Cancer – An Astrological Approach by Mummadi Sridhar

Cancer – An Astrological Approach by Mummadi Sridhar

(Taken From Astrological Magazine of Raman Saheb, Sep 1982 Issue)

At all boundaries of science, we come up against what are probably the inherent limitations of human understanding.  At the edge of biology we meet the chasm between what science describes and what the mind experiences.  In the physical sciences too we encounter insoluble contradictions if we try to contemplate the limits of space of the beginning of time.

The science of modern (or western?) medicine is no exception.  Today the assumption that the human body is something more than an electro-chemical engine is beginning to be accepted, thanks to the immense interest some of the western medical scientists are evincing in the ancient Hindu approach to life and its problems.

For instance modern medical men boast that great advances have been made in understanding the working of the nervous system, and they have a rough idea how that most subtle and elaborate of all computers, the human brain, functions.  But what remains utterly incomprehensible is how and why the brain becomes the vehicle of consciousness.  Is mind admittedly the master of the body, which is no more than a bank of ten thousand million cellular computers?

 

Modern medicine, in spite of its tall claims of successful assaults on disease, spare parts surgery, insight into the working of neurons and brain itself, liver, heart, and kidney transplants is still groping in the dark in regard to tackling of diseases like cancer.  In other words modern science and modern medicine appear to know the least about the most important and much about relative trifles.  The logical, analytical and sequential information – processing of western medical scientists has inflicted much cultural and intellectual damage on ancient intuitive cognative processes adopted by the ancient Indian sages who have bequeathed valuable knowledge of immense usefulness to humanity.

The ancient Hindu sages who have propagated the laws of astrology were creative thinkers.  They were more concerned with the relations of things to one another than with the dry verbal analysis of what these things are.  The most absorbing questions which remain to be understood by the western scientists, viz., the nature of the cosmos and the interrelationship between man and the cosmos and nature of life, health and disease were tackled with intelligence and imagination.

Ancient discoveries linking diseases with planetary positions cannot be dismissed as a polite amusement.  It would be a great tragedy if in the name of “rationalism”, the ancient wisdom is ignored or rejected.

Nothing has diminished the grandeur of astrological conceptions of correlations governing human affairs and the movements in the cosmos which the sages revealed thousands of years ago as an understandable system.  There is need for an essential understanding of the complex planetary patterns which repeating themselves in endless permutations can give indications of the nature of health and disease in the human body.

An astrological approach to the much dreaded disease of cancer is therefore fully justified.

In many western countries cancer is said to be the second largest killer.  It continues to rouse a sort of traumatic awe in most people, because it continues to be a mysterious and the most dreaded disease.  In fact, it is the main cause of increasing death-rate in the “civilised” countries.  Where to find the cause of cancer?  How to cure the cancer disease?  These questions have not been answered satisfactorily by the medical fraternity.

Today oncologists no doubt admit that various factors can lead to the development of cancer, but to be frank, medicine does not yet know, though the scientist now thinks – he has yet to prove – that viruses cause cancer.  Nature of course hoists its own petard.  For it is hard for them to know whether cancer viruses produce cancers or whether cancers of a certain kind produce cancer viruses.  In other words, as a doctor points out, “it is possible that the cancer viruses which accompany cancerous growths are merely the bye-products of that growth”.  There is also a theory advanced by some scientists that “a chromosome imbalance” leads to human cancer.

Dr. Goffman and Jason L. Minkler reported some years ago (under a study sponsored by U.S. Atomic Energy Commission) that exhaustive analysis of a variety of human cancers showed the “amount of the chromosome called E-16 was consistently higher (in the laboratory culture of malignant human cells) than in normal cells – sometimes by as much as 400 per cent”.  But here again these learned scientists are vague and evasive perhaps vaguer than many astrologers.  Because they point out that “although chromosomes are the mechanisms of inheritance, it is possible cancer itself produced the excess of the E-16 chromosome”!  With a force and farce of logic scientists try to cover up their ignorance of the exact cause of cancer while pretending to know much about it.

The truth appears to be that ‘cancer’ is largely a disease of the inheritance and in some cases acquired, and in any event karmic.  The horoscope when carefully studied can reveal the susceptibility which is not constant for every variety of cancer.  The horoscope may also indicate factors which precipitate the onset of cancer.

Cancer is said to be pre-eminently a disease of middle and old age though its occurrence at any time of life is also not ruled out.  It is also said that cancer occurs with greater frequency in females because of the great susceptibility of the breasts and uterus to this disease.  This is perhaps one of the reasons for the sign Cancer being associated with the disease cancer in western astrology.  While in our humble opinion, there is not much evidence to support this theory, there is no doubt that the Moon’s affliction in Cancer can lead to lot of stomach and intestinal disorders.

Though it may not be an easy task to discover correctly from the horoscope one’s susceptibility to cancer, because no systematic study of the various cancers and the combinations causing them have been so far made; yet whether one is predisposed towards suffering from cancer can be indicated with a fair amount of accuracy.

One significant combination suggested in ancient works for vrana or mamsarbudaroga is, the lord of the 6th being a malefic, should occupy the Lagna, 8th or 10th.  A malefic can become lord of the 6th only when the birth happens to be in Leo, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces and Gemini.  Does this mean that those born in other Lagnas are exempted?  But there are instances of people born in Aries having died of cancer.  Hence, a literal application of the Yoga is not called for.  The presence of the 6th lord, whether a benefic or a malefic in Lagna is always held to deplete the vitality of the horoscope.  Probably the malefic 6th lord, in addition to weakening the general structure of the horoscope, may also cause health troubles.  Over two decades ago, hundreds of horoscopes were collected by us for research in medical astrology.  A study of about fifty horoscopes from these collections, and subsequent additions belonging to persons suffering from cancer, has revealed interesting information.

The native of a Dhanur Lagna horoscope (Chart No.1) with Venus (lord of the 6th) in the 10th was suffering from lingual cancer.  And the cancer was traced to syphilis of the tongue –

Chart 18

lord of the 2nd is also in Lagna, Venus the sensual planet in the 10th made the native sensual and immoral.  Though he occupied a high position, his was a life of debauchery and drunkenness.  It looks as though Venus becomes involved with the seat of disease in almost all patients who have cancer within the oral cavity.  Mars appears to be the villain in patients having the cancer of the gall-bladder.  We can instance the case of a Dhanur Lagna person (Chart No.2) where the lord of the 6th Venus is placed in –

Lagna in Moola (Ketu’s constellation) aspected by Saturn.  The disease was suspected in Saturn’s Dasa and the native passed away in the Moon’s sub-period of Saturn’s Dasa.

In the case of cancer of the skin (Chart No.3) Mars and Rahu have dominant positions afflicting the Lagna (Cancer) and the 6th house.  The native got an attack of this deadly disease in his 39th year when he was at the fag end of Rahu Dasa.

Chart 20

Some ancient astrological writers are of the opinion that the Ascendant and the 8th house (and not the 6th house) should be afflicted to suffer from karma vyadhis.  We are not in a position either to confirm or contradict this view because of the amount of investigations yet to be done.  The 6th house, according to these sages, has not much to do with malignant diseases.

Some other significant generalizations that could be made on the basis of the data in our possession are:

  • Saturn’s affliction in the 6th in Rahu’s constellations.
  • Saturn and Mars conjunction in the 6th having reference to Aridra or Swati.
  • Diseases may appear in Rahu Dasa, Sun’s Bhukti provided Rahu and the Sun are in mutual association or aspect in the 6th or the 8th.

Cancer of the breast and cancer of the cervix uteri commonly develop in women between 30 and 50 years of age.  Though medical men are of the opinion that in 78 per cent of the patients with cancer confined to the breast a cure could be obtained wither by the removal of the breast or muscles of the chest wall, etc., in actual practice the results do not appear encouraging.  Lords of the Ascendant and the 6th in the 10th aspected by Saturn or Mars predispose one to cancer of the breast.  If Aquarius is the Ascendant the chances are more.  Western astrologers lay emphasis on afflictions in Cancer sign which should be the Ascendant.

The horoscope of a certain lady (Chart No.4) who is suspected to have been suffering from breast cancer from her 44th year is interesting.

Lord of the 6th Saturn is in the 10th aspected by Mercury lord of the Ascendant, Mars lord of the 8th (and 3rd) and Jupiter lord of the 4th.  She was then having the sub-period of Saturn and the major period of Jupiter.  Saturn is aspecting the house of the breast and the stomach,.  Mercury in association with the life-giving Sun brings vitality.  Saturn’s Dasa and Saturn’s Bhukti caused the native’s demise.

Chart 21

Cancer of the rectum and of the prostate seem to be generally connected with Scorpio or the 8th house.  In some of the cases studied the 8th house gets afflicted.  A Node in the 8th may signify piles.  If it is in a constellation of Mars, fistula may result.  But if Saturn and Ketu are together in the 8th one may be disposed towards suffering from cancer of the rectum or prostate.  When the Ascendant or the Moon-sign is Scorpio with Saturn, and lord of the 6th is in the 10th, the native is exposed to the danger of suffering from cancer of the rectum.

In Chart No.5 the Lagna is Scorpio (8th sign) and it is occupied by Saturn.  Lord of the 6th Mars is in the 10th aspecting the afflicted Ascendant. 

Venus the planet of taste aspects the Lagna and this gives a tendency for the native to over eat.  Jupiter is said to rule the arterial system.  His association with Mars and his being aspected by Saturn affect the circulation.  Lord of the 8th Mars is with Ketu.  Obstructed circulation and disturbed assimilation caused derangement of the circulatory system.  Scorpio is the natural signifier of the rectum.  Saturn’s situation there caused irritation to the organs of elimination resulting in cancer of the rectum.  She was ailing for a long time with terrible pains across the lower bowels and at the lower end of the spinal column.  Here again the trouble was diagnosed as cancer, when she was undergoing he sub and major period of Saturn.

The question may arise:  Is there no cure for this disease?  Yes, according to doctors, chances of cure are good in early cancer.  But opinion is still divided as to whether viruses are really responsible for cancer of any kind or it is constitutional susceptibility, perhaps inherited.  To kill cancerous cells scientists have bombarded malignant tissues with radiation, cut them out surgically, poisoned them with drugs and even placed patients on special diets “in order to starve cancer out”.  And the latest mode of treatment adopted by some doctors in America is said to be heating up the patient’s blood to 110 degrees Fahrenheit in order to “boil out” the cancer.

Astrologically if the combinations causing the affliction have the aspect or association of a benefic, e.g., Jupiter or Venus or if the Moon is strongly placed in the horoscope without affliction, then by adopting suitable remedial measures, the appearance of cancer can be prevented.  Astrology and yoga are interrelated.  Certain aspects of Hathyoga accentuate preventive aspects of diseases.  After all the mind is admittedly the master of the body and yoga by a combination of mental and physical disciplines exploits the human body’s own internal resources and prevents the uncontrolled growth of tissues.  Cancer research centres should make it a point to avail themselves of the services of astrology and yoga in the matter of combating this deadly disease and thus eliminate its terror.

It is therefore necessary on the part of medical men that in addition to relying on chemotherapy, surgery and radiation the human body’s own internal resources are exploited by way of methods suggested by ancient Hindu sages.  A dispassionate observer will be able to recognize that modern or western medicine is far from having decreased human suffering as much as “it endeavours to make us believe”.  One who has faith in God, no matter what the “irrationalists” think, will do well to sustain one’s faith so that a sense of oneness with God may accelerate the process of healing.

Over-enthusiastic students of astrology: should not apply the above combinations to their own horoscopes or the horoscopes of their kith and kin lest they come to premature conclusions based on insufficient knowledge or want of experience.  Diagnosis of diseases on the basis of horoscopes is an intricate process and should be left to experienced experts who combine in them knowledge of both astrology and medicine.

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