The Sign or the Rashi (Rāśi): Essential Component of Interpretation and Problem-Solving Processes in Vedic Astrology

Premise-

The Lagna (Ascendant) and Bhāvas (Bhavas or houses) reckoned therefrom, can overwhelm the application of the principles of Vedic astrology, to the exclusion of essentials, but this may not be the correct approach.

The main function of Vedic Astrology-

The raison d’être of Jyotiṣa (Jyotisha or Vedic astrology) is essentially problem solving, sometimes very apparently so, and on other occasions, this manifests in a veiled manner.

Sweeping across the premise with a broad brush, we can say that Vedic astrology concerns itself with the problems precipitated by our own Karma reflected in the Rāśi Chakra (Rashi Chakra) and the numerous divisional charts. More specifically, the whole process of horoscope evaluation, apart from furnishing a complete picture of the Karma to be experienced, is focussed on unravelling the contours of particular environments in life; these could be health, fortune, family and siblings, spouse and relationships, properties, children, work, career and profession, battles and strife, elders and parents, comforts, acquisitions and luxuries, meditation and prayers, education, sins and dark areas in life and so on leading to a picture of the sum total of past Karma.

[This is also the reason the Vedic astrologer sits in the 12^th House, quite apart from the fact that this is the gateway to the other world, the door to Mokṣa (Moksha); it is in trines to the 8^th House, treating the Karmic pattern which emerges from the nativity in the 8^th House, like a doctor, who solves physical ailments. The analogy is immediate and complete, both in its symptomatic appearance and therapy.]

The Vedic Sign or Rashi (Rāśi )-

But before we address these specific environments or life areas, dominantly gauged through the Varga Chakras read conjointly with the Rāśi Chakra, we must take pause at the most essential building block in interpretation in Vedic astrology, and this is the Vedic sign or the Rashi (Rāśi).

What is Rāśi (Rashi)-

There is no doubt that the Lagna Rāśi is very important in the Rāśi Chakra and in all the Varga Chakra. The twelve Lagnas derive their character through this as too the fact that the other eleven Bhāvas for each Lagna mark themselves out based on the Lagna Rāśi in the various divisions of the Vedic horoscope. It is equally important to see the Rashi in the Ārūḍha Lagna (Arudha Lagna) and other Viśeṣa Lagna or Special Ascendants.

Are we missing something here, at this point. Yes, we have missed the importance of the Rāśi (Rashi) itself. The corollary to this omission is perhaps more important than the omission itself; in other words, what are the specific contours of each Rāśi.

Rashis are created by the movement of the Sun as Aditya (Āditya) across the zodiac and each thirty degree division is marked as a Rāśi. The zodiac is 360⁰ of arc and so in this manner the twelve Rāśis come into being.

This tells us something extremely important. The Sun is the Natural Significator/ Naisargika Kāraka for resources and in its traverse of each distinct portion of thirty degrees of arc invests each Rāśi with these resources.

Conclusion- All resources immediately come from the twelve Rashis through the grace of the Dwādaśa Āditya.

If all resources come from the Rāśis are we then justified in omitting them from our due care and attention during our journeys as professionals, businessmen, family men, and human beings. In the alternative, how would we ever get to know where everything in life is coming from.

Everything?

To pare down the proposition, all inanimate resources come from the Rāśis in the form of material, substance and circumstance, the last making the Rashi Dashas, (Rāśi Daśās) profound exponents of determinism as they bring into play, decided circumstance.

Higher definitions of Rashi in Vedic astrology classics-

The Fourth Adhyāya of the Bṛhaṭ Pārāśara Horā Śāstra reveals that the journey of the human being is from the Rahu (Rāhu) state to the Ketu state; indeed this thought runs through all Jyotiṣa and is the underlying thread in the path to Mokṣa. In Jyotiṣa code this translates to Rā (Rāhu) + Si (Śikhi or Ketu)= Rāśi (Rashi).

The other expression to this profound and essential truth (building block) is that the Ra Bīja is Agni and the Śa Bīja is Śakti which translates to Ra (Agni)+ Śi (Śakti)= Rāśi. Agni and Śakti translate to Sūrya and Cañdra respectively bringing the two luminaries in at the root of creation.

Physiology and Rashi-

When we examine various body parts from the various Bhāvas from the Lagna, we need to remember that this correspondence is borrowed from the essential physiological significations of the Rāśis.

In other words, if the 2^nd House signifies the face, it is only because Vrishaba (Vṛṣabha or Taurus) corresponds to and governs the face. In this manner, all the Rashis have to be considered.

Essential Character of the Rashis-

The most basic character of the Rāśis emerges from their grouping derived from their mobility. We have the Movable Signs, the Fixed Signs, and the Dual Signs.

The Rajas Guna of the movable signs makes for creation and activity while Tamas Guna of the fixed signs makes for stolid research and established patterns of conservatism. The dual signs exhibit the most malleability and the highest element of sustenance with Sattwa Guna.

We can go on and on with this, as indeed deeper and deeper. There is the correspondence of the Rashis with the Yugas which has to be considered and this is based on the Tṛkoṇa. The metaphysics of manifestation of Karma, as to why some things happen without asking, some with effort and some never despite effort akin to moving mountains, are all directly based in this correspondence of the Rāśis. This is Kaliyuga for a reason and the Rashis are mapped to the four Yugas for a reason as they are but the four legs of the bull, Naṅdī signifying Dharma.

Everyman Anywhere in the World-

The precise nature and doctrine at the root of each Rāśi is beyond the scope of this paper but is functionally the most crucial for we must know what each Rashi stands for, means and only then can we arrive at a proper understanding of, and engage in universal problem-solving in Jyotiṣa, as reflected in the Rāśi Chakra and the divisional charts of any individual anywhere in the world.

Epilogue-

When we say God has a brother who is playing all these tricks, all we are sometimes referring to is the complex interplay of Karma in the horoscope which may not have been revealed to us due to our distance from the magical words of the Rishis.

Additionally, in the context of the topic under discussion there are many Lagna Rashis including all dual or mutable signs, two movable signs and one fixed sign, which suffer from an inherent flaw in creation signified by one flawed planet for each such Lagna. There is no need to view it as anybody’s brother.

To see available options for consulting see-

http://planetarytransformation.blogspot.in/2006/08/choose-chart-analysis-you-want.html

Onwards,

Anurag Sharma

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