Nakshatra Chakra

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Dear All,

Given below is a small article on Nakshatra Chakra.

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Nakshatra Chakra

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In Vedic civilization mainly used the Nakshatra Chakra for

astrological prediction. The same can be observed in epics as well.

Now the question is – What is this system? And how they used it? Let

me try to answer it as per my limited knowledge.

First we should accept the following points.

• Originally Nakshatra division was related to path of Moon,

and in that unequal division, the 28 Nakshatra scheme was used. But

later for mathematical clarity the Nakshatra divisions were

associated with ecliptic (movement of earth/sun). Thus came the

definition of Nakshatra as 1/27 th of the ecliptic, which is equal to

13 deg 20 min. Since Nakshatra Chakra is an equal division of the

ecliptic only 27 Nakshatras are important in this system. The concept

of Degree-minute was present, as evident from the Mahabharata sloka

bit – " KashtaH kala muhoortascha diva ratristhatha lavaH " . Here, Kala

= Minute. Bhaga = Degree (This is not mentioned in the sloka)

• The 28 Nakshatra scheme, that is associated with the path of

moon, will not be discussed here. (Due to the fluctuations in the

path of Moon this system can not give correct results for long). The

27 Nakshatra scheme (as told in Titireeya Samhita) is closer to the

system we follow today. This is the reason for neglecting the 28

Nakshatra scheme in this study.

• The movement of equinox through Nakshatras was observed in

Vedic period. This was possible if a fixed frame of Reference of

Nakshatra Chakra was in use. That means the Nakshatra Chakra used in

Vedic period was not Tropical but Sidereal in nature.

• Thus, Nakshatra Chakra is the fixed frame of reference based

on which the movements of planets were studied.

• The Sidereal Year was also in use and many other year systems

as well. The use of Sidereal year is clearly indicated by the

Titireeya Brahmana sloka bit " Nakshtrani Savatsarasya Pratishta " ,

meaning, " The year is calculated based on Nakshatras (fixed stellar

divisions) " .

• The importance of 360 day Savana year (used in Nakshatra

Dasa) is due to the (intentional) association of the ecliptic

(movement of Sun) with Nakshatras done by Rishis. Sun stays in a star

for 13.333 days on an average. Multiplying it with 27 we get – 360

days.

Classifications used to study the nature of Nakshatras

 

1. Nakshatra devatas were assigned

I don't want to discuss here in details, you can get these details

from any slandered text of astrology.

2) Male-Female classification

Nakshatra names that end with i, e or a where considered female and

others male. Mrigaseersha and Moola were considered Kleeba (impotent)

nakshatras.

3) Kula-Upakula-Kulopakula classification

Three Nakshatra may fall into a lunar month division of the zodiac.

The Nakshatra name based on which the lunar month (Aswini, Krittika,

Mrigaseersha etc) is named, that Nakshatras are called Kula. In other

words, in the corresponding lunar months full moon occurs in those

Nakshatras. The next Nakshatra is called Upakula and the third

Kulopakula. The same strategy for all the lunar months.

4) Sthiradi classification.

Nakshatras were classified into 5 categories and lordship assigned to

planets. This lordship is different from the one considered now. But

here the thing to remember is that the meaning of Stiradi names

assigned to Nakshatras were considered more important than this

lordship. The list is given below:

Sthira (fixed) – Utra, Utrada, Uttara Bhadrapada, Rohini

- Sun

Chara (movable) - Swati, Punarvasu, Tiruvonam, Srevishta, Satabhishak

- Moon

Ugram (Fierce) – Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashada, Purva Bhadrapada,

Bharani, Magha

– Mars

Misram (Mixed) – Visakha , Krittika

- Mercury

Kshipram (Fast) – Hasta, Aswani, Pushya

- Jupitor

Mridu (Soft) – Mrigaseersha, Ravati, Chitra, Anuradha

- Venus

Teekshnam (Sharp) – Moola, Jyeshta, Ardra, Aslesha

- Saturn

This classification was used to understand the nature of Nakshatra

and the people born in them.

5) Nakshatra Purusha

Just like the Kalapurusha (Rasi purusha) concept related to Rasis,

Nakshatra purusha concept was in use. (Ref. Mahabharata)

We may be able to find many more classifications if we are

willing to search the allied Vedic literature. I think the above is

sufficient to have a start.

4-fold prediction system

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The Nakshatra Chakra, Planets including Ra and Ke, Benefic-Malefic

classification of planets, Exaltation and debilitation of planets (in

Nakshatra Chakra), eclipsing of Sun and Moon, Retrograde of planets

The ephemeris components such as Nakshatra-Tithi-Vara-Karana-

Nityayoga, waxing and waning of Moon – all these were considered to

make elaborate prediction. If we look at the epics we could find

that a 4-fold system was in use. That means, predictions were given

for-

1) Nakshatra Lagna (Ascendant star)

2) Placement of Planets in Nakshatras

3) Conjunction of Planets (in Nakshatras)

4) Janma-Sampad-Vipat etc naming of Nakshatra was in use. This

might have been in use some what similar to the Bhava system.

It is not certain, whether the Drishti of Plants was considered in

that period or not. If it was, then Drishti should have meant,

Drishti between plants in opposite Nakshatras. An elaborate study

will reveal the intricacies of this 4-fold system of Nakshatra based

prediction system that was in use.

An elaborate study of the Nakshatra Chakra (27 Nakshatra

scheme) based prediction system used in Vedic literature and Epics

calls for a detailed study. Hope that before the system is lost

someone will come forward to collect, arrange, explore and elaborate

this original system of Nakshatra based prediction.

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I started this article by thinking of writing a very long

article based on the same, but is seems that my fuel is over, as far

as this subject is concerned Now I know that it needs a lot more

study in my part, to write good long articles on subjects like,

ancient system of Nakshatra Chakra based prediction etc. Hope you

will pardon my ignorance.

Love,

Sreenadh