Tanu Bhava- 1st House, Lagna/Ascendent, Signs/Houses

ॐ श्री गुरावे नमः !

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

तनु  means Body

After the general characteristics, which are very widely available but I know as a reader what one looks for, so let me deal with this house in detail, the purpose is to satisfy each and every reader, and almost everyone who reads with his/her data in front of him, should be able to get something to digest and also something for indigestion...:-)))

Following needs to be covered in this section.

Each Grah ( Planets) in Lagna (Ascendant)
Multiple Grah ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,) in first house-Effects,
Lagna in Aries (Mesha) to Lagna in Pisces (Meen),
Effect of Drishti (Sight/Aspect) of other Grah (Planets) on Lagna/Ascendant
Effects of Lagna Lord in Tanu bhava to Vyaya Bhava.Each Grah (Planet) in each sign or House as the first house or with Lagna,

Yog's

And one more important thing is mostly astrology refers to man as the native, but almost everything applies to women as well but, when it comes to certain things, they need to be understood as it should be applicable to women in a general sense. 

Grah (Planets) in Ascendant

The Sun in the Ascendant denotes, that the native will have less hair (on the head), be lazy in function, given to anger, will have prominent personality, be honourable, will have weak sight and coarse physique, be courageous, impatient and unkind. If the Ascendant is Cancer and is occupied by the Sun, the native will have swollen eyes, if it be Aries with Sun therein, his sight will be weak and in Leo the Sun makes him night-blind. One suffers poverty and loss of children, if the Sun occupies Libra.

The Moon in the Ascendant identical with Cancer, Taurus, or Aries indicates, that the native will be liberal beautiful, rich and enjoying pleasures greatly. The Moon in the Ascendant identical with other Signs indicates , that the native will be intensely passionate, base, deaf, distressed, dumb and will decline ( In Prosperity).

If Mars occupies the Ascendant, the native will be cruel, adventurous, dull witted, short lived, honorable, courageous, will have an injured physique, be attractive in appearance and fickle minded.

Should Mercury occupy the Ascendant, the native will have a flawless physique, be intelligent, will know proper (beneficial) place and time, be well-versed in poetry and mathematics, be a skillful and sweet speaker and be long-lived.


If Jupiter occupies the Ascendant, the native will be attractive in appearance, energetic, long-lived, will act after assessing consequences, be learned, courageous and great.
  

If Venus is in Ascendant, the native will possess beautiful eyes, face and physique, be happy, long-lived, timid and attractive to females.

If Saturn happens to be in the Ascendant identical with exaltation, or own house, the native will equal a king in status, or will head a country, or city. If Saturn is in the Ascendant in the other Rasi's then his own, or exaltation Rasi, the planet will give misery in boyhood, dirty disposition and indolence.

If Rahu happens to be in the Ascendant...Rahu is a Chaya Grah (Shadow planet), so it does not have any effects of its own, it gives predominantly the effects, as due to their yuti (conjoined) with a bhava Lord, or, as due to the bhava they occupy, basically it enhances the effects of the bhava lord or the bhava itself, or if posited with another Grah/planet.


If Ketu happens to be in the Ascendant....Ketu also is a Chaya Grah (Shadow planet), so it does not have any effects of its own, it gives predominantly the effects, as due to their yuti (conjoined) with a bhava Lord, or, as due to the bhava they occupy, basically it reduces or sublimes the effects of the bhava lord or the bhava itself, or if posited with another Grah/planet.

Multiple Grah (Planets) in Ascendent

Sun and Moon: If the Sun and Moon occupy the Ascendant, the native will suffer grief regarding parents, will be devoid of honor, sons and wealth, be insulted and miserable.

Sun and Mars: If the Sun and Mars join in the Ascendant, the person will be bilious, be bold in war, short-tempered, will have injured body, be cruel, crafty and harsh.

Sun and Mercury: If the Sun and Mercury are in the Ascendant, the native will be very learned and garrulous, will have hard limbs, be fond of adventures, be wise and be long-lived.

Sun and Jupiter: If the Sun and Jupiter join in the Ascendant, the native will be virtuous, be a minister, or an Army chief, or be sagely in disposition and will be endowed with learning, wealth, pleasures and fame.

Sun and Venus: If the Sun and Venus join in the Ascendant, the native will be fond of quarrels, be immodest, will take to bad conduct, be sorrowful, mean and be devoid of wealth and women.

Sun and Saturn: Should the Sun and Saturn be together in the Ascendant at birth, the native is born of a blameworthy mother, will have blameworthy conduct, or profession, will always be of dirty disposition and be sinful.

Moon and Mars: The native, who has the Moon and Mars together in the Ascendant will have defects of blood, digestive fire and bile, will be a king (i.e. will be wealthy) and will be harsh.

Moon and Mercury: Should the Moon and Mercury be together in the Ascendant, the native will possess happiness, intelligence, strength, fortune and splendor, be talkative and very skillful.

Moon and Jupiter: If the Moon joins Jupiter in the Ascendant, the person concerned will be a king, will possess large and broad chest, will have many sons, friends and wives and will be endowed with a good physique and with relatives.

Moon and Venus: If the Moon and Venus join in the Ascendant, the native will derive happiness through association with courtesans, be splendorous, be agreeable to elders and will possess garlands, clothes and scents.

Moon and Saturn: If the Moon and Saturn join in the Ascendant, the native will be in servitude, be base, given to anger, be miserly, sleepy, lazy and sinful.

Mars and Mercury: One, who has Mars and Mercury in conjunction in the Ascendant will be murderous (or cruel, or mischievous), be skillful in dealing with jobs related to fire, be a metallurgist/mineralogist, be industrious, be an ambassador (or a messenger) and will enjoy concealed/secret properties.

Mars and Jupiter: If Mars and Jupiter are in conjunction in the Ascendant,one will be a minister, will possess prime virtues, become famous in the front of charity and will be ever enthusiastic.

Mars and Venus: Should Mars and Venus join in the Ascendant the native will be addicted to prostitutes, will indulge in bad acts, will lose wealth on account of females and will not live long.

Mars and Saturn: If Mars and Saturn are together in the Ascendant, one will be successful in wars, will hate his mother and will face curtailed longevity and declining fortunes.

Mercury and Jupiter: Mercury and Jupiter be together in the Ascendant, one will have an auspicious (pleasing) appearance, will be endowed with auspicious (excellent) qualities, be learned, honored by the king, will conquer his five senses and will enjoy conveyances, happiness and pleasures.

Mercury and Venus: If Mercury and Venus join in the Ascendant, one will have a good physique (i.e. beautiful physique), be learned, always fortunate, be honoured by the king, be very wealthy, pious of Brahmin and Almighty and be famous.

Mercury and Saturn: If Mercury and Saturn be in conjunction in the Ascendant, one will have a dirty body, be sinful, be bereft of learning, wealth and vehicles, be short-lived and will have declining fortunes.

Jupiter and Venus: With Jupiter and Venus in the Ascendant, the native even though a Brahmin by birth will on account of his preceptor's teaching become a king, or equal to a king.

Jupiter and Saturn:If Saturn and Jupiter are together in the Ascendant at birth, the native will be languid with passion (or intoxication), hard-hearted, is of a noble descent, learned, rich, will have limited happiness and be wicked.

Venus and Saturn: If Venus and Saturn join together in the Ascendant, one will be seeking union with all women (i.e. he will enjoy many women), will possess a splendorous body, be endowed with happiness, pleasures and wealth, will have many servants and be highly bereaved.

Three Grah/Planets in Ascendant:

If three planets are together in the Ascendant, the native will be devoid of miseries and will lord over the earth. But, if these are (exclusively) malefic, he will be distressed due to fear, grief etc., will eat much and will be disregarded by one and all.

Effects from conjunction of three and more planets at the time of birth will be taken up in the next post.

Ascendant in each sign/house:

Effects of Birth in Aries Ascendant

One born in Aries Ascendant will be highly susceptible to fire, be interested in visiting foreign places, be miserly in disposition, emaciated, not happy, be jealous, stammering in speech, troubled by bilious and windy diseases and complaints of heat, be skillful in performance, timid, religious, not very intelligent and will destroy others' wealth. He will be fickle-minded. He will enjoy pleasures, be famous, will have bad (ugly) nails, be bereft of brothers, be discarded by his father, will walk fast, will have inactive (or unlucky) children, be endowed with various kinds of wealth and be, virtuous. His wife will belong to a base family, be virtuous and be reproached even by her own people. The native will derive happiness and wealth in undesirable manners.

Effects of Birth in Taurus Ascendant .

One born in Taurus Ascendant will be brave, will endure miseries, be happy, will destroy his enemies, will have the tendency of gathering wealth right from boyhood, will have broad and strong forehead, nose, cheeks and lips, be industrious, fortunate, devoted to parents, liberal, will have many expenses, be very short-tempered, be phlegmatic and windy in humour, be the father of (many) daughters, will insult his own men, be devoid of religion, be interested in women, fickle minded, be fond of food and drinks and be endowed with various kinds of robes and ornaments.

Effects of Birth in Gemini Ascendant

One born in Gemini Ascendant will have a dear wife, be fond of ornaments, charitable, respectable, will have two mothers, will be favorable even to his enemies, be interested in music, fine arts, Vedas, Shastra's, amusement, poetry etc., gentle, fond of beautification, be conceit, truthful, impatient, will have evil sons, be crafty, will have a few relatives, will possess limbs of irregular sizes, will have round eyes, be fierce in appearance, will destroy even fearful enemies and will be endowed with lands, jewels, gold etc.

Effects of Birth in Cancer Ascendant .

One born is Cancer Ascendant will be timid, will have many residences, be fickle minded, learned, intelligent, enduring, troubled by diseases of the anus, will destroy his enemies, be crooked in disposition, sensuous, will honor Brahmin and Gods, be religious, very phlegmatic, will possess a physique, akin to that of a female, be honored for his virtues, will be preceded by sisters in birth, be bereft of relatives, will have a few children, will have a censured family and a vile wife, will enjoy others' wealth, be firmly obstinate, will live in foreign places, be valorous in his deeds, be courageous, will earn through water (i. e. products related to water, sea travel etc.) and be endowed with wife, ornaments, robes and happiness.

Effects of Birth in Leo Ascendant .

One born in this Ascendant will be fond of eating meat, will earn wealth and honor through the king, be bereft of religion, be dutiful in family affairs, will have a face, resembling that of a lion, will hold a high rank of office, be majestic, strong, bold, will speak sparingly, be a miser, will trouble others, be desirous of (eating or) worldly enjoyments, will wander in hills and forests, be irascible, be firm in friendship, be careless, inaccessible (or inviolable), will destroy his enemies, will have famous sons, will honor the virtuous, be rich through agriculture etc., interested in business and will spend heavily on prostitutes, dancers and his own wife and will suffer dental diseases.

Effects of Birth in Virgo Ascendant .

One born in Virgo Ascendant will be gentle, skillful in training (or teaching others), music, poetry and fine arts be a sweet speaker, be affectionate, interested in charity and serving others, will sport with virgins, be endowed with goodness, merciful, will enjoy others' wealth, will wander, will have a female's disposition, be modest, be a liar, will attempt to enlarge his landed properties, be fortunate, sensuous, famous, virtuous, beautiful, will honor elders, be sinful, inimical to brothers, will have (more) daughters, be phlegmatic and windy in humour and will be away from base and inimical people.

Effects of Birth in Libra Ascendant .

One born in Libra Ascendant will have a crooked physique, be bereft of virtues, be fickle minded, will have increasing and decreasing wealth, be bereft of physical happiness, be phlegmatic and windy in humour, be fond of promoting quarrels, will have a long face and a long physique, be virtuous, learned, very miserable, very intelligent, will injure others' honor, will possess beautiful and black eyes, will honor guests, Gods and Brahmin, will perform Yagnas etc., will respect preceptors (or elders), be respectable, will help the helpless, be truthful, will have a beautiful body, will be affectionate to brothers, be pre-eminent, chaste, will yet help sinners, will have mean profession, be charitable, be religious and base minded.

Effects of Birth in Scorpio Ascendant .

One born in Scorpio Ascendant will have fleshy and broad limbs, (as though) perfected by exercises, be clever, crooked in innate disposition, valorous, attached to his mother inclined to quarrel, generous, will have majestic and tawny eyes, a prominent chest, a sunken belly and depressed nose, be adventurous, firm, fierce, trustworthy, amusing, be troubled by bilious complaints, will have a big family, will betray his preceptors (or elders) and friends, be engaged in attracting other women, will have an attractive face, will serve a king, will have enemies, be pious, will give his money to others, will possess an amiable wife, be religious, affectionate and base.

Effects of Birth in Sagittarius Ascendant  

One born in Sagittarius Ascendant will have big teeth and prominent forehead, will patronize dependents, be courageous, strong, just, will have very fat thighs and belly, be skillful in Shastra's (Scriptures), be of high intelligence, be irascible, short tempered even with mighty men, be important among the men of his race, will destroy enemies, be famous through battles, will fault his relatives, be interested in fine arts etc., will have own profession, will do good to his men, be splendorous, be afflicted with facial and eye diseases, will earn wealth through royal favors and be virtuous.

Effects of Birth in Capricorn Ascendant .

One born in Capricorn Ascendant will have an emaciated body, be timid, will have a face, akin to that of a deer, be troubled by windy diseases, will have a bright and elevated nose, be not mighty, will have many sons, be hairy-bodied, will have broad feet and hands, be devoid of conduct and virtues, be tormented by thirst (or morbid heat), be dear to the fair sex, will wander in hills and forests, be valorous, will have knowledge of Shastra's, Vedas, fine arts, music and musical instruments, will have little strength, be a householder, be hostile, wicked, ill disposed to relatives, splendorous, will have a wicked wife, will not be a talebearer, be wealthy, virtuous, will serve a king, be very liberal, happy and fortunate.

Effects of Birth in Aquarius Ascendant .

One born in Aquarius Ascendant will indulge in mean acts, be principal among the men of his race, be foolish, will have blown and sharp nose, be base, irascible, indolent, inclined to enmity, dissatisfied, harsh, be fond of gambling and of base females, will not be helpful to relatives, be agitated, will have checkered prosperity, will acquire wealth, be a talebearer, be crafty, will suffer penury, will face loss of relatives, be prohibited (in social circles), be not agreeable, will acquire great wealth and will honor elders. At birth Aquarius is not an auspicious Ascendant for ever, according to Satyacharya. Yavanas go a step further, stating, that even Aquarius Vargas are not auspicious (at birth), while Chanakya does not consider such divisions inauspicious.

Effects of Birth in Pisces Ascendant .

One born in Pisces Ascendant, will be fortunate, will have well blown nose and unblown (not wide open) eyes, will be interested in profane knowledge and poetry, be respectable, famous, will have exposed lips and teeth, be tormented by leprosy, will have an afflicted face, be courteous, trustworthy, will be endowed with goats, she-goats etc., will have pure conduct, will have knowledge of Vedas, be courageous, will have (more) daughters, be modest, gently disposed, be mighty, will have knowledge of music and sexual union, be virtuous, liberal, will gain through brothers and will have good relatives.

If the ascending Sign, or the Lord of the Ascendant is strong, the effects stated will fully come to pass (in regard to all Ascendants).

Effects of several Grah/Planets aspecting the ascendant.

If the Sun aspects the Ascendant, the native will be valorous, will be irascible with females, be cruel, will gain wealth from paternal side and will serve the king.

If the Moon aspects the Ascendant, he will be under the control of women, fortunate, be very courteous, be very wealthy, softly disposed and will gain by dealing in water-born articles.

If Mars lends his aspect to the Ascendant, one will be fond of valorous acts and battles, irascible, will have severed relationship, be very righteous and will have a long male organ.

Should Mercury aspect the Ascendant, the native will have rich knowledge of arts and will thereby gain and be quite intelligent, famous and honourable.

If Jupiter be the aspecting planet with reference to the Ascendant one will be interested in religious observations, be honoured by the king, be famous and will be endowed with (the company of) virtuous people, elders and guests.

Venus aspecting the Ascendant denotes, that he will be addicted to many prostitutes, be youthful, will have happiness of wealth and pleasure and will be beautiful in appearance.

If Saturn aspects the Ascendant one will be troubled by heavy loads, travels and diseases, be irascible, will be attached to aged women (i.e. will be fond of seeking union with aged females), be devoid of happiness, be dirty and foolish.

General aspects to ascendant

If a planet (whether natural benefic, or natural malefic) aspects the Ascendant identical with its own Sign, that confers happiness and wealth, apart from close relationship with the king. If the Ascendant is not owned by the aspecting planet, a benefic then confers auspicious effects and a malefic evil results.

Unaspected Ascendant:Should the ascending Sign be not in aspect to even one planet, the native will be devoid of (other) qualities and will acquire exclusive qualities of the Sign concerned.

Special Effects: If two, or more planets aspect the Ascendant, the native acquires happiness and wealth. Even one benefic aspecting the Ascendant is auspicious, while a malefic so aspecting is inauspicious. If the Ascendant is aspected by all the planets one rules over the earth. Should all the planets be endowed with strength, he will enjoy all kinds of happiness, be free from fear and be long-lived.

ADHI YOGA from a Ascendant. If benefics exclusively occupy the 6^th, 7^th and 8^th, without the company of malefic, Lagnadhi Yoga is caused. This Yoga confers minister ship, leadership over Army (justice ship) and kingship, lordship over many women, long life, freedom from diseases and miseries, possession of virtues and happiness. So said Yavana kings.

A planet in own sign or in exaltation .friendly sign, according to the sages, confers its effects fully, If it is in fall, or is in an inimical place, it is incapable of giving the results (due to the above mentioned yoga)

Effects of Lagna Lord in Various Bhavas

1. Lagna’s Lord be in Lagna itself or Tanu Bhava or First House, the native will be endowed with physical happiness and prowess. He will be intelligent, fickle-minded, will have two wives and will unite with other females.

2. If the Lagna’s Lord is in Dhana Bhava or 2nd house, he will be gainful, scholarly, happy, endowed with good qualities, be religious, honorable and will have many wives.

3. If Lagna’s Lord is in Sahaja Bhava or 3rd House, the native will equal a lion in valor, be endowed with all kinds of wealth, be honorable, will have two wives, be intelligent and happy.

4. If Lagna’s Lord is in Bandhu Bhava or 4th house, the native will be endowed with paternal and maternal happiness, will have many brothers, be lustful, virtuous and charming.

5. If Lagna’s Lord is in Putra Bhava or 5th house, the native will have mediocre progeny happiness, will lose his first child, be honorable, given to anger and be dear to king.

6. If Lagna’s Lord is in Ari Bhava or 6th house and related to a malefic the native will be devoid of physical happiness and will be troubled by enemies, if there is no benefic drishti.

7. If Lagna’s Lord is a malefic and is placed in Yuvati Bhava or 7th house, the natives wife will not live (long). If the Grah in question is a benefic, one will wander aimlessly, face penury and be dejected. He will alternatively become a king (if the said Grah is strong).

8. If Lagna’s Lord is in Randhr Bhava or 8th house, the native will be an accomplished scholar, be sickly, thievish, be given to much anger, be a gambler and will join others’ wives.

9. If Lagna’s Lord is in Dharma Bhava or 9th house, the native will be fortunate, dear to people, be a devotee of Śrī Vishnu, be skillful, eloquent in speech and be endowed with wife, sons and wealth.

10. If Lagna’s Lord is in Karma Bhava or 10th house, the native will be endowed with paternal happiness, royal honour, fame among men and will doubtlessly have self-earned wealth.

11. If Lagna’s Lord is in Labha Bhava or 11th house, the native will always be endowed with gains, good qualities, fame and many wives.

(12) If Lagna’s Lord is in Vyaya Bhava or 12th house and is devoid of benefic Drishti and/or Yuti, the native will be bereft of physical happiness, will spend unfruitful and be given to much anger.

Grahs/planets in various Signs and houses with Lagna

Grahas/planets and Mesha ( Aries) Lagna.

Even though Mangal is the Lord of Randhra Bhava (8th house), he will be helpful to auspicious Grahas. Sani (Saturn), Budh (Mercury) and Sukra (Venus) are malefic.

Auspicious are Guru (Jupiter) and Surya (Sun). The mere Yuti of Sani with Guru will not produce auspicious effects (although they own a Kon (angle) and a Kendra(Quadrant)). If Guru is at the disposal of a malefic, he will surely give inauspicious results. Sukra is a direct (independent) killer. Sani etc. will also inflict death, if associated with an adverse Grah (Sukra).

Grahas/planets and Vrishabh(Taurus) Lagna.

Guru, Sukra and Chandra are malefic. Śani and Sūrya are auspicious. Sani will cause Raj Yog. Budh is somewhat inauspicious. The Guru group (Guru, Chandra and Sukra) and Mangal will inflict death.

Grahas/planets and Mithun (Gemini) Lagna.

Mangal, Guru and Surya are malefic, while Sukra is the only auspicious Grah. The Yuti of Guru with Śani is similar to that for Mesh Lagna. Chandra is the prime killer, but it is dependant on her association.

Grahas/planets and Kark(Cancer) Lagna.

Sukra and Budh are malefic, Mangal, Guru and Chandra are auspicious. Mangal is capable of conferring a full-fledged Yog and giving auspicious effects. Sani and Surya are killers and give effects, according to their associations.

Grahas/planets and Simha(Leo) Lagna.

Budh, Sukra and Sani are malefic. Auspicious effects will be given by Mangal, Guru and Surya. Guru’s Yuti with Sukra (though, respectively, Kon and Kendra Lords) will not produce auspicious results. Śani and Chandra are killers, who will give effects, according to their associations.

Grahas/planets and Kanya (Virgo)Lagna.

Mangal, Guru and Chandra are malefic, while Budh and Sukra are auspicious. Sukra’s Yuti with Budh will produce Yog. Sukra is a killer as well. Surya’s role will depend on his association.

Grahas/planets and Tula (Libra) Lagna.

Guru, Surya and Mangal are malefic. Auspicious are sani and Budh. Chandra and Budh will cause Raj Yog. Mangal is a killer. Guru and other malefics will also acquire a disposition to inflict death. Śukra is neutral.

Grahas/planets and Vrischik(Scorpio) Lagna.

Sukra, Budh and Sani are malefic. Guru and Chandra are auspicious. Surya, as well as Chandra are Yog Karakas. Mangal is neutral. Sukra and other malefics acquire the quality of causing death.

Grahas/planets and Dhanus ( Sagittarius) Lagna.

Only Sukra is inauspicious. Mangal and Surya are auspicious. Surya and Budh are capable of conferring a Yog. Śani is a killer, Guru is neutral. Sukra acquires killing powers.

Grahas/planets and Makar (Capricorn) Lagna.

Mangal, Guru and Chandra are malefic, Sukra and Budh are auspicious. Sani will not be a killer on his own. Mangal and other malefics will inflict death. Surya is neutral. Only Sukra is capable of causing a superior Yog.

Grahas/planets and Kumbh (Aquarius) Lagna.

Guru, Chandra and Mangal are malefic, while Sukra and Sani are auspicious. Sukra is the only Grah, that causes Raj Yog. Guru, Surya and Mangal are killers. Budh gives meddling effects.

Grahas/planets and Meen (Pisces) Bhava.

Sani, Sukra, Surya and Budh are malefic. Mangal and Chandra are auspicious. Mangal and Guru will cause a Yog. Though Mangal is a killer, he will not kill the native (independently). Sani and Budh are killers.

General.

Thus the auspicious and inauspicious effects, derivable through the Grahas, due to their lordship, according to the rising Rasi/Sign, have to be estimated.

Yog'a due to various combinations of Grah/planets and signs etc.

If there be a benefic in Lagna, Subh Yog (Subh = Auspicious) is produced, while a malefic in Lagna causes Asubh Yog (Asubh = Inauspicious)

One born in Subh Yog will be eloquent, charming and virtuous, while his counterpart will be sensuous, will do sinful acts and will enjoy (swallow) others’ wealth.

Gaj (Elephant) Kesari Yog.

Should Guru be in a Kendra (Quadrant) from Lagna (Ascendant), or from Chandra and be yuti (conjoined) , or receiving a Drishti from benefic, avoiding at the same time debilitation, combustion and inimical Rasi, Gaj Kesari Yog is caused. One born in Gaj Kesari Yog will be splendorous, wealthy, intelligent, endowed with many laudable virtues and will please the king.

Amal Yog. If there be exclusively a benefic in the 10^th from Lagna, or Chandra, Amal Yog exists. Amal Yog will confer fame, lasting till Chandra (Moon) and stars exist and will make the native honored by the king, enjoy abundant pleasures, charitable, fond of relatives, helpful to others, pious and virtuous

Chamar Yog. If Lagna’s Lord is exalted in a Kendra (Quadrant) and receives a Drishti (Aspect) from Guru (Jupiter), Chamar Yog is formed. This Yog also occurs, if two benefics are in Lagna, or Dharma (9th house), or Karma (10th house), or Yuvati (7th house) Bhava. The effects of Chamar Yog are: the native will be a king, or honored by the king, long lived, scholarly, eloquent and versed in all arts.

Maha Raj Yog: Should Lagna's lord and Putra's (5th house) lord exchange their Rasis/signs or If Atma karaka )Th eplanet with highest longitude in degrees) and Putra Karaka (Th eplanet with 5th highest longitude in degrees) are in Lagna or in Putra bhava or in exaltation Rasi, or n won Rasi or in Own Navamsa receiving a dhristi from a benefic, Maha Raj Yog happens, the native so born will be famous and very happy.

If Lagna's lord and Atma Karaka are in Tanu, Putra or Yuvati bhava, yuti with or receiving a dhristi from a benefic, a raj yog is formed.

An exchange of Rasis between Karma’s Lord and Lagna’s Lord will make the native associated with the king in a great manner.

Penniless Yog:

If malefics, excepting the Lords of Karma and Dharm Bhava, happen to be in Lagna, associated with, or receiving a Drishti from Marak Grahas, one will become penniless.

I will deal about Marak Grah's in one of my future posts, for now you can understand them as malefics.

Female Horoscopy-Few points peculiar to Females only

The Moon and Ascendant: If the Moon and the Ascendant are both disposed in even Signs, the female will be virtuous and extremely good-looking. Should these two be in aspect to auspicious planets, she will be endowed with ornaments and virtues. In case these two occupy odd Signs, she will be akin to a male in appearance and in disposition.

With these two receiving aspects of malefic, she will be sinful and bereft of virtues.

Conclusion

Jupiter and Moon in Lagna give good character to the native- eg. Lord Rama
Moon, Jupiter and Venus, give nice features and appearance to the native, if they are present independently or together in the first house with Lagna.

Sun in Lagna would add brilliance to the appearance of the native,
Moon will add pale color,
Mars if added to this would add aggression and valour,
Mercury will add its excellent memory and intelligence and communicaitons skills,
Saturn will add dark color and may be physical ailments depending on the Rasi they occupy.

If Mars and Saturn are posited together in the 1st house, it is a sure case and If Rahu joins them the effects are enhanced and If Ketu joins them then the effects are reduced and aloofness in people is caused.

When these things are deduced the race of the native need to be considered, 

To follow.....Three or more planets in a house at the time of birth and their combined effects on the native.

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Feb 2008

Bhavas- First House ( Tanu Bhava)-BPHS

ॐ श्री गुरावे नमः !

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

The first house or Tanu Bhava (तनु  means Body) is the house in which Lagna 

(Ascendant ) is present, it is also called as Lagna bhava.

Judgement of Bhavas

1. O Maharishi Parashar, I have come to know of the evils and antidotes there of from you. Please tell me, what is to be deduced from each Bhava (House).

2. Indications of Tanu (Self) Bhava. Maharishi Parashar replies. Physique, appearance, intellect (or the organ of intelligence, i.e. brain), complexion of the body, vigour, weakness, happiness, grief and innate nature are all to be guessed through the ascending Rasi.

3. Indications of Dhan (Wealth) Bhava. Wealth, grains (food etc.), family, death, enemies, metals, precious stones etc. are to be understood through Dhan Bhava.

4. Indications of Sahaj (Natural) Bhava. From Sahaj Bhava know of the following: valour, servants (attending etc.), brothers, sisters etc., initiatory instructions (Upadesh), journey and parent’s death.

5. Indications of Bandhu (Relation) Bhava. Conveyances, relatives, mother, happiness, treasure, lands and buildings are to be consulted through Bandhu Bhava.

6. Indications of Putra (Son) Bhava. The learned should deduce from Putra Bhava amulets, sacred spells, learning, knowledge, sons, royalty (or authority), fall of position etc.

7. Indications of Ari ( Income) Bhava. Maternal uncle, doubts about death, enemies, ulcers, step-mother etc. are to be estimated from Ari Bhava.

(Income- is not just money, it is desease, enemies wrath, health problems, troubles from relatives, so everything is an income).

8. Indications of Yuvati (Spouse/Women/Female)Bhava. Wife, travel, trade, loss of sight, death etc. be known from Yuvati Bhava.

9. Indications of Randhra (Hole) Bhava. Randhra Bhava indicates longevity, battle, enemies, forts, wealth of the dead and things, that have happened and are to happen (in the past and future births).

10. Indications of Dharma ( Self righteousness) Bhava. Fortunes, wife’s brother, religion, brother’s wife, visits to shrines etc. be known from Dharma Bhava.

11. Indications of Karma ( Duty) Bhava. Royalty (authority), place, profession (livelihood), honour, father, living in foreign lands and debts are to be understood from Karma Bhava.

12. Indications of Labha ( Profit) Bhava. All articles, son’s wife, income, prosperity, quadrupeds etc. are to be understood from Labha Bhava.

13. Indications of Vyaya ( Expenditure or Loss) Bhava. From Vyaya Bhava, one can know about expenses, history of enemies, one’s own death etc.

14-16. Prosperity, or Annihilation of a Bhava.

Predict prosperity of the Bhava, which is yuti (Conjoined) with, or drishtied (Sight) by a benefic. Also, when its Lord is in Yuva Avastha, or Prabuddha Avastha, or in Kismara Avastha, or in Karm Bhava, the Bhavas well-being is indicated. The Bhava, which is not drishtied by its Lord, or, whose Lord is with a malefic Grah (Planet), or with one of the Lords of evil and such other Bhavas (i.e. 3^rd, 6^th, 8^th, 11^th and 12^th), or is defeated in a war between Grahas, or is in one of the three Avasthas, viz, Vriddhavastha (Old age), Mritavastha ( Dead) and Suptavastha (Sleeping).

Effects of Tanu Bhava or the First house.

1-2. Physical comforts. Should Lagna Lord be yuti (conjoined) with a malefic, or be in Randhra, 6^th, or 12^th, physical felicity will diminish. If he is in an angle, or trine there will be at all times comforts of the body. If Lagna Lord is in debilitation, combustion, or enemy’s Rāśi, there will be diseases. With a benefic in an angle, or trine all diseases will disappear. Lagna’s angles (i.e. Bandhu, Yuvati, or the 10^th), or its trine (Putra, Dharm), containing a benefic, is a powerful remedy for all, related to health.

3. There will not be bodily health, if Lagna, or Chandra be drishtied by, or yuti ( Conjoined) with a malefic, being devoid of a benefics Drishti.

4. Bodily Beauty. A benefic in Lagna will give a pleasing appearance, while a malefic will make one bereft of good appearance. Felicity of the body will be enjoyed, if Lagna is drishtied by, or yuti with a benefic.

5-7. Other Benefits. If Lagna Lord, Budh (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), or Sukra (Venus) be in an angle, or in a trine, the native will be long lived, wealthy, intelligent and liked by the king. Fame, wealth, abundant pleasures and comforts of the body will be acquired, if Lagna Lord is in a Movable Rasi and be drishtied by a benefic Grah. One will be endowed with royal marks (of fortune), if Budh, Guru, or Sukra be in Lagna along with the Chandra (Moon), or be in angle from Lagna. If Budh, Guru, or Sukra be in 4^th, 7^th, or 10^th from Lagna, or be in the company of Chandra in Lagna, the native will enjoy royal fortunes.

8. Coiled Birth. If there be a birth in one of Mesh (Aries), Vrishabh (Taurus) and Simha (Leo) Lagna's, containing either Sani (Saturn), or Mangal (Mars), the birth of the child is with a coil around a limb. The corresponding limb will be in accordance with the Rasi, or Navamsa, rising.

9. Birth of Twins. The native, who has Surya (Sun) in a quadruped Rasi, while others are in Dual Rasis with strength, is born, as one of the twins.

10. To Be Nurtured by Three Mothers. If Surya and Chandra join in one and the same Bhava and fall in one Navamsa, the native will be nurtured by three different mothers for the first three months from its birth and will later on be brought up by its father and brother. (‘Bhratri’ apart from meaning a brother calls for interpretation, as a near relative in general).

11. Important. The learned in Jyotish (Astrology) should base the effects on Chandra also, as are applicable to Lagna. Now explained are clues to know of ulcers, identity marks etc. on one’s person.

12-14. Decanates and Bodily Limbs. Head, eyes, ears, nose, temple, chin and face is the order of limbs, denoted (by the various Bhavas), when the first decanate of a Rasi ascends. In the case of the second decanate ascending the order is neck, shoulder, arm, side, heart, stomach and navel. The order for the third decanate ascending is pelvis, anus/penis, testicles, thigh, knee, calf and foot. The portion already risen indicates left side of the body (while the one yet to rise, i.e. the invisible half, denotes the right side of the body).

15. Limbs Affected. The limb, related to a malefic by occupation, will have ulcers, or scars, while the one, related to a benefic, will have a mark (like moles etc). So say the Jyotishis. (Also see Sloka 6, Ch. 4 of Saravali, which states, that a malefic, or a benefic, if be in own Rasi, or Navamsa, the effects will be right from birth. In other cases it will be in the course of one’s life, that these effects will come to pass).

This is at one level of understanding, then there are other levels like, Properties of each sign or house, like if the first house is Aries, then the intelligence, health and self will change based on the properties of Aries, and if it is Gemini, then a duality in character would be enhanced, this person is like two people living in one body, and sometimes it is so amazing that, you can see this person as an out and out Extrovert to a total Introvert, what controls this behavior depends on stimulants, which again are based on various Grahs (Planets), then the properties of Grah (Planets) posited in this house, then Special lagnas, Upa Grah's, then Arudhas, well it does get complicated, but aren't our lives complicated..........

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Feb 2008

Subramanium Swamy, Kartikeya, Shanmukha, Muruhan, Murugan, Skanda

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

ॐ  नमो  स्कन्दाय  नमः। 
ॐ  नमो  षण्मुखाया  नमः। 

Introduction

O Subrahmanya!
O General of Devas’ forces!
O Destroyer of evil,
O Karttikeya, Siva’s son!
Six Sparks from Sankara’s fire!
O God of War!
Salutations unto Thee.
Thou art the Power of Wisdom,
Truth, Good, and Grace.
All powers of manhood
Are Thy power.
Saravanabhava Pahimam.
Karttikeya Rakshamam.

THE Asura Taraka oppressed the Devas very much. He drove them out of the heavens. All the Devas went to Brahma. Brahma said to the Devas: "O Devas, I cannot destroy Taraka, as he has obtained my grace through his severe Tapas. But I shall give you a suggestion. Get the help of Cupid or Kama Deva. Induce him to tempt Lord Siva, who is now absorbed in His Yoga-Samadhi, to marry Parvati. A powerful son, Lord Subrahmanya or Karttikeya, will then be born to them. This son alone can destroy the Asura.

Indra asked Kama to go with his wife Rati and his companion Vasanta (the Spring) to Mount Kailasa, the abode of Siva. Kama at once proceeded to Mount Kailas along with Rati and Vasanta. Spring season came in immediately. Standing behind a tree, Kama shot his flowery arrows of passion at Lord Siva just when Parvati was putting flowers into His hand. As soon as Parvati’s hands came in contact with those of Lord Siva, He experienced a thrill of feeling. Siva wondered what it was that disturbed His Yoga. He looked around and saw Kama behind a tree.

Siva opened His third eye and Cupid was burnt to ashes by the fire that emanated from it. That is how Kama Deva came to be Ananga—the bodiless.

After burning Kama Deva, Lord Siva found out in His Yogic vision that the birth of Lord Subrahmanya was absolutely necessary to destroy the powerful Taraka. He had His Retas (semen) thrown into the hands of Fire, who, unable to retain it, threw it into Ganga. In Her turn, She threw it into a reed forest where Karttikeya (Lord Subrahmanya), the Reed-born (Shara-Janma), was born. He became the leader of the celestial hosts and the destroyer of Tarakasura, exactly as Brahma intended.

An Avatara of Lord Siva

Lord Subrahmanya is an Avatara of Lord Siva. All Incarnations are manifestations of the one Supreme Lord. Lord Subrahmanya and Lord Krishna are one. Lord Krishna says in the Gita, "Senaninam Aham Skandah: Of the generals, I am Skanda." The Lord manifests Himself from time to time in various names and forms for establishing Dharma and punishing the wicked.

Lord Subrahmanya is a ray born of the Chaitanya of Lord Siva. He is the energy of Lord Siva. Valli and Deivayanai are His two wives. They represent the Ichcha Sakti and the Kriya Sakti of the Lord. He is a Pratyaksha Devata in this Kali Yuga, like Hanuman. He bestows on His devotees material and spiritual prosperity and success in all their undertakings even at the slightest devotion shown to Him. Guha, Muruha, Kumaresa, Karttikeya, Shanmukha (He who has six faces), Subrahmanya, Velayudha (He who wears the spear) are synonymous terms.

The Lord of Nature

Lord Shanmukha, the Light of lights and the innermost Self of all, is worshipped in the form of God having six faces and twelve hands. The worship of Subrahmanya is more or less confined to South India though He is not unknown to the Hindus of the rest of India as Karttikeya. The Tamilians have a living faith in Subrahmanya and are as fond of His Leelas as the North Indians and the South Indian Vaishnavites are of Krishna’s sports.

The worship of Lord Skanda is most prevalent in South India and Ceylon. Almost every town in the South has its temple dedicated to Lord Shanmukha. The Tamils have named Shanmukha as Muruhan. Just as the God of Wind is Vayu, the God of Water is Varuna, the Tamil term for the Lord of Nature is Muruha.

Temples of Lord Subrahmanya can be seen throughout South India. Places of natural beauty that soothes the soul enshrine the Almighty in the form of Lord Subrahmanya. Of the places where the temples of Lord Skanda are to be seen, a few are very famous. Each of these temples has a legend and history of its own. The famous temples of Lord Subrahmanya in South India are Tiruchendur, Palani, Thirupparankundram, Swamimalai, Thiruthanigai, Thirupporur, Udipi and Alagar Koil; and almost all hillocks in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu, shine with a temple of Lord Subrahmanya on the top.

Lord Subrahmanya showed His Bala Leelas in Tiruchendur, If anyone goes to Kathirgamam with faith, devotion and piety and stays in the temple for two or three days, Lord Subrahmanya gives His Vibhuti to the devotees in the shape of instructions. The devotee gets mystical experiences. A big festival is held in this temple every year on Skanda Shashti. Mountains of camphor are burnt on this occasion. Thousands of people gather there for the occasion.

During Skanda Shashti, the day on which Lord Subrahmanya killed the demon Taraka, grand festivals are held with great pomp and grandeur at various places in South India. Devotees do worship, Bhajan and Kirtan on this day on an almost extravagant scale. Thousands are fed sumptuously. Many incurable diseases are cured if one visits Palani and worships the Lord there. In South India, Lord Subrahmanya’s Leelas are dramatised and performed in open-air theatres.

Scriptures That Extol Lord Skanda

Of the eighteen Puranas, Skanda Purana deals with the Avatara and Leelas of Lord Skanda and His victory over the Asura king, Soorapadman. It also narrates the story of His marriage with Valli and Deivayanai. It extols the glory of Lord Skanda and His greatness and brings out the various attributes and functions of the Lord. Every episode narrated in the story has got an esoteric significance. Devotees and Bhaktas of Lord Subrahmanya have this text for their constant Svadhyaya.

Scriptures relating to Lord Skanda can be had in abundance in Tamil literature. In fact, Lord Subrahmanya was worshipped not only as the Lord of Nature, but also as the Lord who gave the Tamil Language to Agastya Rishi. Amongst the oldest extant Tamil works is Thirumurugatrupadai (guidance for an aspirant to the worship of Lord Skanda). 

The author of this book was Nakkeerar, a famous poet of the olden days. One who studies this book daily and does Puja of the Lord gets purged of all sins and he attains everything both in this world and in the next.

Saint Arunagirinathar has left us more than a thousand songs in praise of Lord Shanmukha. These songs are known as Thiruppugazh (praise of the Lord). Every song is elevating and soul-stiffing. The same saint has given to the world other books, namely, Kandar Anubhooti (Grace of the Lord and how to obtain it) and Kandar Alankaram. The former has so much efficacy that its constant repetition with faith and love bestows every blessing that one can ask for.

In a later period, another saint, Kumaragurupara Swamigal, composed a long poem in praise of Lord Shanmukha. This is known as Kandar Kali Venba. There are also other poems known as Pillai Tamizh.

The Form of Shanmukha

In common with all Hindu mythological accounts and stories, the descriptions and the legends about Subrahmanya also embody various esoteric truths. Lord Subrahmanya has six faces. He holds a spear or Vel, and He rides on a peacock. The peacock stands upon a black serpent. A cock is the Lord’s banner. He has two wives, Valli and Deivayanai. He is the son of Parama Siva. He came out of Siva’s third eye, in the form of fire or light Jyotis. 

His achievements consisted of the destruction of the great Asura Soorapadma who, with his assistants, was enslaving Indra and other Devas. He married Deivayanai, the daughter of Indra. On the advice of Narada, He married also Valli, the foster-daughter of the hunter-king Nambi, after testing her devotion pretty severely. Even as a boy, Lord Subrahmanya imprisoned Brahma for his ignorance of the meaning of the Pranava Mantra and released him only at the request of Lord Siva. Incidentally, He also expounded to Lord Siva the meaning of the same Mantra. All these accounts are the interesting details greatly appreciated and cherished by deeply devoted Subrahmanya Bhaktas.

From the esoteric point of view, Subrahmanya is the Lord who incarnated Himself to illumine the intelligence of human beings and liberate them from ignorance of various kinds which hides the truth from them. That Subrahmanya came out of Siva’s third eye is symbolic of His being the incarnation of Pure Intelligence, for Siva’s third eye is known to be the Eye of Knowledge.

The six heads of Lord Subrahmanya represent the six Chakras. They also represent the five senses and the mind. They represent the six attributes of Bhagavan: Jnana (wisdom), Vairagya (dispassion), Bala (strength), Kirti (fame), Sree (wealth) and Aisvarya (divine powers). They indicate that He is the source for the four Vedas, Vedangas, and the six schools of philosophy; that He has controlled the five Jnana Indriyas and the mind. They denote that He is the Virat Purusha with countless heads. They signify that His head is turned everywhere (Viswathomukha); He is all-pervading. They indicate that He is omnipotent and that He can multiply and assume forms at His will. The six faces indicate that His presence shines on the four sides and also above and below.

The twelve arms show that He alone creates, preserves, destroys, hides and blesses—in fact, does everything in the world.

Valli, Deivayanai and the Vel mean respectively Ichcha Sakti, Kriya Sakti and Jnana Sakti, i.e., the force of desire, the force of action, and the force of knowledge. It is indicated that all these three abide in Subrahmanya, who is Para Brahman Himself. The fact that desire and action forces are kept on either side of Him and that Jnana Sakti or the force of knowledge alone is kept in His breast point out that Knowledge is the most important of them all and that it never gets separated from Him.

Valli and Deivayanai

Subrahmanya married Valli according to the Gandharva mode. He did not obtain the permission of her parents for doing so. That also shows that Valli is His desire-force.

On the other hand, His marriage of Deivayanai was after His victory over the Asuras. Out of gratitude, Indra gave Subrahmanya his own daughter Deivayanai in marriage. This was done according to Vedic rites. These events point to the fact that Deivayanai is His action-force.

The two wives Deivayanai and Valli also symbolise the two types of devotees among those who strive for Moksha or Liberation through union or oneness with the Supreme. One type consists of those who rigidly and sincerely observe the injunctions and follow the teachings of the Vedic scriptures and are thus the followers of Vaidik Karmas. That type is represented by Deivayanai, whom Subrahmanya married in the regular orthodox way. 

The other type consists of the ardent Bhaktas who attach more importance to right mental feeling and emotion than to rules and regulations. This type is symbolised by Valli, who grows as the foster-daughter of the hunter-king Nambi. Subrahmanya marries her in the combined Gandharva and Paisacha modes of marriage. He manifests love in wooing her and uses force in fighting against her relations who try to obstruct Him.

The Vel

In the picture, Lord Subrahmanya holds the Vel or Spear in His hand, just as Lord Siva holds the Trident or Trisula. This is an emblem of power and indicates that He is the ruler of this universe. The devotees of Lord Subrahmanya do obeisance to the Vel.

The Vel or Spear was given to Subrahmanya by Parvati, the embodiment of Siva-Sakti. It, therefore, indicates that the Spear was the symbol of true Knowledge as coming out of Parvati, the Para Sakti. 

The shape of the Vel also shows that Knowledge in the form of Jyotis will start from Muladhara, which is the bottom of the Vel, pass through the intermediate Nadis (which are represented by the body of the Vel), and pierce through the thousand-petalled Brahmarandhra, which is represented by the sharp, leaf-shaped end of the Vel.

The Spear or Vel is the weapon which pierces through the demon of Ignorance. This is Ekagra Chitta or the one-pointed mind so much insisted upon in Raja Yoga without which progress is impossible for the Yogi. It is the preliminary for concentration, meditation and absorption—all of which together constitute the Yogic Samyama. In the legend, it is Soorapadma, the Asura, who is slain by the Vel. That Asura is none other than Ignorance.

The Peacock, the Snake and the Cock

Shanmukha’s Vahana, the peacock, shows the shape of the Pranava letter OM. It is the shape of the Bindu. When the peacock has spread out its tail, it has the round shape of the Pranava. Within it is the Parabrahma Jyoti which is the form of Muruha or Subrahmanya. The subordinated serpent kept in check by the peacock’s feet shows the Maya impurity completely overpowered by the power of Pranava.

The peacock is the most beautiful of all birds. It is the one bird which can reveal its inner joy by dancing and displaying its gorgeous plumage. When it does so, it evidences its perfect balance, for it is a very heavy bird and it has to keep its balance on its two very slender feet. 

Thus we can also interpret the peacock as symbolising mental equipoise, the predominance of the Sattva over the Rajas and Tamas qualities. Such a mental condition reveals itself in a superior sort of self-satisfaction, a state similar to that of the peacock which spreads out its beautiful plumage. It is this predominating Sattva that is the pre-requisite for the acquisition of True Knowledge, the Knowledge symbolised by Lord Subrahmanya Himself.

The Vahana peacock is also by way of representation that the Lord has entirely conquered pride, egoism, vanity. The cobra under His Feet is to indicate that He is absolutely fearless, immortal and wise.

The cock in the banner signifies the Pranava, the Nada-Brahman, the sound-form of God. Subrahmanya’s cock-banner symbolises the approach or dawn of Knowledge. It is the cock that proclaims the coming of the sun in the eastern horizon. The sun is the heavenly body that dispels darkness. Likewise, the cock on Subrahmanya’s banner announces the approach of Knowledge which will destroy all ignorance.

Danda Pani

There is another form of Subrahmanya which is known as Danda Pani. When He is represented in that form, He stands alone with the Vel, but without Valli or Deivayanai. This represents His Nirguna aspect which is free from Maya. This also shows that He can be without the forces of desire and action, but cannot be without the force of Knowledge.

The Esoteric Significance of the Skanda Stories

Let us now examine the meaning of the legend about Soorapadma who was killed by Subrahmanya. The Asuras Taraka, Simhamukha and Soorapadma were the sons of Maya. They persecuted the Devas and imprisoned Devakumara. Muruha heeded the prayers of the Devas, killed the three Asuras with His spear, and liberated Devakumara from the prison. Later, according to the request of the victorious Devas, Muruha married Deivayanai, the daughter of Indra. The inner significance of this account is as follows. The three sons of Maya are Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, the three Gunas. Jiva is ever under the influence of these three Gunas and is subjugated by them. God Subrahmanya listens to the prayers of the Jiva and liberates him from the clutches of the three foes, the three Gunas. Not only does He liberate the Jiva, but He also, by marrying, unites the Jiva with Himself.

The Wedding of Valli

Take, again, the wedding of Valli. In the dark forest of the mountain, Valli frowns in the midst of the cruel hunters, her relations, and spends her time throwing stones to drive away birds which peck the grains in the fields. But her mind is always in love with Lord Muruha. In right time, Muruha comes in different guises, tests her, frightens her with the elephant through the help of Vinayaka, and in the end, reveals His real form, takes her away to marry. At that time, He encounters the opposition of Valli’s foster-parents and kills them. But, in response to Valli’s request, He brings them back to life and celebrates the marriage with her.

The dark forest is Tamas. The cruel hunters are Rajas. Valli is the Jiva who is in the grasp of these two. Her guarding the grains in the field is her earnest Sadhana to realise the Paramatman. The birds that come to peck the grains are the obstacles to her rigid Sadhana. To save herself, she keeps in her hand the catapult which is Viveka (discrimination), and uses the pebbles which represent Vairagya (dispassion). Thus she drives away the obstacles. To test the strength of her Sadhana, Muruha appears before her in disguises, and in the end, shows her the meaning of Pranava in the form of the elephant. Then the forces of Rajas which envelop the Jiva (symbolised by the hunters who surround Valli) are vanquished and transformed into Suddha Sattva Guna. After that the Jiva is released and given the supreme status of identification with Para Brahman.

Pratyaksha Devata of This Kali Yuga

Lord Shanmukha is the Pratyaksha Devata (visible God) of this Kali Yuga. He is readily pleased with His devotees to whom He grants both Bhukti and Mukti (enjoyments here and Moksha hereafter). Millions are still living who can narrate instances in their own life to show the miracles brought about by propitiation of Lord Shanmukha.

The Kavadi

Perhaps the most potent propitiatory rite that a devotee of Shanmukha undertakes to perform is what is known as the Kavadi. The benefits that the devotee gains from offering a Kavadi to the Lord are a millionfold greater than the little bit of pain that the devotee inflicts upon himself.

Generally, people take a vow to offer the Lord a Kavadi for the purpose of tiding over, or averting, a great calamity. For instance, if the devotee’s only son is laid up with a fatal disease, he would pray to Shanmukha to grant the boy a lease of life in return for which the devotee would take a vow to dedicate a Kavadi to the Lord.

Though this might, on the face of it, appear materialistic, a moment’s reflection will reveal that it contains in it the seed for the Supreme God-Love. The worldly object is achieved; and the devotee takes the Kavadi. After the ceremony, he gets so much intoxicated with the love of God that his spiritual inner chamber is opened now. This, too, ultimately leads to Para Bhakti.

O Lord Subrahmanya! O All-merciful Lord! We have neither faith nor devotion. We do not know how to worship Thee in the proper manner or to meditate upon Thee. We are Thy children who have lost the way, forgotten the Goal and Thy Name. Is it not Thy duty, O compassionate Father, to take back these lost children under Thy shelter, to caress and protect, and to shower Thy grace and benedictions on them?

O Mother Valli, will You not intercede for us with Thy Lord? Mother’s love for her children is mightier than any other emotion in this world. Though we have become worthless and undutiful children, O beloved Mother! pardon us. Make us dutiful and faithful. We are Thine from this very second. Always Thine. All is Thine. It is the Mother’s duty to correct, educate, rectify and mould Her reckless children when they are straying from the right path. Remove the gulf that separates us, the veil that hides us, from Thee. Bless us. Enlighten us. Take us back to Thy lotus feet. We have nothing more to say. This is our fervent prayer to Thee and Thy Lord, our beloved and eternal parents.

Article by Shri Swami Sivananda Maharaj...

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Jan 2008

Sun :The Eye Of The World

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

In Sanskrit, Makara Sankranti means the time when the sun crosses the tropic of Capricorn. The day is of special significance to all those leading a spiritual life and mention has been made of the commencement of this new period in such scriptures as the Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita. 

The sun comes to the North, energising and invigorating all life wherever it is, and on whatever he sheds his light. In esoteric parlance, in mystic terminology, the sun is regarded as the presiding deity over the self of man, while the moon is the presiding deity over the mind of man. 

The self or the soul is different from the mind; the Atman and the Manas are differentiated by their metaphysical and psychological characteristics, respectively. The self of man is presided over by the sun or Surya. 

The sun is designated as natural Atmakaraka. "Surya atma jagatas tasthushascha," says the Veda. The Rig Veda proclaims the spiritual presiding principle in the sun as the invigorator, energiser of the self of all created beings. 

That is the meaning of the Vedic prayer mentioned above, of all the things that move and do not move, of all that is organic or inorganic, of everything in creation, the solar principle is the self, as it were, the pivot around which all individual energies revolve. 

We live by the sun and die if the sun is not to be. spiritually envisaged, esoterically conceived, the sun is not merely a huge orb of atomic energy as the physicists would tell us, but a radiant mass of life-giving vitality to everyone. 

The sun is not merely a heating principle, like an electric heater or a fire-like burning mass, or a huge conflagration of fire, because these cannot give you that energy which the sun supplies to you. I shall give a small analogy to give you an idea as to what the sun can contain and does contain.

Do you know what the earth contains? 

Can you imagine what energy, what vitality, what abundance, what resources are contained in the earth? You have the gold, you have diamonds, you have mineral resources lying under different parts and bowels of the earth, you have gas and petrol and what not; and where do you get this energy from, for the sake of the living beings on earth? 

The trees vigorously rise from the earth, sucking energy from the bottom of the earth, and they seek energy from above - from the rays of the sun, when we geologically and physically look into the structure of this earth, and chemically examine its contents, biologically investigate into its resources, as a pure scientific mind, we will realise that the earth is not dead matter, it is energy-embodiment, on whose bounties we are alive here. 

The food that we eat is not dead matter, otherwise it cannot give us energy. From where do we get energy? from the food that we eat, from where do we get the food? from the earth, If energy is to come from food, naturally the source of it must be full of energy, the earth cannot be inanimate, as we generally dub it to be, it is not inorganic; there is something organic and living, meaningful and significant in it, and even many millions of years ago the earth had been declared to be a part of the solar constitution. 

As our wise men tell us, once upon a time a mighty gigantic star happened to rush by the side of the electromagnetic field of the sun - some light years away from the sun, of course, not merely a few miles, the impact of this upon the orb of the sun was such that it broke off a little piece of the sun. That little piece, being a flaming, diverging, powerful energy-block, rushing from the sun, boiling with the flame of what the sun is, is supposed to have come down after thousands of years, cooling down gradually from the flaming condition in which it was to a cooler condition, and from the cooler condition to a still cooler condition, then from that condition into the gaseous condition, from the gaseous to the liquid condition, and from the liquid condition to the solid condition that we see today.

 So, all this wonderful earth is nothing but a part of the sun, and its greatness can be traced back to the greatness of the sun which cannot be, by logical deduction, a mere physical or inorganic form as uninformed science may tell us.

There is something wonderful and mysterious in the sun and there is some great significance in connecting the principle of the sun with the self of man, as there is also equal significance in connecting of the moon with the mind of man, you may know that during the full moon and the new moon days the mind gets affected. 

Those who are weaklings and who are not mentally strong will feel this impact more than normal persons, normal persons do not feel it, but those who are not normal in their minds will feel the effect strongly, the moon, the stars, the sun and all the stellar system exert a mutual influence amongst themselves, you may know that during the full moon the ocean rises up, swells up as if to greet the rising moon and, naturally, the pull must be felt everywhere on earth, but you cannot see it.

Such is the invisible impact of the higher forces of nature, whose father is the sun, when the sun's influence is felt more and more, the self is supposed to also exert influence in its activity, operation. So, this particular day, we call Makara Sankranti, is holy.

The Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita tell us that those who die during these six months of the northern course of the sun, rise from the earthly entanglements to the higher regions presided over by noble deities, finally piercing through the orb of the sun, crossing the barrier of the sun, the soul crosses still higher regions of resplendence and spiritual magnificence.

The Upanishads and such scriptures describe that while the passage of the moon during the six months of the southern course of the sun is the passage of return to the earth, the passage through the sun is the passage to salvation, liberation of the spirit.

Those who cross the barrier of the sun come not to this mortal world again, they go to higher regions until the soul reaches universal salvation, until the soul becomes everything, enters into everything everywhere, as the Mundaka Upanishad tells us. Seekers of Truth, aspirants on the path of Yoga, devotees of God, lovers of mankind - all these have to pay tribute to the supreme father of energy, vitality, deathlessness, which is Surya. "Suryah pratyaksha devata": The sun is the visible God.

If you have any visible God, it is the sun before you. You cannot see God in His pristine excellence, but you can see God through the operation of his powers in nature. In the Purusha Sukta, the sun is compared to the eyes of the Virat Purusha, the Cosmic Person. These are true comparisons and symbols which give us an idea of the magnitude and the importance of the sun in our life. People pray that their death should take place during the six-month period of the northern movement of the sun. 

In the Mahabharata we are told that Bhishma waited for his departure until the sun moved to the north. So there is not merely an astronomical or physical significance to our lives in the movement of the sun towards the north, but there is also a biological, vital and psychological as well as spiritual meaning in this northern sojourn of the sun. 

Devotees and seekers of Yoga have, therefore, to bring to their minds this internal world and its significance which is beyond and farther than the physical world. The inner world is deeper than the outer.

In some of the scriptures we are told that there are twelve suns. 

Where are the twelve suns? We see only one sun in the sky. 

We can regard these twelve suns as the principle inherent within the physical sun, one behind the other. Just as we have the vital body behind the physical body, the mental body behind the vital body, the intellectual body behind the mental body, and the spiritual principle in us behind the intellectual body, so also there are energies behind energies, powers within powers, one transcending the other, until the twelfth sun is reached. 

It is identified with Maha-Vishnu or the Supreme Benefactor of Creation, the Ruler of the Cosmos. The twelfth sun is Vishnu Himself. He cannot be seen with the physical eyes because these esoteric suns are internal to the physical sun. You cannot see the vital body or the mental body, intellectual body or the spiritual principle in yourself. You cannot see anything inside the body. In as much as we live in the physical body and see a physical world, we see also a physical sun. When we enter the vital body, we will enter the vital world and see a vital sun, and so on and so forth, and when we reach the ultimate principle within us by the practice of Yoga, we will see the hidden essence behind the world. It is not a country; it is not a realm, a village or a city, or any locality populated by people. 

A marvellous ocean of light and energy is presided over by the twelfth sun, says the scripture.

There is much behind these great observances such as the Makara Sankranti and many others of a similar nature, in the spiritual destiny of man. We live a material life, not knowing what we really are, what the world is. 

We seem to be so ignorant of the values that are inherent and within us that we are dashed hither and thither by the winds of fate, controlling the physical world and the physical body of people. The more you move inward into yourself, the more you will also see the inner mystery of the world. When you go to the vital body within you, you can see the vital body of other people seated here. Because you are now in the physical body, you see the physical body of others. When you enter your mental body, you can see the minds of other people, and when you enter your intellectual body, you can see the intellects of other people seated here. And when you enter your spiritual principle within, you can see the spirituality in the world and the spiritual principle in the whole cosmos.

The twelve suns described in the Srimad Bhagavata and other scriptures are not twelve physical suns hanging in the sky, but twelve layers of principle, one behind the other, culminating in the spiritual reality as the sun, wherein the individual, the world and God become one. In the physical realm you are different, the world is different and God is different. There is no connection apparently between one and the other. When you go deeper, the three principles come nearer and nearer to one another. The world is absolutely isolated now. You have no control over it; it threatens you every moment. You are afraid of the world. Why? Because it is physically isolated from your physical body. And so God is also a transcendent something of which you have no concept today. 

But when you go inwardly by a power of concentration and meditation, you simultaneously, as a parallel movement, also enter into the subtler realms of the world outside, so much so that the outsidedness of the world becomes less in proportion to the internal experience that you have in your own self. The more you are physically conscious, the more the world also is external to you. The more you are inwardly conscious, the nearer is the world to you. 

The inimical world, the so-called unfriendly world, becomes friendly when you enter into the subtler and subtler realms of your own being. And when you reach the divine principle within you, the world does not merely remain as a friend but becomes an inseparable experience of your own. The world ceases to be an outer phenomenon. 

There will be no world as such. The thing called the world ceases to be the moment you enter into the spiritual principle within you, which is the same as the spiritual principle within the world, which is also the same as the spiritual principle of the universe. It is only here that God, world and the soul become united. This is the liberation that we are ultimately seeking.

So there is much of a message in this religious observance of Makara Sankranti and we shall all, as humble seekers of Truth, do well to contemplate this inner divinity presiding over the solar symbol in our creation and endeavour to be more and more spiritual in our life - which is not to change to a different order or kind of life from the one in which we are, but to enter into a new meaning of life in this very life. To be spiritual, to enter the realm spiritual, is not to enter into an order of life as people mistakenly imagine. It is not shifting from place to place, moving from one corner of the earth to another corner of the earth, or changing the mode of living in this world. 

This is not spirituality. What is really meant is to enter one step inward into your life rather than move outwardly, diametrically. It is not a horizontal movement but an inward gesture of the soul towards its own centre.

It is difficult to understand what spirituality is, however much you may read philosophy. Spirituality is not a kind of life that you lead. It is the inner meaning of all kinds of life in the world. It is not isolated from other types of life. It is the meaning and significance behind every kind of life, whatever be your profession or the duties you perform in the world. There are people who imagine that spirituality is for the later period of one's life. It has nothing to do with 'doing'. 

As I mentioned to you, it is the significance behind what you are and what you do. So you cannot fix it for a period of time - tomorrow or the day after. No such thing is possible in spirituality, because the spiritual is the meaning behind things. How can you fix the meaning to a distant future, as if you do not want to live today? The meaning behind existence and activity is what is meant by the spiritual. If there is any worth in what you are and what you do, that is spirituality.

This is what the Upanishads and other scriptures like the Bhagavadgita speak of. They speak of the interpretation of God in the world - such as the sun whose northern movement commences today, and on account of which we regard this day as auspicious Makara Sankranti. So, you should take all this seriously to your heart on this auspicious day and contemplate for a moment the deeper truths of your own personal lives, the deeper truths of nature outside and the deeper truths implied in the relationship between yourselves and the nature outside. 

 There are three implications, three meanings, three significances or three hidden realities - the one within ourselves, the second in nature outside, and the third which is implied in the relation between ourselves and the nature outside, which is called God, invisible to our physical perception.

Those who are Brahmacharis may do more Gayatri Mantra Japa, which is presided over by the sun, from today onwards. Those who have other Mantras as their Ishta-Mantra may do more Japa of that Mantra from today onwards. Those who are advanced enough to take to pure contemplation and meditation will do well to bring the true God into their lives - not the visible God or the imagined God, but the real God in the sense of what spirituality is - into their own lives as the meaning and the significance behind what anything is and what anything can be in this world. 

The spiritual reality, finally, is the significance behind what anything is and what anything does, whatever we are and whatever we do - which means to say, there is no life without spirituality because life without spirituality is a misnomer; it is meaningless; it is absurd. This is the kind of life that every individual being has to endeavour to live, and we should utilise this opportunity as another happy occasion to contemplate God in His real nature, thus accelerating the speed of our movement towards Him, approximating ourselves more and more nearer to that Supreme Absolute and making our life blessed by living it practically in our day-to-day existence, and thus also to assist the atmosphere around so that we and all people in the world may become fit for the supreme union with that ideal Godhead, the Absolute. 

We pray that by this influence which we exert in the world, love, solidarity and peace may prevail everywhere.

An Article by Swami Krishnananda ji- on eve of Makar Shankranti Jan 14, 1972.

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Jan 2008