Lesson #1 – 1. Mantras for learning astrology. 2. Introduction to Vedic astrology (basic concepts).

Topics Covered:

1. Mantras for learning astrology.

2. Introduction to Vedic astrology (basic concepts).

Key Points:

1. Lord Ganesha/Ganapathi is the deity for learning astrology. The associated mantra is “Om sri
mahaganapataye namah”.

2. Recite the parampara mantra “Hare Rama Krishna”. [This is the moola mantra for the "Hare Rama Hare
Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare; Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare" maha mantra.] This
moola mantra tells you that, you have to analyze a horoscope from three different standpoints,
namely, Lagna (Hari), Su (Rama), Mo (Krishna). Su represents atma, Mo represents the mind and Lagna (ASC)
represents the physical body. These three form the tripod of life.

3. Another mantra to recite regularly is ”Om Shleem Dhleem

Jjyotirbraahmaaya Namah“, which will make the derivation of knowledge from the universal light.

4. Another mantra is ”Om Shreem Dhleem

Medhadakshinamurthaye Namah” to remove the confusion in the mind of astrologers.

5. Recite these mantras 108 times (or 11 times, if 108 times if not possible). If you want you can also add
“Om” in front of it, to safeguard from the mistakes.

6. There are 12 Rasis (signs) and 9 planets. The planets are Sun,

Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Ju and Sa. Two more planets, Ra and Ke are used, which are not physical
objects. These are points where the Moon’s orbit around the earth intersects the plane of the earth’s orbit
around the Su. They are also called chaya grahas as these are formed of shadows.

7. The entire zodiac is divided into 12 equal parts (each of 30 degrees) and each such part is called a rasi
(sign). The first sign is Ar (Ar) and is also called Mesha in Sanskrit. Mesha spans 0 to 30 degrees. The next part
is Taurus (Ta) or Vrishabha from 30 to 60 degrees. The subsequent Rasis in order are Gemini (Ge) or
Mithuna, Cancer or Karkataka, Leo (Le) or Simha, Virgo (Vi) or Kanya, Libra (Li) or Tula, Scorpio (Sc) or
Vrishchika, Sagittarius (Sg) or Dhanush, Capricorn (Cp) or Makara, Aquarius (Aq) or Kumbha and Pisces (Pi) or
Meena. These divisions are based on real stars in the sky.

8. The book Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (BHPS) is like a bible of astrology.

9. ASC is a very important point and it shows you, self. All the other planets show other people or
circumstances that are influencing you. So positions of the nine planets (in their respective signs) around the
Lagna at the time of birth of a person, constitutes a rasi Chart. Similarly, rasi charts can be drawn for a group
of people or a country. For example, the moment when certain persons got together and declared the
formation of a party is the moment of the birth of the party and will determine the fortunes of it.

10. Lagna takes approximately 1 whole day to go around the zodiac and come back to the same point. For Mo
it is about 29 days, for Su about 365 days (1 year), for Ma about 1.5 years, for Me and Ve about 1 year, for Ju
about 12 years and finally for Sa approximately 30 years. Ra and Ke each take 18 years to go around the zodiac
once, approximately.

11. The periods when transit Sa is posited in three signs i.e., the

sign behind the Moon, the sign of the Mo and the sign ahead of the Mo are called Sade-Sati period. This
period is important because Mo is the significator of the mind and Saturn’s placement in these signs may
cause much trouble to mind. So each Sade-sati period is for 2.5 years and the total is 7.5 years for one full
rotation of the zodiac.

12. From the earth, if a planet appears to go backward, it is called Vakri or retrograde. The process of
retrogression is called vakra- gamanam.

13. According to the shastras, the whole universe is made of a

‘material’ called Narayana. Out of it, only 1/8th part is perceivable by us and it is called Vasudeva.
The rest of Narayana cannot be perceived by ordinary mortals.

14. Jupiter, the Brihaspati, is the teacher of gods, represents our intelligence and power of discretion. Venus,
Sukracharya, the teacher of the demons, represents the demonic / Rajasik qualities in us. The Su
represents the atma / soul, the Mo represents the mind etc…

15. In Vedic astrology, there are so-called Varga chakras or divisional charts that we create for a person in
addition to the rasi Chart, and in these charts the ASC changes in few minutes. According to maharshis of our
tradition, the rasi chart shows our physical existence and health (i.e. physical manifestation) and each of the
Varga chakras represents a specific area of our lives e.g. education, career, marriage etc.

16. If you don’t have any good muhurta pre-calculated for your purpose, you can use the muhurta of the
mid day (i.e. when the Su is at the highest point in the sky at a particular location). This muhurta is called
Abhijit muhurta and is universally good. Abhijit means great victory. The reason why shastras recommend on
this is because at mid day, the Su is located three signs (equivalent to 6 hrs) behind the ASC and thus will be
located in the 10th house from the ASC (each Rasi is a house with ASC as the 1st house; the houses are
counted in the zodiacal direction; 10th house represents one’s karma and the success in it). Thus Su being in
the 10th house is auspicious for any activity.

17. Astrology is a probabilistic knowledge of the future happenings in our lives and it helps us to mentally
prepare for the good and the bad in the future. Astrology reveals hidden traits in a person’s personality.
Astrology can offer remedies for certain bad situations.