Book/resource to learn the basic jyotishya terminology

[Pradyumna Achar]

Respected scholars,

Occasionally when I come across jyotishya terms such as "lagna", "sva-sthana", "uccha-sthana", "vakra-drushti", "asta", "pravesha of one graha into a nakshatra"  etc, I have no understanding of them. I tried reading introductory pages of a few basic astrology books, but they seem to assume that the reader is aware of these terms.

I request you to kindly inform me of the books or other resources that can help me understand these terminologies so that I get a basic understanding of the concepts. (I would find it easier to read and use if the book uses Indian names such as Surya instead of Sun)

-Pradyumna

[Anooj Muljee]

hari om

1. Lagna: Generally termed as the ascendant (it's technically the spining of the earth on its own axis) and is of several types (vi-lagna is a term as such used in classics) and is to be taken as the reckoning point. Several such lagnas are Udaya-Lagna, Janma-Lagna (Moon sign), Ārūḍha-Lagna, Divya-Lagna, Śrī-Lagna, Upapada-Lagna, Bhāva-Lagna, Navāṁśa-Lagna etc. Subsequently, Parāśara has primarily spoken of 3 Lagnas: Sūrya Lagna, Candra/Janma Lagna, and Udaya Lagna. Quoting Dr. Suresh Chandra Mishra, in one of his interview He said:
   
   

   If alluded to a metaphor: Sun is the Foundation of a Building; Moon's, its Inner strength — Damp Proof Course while Udaya Lagna represents the outer coating of that Building.

    
2. SvaSthāna: It translates to own sign. In the order of the weekdays (Sun for Sunday, Moon for Monday etc.), the navagrahas rule over Sun|Leo, Moon|Cancer, Mars|Aries & Scorpio, Mercury|Gemini & Virgo, Jupiter|Sagittarius & Pisces, Venus|Taurus & Libra, Saturn|Capricorn & Aquarius. And these are termed as their own signs respectively. However, the Nodes (RāhuKetu) lord over Aquarius & Scorpio.
   
   
3. UccaSthāna: It translates to the exaltation point and in the order of the weekdays (sūryādi), they get exalted in Aries, Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo, Cancer, Pisces, Libra. Ancient ṛṣis and scholars have enunciated different exalted points for the nodes to serve different purpose. This is not being elaborated here because it is too advanced concept.
   
   
4. VakraDṛṣṭi: It translates to aspecting in the reverse. Meaning when one planetary body is retrograding and is aspecting simultaneously. One such planet is Rāhu. According to Dr. SureshChandra Mishra, generally for the 7 physical planets, none however aspect in the reverse.
   
   
5. Asta: This means setting, however in jyotiṣa it translates to the 7H. It is however primarily used to mean combustion, meaning when in certain proximity to the Sun.
   
   
6. Praveśa: This translates to ingress however in jyotiṣa it is used in several places. Like, Nakṣatra-Praveśa, Rāśi-Praveśa, Tithi-Praveśa, Vāra-Praveśa. A rāśi is composed of 9 Nakṣatra padas, where 1 Nakṣatra = 4 padas. Therefore, 1 rāśi is ≅ 2¼ nakṣatras.
   

Some very good classics to learn & master the Horā part of Jyotiṣa (the science is mainly divided into tri-skandha: ① Saṁhitā ② Horā and ③ Siddhanta) are:

1. Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra
2. JātakaPārijāta by Vaidyanātha Dikṣita
3. Sārāvalī by KalyaṇaVarma
4. Laghu & Bṛhaj Jātaka of VārahāMihira (the latter also known as VārāhaHorā). Excellent commentaries are available in among Keralites scholars. One of the two vyākhyā I have heard of are:
   ① Daśādhyāyī by Talakkuḻattūr Govindabhaṭṭatiri &  ② Hṛdaya Pathā by Kaikulaṅgara Rāma Vāryar (warrier) [Kaikuḻaṅṅara Rāmavāriyar].
5. PhalaDīpikā by Mantreśvara (Mārkaṇḍeya Bhaṭṭar)
6. Camatkāra Cintāmaṇi by NārāyaṇaBhaṭṭa
7. Sarvārtha Cintāmaṇi by Veṅkateśa Śarmā
   
8. Mādhavīyam by Puruśottaman Nambūtiri
9. Muhūrta Padavī by VīraRāghava Ācārya
   
10. Kṛṣṇīyam of Kṛṣṇa Ācārya
    
11. HorāSāra of PṛthuYaśa (Vārahācārya's son)
12. Bhāvārtha Ratnākara of Rāmānuja (the vaiṣṇava saint)
    
13. PraśnaMārga by HariHara (Pālakkaṭ Nārāyaṇan Nambūtiri)

Most are originally in sanskrit, by some have been translated into Hindi, and some even in Engilsh & Mālayālam as well.

Best Wishes,
Anooj Muljee

L E T ’ S   G E T   C O N N E C T E D   N O W

SKYPE: ANOOJ_001   •   TWITTER   •   FACEBOOK

Sender notified by Mailtrack 12/17/19, 03:15:58 PM

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[Sumithra Veeraraghavan]

Namaste 

You can try B.V Raman's books on Astrology which has basics. The name of the Book is "Astrology for beginners" 

Bruhat Parashara Hora Shastra can also be read. Hope this helps. 

--

[Narayan Prasad]

You may tray: "A Manual Of Hindu Astrology" by Dr B.V. Raman

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.509148/page/n39

Regards

Narayan Prasad

[shankara]

Namaste,

BV Raman uses English terminology rather than Sanskrit terms liks svakshetra, uchcha, neecha, etc. 'A Course in Indian Astrology' by N.E. Muthuswamy seems more suitable for familiarising with Sanskrit terminology.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/232759240/A-Course-in-Indian-Astrology-by-Prof-NE-Muthuswamy

regards
shankara

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[Siddharth Wakankar]

Prof.Muthuswamy has published a Dictionary of Astrology or so, which is very useful in understanding Sanskrit Technical Terms from Jyotishashastra.

Prof. Siddharth Y Wakankar 

Vadodara.9427339942.

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[A K Kaul]

B L Thakur's Sachitra Jyotish Shikshya (Hindi) for beginners as well as advanced learners is available in several parts at archive.org.

AKK

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[Radhakrishnan Nair]

The Best Book seems good for you is; ‘Jyothisha Gurubhoothan’ by Sri K. C. Kesava Pillai.

Before beginning learning the Book, if possible visit Sree Mookambika Temple, have a dip in Souparnika,

and do an offering to Devi with focused prayers, get the ‘Strings’ (chuvanna charadu), blessed by the Chief Priest .

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

From: Sumithra Veeraraghavan
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2019 10:06 PM
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Book/resource to learn the basic jyotishya terminology

 

Namaste 

 

You can try B.V Raman's books on Astrology which has basics. The name of the Book is "Astrology for beginners" 

 

Bruhat Parashara Hora Shastra can also be read. Hope this helps. 

 

On Tue, Dec 17, 2019, 3:42 PM Pradyumna Achar <pradyum...@gmail.com> wrote:

Respected scholars,

 

Occasionally when I come across jyotishya terms such as "lagna", "sva-sthana", "uccha-sthana", "vakra-drushti", "asta", "pravesha of one graha into a nakshatra"  etc, I have no understanding of them. I tried reading introductory pages of a few basic astrology books, but they seem to assume that the reader is aware of these terms.

I request you to kindly inform me of the books or other resources that can help me understand these terminologies so that I get a basic understanding of the concepts. (I would find it easier to read and use if the book uses Indian names such as Surya instead of Sun)

 

-Pradyumna

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[Pradyumna Achar]

My sincere thanks to everyone for the valuable information provided.

सादरं वन्दनानि |

- Pradyumna

[venkat veeraraghavan]

Dear Sir,

Thank you for the definitions you have provided.

I would like to bring just one thing to your notice here. A planet is very different from a Graha within this context. A planet cannot have vakra drishti or even drishti, but a Graha does.

In this era of confusion it is important to use the right terminology so that our own understanding and that of others does not suffer in consequence.

The second point is most of the books you have suggested are magnum opuses of their class and will frankly scare away a newbie trying to find definitions.

All the best,

Thanks,

Venkat

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[Irene Galstian]

Not wishing to detract from the good suggestions made above, please consider approaching a teacher, especially at the beginning stage. 

Irene

[Nagaraj Paturi]

Dear Sri Pradyumna Achar,

You may download the book :

http://www.vedicastrologer.org/articles/vedic_astro_textbook.pdf 

This is available here on this page :

http://www.vedicastrologer.org/articles/astro_books.htm

where you get other material too. 

It is part of a highly advanced free download software at 

http://www.vedicastrologer.org/jh/ 

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Nagaraj Paturi

 

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.

Director,  Inter-Gurukula-University Centre , Indic Academy

BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra

BoS, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Veliyanad, Kerala

BoS Veda Vijnana Gurukula, Bengaluru.

Member, Advisory Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam, Bengaluru

Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies, 

FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education, 

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.

 

 

 

[Anooj Muljee]

hariḥ om

Namaste Venkat Mahodaya,

I see your message now and I believe your mail was actually in response to my mail.

Generally speaking, when we say the word « planet », it is implied graha (the 7 physical planets + nodes of the Moon|RāhuKetu = navagraha), and their function is w.r.t. astrology and in general no planet aspects by the reverse i.e.,  no graha turn their head to see backwards. Those physical planets have consciousness in them to run the world and the nodes are nothing but two extreme ends having our karmic impressions stored from previous lives (to be disbursed in this life) while the moon is the present life's consciousness. How much you raise to go up and how much you get grounded here is essentially what the nodes are. After all everything is a product of the Mind (hence moon transit is of prime importance).

A well-known scholar SureshChandra Mishra whose interview is available over YouTube, once stated this:

Retrograde-planet never renders its Dṛṣṭi backwards.

Knowledge can only grows the more it is shared and what I have to state on this is thus: Only exception that I know is Rāhu's i.e., since it is always VakrīCari, hence it is essentially stepping backwards in its path. Because of this, His 12th aspect is 2H i.e., should Vakrī Rāhu be in 10H → He is aspecting in reverse in the 12H and that would be in 2H from itself = the 11H. Admittedly, some schools use different aspect schemes, but this is what I consider too and have used this scenario to illustrate the only possible case where aspect in reverse which I am aware of.

 A planet cannot have vakra drishti or even drishti, but a Graha does.

However, since you are stating something new, please enlighten me on this. Which are the Graha(s) other than Rāhu that aspect in the reverse? Ketu is without dṛṣṭi on its own, to my knowledge.

 

In this era of confusion it is important to use the right terminology so that our own understanding and that of others does not suffer in consequence.

I would love to discuss more of those confusions and what are your views on what is right and wrong on the different concepts. In case you got a blog, you could write about them and share the link to me in private.

The second point is most of the books you have suggested are magnum opuses of their class and will frankly scare away a newbie trying to find definitions.  

Though that is true, but that is ultimately where the knowledge resides. 

Best Wishes,
Anooj Muljee

On Tue, Dec 17, 2019 at 2:12 PM Pradyumna Achar <pradyum...@gmail.com> wrote:

Respected scholars,

Occasionally when I come across jyotishya terms such as "lagna", "sva-sthana", "uccha-sthana", "vakra-drushti", "asta", "pravesha of one graha into a nakshatra"  etc, I have no understanding of them. I tried reading introductory pages of a few basic astrology books, but they seem to assume that the reader is aware of these terms.

I request you to kindly inform me of the books or other resources that can help me understand these terminologies so that I get a basic understanding of the concepts. (I would find it easier to read and use if the book uses Indian names such as Surya instead of Sun)

-Pradyumna

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[venkat veeraraghavan]

Namaste Shri Anooj ji

 A planet cannot have vakra drishti or even drishti, but a Graha does.

However, since you are stating something new, please enlighten me on this. Which are the Graha(s) other than Rāhu that aspect in the reverse? Ketu is without dṛṣṭi on its own, to my knowledge.

 --> My original statement simply means a planet cannot have drishti or vakra-drishti only a graha can have drishti or vakra-drishti....I have not suggested anywhere that grahas apart from Rahu aspect in the reverse.

In this era of confusion it is important to use the right terminology so that our own understanding and that of others does not suffer in consequence.

I would love to discuss more of those confusions and what are your views on what is right and wrong on the different concepts. In case you got a blog, you could write about them and share the link to me in private.

 --> Semantics is an aspect of language and communication that is frequently misused in the modern world to deceive and create parallel false narratives (by vested interests) for traditional systems of knowledge and dumb them down to the level of superstition.

My point about using the right terminology was merely a gentle reminder to use the words used by the Rshis and avoid what we may consider modern "equivalents". This will save a lifetime of pain for both the "vested interests" and any people who have to defend a vidya against the strawmen put forth by its would be detractors.

I don't have a blog or write about the subject but I have some views that you may find interesting.

The actual position of the planets is a physical cosmic marker much alike a pedestrian crossing. When you see the traffic lights on your road turn red, you intuitively know that the pedestrian crossing (perpendicular to this road) will turn green soon and you prepare to cross the road.

Although this example might seem rather simplistic as an analogy for jyotisha it is a useful one to explain the heuristics behind predictive jyotisha.

In the sense of the above analogy, the Grahas and their positions do not "cause" the karma as many modern "rationalists" argue but merely indicate that certain karmas have become imminent.

Graha is also a few degrees more complicated in its nature than merely being thought of as a consciousness to a planet. A Graha is sourced from the Sanskrit world meaning "to hold" which means it is an entity that "holds" awareness and constrains the mind and hence the destiny to play out in specific patterns.

Consider the puranic tale that Ravana had imprisoned all the 9 planets and made steps out of them to his throne. Narada the celestial troublemaker supposedly incites his vanity to make him turn Shani's face over so that Ravana can enjoy his anguish...apparently Ravana's fall started from there.

And then the story of Ravana forcing all the grahas into the 11th house of Meghnaadha's kundali and Shani puts a foot into the 12th which ends in Indrajit's eventual defeat and death.

Now ask yourself this: if what is being discussed is the spirit /consciousness of the planets, shouldnt the invincibility extend to all manifested beings (of that space-time) and not just Ravana and Indrajit?

The answer to the above question is an obvious unqualified NO.

Therefore there is something deeper at work here.

When an object is placed in front of a heat source, its thermals, molecular structure and the optics around it change.

A Graha is an entity that "holds" the personality constraining the object (it holds) to certain life patterns. If the object of this influence is capable of modifying the way a graha acts on the body-mind-spirit complex, this equates to having achieved control over the "graha".

This also satisfies the condition that other people within the same space-time do not receive the effect of these "manipulations". 

So by the above definition, you will agree there is no simple one to one correspondence with planets and grahas. As Krishna would put it: "गहना कर्मणो गतिः"

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