HORA RATNAM CHAPTER ONE
Signs, their properties & division, impregnation, delivery etc….
1. Names of The Signs: Firstly, the names of the zodiacal signs are stated as per Kalyana Varma. The names of the twelve signs in order are: 1. Aries 2. Taurus 3. Gemini 4. Cancer 5. Leo 6. Virgo 7. Libra 8. Scorpio 9. Sagittarius 10. Capricorn, 11. Aquarius 12. Pisces.
Notes: The Sanskrit equivalent of a sign is “Rasi”. Rasi means a heap, and the sign is a heap of degrees, of quarters of constellations etc. as could be seen in the following pages.
The author’s intellectual honesty can be seen from this very first sloka. Even for mentioning the names of the signs, he honestly quotes the authority as Kalyana Varma and does not pretend to be all-knowing. This honesty sadly lacked even in case of many of his compiler-predecessors; not to speak of successors.
In some contexts, our author cites more than two authorities in support of a certain-concept ill order that what he is presenting to his reader is only genuine and widely accepted. Where there is a contradiction among the ancients; the author sorts it out.
2. Limbs of Time Personified: Varaha Mihira has divided the limbs of Kala Purusha (Time Personified) in twelve parts based on the signs commencing from Aries. These are in the following order: Head, face, arms; heart, abdomen, waist, bladder (or lower abdomen, pelvis), privities, thighs, knees, shanks and feet denoted respectively by the 12 signs from Aries.
Notes: The twelve signs commencing from Aries denote the various limbs of Time Personified, known as Kala Purusha (masculine gender) in astrological literature as reflected in speculum 1.
3-4. According to Badarayana: (a) Sage Badarayana states, Aries is the head of Time Personified, Taurus face, G mini chest, Cancer heart, Leo abdomen, Virgo waist, Libra bladder (lower abdomen, pelvis), Scorpio privities, Sagittarius the two thighs, Capricorn the two knees, Aquarius the two shanks and Pisces the two feet. The portion “lower abdomen” is located between the navel and privities.
(b) According to Amara, Vasthi denotes urinary bladder which is both masculine and feminine gender. “Mehanam” denotes male/female organ.
Notes: (a) Varaha Mihira holds similar views like that of sage Badarayana. Varaha Mihira’s or any other author’s ¬mentioning “arms” under the rulership of Gemini does not exclude its rulership of chest as such. “Vaksho Nryu Yugmam” is the expression used by Pandit Mukunda Daivagna in his work Jyotisha Tatvam identical with Badarayana.
As the reader gains experience, he will understand further rulerships of signs like Aries ruling brain, and skull; Taurus eyes, tongue, and teeth, Gemini lungs and legs and so on and so forth.
(b) Amara (600 A.D.) was the author of Amara Kosa, the most authoritative Sanskrit lexicon. Another famous lexicographer, Raja Radhakanta Deva lived in the 18th century. His work is known as “Sabda Kalpadruma”
Bala Bhadra’s Exceptions: Bala Bhadra does not agree with the view of Badarayana that chest is ruled by Gemini. For there is no difference between chest and heart, thus there is no repetition (between Gemini and Cancer). Further, excluding “arms” from the rulership of signs is purposeless, for none is born without arms. According to sage Yavana, the 3rd sign represented by a female holding lute and a male adoring the mace indicates arms etc. etc. (vide sloka 18, ch. 1, infra) which points out to the 3rd house representing arms only.
Notes: Bala Bhadra is not right in his disagreement with sage Badarayana, as per the notes under slokas 3 and 4 supra. Apparently, Bala Bhadra follows the views of Meena Raja vide sloka 19 infra who assigns “chest” to Cancer.
To avoid misunderstanding it is to be stressed that arms, chest and lungs come under the sign Gemini, while heart is ruled by Cancer. Leo also has lordship on heart as the Sun is the significator of heart. Aquarius known as “Hridroga” denotes ‘diseases (distinct from the health) of the heart.
5. Views of Surya as per Surya Jataka: (a) It has been stated by the Sun God in his astrological treatise, Surya Jataka, that the twelve signs rule in order the following limbs of Kala Purusha (Time Personified). Head, face, arms, heart, abdomen, waist, bladder (or lower abdomen, pelvis), privities, thighs, knees, shanks and feet are denoted respectively by the 12 signs from Aries.
(b) The author observes: The above statement (of the Sun God) goes in favour of Kalyana Varma while “Seershaasya¬dgororah kroda” is ungrammatical.
Notes: Here the author has given the views of three different a authorities about the limbs related to the twelve signs.
6. Of Limbs: (a) According to Kalyana Varma, the limbs described for Kala Purusha (Time Personified) should be treated as the limbs of a person based on the planetary dispositions at the time of his birth. These signs related to benefic or malefic planets accordingly denote strength or trouble, as the case may be, concerning the limb in question.
(b) Bala Bhadra gives the meaning thus: The limbs denoted by the signs containing benefic planets at the time of birth will be strong. The signs related to malefic planets indicate that the limbs concerned will be weak or injured.
Notes: (a) The limbs of Kala Purusha or Time Personified commence from Aries, while for a nativity these are to be counted from the rising sign. That is, the ascendant indicates head, the 2nd house face, the 3rd house arms and chest, the 4th house heart, the 5th house abdomen, the 6th house waist, the 7th house bladder (lower abdomen, pelvis), the 8th house privities, the 9th house thighs, the 10th house knees, the 11th house shanks and the 12th house feet.
7-12. Zodiacal Divisions: According to sage Garga, the zodiacal signs commencing from Aries are placed in the belt of Nakshatras (i.e. constellations) as shown in speculum 2.
Notes: The zodiac consists of 27 Nakshatras, each divided into four quarters or Padas. These Nakshatras in order are shown in speculum 3 separately.
Thus 27 Nakshatras each of four quarters constitute 108 N akshatra quarters. Each sign, as could be seen from speculum 2 consists of nine Nakshatra-quarters, equal to two Nakshatras and a quarter. The speculum itself reflects the meanings of the present slokas in full.
13. Synonyms of Signs: According to Kalyana Varma, it is a practice to identify the twelve signs, viz. Aries etc. with the following respective synonyms. Kriya, Taauuri, Jituma, Kulira, Leya, Paathona, Jooka, kaurpika, Taukshika, Aakokera, Hridaya Roga and Anthya.
Notes: These synonyms for the 12 signs are in use in the various ancient compositions. These are listed below:
Aries= Kriya; Taurus = Taavuri; Gemini = Jituma; Cancer = Kulira; Leo = Leya; Virgo = Paathona; Libra = Jooka; Scorpio = Kaurpika; Sagittarius = Taukshika; Capricorn = Aakokera; Aquarius = Hridaya Roga; and Pisces = Anthya.
Also see slokas 18 – 23, chapter 1 of Punja Raja’s Sambhu Hora Prakasa, English translation by R. Santhanam.
Aquarius is specially known by the term “Hridroga” and is the basic seat of heart diseases as already mentioned.
14-15. Signs & Theirs Appearances: Based on Satyacharya’s views, the signs are described as under. The sign Aries looks like a goat while Taurus is akin to a bull. Gemini is reflected by a female holding a lute and a male holding a mace. The sign Cancer dwells in waters and Leo in mountains. A virgin seated in a boat with fire and corns in her hands is Virgo. Libra is a male holding the Balance in his hands. Scorpio is like the scorpion while the sign Sagittarius is human in the upper half with an arch, and a horse in the lower half. Deer-faced sign is Capricorn. A man holding a pot is Aquarius. A pair of fish represents Pisces.
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Notes: The sign Cancer resembles crab in appearance (and represents oceans). Leo is lion-faced. For other signs, the descriptions are as given in the original verse.
The basic appearances of various signs are indicated in speculum 4.
16. Description of Aries: Aries is the first sign which resembles a goat in appearance. The ancients described it as the head of Time Personified. It dwells in places frequented by goats and sheep, caves, mountains, places occupied by thieves and of fire, mines of primary elements (i.e. metals, minerals and ores) and land of precious stones.
Notes: The present twelve verses are attributed to Yavanesvara, describing the 12 signs of the zodiac. The authority is Meena Raja’s Meenaraja (Vriddha Yavana) Jataka, which is different from Sphujidhwaja’s Brihad Yavana Jataka.
That the sign Aries rules mines of minerals, metals and places of precious gems should be specially noted with profit. Wool is also ruled by Aries.
These original descriptions of the various signs could be used as under:
When a sign coincides with a certain house, the house concerned will reveal further effects according to the sign. For example, when Aries falls in the 10th house, the person may be involved in professions related to gems, minerals etc. With a bad planet there in the 10th, he may have thieving tendencies. If the sign Aries falls in the 4th house, he will reside in areas of mountains, caves etc. If Aries is the 6th house, head will be primarily prone to injury, diseases etc. Planets in Aries will affect one’s head, brain etc.
This basis of analysis may be applied to other signs also.
17. Taurus Described: The second sign is Taurus whose appearance is like that of an ox. The space from face to neck of Time Personified is denoted by this sign. It dwells in forests, mouIitains and summits, apart from the abodes of elephants, cows and tillers.
Notes: Ears and nose which are protruding parts of the face are not included in Taurus (or the 2nd house) but are ruled by Gemini (or the 3rd house) in analysing a horoscope.
18. Gemini Described: The third one is Gemini constituted by a lute holding female and mace-holding male. In the body of Time Personified, it occupies the space from shoulders to (the end of) arms laces of dancing and singing, sculpture, females, places of sports, sexual enjoyment arid amusement come under this sign.
19 Cancer Described: The sign Cancer looks like a crab and dwells in water. It is the chest of Time Personified. It resorts to a meadow (especially under water), reservoir of water, an islet or a sandy beach and beautiful sites visited by angels.
Notes: That Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac is understood, although not specially mentioned in this verse.
“Chest” is wrongly attributed to this is by Meena Raja in a casual manner.
It dwells in forests, forts, caves, places of lotuses or other plant growing in a thick cluster and is the dwelling-land of torturers.
Notes: The sign Leo-denotes butchers and hence the text uses the word “torturers”.
21. Virgo Described: The sixth sign is Virgo which is a virgin holding a lamp in her hand and sitting in a boat amidst water. It is the abdominal region of Time Personified. It resorts to a land growing fresh (green) grass, a place used by women for copulation and a place of artistic excellence.
22. Libra Described: (The seventh sign), Libra is represented, by a man holding a balance in his hands and relates to the region of navel, water and lower abdomen of time Personified. It resorts to places of trading in a city in pursuit of money and also to crop-growing lands.
23. Scorpio Described: The eighth sign Scorpio is akin to a scorpion living in a hole. It represents the rectal region of Time Personified. It resorts to holes, poison, stone, place of hiding, ant¬ hill and huge snakes.
Notes: In respect of certain original words in this verse, no special differentiation is made in the translation. These words and their actual meanings are: Svabhra = Hole, gap, hell; Bila =hole, cave; Ajagara = huge snake, goat-swallower; Ahi = the serpent of the sky.
24. Sagittarius Described: (The ninth sign) Sagittarius is a man whose later half is like that of a horse. It (the entire sign) is the region of thighs of Time Personified. It resorts to places which are even (or table land), of elephants, gods, weapon¬ bearers, sacrificial rituals, chariots and horses.
25. Capricorn Described: It is known as, the tenth sign whose first half is like that of a deer, and the second half is like that of a crocodile (and is watery). It (the whole sign) is the region of the knees of Time Personified. It resides in rivers, forests, tanks, hills and places of many kinds of creepers.
26. Aquarius Described: The eleventh sign, Aquarius, is a male carrying an empty pot on his shoulder. It represents the knees of Time Personified. It resorts to (calm) surface of watery places, those where plenty of grass grows, of birds, of women, and distilleries of spirituous liquors and gambling dens.
27. Pisces Described : The twelfth sign, Pisces, represents a pair of fish dwelling in water. It is the feet of Time Personified. It resorts to places of gods, Brahmins, shrines and rivers and oceans.
Bala Bhadra observes, the use of the above description of the signs lies in recovering stolen articles, lost wealth and location of place or surroundings of birth. It has been stated in the work “Shatpancha Sikha” that through the signs, the period, direction and place (in case of stolen articles) should be deduced. Thus end the views of Yavanesvara (upto sloka 27 supra).
Notes: These are additional uses of signs. Shatpancha Sikha is a work on horary astrology, authored by Prithuyasas, son of Varaha Mihira.
