Review: The Three Modes of Material Nature

This section is a review of the philosophy of the three modes of material nature as described in Bhagavadgita. To practice Vedic astrology, it is essential to have a strong background in the Bhagavata philosophy, including the knowledge of the three modes of material nature expressed in Bhagavad-gita and the cosmology of universal creation expressed in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Glorification of r Viu
BPHS Chapter 1 Slokas 9-11 9-11. r Viu, who is the Lord (of all matters), who has undefiled spirit, who is endowed with the three Guas, although he transcends the grip of Guas (Gutta), who is the Author of this Universe, who is glorious, who is the Cause and who is endowed with valor, has no beginning. He authored the Universe and administers it with a quarter of his power. The other three quarters of Him, filled with nectar, are knowable only to the philosophers (of maturity). Commentary The Supreme Lord r Viu is the creator, owner and controller of everything and every living being. The purpose of all Vedic knowledge, including Jyotish, is to realize Him through direct transcendental consciousness. nityo nityn cetana cetannm eko bahn yo vidadhti kmn tam tmastha ye 'nupayanti dhrs te nti vat netarem Amongst all the living entities, both conditioned and liberated, there is one supreme living personality, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who maintains them and gives them all the facility of enjoyment according to different work. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in everyone's heart as Paramtm. A wise man who can understand Him is eligible to attain the perfect peace, not others. [Kaha Upaniad 2.2.13] Because the Lord is supremely pure, not only is He never contaminated by the influence of the three modes of material nature, but He is the supreme purifier by which all else is purified.

para brahma para dhma pavitra parama bhavn purua vata divyam di-devam aja vibhum You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. [Bhagavad-gita 10.12] Therefore association with the Lord by any of His innumerable Holy Names, transcendental forms or pastimes is purifying to the conditioned souls. The conditioned souls are entangled in the three modes of material nature (guas) due to lust, attachment and ignorance, but the Lord, although present in the material world by His expansions, is never entangled. tribhir gua-mayair bhvair ebhi sarvam ida jagat mohita nbhijnti mm ebhya param avyayam Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me who am above the modes and inexhaustible. [Bhagavad-gita 7.13] The Lord creates, maintains and annihilates the entire material creation, which contains innumerable universes similar to the one in which we live, with just one-fourth of His potency. The other three-fourths of His manifest potency maintains the eternal spiritual world, where those who are perfected in self-realization and devotional service live. pdeu sarva-bhtni pusa sthiti-pado vidu amta kemam abhaya tri-mrdhno 'dhyi mrdhasu The Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be known as the supreme reservoir of all material opulences by the one fourth of His energy in which all the living entities exist. Deathlessness, fearlessness and freedom from the anxieties of old age and disease exist in the kingdom of God, which is beyond the three higher planetary systems and beyond the material coverings. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.6.19] The spiritual world is beyond the temporary material distinctions of the modes of nature. The influence of material time is conspicuous by its absence. Everyone there, even the plants and animals, is a pure devotee of the Lord. pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayo sattva ca mira na ca kla-vikrama na yatra my kim utpare harer anuvrat yatra sursurrcit

In that personal abode of the Lord, the material modes of ignorance and passion do not prevail, nor is there any of their influence in goodness. There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy; it cannot enter that region. Without discrimination, both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.10]

vara and akti

BPHS Chapter 1 Slokas 12-15: 12-15. The Principal Evolver, who is both perceptible and imperceptible, is Vsudeva. The Imperceptible part of the Lord is endowed with dual powers, while the Perceptible with triple powers. The three powers are r-akti (Mother Lakshmi) with Sattva-Gua, Bh-akti (Mother Earth) with Rajo-Gua and Nla-akti with Tamo-Gua. Apart from the three, the fourth kind of Viu, influenced by r-akti and Bh-akti, assumes the form of Sakaraa with Tamo-Gua, of Pradyumna with Rajo-Gua and of Aniruddha with Sattva-Gua. Commentary To practice Vedic astrology, it is essential to have a strong background in and clear understanding of the Bhagavata philosophy, including the knowledge of the three modes of material nature expressed in Bhagavad-gita and the cosmology of universal creation expressed in SrimadBhagavatam. Here Parara Muni begins a review summarizing the transcendental Vedic cosmology, which is more elaborately explained in the Second and Third Cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Lord r Ka is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the summum bonum, the Absolute Truth from which everything else has emanated. Kas first emanation is Balarma, who is also known as the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead and the original guru. sarva-avatr ka svaya bhagavn thra dvitya deha r-balarma eka-i svarpa dohe, bhinna-mtra kya dya kya-vyha, ka-llra sahya The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarma is His second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. He is the first bodily expansion of Ka, and He assists in Lord Ka's transcendental pastimes. [Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 5.5]

Then Balarma expands in four transcendental Viu forms as the catur-vyha: Sakaraa, Vsudeva, Aniruddha and Pradyumna. Vsudeva expands again to the second Sakaraa form, then the expansion of Maha-Viu or Nryaa emanates from Sakaraa. There is a second quadruple expansion from Nryaa: sei para-vyome nryaera cri pe dvrak-catur-vyhera dvitya prake vsudeva-sakaraa-pradyumnniruddha 'dvitya catur-vyha' ei--turya, viuddha In that spiritual sky, on the four sides of Nryaa, are the second expansions of the quadruple expansions of Dvrak. Vsudeva, Sakaraa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha constitute this second quadruple. They are purely transcendental. [Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 5.40-41] Srila Prabhupada explains: The supreme living entity, Ka, eternally manifests Himself as the catur-vyha, or quadruple plenary expansion. The purport of this prayer is that one should give up his false ego and pray to this catur-vyha by offering Them obeisances. Although the Absolute Truth is one without a second, the Absolute Truth displays His unlimited opulences and potencies by expanding Himself in innumerable plenary forms, of which the catur-vyha is a principal expansion. The original being is Vsudeva, the Personality of Godhead. When the Godhead manifests His primeval energies and opulences, He is called Sakaraa. Pradyumna is the basis of the Viu expansion who is the soul of the entire universe, and Aniruddha is the basis of the personal manifestation of Viu as the Supersoul of every individual entity within the universe. Among the four plenary expansions mentioned here, the original expansion is Vsudeva, and the other three are considered to be particular manifestations of Him. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.29-30, Purport] These forms are termed plenary expansions (plenary = full in all respectsa plenary session of the legislature; a diplomat with plenary powers), because although Ka is the original source, They are all supreme and unlimited in transcendental opulence and potency: The expansions of different forms of the Lord, as from Ka to Baladeva to Sakaraa, from Sakaraa to Vsudeva, from Vsudeva to Aniruddha, from Aniruddha to Pradyumna and then again to second Sakaraa and from Him to the Nryaa puruvatras, and innumerable other forms, which are compared to the constant flowing of the uncountable waves of a river, are all one and the same. They are like lamps of equal power which kindle from one lamp to another. That is the transcendental potency of the Lord. The Vedas say that He is so complete that even though the whole complete identity emanates from Him, He still remains the same complete whole: prasya pram dya pram evvaiyate [Sri Isopanisad, Invocation]. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.10 Purport] Each powerful transcendental form of the Lord has an appropriate akti, or incarnation of His power. The Lord in His male form is the powerful, and in His female akti expansions, the power; He is the supreme controller and source of emanation, and She is His personified controlled energy. Just as the sun is the

source of light, and the sunshine is the energy that emanates from him; similarly the Lord is the source and akti is the emanated energy. The forms of the Lord collectively are called viu-tattva, and the akti forms are called akti-tattva. There is a akti-tattva form corresponding to each of the viu-tattva forms. Radha, the eternal consort of Ka, is the original akti-tattva from whom all others expand. Similarly, Baladevas eternal consort is Revat, the daughter of King Raivata. The consorts of the four-armed Viu forms are collectively known as Lakm wealth, power or other opulences; yet each one is an individual whose qualities perfectly match Her divine consort. The transcendental forms of the Lord appearing in the spiritual Vaikuha planets are called imperceptible or unmanifest, because They cannot be seen by ordinary people with material senses. The forms of Nryaa and the second quadruple expansions are called perceptible or manifest, because although They are fully transcendental, They are involved with the manifested material creation, and often appear as incarnations within the material universes. Thus the unmanifest energy of the Lord is displayed in two aspects, as the Lord Himself and as His akti, eternal consort or energy. The two kinds of energy are internal and external, or spiritual and material. Mah-Lakm, the consort of Nryaa, expands Herself as His internal spiritual energy, the living entities. The external material energy emanating from Nryaa is manifested in three aspects, as the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. r-akti or Mother Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Viu, manifests the sattva-gua or mode of goodness. Bh-akti or Mother Earth the consort of Lord Brahma, personifies rajo-gua, the mode of passion. Nla-akti or Durg the consort of Lord iva, manifests the tamo-gua, the mode of ignorance. mah-lakmr deveasya bhinnbhinna-rp cetancetantmik s dev tri-vidh bhavati akty-tman icch-akti kriy-akti skc-chaktir iti icch-aktis tri-vidh bhavati, r-bhmi-nltmik "Mah-Lakm, the supreme energy of the Lord, is experienced in different ways. She is divided into material and spiritual potencies, and in both features she acts as the willing energy, creative energy and the internal energy. The willing energy is again divided into three, namely r, bh and nl." [Stopaniad] Quoting from the revealed scriptures in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gt 4.6, Madhvcrya has stated that mother material nature, which is conceived of as the illusory energy, Durg, has three divisions, namely r, bh and nl. She is the illusory energy for those who are weak in spiritual strength because such energies are created energies of Lord Viu. Although each energy has no direct relationship with the unlimited, they are subordinate to the Lord because the Lord is the master of all energies. In his Bhagavat-sandarbha [Part 23, Texts 8-9], rla Jva Gosvm Prabhu states:

"The Padma Pura refers to the eternally auspicious abode of Godhead, which is full in all opulences, including the energies r, bh and nl. The Mah-sahit, which discusses the transcendental name and form of Godhead, also mentions Durg as the potency of the Supersoul in relationship with the living entities. The internal potency acts in relation with His personal affairs, and the material potency manifests the three modes." Quoting elsewhere from the revealed scriptures, he states that r is the energy of Godhead that maintains the cosmic manifestation, bh is the energy that creates the cosmic manifestation, and nl, Durg, is the energy that destroys the creation. All these energies act in relation with the living beings, and thus they are together called jva-my. It is not difficult to realize this complex arrangement of expansions and qualities if we take submissive shelter of the grace of the Lord by His Holy Names. Here is a Gyatr mantra for realizing this intricate transcendental subject matter: o namo bhagavate tubhya vsudevya dhmahi pradyumnyniruddhya nama sakaraya ca othe sign of chanting the transcendental glory of the Lord; namaoffering obeisances unto the Lord; bhagavateunto the Personality of Godhead; tubhyamunto You; vsudevyaunto the Lord, the son of Vasudeva; dhmahilet us chant; pradyumnya, aniruddhya and sakaraya all plenary expansions of Vsudeva; namarespectful obeisances; caand. Let us all chant the glories of Vsudeva along with His plenary expansions Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sakaraa. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.37]

vara and akti - Ontological Orientation

Of course everyone would like to start casting and analyzing charts, and getting the often astonishing insights Jyotish makes possible. But before we get to the fun part, there is the small matter of acquiring the proper background. As we have discussed many times, taking a Vedic science like Jyotish out of its natural context distorts its meaning and cripples its benefits. If we try to shoehorn our understanding and practice of Jyotish into the inappropriate and limited context of the impersonal, reductionist Western mechanical model of the universe, we will lose its most important values. A musician or artist, no matter how talented, can never advance beyond his command of the rudiments of his craft. Similarly, your grasp of the meaning of a Jyotish chart can never exceed your mastery of these basics. Neophytes, in their impatience to experience the power and wonders of Jyotish, frequently want to rush into applications. But you should be well advised that the more time and effort you devote to these fundamentals, the deeper your spiritual vision and hence the deeper your insight into spiritual life in general, and Jyotish in particular, will be. The Vedic cosmology is based on personalities, and the often complex and multidimensional relationships between and among those personalities. Personality implies consciousness, energy and relationships; so the key to getting the full benefit from Jyotish is to understand the Vedic personalist cosmology and its deep implications. In other words, before we begin the study of Jyotish proper, we need to change our ontological orientation.

The ontological classes of the expansions of the Supreme given in the Bhagavata cosmology are complex and sophisticated. However, a clear understanding and practical realization of this subject is necessary both for personal self-realization and for helping others by Jyotish and other types of spiritual counseling. Getting out of the trap of material existence and conditioned consciousness requires an intimate, detailed knowledge of the design and operation of the trap; otherwise, escape from illusion is impossible. The best approach to the subject is to review the complete explanation of the creation given in the Second and Third Cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam, especially chapters 2.4 through 2.10, 3.4 through 3.12, 3.26-27 and 5.16 through 5.26. We attempt to summarize this information below, but there is no substitute for the detailed, multidimensional scriptural explanations in the original sources. Yes this is a lot of study, but this comprehensive background will make you a much better astrologer because you will understand the transcendental cosmological context in which the Vedic Jyotish information is presented. If you have any confusion about ontology, please review the Intro to Ontology course before attempting this material. You should also be comfortable and familiar with the material presented in the podcasts on

Content and Context and Transcendental Ontology. The figure below presents a summary of the major ontological levels and relationships in Bhagavata cosmology. Existence is in two main classes: the spiritual world and the material world. Goloka Vrndavan is the highest planet in the spiritual world and the transcendental abode of Sri-Sri Radha-Krsna. Baladeva is the first expansion from Krsna, and His consort is Revati, or Yogamaya, who maintains the spiritual world and all the Vaikuntha planets where the four-armed Visnu expansions of the Lord reside. Narayana expands from Sankarsana of the first quadruple expansion. The second quadruple expansion of the purusa-avataras emanates from Narayana, as also the Tatastha-sakti or energy of the jivatmas (living entities), Sadasiva and the total material energy, Mahamaya. Within each universe, the Lord expands as Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu and Karanadakasayi Visnu, the Supersoul within every atom and within the heart of every living entity. The living entities may, according to their desire, be under the control of the material energy (Mahamaya) or the spiritual energy (Yogamaya). When the living entity is under the control of Mahamaya, he is forgets his eternal friend the Supreme Lord, becomes overwhelmed and conditioned by the material energy, and tossed by the waves of constantly changing modes of material qualities: goodness, passion and ignorance. As he wanders from body to body according to his karma, he constantly forgets his real identity and experiences a series of temporary, illusory false identifications with unstable, imperfect material bodies and designations. Therefore he suffers, because the natural desire of the soul for eternal, unconditional happiness can never be satisfied in the temporary, imperfect material atmosphere. When the living entity is under the control of Yogamaya, he is in touch with spiritual reality and knows both himself and the Lord as they really are. He engages in unmotivated, uninterrupted devotional service to the Lord in an eternal service relationship, which defines his real eternal identity. Because of this, he experiences the spiritual qualities of sat (eternal existence), cit (perfect knowledge) and relishes ananda (unconditional bliss) in constant association with his eternal friend the Lord. As you can see from these diagrams, the context of Vedic knowledge is very deep. Familiarity with these ontological levels helps us to recognize the energies that different spiritual states and planetary configurations bring into our lives. As Vaisnavas, or students of the Esoteric Teaching of the Vedas, our role as Jyotishis is to counsel the confused living entity, give him real knowledge about his karmic situation, and show him how to change his activities from ignorance and passion to goodness, so he can receive transcendental knowledge from the Vedas on how to get out of the material trap. Jyotish gives us the tools to analyze the jiva's karmic situation, and show him many things about himself that can help him understand why he is suffering, and how to end his suffering altogether. Of course, this requires that we ourselves know and are practicing all these things. "Physician, first heal thyself." So the first duty of a Jyotishi is to become situated in the mode of goodness externally, and in transcendental consciousness internally by constant chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord. Then he must become learned in the scriptural conclusions regarding Vaisnava philosophy, Bhagavata cosmology and of course, Jyotish itself. Then he must practice, because Jyotish is certainly a science, but it is also an art. Experience will demonstrate, better than any teacher can, the necessity and utility of learning the extensive background information presented herein.

The chart below is an ontological entity-relationship diagram illustrating the derivations of the classes of expansions and their source-emanation relationships. Reading from the top, it says, "Maha-maya is an External Potency; an External Potency is a Potency; a Potency is a Thing." You can continue reading the rest of the chart in this way to understand the relationships among the entities in the first chart.

Expansions and Guas

BPHS Chapter 1 Slokas 16-19 16-19. Mahat-tattva, Ahakra and Ahakra-mrti, and Brahm are born from Sakaraa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, respectively. All these three forms are endowed with all the three Guas, with predominance of the Gua due to their origin. Ahakra is of three classes, i.e. with Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic dispositions. Original pure consciousness, the sensory organs and the five primordial elements (space, air, fire, water and earth) are manifest from the three types of Ahakra. Commentary According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Mahattattva, or total material energy, is emanated by Mah-Viu, and the second quadruple expansion of Vsudeva, Sakaraa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha occurs within the Mahat-tattva. The mode of goodness, which is the clear, sober status of understanding the Personality of Godhead and which is generally called Vsudeva, or consciousness, becomes manifest in the mahat-tattva. The threefold ahakra, the source of the gross elements, the senses and the mind, is identical with them because it is their cause. It is known by the name of Sakaraa, who is directly Lord Ananta with a thousand heads. Similarly, to be fixed in ones intelligence one has to worship Pradyumna, who is reached through the worship of Brahm. The mind of the living entity is known by the name of Lord Aniruddha, the supreme ruler of the senses. [from Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.21-35] Ahakra or false ego is of three types according to the guas. Lord Sakaraa is the predominating Deity of these three types of egotism. tabe mahat-tattva haite trividha ahakra yh haite devatendriya-bhtera pracra First the mahat-tattva or total material energy is manifest, and from this arise the three types of egotism, which are the original sources from which all demigods, senses and material elements expand. [Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.276]

The three types of egotism (ahakra) are technically known as vaikrika, taijasa and tmasa. The mahattattva is situated within the heart, or citta, of the living entity, and the predominating Deity of the mahattattva is Lord Vsudeva (Bhg. 3.26.21). The mahat-tattva is transformed into three divisions: 1.vaikrika, egotism in goodness, from which the mind is manifest and whose predominating Deity is Aniruddha [Bhg. 3.26.27-28]; 2.taijasa, or egotism in passion, from which the senses and intelligence are manifest and whose predominating Deity is Lord Pradyumna [Bhg. 3.26.29-31]; 3.tmasa, or egotism in ignorance, from which sound vibration (abda-tanmtra) expands. From the sound vibration, space (ka) is manifest and, also the senses, beginning with hearing [Bhg. 3.26.32]. The entire sequence of manifestation is described vividly in Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.27-37: Thereafter, influenced by the interactions of eternal time, the supreme sum total of matter called the mahat-tattva became manifested, and in this mahat-tattva the unalloyed goodness, the Supreme Lord, sowed the seeds of universal manifestation out of His own body. Thereafter the mahat-tattva differentiated itself into many different forms as the reservoir of the would-be entities. The mahat-tattva is chiefly in the mode of ignorance, and it generates the false ego. It is a plenary expansion of the Personality of Godhead, with full consciousness of creative principles and time for fructification. Mahat-tattva, or the great causal truth, transforms into false ego, which is manifested in three phasescause, effect and the doer. All such activities are on the mental plane and are based on the material elements, gross senses and mental speculation. The false ego is represented in three different modesgoodness, passion and ignorance. The false ego is transformed into mind by interaction with the mode of goodness. All the demigods who control the phenomenal world are also products of the same principle, namely the interaction of false ego and the mode of goodness. The senses are certainly products of the mode of passion in false ego, and therefore philosophical speculative knowledge and fruitive activities are predominantly products of the mode of passion. The sky is a product of sound, and sound is the transformation of egoistic passion. In other words, the sky is the symbolic representation of the Supreme Soul. Thereafter the Personality of Godhead glanced over the sky, partly mixed with eternal time and external energy, and thus developed the touch sensation, from which the air in the sky was produced. Thereafter the extremely powerful air, interacting with the sky, generated the form of sense perception, and the perception of form transformed into electricity, the light to see the world. When electricity was surcharged in the air and was glanced over by the Supreme, at that time, by a mixture of eternal time and external energy, there occurred the creation of water and taste. Thereafter the water produced from electricity was glanced over by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and mixed with eternal time and external energy. Thus it was transformed into the earth, which is qualified primarily by smell. O gentle one, of all the physical elements, beginning from the sky down to the earth, all the inferior and superior qualities are due only to the final touch of the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The theory of the five elements (space or sky, fire, air, water, earth), their attributes (light, wind, sound, flavor and odor) the corresponding senses (form, touch, hearing, taste and smell) and their manifesting Deities is extremely important in Jyotish. We will return to these foundational principles again and again in our practical study of astrology.

Guas and Grahas

BPHS Chapter 1 Slokas 20-24 20-24. Lord Viu, coupled with r akti, rules over the three worlds. Coupled with Bh-akti, He is Brahma causing the Universe. Coupled with Nla-akti, He is iva, destroying the Universe. The Lord is in all beings and the entire Universe is in Him. All beings contain both jvtm and Paramtm. Some have predominance of the former, while yet some have the latter in predominance. Paramtm is predominant in the Grahas, viz. Srya etc., and Brahma, iva and other demigods. Their powers, or consorts too have predominance of Paramtm. Others have more of jvtm. Commentary The various forms, expansions and incarnations of the Supreme Lord each have Their appropriate aktis or potencies according to Their cosmic functions and pastimes. The Lord is the controller and energetic source, and His consorts are His emanated energies. This theory of emanation, and its corollary the philosophy of simultaneous, inconceivable oneness and difference between the Lord and His energies (acintya-bhedbheda-tattva), are the basis of the laconic sutras of Vednta. The recondite final conclusion of the Vedas is elaborately explained in its natural commentary, Srimad-Bhagavatam and echoed by Vedangas like Jyotish. While the concept of simultaneous, inconceivable oneness and difference between the Lord and His energies may seem contradictory, this perception is just an artifact of our material conditioning and limited human intelligence. While there is an unlimited ocean of potent spiritual personalities expanding from the Lord, behind the curtain of Maya, He is one Supreme Personality of Godhead, the unique origin and sole foundation of everything. Similarly, everything exists within the Lord, who is the Supreme Whole or sum total of everything that exists, yet at the same time, He is simultaneously within everything as the Supersoul of creation. I pervade this entire universe in My unmanifested form. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them. And yet everything that is created rests in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities, and although I am everywhere, still My Self is the very source of creation. As the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, always rests in ethereal space, know that in the same manner all beings rest in Me. [Bhagavad-gita 9.4-6] Apparently contradictory conceptions like He is within everything and Everything is within Him are simply reflections of different points of view. At the root of all detailed explanations of the process of creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe, the nature of existence, consciousness and time, and the mystery of spiritual realization, is the unlimited, inconceivable spiritual potency of the Supreme Lord. The Lord can do anything and everything by His sweet willeven the impossible is effortlessly possible for Him.

Therefore it is not surprising that the mechanism of universal creation is complex, subtle and difficult for us to understand. Yet the elegance and simplicity of the Jyotish chart contains this complexity and makes it manageable for our limited human intelligence. Through the model of the kundali chakra (Jyotish chart), the complex cosmology of the Vedas is seen from the familiar perspective of an individual human life, read in the ancient mirror of the sky and planets, and the deep analysis of the causal connections of a single moment in time with the wisdom of Jyotish reveals all the nuances of a human lifetime. Certainly we should regard this science of Jyotish is an extraordinary gift to Humankind from a far superior intelligence. It is certainly humbling to regard the inconceivable potency of the Lord as revealed in the beauty and complexity of the manifested universe, in the fractal shape of eternal time, as also in the miracle of human life and its profound possibilities for self-realization. But it is also a source of the most sublime joy that the Lord, in His affectionate care for His created children, has supplied in the Vedas and Vedangas complete means to attain all knowledge and other facilities necessary for our maintenance and ultimate liberation. The tiny jvtm, the living entity is not alone or adrift on the limitless sea of time and manifestation; there is a map, a boat, and a safe harbor awaiting us in the spiritual world. We have but to learn the arts of navigation and seamanship to take this boat of human life, using the favorable breezes of the Vedic instructions, on the ultimate voyage to the highest goal of Transcendence. This is the existential challenge of human life, and those who recognize it and rise to meet it will find rewards far richer than the modest efforts required. That the ultimate questions and problems of life are actually solvable by finite human effort with the help of the Vedas and Divine Grace is perhaps the truest proof of the deep fairness of God and the justice of His creation. For the human life of the jvtm, seen against the huge canvas of the universal manifestation, is not insignificant. The Supreme Lord needs us, just as we need Him. The mutual exchange of affection and love between the Lord and His created beings is bhakti, the highest expression of the principles of spiritual realization and our personal existential yearnings. The individual fragmental part finds completion, not in the temporary exploitation of illusory objects and designations, but in relation and unmotivated service to the infinite Complete Whole. Realizing this for ourselves and then helping others to reach the same benefit is the ultimate significance of all religious principles, the conclusion of the Vedas and Vednta, and the lofty purpose to which we Jyotishis are called.

Incarnations of Viu
BPHS Chapter 2 Slokas 1-2 1. Maitreya: O Mahri Parara, are the incarnations of Viu, viz. r Rma, r Ka etc., endowed with jvtm? 2. Mahri Parara: O Brhmaa, the incarnations Rma, Ka, Narasiha and Varha are wholly Paramtm. The other incarnations have jvtm in them too.

Commentary This topic was actually introduced in the closing lokas of Chapter 1: All beings contain both jvtm and Paramtm. Some have predominance of the former, while yet some have the latter in predominance. Paramtm is predominant in the Grahas, viz. Srya etc. and Brahm, iva and others. Their powers, or consorts too have predominance of Paramtm. Others have more of jvtm. [BPHS 1.22-24] The ten best-known incarnations of the Lord are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic scriptures. They are very nicely described in Davatra-stotra from the famous Gt-govinda, composed by the great devotee poet Jayadeva Gosvm about 1200 years ago. Here is a recording of Srila Prabhupada chanting Davatra-stotra pralaya-payodhi-jle dhtavn asi veda vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam keava dhta-mna-arra jaya jagada hare O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a fish! All glories to You! You easily acted as a boat in the form of a giant fish just to give protection to the Vedas, which had become immersed in the turbulent sea of devastation. kitir iha vipulatare tihati tava phe dharai-dhraa-kia-cakra-garihe keava dhta-krma-arra jaya jagada hare O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a tortoise! All glories to You! In this incarnation as a divine tortoise the great Mandara Mountain rests upon Your gigantic back as a pivot for churning the ocean of milk. From holding up the huge mountain a large scarlike depression is put in Your back, which has become most glorious. vasati daana-ikhare dhara tava lagn aini kalaka-kaleva nimagn keava dhta-kara-rpa jaya jagada hare

O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a boar! All glories to You! The earth, which had become immersed in the Garbhodaka Ocean at the bottom of the universe, sits fixed upon the tip of Your tusk like a spot upon the moon. tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-ga dalita-hirayakaipu-tanu-bhgam keava dhta-narahari-rpa jaya jagada hare O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between ones fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasplike demon Hirayakaipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful lotus hands. chalayasi vikramae balim adbhuta-vmana pada-nakha-nra-janita-jana-pvana keava dhta-vmana-rpa jaya jagada hare O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a dwarf brhmaa! All glories to You! O wonderful dwarf, by Your massive steps You deceive King Bali, and by the Ganges water that has emanated from the nails of Your lotus feet, You deliver all living beings within this world. katriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-ppam snapayasi payasi amita-bhava-tpam keava dhta-bhgupati-rpa jaya jagadia hare

O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Bhgupati [Paraurma]! All glories to You! At Kuruketra You bathe the earth in the rivers of blood from the bodies of the demoniac katriyas that You have slain. The sins of the world are washed away by You, and because of You people are relieved from the blazing fire of material existence. vitarasi diku rae dik-pati-kamanya daa-mukha-mauli-balim ramayam keava dhta-rma-arra jaya jagadia hare

O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Rmacandra! All glories to You! In the battle of Lak You destroy the ten-headed demon Rvaa and distribute his heads as a delightful offering to the presiding deities of the ten directions, headed by Indra. This action was long desired by all of them, who were much harassed by this monster. vahasi vapui viade vasana jaladbha hala-hati-bhti-milita-yamunbham keava dhta-haladhara-rpa jaya jagadia hare

O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Balarma, the wielder of the plow! All glories to You! On Your brilliant white body You wear garments the color of a fresh blue rain cloud. These garments are colored like the beautiful dark hue of the River Yamun, who feels great fear due to the striking of Your plowshare. nindasi yaja-vidher ahaha ruti-jta sadaya-hdaya darita-pau-ghtam keava dhta-buddha-arra jaya jagada hare

O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Buddha! All glories to You! O Buddha of compassionate heart, you decry the slaughtering of poor animals performed according to the rules of Vedic sacrifice. mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavla dhmaketum iva kim api karlam keava dhta-kalki-arra jaya jagada hare O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Kalki! All glories to You! You appear like a comet and carry a terrifying sword for bringing about the annihilation of the wicked barbarian men at the end of the Kali-yuga. r-jayedeva-kaver idam uditam udra u sukha-da ubha-da bhava-sram keava dhta-daa-vidha-rpa jaya jagada hare

O Keava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed these ten different forms of incarnation! All glories to You! O readers, please hear this hymn of the poet Jayadeva, which is most excellent, an awarder of happiness, a bestower of auspiciousness, and is the best thing in this dark world. vedn uddharate jaganti vahate bh-golam udbibhrate daitya drayate bali chalayate katra-kaya kurvate paulastya jayate hala kalayate kruyam tanvate mlecchn mrchayate daakti-kte kya tubhya nama O Lord Ka, I offer my obeisances unto You, who appear in the forms of these ten incarnations. In the form of Matsya You rescue the Vedas, and as Krma You bear the Mandara Mountain on Your back. As Varha You lift the earth with Your tusk, and in the form of Narasiha You tear open the chest of the daitya Hirayakaipu. In the form of Vmana You trick the daitya king Bali by asking him for only three steps of land, and then You take away the whole universe from him by expanding Your steps. As Paraurma You slay all of the wicked katriyas, and as Rmacandra You conquer the rkasa king Rvaa. In the form of Balarma You carry a plow with which You subdue the wicked and draw toward You the River Yamun. As Lord Buddha You show compassion toward all the living beings suffering in this world, and at the end of the Kali-yuga You appear as Kalki to bewilder the mlecchas [degraded low-class men].

At right is a recording of Srila Prabhupada explaining the meaning of these prayers. There are different classes of avatras, such as puruvatras, guvatras, llvatras, aktyveaavatras, manvantara-avatras and yugvatras, all appearing on schedule all over the universe. The expansions and incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, but all of Them are expansions and incarnations of Lord Ka (Keava), the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gt 11.31 Arjuna addresses the Lord as dyam, or the original. Indeed, in Bhagavad-gt 10.8 the Lord Himself declares, matta sarva pravartate: Everything proceeds from Me. Similarly, in the Brahma-sahit the Lord is addressed as follows: advaitam acyutam andim ananta-rpam dya pura-purua nava-yauvana ca vedeu durllabham adurllabham tma-bhaktau govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi. I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Ka], who is the original person: absolute, infallible, without beginning, although expanded into unlimited forms, still the same original, the oldest, and the person always appearing as a fresh youth. Such eternal, blissful, all-knowing forms of the Lord are usually understood by the best Vedic scholars, but they are always manifest to pure, unalloyed devotees. [Brahmasahit 5.33] The puruvatras are the incarnations that create and control this material world, namely Mah-Viu, Garbhodakay Viu the father of Lord Brahm, and Krodakay Viu the Supersoul. The guvatras are incarnations of the three material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. For the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material world, the Supreme Lord accepts three predominating forms as Brahm, Viu and akara (iva). The manvantaraavatras are the fourteen incarnations of Manu: Yaja, Vibhu, Satyasena, Hari, Vaikuha, Ajita, Vmana, Srvabhauma, abha, Vivaksena, Dharmasetu, Sudhm, Yogevara and Bhadbhnu. The yugvatras are four incarnations for the four yugas, Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, and their colors are described

as white, red, blackish and black (or sometimes golden, as in the case of Lord Caitanya Mahprabhu). The two classes of avatras of Ka under discussion in this passage are the llvatras and aktyveaavatras. The Lords incarnation for executing His inconceivable pastimes is called llvatra, and such wonderful forms of Viu are glorified by the names Rmacandra, Nsihadeva, Krma, Varha, Catusana (the Kumras), Nrada, Matsya, Yaja, Nara-nryaa i, Kapila, Datttreya, Hayagrva, Hasa, Pnigarbha, abha, Pthu, Nsiha, Krma, Dhanvantari, Mohin, Vmana, Paraurma, Darathi, Ka-dvaipyana, Balarma, Vsudeva, Buddha and Kalki. There are innumerable such incarnations, but not all of them are direct viu-tattva plenary expansions of the Lord. In Bhagavad-gt 10.41 the Lord says that whenever one sees a display of extraordinary power, he should conclude that a specific partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is present. Many living entities are classified among the akti-tattvas. rudr akara csmi vitteo yaka-rakasm vasn pvaka csmi meru ikharim aham Of all the Rudras I am Lord iva; of the Yakas and Rkasas I am the lord of wealth [Kuvera]; of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of the mountains I am Meru. [Bhagavad-gita 10.23] Such incarnations, empowered for specific purposes, are known as aktyvea-avatras. King Pthu was such a aktyvea-avatra of the Lord. Similarly, Arci, King Pthus wife, was a aktyvea-avatra of the goddess of fortune. The planets are living entities, but they are empowered with specific potencies of the Lord. Thus they are jvtm, ordinary living entities, but because they are specially empowered by the Lord they are considered aktyvea-avatras. When Mahri Parara mentions the ten vatras, he is not talking about the vatras mentioned in the Davatra-stotra, but about the ten grahas and their respective empowering vatras. A list of the grahavatras is given in the next loka.

Incarnations of the Grahas

BPHS Chapter 2 Slokas 3-7 3-7. The unborn Lord has many incarnations. He has incarnated as the Nava Grahas (nine planets of Jyotish) to bestow on the living beings the results due to their Karma. He is Janrdana. He assumed the auspicious form of Grahas to destroy the demons (evil forces) and sustain the devotees. From Srya the incarnation of Rma, from Candra that of Ka, from Mangal that of Naasiha, from Budha that of Buddha, from Guru that of Vmana, from ukra that of Paraurma, from ani that of Krma (Tortoise), from Rahu that of Varha (Boar) and from Ketu that of Mna (Fish) occurred. All other incarnations than these also are through the Grahas. The beings with more Paramtm are called incarnations. The beings with more jivtm are mortal beings.

Commentary Although the Lord is aja, unborn, He still descends to the material world in innumerable divine incarnations. Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form. Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligionat that time I descend Myself. In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium. [Bhagavad-gita 4.6-8]

The planets and starts move around the polestar, Dhruva-loka, in a fixed order determined by the will of the Lord. When bulls are yoked together and tied to a central post to thresh rice, they tread around that pivot without deviating from their proper positionsone bull being closest to the post, another in the middle, and a third on the outside. Similarly, all the planets and all the hundreds and thousands of stars revolve around the polestar, the planet of Mahrja Dhruva, in their respective orbits, some higher and some lower. Fastened by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the machine of material nature according to the results of their fruitive acts, they are driven around the polestar by the wind and will continue to be so until the end of creation. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.23.3] Although the planets are demigods, jvtm or ordinary living entities, they are empowered by specific expansions of the Supreme Lord to manifest certain energies of creation, maintenance and dissolution. They are empowered servants of the Lord, but they are still subject to the results of their karma. In other words they are not liberated. The incarnations of the Lord also appear in this world through the planets, and merge into them again when They are withdrawn. The incarnations of the nine planets (nava-grahas) in the order of the Jyotish system are as follows:

Incarnation
Rma

Description
rmad-Bhgavatam 9.10-11

Graha
Srya

Planet
Sun

Glyph

Ka

rmad-Bhgavatam 10.1-90

Candra

Moon

Nsihadeva

rmad-Bhgavatam 7.2-10

Magal

Mars

Buddha

rmad-Bhgavatam 1.3.24

Budha

Mercury

Vmana

rmad-Bhgavatam 8.17-23

Guru

Jupiter

Paraurma

rmad-Bhgavatam 9.15-16

ukra

Venus

Krma

rmad-Bhgavatam 8.5

ani

Saturn

Varha

rmad-Bhgavatam 3.13-19

Rahu

Rahu

Matsya

rmad-Bhgavatam 8.24

Ketu

Ketu

An important point is that in the vision of the Jyotish system, intelligence and causality descend from the Supreme Lord Ka into the material world, first through His incarnations, then through the planets and their positions into the individual life. This is avaroha or the descending system of knowledge. The system of receiving Vedic knowledge is called avaroha-panth, or the process of receiving transcendental knowledge through bona fide disciplic succession. For advancement of material knowledge there is a need for the ascending process of personal ability and researching aptitude, but in the case of spiritual knowledge, all progress depends more or less on the descending process of the mercy of the spiritual master. The spiritual master must be satisfied with the disciple; only then can Vedic knowledge descend and manifest in the student of spiritual science. Similarly, the Vedic view of reality is that the Lord, the Supreme Controller, delegates a portion of His authority, knowledge and power to His servants the demigods, including the nava-grahas (nine planets), who then act as His representatives in administering the affairs of the material cosmos. This is in sharp distinction from the Western reductionist view that the cosmos is a kind of machine run by impersonal physical laws. The creation is not an impersonal machine, but the creation of a personalitythe Supreme Lord Kaand it functions by the devotional service of His representatives, who are also personalities. Therefore, in order to understand the descending system of causality and authority, the student of Jyotish must study the incarnations of the Lord and be intimately familiar with Their qualities and pastimes. Everything else in Jyotish is based on this transcendental knowledge.

Types of Incarnations
BPHS Chapter 2 Slokas 8-13 8-13. The high degree of Paramtm from the Grahas did incarnate as Rma, Ka etc. After completing Their pastimes, the Paramtm of the Grahas again merges in the respective Grahas. The jivtm portions from the Grahas take births as human beings, live their lives according to their karma and again merge in the Grahas. And at the time of Great Destruction the Grahas merge in Lord Viu. One who knows of all these divine incarnations will become well-versed in knowledge of the past, present and future. This cannot be known without knowledge of Jyotish. Hence everyone, particularly the Brhmaas, should have a knowledge of Jyotish. One who, devoid of knowledge of Jyotish, criticizes this Vedic science, will go to the hell called Raurava and will be reborn blind. Commentary We should learn to discriminate between the jivtm and Paramtm portions of the living beings. The Paramtm expansion of the Lord is present in the heart of every living being. The Paramtm actually operates the body, and the jivtm simply rides in the body like a passenger. vara sarva-bhtn hd-dee 'rjuna tihati bhrmayan sarva-bhtni yantrrhni myay The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy. [Bhagavad-gita 18.61] He not only operates the body, but the mind as well: sarvasya cha hdi sannivio matta smtir jnam apohana ca I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. [Bhagavad-gita 15.15] This is true of all materially conditioned living entities, from great demigods like Lord Brahm down to tiny insignificant worms and plants. The Lord grants mental and bodily energy and facility according to the karma of the living beings. In the case of the Grahas or planets and other demigods, they are devotees or servants of the Supreme Lord. They often display superhuman powers and intelligence given to them by Paramtm to perform important duties in administration of the universe. Also the incarnations of the Lord within the material universe manifest as expansions of the Paramtm within their bodies. Nevertheless as conditioned living entities, the Grahas and other demigods have personal karma and must sometimes suffer due to past mistakes. This does not minimize their importance or power, but we must be careful to understand the distinction between the demigods, who are still conditioned souls, and the direct

expansions of the Supreme Lord such as the Viu forms. The Lords expansions in innumerable fourhanded Viu forms are fully the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are not a combination of jivtm and Paramtm like the conditioned living entities. The ancient Vedic science of Jyotish cannot be understood without knowledge of the incarnations of the Lord as described in Vedic scriptures like Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Lord is the original person (adi-purua) and the source, owner, controller and enjoyer of everything and everyone. All the qualities and activities that we observe in any living entity originate in the personality of the Lord: buddhir jnam asammoha kam satya dama ama sukha dukha bhavo 'bhvo bhaya cbhayam eva ca ahis samat tuis tapo dna yao 'yaa bhavanti bhv bhtn matta eva pthag-vidh "Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, selfcontrol and calmness, pleasure and pain, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy are created by Me alone." [Bhagavad-gita 10.4-5] He is the origin of all energy and other emanations, and the sublime nexus in which all opposites and contradictions are harmoniously resolved. Our relationship with Him is the ultimate determinant of our good or bad fortune. His will as manifested through His innumerable expansions and incarnations is the most powerful factor in our experience. Ultimately our only relationship is with Him; He is our eternal father, mother, master, guru, son, friend and transcendental lover. Our rebellion against His authority is the cause of all our suffering. In loving and serving Him we find the eternal peace and unconditional love we so fruitlessly pursue in this material world. Therefore the final conclusion of all Vedic scriptures is that we should surrender completely to Him and follow His path in all respects. man-man bhava mad-bhakto mad-yj m namaskuru mm evaiyasi satya te pratijne priyo 'si me sarva-dharmn parityajya mm eka araa vraja aha tv sarva-ppebhyo mokayiymi m uca

Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear. [Bhagavad-gita 18.65-66] The details of our karma, our opportunities for self-realization, the challenges on our path and the mysteries of our past and future births can all be found by knowledge of Jyotish. The Vedas give the theory and the general situation, while the Vedgas like Jyotish give the application to a particular personal or situation. Of all the Vedgas, Jyotish is the most important because it specifically gives knowledge of past and future events that is hidden from ordinary perception. For example, it is possible to calculate ones life expectancy and even the cause of ones death by advanced Jyotish methods. Therefore the knowledge of Jyotish is beneficial and recommended for everyone. However, Mahri Parara ends this chapter with a curse: like anything powerful, complex and sophisticated, Jyotish deserves our respect and a cautious approach. Of course there are many charlatan astrologers, just as there are many charlatans among priests, yogis and car mechanics. That does not mean that we should reject Jyotish in general because of the incompetent pretenders. It is incumbent upon the seeker of spiritual wisdom to find a source of the ancient teachings that is a complete, transparent and accountable representation of the original. If we fail in this quest, it means that we ourselves are insincere. The Supersoul in everyones heart is in full knowledge of our thoughts, feelings and aspirations. If our desire for spiritual knowledge is sincere, He can easily show us who is qualified to reveal the ancient science and guide us to the highest level of selfrealization. Otherwise, if He does not approve, we can never access the recondite inner levels of the Esoteric Teaching. ida te ntapaskya nbhaktya kadcana na curave vcya na ca m yo 'bhyasyati This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me. [Bhagavad-gita 18.67] We cannot cheat the all-seeing God, nor change the eternal spiritual law. Anyone who tries to misuse or pervert this ancient spiritual science for the fulfillment of their material desires is condemned. Therefore we explicitly prohibit our Jyotish students from offering professional Jyotish services to the public. This spiritual science is for sincere seekers of enlightenment. Its students must be qualified Brhmaas, properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master situated in the disciplic lineage from Lord Brahm. Beware! Any attempt to cheat in this matter will lead to a total loss of spiritual knowledge and qualifications, and severe punishment by the servants of Yamarja.