November 2016 The Astrological eMagazine Preview

                                                                                                                                                                                            

www.astrologicalmagazine.com

Demystifying Vedic Knowledge – 7* | YAGNAVALKYA   

THE IMPORTANCE OF KUMBABHISHEKAM

I

n the previous issue of The Astrological eMagazine we understood the meaning of certain aspects of Kumbhabhishekam. We conclude with this issue.

Khadasthapanam The important event in Kumbabhishekam is the Kadasthapanam. This means installing the Kalasa.

The Kalasas will be made out of gold, silver, copper, or clay. There are strict rules for the making of the Kalasas. The Kalasas made according to the rules will be energized with the mantras and shown to the Agni. Then they will be pasted over with red clay and tied criss-cross, all around, with thin cotton threads.

Then they will be filled with water from rivers, or from fountains. Then a bunch of mango leaves will be inserted in the mouth of the Kalasas and a coconut will be placed over them to hold them. The Kumbhas will also be filled with navaratnas, gold, silver, and navadanyas. The Kumbha will be considered as the body of the deity for which the kumbabhishekam is conducted.

Ashtabhandanam Kumbabhishekam is known and called as the ashtabhandana maha kumbabhishekam. The idols of Gods placed on the pedestals must stand firm and not become shaky anytime. For this, a special paste is manufactured made of eight specific herbs mixed with wood lac, limestone powder, resin, red ochre, bees wax and butter. The paste is formed into long rolls about two cm thick and applied directly around the base of the idol, so that the cemented joints become watertight.

This process is believed to keep the idol rejuvenated for a period of 12 years. When the Bandhanam *continued from the October 2016 issue of The AeM THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE

is performed with gold (Swarnabandhanam), the rejuvenating power of the deity is believed to last for a period of 100 years. This is called ashtabhandana.

The 'Ashtabhandana' paste is pliable like rubber.

Through repeated interactions with abhisheka dravyams - materials used to bathe the idol during daily worship like water, milk, buttermilk, sandal paste and oils - and atmospheric oxidants, the paste loses its flexibility, becomes rigid and gets riddled with a lot of fissures. Through these fissures, the abhisheka dravyams percolate and attack the Yantra embedded under the Peetham, obliterating the Bijaaksharamantras -- mantras of sacred syllables (Bija) -- that are inscribed on the Yantra, and this is believed to contribute to the lowering of the pranic spiritual power of the deity with the passage of time.

Mihutsamgrahanam This means collecting soil. During kumbabhishekam and event will be performed called Anguraarpanam.

This means making sprouts from seeds. The earth will be dug out and placed in small mud cups and watered and navadanyas sown thereon to sprout into shoots.

This is called mihutsamgrahanam.

On the appointed day and at an auspicious time, the Kumbha is bathed with the charged and sanctified holy waters in the sacrificial pot and, by a mystic process, These pranic powers trickle down a silver wire and enter the deity installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The deity, which was until then only a granite sculptured stone image, is believed to get transformed into a vibrant and vivid living representation of the Deva, with innate beatitude, grace and grandeur, conferring divine blessings on all devotees.

NOVEMBER 2016

3

www.astrologicalmagazine.com

experience, particularly a planet in digbala like that.

It makes very little logical sense to me why a karaka for a house would hurt it. That is like a house lord destroying its own house, though karaka is an even more all encompassing level.

Barry Rosen: Thanks Frank. This is why I asked. I see mixed results with it all the time and it does not make sense to me either but sometimes it is right on with Mars in the 3rd or Jupiter in the 5th.

Frank Vazquez: Barry Rosen, Mars in 3rd house can bring a strong will, perhaps too much sometimes. I’d be curious what the other factors that are involved when you feel it is working (lord, house itself, aspects, Arudha, etc.)

Barry Rosen: That is what I was getting at trying to develop a list of specific qualities of things that are a bit out of balance. May be the rest of the group can help. I have not thought about them that deeply and some of them are difficult, like Jupiter in the 9th house – to fanatically religious? Moon in the 4th house – too attached too mother? Have to get creative here. I also want to do this with badaka as they have positive manifestations but psychological and emotional challenges.

Shankar Nath Kapoor: Barry Rosen, my studies have led me to consider this aspect. I agree with you that it is essential to consider in the light of birth chart as well as concerned divisional chart. Such dictums must be seen in relation to placements of bhava lord as well as other planets in chart itself for no planet alone could materially affect any bhava. Further, it must be seen in the light of strength of bhava lord, in the light of placement in kendra or trikona; its conjunction with or aspect by yogakaraka or other karaka with bhava lord, or bhava lord is hemmed between them or by malefics, and strength of its rasi, nakshatra and navamsa dispositers and relations, conjunction and, aspects etc. of dispositers otherwise; nearness or distance of karaka with the cusp of the bhava is a material factor. There could be harm to or loss of happiness from relation indicated by the bhava, without affecting much other karakatwas of the karaka planet.

Marie-josée Veilleux: My brother has Jupiter in the 5th Scorpio. His wife had a lot of difficulty getting pregnant, it took 11 years and she had to do artificial insemination. But finally, he had a son and a daughter, they are happy now.

8 OCTOBER 2016

Stephen Philip Glaser: Do you have any idea about your brother’s wife’s 5th house?

Marie-josée Veilleux: No, I don’t have her time of birth, but she has Moon in Aries, so Leo with Mars in the 5th from Moon aspected by Sun, Saturn and Venus.

Simona Mesic: I have retrograde Jupiter in 5th house and have one son. He came quite late in my life, but no problems getting pregnant. He is very spiritual and true blessing for me.

Shankar Nath Kapoor: Apart from delay retrograde, combust and debilitated Karaka should also reduce or harm happiness from the relation indicated by such Karaka. Learned friends may check it and enlighten us.

Pete Dawson: According to Dr. B.V. Raman, a strong benefic in lagna, 3rd or 5th house whilst simultaneously aspecting the 9th forms Bhagya Yoga, which the classics tell us makes one “extremely fortunate, pleasure loving and rich”. My wife has Jupiter in 5th Scorpio, conjunct the lagnesha Moon and in mutual glance with Venus. She has two highly intelligent, respectful and wonderful kids.

Balaraman Suresh: I have Venus in 7th house, exalted in Rasi chart but debilitated in Virgo Navamsa. I divorced despite having Malavya Yoga and Hamsa Yoga. The ‘Karako Bhava Nashaaya’ principle does work for me.

Marcia Kalika: Hart Defouw taught karakas (you mentioned) hurts human indications, i.e. Moon in 4th house is difficult for mother but not peace of mind or housing. Jupiter in 5th house is good for mantra japa but can hurt child. Not detrimental but there may be something that is difficult. Venus in 7th house can be difficult for partner. The partner may have health problems or the natives may have very high passions which brings inappropriate partners. Just some issue that is problematic.

Freedom Cole: Karka Bhavo Nashaya - I do not interpret this as the karaka in its own house destroys the house. There is no sva or anything indicating that translation/interpretation. I have heard about 5 or 6 other interpretations that all seem to work better. With all translations taken into account, I just pay attention to the karaka and its status and placement and nature according to lagna and amsas. continued on 35

THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE

www.astrologicalmagazine.com

Venus Mercury (R) Sun

Rahu

Asc

Rasi

Saturn (R)

Feb 24, 1948 2-34 PM, Melukote

Jupiter

Asc

Jupiter Mars

Ketu

Moon

Saturn

Navamsa Mars (R) Moon

Ketu

Venus Sun Rahu

Mercury

Current period:- Jupiter Dasa- Saturn Antardasa till 24th April 2017.

Some Basic Features 1. Three planets namely Mercury, the lagna lord, Mars, the 6 th lord and Jupiter, lord of 7th and 10th houses are in the same degrees (2 degree + minutes) which happen to be benefic Shashtyamsas. This means these planets influence each other but would ultimately turn out to be beneficial for the native.

2. Three planets namely Mercury (Lagna lord), Saturn (8 th lord) and Mars (6 th lord) are in retrogression getting into connection between themselves. Since a retrograde planet is said to have moved to the previous sign, Mercury can be posited at 8th house and the 8th lord Saturn can be put in the lagna. By this it can be said that the lagna lord (Mercury) and ashtama lord (Saturn) have exchanged their houses. In addition Mars shifts to the 2nd house and aspects lagna lord Mercury that had shifted to 8 th house. The exchange between Mercury and Saturn make it a case of life and death alternating, with Mars, the 6th lord lending its share of enmity.

3. Jupiter the 10 th lord of profession suffers adhipatya dosha but becomes powerful in being the 10th lord from the 10th (bhavath bhava). It is in moolatrikona and attains vaisheshika bala in 5 vargas of dasavarga. Jupiter is in simhasanamsa, a unique position that makes the native tied to the throne of the king. Jayalalithaa was a leading queen in film world in the first half of her life and reigning queen in politics in the second half of her life. At the same time Jupiter having exchanged the star dispositor with Ketu, makes her a highly spiritual person. Jupiter is in 10 NOVEMBER 2016

Ketu’s star and Ketu is in Jupiter’s star. The sign dispositor of Ketu is Venus is nearing deep exaltation in Pisces that happens to be her karmasth ana . Ketu goes into exaltation in navamsa and all these make her a candidate closer to moksha. What is known from this is that the kind of hard and tough challenges she is facing are indeed washing off her prarabdha karma while at the same time refining her mind to deeper spirituality.

4. Not left behind such a powerful Jupiter are lagna lord Mercury and 6th lord Mars. Mercury is in gopuramsa (same varga in 4 out of 10 vargas) and Mars is in simhasanamsa (same varga in 5 out of 10 vargas). With these 3 planets (Mercury, Mars and Jupiter) attaining vargottama in more vargas and in sowmya shashtyamsas, they get the power to salvage whatever damage happens.

Why she should get the damages first of all is seen from the sway of nodes on her important planets. Her lagna, Sun, Moon, 6 th lord Mars and 10th lord Jupiter are all in the stars of Rahu or Ketu. In addition to being an adhipatya dosha causing planet, Jupiter becomes a badhaka also for her chara lagna. The grip of Rahu and Ketu make her a child of destiny which however is being thwarted at every stage by the countering features explained above.

5. In addition to the above features, the presence of a kind of Satrumooladhana yoga (refer 140th yoga in Three Hundred Important Combinations authored by Dr. B. V. Raman) with a strong 2nd lord Moon joining 6th lord Mars and aspected by powerful lagna lord Mercury makes her gain through her enemies. Though she never made anyone an enemy proactively, she inherited the political enemies of her mentor MGR. Though there was a time people believed the propaganda of her enemies, she has come to such a level when no one takes the propaganda of her enemies seriously but instead rush to support her so that her enemies do not get into power. In other words, people voted her to power to stop her enemies (opposition party in Tamil Nadu) from getting into power. A negative vote for her enemies became a positive vote for her. That is the power of Satrumooladhana yoga. continued on 13 THE ASTROLOGICAL eMAGAZINE