Jaimini Sutras

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Jaimini Sutras
Author Rishi Jaimini
CountryIndia
LanguageSanskrit
SubjectAstrology

Jaimini Sutras, also known as Upadesa Sutras [1] [2] is an ancient Sanskrit text on the predictive part of Hindu astrology, attributed to the sage Jaimini, the founder of the Purva Mimamsa branch of Hindu philosophy, a disciple of Vyasa and grandson of Parashara. It comprises nine hundred and thirty-six sutras or aphorisms arranged in four chapters, and though having several distinct features of its own, the Jaimini System, which is a unique system, appears as an offshoot of the Parashari System only; wherever it deviates, it is not found to be in conflict with the Parashari system, [3] and gives due importance to Rahu and Ketu, the two Lunar Nodes. [4]

Jaimini Sutras, arranged in four chapters, cover Karakamsa, Arudha, Upapada and navamsa in the first chapter; Longevity, Diseases, Profession, Progeny and Spouse, in the second; Longevity, Nature and cause of death, in the third; and in the fourth chapter it covers the account of pre-natal epoch. The Jaimini System of prognostication is distinctly different from the Parashari System, the basic differences being with regard to Rasi aspects, determination of Karakas, Badhaka bhavas and the Dashas. In Jaimini System, aspect has been assigned to the Rasis or signs which are synonymous with Bhavas or Houses, the Karakas are fixed according to longitudes gained by planets in particular signs, the Dashas are assigned to signs, and the method of determination of Badhakas is far more complicated, and its prediction-method based on Padas is also different. [5] [6] In his book, Light on Life, Hart De Fouf writes – It is possible that some commentator developed Jaimini Jyotish from Parashara’s system and then appended Maharshi Jaimini’s name to his creation….or may be .. ..extracted those few chapters from Jaimini Jyotish that the two systems share. [7]

Bangalore Venkata Raman’s book - Studies in Jaimini Astrology – explains the abstruseness of the Jaimini System particularly when a number of dashas are mentioned and the reader, clueless, is left to guess for himself. Jaimini developed almost a new system which did not prove popular because principles presented in the shape of sutras are always capable of a variety of interpretations; Jaimini Sutras have been explained and commented upon by Neelakantha and Premanidhi. Jaimini appears to have favoured Charadasha not only for determining longevity but also for predicting important events to happen during the life of a person. Raman has found certain sutras tough, vague or capable of a two-fold interpretation. He also states that the Raja yogas given by Jaimini have not been tested as his method has not been in vogue. [8]

Jaimini, in the Sutra 37 of Adhyaya II Pada iv, by stating सिद्धमन्यत् acknowledges that all the principles explained in this work are truth propounded in other works. The treatment of the different Bhavas, Rasis and Planets found confusing require patience, diligence and practice to comprehend. He gives various Lagnas and his dashas are mostly founded on Rasis and Navamsas, and also the calculations backwards and forwards for odd and even signs and the extent of dashas differs from the ordinary conceptions as explained by the general principles of astrology. He has not given prominence to the Nakshatras and there is the merging of two or three planets into one karaka. Moreover, the exact meanings of the sutras which though short and sweet, and easily committed to memory, are not easy to grasp. [9]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu astrology</span> South-Asian, specifically Indian, version of the Astrology

Jyotisha or Jyotishya is the traditional Hindu system of astrology, also known as Hindu astrology, Indian astrology and more recently Vedic astrology. The term Hindu astrology has been in use as the English equivalent of Jyotiṣa since the early 19th century, whereas Vedic astrology is a relatively recent term, entering common usage in the 1970s with self-help publications on Āyurveda or yoga.

Dasha The dasha pattern shows which planets according to Jyotish will be ruling at particular times.

Varga (astrology)

The term Varga in Indian astrology (Jyotisha) refers to the division of a zodiacal sign (rāśi) into parts. Each such fractional part of a sign, known as an aṃśa, has a source of influence associated with it, so that these sources of influence come to be associated with collections of regions around the zodiac.

Atmakaraka is the significator of the soul's desire in Jyotisha. The Atmakaraka is either the Sun or one of the planets and has the strongest influence on the subject of the horoscope according to astrologers.

In Vedic Astrology Jyotiṣa, the Lagna or Hour Marker, is the first moment of contact between the soul and its new life on earth in Jyotiṣa. Lagna's Rashi and Nakshatra represents the "Atman" (Soul) of an Individual Person while the Lagna Lord represents the Ruler of the Horoscope and therefore the Rashi & Nakshatra where the Lagna Lord is positioned is equally very important as the Lagna Lord also absorbs the traits and qualities of that specific Rashi & Nakshatra.

Yoga (Hindu astrology) Concept in Hindu astrology

In Hindu astrology, yoga is the relationship between one planet, sign, or house to another by placement, aspect, or conjunction. It is the consideration of the planetary dasha's directional effects, the most important factor which distinguishes Hindu astrology from Western astrology.

Planetary aspects are interchange of energies at great distances; the respective mass of each planet generates and radiates its own specific energy-field. At times these planetary aspects take a lead over planetary conjunctions. Planetary aspects play an important role in predicting future events. However, there are three great differences between Western astrology and Hindu astrology in computing these aspects - (1) in the former system the count is made from degree to degree, in the latter system the count is made from sign to sign, (2) in the former system the aspect will be mutually the same i.e. if Mars and Jupiter are in trine it can be expressed as either Mars Trine Jupiter or Jupiter Trine Mars, in the latter system if Jupiter is in Aries and Mars in Leo, Jupiter will have full aspect on Mars but Mars will have 50% aspect on Jupiter and, (3) in the former system certain aspects such as sextile are good whereas square and opposition are evil, the latter system does not have such classification in which system aspects by benefic planets and those owning trines i.e. the 5th and the 9th, are always good, and by malefic planets and those owning cadent houses i.e. the 6th, 8th or 12th, are always evil; moreover, the aspect of any planet on its own sign strengthens that house and causes no harm to its indications.

Raja yoga (Hindu astrology) Type of yogas

Raja yogas are Shubha ('auspicious') yogas that give success and a grand rise in career or business, and a greater degree of financial prosperity particularly during the dasha of the planets that give rise to Raja yogas. However, these results get adversely modified by the presence of other Ashubha ('inauspicious') Arista yogas. Basically, the Yoga or Raja yoga-causing planets during the course of their respective dashas confer their most auspicious results if they happen to own the lagna-bhava or the Suta-bhava or the Bhagyasthana ; the person remains healthy, wealthy, happy and successful enjoying yoga and Raja yoga results in case the lagna, the 3rd, the 6th, the 8th, the 9th and the 12th houses counted from the lagna are also not occupied by any planet, and the kendras (quadrants) are occupied only by benefic planets.

Bhavartha Ratnakara was formerly a little-known Sanskrit treatise on the predictive part of Hindu astrology which is believed to have been written by Ramanuja, it had for a very long time remained confined mainly to the southern parts of India. It was in the year 1900 that Raman Publications, Bangalore, published this text along with its translation into English and comments by Bangalore Venkata Raman, the 10th Edition of which translation was published in 1992 followed by another edition in 1997.

Jataka Bharanam is an old treatise on Hindu astrology mainly dealing with the Phalita i.e. predictive astrology. This Sanskrit text is believed to have been written by Dhundiraja, the commentator of Mudrarakshasa, sometime during the 15th Century A.D. Dhundiraja lived in Parthanagar near River Godavari. It is one of the many time-honoured Indian classics on astrology that has been relied upon and frequently cited.

Planetary dispositors (Hindu astrology)

Planetary dispositors play an important role in Astrology. A dispositor is a planet that rules the sign that another planet is located in. For example, if Venus is in Gemini, then Mercury is the dispositor of Venus.

Navamsa (astrology) One-ninth part of a Zodiac Sign in vedic astrology

In Vedic astrology a constant reference is made to the Navamsa occupied by planets and the Lagna-point. Both, the Rasi-chart and the Navamsa-chart are deemed equally important and therefore, consulted together. Whereas the Rasi-chart provides overall information regarding the location of planets and sensitive-points such as the Lagna, the latter provides vital information regarding their active quality and strength. A planet may be well-placed in the natal-chart Rasi-wise but its full effects may not materialise if its situation in the navamsa-chart is not supportive.

Dhana yoga Planetary benefit giving wealth

Dhana yogas are astrological combinations or yogas for wealth and prosperity which prove more fruitful if both the lagna and its lord are strong, and there are no Arista yogas present affecting the Dhana yoga - causing planets and the bhavas associated with earning, acquisition and accumulation of wealth. Jupiter is one of the natural Dhana-karaka, a strong Jupiter gives lifelong prosperity and financial stability.

Karmasthana (astrology)

Karmasthana, also known as the Kirtisthana and the Rajyasthana, is the 10th bhava or house counted from the Lagna or the Ascendant or from the Chandra-lagna i.e. the natal position of the Moon. It is the house of action and the house of profession.

Trikonasthanas

Trikonasthanas or trikonas or trines are conventionally the Lagna or the Birth-ascendant, the fifth and the ninth bhava or house counted from the Lagna. They form the Dharma-trikona and are also known as the Lakshmisthanas, these bhavas and their lords signify luck and prosperity. The Lagna is both, a kendrasthana and a trikonasthana.

Upachayasthanas

The term Upachayasthana is derived from the Sanskrit word उपचय which means increase, it also means the entire process of acquisition, assimilation and augmentation or proximate aggregation or increase or gain of nourishment or in growth or in body weight.

Daridra yoga Planetary affliction conferring poverty

Daridra yogas or Nirdhanta yogas along with Kemadruma yoga and Shakat yoga, are certain exceptional ava-yogas or unfavourable planetary combinations that indicate poverty. The word, Daridra means poor, needy or deprived, and the word, Nirdhanta means poverty, poorness or indigence.

Yoga-karakas Planets causing benefic results

Yoga-karakas are those planets which, according to Hindu astrology, confer fame, honour, dignity, financial prosperity, political success, and reputation. The lords of the kendras and trikonas associating with each other, or the lords of the 9th and 10th interchanging signs or fully aspecting each other, give rise to Raja yoga.

Maraka (Hindu astrology)

Maraka in Hindu astrology refers to the planet or planets that cause death at the end of a particular life-span; if the assessed life-span is not over they cause accident, ill-health, poverty and misery during the course of their dasha or antra-dasha or in the period of the planet associating/influenced by them. Each lagna has a fixed maraka or marakas. The two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, and the lord of the 9th house generally do not become marakas. The lords of the 2nd and the 7th house, or the malefic planets occupying anyone of these named houses and associated with their lords are the Primary determinants of death. The Secondary determinants of death are the benefic planets in association with lords of 2nd and 7th house or the lords of the 3rd and 8th house, or the lord of the 3rd or the 8th associating with the lord of the 2nd or the 7th house. The Tertiary determinants of death are Saturn associating with any of the afore stated marakas, the lord of the 6th or the 8th associated with a maraka, and the least powerful planet in the horoscope. The transit influences of the Sun, Mars and Jupiter are taken into account for determining the time of death.

Drekkana Equal to ⅓ of a sign in Hindu astrology

Drekkana is one of the sixteen main vargas described by Parasara to Maitreya who wanted to be explained about the different kinds of houses (Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra. Parasara states that relationship with co-borns is to be judged from the drekkanas occupied by planets. All standard ancient texts on Hindu astrology describe these vargas. The actual disposition of a planet is properly known from its occupation of these sixteen vargas. These sixteen sub-divisional charts which are one of the four dimensions of astrology are a basic ingredient of Hindu astrology, and each sub-divisional chart is firstly required to be studied independently and then collectively as one. M. Ramakrishna Bhat is of the opinion that drekkana is not a Sanskrit word but borrowed from the Greek.

References

  1. "Jaimini Sutras".
  2. P.S.Sastri (2006). Maharishi Jaimini's Jaimini Sutram (complete) (2006 ed.). Ranjan Publications. ISBN   9788188230181.
  3. Dr.Suresh Chandra Mishra. "Tara Lagna Dasha". Archived from the original on 2011-11-11. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
  4. Prash Trivedi (2003). The Key of Life: Astrology of the Lunar Nodes. Lotus Press. p. 12. ISBN   9780940985339.
  5. "Basic features of Jaimini Astrology".
  6. "Jaimini or Parashara".[ permanent dead link ]
  7. Hart De Fouw (2003). Light on Life: An Introduction to the Astrology of India. Lotus Press. p. 17. ISBN   9780940985698.
  8. B v Raman (15 October 2003). Studies in Jaimini Astrology. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. p. 3. ISBN   9788120813977.
  9. Jaimini. "Jaiminisutras (English translation with notes by B. Suryanarain Rao)". Bengaluru: IBH Prakashana. p. xi,17.