note here: I used to be prejudiced against taamasik devatas and used to think that their worship is bad. I later realized that understanding the nature of taamasik devatas is much tougher than understanding the nature saattwik devatas and that sattwik worship of taamasik devatas is possible. I also realized that moksha is not about being fully saattwik, but about understanding and overcoming all the three gunas!

> > Should we take Kali to be the deity of the Moon or the deity of Saturn?

> > Prasna Marga at least is very clear about Saturn but puts a condition of

> the

> > Moon being in a Saturn's sign.

>

> Moon shows Divine Mother in general. Saturn's influence on him can show a

> Saturnine form of Divine Mother, i.e. Kaali.

> [s.Rath:] So, Is it the Moon or Saturn? Which one?

Can be either in my view. Saturn or Moon under Saturnine influence.

> [s.Rath:] Got your point and you have given an excellent example. But you

> are still not clarifying one thing. OK I will put the question differently

> so that perhaps we can be more clear about what we are talking about. How