Introduction

Astrology, the basics clarified

The learned reader of this book is presumed to have the basic knowledge of the principles and concepts of Hindu Astrology. However even at the cost of repetition, some of those basic concepts and significations of signs, planets, nakshatras and houses which are relevant to prashna are clarified here, to make them readily available for use in prashna.

Every horoscope has 12 signs, 9 planets, 27 nakshatras and 12 houses. It is the interrelationship of these which reveal the wealth of information on which the entire edifice of astrology is built. Hence the first step is to understand their significations or karakatwas.

The significations of signs and planets, though uniformally accepted, do have variations based on divergent viewpoints of astrologers. The significations given here are those which are generally accepted by majority astrologers.

Signs of the Zodiac and their lords

Signs    Lord of the sign
Aries    Mars
Taurus    Venus
Gemini    Mercury
Cancer    Moon
Leo    Sun
Virgo    Mercury
Signs    Lord of the sign
Libra    Venus
Scorpio    Mars
Sagittarius    Jupiter
Capricom    Saturn
Aquarius    Saturn
Pisces    Jupiter

The two luminaries Moon and Sun are the lords of one sign each whereas other planets have dual lordships as shown above. It is observed from the South India chart that these lordships follow a set order depending upon the increasing distance from Sun and increasing sidereal period of planets from Moon.

Although there are controversies with regard to the ownership of signs allotted to Rahu and Ketu yet it is widely accepted that Virgo and Pisces are the signs owned by Rahu and Ketu respectively.

Appearance and resides in

1-Aries (Mesha): A ram, resides in forests among other four legged animals like sheep, goat, grassy meadows, canals, lakes etc. Areas abundant with precious stones and minerals, which includes their mines, snake holes.

2-Taurus (Vrishabh): A bull, farmlands, cow sheds, forests but in the present context also the towns, cities, beautiful places and locations where business is transacted.

3-Gemini (Mithuna): A ma and a woman holding a trumpet and a harp, also considered as holding a mace and a violin, towns and cities, parks, gambling dens, places of worship, pleasure houses, music and ballet room, couch and lounge (bed room).

4-Cancer (Karka): Crab, resides in water and forests, places near water, ponds, rivers.

5-Leo (Simba): A lion or other wild animals, lives in mountains, caves and forests, places inhabited by hunters, places where rishis live. 6-Virgo (Kanya): A woman holding a corn and a lamp, resides near water in pasture lands, or having water and food crops, pleasure rooms, near a shop, temple.

7-Libra (Tula): A man holding a weighing balance in his hand, signifies places of business, markets, bazaars valuables or articles of trade, a shop.

8-Scorpio (Vrishchik): A scorpion, living in a hole, cavity, crevice, burrow, anthills, rocky areas, habitat of poisonous insects which is partly watery, ponds.

9-Sagitarius (Dhanu): Body of a horse and face of a human, holding bow and arrow, habitat of horses and elephants, king’s abode, a battle field, a fort, brave and accomplished. In the present context in firearms, rest houses, military cantonments.

10-Capricorn (Maker): Mouth of a deer, shoulders of a bull and eyes of an elephant, resides in forests, rivers, areas full of water, places inhabited, home of tribals.

11-Aquarius (Kumbh): A man holding a water pot, or a pot containing pickles, habitation in water, gambling dens, art gallery.

12-Pisces (Meena): Two fishes, the head of each close to the tail of other, deep caves, resides in water, temples and pilgrimages.

Shirshodaya (rising with the head)    3,5,6,7,8,11
Prishtodaya (rising with the hind)    1,2,4,9,10,
Ubhayodaya (rising with both)    12
Benefic or malefic

As per general parashari rule:
All odd signs are malefic    1,3,5,7,9,11
All even signs are benefic    2,4,6,8,10,12

Another viewpoint is that signs having lordship of benefic planets are benefic and those having lordship of malefic planets are malefic. Hence based on lordship:

Malefic signs having malefic lordship    1,5,8,10,11
Benefic signs having benefic lordship    2,3,4,6,7,9,12

Strength:

All odd signs are considered strong during day and all even signs are considered strong during night. However the following classification of strength of signs during day and night is more acceptable.

Signs powerful during night (ratribali)    1,2,3,4,9,10
Sighns powerful during day (divabali)    5,6,7,8,11,12

Ratribali signs are governed by Moon and divabali signs are governed by Sun.