PRASNA 4

 

Entry of astrologer

at the place of query

As the astrologer enters the place of query regarding a

chronic disease if some other person goes out through the same way through which the astrologer entered it indicates the departure of the soul of the patient(death).lf another person enters through the samr gate the patient will not die. While entering the place of query the astrologer hears the chanting ofVaedas, cow or bull mooing sweetly,fragrant breeze flowing, it is good omen. On the contrary if he hears the sound of uten-sils falling or breakmg,he sees the chairs and other seats placed up-turned, the lamp quenches even without air ,and fire extinguishes in the oven the death of the patient is sure.

 Conducting the prasna

Choice of the place for conducting prasna.

The place to be selected for prasna should be clean, pleasing,

serene. The atmosphere should be calm and quiet. There should be flow-

ering plants and gentle and fragrant breeze should be flowing. It should

be plain and sanctified by sprinkling cowdung water. The place should

be such where usually auspicious functions are conducted. Query con-

ducted in such a place will fulfill the ambitions of the querist. A place

in the midst of a jungle, near cemetary, full of ups and downs, haunted

                                    

by ghosts, disgusting, burnt out places, places full of hair, bones, char-coal, etc. should not be selected for conducting query. Query conducted in such haunted places will not give good results.

Preparations for the conduct of query

Astrologer should have taken bath; he should be dressed in white cloth; he should wear sacred ashes on the fore head; he should be seated with ease facing the east direction without tension on any limb. In mind he must bow to preceptor and god. While commencing the preparations he should careftilly observe the omens seen around. The suitable time for query is not too early in the morning and not too late in the mid-noon.it is to be conducted when the Sun is bright and pleasing.

Assembling the materials for queiy.

He must ask somebody to bring the required articles to the place

of query which are already collected and kept ready.The following are

the articles required for an Ashtamangalaprasna and other prasnas as

welU

1.Lamp.dndian style)

2.011 and wicks,

3.Raw cloth

4.A brass vessel containg 8 auspicious items viz, 1.a small metal box 2.gold, 3.palm leaf book, 4.flower, 5-akshatham, 6.mirror with tail, 7.fruits, S.betel leaves..( because of these  8 auspicious articles the query is named ashtamangalaprasna, ashtamangala means eight aus-picious articles)

5.Utensils for pooja,

6-Flowers,

7.Nivaedya to be offered to deities,

8.Turmeric powder,

9.Rice flour,

10 Sandal paste,

11.Oil.

 12.Match box. and

13. Bowl filled by white rice (called nirapara in malayaalam)

14.Nivedya- articles to be offered to deity in pooja..

Material brought first

If among the materials intended for query if the person brings ashes first it forebodes evil to the querist like death in a query about diseases. If lamp or flowers are brought first it fore bodes good.

Lighting the lamp and nature offlame.

In all prasnas and other auspicious functions a burning lamp is

most important. (The lamp gets its importance only when it is being

lighted. The unlighted lamp has no importance); it represents the deity;

the oil in the lamp indicates the blood in the body of the querist; the

wick in the lamp is the soul; the brightness or dimness of the light rep-

resents the goods and bads of the queryst: the cup of the lamp is the

body of the person; if there are dead creatures in the oil the person is

suffering from diseases caused by germs: if there is ftill oil the person

is fully healthy: if the wicks are twined together he suffers from windy

diseases: if the flame is bright and uniformly long the person is long-

lived. If the oil is leaking pilfrage of money is taking place in the house

of the person: if the lamp is moved from the original place he has

changed the old residence: if the flame of the lamp moves in anti-clock-

wise direction Jf it is not bright; if it emits sparks, the flame is too

small or broken, if it suddenly extinguishes in spite of oil and wicks, if

it makes sounds while burning, if it shakes to and fro this is not good

for the queryst. On the contrary if the flame is dense, steadily is going

upwards, moves in clockwise, steady and bright, no sound is produced,

ifis beautiful to look at, burns straight, then prosperity and plenty can

be predicted to the querist. If the flame turns to east, the querist’s ambi-

tions are fulfilled: if south east fear of fire, if south death, if south west

diseases, if west mental peace, if north west wasteful attempts, if north

defeating the death and if north east good experiences. The nature of

the lamp and flames should be noted by the astrologer or his assistants

because it helps in the delineation of results of query.2

 

Drawing the chart

As a natal chart is prepared for the time of birth , a chart should be prepared for the time of query also.This chart is intended to mark the position of planets and ascendant at the time of query. (There is slight difference in the charts of natal and query which will be described later).  The astrologer himself does not draw the chart. He asks somebody else to draw the chart. The chart is usually drawn with ashes or rice flour.  Some are of the view that since the ashes are connected with death.  ashes should not be used in drawing charts. It is better to use rice flour for the purpose.

Method of drawing

First draw five horizontal lines of 4 inches length: draw similar five vertical lines over them; then there will be 16 columns; keep the middle columns in the shape of lotus petals as the seat of lord mahaeswara; the rest 12 columns are signs. Below is given a chart. This is the south indian style. The north Indian style is entirely different.  Draw a square first draw another square diagonally inside the former square. Then draw two diogonal lines from the corner of the square.  Example chart is given below.

 

Observing the drawing of chart

The astrologer should keenly observe the way of drawing the

chart.lfthe lines of the chart are thick they indicate happiness;thin lines

indicate sorrow; broken lines indicate obstacles in the work.lfthe north-

ern line is drawn first it indicates rnonetary.gaii~is.western line fore-

bodes sickness; eastern line indicates progeny and southern line death.3

 

 

 

Chart representing the querist, his house, compound etc.

If any portion in the chart is found to be a little raised or de-pressed it indicates an elevated plot or deep pit in the compound of the querist. The grass in the chart indicates trees in the compound. If the chart is wet there are ponds and wells in the compound-lf there is a piece of stone there are rocks in the compound-Small particles of sand in the chart indicate ant hills in the compound.”

Indications from the action of the person after drawing the

chart

After drawing the chart if the person gives away anything to any person it indicates that the property of the questioner is to be sold away in the near filture. If he receives anything from anybody he will get landed property. If he raises his hands up there are trees in his land. If he wears rings in fingers it indicates creepers in the trees there. If he clenches his fist the trees have only stumps and no leaves. If he touches his hair or moustache there are kusa or darbha grass in the compound.

If he touches his perspiring body there is plenty of water. If he places

his hand in armpit or anus the water in the compound is bad. If he raises

his arms too high the trees there are tall. If he touches the knees or other

bony parts of the body then there are stones and bones in the com-

pound. If he touches depressed limbs it indicates ponds and rivers in

the compound.5

Other omens

Tthe persons standing around the querist at the time of query indicate the number and type of persons who reside near his house. If a man bearing a bow comes there, say that there is a temple of lord Saastha in that direction. If a woman comes, there is a Devi temple in that direc-tion from where the lady appeared. If a Brahmin comes, there is a brahmarakshas in that direction from the house of the querist. If a wicked man comes it indicates fear from a robber.”

 Raasipooja - worship of the query chart

Divination of the query chart by instilling the cosmic energy into it by worshipping deities like Ganapathi, Dakshinaamoorthi, signs, planets,sree Saraswathi, sreelakshmee and preceptor.

After the query chart is drawn the astrologer starts the process of Ashtamangalaprasna. He washes his face, hands and feet, sprinkles water (proakshana) over him for purification, performs long breathing (praanaayaama). Praanaayaama is a form of long and controlled breath-ing in a systematic way. For performing praanaayaama the person sits mpadmaasana (squatting position) closes the right nostril with thumb and ring fingers and takes deep breath through the left nostril, retains the breath for a while and releases the breath through the right nostril.

He repeats the process by closing the left nostril and takes breath through

the right nostril. There are three processes in praanaayaama-Pooraka

(the filling process kumbhaka (the distribution process Raechaka (the

releasing process. During praanaayaama the pranavamanthra (which

is another form ofGaayathree) also is silently chanted, (pranavamaiethra-

0m Bhooh 0m Bhuvah 0m Swah om mahah, omjanaha, om thapah,

oni sathyam Thathsavithurvaeaenyam Bhargoa Daevasya Dheemahi

dhiyoa Yoa nah prachoaclayaath. Oamaapah Jyoatheerasclh Arnrutham

 

 

 

Brahma Bhoorbhuvasswaroam By the process praanaayaama all im-purities set in the body and mind are removed, the body is purified and kept in tune with the environment and is ready for any auspicious work.  Here also the astrloger’s mind and body are purified by praanaayaama process.

After doing praanaayaama the first phase is the divination of the

chart by instilling the cosmic force into it. For this performs pooja or

worship of deities connected with astrology. There are prescribed meth-

ods for pooja in which the astrologer should be adept.lfthe astrologer

is not adept in pooja methods  he engages somebody else knowing the

pooja methods At the outset Lord Ganapathy who is the dispeller of all

obstacles is worshipped.. Some verse depicting Ganapathi in any form

can be chanted .for example

Dhyaayaemithyam ganaesam paramagunayatham

dhyaanasmsttham thrinaethram

Aekam daevarn thwanaekam paramasukhayatham

daevadaevarn prasannam

Sundaadandadtyagandoadgalithamadajaloallaala

matthaalimaalam

Sreemantham vighnaraajam sakalasukhakaram sreeganaesam

namaami

After this the pooja of Dakshinaamoorthi who is the presiding

diety of astrology is done. The verse for his invocation is as follows

Kailaasaadreesakoanae Suravitapithatae sphaatikaemandapae

Sanmaathangaaraathpeedtoapariparilasitham saevyamaanam

surowkhaih

Jaanusttham vaamabaahum mrugamapiparasum

gnaanamudraam vahantham

Naagoadyadyoagavaeshtam dadatham rushiganae gnaanam

eesaanam eedae

After the pooja of lord Mahaeswara in the Dakshinaamoorthi form

,the signs and planets as they are posited in the signs on the day are to

be worshipped as the retinue of lord Mahaeswara. Then Goddess

Saraswathi, own preceptor are to be invoked in the Ashtamangala arti-

cles and worshipped. After this Goddess Mahaalakshmi is to be in-

voked in the oil lamp and worshipped. Then the Astrologer conducts

the worship of the gold coin. For this he takes out the Cowries (named

Varaatikaas in Sanskrit) and gold coin from the bag and washes the

gold coin and touches sandal paste and mixes it with the following -

 

rice, paddy, white flower (preferably thumba flower) and drops of wa-

ter and keeps it on a small piece of plantain leaf. Then he .takes the

plantain leaf in the left hand and places right hand over it and to ener-

gise it chants  0m Namah Sivaaya ftfae panchaakshara manthra) 108 times .After this he keeps the plantain leaf and its contents near him.’

Now it is the turn of the worship ofcowries(called varaatikaa in

Sanskrit),He washes the cowries with milk, then by water and rubs with

a white cloth .From the cowries he exactly counts 108 cowries only and

worships them by applying sandal and kumkumam and flowers and

Akshatha( the mixture of rice and paddy) on them. Then the astrologer

browses over the cowries by chanting 108 times the panchaakshara

manthra and other manthraas known to him 2 Then he preys to God

planets and his preceptors “ lam conducting this prasna for the sake of

this gentle man with name.......... And born on the asterism............ 0

Lords with your grace and blessings , the results of the good or bad

experiences in the past, present and future ,ofthis client and particu-

larly of the matter he has now asked about may come to my mind cor-

rectly “ 3 After this prayer he calls from the people present there , a child of below 9 years or a grown up individual who does not know the astrological principles . That person also worships  with flowers lord Ganapathy, Mahaeswara and other dieties and the lamp. Then the as-trologer gives the contents of the gold coin with flower and akshatham which he has kept near him to the person and asks him to do three pradakshinams ( rounds) around the chart drawn there. The person re-ceives the mixture of gold coin, flowers and akshatham with both hands and makes three rounds to the chart and stands near the chart facing the eastern direction.4 While the person is making the three rounds with chanting some prayer to god, the people present there also offer prayers to their chosen deities. During this time the astrologer also should brouse over the cowries and ofier prayer to planets by chanting three times the famous verse beginning with Moorthithwae from bruhadjaathaka ofsree Varaahamihira (which is quoted here)

 

 

After the chanting three times of this verse is over and still brows-ing over the cowries the astrloger directs the person standing with the gold coin and akshatham in his hands to place it in some column of the query chart drawn there.”* When the person places the gold coin in one of the signs of the chart ,simultaneusly the astrologer takes one handful of cowries from the one hundred and eight cowries and keeps them to his left on the plank, takes another hand ful and keeps them in his front on the same plank and collect the remaining cowries to his right on the planLThen he asks the person to remain somewhere and notes the di-rection where he stands. And he also feels his breath passing through the nostril and notes if any omen is seen 6Then the astrologer  or his assistants notes the details obtained by the ashtamangala process viz. exact time of placing the gold coin by the person and the sign in which the gold coin was placed and the astamangala numbers. Then he examines the position of the gold coin placed in the sign whether it is placed upside down or direct with face, touches the ground or placed on the flower, slanding towards any direction etc.The sign in which the gold coin is placed is namd as aaroodta.Then  he makes a very brief desription of the results as observed from the omens seen or the fea-tures offlame of the lamp. “ After this he divides by number 8 the cow-ries in each group before him and notes the remainder in each group which is called Ashtamangalasamkhyaa ( the number obtained by ashtamangala process).Then the following calculations are made and noted on a paper with other details required for the delineation of the prasna.

1.Name of the querist

2.His asterism.

3.The asterism, day, lunar day,karana, nithyayoaga etc of the day of query. Date. Month and year ( prabhavaadi Era ,kali dina and Era with english equivalents)4.The muhoortha blemishes (navadoashas, shaddoashas,

karthrudoashas, dagdhayoaga, mruthyuyoaga, kantakasthoona

,vishaghatikas, ushnaghatikas,vishti, stthirakaranas, laata, vaidhrutha,

Andhanakshathras, 22”d draekkaana, visha draekkaana, nigada

 draekkaana, and other bad draekkaanas, their lords, 64 th navaarnsa,

mruthyubhagas, bad shashtyamsas, prushtoadaya signs, adhoarnukha

rasis, bad asterisms, (baalaannavarjya, eclipse of Jupiter and

Venus.mutual aspect of Jupiter and Venus, etc) at the time of query

5.Muhoortha plus points for the time of query.

6.Bhoothoadaya for the time of query.

7.Kaala hoara for the time of query

S.Chandrakriyas, chandraavastthaas and chandravaelas for the time of query.

9.0mens observed by the astrologer during the first meeting of

the astrologer and querist, on the way to the place of query, at the

place of query, during the progress of the process of query, while

placing the gold coin in the sign, the direction occupied by the person

placing the gold coin after he has placed the gold coin,

IO.The first letter in the sentence of the querist said to the

astrologer

11.The limbs touched by the querist when he met the astrolo-ger.

12.The direction occupied by the querist

13.The movements of the querist

14.The dress , general disposition, his sight,

l5~Aaroodfa sign the sign where the gold coin is placed , the

position of the gold coin and its longitude and navaarnsa

16.Tbe sign of ascendant with longitude andnavaarnsa .

17.The position of planets with longitude and navaarnsa for the

time.

IS.The position ofGulika with longitude and navaarnsa .

19.The position of other upagrahas with longitude.

20.The position of houses with longitude.

21-Ashtamangala number and items indicated by them(No 36

onwards)

22.The features of the flame of oil lamp.

23-Thrisphuta.

24-Chathussphuta.

25.Panchasphuta.

26-Praanasphuta.

27.Daehasphuta.

28.Mruthyusphuta.

29.Panchamahaasuthrs.

SO.Swamasphuta.

31 -Chandraarkaraabuchakra.

32.Mruthyuchakra.

33.Kaalasphuta.

34.Tlirisphutadasaa.

35.Gulikadasaa

36.Digits of ashtamangala numbers

37.Ashtamangala planets

38-Ashtamangala yonis

39-Ashtamangala animals

40-Ashtamangala bhoothas.

42.Ashtamangala total number of 3 digits.

42 •Ashtamangalathitthi

43 .Ashtamangalanakshathra

44-Ashtamangala sign

45-Ashtamangala day

46-Ashtamangala planet

47-Mruthyudagdhaadiyoaga caused by Ashtamangala.

48-Preparation of different charts (like quey chart, navaarnsa

 

chart, chandraarkaraahu chart,  

MATERIAL FOR BA PART 1 PAPER 4