PRASNA 1

Prasna - General Introduction

Ashtamangala Prasna is a methodology practiced in Kerala in coducting the Prasna or interogatory query in Astrology, which is known as horary, is one of the branches ofHoaraa - the interpretative astrology.  So before going to Ashtamangala prasna one must have an idea of what prasna is. Only in the light of that knowledge one can understand the technique and methodology ofAshtamangala prasna.So a brief descrip-tion about prasna is attempted here.

Indian astrology has three branches I, Ganitha (mathematical astrology including astronomy). 2.Hoaraa (interpretative astrology or predictive astrology). 3-Samhitha (Mundane astrology). In mathemati-cal astrology the positions and other details of planets, signs, houses, constellations and other celestial phenomena are worked out which help in preparing horoscopes and predicting results. In Hoara or predictive astrology, the delineations are made with the guidance of astrological cannons. Hoara branch includes. Electional astrology. Omens, Horoscopic delineations and Interrogatory astrology or prasna. Samhitha branch in-cludes the prediction of mundane affairs like events related to a country, variations in the prices of commodities, rain, earth-quake, flood, national calamities, famine, pestulance etc. Prasna is a full fledged division of Hoara branch of astrology. Since the present work deals with Ashta-mangalaprasna which is one of the branches of prasna some light is thrown on prasna in general here.

What is Prasna.

Prasna is a Sanskrit word which means interrogation or question

or query. The name is given because, in this. the individual with the

desire of knowing his future, approaches the astrologer and asks him

about his future in the form of a question like whether I will get a job/

whether I will pass in the examination/ when will the son return who has gone to foreign countries etc. The astrologer answers that question with the help of a hoarary chart containing planetary positions calculated for the moment, when the question was asked .Since the prediction is made on the basis of the question asked, this method derives its name prasna or iterrogatory astrology. The word prasna has other meanings also like chapter in a book. But that meaning has no relevance here.

 

Like Prasna, Jaathaka (horoscopy) is another branch ofHoaraa.  Both have only a little difference in their form, contents and preparation or casting. In a natal horoscope the ascendant and planetary positions are marked in the form of a chart for the exact time of birth of a child or any other event. But in prasna the planetary positions are marked in the chart for the exact time of the query put to the astrologer. So it can be generally said that prasna and jaathaka are similar in almost all respects.  But along with these similarities in form and contents there are some differences also . The similarities and differences between these two are enumerated and explained below’.

Similarities

I .There is no control on the birth of a babe coming to this world and on the desire of the individual asking a question to the astrologer. In the former theJeevaathmaa (human soul) enters the womb of a lady as a result of his good or bad deeds in his past life (poorvajanmakarma or praarabdha) and helplessly takes birth in this mortal world. Such hu-man beings cannot prevent their birth in this world. In the latter the na-ture of query also is the same. Here an individual compelled by the cir-cumstances comes to the astrologer and asks a question whether he can get any remedy for his grievances. Both incidents have the spontaneity and inevitability.

2.Planetary positions are marked in the charts erected for both the

occasions of birth and query. Both the charts have ten constituents viz,

longitudinal positions of nine planets and ascendant.(in addition prasna

chart has some more markings)·2

3. In both types of charts predictions are made based on the as-

cendant and other houses and planetary positions’

4.The rules of predictions in both are also more or less the same.

5.1n the light of the above similarities it is ordained in astrology

 

that the query also may be treated in the same line as horoscope and

predictions be made. 4,5

Dissimilarities between a query and natal

Though it is said earlier that the horoscope and query have many things in common there are a few differences also.

I .In a query the questioner or his representative directly asks the question to the astrologer and so there is the direct involvement of the questioner or his representative in a query or prasna where as in horo-scope the native need not be physically present and so his physical in-volvement is not necessary.

2. In query or prasna the place or direction occupied by the ques-tioner when he asks the question has most importance. (This sign is called Aarooddta). In natal horoscope this is not calculated. In other words the questioner has relation to place and time whereas in natal he is connected with birth-time only.

3.Prasna deals with only one aspect of life asked by questioner at

a time, whereas the natal horoscope deals with the whole life experiences

of the native

4.Prasna’s limitation of time is one year and that of natal horo-scope is the whole of life span of the native that is about 80 to 90 years.

5.Natal horoscope deals with the good or bad deeds of the former birth. The deeds of the present life after birth do not reflect there. But in prasna the present day life experiences upto the time of query could also be dealt with.

6.Since the results of bad or good deeds of former birth are modi-fied by the present day deeds - good or bad- natal horoscope cannot reflect true life. This is not the case with prasna as it reflects the actual deeds of past life as well as the present day life of the individual. The natal horoscope reflects only the true nature of past life which might have changed after birth due to the good or bad deeds of the native.  Since this modification takes place after birth natal horoscope cannot reflect such after birth phenomena.. But since the prasna chart is cast for the time of prasna it will reflect all the phenomena up to date including the modified ones.

 

 

 

1. The premises of prasna is sharp and precise whereas that of natal is vast and varied.

8.The main difference between prasna and natal horoscope is Aarooddta- the sign occupied or touched by the queryst which represents the space in the zodiac.

9.From Aarooddha or sign occupied by querist, the astrologer can deduce the planetary force or vibration controlling the queryst and the general influence of the planet on the locality where the query is con-ducted. This is because the querist approaches the astrologer under the influence of some planet and it is this planetary force which places the questioner in a sign. In natal horoscope there is no relevance for Aarooddta sign. Aarooddta is a Sanskrit word meaning mounted upon and here a sign is called aarooddta because it is mounted upon by the querist.  Arrodtathwaath Prucchakaena Raasiraroodta Ishyathae Aarooddta is of many types which will be explained later under the heading Aarooddta.

10 .Wrong timing in natal horoscopes. Usually in natal horoscope the time of birth is often given wrongly due to different circumstances and reasons. When the delivery takes place in a nursing home or hospital usually the time of birth is intimated by the nurse or midwife who attends the delivery. They intimate the time after a few minutes of delivery. Here a guess is taking place. Further they donot know the exact time of deliv-ery is the time of cutting the umbilical cord. There are difference of opinion about the exact time of birth. Some consider the first inhalation of the child as birth time, while others the weeping of the child. Still some others the sight of the head. Some others hold that touching the ground (in present day hospital births touching the hand of midwife or nurse) is the exact time. In prasna this inconsistency does not take place, because here the astrologer himself is noting the time of query.

11 .In prasna some more details of timings such as Cchathra.

Veedhee, Soothra, Ashtamangala samkhyaa, thrisphuta, cchathusphuta,

panchasphuta, daehasphuta, praanasphuta, mruthyusphuta, jeeva

soothra, roagasoothra, mrithyusoothra etc. are calculated which are not done in natal.

\I.Nimittha or omens have great importance in Prasna, where as that much importance is not given to nimitthas in natal.

13. Prasna is more pragmatic than natal.

 

 

14. Prasna can answer any kind and every kind of problems faced by man-kind. But natal horoscope has many limitations. For example natal cannot answer questions about lost articles, pregnancy, rain, hunt, food, travel, curability of diseases, lost horoscopy etc.

15.To sum up prasna starts where the natal stops.

The charged enviomment during prasna

As has already been said it is the invisible cosmic force (in astrol-ogy the planetary influence) which compels the questioner to approach the astrologer and places him in a sign before the astrologer. So it is to be deduced that certain planetary influences are at work at that time in the place where horary is conducted. The nature of this influence can be felt from the omens seen at the place and time of query. For example during the time of query about marriage if some person leaves the place of query, it gives the indirect indication to the astrologer, that the girl will bedi-vorced or become widow; on the other hand if a couple (husband and wife) comes to the place of query or some body brings brand new cloth to the place, it is indicative of a happy wedded life to the bride. Omens are the results of the planetary influence prevailing at the time of query at the place and on people present there.. The expert astrologer can feel the charged atmosphere and the nature of the planetary influence present there. Actually when the questioner comes to the astrologer and the astro-loger sights the questioner an invisible force binds them together and the astrologer starts to feel the experiences of the questioner as if they are his own experiences. His mental condition changes according to the charged atmosphere, his breath (swara) changes its course through the left or right nostrils, by feeling which the astrologer actually foresees the fu-ture experiences of the questioner, (the flow of breath or Swara is fully explained under the chapter Swara). At this juncture the predictions made by the astrologer comes true. In prasna special attention is paid to the time of query, place of query, the facial expression, dress, posture and movements of the querist, the limbs the querist has touched, the omens seen and heard around, the first syllables in the first word uttered by the queryst, the presentation articles given by the querist, the betel leaves brought by the querist, the mentality and the temperaments of the querist.

The horoscope does not prescribe any clue or remedy to the day to day

problems that haunt men where as in prasna the immediate reasons are

found out and remedies prescribed. At times it becomes impossible to

finalise the matching of horoscopes of would be couples due to the wrong or incomplete entries in the horoscope. Here prasna gives the final ver-dict. The rising sign and Aarooddta in prasna have 27 kinds of mutual relations which are called Soothra(comiections). This is not calculated in natal. The following remarks in Astrological magazine (sept. 1991 )about prasna is true in the real sense.”prasna can be defined as a method of ascertaining on any occasion the notable events of the past or future not very remote in any individual’s life by studying the current planetary location ,the nature of the feeling of the astrologer, the modes, words, gestures, anctsuch-features of the individual and the various Sakunas that present themselves”.

Below are given two typical charts -natal and horary -erected.  Note the similarity and differences in form and contents of the two charts.ln the hearary chart note the entry AA in Sagittarius, given below..

It can be seen that both contains the position of nine planets and ascendant but the horary has one more entry of aaroodta in the sign Aquarius.

 

The Querist and Astrologer

The querist and astrologer are the most important and essential constituents of Prasna or Horary. Without these two the conduct of a prasna is impossible. In modern times when communication facilities have improved, in the place of the querist, his postal letter, written query, e-mail, telegram, telephonic conversation etc. can also be taken as the query warranting a prasna. Of course here the aarooddta sign can be found out. This the astrologer himself can find out with the help of Cowries.(this is explained later in the context ofaaroodta).

As said earlier the querist compelled by the critical circumstances

approaches the astrologer to find out the astrological reasons for his

grievances and astrological remedies to alleviate them. Here the Cosmic

forces act upon him and bring the querist before the astrologer and place

him in a particular spot or sign. And this cosmic force is indicated by the

positions of planet at that time. On the one hand the querist has the con-

fidence that the astrologer through his expertise shall definitely find out

the reasons for his grievances and advise him the remedies and on the

other hand the astrologer will be praying to the almighty and his precep-

tor that with their blessings, he might be able to know the reasons of the

grievances of the querist and the remedies may come to his mind. Thus

there is the action and reaction between the mental dispositions of the

read the future of the querist and spells out the actual reasons of the sufferings.

The ethics of the astrologer

The astrologer should be very serious, circumspect and duly bound at such situations. He is considered by the querist and his people as the embodiment of God who is the only source of redress for the ailments.  So the astrologer is morally bound to give the correct advice to the querist.  Actually prediction is like using the sharp razor. (It has a razor ‘s edge that cut the wrong way at the slightest tilt.). If astrologer conducts the prasna methodically, systematically and seriously and with due rever-ence to deities and preceptors, he will never err in his predictions. “Horary horoscope when cast correctly emerges as a symbolic projection of a specific situation confronting the person at the moment vis-a-vis the kind of cosmic influence it is subjected to.”

The ethics of the querist

The querist is the main beneficiary in the prasna as a patient is in the treatment. Here the astrologer has the role of a doctor in treatment.  So the querist should behave with the astrologer as a patient behaves with the doctor who treats him. The querist should be serious in his purpose, sincere, should not try to test the astrologer’s knowledge; he should have ftill confidence and faith on the astrologer; he should be pious and should not be haughty; he should not ask questions in an indif-ferent manner; he must have real and genuine interest in getting bis griev-ances relieved. In such a condition the prasna becomes productive and efficacious.

It is ordained in classics that the silly and testing questions of the

querist should not be answered’·’

The astrologer should not give prediction without being asked. He should not ask the query asked in unethical manner. Because in this the knowledge of truth is never obtained. When the astrologer is circumspect and when the query is asked well and when pleasant things are seen and heard they cause gain of desired objects.

To sum up the following types of querists should not be enter-tained by the astrologer. I .One who uses bad language in questioning.

2.0ne who puts the question in a casual manner and not seriously. 3.One

 

who does not believe in astrology and cosmic reality evinced by it. 4 .One who comes empty-handed. 5.One who does not directly look into the eyes of the astrologer, 6.0ne who asks two questions simultaneously.

Varieties of prasna

As said earlier any subject under the Sun can be made the topic of prasna. As the subjects dealt with by man in an interrogation are num-berless the queries also based on them are numberless. Prasna or querry is classified on the basis of the subject matter and the techniques employed-The following are the common types.

1. Vivaahaprasna (about marriage);

2.Santhaana prasna (about progeny);

3.Roagcipras»a (diseases);

4.Aayuhprasna (longevity);

5.Maranaprasna (death);

6.SwapMprasna (dreams);

7.Yaathraaprasna (travel); &.

8.uddhaprasna (success in war);

 9.Sandhiprasna (compro-mise);

IO.Yrushtiprasna (rain);

II.Koopaprasna (water in well) ;

12.Nashtaprasnct (lost articles);

l3.tlashtajaathaka prasna (lost Horoscopy),

14.Bhoaj’anaprasna (food eaten);

 1S.Proashithaprasna (ex-ile);

16.Thaamboota prasna ( hoarary with the help of betel leaves).

17 .Noalikoera prasna (hoarary with the help of coconut)

 

 The Qualifications of an Astrologer

Astrological classics particularly Bruhathsamhitha by Sree

Varaahamihira prescribes many qualifications for an astrologer. The

astrologer should be adept in all branches of Astrology and he must have

the knowledge of all classical texts in astrology like Paraasarahoara,

Yavanajaathaka, Jaiminisoothra; he must be a good mathematician and

astronomer too. Here the relevant portions from Prasnamaarga and

Bruhathsamhitha are quoted below, ~

Bruhathsamhitha gives more elaborate parameters based on the saamudrikaasaasthra, (chapter 2.)

“ the astrologer should belong to a good family, be handsome, of

modest appearance and dress, truthful, free of jealousy, impartial, hav-

ing well-proportioned body, free from deformity, having beautiftil hands,

legs, nails, eyes, chins, ears, teeth, broad forehead, beautiful eye-brows,

the voice is deep and resonant. The astrologer must be clean, efficient,

energetic, bold, eloquent orator, intelligent, moves in tune with time and

space, sincere, not perturbed in associations of people, not defeated in

arguments by fellow students, free from bad habits, clever, adept in propi-

tiatory rites, curative, replenishing and remedial, desirous of respecting

scholars, engaged in the worship of Gods, observances, austerities, pen-

ances, having influence on others, able to answer the questions asked by

others; he must also be conversant with the calculation of movement of

planets and the contents ofsamhithas and hoaraas,4

Among the various methods of calculations of astronomy the as-

trologer should be well versed with the various subdivisions of time like

Yuga, year, solstice, ruthu, month, fortnight, day and night, muhoortha,

naadee, praana, thruti and other sub divisions and the different systems

of astronomy prevalent in India viz, Powlisa, Roamaka, Vaasistta, Sowra,

Paithaamaha,5

Tha astrologer also should be thoroughly aquainted with the rea-

Ashtamangala Prasna                                     21

sons for the existence of the different systems of measurement of time,

viz. Solar system, terrestrial system, siderial and Lunar systems and oc-

currence of intercalary months and increasing and decreasing lunar days’”

The astrologer also must know the ways of calculation of the 60

year’s cycle (prabhavaadi), yuga, (five years . naaraayanaabda), year,a

day, hour

He must know the similarities and dissimilarities and suitabilities

and unsuitabilities of measures like sowra,*

Though there are differences among various schools of thought , regarding the ayanaarnsa, he should be capable in reconciling them with what has been actually observed by means of a water equipment.”

He should be thorough with the causes that are responsible for the motions of planets like-slow.southern, northern, towards perigee and apogee’”.

He must be able to calculate the exact time of commencement, ending, direction, magnitude, duration, intensity, and colour of the eclipses, of the Sun and Moon and conjunction of Moon with other planets and planetary wars.”

He should know the way of determining accurately the rate of speed of planets in yoajanaas, orbit, dimensions etc.”

He must also know the earth’s rotation around Sun, its revolution along the constellations, the latitude of a place ,the difference in the length of the day and night, the charakhandas of a place, rising periods of dif-ferent signs of the zodiac, the method of converting the length of shadow into time and vice versa , the exact time ofghatees that have elapsed “.

 

Meeting of the Querist   and Astrologer

First phase in a query is the meeting of the astrologer and ques-

tioner. This is called doothadaivagna samaagama.Ttus takes place in

the following ways

I •The querist meets the astrologer at the latter’s residence and asks him questions then and there itself or fixes a future date for the conduct of querry.

2-lnstead of the queryst going direct to the astrologer, querist send-ing some messenger to the astrologer and fixing a firture convenient date for the conduct of query.

S.Contacting the astrologer through modern mode of communica-tions like- telephone, telegram, e-mail or post , asking him the question and getting the reply by any of the above modes.

In all the methods employed in a query it is necessary that the querist come into contact with the astrologer.ln this context the ques-tioner is called proshtcio orprucchak. If any other person is sent to repre-sent the querist, he is called a dootha or messenger.

The daily routine of the astrologer which he should finish before

some body comes for astrological consultations is as follows.The as-

trologer should wake up in the broahma muhoortha (the 1 ½  hours

before sunrise); in the bed itself he should invoke the deity;after attend-

ing to the natural call, wash teeth and bathe; worship Sun god and other

deities offer oblations to fore fathers; then chant manthras like Gaayathry

panchaaksharee, ashtaaksharee, Sreevidyaa etc. 108 or 1008 times;

those who perform nithyapooja (daily worship) at home itself must per-

form that. If he can go to temple everyday in a particular time it is well

and good; by performing this kind of worship the astrologer’s mind, soul

and body are purified and mental equipoise is obtained. After this he

must refer to the anchaanga(almanac) and note the astrological pecu-liarities of tire day - the plus and minus points- the auspiciousness and inauspiciousness like time of sun-rise, sun-set,week-day, asterisms, karana, nithyayoaga, laata, vaidhrutha,dagdhayoaga, mruthyuyoaga ,kaalahoara, udayaathpararaasi, muhoortha blemishes, amruthayoaga, gulikoadaya. nindyapushkara etc.which are the tools for astrological delineations. He must also ready with the chart with planetary positions and longitudes for the day. Now in a calm and quiet disposition he can be ready to receive the clients. In former days astrologer had to wait for the client. But in the present day busy and crowded life, when the people are more and more astrology oriented, the client will be waiting in the visitor’s room for the astrologer from the early morning itself.’

 

MATERIAL FOR BA PART 1 PAPER 1