Table Of Content

Contents Part I: Astrological Mythology The Meaning of Astrological Symbols Different Kinds of Astrological Symbols The Symbol of the Cross Significance of the Circle The Arrow Part II: The Planets 1 THE SUN 2 THE MOON 3 MERCURY 4 VENUS 5 MARS 6 JUPITER 7 SATURN 8 RAHU 9 KETU Part III: The Signs of the Zodiac 1. Aries 2. Taurus 3. Gemini 4. Cancer 5. Leo 6. Virgo 7. Libra 8. Scorpio 9. Sagittarius 10. Capricorn 11. Aquarius 12. Pisces Part IV: The Nakshatras Ashwini Bharani Kritika Rohini Mrigarshira Ardra Punarvasu Pushya Ashlesha Magha Purva Phalguni Uttara Phalguni Hasta Chitra Swati Vishakha Anuradha Jyestha Mula Purvashada Uttarashada Shravana Dhanistha Shatabhishak Purva Bhadra Uttara Bhadra Revati I ASTROLOGICAL MYTHOLOGY 1. THE MEANING OF ASTROLOGICAL SYMBOLS Different Kinds of Astrological Symbols The Symbol of the Cross Significance of the Circle The Arrow 1. THE MEANING OF ASTROLOGICAL SYMBOLS There is no simple method to decipher astrological symbolism. The logic of the outer mind cannot uncover the subtle relationship that exists between the stars and events on earth. Yet it is clear thai astrological symbols were originally chosen with great care. They were selected to conceal as well as to reveal our relationship with the universe. The ancient seers perceived that the cosmos is not a mere material formation but an expression of the spirit which is its very life and soul. All created things draw their strength, vitality and direction from the indwelling consciousness. In fact, the spirit is the real power in all things. Eastern philosophy and mythology aims at describing the deeply complex relationship between the outer world and the inner spirit. The knowledge of the indwelling spirit is difficult to express, as well as difficult to comprehend. We are told that human beings can receive the keys to this secret knowledge either through divine inspiration or from a qualified teacher. No one can succeed in obtaining it without divine grace. The flow of grace is known as initiation in occult and spiritual literature and is symbolized in various ways. An inner preparation is required to receive the higher knowledge and this involves great discretion. Confidentiality is essential because the knowledge thus imparted reveals the subtle powers of nature. These can be used for the good of humanity or to cause harm. The symbols revealed to spiritual aspirants have thereby a dual purpose, both to teach and protect the knowledge. When the student reaches a certain level of awareness, he is entrusted with the keys to unravel the meanings of these symbols. Thus the same symbols reveal different levels of meanings to different grades of aspirants. They are capable of unveiling nature's secret forces and at the same time they obscure this knowledge if the right preparation has not been made. The ancient seers gave us philosophy, religion, mythology and such spiritual practices as yoga, mantra and tantra. Astrology was part of this grand revelation. The seers uncovered the cosmic framework according to which we can understand the Divine plan for humanity. They gave us astrology so that we can understand our role in the cosmic order. Usually, the majority of people are neither interested in such subtle knowledge, nor is it relevant for their pursuits in life. The imparting of this knowledge is useful only to those conscious individuals ready to receive it and apply it in their daily lives. For such students, the whole system of knowledge is necessary, not merely one branch of it. The medium of expression for imparting spiritual knowledge follows a certain pattern. Religious scriptures, mythology, philosophical discourses and yoga expositions are expressed in a similar language. Terms and concepts used in one area are applicable to the others. Astrological symbols form an important part of this unified system. These teachings have to describe spiritual principles in an everyday language. This creates enormous problems. Deeper realities, which can only be comprehended with intuition, insight and awareness, elude superficial students. To the great spiritual teachers, written language and the spoken word are merely suggestive. The effective exploration has to be undertaken by students themselves within their own minds. In spiritual literature, the medium of expression has the difficult task to lead students in the right direction and provide them a useful way to explore the depth and expanse of the subject. The language of the spirit is not like a sculpture, a concrete object, but like a poem which arouses the sensitivity and imagination of the reader. Myths, allegories and parables, in their flexibility and multidimensionality allow a wide range of interpretation, a suitable base for such knowledge. The finer forces of nature are ever active and involved in creative relationships. They are not restricted by time and space. They act on subjective realms of experience as well as on objective phenomena. Nature is never inert or static. A language that describes the dynamic impulses of nature has to recognize this. Concepts used to explain the profound and ever changing creative impetus must have an affinity with it. They must reveal the nature and characteristics of the underlying realities if approached correctly. They are, however, merely indicators, and not the realities themselves. Depending on the intensity and depth of contemplation, they reveal the inner truth. The ancient seers gave us knowledge of the Divine plan of evolution. Many who are ready to receive it come from different geographical, social and personal backgrounds. To teach them requires a consistency of terms and concepts. In the absence of a common medium of expression, there can be more confusion than illumination. A symbolic language was used for this purpose as it reflects the truth in terms which are universal, but to reach its universal core requires a certain insight. A proper study of astrological symbols requires adequate knowledge of related teachings and the spiritual implications of allegories employed but, above all, rests on true intuition. A modern student has to realize his potential limitations. He may not possess the necessary inner preparation and spiritual training. His geographical, social, religious and educational background, and general approach to life differ significantly from that of the ancients who received their lessons in close proximity to their spiritual guides. Such widely varied students are confronted with allegorical teachings which not only originated in a radically different society but are superficially very confusing. When they pierce the veil of superficiality and with patience begin to appreciate this method of communication, they will glimpse the realities behind these at first seemingly meaningless fantasies. When confronted with such strange symbols, if they ponder over their essential features and go to the root of their universal implications, they will come to understand their true message. These symbols and mythologies may appear colored in an Eastern way of thinking and philosophy, but underneath their cultural forms they represent certain universal processes of psycho-physical transformation that transcend all cultural boundaries. For comprehending the hidden meanings of different symbols, the intellect, especially in the absence of spiritual insight, requires an extensive study of related teachings and an ability to see the inner truth of Nature's workings. Spiritual study is basically practical. Unless the student is moved by the spirit of cooperation with nature, his studies remain barren, superficial and misleading. In ancient times the knowledge was only revealed to students who had the intention to harness nature's secret powers for the good of all. The studies were undertaken as part of an integral approach to the problems of everyday life. There was no scope for personal aggrandizement or the acquisition of knowledge for intellectual curiosity. Such study was a lifelong mission done by dedicated investigators of truth. It was inspired by a deep- rooted aspiration to become a conscious collaborator with Nature and the Divine. Different Kinds of Astrological Symbols Astrological symbols are of many kinds. Some are clothed in the historical, religious and social traditions, and the beliefs of the region where they originated. Most myths, allegories and stories are examples of this category of expression. There are other symbols which are universal in their application. Geometrical figures and diagrams, natural objects like animals, precious stones and flowers all belong to this group. Sometimes one finds both natural and man-made figures in stories woven around astrological forces. Whatever the reason for selecting a symbol, the basic consideration is their suitability to reveal the essential character of the astrological factor indicated. Whether the symbol is a natural object like a lotus or a pearl, an animal like a bull, horse, or lion, a plant like the Ashwatha tree*, or a man-made object like a scale or potter's wheel, the external appearance of the symbol is like the husk which must be discarded in order to comprehend the inner and universal meaning behind it. One has to approach these symbols in their wider ramifications, their cosmic implications, to understand what they are pointing out. Sometimes symbols are merely a veil. The obvious is not what they signify. In such cases one must look for related factors to arrive at the real meaning, or even examine the values of the different letters used in their names, such as the Kabbalistic number. Once a particular key is found for deciphering the meaning, its correctness can be tested by application in similar cases and contexts. Knowledge of the process of cosmic creation, the evolutionary course of the human soul, the various subtle sheaths of man, and the workings of the Kundalini are helpful in this study. The depth of meanings revealed by symbols depends upon the keys employed. The student should realize that there is no end to the secrets of nature. In this exploration, veil after veil will be lifted, but there will remain veil upon veil behind. The eye of the student will pierce the veil of the mystery depending upon the truth he has put into practice and the universality of consciousness he has gained. Each symbol is thereby a channel for further discovery. The same symbol may assume a deeper significance when the student further expands his consciousness. The study of spiritual symbols in this sense is a voyage into the great unknown. The essential preparation for it does not lie so much in the study of books as in the right spiritual orientation in one's personal life. This is as much true in astrological studies as in alchemy, mantra and yoga. The ancient wisdom preserved in symbol and mythology often appears as fantasy or superstition. The forms of the gods and goddesses transcend common sense. Hindu mythology abounds in such examples. Lord Shiva appears with the Moon among his forelocks and the river Ganges flowing through his hair, Ganesh, his son, has an elephant head, rides on a mouse and likes to eat a round shaped sweet called laddoes. Hanuman, the monkey god, has vermilion smeared all over his body and he floats in the air rather than walks on earth. These descriptions are full of spiritual implications. Such revelations enable the student to control and harness subtle natural forces and give him greater power over his own destiny. Among the geometrical figures used in astrology, the cross, circle and arrow are most important. They are the basis for the symbols of the planets and signs of the zodiac. Almost every planet has some portion of the circle attached to it. The cross appears prominently in regard to Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. The arrow is associated with Mars. In the case of the zodiac the arrow appears relative to Scorpio and Sagittarius, and among the asterisms it symbolizes Ardra and Purvashadha. The significance of these astrological entities becomes clear if the implications of their geometrical designs are understood. The Symbol of the Cross Geometrical symbols represent different aspects of cosmic evolution. They Indicate the dynamic movement in nature's creative impulse. Beginning at the point where soul breaks off and ending where it unites again with the Original Flame, the total movement is represented by a circle, the most primary geometrical design. The circle has several components. The formation of the cross is also based upon it. The point is the basic constituent of the all-pervading circle that represents the cosmic life. Every point receives vertical as well as horizontal thrusts to give it circularity in shape and direction. These two directional movements are inherent in every point. The point in movement becomes an arc. From one view, a portion of the grand circular movement can be perceived as a vertical arc, almost like a straight vertical line. Another arc similarly perceived, if the length is considered infinitely small, becomes a straight horizontal line. A cross is composed of two such lines intersecting in the middle. As each point is a center of horizontal and vertical impulses, while every point flows from an earlier point and further merges into a later one, the whole sequence of the grand cosmic design can be conceived as the movement of a very rapidly whirling cross usually represented as a Swastika. When the beginning of manifestation appears as a geometrical point it is already in motion producing a line. Every point is attracted to the central subjective source from which it has arisen. This provides the onward impulse, a central direction expressed as circularity of movement. At this cosmic beginning, however, the splintering of the Original Fire produces not just one spark or scintilla. Innumerable such fragmented points of energy arise. Each contains within itself the nature of holding together or passivity, as well as that of externalization or activity. These two polarized aspects of the Divine Spark become the two arms of the Swastika which represents the creative principle in nature. It has the original status in the cosmic evolutionary process, all subsequent stages of manifestation being produced by the interplay of its dual forces. This stage appears allegorically as the churning of the ocean under which the dual cosmic principles represented as the gods and demons, or the centripetal and centrifugal impulses, confront one another and precipitate storms and stresses that produce various emanations and set hi motion the ever changing universe. These polarized forces in their perpetual interaction are symbolized by the cross. The circle and the cross are very ancient symbols. They reveal the basic impulses in nature ever present at all levels of manifestation. The cross did not originate with Christianity. It was used thousands of years before Christ. The cross formed an important component in symbols and rituals used in ancient Egypt, Greece, Babylonia, India, China, Mexico and Peru. It was a cosmic as well as a psychological symbol. As the Tau, it was used as a magic talisman. Essentially the cross is a symbol of eternal life, the four points representing birth, life, death and immortality. As a symbol of the dual generative power, it was placed upon the breast of the Initiate after his "new birth." It was used as a mystic sign that the student was spiritually reborn — signifying the union between his astral soul and divine spirit — and that he was ready to ascend in spirit to the blessed land of light and glory. It was a symbol of the revealed mysteries of life and death. H.P. Blavatsky indicates that the Brahmatma, the chief of the Hindu priests, carried on his headgear two keys arranged like a cross (W Vol II pp. 253-56). In some Buddhist regions like Mongolia, the entrance of a chamber, generally containing a staircase leading to inner shrines, was ornamented with a cross formed with two fishes. In the dome monuments of Chaldea, Persia and India there are inscriptions of a double or an eight-pointed cross. There is a Masonic tradition which says that Solomon's temple was built on three foundations, forming the temple Tau or three crosses. A.F. Orchard states that the symbol of the cross was engraved on rocks in Egypt and Central Asia, while the ancient cave temples of Ellora, Elephanta, Varanasi and Mathura in India are also cross shaped. Such an extensively used symbol was not an isolated phenomena or confined to one group or region. It is a simple expression of deeply significant and universally relevant knowledge of nature's secret creative process. The cross is used in astrology to indicate the polarized cosmic impulse working both within the human psyche and on a vast cosmic level. For this reason it is employed in many planetary designs. An understanding of the relationship between the cross and the planets reveals many deeper aspects of world religions. According to it the predictive principles described in astrological texts can be better comprehended. The Essential Nature of the Cross The cross consists of two lines, one horizontal and the other vertical, intersecting in the middle. It symbolizes the union of Spirit and Matter. The Life-Eternal in Spirit is represented by the ascending line, while Life-Eternal in Matter is represented by the horizontal. The vertical line represents the spiritual male principle, while the horizontal line is the materially creative female principle. Yogic philosophy (Sankhya) describes these as Prakriti, the female principle of cosmic creative energy, and Purusha, the male principle of cosmic awareness. The cross thereby represents the fundamental law of the cosmos. The horizontal line represents Hiranyagarbha, the Golden Egg of Hindu mythology, which is also reflected as Mother Nature and the psyche in man. It contains within itself all the components of the cosmic manifestation; the five prime sensory qualities (lantnatras*), five sense organs (Indriyas**), five elements (Bhutas+) and three prime qualities (Trigunas-n-). The various levels of manifestation are produced as a result of their combination and permutation. They enable the consciousness or spirit to undergo the materialization process. This occurs when its original pure nature is veiled by Illusion, Maya. They also enable it to undergo its spiritualization process which leads to Liberation, Moksha or Nirvana. The horizontal line consists of atoms (points), each with its individual destiny, like an ovum awaiting impregnation. Each atom is destined to achieve the blossoming of its inherent potential, but working alone it does not have the power to do so. The vertical line represents the Purusha or positive creative potential. It is of the nature of freedom but being in manifestation it is under self-imposed limitation. This does not mean isolation or captivity but shows its self- constraint in order to assist the cosmic mission. In the process of manifestation, the Absolute first differentiates itself as Mula-Prakriti, primordial matter, and Daivi-Prakriti, primordial spirit or consciousness. Then it begins immersing itself in varying densities of matter thus limiting its capabilities and thereby departing from its original state of pure freedom. In spite of this immersion, the Cosmic Male represented by the vertical line, remains positive, creative, and ever ready for action. Without his impress, matter remains inert and unable to fructify. Yet this positive creative potential can only become actual in union with matter. The passive material potential is represented by the horizontal line. The cross represents the manifestation process in which both active and passive impulses function together. It shows how the Unmanifest involves itself in the process of manifestation resulting in creation. The assumption of motion by the Absolute, which is expressed as evolution, is represented by the cross. In this sense, the cross symbolizes life in all aspects. The same