Why Predictions Go Wrong? – I by P. S. Iyer

Trealiz ed by Seers or Yogis (Rishis) and handed down to us through traditional he Vedas are the unsurpassable treasure-trove of all encompassing wisdom

method of vocal recitation. Vedangas are supplementary literature designed for implementing the fundamental principles enveloped in the Vedas. These are Shiksha (pronunciation and euphony), Chhandas (prosody), Vyaakarana (grammar), Nirukta (glossary), Kalpa (ritual rules), Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology).

Jyotisha or Astrology, the science of sciences, is also known as Vedachakshu or the eyes of Veda Purusha, the Veda personified. This is interpreted as Pratyaksha Shastra in as much as the roof of astrology or Jyotisha rests on the props of eternally existent foundation of the Sun, the Moon, planets, asterisms and zodiacal signs (Rasis), as given in Shastras:

अप्रत्यऺाणी शास्त्राणी वििधष्टे षे ुकेिलं ।

प्रत्यऺम ज्योविष् ं शास्त्राचद्राकैंयत्रसावऺणौ॥

Jyotisha is the intricate but integrated system of diagnosis of the maladies of natives, or times or incident arising out of poorvajanma (previous births) and praarabdha karma (operative karma). Such maladies are, of course, responsive to prayers, oblations, rituals, recitations of hymns and mantras and wearing of gems, stones and kavachas.  Predictions based on such a perfect science can never afford to go wrong or become incorrect or even, casually, inaccurate.

Then why do predictions ever go wrong or become incorrect or at least inaccurate? The answer is simple.

In this present computer century, top-class technicians and scientists unanimously and unreservedly admit that the accuracy of answers or solutions offered by a computer of the electronic brain depends entirely, solely and fundamentally on the accuracy of the data fed to it. Mutatis mutandis, this rule verily applies to interpretation of a horoscope, word for word. Predictions made on scientific analysis of planetary and other positions, by a qualified and competent and devoted astrologer, will never go wrong or turn out incorrect unless the basic data furnished or presented to him are inaccurate, incomplete or unreliable. It is understood that the competent astrologers analyze horoscopes as minutely as required with special reference to (1) Residential strength of planets in various Bhavas or houses; (2) Grahabala (planetary strength) made up of Sthaanabala (position at strength), Digbala (directional strength), Cheshtabala (movement strength), Kalabala (temporal strength), Naisargika bala (natural strength) and Drishti (drik) bala (aspected strength); (3) Bhavabala comprising of bhaavadhipati bala, bhava dig bala and bhava drishti bala; and (4) Ishta/Kashta phala; the astrologers must possess the siddhi to make accurate predictions.

Let us now go deep into all these details:

The basic data on which an astrologer may be able to construct an accurate horoscope are (1) place of birth (2) date of birth and (3) time of birth.

Place of Birth: The astrologer is seldom concerned with the name of the place of birth; but he is immensely concerned with its Rekhaamsa (longitudes) and Akshaamsa (latitudes). These are, respectively, required for arriving at the local mean time of birth, the sunrise and the sunset, Rasimana or duration of each Rasi and the rising sign at the given time or time of birth, as also dinardha (half day) chaara and natha. If the place of birth is a small village its distance and direction from the nearest town will help the astrologer much.

Date of Birth: India is a country of varieties. In this unique country we have a number of eras or prevailing years in vogue at any given time like Samvatsari, Vikrama Shakaabda Souramaana shastyahsamvatsa, Kollam, Hijri and so on. The name of the month or its total duration is, again, not standard. Certain areas calculate the month from Shuddha Prathama (the 1^st of the lunar bright fortnight) to Amavasya (the New Moon) while some reckon the month from the entry of the sun into any given Rasi. In some areas Tithi (lunar day) is given to indicate the date of the month. Again, the reckoning of the day in India is from sunrise to sunrise while under the Gregorian system it runs from midnight to midnight. What is known as Kartika Maasa in Tamilnadu may be Maargsheersha in another part of the country. It is therefore necessary to ascertain, first of all, the exact date of birth and also to give the equivalent date in terms of Gregorian calendar or corresponding to panchanga or ephemeris used by the astrologer.

Alternatively it is advisable to give the date of birth in terms of what is known as Saka by the Government of India so that the method of reckoning the date is, at least, uniform. Let me illustrate this by an example.

A horoscope was taken up for predicting longevity and the particulars given by the native were as follows:

Place and Date of Birth: Cochin (Kerala), 14-3-1909. Time 12 mts earlier to sunrise.

Balance of Jupiter Dasa: 8 years, 3 months and 3 days. Equivalent: Kollam 1084, Meenam 1^st, half ghati before sunrise: Visakha Nakshatra.

On checking, as a prelude to venturing prediction, it was found that according to ephemeris, the Sayana Moon was in 242^o 9’ at 5-30 p.m. on 13-3-1909. It was therefore in Anuradha 3^rd at the time of birth. But the longitude of the Moon for leaving a balance of Jupiter Dasa of 8 years, 3 months (in Thula or Libra Rasi) should be 201 ^o 55’ which balance of Dasa is incorrect on the face of it.

On referring the matter back, two different horoscopes were furnished for the same nativity, calculated according to two different panchangas, as prevailing in the locality:

The above revised data are also at variance with Sayana positions and Nirayana positions of planets according to standard panchanga and ephemeris.

Time of Birth: The next important data, which must be very accurate, relate to the time of birth. Here again there is a very serious controversy in reckoning the time of birth. Three important timings are advised by Satyacharya, the author of Jataka Satyacharya (Adhyaya I, Sloka 6), viz., Garbhaadaana (conception) Kaala, Sirodaya (head coming out of the womb) Kaala and Bhoopatana (the whole child out) Kaala. The first two cannot be decided accurately for obvious reasons. Hence he seems to advise the reckoning of the third timing, i.e., Bhoopatana Kaala as the birth time. Other schools opine that Jalodaya (oozing) Kaala and Rodana (cry) Kaala should also be taken into account. A modern school of thought canvasses that the time of severing of the navel cord should be taken as the birth time as it is the actual time of separation of the child from the mother’s womb. Experience shows that taking the birth time given by the consultor, as approximate, and fixing the exact time of birth keeping in view the weekday, stree-purusha kaala and the prevailing tatvas (main and antara tatwas) and the sex of the child will give as accurate a birth time as possible for astrological purposes.

In this connection the astrologer should remember one thing: the least division of the (Bhackakra) Rasi or Udaya (rising) Lagna, in vogue, is Naadi Amsa which is 1/150^th part of a Rasi or 48 seconds of time. According to Naadi-granthas, every child born at an interval of 48 seconds of time will have a different pattern of life here (herebefore and hereafter). It is, therefore, absolutely imperative that the birth time should be rectified before venturing prediction. A number of methods including calculation of Praana Lagna are in vogue for rectifying birth time. The most common ones are discussed below:

Prasava Jaataka Soochakam enunciates that if Saturn is in the 5^th or the 9^th Navamsa, the child will cry loudly during or after birth whereas the child will be incapable of crying if Saturn was in the 1^st or the 4^th With Saturn in the 8^th Navamsa, the birth will be a case of placenta previa while Saturn in the 6^th

Navamsa indicates birth under suffocating circumstances. In the 2^nd Navamsa, Saturn indicates delivery when the mother was unconscious while in the third Navamsa he indicates that the fluid has entered the child’s belly.

 The planetary combinations capable of determining the birth ascendant are generally as follows:

• • If the Moon or the planet disposited by it is in the 5^th or the 9^th from Lagna in Janmachakra (natal chart) or Bhava (house) chakra, Lagna can be said to be correct.
  • If Janma Lagna and the Moon Rasi be one and the same, then this combination is counted from the 7^th of the Moon Rasi, and Lagna is certain.
  • If the child’s Moon Navamsa happens to be in Kendra from the Navamsa Moon in the mother’s horoscope, the child’s Navamsa Lagna can be said to be correct.
  • If the Nakshatra paada (quarter) of the child’s birth happens to fall between 37^th and 45^th quarters of the mother’s Janma Nakshatra or its 9^th or the 9^th from the 9^th, then the birth time may be said to be correct.

Dr. B. V. RAMAN, in his Hindu Predictive Astrology, has very ably suggested a number of methods for rectifying the birth time and I have found these to be quite accurate.

Panchanga: The next aspect which requires careful consideration, as a prelude to venturing prediction, is the use of a correct and reliable panchanga or standard ephemeris. Here again a number of panchangas are being published in India both under Suddha Vaakya system and under Drik Siddha (Nirnaya) system. The Ayanamsa taken into account by panchangas too vary considerably. A successful astrologer is one who recalculates or checks up the horoscope under consideration to the Ayanamsa he usually uses and to the norms of the panchanga he usually follows. This would, no doubt, involve a lot of additional work; but if predictions are made keeping this aspect in view, there is very little possibility of predictions going inaccurate or incorrect.

Navamsa Chart: Yet one more important aspect has to be kept in view by the successful astrologer if he wishes the predictions made by him to be near accurate.

The strength of a planet lies in its Navamsa, as the dictum goes, ग्रहाणाम ्अशकं                                     ् बलं.

The lord of Navamsa of any planet, of course subject to the respective shadbalas, goes a long way in regulating the temperament and/or in fortifying the benefic or malefic aspect of any planet concerned.

A vargottama planet or a planet attaining uchcha sthaana (exaltation position) or trikona sthaana (trinal position) in Navamsa plays very purposeful role in the life of a native. A number of yogas are attributed to the position of planets and certain Bhavaadhipatis (house lords) in Navamsa. A Navamsa chart attains its place of importance in the interpretation of horoscopes because it is the only varga chart which takes into consideration all the three aspects of horoscopy, viz., Rasi (sign), Graha (planet) and Nakshatra (constellation). In South India it is a practice to first construct the Navamsa chart before even constructing the Rasi chart and Bhava chart.

Let us consider how a Janma Chakra (natal chart) becomes deceptive on the face of it and Navamsa Chakra tells the real story. (I will discuss these in detail later).

Case I