A Delineation of the Variations for Western siderealists

by Kailasa Candra dasa

Harih Om Namah.

INTRODUCTION

The Brihaj-jataka of Varahamihira-Acharya was specifically recommended by the greatest astrologer of the modern era, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada.  His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada verifies this in his writings. Varahamihira is also given importance by almost every sidereal astrologer in both India and the rest of the world, but virtually none of them use his system to determine benefics and malefics.  Just as pronounced, none of them even mentions Varahamihira's system for calculating duration of life.  In a contrarian presentation of Vedic astrology, the Brihaj-jataka's best English translation must be given precedence over any and all current English renditions of the Brihat Parashara Hora.  There are three important reasons for this.

1)     The Brihaj-jataka is not nearly as old, and, therefore, it probably is more authentic (without verses or extraneous information added and also with either all or most of the original verses still intact);

2)     The aforementioned recommendation by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati;

3)     Original Sanskrit attributed to the Brihaj-jataka verses is still available, and there is a Sanskrit, transliteration, text, and purport format available by a Hindu astrologer and scholar (from 1912) that appears formidable.

There are many irreconcilable contradictions between the most authoritative rendition into English of Brihaj-jataka and all of the English translations currently in vogue of the (so-called) Brihat Parashara Hora.  Only two of these contradictions will be discussed in this article. Nevertheless, virtually all siderealists in the post-modern world today accept the common teachings of this (so-called) Brihat Parashara Hora, even when they clearly contradict the Brihaj-jataka's systems of calculations and interpretations.

The Brihaj-jataka resolves these contradictions, despite the fact that the calculations in it are far more intricate and difficult.  This is particularly the case when it comes to calculations of the length of an individual's life.  The dasha system of the Brihaj-jataka entails many steps, all completely dependent upon the accuracy and both calculations and interpretations of all previous steps.  The most important calculation of any chart is the length of life, and this is verified throughout the sidereal Vedic texts. However, there are variations inherent in this calculation.  The next most important calculation/interpretation is to ascertain the means of livelihood.  This is a far, far easier calculation, but there are potential variations in this calculation, as well.

This article explains, in some detail, what these nine potential and definite variations are and why they are there. There is only one variation for any astrologer who perfectly knows the astronomical science of planetary calculations in exact accordance with the methodology and mathematics revealed by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami in his translation of the Surya-siddhanta. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's epicycles do not match any of the epicycles in general use by the few Hindus in India who calculate the positions of the planets via Surya-siddhanta techniques.  

The majority of siderealists both here and abroad consult Western ephemerides to calculate sidereal positions.  They do so by subtracting the ayanamsha of their choice from the Western positions.  This is not the method of the Surya-siddhanta, as the ayanamsha is only used for calculating the lagna in that text.  However, to repeat, even if a very rare and special sidereal astrologer calculates the positions of planets via the complex (and only perfect) method of Surya-siddhanta--and he employs the epicycles given by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati--there is still one potential variation to his final results.  This variation is presented initially in the next section.

NINE VARIATIONS TO DASHA CALCULATIONS

1)                 The scheduled length of life may be increased or decreased by transcendental intervention.  If the Supreme Personality of Godhead wants someone to live longer than he or she is destined to exist in a particular karmic incarnation, that will not show up anywhere in any astrological calculations.  Conversely, if He decides to shorten someone's sojourn, that also will not be evident in the calculations;

2)                 The person who is receiving his or her chart is not qualified to have the knowledge revealed.  As such, the paramatma will arrange that something is not correct either in the calculations or the interpretations or both.  It is a very special gift by the Lord for any conditioned soul to know his or her exact length of life, i.e., exact time of death;

3)                 The Western ephemerides are not exactly accurate. Over and above the fact that the tropical sign placements for all of the planets is way off (over two-thirds of a sign), there is also variation in their interrelationship. Close?  Yes.  Exact?  No.  This is because the Western calculations (primarily based on the formulas of Neugenbauer), although similar to the formulas used in the Surya-siddhanta, are still are not exactly the same.  Also, all Western ephemerides have small astronomical idiosyncrasies (rooted in whether or not they are geocentric or heliocentric calculations) between and amongst them and are not exact accordance. The actual fact is that each and every planet, in order to be calculated exactly to its true sidereal positon using the Western methodology, would have a minutely close and similar--but still different--ayanamsha.

4)                 There are many different ayanamshas conducting the post-modern sidereal astrology in practice at this time.  There is practically a three-degree difference amongst these oft-used ayanamshas.  A three-degree difference is huge.  It will change every dvadashamsa calculation and almost all navamsha calculations.  It will not infrequently change dreskana calculations, and it will even sometimes change the position of the planet according to sign, as well as lagna.  Accordingly, all of these changes will change strength of positioning of each planet, and this directly affects the dasha calculation of length of life.  The renowned astrologer B.V. Raman wrote that the ayanamsha controversy was "a particular kind of hell."

5)                 The verses in Brihaj-jataka connected to calculation of length of life are not all free from ambiguity.  There is ambiguity as far as planets in particular amshas are subject to receiving multiplication for a particular dasha. The Sanskrit alone in some of these verses does not render itself to only one translation and interpretation. This is not the case for all of the verses.

6)                 Some extraneous verse may have been added to the text many centuries ago.  Similar, one or more verses may have been culled out or changed.

7)                 The birth time may not be accurate. If a very minor error, it would only throw off the calculation of the lagna dasha.  That would still render the length of life not completely accurate, of course.  However, if the birth time was inaccurate to the degree that the lagna itself changed signs, then length of life calculations would be acutely inaccurate;

8)                 The calculation of malefics and benefics has a (small) degree of potential ambiguity.  This is mostly in connection to exalted planets that are conjunct malefics in the final six signs of the chart;

9)                 Varahamihira delineates three different methods of dasha calculation.  He clearly favors one of them.  The one he favors is the only one Varahamihira considers legitimate, according to the commentary.  Yet a verse (supposedly) in the Brihat Parashara Hora states that, if the Sun is the strongest planet in the chart, then one of these systems is used.  If the Moon is the strongest, then another one is employed.  If the lagna is the strongest, then the third system is used.

Without having received the astronomical and astrological knowledge in an unbroken line of disciplic succession--or without being a completely self-realized and God-realized Vaishnava--some or all of the final eight variations could affect the length of life calculations.  The first variation would always be a potential variation even to perfect calculations and interpretations of the Brihaj-jataka relating to length of life.

DIFFERENT SYSTEMS

In the post-modern world, sidereal astrologers invariably employ the vimshottari-dasha system.  The commentary to the Brihaj-jataka indicates that both the ashottari-dasha system (almost never used nowadays) and the vimsottari-dasha system are concoctions.  Varahamihira never even mentions these systems.  According to the commentary, they came into vogue in Eastern Bengal only ninety years ago.  However, they are very easy to calculate and use.  They are also insidiously advantageous, because they do not calculate a fixed number of years for length of life.  After utilizing some generic verses attributed to Jaimini as to whether or not a person will have a long, mixed, or short duration of life, they allow a fix-it-as-you-go method of interpretation.  From there, the astrologer determines which dashas, bhuktis, and antardashas are most likely to indicate time of death.  However, if one of these stages passes, then another can be employed.  Of the seven major planets, on average, at least three will be potential marakas.  So, it is not difficult to find some antardasha that could be a period where death might be interpreted to take place.  In other words, the vimshottari-dasha system is easy and convenient to calculate and has immense and never-ending flexibility of interpretation.

As far as modern astronomical hand-calculations are concerned, most Western siderealists do not engage in them.  They simply interpret according to the positions their computer gives them.  Computer programs on sidereal astrology only use vimshottari calculations.  It would require literally thousands of data and formula entries to create a program that would calculate length of life according to Varahamihira's system.  Such a program should certainly be written, as it would save a great deal of time. However, its absence at the current time is another reason the text is ignored by today's sidereal astrologers.

VERIFICATION PROCEDURES

There are two ways to verify the astronomical and interpretive calculations related to length of life as per the Brihaj-jataka.  Neither of them can be used for everyone.  The first one can only be used by the astrologer in relation to his (or her) own chart.  The second one has less limitation, but is still not applicable by or for anyone or everyone.

1)                 If an individual is an older and knowledgeable sidereal astrologer, he can determine the positions of his planets according to his past karmic category of engagements and experiences.  It is not necessary to position each and every planet exactly to its perfect minute and second of sidereal arc.  What must be done is to obtain the correct positions of each and every planet in relation to navamsha (primarily) and dvadashamsha.  If this is obtained, then a person really has just about everything he needs for genuine interpretation of length of life.  This can be accomplished by walking the cat back.  In other words, an accomplished astrologer clearly sees that a given planet could not possibly be in the previous navamsha (because there was nothing in his life in that category indicating it) but has all the qualities of the next navamsha. The ayanamsha (for that planet) becomes apparent.  Everything falls into place when all the interpretations (relating to all seven navamshas placements) for the planets coincide accurately with the ayanamsha determined for that one planet. There is still a small degree of variation, since exactitude would be required to ascertain the actual day of anta-kale, but the general length of life will be revealed.

2)                 If an astrologer has some detailed knowledge about the person whose chart he is interpreting--and if that person is at least forty years old--then palmistry can be combined with astrological interpretation.  This will be a kind of astrological crossfire that verifies the results.  The complete palm print is not required.  Only a good print of the Mercury mound is needed for this method of verification.

FINE TUNING THE CALCULATIONS

The Brihaj-jataka presents the method of ashtaka-varga calculation accepted by all siderealists.  As long as the original positions of the planets are basically accurate, then every astrologer will come up with the same ashtaka-varga calculations.  When done by hand, it is both cumbersome and time-consuming. 

The ashtaka-varga positions can be compared to the big hand on a clock face.  The basic dasha calculation can be compared to the little hand on the clock face.  The constantly moving thin red hand (the minute hand) on the clock can be analogous to the daily movements of the Moon through each of its nakshatras.  So, if the basic dasha calculations according to Varahamihira are done correctly, you will know the general time frame (analogous to the hour in this example).  If the ashtaka-varga is interpreted correctly, you can fine-tune it even further.  Then, to get the exact day, you would consult the nakshatra movements of the Moon.  Obviously, when the Moon is moving either through a loss or, particularly, a danger nakshatra, the time of death would be most likely on that day. 

All of this requires a great deal of diligent astrological work.  Astrological programs in computers can be helpful but they can have glitches and are only advantageous if double-checked for accuracy. 

CONCLUSION

Anyone who sincerely and seriously desires to know his or her length of life has to be willing to put in a great deal of effort to secure this knowledge. He or she has to become an accomplished sidereal astrologer, unless first becoming fully self-realized in Krishna consciousness.  If not able or willing to become expert in astrological knowledge, then the next best means is to be in contact with a trusted and accomplished sidereal astrologer, who both knows and follows the methods and systems of interpretation delineated in the Brihaj-jataka.  When applicable, the verification methods discussed in this article must be employed, despite whatever minor expenses, inconveniences, or delays are required to do this.  The motives must be sincere, and the efforts must be diligent in order to obtain a serious and accurate result.

OM TAT SAT.  HARE KRISHNA.