Prasna Marga (Pt. 2)

242 Pages·2010·1.06 MB·English

by  B. V. Raman

PRASNA MARGA
WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND NOTES BY
BANGALORE VENKATA RAMAN
Editor, The Astrological Magazine
PART II
[Chapters XVII-XXXII]
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
The first edition was published in 1985. The demand was so great that it went out of print
within a short period.
The first edition carried only the English translation with my critical notes and
illustrations without the original Sanskrit text in Devanagari. This was because, the text on which
my translation was based, secured from the Oriental Library, Madras, was in Kannada script.
However, after the publication of the first edition, it was possible to get the text of the
Part II copied in Devanagari script from the Oriental Library, Mysore. But this text did not
contain many important slokas given in the earlier text in Kannada script.
Therefore it involved much time to compare both the manuscripts and make it complete.
Because of delay in getting ready the original text and because of my former publishers
having suspended their publication business, the second edition could not be brought out earlier.
I am happy that this edition has been made complete by the addition of the Sanskrit text.
I am thankful to Mr. J.P. Jain of Messrs Motilal Banarsidass for coming forward to
publish the new editions of both the parts of this great classic on astrology in an attractive form.
Bangalore
17-4-1992 B. V. RAMAN
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
Of late interest in the study of astrology has been increasing not only in India but all over
the world. Strangely, a certain section of the educated public in the name of "Scientific outlook"
continue to snipe at astrology dubbing it as superstition. But no serious attempt has ever been
made by these critics to examine scientifically the claims of astrology.
Crores of rupees expended on the so-called scientific evaluation of the composition of the
stars and their life cycles etc. are sheer waste of public money, unless the astronomers and
astrophysicists engage themselves in an intensive study of the correlations between planets, the
celestial bodies and life on earth. Our ancients did not study astronomy as a venal occupation. To
them a logical corollary was to link the study of astronomy with our affairs. The greatest
astronomers of yore like Varahamihira were also great astrologers. They did not waste the
knowledge of the celestial sphere on sheer scholastic pursuits. If Indian astronomers, proficient
in western astronomy, shed their prejudices and predilections and take a new approach to
astrology, highly developed by ancient savants, they will find truths full of significance to human
life and relevant to modern times.
Prasna Marga is perhaps one of the most important treatises on predictive astrology,
revealing methods peculiar to the genius of Kerala.
The first part (Chapters I to XVI) was published in 1980 and the reception extended to it
has been more than expected as could be gleaned from the sale of the book and the spate of
letter's of appreciation received by me.
A tentative translation of the second part (Chapters XVII to XXXII) was also made in
1942 along with the first part. Revised and re-written several times, the final version of this
translation emerged in 1977.
Most of the educated persons who read the book are not acquainted with Sanskrit.
Therefore, in deference to the wishes of such readers, the original text in Devanagari script has
been omitted. However, in due time, it will be made available at a reasonable price, to those who
ask for the text.
Copious notes have been added to explain obscure and tough passages and wherever
necessary, examples have been given to enable aspiring students of astrology to understand the
principles clearly.
I am thankful to my daughter Mrs. Gayatri Devi Vasudev for her assistance in the
revision of the manuscript and writing the notes, to my esteemed friend Dr. P. $. Sastri for
preparing the technical index and to Mr. G. K. Ananthram of IBH Prakashana for coming
forward to bring out this book in an attractive form.
Bangalore
13-7-1985 B. V. RAMAN
INTRODUCTION
My English translation of the second Part of Prasna Marga presented herewith is not
literal in the sense of word for word translation but liberal. It gives the summary of each stanza
as made out by me. It is therefore likely that in regard to some stanzas I may not have been quite
successful in conveying the intended meanings of the original author.
One great difficulty I had to face in translating Part II into English was the absence of an
authentic original text, printed or written, in Devanagari script.
Two versions of the original text of Part II were obtained, one from the Oriental Library,
Madras, transcribed in Telugu script and the other, copied in Kannada script from the Oriental
Library, Mysore, each differing from the other in regard to the wording of some slokas and the
number of slokas in a chapter. No commentaries were available and I had to fall back on my own
humble understanding and the assistance rendered by some Kerala friends well versed in Prasna
Marga.
With regard to part I, I had no such difficulty because of the availability of an authentic
printed edition with commentaries by the great scholar Punnasseri Neelakanta Sarma. Therefore
for any translational errors, the responsibility is solely mine though the translation has been done
as faithfully to the original as possible, keeping in view that in such a work it is the spirit of the
author that matters.
In a way, the second Part is more important than the first, as it deals with some of the
most significant events bearing on human life, such as marriage, children, occupation etc. The
peculiarity is that it throws light not only on the Prasna chart but also embodies important and
rare combinations bearing on the birth horoscope also.
No extant classical work on astrology appears to have gone so deeply into the subjects of
marriage and marriage compatibility; birth and death of issues, childlessness, etc., as Prasna
Marga.
Some of the methods given for timing events bearing on these matters are practical and
novel offering wide scope for research.
The chapters on predicting rainfall, locating under-ground water and the existence of
submerged wells etc., open a new-vista of astrological knowledge which is relevant to modern
times and conditions if only our so-called men of science could shed their prejudices and avail
themselves of this knowledge.
The other equally important subjects dealt with pertain to political astrology, installation
of Deities in temples and discovering flaws after the installation.
Transits based mostly on Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita will be of more than casual
interest. The chapter on Nashta Jataka expounds rules for casting horoscopes when birth details
are not available.
Prasna Marga appears to be the only classical text covering thoroughly every aspect of
human existence and throwing light on remedial measures to be adopted to neutralise afflictions
causing different types of diseases, etc.
Now a Summary of the Book: Chapter Seventeen deals with the question of marriage.
The longevities of either party to a match are of the utmost importance. Thereafter, the Vivaha
Prasna must be carefully read. The author refers to various authorities such as Prasna Sangraha,
Madhaveeyam, Prasna Ratna and, of course, Brihat Jataka on various combinations for happy
marriages, unhappy unions, thwarted matches, early or delayed marriages etc. Certain
combinations given also suggest early death of husband or wife or both. All these combinations
are on the chart for the time of query.
Chapter Eighteen takes up the topic of children, their birth and longevity. A Santhathi
Prasna or query bearing on children is applicable to both husband and wife. The 5th house is
important in the case of a man and the 9th, for a woman. Combinations for the birth of limited or
many issues, childlessness and for adoption of a child are given. References are made to
celebrated treatises such as Madhava's Muhurta, Santana Deepika, Prasna Sangraha, Gnana
Pradeepika Brihat Jataka, Shatpanchasika and Vidwajjana Vallabha to emphasize certain
combinations. In some instances, Swara Sastra is also employed to divine whether one will have
issues or not. Certain periods depending on the Moon's position in relation to the woman's natal
Moon and the benefic aspects it receives are shown as good for sexual union to be fruitful.
Several numerical methods to determine the question of children are also given.
Different kinds of Yogasphutas, Yamakantaka, Arudha-lagna, the nature of sign of certain
yogasphutas being Prushtodaya or Urdhwodaya all influence the birth as well as the sex of the
desired child. The method to fix up the time for sexual union to result in conception using the
positions of planets at question time is also outlined. When an adoption is successful, when not,
and what happens to the father or mother in certain cases are also detailed. Under certain
combinations, the child may also die due to curses or abhichara (spells cast by enemies). Signs
(lakshanas) and combinations to determine whether a woman is pregnant or not, her health, if
there will be an abortion, sex of the unborn child, birth of twins and time of delivery, remedial
measures for planets unfavourably placed are all described.
Chapter Nineteen continues with the subject of progeny — their number, their times of
birth, etc. Reasons for childlessness are also discussed. Beeja and Kshetra sphutas are to be used
in determining the virility of a man and the fertility of a woman respectively. Different methods
to calculate these factors are explained. The subject of progeny, says the author, is very important
because only a son can redeem the debts of his forefathers.
In Chapter Twenty the author delineates how the life and career of one's spouse may be
examined from the horoscope. Marriage is absolutely necessary if one is to be entitled to perform
ordained Karmas. Similarly, the 7th house and Venus in a woman's chart reveals all about her
husband. How the time of marriage may be determined is also dealt with here.
Chapter Twenty one relates to marriage compatibility. Quoting several authorities such as
Sarvasiddhi, Madhavacharya, Brihaspati, Muhurta Sangraha, Madhaveeya, Muhurta Ratna and
Muhurta Abharana, the author says how the count is to be made for matching charts. Friendships
of planets are also given.
Chapter Twenty two deals with the results of the transits of various planets. It also gives
details of precious stones and articles governed by the different planets and ceremonies
associated with them to be resorted to as remedial measures under adverse transits. Vedha and
Vipareeta vedha, essential to interpreting transit results, are also described.
Chapter Twenty three, drawing from the classical treatise Karma Vipaka, deals with the
primary causes of disease and remedial measures appropriate to them. These causes are basically
related to acts of omission and commission.
Chapter Twenty four is a comprehensive one and covers matters relating to the Deities
(Deva Prasna), ruler (Raja Prasna), war (Yuddha Prasna), and hunting (Mrigaya Prasna). How
the Deity is to be installed and measures to set right flaws in the images or performance of
traditional rituals are explained. Measures to ensure general prosperity are also given. Whether a
marching army will invade or retreat and whether on attack will be successful or not are dealt
with under Raja Prasna. Signs in nature and omens pointing to war and also natural calamities
are also listed.
Tips on when to travel and when to avoid certain directions follow next. Hunting and the
kind of game one will find under different planetary dispositions are dealt with in Mrigaya
Prasna.
Chapter Twenty five deals with the subject of rainfall. What planetary combinations
cause heavy rainfall, how rains in the first 15 ghatikas of certain lunar days give an indication of
the rainfall for the entire fortnight in question, omens indicative of rainfall, how the first letter of
a question bearing on rainfall, rainbows, asterisms, etc., maybe used to determine if there will be
rains, storms and cyclones, are dealt with. These are based primarily on the Brihat Samhita of
Varahamihira. These clues can also be used to answer Koopa Prasna or questions on digging
wells.
Chapter Twenty six details Koopa Prasna explaining whether water can be found or not
for digging a well at a particular spot. How to find whether the water is sweet, bitter, insipid, etc.,
is also dealt with.
Chapter Twenty seven takes up the subject of Bhojana Prasna. How the diner, the food
one eats, rest after meals and the nature of conversation while eating can be gleaned from the
Bhojana Prasna are explained. Proshithogamana Prasna which is strangely included in this
chapter deals with the return of a person who is in exile.
Chapter Twenty eight deals with sexual union and its nature and the place where it took
place.
Chapter Twenty/nine shows how questions can be answered when the querent puts his
query in vague terms. Omens are also to be carefully noted in answering such questions.
Questions on longevity and stolen goods are the most commonly encountered ones in such
circumstances. By a careful study of the Arudha or Lagna, whichever is stronger, and the signs
and planets involved, not only can the nature of the stolen articles be determined but also details
about the thief, his whereabouts, his name and whether he is a relative or a stranger, etc., can all
be known.
Chapter Thirty discusses methods to draw the horoscope of a person who does not know
his birth time and is titled Nashta Jataka or unknown horoscope.
The nature of dreams and their implications on the basis of the time of question are
detailed in Chapter Thirty one. Certain dreams indicate the onslaught of different kinds of
disease and consequent death. The different parts of night in which dreams appear can be used to
forecast the time when the portents of the dream will occur. The interpretation of dreams is quite
exhaustive.
Chapter Thirty two deals with the Ashtakavarga System of Prediction, outlining the
techniques of drawing an Ashtakavarga chart for the different planets and the Lagna. The results
of each planet transiting signs in its own Ashtakavarga containing varying numbers of bindus are
described. How transits of certain planets in the different Ashtakavarga charts may be used for
planning one's secular activity for augmenting positive results and for minimising adverse
indications are enumerated.
Drawing the Samudaya or collective Ashtakavarga and classifying the signs with
different numbers of bindus as sreshta (best), madhyama (middling) and kanishta (least) with
results ascribed to them being respectively proportional in quality and quantity are elaborated.
By adding up the bindus in the different houses in different prescribed ways - one's financial
prosperity, periods of fortune and misfortune, calamitous periods, etc., can be foreseen.
An interesting method by which the Ashtakavarga chart can be applied to Dasa results is
also given. Trikona and Ekadhipatya reductions are next discussed with methods outlined to
show how these results may be used to delineate happenings.
The last chapter of this treatise comes to an end with the author recapitulating what he
has described in the entire text preceded by a brief account of himself. It is interesting to note
that the author also refers to some of his rivals who had tried to underrate his writings.
Thus the two parts of Prasna Marga extending over 2500 stanzas cover the entire gamut
of both horary and horoscopy and can therefore be of immense benefit to all those seriously
interested in the study and understanding of the science of astrology.
Bangalore
13-7-1985 B. V. RAMAN
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XVII (Vivaha Prasna)
Putting the question — 2
About the girl's parents — 4
Possibility of marriage — 9
Death of the couple — 12
Indicative signs — 14
Ugly looking wife — 20
CHAPTER XVIII (Santhana Prasna)
Causes for absence of issues — 25
Adoption — 28
Loss of children — 29
Birth of children — 30
Barrenness in woman — 37
Garbha prasna — 45
Affliction to parents — 46
Ascertaining a woman's pregnancy — 57
Miscarriage — 59
Sex of the child — 60
Time of delivery — 67
Remedial measures — 76
Santhana thithi — 84
How Adoption is denied — 92
CHAPTER XIX (Issues According to Birth Horoscope)
Combinations for progeny — 95
Bija and kshetra sphutas — 96
Death of children — 102
Family extinction — 103
Childlessness — 105
Father's death before son's birth — 111
Adoption — 113
Number of issues — 122
Planetary rays — 125
When children are born — 129