A frequent mistake which is often made in Jyotisha thought is to consider events in Vedic astrology charts as complete or absolute or all encompassing. These words and phrases may not accurately capture the essence of what is being communicated, and so illustrations follow.
The first and foremost mistake is to consider the horoscope as containing everything. One has an erroneous conviction that everything that happens in life must show up in some way in the horoscope, and even more acutely, something that appears to be indicated in the horoscope must happen, otherwise something is wrong.
In the Ramayana, why was the Vanavasa or Agyatavasa not predicted by the great astrologers of the time, especially in the incarnation of Sri Rama Avatara. It could not have been that it was not known. One may conjecture but it is certain that there was no prediction. Still, Moola Dasha system which is used to time curses in the charts, effectively indicates the 14 years’ period of exile in the Mahadasha of Shani. We do not wish to enter any debate regarding Moola Dasha and the role it played when Sri Rama’s horoscope was examined during the incarnation. There is a teaching that Karma will most definitely bear results and one will have to experience the good and bad effects of past Karma. This is Prarabdha.
The Shashtyamsha Chakra, the D-60 chart, contains the Sancita Karma- the entire storehouse of Karma done at the time of commencement of any given lifetime. From this Sancita Karma, the Prarabhda is drawn to be experienced. The new Karma which we perform is Kriyamana Karma. Some say in Manushya Yoni, one is free to perform Kriyamana Karma even though Prarabdha Karma will inspire the individual to act in some way or the other. Others say that this is not so. Freewill is to be judged from the Upacaya Bhavas from the Udaya Lagna, and since that is so, freedom is also determined, at least to a large extent.
In this brief background, we must also understand a view relating to the Prashna Chakra. There is a view that the Rashi chart is changing with the Karma we perform in this life and this is evidenced from the Prashna Chakra which may be cast from time to time. A separate teaching suggests that this may not be correct. This latter teaching states that the Prarabdha cannot be changed but its experience is modified by the Karma done or being done in this life. For example, a bad Dasha starts when a person is performing good deeds in this life- what can be expected is that while the bad Karma will manifest, its experience becomes more tolerable. The frequent sight of good people suffering can be explained by this; also ‘nice guys finish last’ is obviously fallacious. Nice persons running a very adverse Dasha can bring up the rear and the not-so-nice persons may have a more difficult time based on the proposition above. The expression Dasha, in line with the theme of this paper, should not be restricted merely to Dasha but also to transits, maturity age of important planets and any other relevant indicator such as Charakaraka replacement and so on.
The truth which emerges is that insofar as the framework of life at any given point in time goes, it is absolutely and completely destined. The framework is comprised of the result of only two types of Karma, good and bad, leading to happiness and suffering respectively. Human action is not comprised in Prarabdha, it is arguably wholly contained in Kriyamana Karma. This explains the conduct of Mr. Doubting Thomas who repeatedly urges- What is destiny. Look, I can pick this glass up at will. Let us see destiny stop me. We can therefore comfortably leave Mr. Thomas to his own devices.
Dasha is the most crucial tool to see the changing colours of life with greatest ease, exactly as promised in the horoscope. Obviously, this is most in evidence when the concerned Graha is strong and capable of manifesting notable results. Dasha controls a major part of the manifestation of Prarabdha Karma because it is well-known dictum in Jyotisha that results of Grahas are felt in their Dashas. The Graha is always there and in some way or the other will be a part of life but somehow unless a person well-versed in the Shastra is studying the charts, the significance of the Graha does not reveal itself till the Dasha of that Graha comes. Vimshottari Dasha reckoned from the Janma Nakshatra (Janma Vimshottari) always gives results even if a special or conditional Dasha applies in the horoscope,
Suppose the Dasha of a Graha in special strength is running, and the individual is truly enjoying the results, even so he may feel in phases that the crests have vanished without explanation. There will be an explanation, and at times it may be a difficult one, but the truth is that a strong Dasha does not always at each moment of the Dasha give identical results. His strength will fundamentally always be there but He will somehow simply slip into high gear on His own, with or without reference to the Antaradasha. The most accurate understanding would be that the Dasha of a strong and auspicious Graha is the ideal time for Sukha, or to put it better, results of past Punya, to manifest in the ways indicated by the Graha. This also puts predictive work in its proper light.
Mahadashas are long and their impact is hardly ever visible day to day. It is only after a few years when there is a stock-taking that the distance covered becomes clear. The Antaradasha is what is visible and at special times or complicated transitions in the horoscope, even this may become enigmatic. Other Dasha levels may be used as found practicable in the circumstances. Significant events are likely to always be indicated in the horoscope, including in the Dasha but it may not be correct to try and correlate simply everything, or every little trifle, to factors in the horoscope.
Having said that, with the sheer number of predictive tools that we have in classical and traditional Vedic astrology, predictions are made seemingly endlessly about any number of important matters, correctly with restraint. The thoughts in this article can help train the mind to focus on the charts in a way that is meaningful, sincere, deliberate, important, and above all intended to help the individual in the most significant and weighty manner possible.
It is said that unless every last vestige of bad Karma in the Prarabdha is burnt through experience, one cannot be truly and completely happy, or to put it in other words, experience the full results of past Punya Karma. In a bad Dasha, obviously negative Karma is being burnt through suffering and the question of experiencing complete happiness does not generally arise. Happiness and suffering alternate. In excellent Dashas one will have ordinary or bad sub-periods for one reason or another and similarly in a bad Dasha there will be alleviation and success at some level, if so indicated, from time to time.
It is absolutely imperative to link the practice of Jyotisha with other aspects of Sanatana Dharma such as the Puranas, Srimad Bhagwad Gita and any other scripture. For example, in the Srimad Bhagwad Purana, it is specifically stated that the results of past good and bad deeds appear on their own in the same manner as the eye naturally blinks. This is a clear explanation of the way in which Prarabdha manifests in life and since Jyotisha studies this, it should be studied accordingly.
One of the ways in which to check whether some negative Karma is being deliberately burnt, especially if the exercise appears inscrutable, is to examine the Atmakaraka, more so if the experience is in a conventionally positive Dasha. There are some clues to this. When the Atmakaraka becomes overt in a positive sense, he may bring access to saints, even in Kaliyuga. By definition, the AK is like a saint. The suffering given by the AK is only to clean the soul of negative Karma. Why. It is so because the soul can then act in accordance with the tenets of Dharma, which may have to be construed and interpreted from time to time.
With this approach, Jyotisha becomes more aligned with Dharma as a Vedanga- Jyotisha, albeit in its own way, will turn the person seeking to understand things, towards God. Jyotisha is not meant for dry and isolated predictions, rather it is the system through which the journey of the soul in a lifetime and beyond is to be understood. This is the true context of Jyotisha.
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Anurag Sharma
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