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yajvan
09 April 2008, 12:03 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste,
this post is a look at the length of life offered in the Chāndogya¹ Upaniṣad. I found it of interest , so I thought I would pass it along and see if I could find an equivalent life period in the Jyotish dasa system.

As of late there are a few posts regarding two other dasa systems: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2626 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2626) e.g. Vimshottari Dasa and Ashtottari dasa. Sage Parasara offers 32 different dasa systems for ones use, more then sufficent for phalita (fruits) and ayur ( life) dasa systems.

This post will review a dasa scheme offered in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad. It depicts param ayus² of 116 years.

It does not mention any dasa system by name but comes up with the 116 years of life in a most elegant way. If you wish to read the slokas yourself you will find them in Chapt 3, section 16.

It says we as humans & our lives are yajya, or sacrifice in themselves. Our life has 3 sections equivalent to morning, mid-day and evenings (some call savana³).

This is a bit different then the 4 Asrama³ we talk about hear on HDF , but in this sequence vAnaprastha and sannyAsa periods are combined. Lets see how this is depicted.
Morning

The first part of the day is associated with the first 24 years of life. The gāyatrīi has 24 syllables and is associated with the morning (prātaḥ-savana); Hence the 1st part of life is 24 years and we consider this stage brahmacarya.Mid-day

The 2nd part of the day, mid-day , is associated with the next 44 years of life. Some call this garhastya or the householder stage of life. It is associated with triṣtubh metre containing 44 syllables and is said to be associated with mādhyandina-savana, or mid day.It is interesting to note that the Chāndogya Upaniṣad calls this period to be associated with the rudras; a time when there are worries and troubles that are associated with life's daily affairs. I would have associated the rudras with the last state of life where prANa is withdrawn by the 11 rudras, yet this is not the case offered from this sloka.

Evening

The 3rd part of life with the next 48 years of life. This is where the vAnaprastha and sannyAsa periods are combined. This evening period is considered tṛtīya savana, and jagatī metre is associated with this; jagatī has 48 syllables. The sloka says at this stage the prANas are taken back (ādadate - from āda to take or receive) all that there is. As for me, I thought this would be the rudras , yet the slokas point to the Adityas. So I have more to learn on this matter no doubt.Connecting with Jyotish
That said, we have 24 (morning) + 44 (mid-day) + 48 (evening) = 116 years for param ayus ( or max. length of life). What is associated in the Jyotish dasa system that correlates to 116 years ? It is shodasottari dasa. This dasa system is applicable for the following types of birth:
1. The native is born in sukla paksha (or bright half of the month, some say waxing moon) and;
The lagna is in the sun's hora - that is, the 1st half of an odd signs degree ( 0º to 15º) or the 2nd half of an even sign ( 15.001º to 30º)
-or-
2. The native is born in krishna paksha (dark half of the month, some say waning moon) and;
The lagna the moon's hora - that is 2st half of an odd signs degree (15.001º to 30º) or the 1st half of an even sign ( 0º to 15º).

Hence the sun and moon create the conditions here and the horas play a key role in laying out this dasa scheme.

The length of time for each graha period is the following as I am looking for alignment from the slokas of 24+44+48. I do not get a perfect fit.

Sun 11
Mars 12
23 years

Jupiter 13
Saturn 14
Ketu 15
42 years

Moon 16
Mercury 17
Venus 18
51 years

Note rahu is not part of this scheme which suggests a key role of Rahu ( by exclusion) and is considered its natural governor.

I also find it of great interest that the dasa periods begin with the sun's 11 years, then increase by 1 e.g. 11, 12, 13 … 18. It is also noteworthy that that our sun is on a 11 year cycle of waxing and waning in activity. Is there an association then with the 11 Rudra? Sanjay Rath offers this as a possibility.

The sun (surya) is also that natural karAka of the 1st house and hence is found to start the dasa scheme out. As one increases in years of the dasa scheme 'more heat' is offered, more rudra.

That was my reason for thinking that the Chāndogya Upaniṣad sloka tṛtīya savana would end with rudras vs. adityas. I have more to learn on this matter and/or we can also conclude that the shodasottari dasa system is not the best fit for the slokas offered in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad with my present level of knowledge but will keep looking.

pranams


1. Chandogya defined http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?p=21916#post21916 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?p=21916)
2. ayus (Ayus आयुस्) - life , vital power , vigour , health , duration of life , long life + param (परम्) or the most , at the utmost , merely , no more than , nothing but; so param ayus is the maximum length of life.
3. savana - time (in general); bathing , ablution , religious bathing (performed at morning , noon , and evening)
3a. We know this as asrama , or stage(s) of life.
Brahmacharya---the student stage
Garhasthya---the married householder stage
Banaprastha ( some say vanaprastha) -the stage of retirement and contemplation
Sannyas---the stage of religious mendicancy

Jigar
15 April 2008, 08:01 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Connecting with Jyotish
That said, we have 24 (morning) + 44 (mid-day) + 48 (evening) = 116 years for param ayus ( or max. length of life). What is associated in the Jyotish dasa system that correlates to 116 years ? It is shodasottari dasa. This dasa system is applicable for the following types of birth:..
1. The native is born in sukla paksha (or bright half of the month, some say waxing moon) and;
The lagna is in the sun's hora - that is, the 1st half of an odd signs degree ( 0º to 15º) or the 2nd half of an even sign ( 15.001º to 30º)
-or-
2. The native is born in krishna paksha (dark half of the month, some say waning moon) and;
The lagna the moon's hora - that is 2st half of an odd signs degree (15.001º to 30º) or the 1st half of an even sign ( 0º to 15º).

Hence the sun and moon create the conditions here and the horas play a key role in laying out this dasa scheme.


So there, is no relation between Krshna Paksha and the vimshottari and ashotottari periods. I wonder what would be the influence if born on the periods of 14.001º to 16.999º.

yajvan
15 April 2008, 11:28 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~


So there, is no relation between Krshna Paksha and the vimshottari and ashotottari periods. I wonder what would be the influence if born on the periods of 14.001º to 16.999º.


Namaste ,
note the following:

that 14.001º falls into 0º to 15º segment, and 16.999º falls into 15.001º to 30º segment.
you mention ' no relation between Krshna Paksha and the vimshottari and ashotottari periods' - this is mixing apples and oranges. There are the dasa periods that are different i.e. vimshottari and ashtottari ; and the time of the month based upon the moon's position i.e. Krshna Paksha.
So , you have offered 3 ingredients, that do not bake a cake :) nor a waffle, or cookies.As you mention
what would be the influence if born on the periods of 14.001º to 16.999º This cannot be answered with just degrees. Is it a bright half or dark half of the month? This is one decision factor that was offered in the last post.

pranams