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WTyler
22 November 2010, 03:56 PM
Hello,

I am new to the Dharma, and I was wondering on how to find my Ishta Devata in terms of Jyotish.

I was born September 11th 1988 at 1:30am

The coordinates being: 30° 24′ 6″ N, 89° 4′ 34″ W

Can anyone tell me about my astrology?

Blessings to all.

yajvan
22 November 2010, 08:10 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté WTyler

Quote:
Originally Posted by WTyler http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?p=53700#post53700)
How do I choose?

you have read this, regarding iṣṭa-devatā, the ambassador of the formless that has form?

part 1
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=746 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=746)

part 2

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=748

part 3

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=764

praṇām

yajvan
24 November 2010, 02:40 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté WTyler



Hello,

I am new to the Dharma, and I was wondering on how to find my Ishta Devata in terms of Jyotish.

I was born September 11th 1988 at 1:30am

The coordinates being: 30° 24′ 6″ N, 89° 4′ 34″ W

Can anyone tell me about my astrology?

Blessings to all.
Based upon the coordinates given you were born at the airport?
Which gate ? :) Are you certain of these coordinates?

Also - in Sept. 1988 was daylight savings time inforce? Is the birth time offered daylight savings time or standard time?

praṇām

Eastern Mind
24 November 2010, 04:09 PM
Vannakkam Yajvan et al:

Not that I'm all that intrigued, but I found my ishta devata without astrology. So I am wondering what would happen if I had an astrological consultation now and got it found out that way. Wondering if I would suddenly 'become' a Vaishnavite ot Shaktite.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
24 November 2010, 05:29 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté EM



Vannakkam Yajvan et al:

Not that I'm all that intrigued, but I found my ishta devata without astrology. So I am wondering what would happen if I had an astrological consultation now and got it found out that way. Wondering if I would suddenly 'become' a Vaishnavite ot Shaktite.
Aum Namasivaya

Yes, many choose to find their iṣṭa-devatā by other means. This is fine. All roads lead to Rome. Using jyotish is another method.

praṇām

kahanam
25 November 2010, 01:31 AM
Ishta Devata is found by your own free choice and will. All Devatas are manifestations of the Supreme One Almighty God. Why invoke astrology in this at all?:confused: :confused: :confused:

Eastern Mind
25 November 2010, 06:24 AM
Vannakkam Kahanam:

What you say may have be true for you and for me, but WTyler is new and exploring. If astrology is a guide, and the ancients say that it can be helpful, then I see no problem at all with the question. There is quite a bit of information out there in the subject so it must be used by somebody.

Do you feel the same way about arranged marriages? Free choice and will in selecting a wife with no astrological consultation?

But another thing WTyler should know is that the very concept of ishta and its various implications vary from sect to sect, with Smarta and Vaishnavite sects having the concept stronger. Perhaps Shaktism as well.

In my version of Saivism, I would say there is no real ishta for me. If I had to say, I guess it would have to be Siva, yet I spend more time worshipping both Ganesha and Murugan. Its certainly not something on the front of my mind.

Aum Namasivaya

sm78
25 November 2010, 08:03 AM
But another thing WTyler should know is that the very concept of ishta and its various implications vary from sect to sect, with Smarta and Vaishnavite sects having the concept stronger. Perhaps Shaktism as well.

In my version of Saivism, I would say there is no real ishta for me. If I had to say, I guess it would have to be Siva, yet I spend more time worshipping both Ganesha and Murugan. Its certainly not something on the front of my mind.

Aum Namasivaya

I think its completely a smarta (more apt. puranic) concept. vaishnavas are definition worshippers of vishnu, saivas of shiva, shaktas of shakti - the exact form of the lord or goddess depended on the sampradaya practices, level of initiation, geography etc.

yajvan
25 November 2010, 08:17 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



Why invoke astrology in this at all?

A fair question. Let me answer this way:
Because we are in the jyotish folder and this is where this knowledge is discussed, and people have asked.
This method is called out by various muni's as plausible i.e. we did not make this up.

This vimarśa¹ comes to us via mahārishi parāśar , a ṛṣi of the ṛg ved and the author of of the brihat-parāśara-horā-śāstra.
He also was the father of veda vyāsa¹.

Now this knowledge advanced substantially by jaimini muni, a student of vyāsa-ji's. He wrote the upadeśa sūtra-s that supliments
the brihat-parāśara-horā-śāstra of his teacher's father.

This upadeśa has a few meanings, that is why I am offering it here and extending the conversation just a bit.
Upadeśa is defined as instruction , teaching , information , advice , prescription. Hence jaimini muni's work is a informative
teaching and adjunct to the brihat-parāśara-horā-śāstra.

As you would expect with great seers, there is a deeper meaning to this word:

upadeśa u = a name of śiva, + pada = is foot or standing point + śa = śam = to put to an end, to destroy; it also means to
'be quiet or calm'. Others say the u expressed here is for the middle term of auṁ and therefore represents viṣṇu, and I am fine with that too.

Hence jaimini muni is saying this work is offered to the feet of śiva, ( or viṣṇu) to put an end to (ignorance) and to quiet and calm
the intellect. To bring knowledge.

praṇām

words

vimarśa विमर्श- knowledge , intelligence
veda vyāsa is kṛṣṇa dvaipāyana also known as vādarāyaṇa or bādarāyaṇa

sunyata07
26 November 2010, 02:12 PM
Namaste,

While I don't doubt there are valid reasons behind people's consulting traditional Vedic astrologers for help with connecting to the Devas, I'm not entirely sure I believe it can be as simple as "looking up" one's ishta-devata on a horoscopic chart. If the person in question feels some universal neutrality to all the Devas, neither preferring to worship one over the other, then I guess this type of consultation would definitely have its uses. In such cases it might act as a guide or an indicator of where to begin developing sincere bhakti. Personally, I prefer intuition to intellect in such matters.



In my version of Saivism, I would say there is no real ishta for me. If I had to say, I guess it would have to be Siva, yet I spend more time worshipping both Ganesha and Murugan. Its certainly not something on the front of my mind.



I'm the same. I would say my ishta is Shakti - namely, Maa Durga - but I often find myself performing more pujas, and reciting more formal prayers to Ganesha and Shiva. And yet, like yourself EM, I don't spend time worrying over why this is so as much as I used to. Nor do I even bother with sectarian divisions anymore.

yajvan
26 November 2010, 04:48 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté sunyata07


I prefer intuition to intellect in such matters.

In the final analysis, the greatest jyotiṣa's depend on intuition. That is how the ṛṣi's mahārishi parāśar, veda vyāsa, jaimini and the like came to their conclusions.

I can tell you that there are only a few jyotiṣa's who know this method for the iṣṭa-devatā approach. When I talk to one that proclaims they practice this science I ask for their approach for doing this and most ( 80% ) do not know.

Most ( not all) are more concerned with what their client's are asking - when will I get a new car, when will I be married, will I pass my test, when will I get a new boyfriend, when will I get a new house... all this is very low on my radar and frankly I pay little to no attention regarding these issues.
I do not see ( nor have I been taught) that jyotiṣ is a parlor game ( I am not inferring you nor anyone that has posted suggests this). For me and a small group of associates it is all about advancing one's spiritual thinking.


I respect your views and know you have clear vision on this matter. Yet I can say if this approach was not important the muni's would not spend one minute on this subject.

That said , and as I have said before , there are other ways for one to consider their iṣṭa-devatā : By His/Her own grace, by the guru, by insight, but not by guessing.

praṇām

yajvan
27 November 2010, 11:39 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

Let say one knows the name of their iṣṭa-devatā, what then? How do you come to personally know (not just by name) Him or Her ?

We can look to patañjali’s yogadarśana, chapter 2 (sādhana pada), 44th sūtra, as it says the following:


svādhyāyāt iṣṭadevatā saṁprayogaḥ ( some like to write it like this svādhyāyādiṣṭadevatāsaṁprayogaḥ )


What does this say?


svādhyāyāt = svā+dhyā+yāt


svā = one's own; my own

dhyā = dhyāna or meditation; we can look at it also as dhyeya meaning object of meditation

yāt = to join

Note too that svadhaya means to propitiate (to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate)

iṣṭadevatā = iṣṭa+devatā

iṣṭa = agreeable, beloved, reverenced , respected

devatā or devátā = divinity, Supreme ( the ambassator of the Formless that takes form)



saṁprayogaḥ = saṁ+pra+yogaḥ

saṁ = is rooted in yuj ' to join together'

pra = fullment

yogaḥ = yoga = union or the act of yoking , joining , attaching , harnessing

My translation (any blemishes belong to me).


Through one's own mediation, the fulfillment of joining together with one's most beloved and respected divinity ( is accompished - inferred by 'pra' )


Meditation here does not mean the act of daily thinking and pondering but that approach that reveals samādhi



What others say ( not different, just an extention of the subject)



svāmī lakṣman-jū (kaśmir śaivism POV)


The fruit that accures from continuiiouly striving for Self-knowledge,
by constant study of the scriptures, that the Lord whom you seek
(iṣṭadevatā) will shine before you.



yogāchārya svāmi hariharānanda āraṇa (founder of the Kāpila Monastery)



From study and repetition of the mantras, communication with the desired deity is established.


BKS Iyengar


Self-study leads towards the realization of God or communion with one's desired deity.

Śakti Das (a.k.a. sahaj yogi)


Through self study (swadhyaya) knowledge of our true self is disclosed completing
the yoga that reveals our true sacred nature (innate divinity or ishta devata which resides inside all beings).


praṇām

words
The 4 sections or chapters (pada's) of patañjali’s yogadarśana ( yoga sūtra-s) - samādhi pada , sādhana pada , vibhūti pada , kevala pada

yajvan
27 November 2010, 09:50 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté





Let say one knows the name of their iṣṭa-devatā, what then? How do you come to personally know (not just by name) Him or Her ?

We can look to patañjali’s yogadarśana, chapter 2 (sādhana pada), 44th sūtra, as it says the following:


svādhyāyāt iṣṭadevatā saṁprayogaḥ ( some like to write it like this svādhyāyādiṣṭadevatāsaṁprayogaḥ )


What does this say?


svādhyāyāt = svā+dhyā+yāt


svā = one's own; my own

dhyā = dhyāna or meditation; we can look at it also as dhyeya meaning object of meditation

yāt = to join


Another look at svādhyāya without breaking it into its components is defined as 'reciting or repeating or rehearsing to one's self , repetition or recitation of the veda in a low voice to one's self '

So, we can see why the word self-study has come up in the translations I offered above e.g. svāmī lakṣman-jū's, svāmi hariharānanda āraṇa , etc.

Yet there is one more thing the astute HDF reader will notice. This svādhyāya is one of the niyama's called out in patañjali’s yogadarśana. We have :

śauca - cleanliness or purity
santoṣa - contentment
tapaṣya - self control
svādhyāya - Self-study , Self-knowing
īśvara-praṇudhāna - adoration of the Supreme, of one's iṣṭadevatā.Please note and consider these 5 are not in random order. Each niyama provides the foundation for the next. This is the brilliance of patañjali-ji and his insight of the mechanics of unfolding the divine in the sakala¹ .

This is the offering here of patañjali ; we lay the foundation for the Supreme to be adored by us. So, for those interested in being close to their iṣṭadevatā, consider the qualities to form the strong foundation for this to occur. The niyama's and yama's. You can read more about these in the patañjali folder here on HDF - here is one to point the way : http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=57

praṇām

1. sakala - affected by the elements of the world;with śaiva-s applied to a soul which has not advanced

kahanam
30 November 2010, 12:53 AM
Perhaps even when the mind thinks of one Deity as the Ishta Devatha, it is the Paramatman which makes it think that way and even the Jyotish is stimulated to think in those lines by the Paramatman!:) :) :)
Ekam Sat!

kahanam
17 February 2013, 11:24 AM
The Paramaatman leads one to Ishta Devatha, not the person's choice, but as it should be, as it is already ordained!:)

ShivaFan
21 February 2013, 11:38 PM
Namaste

For (IMO) most, the Ishta Devata finds you. You will know.

Jai Hanuman

Om Namah Sivaya

Ra K Sankar
24 February 2013, 08:34 PM
Namaste

a) If you have great ambition and pursue it violently, and

b) if you have a subconscious with spiritual practice impressions,

you will experience a great blocking by external circumstances
for realizing your ambitions known also as hardening of the heart,

your helplessness will surround you on all sides,

simultaneously your serpent energy will awaken,

leading you to inquire into spiritual things,

during that time, the seeds of your chosen deity will be sown,

including through appearance of spiritual masters through dreams, and

finally fulfilment of your ambitions and desires as per Divine Will.

Complex it looks and possibly is...:)

Ra K Sankar