Be Your Own Astrologer

By Pandit Ajai Bhambi

Astrology began when man looked up at the sky for answers to questions about life, himself and people he knew. He found the knowledge he was looking for in the universe around him, a wisdom that reached its pinnacle in the Vedic age. The Vedas call astrology the "eye" by which man can see and understand. The author, a reputed astrologer, systematically unties the knots of the complex science of Vedic astrology, and presents it in a very simple and lucid manner. This one-of-its-kind book not only makes Vedic astrology easy, it also shows you how to use it yourself. The knowledge of the ancient Vedas can now be yours to use when life throws up complex challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wisdom Tree Publishers
• Release date: Jul 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9788183284172

Book preview

© Ajai Bhambi, 2004

First published 2004

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the author and the publisher.

ISBN: 978-81-8328-417-2

Published by

Wisdom Tree,

4779/23, Ansari Road,

Darya Ganj, New Delhi-2

Ph.: 23247966/67/68

[e-mail]

Printed in India

This book is dedicated to: This earth (prithvi) and sky (akash) have inspired and guided me whenever I stumbled. Ever since this realisation dawned upon me, I accepted them as my guru. I don't have any guru in physical form. This book of mine is dedicated to the earth and the sky.

CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

What is Astrology

The Zodiac

Interpretation of Horoscope

Nature of the Zodiac

Symbols in Astrology

The Significance of the Planets

Importance of Dasa

How to Interpret a Horoscope Yourself

Importance of Transit

FOREWORD

I am grateful to Pandit Ajai Bhambi for asking me to pen a few words introducing his new book on astrology. I have known Pandit Bhambi for the last several years. He is an eminent astrologer and a very readable writer. He expresses himself very lucidly and appealingly in what he wishes to convey in his present publication — Be Your Own Astrologer — which is a significant contribution to the science of astrology.

At the very outset I wish to clarify that Ajai and I do not always approach any astrological problem from the same standpoint. He is extremely good in interactions with people which give him insight into human characteristics and what human beings want. This has helped him in expressing his astrological ideas in a very popular manner. His publication on annual predictions became well known for this very reason. In the present publication, Pandit Bhambi does not address his colleagues and learned astrologers who have already attained a certain level of predictive ability and have become impervious to new and unorthodox ideas. Be Your Own Astrologer addresses those who are almost new to the subject, open to new ideas, and drawn to it due to its popularity. Any book that raises serious and abstruse problems of higher predictive techniques would be unsuitable for such readers.

A beginner needs to know the historical background of the subject and its relationship with scripture, the karma theory and the scope of astrological predictions. Bhambi has introduced these subjects in a popular style for those who want to learn astrology but are averse to going into the deeper aspects of this subject. Astrology is said to be the oldest science on earth and is believed to have been revealed almost 15 million years ago when Lords of the Flame came to guide humanity in their evolutionary process. But they also gave rudiments of the subject, as it was suited to primitive human individuals. They revealed only seven signs of the subject and the seven planets. As and when human consciousness began to widen and human life became gradually more complicated, greater details of astrology were revealed. Pandit Bhambi in his wisdom thought that a beginning of the subject from the Vedic priests could attract the lay readers.

Astrology is primarily based on house divisions, zodiacal signs and planets. The author has done well to introduce these subjects at the very beginning. He has also incorporated a chapter on symbols and allegorical stories in relation to signs and planets. The study of occult symbols and their application to astrology need a deep study. It is as well that he does not delve deep into the subject before giving his own interpretation of astrological symbols. Personally I would have liked him to introduce the methodology for intersection of symbols as well as their allegorical meaning and interpretation, so that the readers could venture to interpret astrological signs and planets in their own way.

Astrological predictions could be very elaborate but beginners have to be told the central point, so that they themselves are able to make predictions. Ajai has kept this in view when he gives details of a planet’s results in different houses, different signs and so on. This is a good section which the readers may find helpful.

Ajai Bhambi has provided horoscopes of certain eminent persons, who probably consulted him. A novice needs to know how to interpret a chart and Ajai Bhambi has done so without spoiling the popular nature of the publication.

I like the author and his present publication for an important reason. A Tibetan ‘master of wisdom’ recently wrote that astrology, as now studied and taught, misleads more than it helps and student’s of astrology are as yet learning but the a, b, c of this stupendous subject, and are occupied with the esoteric fringes of that great veil which has been wisely thrown over all planetary lures. Probably, and rightly so, Pandit Ajai Bhambi has attempted to pulverise the traditional system of astrology, so that students as well as practitioners may adjust to the need of a new form of astrology and begin to seriously consider the task of reconstructing the new age astrology.

PREFACE

The idea of writing this book was conceived almost a decade ago. There were lots of questions troubling my mind as to how to encapsulate so wide a subject as astrology in one book. As astrology is as vast as an ocean, the task was enormous and very difficult to accommodate into one book. Another question was whether to write it in a book form or make audio cassettes. Suggestions came from well-wishers that it should be in both forms — book as well as audio. Finally, I decided to let this book be in audio form. I packed my bags and baggage and travelled to many places in India as well as abroad to record my voice. Many cassettes were recorded but later I decided to drop the idea and give it a book form.

A question has the tendency to become bigger and bigger unless it finds a suitable answer, but the answers which come from outside are not answers in the real sense. In fact, a question is an answer in itself. Before one arrives at the answer, a question will keep on becoming bigger and bigger till the questioning stops within.

The universal symbol of question (?) is the same. Sometimes a question becomes so big that it seems as though the entire sky is covered by this question mark. If the upper hook of the question is straightened, then this question mark becomes a straight line (I) and no longer seeks an outside answer.

When I developed interest in astrology more than three decades ago, I laid hands on some books written by eminent astrologers, but could not understand much. The books were so exhaustively written with all technicalities included that it almost scared me to go through the pages of those books. I had to struggle for a long time to realise the meaning of certain technical terms and understand their impact on the human being. Subsequently, I decided that, to make the reader understand the subject well, I should try to write a book and make it so simple that the layman, just as I was then, gets enlightened after reading the book. I feel a book can be considered readable if it provokes or pacifies the thoughts of the reader. This book shall be able to do either of these two things, or maybe both, too.

I strongly believe that the origin of astrology began with the cave man. He was the first to notice and observe the cosmos. Astonished, baffled, confused yet satisfied with whatever little knowledge he had about the different phenomena around him, the cave man’s child-like innocence and curiosity to question and seek answer to every new phenomenon helped him develop his intelligence over passage of time.

All of us have inherited the same traits or genes as we do not stop getting surprised or shocked at unusual happenings — happenings which have no link with the past knowledge.

People get drawn towards astrology when they stop seeking readymade answers to their problems. One has to develop knowledge on the zodiac, celestial bodies, constellations and the inherent nature of each sign. Knowing the answers to the what, why, where and how of the zodiac helps to sharpen our own intellect and obtain a better understanding of the happenings in the Universe.

The way I studied the zodiac over the years has encouraged me to pen my observations. Astrology deals with signs, symbols, planets, elements, stories and many more things. Every aspect of the subject needs to be understood in a different light and through adoption of a modern approach. As I mentioned earlier, this subject evoked the imagination of the ancient man who, over the years, became more and more civilised as he learnt to conquer the forces of Nature. Various cultures and nations tried to understand the celestial phenomena around them. If astrology has survived despite many criticisms, it is because of its success in satisfying the curiosity of an unlimited number of people throughout the world.

The cave man and the sage contributed their bit by helping this subject grow; now the responsibility lies with the modern man to understand both the ancient and modern principles and adopt a new approach for understanding the subject as a new age phenomenon.

This book would not have been possible without the support of many people. As I cannot mention the names of every person as there are too many, all I can do is to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have been a source of help and inspiration to me. Still, I would like to mention a few names because, without their help this book would not have seen the light of the day. Nargis provided unconditional support right from the beginning, listening to me for hours and helping me make amendments. Other sources of inspiration were Rita, Girish, Rani, Andrew, Wg. Cdr. K. L. Mathur, Arun Bansal, Paramjit, Raghunandan, Shefalee, Kaku Bhai, Chandni, Arun Bansal, Nirdosh and Raju. Sangeeta is helping me to translate this book into Hindi and she has put her heart and soul into it. Shobit Arya, my young and dynamic publisher, has encouraged and influenced me to write this book in the present form.

I am a great admirer of and have been influenced by the work of Shri Bepin Behari, an eminent astrologer of our time. His approach to the subject is so deep and insightful that once you get absorbed in his work, none can influence you easily. I shall be ever grateful to him for agreeing to write the foreword to this book.

1

WHAT IS ASTROLOGY

Primitive societies needed the Sun and the Moon for their migration, military campaigns, protection from herds, hunting, voyages and for illuminating their path to explore the world. Their camps, food and other basic necessities were dependent on these sources of light. The changing phases of the Moon inspired their imagination to explore the hitherto uncharted areas of the world. Perhaps this was the basic reason for the ancient civilisations to worship the Sun and the Moon because it was these two luminaries which provided them the base for their survival, as well as growth and development.

It is quite strange that the Rigveda arrived at different personifications for the same natural phenomenon. The seasons and the winds of change were observed and found to have different impacts on humans. The north-east wind was different to the south-west wind. The Sun in spring was not the same as the Sun in summer. The night looked like a goddess, beautified by the sparkling stars. The Moon was the controller of seasons and the Lord of water. Imagination can take up any of these aspects of life and make these the starting point for worshipping a special deity.

In the Vedas, astrology is depicted in abstract forms. During the Vedic times, the people were aware of the constellations (nakshatras) and their deities, phases of the Moon, signs and other planets too. The calculation of the year (samvatsar), season, month, fortnight, days and other cosmic phenomena were not only understood but used for daily living. India is a country of festivals and rituals. Every day of the year has a special significance. Importance is given to each day because it belongs to a certain deity ruled by a certain nakshatra and different phases of the Moon make it more appealing as well as fulfilling. The year was divided into two main parts, i.e. uttarayan and dakshinayan. It was also known as devayanand the pitrayana. The uttarayan (between 22 December to 21 June) period was considered good for self and upliftment of the soul. Most of the social and religious rituals were performed during this period and man tried to establish a link with the dev paksha of his being. The dakshinayan (between 22 June to 21 December) was important to strike a balance with one’s ancestors or pitras.

Astrology is an important part of Indian life. The Vedas, the oldest scriptures in the world, have called it the eye through which man can gain knowledge of his worldly life and spiritual self. A knowledge of astrology is essential to understand the real meaning of the Vedas, which basically deal with culture and the civilised life of man. Astrology is in fact called the ‘mother of all sciences’. The Vedas have also dealt with science, religion and medicine, besides astrology. Much of one’s self and one’s life is revealed through the knowledge of astrology and astronomy.

The Vedas were compiled by the seer Saunak, who was the disciple of the seer Garg, an excellent astrologer-astronomer. Astrology and astronomy described in the Vedas were contributed by Narad, who was the son of Brahma, the creator of the world. Saunak in turn had a disciple called Prashar to whom he taught the knowledge of the cosmos, numbers and the knowledge of constellations. At this time came another seeker of knowledge, Maitre, whose father and guru taught him philosophy and religion. Maitre was told that there was only one person who could provide him full knowledge, and that was Prashar. He was asked to go to Prashar to acquire knowledge of the cosmos and astrology. It was thus Prashar who converted astrology into a systematic study and came to be known as the father of astrology. The dialogue between Prashar and Maitre resulted in a book, Hora Shastra. Prashar taught Maitre all that he knew.

Ayurveda, a branch of medical science, was extensively studied in ancient India. It is clearly mentioned in the ancient texts that without the knowledge of astrology, proper medical treatment cannot be undertaken. Therefore, for an ayurvedic practitioner, a preliminary knowledge of astrology is essential. The physician Charaka, unique in the field of Ayurveda, has said in his book Charaka Samhita that the knowledge of the movements of the Moon, constellations and other planets is very important for prescribing the right medicines. He believed that the cosmos played an important role in the well-being of man. A great Indian scholar, Brahmagupta, wrote a famous book called Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta,which deals with astronomy and numbers. Another scholar named Kanak, who was from Ujjain, which is considered the ancient town of intellectuals, was invited to Baghdad by King Khalil-al-Mansur and asked to translate this book into Arabic. The book came to be known as Iyn-ul-Abbafittul Kaluli Atwa and by the twelfth century it came to be known as al Goritamas. This is how astrology and numbers reached the Arab world, Egypt and Europe. When Europe became familiar with the zero symbol, mathematics acquired a new dimension.

The Prashar tradition was kept alive and further developed by the scholar Varahamihira, who calculated the distance of the Sun and other planets from the earth through his highly developed intuition. It comes very close to the modern scientific measurement. This great astrologer of fifth century A.D. contributed immensely to this subject. His work on Brihat Jataka is a rare treasure-trove on astrology. The Varahamihira era continued under his illustrious son Prithu Yasa.

Many foreign writers and scholars like Max Mueller, al-Biruni, the French traveller Vernier, Colonel Todd and others believed that astrology originated and developed in India. Lokmanya Tilak has mentioned in his book Orion that India had knowledge about constellation division right from the Vedic age, i.e. at least 5,000 years before Christ.

Aryabhatta, the great astronomer of fifth century, wrote a famous text called Aryabhatti, in which he proved that the Sun is stationary and the earth revolves around it. He also explained to the world the phenomenon of day and night. He further gave scientific reasons for the lunar and solar eclipses. A lot of astrological work and research was carried out by Kalyan Verma to obtain precise knowledge of celestial influences. Mahavira, around A.D. 850, contributed to the science of astrology. Between the ninth and fifteenth centuries, Shripati, Shridhar, Vaidhyanath and others held aloft the astrological flag.

Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, some good work was done by scholars like Balbhadra, Dhundiraja, Durgadeva, Baghji Muni, Neelamber Jha and Samanth Chander Shekhar for the growth and development of astrology. King Jai Singh of Ajmer was blessed with a scientific bent of mind. He constructed observatories known as Jantar Mantars in major cities of India, like Jaipur, Delhi, Banaras, Mathura and Ujjain.

The effect that planets have on life on earth can be seen by the Moon’s action on the sea. The new Moon and full Moon bring on tides, so ships and fishermen take advantage of this information. It has been observed by scientists that mentally unbalanced persons get more agitated and are prone to foolhardy acts due the influence of the new Moon and full Moon. The opening of some flowers is directly related to sunrise and sunset. This can be observed in the sunflower very easily. Sun-spots normally occur after nine to twelve years. During the year of sun-spots, weather changes can be noticed, like the melting of ice, earthquakes and sudden temperature changes. Sun-spots can be noticed under the bark of trees also. Lunar and solar eclipses affect pregnant women, sick and mentally unbalanced persons.

Astrology is the oldest science which was understood and studied by the most ancient civilisations. The remnants of astrology could be traced even to the Sumerian and Sumatra civilisations. Many ancient civilisations have risen, flowered, fallen and perished but astrology was one subject which was known to them also. In all countries of the world, especially in India, astrology is held in high esteem because it is considered the eye of wisdom. All activities, whether minor or major, be they social, religious or political, were insignificant if not supported by the principles of astrology. Astrology was tested and experienced for many centuries and its knowledge was handed down the ages to new generations. However, we notice that some rationalists of the modern world call it superstition; they should be pardoned because of their unscientific bent of mind since they never studied the subject and remain quite unscientific themselves.

Ancient man has found a correlation between the movement of the sky and his archetype behaviour pattern. The great psychiatrist Carl Jung, who has worked on the human psyche and introduced a new expression of collective unconsciousness, in his working model of the human psyche, drew a highly important distinction between personal consciousness, personal unconsciousness and collective unconsciousness. While describing the inherent structure of collective unconsciousness, he made certain exemptions that we are all part of one another and we share this unconscious mind with other fellow beings. Within the framework of collective unconsciousness lies the source of those motives which the whole world has in common. The way we inherit our physical characteristics from our parents or ancestors, the same way we inherit archetypes as a material of collective unconsciousness — an inheritance we share with the rest of mankind.

In astrology we see the subtle connectivity between the moving stars, the zodiac and human behaviour. It has been observed after doing a lot of research that a certain pattern operates between a planet and the characteristics of man. Astrology is not just confined to the Sun sign or the Moon sign, but an exhaustive horoscope can reveal accurate traits and basic characteristics of the person. If the tools of astrology are applied correctly, then the past, present and future events can be predicted with precision. A man born in Aries ascendant is quite different from a person born in Cancer ascendant. However, there could be some similarity between Aries-ascendant people but this will not match with the Cancer-ascendant person. Just by taking birth in a particular ascendant, a person inherits certain traits and characteristics of that ascendant which is non-parallel to all other ascendants. The permutation and combination of planets create a balance that provides definite personality traits.

A horoscope made on the date, time and place of birth can reveal the past, present and future of a person. A complete horoscope runs into many pages with all the minute mathematical details. Ancient sages had laid down the principles on which different planets give particular results. There are certain yogs which also run into thousands and give the gist of results. If an astrologer is well versed with the science, has ample experience and is blessed with good intuitive wisdom, then he can always make correct predictions. The failure in interpretation or making an accurate prediction entirely falls on the person concerned. If one is not well equipped with the subject and does not know the intricacies, there are chances of making wrong predictions. Sages were clear in their mind when defining the shashtras to the seeker.

An astrologer needs to be knowledgeable and have the right virtues. The great astrologer of Ujjain, Varahamihira describes in his book, Brihat Samhita that an astrologer should know the five other shashtras (subjects) besides learning astrology, for only then he can attain the mystic knowledge of astrology.

Astrology primarily is the science of time. In Sanskrit, time is known as kaal and it has two distinct meanings. One, kaal stands for time and kaal also means death. We all are aware that time is never constant and everything in this Universe is running after time. If you are behind time, you lose the importance of it and if you are ahead of time, even then it is of no real major consequence. Time plays an important role throughout life and if we can understand the mystery of the present time, then we can correct the mistakes of the past and build a better future of our choice. The movement of earth follows a certain pattern, which creates day and night, and years. All the planets of the solar system are well disciplined in the movements and follow a definite rhythm. Planets generate a lot of energy during their movements and their conjunction, their aspects and other phenomena play a definite role on this world in general and on human life in particular. There are good as well as bad times which we all experience from time to time. The map of a birth chart can give us a clear picture as to where we are heading. If man’s energy is tuned with the energy generated by the planet, then he can march ahead with his plans and reach the goal of his choice. However, if there is disharmony, then everything can go haywire. Astrology is a science which helps the human being to put life back on the track if anything has gone wrong on his journey in life.

Sages have created an imaginary cosmic man (kaal purush) and have applied the principles of astrology to understand man more clearly. The cosmic man is divided into 12 parts from head to toe and every house and sign represents a particular part of the body. The role of different planets is also defined to the minutest details. If one observes the kaal purush correctly, then he can sharpen his intellect to understand the deepest intricacies of the subject. Cosmic energy is created by all the planets and its impact on the human being can be observed without much difficulty. If a planet is weak in the chart, then by applying the principles of kaal purush, one can understand the difficulties connected with the particular area, whether it is related to the physical, worldly or spiritual realm and how it can be overcome. One invariably stumbles on the correct analysis by applying the principles of kaal purush.

In astrology we believe that this birth is a continuation of many births which one takes and this pattern will continue until one gets liberated or attains moksha. The action or karma done in previous births decides and controls our present birth to a great extent. Perhaps this is the reason we do not have any control on the set of parents, relations, environment and other permanencies of life. There are three important houses — first, fifth and ninth which are known as a triangle, give a clear picture of a person’s present, past and future lives. There are another three sets of houses, i.e. third, seventh and eleventh which give clear clues to man’s efforts, of spouse and worldly gains. There are three sets of mysterious houses, i.e. sixth, eighth and twelfth. They denote obstacles, confinement and wastage one faces in this life. The second house represents his belongings, i.e. family. The fourth house which rules over comforts is a clear reflection of the tenth house which represents apparent ego or karma of an individual.

There are two different schools of thought regarding the calculation of the position of the planets in the sky. One is called Sayan and the other is known as Nirayan. Most of the Western countries follow the Sayan system while making horoscopes and interpreting accordingly. In India, Nirayan or geocentric sidereal longitude of the planet is vastly used. The literal meaning of Sayan is ansh (degrees) and Nirayan means without ansh (degree). We are giving a description of both the systems as below.

Clarification of Nirayan and Sayan systems (Indian or Western):

As per the Western system, the Sun enters into Aries on 22 March every year, whereas in the Indian system, the Sun goes to Aries on 13/14 April every year. What is correct? Both cannot be correct at one time and definitely this means a lot in astrology. A difference of 23-24 days cannot be ignored when we talk of a few minutes’ or seconds’ accuracy in giving predictions.

The followers of the Sayan system strongly recommend the usage of 22 March as entry of the Sun into Aries. We have tried to go into the root of this problem by looking at the stars physically in the sky and arriving at a conclusion that in the sky, all planets move according to the Nirayan system. To understand it fully, let us divide the study into two parts: