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yajvan
26 February 2009, 01:26 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté


I thought to ask other's POV and insights... why or what do you think are the mechanics of Jyotish? That is, how do the navgraha-s (9 graha-s¹ or planets) influence us? How does 'jyo' ( to order or cause one to observe) occur?


We have many posts here under Jyotish (jyotiṣa¹) yet there has been little discussion on the simple mechanics on how this influence occurs.


Any thoughts on this matter?

words

graha ग्रह- seizing , laying hold of , holding i.e. a graha ~seizes~ or influences the circumstances of the native.
jyotiṣa ज्योतिष the science of the movements of the heavenly bodies and divisions of time dependant thereon ; science of light.
jyo ज्यो- to order, to cause anyone to observe a vow;
jyotis ज्योतिस्- light , brightness (of the sky) + tiṣa , science of the movements of the heavenly bodies
tiṣām ayana - the course or movements of the heavenly bodies , science of those movements

yajvan
02 March 2009, 01:41 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté



Any thoughts on this matter?



Jyotiṣ¹ is a very robust science ( some would suggest art and science). So let me offer a POV on this matter; it will be advisable to be simple. Can there be additional discussions that take a view deeper and wider? Yes, sure.

It will be good to talk of this ancient science in ways that are easy to grasp. It makes sense to apply the wisdom of Einstein - make things as simple as possible, but not simpler.

3 approaches to consider:
- the concept - the pañca mahābhutā
- śatapatha brāhmaṇa - what it tells us
- all things are connected


The pañca mahābhutā - the 5 (pañca) great (mahā) elements (bhutā).

ākāśa - space
vāyu - air/gasses
tejas (agni) - fire/energy
jala - water/fluids
prithvī - earth/solid/materialWe use these elements every day… We take in food (prithvī) , consume liquid (jala), we might use fire to cook the food (tejas)
and our gastric fire (agni) to digest and distribute the food within the blood stream ( jala/ fluids).
These elements are the building blocks of this known universe and of us. We are expressions of these tattva (elements). As the wise say, 'as above so below' . The things found in the heavens are also found in us, and this is confirmed by modern day physics and the periodic chart of elements.

Now who owns these pañca mahābhutā ? From the jyotiṣa POV it is the grāhaka¹ or the ~planets. They are the representatives, the ambassators if you will , of the cosmic impulses found throughout the cosmos. It is by the tattva (elements) they own that they influence our affairs. Note I use the word influence.

Sanjay Rath¹ suggests that the grāhaka do not directly control, but indirectly influence and persuade via the tattva ( and their permutations) under their management.

Lets use an example: Say you are the mayor of a town and you wish to make some improvements in higher education of your city yet you wish to be indirect and avoid being bold. You use the tools that are available to you. You offer some bonus ( of prestige, or money or position) to those that finish a masters degree. You are not forcing anyone, but by the laws you are responsible for, you persuade & influence to guide your mission. Like that the grāhaka-s are working 7 days a week , 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year with their constant persuading and permutations, etc. to nudge, change, etc. the native.

The next post - we can consider the the śatapatha brāhmaṇa i.e. brāhmaṇa of one-hundred paths

praṇām

words

grāhaka one that seizes, takes captive; captivating , persuading
grāha ग्राह - seizing , holding , catching , receiving
jyotiṣa ज्योतिष the science of the movements of the heavenly bodies and divisions of time dependant thereon ; science of light.
jyo ज्यो- to order, to cause anyone to observe a vow;
jyotis ज्योतिस्- light , brightness (of the sky) + tiṣa , science of the movements of the heavenly bodies
Sanjay Rath - todays brilliant jyotiṣa; Originally from Puri, Orissa, and a gotra (family) of jyotiṣika.

yajvan
03 March 2009, 05:40 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

continuing the conversation....

Aṣṭau Vasavaḥ ( the 8 vasu-s)
The aṣṭau vasavaḥ represent the basic/essential ingredients that define every creation. Why do we care? If the grāhaka influence, they must also participate within these vasavaḥ.

These aṣṭau vasavaḥ are part of the 33 devatā that contributes to the complete expansion of the Supreme (anuttara). We need not pursue the 33 devatā here . There is a HDF conversation¹ that talks of these devatā if there is interest.
Birth implies creation and this is the principle of sustenance, born or created being. It is said the 8 vasu-s are 8 sources of light which are associated with the process of sustenance, maintenance, and experience for the ātma.

Note from the above post that 3 more 'components' are added to the pañca mahābhutā that were listed out in post #2.

The śatapatha brāhmaṇa (14th kānda) gives the list of eight vasu-s

agni - fire/energy
prithvī - earth/solid/material
vāyu - air/gasses
antarīkṣa - sky; 'antar' means intermediate space or interval
āditya - Sun ; this is not to be confused with the dvādaśāditya or the 12 zodiacal signs, owned by āditya
This will be referred to in a new post , and I will put this part in as a reminder.
dyu - considered heaven; some consider the root 'dyo' for light brilliance, and then connected to 'div' to shine, be bright
candrama - moon
nakṣhetra (27-28 lunar mansions or the constellations)Sanjay Rath suggests the Viṣṇu Purāṇa lays out the Vasu’s a bit more succinctly and it looks like this:

āpa आप – jala (water/fluids)
dhara धर – prithvī - earth/solid/material ; a mass of gold or heap of valuables (representing the earth); rooted (√) in dhṛ, that of bearing , supporting.
anila अनिल - some like to call wind; as mentioned above it's vāyu, air/gasses
anala अनल - agni, tejas , fire/energy ; rooted in (√) in an or fire
dhruva ध्रुव – the pole star yet also means, fixed, firm, immovable. This also includes/represents the following:
ākāśa - space where all things reside and;
fixity of the zodiac we call ayanamsa; 'ayana' is a course circulation or path. The course or patterns of the zodiac/sky and the routes taken by the grāhaka
soma सोम – the moon; some call caṇḍa (glowing) or candra
pratyūṣa – the recurring dawn and its two components:

The Sun – as causing the night and day i.e. the source of light behind the dawn, and kāraka of the lagna, also ātmakārka
The lagna – called the ascendant; this word lagna means 'adhering or clinging to , attached to' - this makes sense for ones birth, as it is attached to this location in space and time. It represents the 'self' that of the body .
prabhāsa प्रभास – means 'splendour , beauty ' and represents the nakṣhetra (27-28 lunar mansions or the constellations)We will see in the next post how the śatapatha brāhmaṇa extends this conversation. This continues to lay the foundation for the grāhaka's influence.

praṇām

words and references


dyu द्यु - heaven, sometimes sky; brightness , sheen , glow

dyota द्योत - light, brillance
div दिव् - to shine, be bright; also to praise
HDF post: 33 devata and 330 million: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2018&highlight=devata (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2018&highlight=devata)
Sanjay Rath - todays brilliant jyotiṣa; Originally from Puri, Orissa, and a gotra (family) of jyotiṣika.
jyotiṣa ज्योतिष the science of the movements of the heavenly bodies and divisions of time dependant thereon ; science of light.
jyo ज्यो- to order, to cause anyone to observe a vow
jyotis ज्योतिस्- light , brightness (of the sky) + tiṣa , science of the movements of the heavenly bodies

yajvan
04 March 2009, 11:21 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

In the last post above āditya was referred to as the Sun. Here is a broader view of āditya, as dvādaśāditya or the 12 zodiacal signs she meters out and the influence on this good earth.

The dvādaśāditya (or the 12 zodiacal signs) , owned by āditya.
From the śatapatha brāhmaṇa ¹

The bha (zodiac) cakra (astronomical circle, wheel) is the source for all things on earth and meters out these experiences to all things on this earth. So says the śatapatha brāhmaṇa:

katama ādityā iti. dvādaśa māsaù
sāvatsarasyaita ādityā ete hédā
sarvamādadānā yanti tadyadidā
sarvamādadānā yanti tasmādādityā iti.

We speak of the āditya. The twelve māsa (months) that make a sāvatsara (year) are āditya. They are the source of every material creation causing desire, delight, passion, intoxication, exhilaration and stupor as well as the desire that causes wars and fighting. They are the source of everything that is ever received for they alone are the givers of everything and hence they are the āditya.

Now there is another quote I think is most appropriate to consider.
It is from one of the ṛṣi-s of the ṛk veda ( some prefer it written ṛc or rig) and is Mahārishi Parāśar.

When one thinks of vedic astrology, Mahārishi Parāśar's body of work is at the core of this great thinking. He says the following,
The unborn Lord has many incarnations. He has incarnated, as the 9 (nava) grahas to bestow on the living beings the results due to their karma-s. He is Janārdana¹ (another name of Viṣṇu). He assumed the auspicious form of graha-s to destroy the demons (evil forces, negativity) and sustain the divine beings. From the Brihat-parāśara-horā-śāstra¹ , chapter 2, śloka-s 3-4.

praṇām

words and references

janārdana tजनार्दन - means 'exciting or agitating men' - and this is why (perhaps) Mahārishi Parāśar used this term, as the graha-s have this characteristic;
janārdana: janā +dana : jana is 'generating'; living being; janā is 'birth' + dāna - is the act of giving. This janārdana
suggests He that generates and gives birth to the the worlds; jana is also the world beyond the mahar-loka, as Viṣṇu's reach is beyond our perceptions… His 3 steps.
There is also another view of janārdana: 'One who inflicts suffering on evil men' ;alternatively, it means, 'He to whom all devotees pray for worldly success and liberation'
iti इति- in the brāhmaṇas it is often equivalent to " as you know " ; iti means that the preceding words are the very words which some person has or might have spoken of.
bha भ- sign of the zodiac
śatapatha brāhmaṇa is part of the Śukla (white) Yajur-veda ; I have not read this complete work and use the insights of others ( Sanjay Rath) for its interpretations.
Brihat-parāśara-horā-śāstra¹ reference site: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3042187/brihat-parashara-hora-sastra-vedic-astrology-ebook (http://www.scribd.com/doc/3042187/brihat-parashara-hora-sastra-vedic-astrology-ebook) for those interested in this body of knowledge

yajvan
05 March 2009, 12:05 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté



I wrote, there are:


3 approaches to consider:
- the concept - the pańca mahābhutā
- śatapatha brāhmaṇa - what it tells us
- all things are connected

The question comes up, but how do these influences touch us, get to us? contact us? In the spirit of remaining simple, I submit the following:

sarvasarvātmakatā vapuḥ - everything (sarva) is the form (vapuḥ) of everything else (sarvātmaka)… Abhinavagupta-ji, from Parā-trīśikā Vivaraṇa

If one wishes to go deeper and further on this idea, the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, Chapter 8 will be worth the read.

praṇām