Mantreswara was a Hindu astrologer whose work, Phaladeepika, written in Sanskrit verse-format, is a major text on Hindu astrology ranked alongside Bṛhat Parāśara Horāśāstra of Parashara, Brihat Jataka of Varahamihira, and Jataka Parijata of Vaidyanatha Dikshita. He was born Markandeya Bhattathiri/Bhattar in a family of Namboodari Brahmins. The exact date of his birth and date of death are not known, some believe that he lived in the 13th century and some believe that he lived in the 16th century. At the very close of his work, Phaladeepika, Mantreswara confirms that he lived in Shalivati, present Tirunelveli, as a renowned Brahmin astrologer. Well versed in many branches of knowledge he had travelled throughout India, in later years became a sanyasin and took samadhi at the place he was born.
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.
As per Jyotisa a Yoga is given rise to when one planet, sign or house is related to another of the same kind or different kind by way of placement, aspect or conjunction. It is the active consideration of planetary yogas and the active consideration of the planetary Dashas i.e. directional effects, which are the two most important factors that distinguish Hindu astrology from Western astrology.
Brihat Jataka or Brihat Jatakam or Brihajjatakam, is one of the five principal texts written by Varāhamihira, the other four being Panchasiddhantika, Brihat Samhita, Laghu Jataka and Yogayatra. It is also one of the five major treatises on Hindu Predictive Astrology, the other four being Saravali of Kalyanverma, Sarvartha Chintamani of Venkatesh, Jataka Parijata of Vaidyanatha and Phaladeepika of Mantreswara. The study of this classic text makes one grasp the fundamentals of astrology.
Phaladeepika is a treatise on Hindu astrology written by Mantreswara. The text is written in lyrical Sanskrit verse comprises 865 slokas and 28 chapters. It is one of the more significant works on Hindu astrology, along with Bṛhat Parāśara Horāśāstra of Parashara, Brihat Jataka of Varahamihira, and Jataka Parijata of Vaidyanatha Dikshita. It deals in a most comprehensive and authoritative manner with almost all astrological aspects of human life. Mantreswara has equated a retrograde planet with an exalted planet in strength and effects even though it be in an inimical or its debilitation sign differing with Saravali which states that benefics are powerful when retrograde and cause Raja yoga but malefic when retrograde do not confer favourable results.
Mansagari is a popular classical treatise on Hindu predictive astrology. It is written in the usual poetic form in the traditional Sanskrit Sloka format; the language and the method of expression used are both simple and unambiguous, and therefore, easy to understand. Its author, Janardan Harji, about whom not much is known, was the son of Janardan, of Gurjar Mandala, who belonged to the Shandilya Gotra, who was also a learned and renowned astrologer of his time and place. This text, comprising five chapters, covers briefly the essential parts of Ganitha and Siddhanta, but deals with the Phalita portion of Hindu astrology in far greater detail. It has described numerous yogas and Raja yogas and also narrated their effects, as also the results of the planetary dashas as all major dasha systems in vogue. Along with the more renowned works of Parashara and Varahamihira, Mansagari has remained a standard reference book. The book, Three Hundred Important Combinations, was written by Bangalore Venkata Raman on the basis of Jataka Tantra, Parashara Hora Sastra and Mansagari.
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 Parijata is an Indian astrological text that is ranked alongside Bṛhat Parāśara Horāśāstra of Parāśara Muni, Bṛhat Jātaka of Varāhamihira and Phaladīpikāḥ of Mantreśvara. It is regularly studied as a textbook and a reliable reference-book, and is one of the few books that gives time on the nativity, the other two being Horā Ratnaṃ and Jātaka Bharaṇaṃ.
Laghu Parashari, also known as Jataka Chandrika, is an important treatise on Vimshottari dasha system and is based on Bṛhat Parāśara Horāśāstra. Written in Sanskrit in the usual Sloka format, it consists of forty-two verses divided into five chapters. Thus, it is a brief but an important treatise on predictive part of Hindu astrology whose authorship is not known even though it is presumed that it was written by ardent followers of Parashara. It contains all the fundamental principles on which the Parashari system is based. It is widely relied upon by the exponents of Hindu astrology and a text that is frequently cited.
Chamatkara Chintamani is a revered treatise on the predictive part of Hindu astrology. It comprises one hundred and eight Sanskrit Slokas written by Bhatta Narayana. Brij Behari Lal Sharma, the modern translator and commentator of this treatise, writes that it was probably written in the 14th Century A.D. and that the author belonged to a Brahmin family hailing from Maharashtra which had settled in Mysore, Karnataka. This text is also known as Bhava Chintamani.
Hora Sara is an ancient treatise on the predictive part of Hindu astrology; it is written in Sanskrit Sloka – format. Its author, Prithuyasas, was the son of Varahamihira who at certain places even contradicts his father; for example, in respect of Vihaga yoga, a Nabhasa yoga, that arises when all planets occupy the 4th and the 10th, he has assigned auspicious results. Hora Sara is deemed to be one of the best classics on predictive astrology that was given due important representation in Hora Ratna of Bala Bhadra authored during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan "Just as Varaha is a synonym of astrology, his son, Prithuyasas, occupies the zenith in the astrology’s world through his master piece, Hora Sara".
Hora Ratna, a treatise on the predictive part of Hindu astrology, was written in the usual Sanskrit Slokas - format by Bala Bhadra sometime during the reign of the Muhghal Emperor Shah Jahan. Whereas the opinion of Parashara prevails much more in North of India, in South India the method of Bala Bhadra, who was influenced by Garga, is considered to be more authoritative. This text is a unique treatise on the effects of the twelve signs and houses which aspect it deals in its own peculiar way.
Dasadhyayi is the famous reputed commentary on the first ten chapters of Varāha Mihira’s Bṛhat Jātaka by Govinda Bhaṭṭathiri of Talakkulam who hailed from Alattur, a village near Thirur in South Malabar, Kerala, and who had also written Muhūrtapadavī. This text was regularly studied and memorised along with Bṛhat Jātaka and its interpretation of terms readily accepted.
Prasna Marga is a unique work on Hindu astrology, natal and horary, that appears to be a major classical text covering every aspect of human existence. It was written in Sanskrit Sloka – format in the year 1649 A.D. in a place called Edakad near Tellasseri in the present Indian State of Kerala, by Narayanan Nambutiri of Panakkattu house of Kerala. The author himself wrote a brief commentary to his book with the name 'Durgamartha prakasini'. This work is known in English through the commentary written by Punnasseri Nambi Neelakantha Sarma, a disciple of Kerala Varma. All Parashari principles are briefly available in this classic, and about which principles it is claimed that one conversant with the six branches of Jyotisa will never err in predictions.
Balarishta in Hindu astrology is one of the three basic Arishtas that can cause early death. These Arishtas are indicated by certain specific planetary situations or combinations or associations present at the time of one’s birth or at the time of query or at a particular muhurta or happening as are revealed by the Natal Chart or the Query Chart or the Muhurta Chart. It is a Dosha.
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 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.
Parajāta yogas are special planetary combinations or yogas that indicate birth of children who are not genetically related to their father or non-marital children or born out of illicit connections of their married mothers. Illegitimate children are stigmatized for no fault of theirs; some, like T.E.Lawrence, are made to seek redemption of their mother’s status but most accept their fate like Satyakama Jabala did. In India, illegitimate children of a Hindu father do not inherit from him on intestacy but they do inherit from their mother at par with her legitimate children.
Chāmara yoga is an auspicious yoga which blesses a person with name, fame and riches; and a Rāja yoga which confers upon a person a high social and official status, and ability and opportunity to lead, rule and administer.
Shashtiamsa - meaning the 60th division, in Hindu astrology refers to the 60th division or varga of a Rasi or Sign equally divided or half-degree each. It is one of the sixteen shodasvargas that are considered important and relevant to important aspects of life. Virupas, a measure of planetary or bhava strength, are also known as Shashtiamsas.
