{"id":438,"date":"2013-07-13T01:28:01","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=438"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:28:01","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:28:01","slug":"40-elements-vol-17-the-hour-of-god-volume-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/17-the-hour-of-god-volume-17\/40-elements-vol-17-the-hour-of-god-volume-17","title":{"rendered":"-40_Elements.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n


\nVII<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\nPREMISES OF ASTROLOGY<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n


\nCHAPTER
\nI
\nElements<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n                A<\/font><\/span><\/b>STROLOGY<\/font><\/b> depends on three things, the
\nposition of the planets in the heavens and with regard to each other, the
\ncondition of the planets at the natal hour or at the moment of enquiry, and the
\ngeneral character or tout-ensemble <\/i>of the horoscope. Any error or
\ndeficiency with regard to any of these three elements separately or with regard
\nto their mutual relations will affect the work of the astrologer and vitiate
\nits correctness or its completeness. To cast a horoscope completely is one of
\nthe most difficult operations known to science. The astrologer is born not
\nmade. It ‘is as impossible to manufacture a perfect astrologer by education as
\nto manufacture a poet. Hence the disrepute into which the profession of
\nastrology too lightly and numerously followed, has fallen in the Kaliyuga. In
\naddition sure truths of the true science are lost and the little that remains
\nis replete with errors. Astrologers make lucky hits or stumble on the truth but
\nit is only a rare genius here and there who can predict correctly and even he
\nis never safe against error. For even when his intuition divines correctly his
\nauthorities mislead him. <\/p>\n

The
\nposition of the planets in the heavens is determined by the sign of the zodiac
\nthrough which they are passing, their relation to the ascendant sign, their
\nprecise position in the sign, reckoned by degrees and minutes; their relative
\nposition to each other by the distance of their signs from each other.<\/p>\n

The
\ncondition of the planets is determined by the sign they are in according to
\nwhich they are either elevated, fallen, ascending or descending or possibly at
\nposition-hour; by the direction of their motion at the time forward or
\nbackward, by the quality of their motion, swift, slow or normal; by their
\nmutual relations of friendship, enmity or neutrality, by the conjunction,
\naspect, opposition or distance; by their nearness to the sun setting or rising,
\ndivergent or convergent; by their location in a sign friendly, neutral or hostile,
\nfixed or moving, male or female,<\/p>\n

\nPage-255<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

fiery, watery, aery, earthy
\nor ethereal; by their relations with gentle, fierce or inconstant planets.<\/p>\n

The
\ncharacter of the horoscope is determined by the number of elevated, fallen,
\nascending, descending or entrenched, progressive or retrogade, rapid, sluggish
\nor moderate, well-housed or ill-housed or the rising, convergent or divergent
\nplanets; by the numbers and nature of the planetary relations, conjunctions,
\naspects, oppositions, by the character of the ascendant, its lord and its
\ntenant, combinations, distributions. All these circumstances have to be
\nconsidered in order to determine whether the horoscope is great, mediocre or
\npetty, favourable or malign, strong or weak. The results have to be judged
\naccording to the character. The same details in a good horoscope will mean
\nsome- thing very different from what they could mean in one that is petty or
\nmalign or even merely strong. Moreover, even if all the positions are the same,
\nyet the infinitesimal shifting of a planet or a change in its character will
\noften mean the difference between life and death, success or failure. This is
\nthe reason why twins sometimes have different destinies, one dying, another
\nliving, or pursue an identical course up to a certain point, then diverge. One
\nhears astrologers say when the minute of birth is approximately stated, that is
\ngood enough. It is the speech of incompetence or ignorance. The first necessity
\nis to determine the exact minute or second of birth. All the general results
\nmay be potentially true, yet owing to some accident depending on a few seconds
\ndifference, none of these may have the occasion to come to pass. But if the
\nexact details are obtainable, there is no chance of that comparatively rare but
\nwell-instanced fortuity.<\/p>\n

\nPage-256<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n


\nCHAPTER II<\/a><\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\n                     T<\/font>HE<\/font><\/b> signs of the zodiac are twelve in
\nnumber, beginning from the Ram, in which the Sun reaches its elevation, and
\narching back to it. They are, in order, the Ram, the Bull, the Twins, the Crab,
\nthe Lion, the Girl, the Balance, the Scorpion, the Archer or Bow, the
\nCrocodile, the Jar and the Fish. The sixth sign is usually called the Virgin in
\nEurope, but the word gives an idea of purity which is not the character of the
\nsign and is therefore inappropriate. Each sign has a Devata, a god or spiritual
\nbeing in charge of it. He is not its master, but its protector and the
\nprotector of all who are born in the sign. Indra (Zeus, Odin) protects the Ram,
\nAgni (Moloch, Thor) the Bull, the Aswins (Castor and Pollux) the Twins, Upendra
\n(Baal) the Crab, Varuna (Poseidon) the Lion, Savitri or Sita (Astarte,
\nAphrodite) the Girl, Yama (Hades) the Balance, Aryama (Ares) the Scorpion,
\nMitra or Bhava (Apollo, Phoebus) the Archer, Saraswati called also Ganga (Nais)
\nthe Crocodile, Parjanya (Apis) the Jar, Nara (Nereus) the Fish. All these gods
\nhave their own character and tend to imprint it on their protege. Or it would
\nbe truer to say that men of particular characters tend to take birth under the
\nprotection of a congenial deity. Other gods stand behind the planets and the
\ntwelve houses and they also influence the temperament of the subject.<\/p>\n

There are
\nonly two female signs, the Girl and the Crocodile; but the Twins, the Crab, the
\nBalance, the Archer and the Fish are male with feminine tendencies. The rest
\nare male.<\/p>\n

There are
\nthree watery signs, the Crocodile, the Jar and the Fish; three fiery, the Bull,
\nthe Lion and the Scorpion; three earthy, the Twins, the Crab and the Girl;
\nthree aerial, the Ram, the Balance and the Archer. The only ethereal sign is
\nthe Ram and it is ethereal only when either the Sun or Jupiter occupy it.<\/p>\n

Each
\nalternate sign from the Ram is moving; each alternate sign beginning from the
\nBull is fixed.<\/p>\n

The names
\nof the signs have nothing to do with their cha-<\/p>\n

\nPage-257<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

racter in any of these
\nkinds, but are determined by the spiritual "totem", that is, the
\nnervous type of the souls born in the signs. Those who are born in the Ram are
\nbrave, but mild and humane; in the Bull irascible, bold but not ferocious; in
\nthe Twins gentle, polite and worldly; in the Crab timid or anxious to please
\nbut formidable when angry, awkward but persevering and successful; in the Lion
\nroyal, bold and splendid; in the Girl amorous, charming and aesthetic; in the
\nBalance just, mercantile, able; in the Scorpion fierce, quarrelsome and
\nimpetuous; in the Archer swift, brilliant and effective; in the Crocodile
\nsaturnine, brooding and dangerous; in the Jar thrifty, cautious and sensitive;
\nin the Fish restless, light and inconstant. It is not always the sign of birth,
\nhowever, that is most powerful in fixing the temperament, it is sometimes the
\nsign in which the sun or the moon or else the lord of the horoscope is
\nsituated; and none of these signs can be neglected. If they are all taken into
\nconsideration according to their respective force in the horoscope, a correct
\nidea of the character may be formed; but even then the position and mutual
\nrelations of their lords must be taken into the account. This is the reason why
\nmen born under the same sign vary so much in character.<\/p>\n

I must,
\nhowever, guard against the idea that the signs and planets determine a man’s
\ncharacter or fate. They do not, they only indicate it, because they are the
\nsensational, celestial and astral influences or nervous force in Nature which
\nbecome the instruments of our Karma. That is why the European mystics gave the
\nname of astral planes to the plane of sensational or nervous existence and
\nastral fluid to the magnetic power or current of nervous vital force in a man.
\nIt is this same vital force which pours upon us from all parts of the solar
\nsystem and of this physical universe. But man is mightier than his sensations
\nor vitality or the sensational or vital forces of the universe. Our fate and
\nour temperament have been built by our own wills and our own wills can alter
\nthem.<\/p>\n

\nPage-258<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n


\n
\nCHAPTER III<\/a><\/font><\/b><\/p>\n


\nThe Planets<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

         T<\/font>HE<\/font><\/b> word planets as applied to
\nthe celestial instruments of our fate in the modern astrology is something of a
\nmisnomer. It is more accurate of the planets of the mental worlds than of the
\nmaterial solar system; for in the spherical system of the sūksma jagat<\/i>
\neven the sun and the moon are planets, each circling in its own sphere round
\nthe central, fixed, but revolving earth. But a better term is the Indian word graha,
\n<\/i>those that have a hold on the earth. There are seven old planets, the Sun,
\nMoon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and two others in process of
\ncreation, Rahu and Ketu. In addition there are two dead planets corresponding
\nto Uranus and Herschel and two others not yet discovered. They are called aprakāśita
\ngraha,<\/i> unrevealed or unmanifest planets. The last four have inappreciable
\nresults except in certain physical and mental details. They may slightly affect
\nthe minute circumstances of an event, not its broad outlines. They may give certain
\nkinks in thought, character and physique, but do not seriously modify them.
\nThey are known but ignored by Indian astrology.<\/p>\n

Different names are given to the planets by the
\nIndian astro\u00adnomers and for astrological purposes they are much more appro\u00adpriate.
\nMars is Mangal, the auspicious, euphemistically so termed because of his great
\nmalignancy; Mercury is Budha, the clever, intellectual god, son of the Moon and
\nTara, wife of Brihaspati; Jupiter is Brihaspati, Prime Minister of Indra,
\nspiritual and political adviser of the Gods; Venus is Sukra, who occupies the
\nsame position to the Titans; Saturn is the male\u00advolent Shani, child of the Sun.
\nRahu and Ketu are Titans of our mythology.<\/p>\n

Each of these
\ngods has his own character. Surya, the Sun is strong, splendid, bold, regal,
\nwarlike, victorious and energetic; Chandra, the Moon, is inconstant, amorous,
\ncharming, imagina\u00adtive, poetical, artistic; Mangal is a politician, a soldier,
\ncrafty <\/p>\n

\nPage-259<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

and
\nrus\u00e9, unscrupulous, unmerciful, tyrannical; Budha is specu\u00adlative, scientific,
\nskilful, mercantile, eloquent, clever at all intel\u00adlectual pursuits; Brihaspati
\nis religious, learned, a philosopher, a Yogin, master of occult sciences, wise,
\nstatesmanlike, fortunate, successful, invincible, noble in mind and disposition;
\nSukra is self-willed, lustful, a master of statecraft, a poet, thinker, philo\u00adsopher;
\nShani is cruel, vindictive, gloomy, immoral, criminal, unruly, destructive.
\nRahu is violent, headstrong, frank, furious and rapacious. Ketu is secret,
\nmeditative, unsocial, a silent doer of strong and selfish actions. Each planet
\nhas a powerful influ\u00adence on the man if it shares in the governance of the
\nhoroscope.<\/p>\n

The Sun, Mangal,
\nSaturn, Rahu and Ketu are fierce planets. Brihaspati and Shukra, gentle and
\nkindly; the Moon and Budha are one or the other, according to circumstances and
\ncompany, they are mildly severe and hostile or tepidly kindly. The others are
\nstronger planets. Nevertheless, the favour of the Moon or Budha, when they are
\nwholly friendly, is a mighty influence.<\/p>\n

The
\nSun is master of one sign, the Lion; the Moon, master of one sign, the Crab;
\nall the others except Rahu and Ketu are masters of two signs each; Mangal of
\nthe Ram and the Scor\u00adpion; Mercury of the Twins and the Girl; Brihaspati of the
\nArcher and the Fish; Shukra of the Bull and the Balance; Shani of the Crocodile
\nand the Jar. These are their homes and, when they are entrenched in them, they
\nare exceedingly power\u00adful and auspicious. Rahu and Ketu are still wanderers,
\nhomeless.<\/p>\n

But
\nthey are still more powerful and auspicious when ele\u00advated. The Sun is elevated
\nin the Ram, dejected in the Balance; the Moon elevated in the Balance, dejected
\nin the… ; Mars elevated in the Jar, dejected in the Crab; Mercury elevated in
\nthe Balance, dejected in the Ram; Brihaspati elevated in the Crab, dejected in
\nthe Jar; Shukra elevated in the Twins, dejected in the Archer; Shani elevated
\nin the Girl, dejected in the Fish; Rahu elevated in the Bull, dejected in the
\nScorpion; Ketu elevated in the Scorpion, dejected in the Bull. When dejected
\nthe planet is weak to help but strongly maleficent. Moving from elevation to de\u00adjection,
\na planet is descendent, from dejection to elevation, ascen\u00addant. A descendent
\nplanet tends towards weakness, an ascendant to strength, but it is better on
\nthe whole to have a planet just <\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 260<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

descendent than
\na planet only just ascendant. A good conjunc\u00adtion, helpful influence or
\nfavourable situation will go far to neutralise evil tendencies and vice versa.<\/p>\n

When
\nsetting in the rays of the Sun or in opposition to the Sun, a planet tends to
\nweakness, but not to maleficence. When it is convergent, coming from opposition
\nto set, it grows in heat of force and is only eclipsed for the short period of
\nits set, emer\u00adging full of energy. In its divergence it loses the energy. It
\nnever, however, forfeits by relation to the Sun its other sources of strength.<\/p>\n

Forward
\nmotion brings fortune, devious motion delays, backward motion brings opposite
\nresults. According as the mo\u00adtion is swift, slow or normal, will be the pace of
\nthe good or evil fortune.<\/p>\n

Beyond
\nthis the planets have certain mutual relations. A planet is in conjunction with
\nanother when in the same sign; in opposition when farthest away from it; in
\naspect when at a cer\u00adtain distance. Brihaspati when looking at a planet in the
\nfifth or ninth house from it, starting from its own position, Mangal when
\nlooking at a planet in the fourth or eighth, Shani when looking at a planet in
\nthe third or tenth is said to have a full sight or aspect. All have otherwise
\nfull aspect when in opposition, three-quarters aspect on the third and tenth
\nhouses, half aspect on the fifth and ninth, quarter aspect on the fourth and
\neighth, no aspect, that is, absence of any relation on the second, sixth and
\neleventh.<\/p>\n

Each
\nplanet has natural friends, enemies or neutrals. The Sun is friends with all
\nplanets except Rahu and Ketu who are enemies and Budha who is neutral. The Moon
\nis friends with all planets except Rahu, Ketu and Brihaspati who are enemies;
\nMangal has as friends the Sun, Brihaspati, Rahu, Ketu and Shani, as enemies the
\nMoon and Mercury, as a neutral Shukra. Budha has as friends the Sun, Moon,
\nBrihaspati, Rahu, Ketu and Shukra, as enemies Mangal and Shani. Brihaspati has
\nas friends the Sun, Mangal, Budha, Rahu and Ketu, as enemies the Moon and
\nShukra, as a neutral Shani. Shukra has as friends the Sun, Moon, Budha, Shani,
\nRahu and Ketu, as enemy Bri\u00adhaspati, as a neutral Mangal. Shani has as friends
\nthe Sun, <\/p>\n

\nPage-261<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

Moon and Budha,
\nas enemies Mangal and Brihaspati, as neutral Rahu, Ketu and Shukra. Rahu and
\nKetu have common enemies, the Sun and Moon, friends in each other, Brihaspati,
\nShukra and Shani, neutrals in Budha and Mangal.<\/p>\n

These
\nrelations are fixed by the past of the Devatas. But they have also occasional
\nrelations. A planet in conjunction with another or harbouring it in its house
\nor harboured by it becomes its friend. There is no occasional neutrality;
\nmoreover it shares its host’s or its partner’s friendships and enmities, not
\nits neutra\u00adlities. It may have at the same time a neutral friendship and an
\noccasional enmity to another. In that case it does not become neutral, but is
\nsometimes friendly, sometimes inimical. The na\u00adtural is the stronger feeling.<\/p>\n

There
\nare finally certain gods who stand behind these planets. Behind the Sun and
\nMoon is Vishnu, behind Mangal and Shani Rudra, behind Shukra, Rahu and Ketu is
\nKali, behind Budha Lakshmi, and behind Brihaspati Durga. Vishnu gives royalty
\nand victory, Rudra force and fortune. Kali subversive genius and destructive
\nenergy, Lakshmi wealth and ease, Durga wisdom, protection and glory. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nNOTE
\n: These are some elementary notes made by Sri Aurobindo to refresh his memory
\nwhen he was studying the subject with the idea of finding out what truth there
\nmight be in Astrology. Chapter <\/span>IV,
\nTHE HOURS was left unwritten.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 262<\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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