Skanda Hora Book Preface

1 Skanda Hora

ियोतिमत उिपनष (कदहोरा ) Jyotishmati Upanishad (Skandahora)

[As taught by Skanda to Brahma] The First Book of Ancient Indian Astrology

Translation and commentary by

Sreenadh OG & Veneet Kumar

Ancient Indian Astrology Foundation (AIAF)

All rights reserved © Sreenadh OG & Veneet Kumar Kumar

2 Skanda Hora Cover:

The picture given in cover pages is that of ‘Skanda the war lord’. An archaeological relic of 5th century AD from Gupta period. Skanda worship dates back to Sindhu-Sarasvati period of 2nd millennium BC in North India, and 10th century BC or before in South India. Yuyudheya coins of 250 BC depict Skanda Kartikeya. Skanda was a well known deity in 5th Century AD Gupta period and was popular in Cambodia by 7th century AD. I have selected the above figure for the cover because that incomplete figure of Skanda can symbolically represent the Skandahora fragments we have.

First Edition: 2012 Price: Rs. 1000/- ($20)

Copyright © Sreenadh OG & Veneet Kumar

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.

ePublished by: Ancient Indian Astrology Foundation

All rights reserved © Sreenadh OG & Veneet Kumar

3 Skanda Hora

ऊं

आमा वंि गरजा िमत: सहचरा: ाणा: शररं गृहं। पूजा ते वषयोपभोग-रचना ि◌ना सिमाध-िथत:॥ संचार: पदयो: दणिवध: तोािन सवाि◌गरो। यकम किरोम तदखलं शभो तवाराधनम ्॥ (Siva Manasa Puja Stotram) [O (Father!) God Siva! You are my soul, (Mother) goddess Parvati is my intellect, your attendants are my breath, and my body is your house. Whatever worldly pleasures I consume is the ritual worship to you, my sleep is the meditation on you, every step I make while walking is the circumambulation to you, whatever I say is the prayer to you, whatever I do is your worship]


4 Skanda Hora

About Authors Veneet Kumar Veneet is a Sanskrit enthusiast, with an interest in astrology too. He is an IIT graduate, a native of Jharkhand, currently located in Ranchi, Jharkhand. He is interested in and passionate about ancient manuscript reading and translation and pursues the same as a hobby. He is well versed in multiple languages. Contact Details

Veneet Kumar Email: [email protected]

Sreenadh OG Sreenadh is an Astrology scholar and does astrology not only as a hobby but also professionally. He is an IT Professional, a native of Kerala, currently located in Bangalore, Karnataka. He is an expert in astrology and has a passion for ancient knowledge and its presentation in modern language. He is the author of many books in Malayalam and English and is a regular contributor of articles for magazines and websites. Contact Details

Sreenadh OG, Thejus, Edacheri PO Vadakara, Calicult Email: [email protected] Phone: +91 4962545150 We plan to work together on many more texts and you can expect many results of our hard work in the field of astrology in near future. This is one of our first works together. And many more would follow. Keep in touch, and we are busy in work. Have a nice day. Feel free to contact us. Veneet Kumar & Sreenadh OG

www.ancientindianastrology.com


5 Skanda Hora

Contents 1.

Forward ……………………………………………...........……………….……… 06

1.

A great book! ……………………………………………...........……..….……… 08

2.

Introduction ………………………………………………...………….….……… 19

3.

A legend from Brihat Saunaka Hora ……………………..…………………….… 24

4.

Chapter 1 : Nature of Signs …………………….…………………………...…..… 33

5.

Chapter 2 : Nature of Planets ………………………………………………...…... 113

6.

Chapter 3 : Sign-Planet Results …………………………………………............. 152

7.

Chapter 4 : House-Planet Results …………………………………………..…… 170

8.

Chapter 5 : Special Combinations ………………………………………............. 267

9.

Chapter 6 : Impregnation …………………………………………....................... 281

10. Chapter 7 : Birth ………………………………………….............................….... 307 11. Chapter 8 : Longevity …………………….......…………………………............. 330 12. Chapter 9 : Female Horoscope ……..………….....…………………...…...……. 379 13. Chapter 10 : Shape of Drekkana ………………………………....….......……..... 396

14. Conclusion ……………………………………………………..……................… 409 15. Addendum …………………………………………….………………………… 429 - 000 -


6 Skanda Hora

ऊं V S KALYANRAMAN IPS®

FOREWORD Some months ago, when Sri Sreenadh sent me a draft of his proposed work on Skanda Hora, I was impressed by his hard work and love for bringing out a great work in print-form, hitherto unpublished.

Though many of the admirers of astrology would speak high of Skanda Hora, the

fact was not that no one had presumably, seen it nor had any idea of anyone having a copy of the same. This scribe was also one amongst the many, like late Prof. Muthuswamy, who was on the hunt for it, for many decades, to trace it with some of the noted astrologers of yesteryears or of their families. The efforts of this scribe did not bear any fruits. Some who promised to show the text in some rare collections of persons known to them, though could make me run around with them, could not succeed to make their acquaintances oblige. However, even though many of us have read the commentary ‘Hridyapatha’ of Sri Kaikulankara Rama Varier to Brihatjaataka, it is surprising that none could even think that the extensive quotes from the text,

employed by that the great author, in his commentary, could be collated, for what they were worth. Indeed Sri Sreenadh, along with his friend Sri Veneet Kumar has dared to venture on this project. The book now being presented is a much improved, enlarged, revised and carefully collated effort than the draft that was seen by this scribe earlier. Late Prof Muthuswamy was the one to identify this young scholar, years ago. When this scribe had an occasion to review his “ Devaprasna Anushtaana Pradeepam” in Malayalam, he was amazed to record his admiration over his efforts to collect and codify many of the salient slokas implying subtle rules, handed over by words of mouth, through tradition, from generations to generations. There are many such unpublished authoritative quotes employed by traditional astrologers of Kerala, especially for Devaprasna, which can open up to any avid researcher a goldmine of materials of useful hints not found expounded in any standard texts. This book ‘Jyotishmati Upanishad’ or Skandahora is an attempt by the young authors to present the available quotes of this great work found scatted in some commentaries to other works of yore. Mainly taking about 240 available slokas mentioned in ‘Hridyapatha’ the authors have arranged them in proper order, supplementing them with proper commentaries and providing relevant quotes from many other Hora and Samhita texts of yore. This effort itself, to expand


7 Skanda Hora and explain the exploratory nature of the contents of the text compiled, deserves applause and approbation. Though evidently the present effort is not in any-way a full presentation of Skanda Hora, the efforts of the authors to bring the available quotes found scattered, in succinct and relevant ten chapters, carefully conceptualized to topics like nature of signs/planets etc., are highly laudable. Supplementing them by further with a ‘Preface’, Introduction’, a ‘Legend’ and ‘Conclusion’ the authors have made the book a kind of research thesis. Introducing the subject with certain contentious conclusions and debatable points, to which however, the authors have adduced sufficient reasons to substantiate, the book goes straight to explore the available slokas, subject-wise, with an incisive insight into the core of their conclusions. Leaving aside the mythical part of the evolution of the text, the fact that learned commentators like Varier, Subramanya Sastri (and perhaps others, whom we have not yet identified), have quoted extensively from Skanda Hora, in their commentaries to some of the ancient texts like Brihatjaataka, Jataka Parijata, etc, is proof enough to vouch the veracity of the quotes. In the absence of any authentic text available till date, the present work, collated from the bits and pieces and arranged in a well thought-out way, will be surely be a boon to the avid student of astrology and can serve as a spring-board to jump from, for further elucidations, to any researcher. I congratulate the young authors for their unstinted efforts and wish them more and more opportunities to serve the cause of astrological studies. Bangalore 72, February 20, 2012

V S Kalyanraman


8 Skanda Hora K. Chandra Hari

A great book! As the anceint precepts collected and presented by S/Sri Sreenath and Veneet brings out, Skanda Hora may be rightly described as representing the primordial phase of Hora. It is the beginning just as Skanda marked the beginning of horizontal time. Time is eternal without beginning or end and the time at ‘0’ had been vertical – the eternal present only. Sakta scriptures describe the state of the primordial Universe in terms of the never ending intercourse between the two polarities, Siva and Sakti – the ultimate state of Yoga. Creation occurred as a play of the great duo and the time turned horizontal with three phases – the Past, Present and Future. Skanda, the six faceed lord Shanmukha also had the name Karttikeya which imply the legend of being fostered by the six Krittika stars as mothers. Skanda epoch obviously can be traced to the Krttika epoch of the Harappan antiquity where in evidence has become available of the prevalence of Tantra in its glory. Tantra meant the experience of the subtle powers, the interplay of which caused the evolution of life and the inner drive of man to realize his own self as the primordial one which commanded the creation. If we are to trace back the horizontal time, undoubtedly our thought process shall reach the point where the time had been vertical where only the Siva-Sakti existed in absolute oneness – the advaitam. Skanda emerged out of that primordial egg as the Guru, the evolving, guiding, principle and the duality of experience of horizontal time as day and night (aho-ratra) led to the creation of siddha wisdom known in his name as Skanda Hora. Ahoratra reflected the polarity of existence and Siddha wisdom sought ways and means by whcih such polarity can be transcended. Siddhas found the secret wisdom enshrined in the human body itself (microcosm) where in the time structure of breathing presented the experience of sun, moon and agni – symbols of day, night and the time beyond day and nights. In other words, Prana or the breathing had in it the experience of the Cosmos and Skanda created the Mathematics and the ‘Sahasra-Sirsha’ model of the Cosmos to facilitate a comprehensible computation of the cosmic experience within using the external lights. In the 21600 breaths and the shashtyamsa-dasamsa number systems Skanda codified the human experience of Universe and then gave precepts to decipher the evolution of life in terms of the degree of realization which has come to be described as Karma. Karma means the mid-heaven, Sirsham that symbolized the vertical time and hence Jyotisha received the name Karma vidya. It conveys the human experience of the “time reversal” from horizontal to vertical with the realization of the Great Delusion as Great


9 Skanda Hora Mother and Great Guru. Realization alone is the drive underlying destiny and the only purpose of life, the play or Leela of the great duo Siva and Sakti. Jyotischakra is a mathematical model of the bio-cosmic tie up experienced in Tantra. A mathematical model of a process imply the modeling of the underlying power and here the power is given the name Kundalini owing to the likeness and correspondence with the great serpent of the hills, the Naga, a term applied to the Indian Cobra. Experience of the serpent power had its peak at the time of eclipses and thus the cosmos model of circles came to be marked by the points that caused eclipses, viz, Rahu and Sikhi. Great Circle in which the eclipses happened in turn got conceived as the serpent of time or Kalasarpa. Literature is replete with names like Phaneesvara Chakram, Rahu-Sikhi Chakram etc which imply the time as a manifestation of the Kundalini sakti – Great Mother descended to the earthly bottom within a human being – the Bhujangi in hiding at the Muladharam. She is the essence of all that happens inside and outside and she is the life, breath and mind. As the ignorance turns into wisdom, Avidya to Srividya, the mind, prana and life progressively becomes merged into the soul. Prana is the mechanism with which life operates and so it has to have the signature of the macro and microcosmic experience of the ‘Universe’ and Jyotischakra in fact is only the time structure of breathing expressed with reference to the celestial Muladharam. It is here the ayanamsa comes into play. The sidereal zodiac or the Zodiac expressed by the Tarakas – the wheel that facilitates transcendence – is observed in breath and the concordance is experienced only when the sun and moon are computed with reference to Mula nakshatra, Lambda Scorpii. Ancient precepts such as the Mrtyubhagas from texts like Kausika Hora can be found to be precise in its effect when the charts are studied using the Muladhara ayanamsa. The most ancient precepts presented in this work ‘Skanda Hora’ convey the flavor of a hitherto unknown antiquity just by a glance at the verses. Certainly, this work is going to be a valuable addition to the corpus of astrological literature and the fragrance of this work, I am sure shall inspire further research and hard work in bringing to light the ancient gems of wisdom. I wish both the authors, the blessings of the Grea Mother in brightening the path of our quest for truth and a lot more of works from their intellect and hardwork. K. Chandra Hari


10 Skanda Hora

Preface Gods, Sages and Scholars

The ancient authors of astrological texts can be categorized in to three, specially pointing to their antiquity- one-Gods, two-Prajapatis and Sages and three - Scholars. The ancient most period is ascribed to the gods, the period after that to Prajapatis and sages and the period of near dateable antiquity to scholars. If some text is ascribed to the gods then it means that the text is undateable and comes does down to us from the ancient most antiquity, and if ascribed to Prajapatis or sages it means that mostly they too come down to us from the undateable antiquity even though later than the gods (and dating efforts can be done, even though there is a very less chance for us to succeed in it) and if ascribed to the scholars then they come after the period of the sages and there is a pretty good chance that we would be able to locate their chronological period of existence. Among later day scholars also at times it many happen that if some scholar is really into the path of spirituality he might be called a sage instead of a scholar (but this is a rare occurrence as far as astrological texts are concerned). This text contains the quotes from the texts authored by the above three categories of ancient wisemen - (1) gods, (2) Prajapatis/sages and (3) ancient scholars. Let me list them in the following table Sl. Category

Names

1

Gods

Siva, Skanda, Brahma (Pitamaha), Surya

2

Prajapatis

Prajapatis: Daksha (Prachetas), Vasishtha, Bhrigu, Narada,

(progenitors) Sages

and Angiras, Atri, Marichi, Pulaha, Pulastya, Kratu, Kasyapa, Kardama, Gautama, Prahlada Sages: Garga, Kausika (Viswamitra), Saunaka, Parasara, Vyasa

(Badarayana), Lomasa, Mandhavya, Yavana (Yavaneswara), Manu, Chyavana, Brihaspati, Agastya 3

Scholars

Maya,

Manintha,

Siddhasena,

Devakeerti,

Jeevasarma,

Satyacharya, Vishnugupta, Srutakeerti, Spujidhwaja, Meena raja, Varaha Mihira

It is also notable that the sages and those who followed their tradition became Paramparas that transferred knowledge from generations to generations many from the antiquity till to the present


11 Skanda Hora age preserving the ancient wisdom and handing it over to the posterity. The Muni Kulas (the sage family knowledge traditions), the Paramparas are like ancient universities that preserved the knowledge through Guru-Sishya (Teacher-student) Paramparas. And when those ancient traditions started to break apart the scholars took it to carry forward. The sages are said to have directly interacted with the Prajapatis and Gods; and the Scholars come long after the period of the sages. The Prajapatis and sages are said to understood the gods better, and they based their foundation on the teachings of the gods. For the scholars the Gods, Prajapatis and Sages became the authority and trusted reference. Please note that the above list is in no way exhaustive and I have listed mostly the names of those Gods, Prajapatis, sages and scholars whose texts are quoted here or referenced by the quotes. Also note that the Prajapatis are also often referred to as Sages. Another notable point is that the following are not listed in any available list of propagators of astrology. Gods: Siva, Skanda Prajapatis: Daksha, Kratu, Kardama, Gautama, Prahlada Sages: Agastya But some quotes from Saunaka Hora do mention that Kratu and Angiras knew astrology. Lomasa Samhita views Siva as the narrator of astrology, and numerous texts such as Brihat Prajapatya, Vasishtha Hora, Kausika Hora Saunaka Hora etc consider Skanda as the originator of astrology and further we have this text named Skandahora too which is ascribed to Skanda. Numerous good texts ascribed to Sage Bhrigu and Agastya are known and quotes from them available. One text with the name Gautama Samhita ascribed to Gautama is also available. Everything taken together apart from Kardama and Prahlada, almost every one in the above list knew and contributed to astrology it seems. And it won’t be a surprise if in some rare manuscript the astrological contribution of Kardama, Prahlada etc are also mentioned (even though I am yet to see any such reference). Among the scholars listed above we have idea about the period of only Vishnugupta (3rd century BC), Sphujidhwaja and Meenaraja (both of whom belonged to 3rd century AD) and of Varaha Mihira (6th century AD). Apart from these four most of the texts and sages listed above are undated. Since Sage names are family names there could have lived more than one Garga, Parasara, Vasishtha, Bhrigu etc who lived in different times and contributed to astrology by writing books. The mention of solstice positions available in the Parasara Samhita fragments, included in the text ‘Adbhuta Sagara’ of King Ballalasena (of 12th century AD),


12 Skanda Hora included in the text ‘Adbhuta Sagara’ of king Ballalasena (12th century AD) indicate that the author of Parasara Samhita lived during BC 1400 and similar quotes from Garga Samhita from the same indicate that the author of that Garga Samhita lived during BC 1100. But note that these are not Hora texts. Regarding the other sages and Prajapatis we don’t even have a clue about their period of existence. It is the rudiments of this misty past that I am trying to present in a coherent manner in this text keeping Skandahora quotes as an anchor to the whole presentation in deciding quotes related to what should be included and what not. Thus in short this text tries to perceive how astrology as a whole might have been during Skanda’s time - the ancient past ascribed to the gods! Let us see what was the astrological wisdom known “once upon a time...at the time of gods..!”

Propagators of astrology

ाचाय िवसोऽमन◌ु ः पौलयलोमशौ। मरिचरंि◌गरा यासो नारदः शौनको भृगु◌ः॥ यवनो यवनो गग◌ः कयपोऽथ पराशरः। अादशैते गंभीरा ियोतःशावकाः॥ (Narada Samhita, Rf. NS, BDR) [1. Brahma, 2. Acharya, 3. Vasishtha, 4. Atri, 5. Manu, 6. Paulatsya, 7. Lomasa, 8. Marichi, 9. Angiras, 10. Vyasa, 11. Narada, 12. Saunaka, 13. Bhrigu, 14. Chyavana, 15. Yavana, 16. Garga, 17. Kasyapa, 18. Parasara - these eighteen gambhiras are the originators of the scripture of Jyotisha.] Gambhira: A man who has a deep navel, a deep voice and a deep character. Rf. MW Dictionary.

सूय◌ ः पतामहो यासो िवसोऽः पराशरः। कयपो नारदो गग मरिचमनरु ंि◌गराः॥ लोमशः िपौलशैव यवनो यवनो भृगु◌ः। शौनकोऽादशैते ियोतःशावकाः॥ (Kasyapa Samhita, Rf. KS, HayR) [1. Surya, 2. Pitamaha (Brahma), 3. Vyasa, 4. Vasishtha, 5. Atri, 6. Parasara, 7, Kasyapa, 8. Narada, 9. Garga, 10. Marichi, 11. Manu, 12. Angiras, 13. Lomasa, 14. Paulisa, 15. Chyavana, 16. Yavana, 17. Bhrigu, 18. Saunaka - these are the eighteen originators of the scripture of Jyotisha.]


13 Skanda Hora

वसृ नारदो यासो िवसोऽः पराशरः। लोमशो यवनः सूय यवनः कयपो भृगु◌ः॥ पुलयो मनुराचाय◌ः िपौलशः शौनकोगराः। गग मरिचरयेते ेया ियोतःवकाः॥ (Parasara Hora, Rf. PH) [1. Creator of the Universe (i.e. Brahma), 2. Narada, 3. Vyasa, 4. Vasishtha, 5. Atri, 6. Parasara, 7. Lomasa, 8. Yavana, 9. Surya, 10. Chyavana, 11. Kasyapa, 12. Bhrigu, 13. Pulastya, 14. Manu, 15. Acharya, 16. Paulisa, 17. Saunaka, 18. Angiras, 19. Garga, 20. Marichi - these should be known to be the originators of Jyotisha.] Everyone says that propounders of astrology are 18 in number. But when listing those 18 propounders there are some differences. We may think that the term ‘Paulisa’ in Kasyapa Hora is the same as ‘Pulastya’ mentioned by Narada. But Parasara lists Paulisa and Pulastya separately, and it is therefore evident that they are two different individuals. The sage Surya listed by Kasyapa and Parasara are not listed by Narada. The sage Brihaspati listed by Narada and Parasara is not listed by Kasyapa. The term ‘Acharya’ in the quotes of Narada and Parasara refers to ‘Brihaspati’. The term ‘Pitamaha’ told by Kasyapa and the term ‘Viswasrishta’ told by Parasara both refers to ‘Brahma’. This becomes clear from the Amarakosa reference ‘ ामभू◌ः

सुरेः परमेी पतामहः - वधाता वसृिवधः’.

Considering all these different opinions the

propounders of astrology are - 1. Brahma, 2. Surya, 3.Brihaspati, 4. Vasishtha, 5. Atri, 6.Vyasa, 7.Narada, 8.Parasara, 9.Manu, 10.Paulastya (Pulastya), 11.Lomasa, 12.Marichi, 13.Angiras, 14.Saunaka, 15.Bhrigu, 16.Garga, 17.Chyavana, 18.Yavana, 19.Kasyapa, 20.Paulisa. But every one says that propounders of astrology are 18 only and not 20. Further the names of sages such as - 21.Romaka, 22.Viswamitra (Kausika), 23.Skanda, 24.Soma (Chandra), 25.Suka, 26. Daksha, 27.Sukra (Sukracharya), 28.Agastya, 29.Gautama are listed by many too.

Book names used in this text

Possibly due to the base concept “Tri-skandhanjo darsaneeyaH” (Those who mastered the 3 branches of knowledge - such as Siddhanta-Hora-Samhita - only are astrologers who should be respected and is worthy to be called astrologers), almost all of the ancient sages wrote books that deal with every Skandha (head or branch) of astrology. Thus we may find related to the sages -


14 Skanda Hora •

Vasishtha - Vasishtha Siddhanta, Vasishtha Hora and Vasishtha Samh ita

•

Parasara - Parasara Siddhanta, Parasara Hora and Parasara Samhita

•

Surya - Suryasiddhanta, Surya Hora, Surya Samhita

•

Garga - Garga Siddhanta, Garga Hora, Garga Samhita etc.

This applies to almost every sage, whether the books written by them is available to us or not. Therefore while dealing with these books it is a usual practice to prefix the sage name with the Skandha name while referring to these books what ever the original name of the book be. For example we may refer to •

Brihat Jataka of Varaha Mihira as Varaha Hora

•

Jaganmohanam of Vriddha Vasishtha as Vriddha Vasishtha Samhita

•

Yavana Jataka of Sphujidhwaja as Sphujidhwaja Hora

and so on. This is a well accepted terminology and has the advantage that even when we don’t know the exact actual name of the text we can refer to that book a specific name prefixing the Sage or Scholar name with Skandha branch with which the text deals with. Being a convenient system that not only clarifies the book, author, the branch of astrology to which it belongs to, I have resorted to the use of this system throughout this text.

Concepts about origin of astrology by various schools In this context it would be interesting to look at the various concepts about origin of astrology by various schools of astrology. Garga (Jain) school

वयं वयंभुभा वृ ं चुभूत ं जमनां। वेदांगं ियोतषं परं यहतावहम॥ मया वयंभुवः ां याकाल साधनं। देवानामुमं शां ैलोयहतकारकम॥ ् मायानृषीन ् ां पारंपयण पुकलं। तैतदा सृिभर ् भूयो थै◌ः वै◌ः वैदातम॥ ् (Garga Hora, Rf. BBJ) [(Sage Garga says) This great Vedanga (limb of Veda) created by Brahma and became visible to the Dwijas (those who had Upanayana, initiated one) named astrology is useful for enlightenment and is beneficial in Yagya (fire worship; great tasks). I learned this traditional


15 Skanda Hora wisdom which gives knowledge about past-present-future directly from Brahma. This knowledge is praised even by Devas and is beneficial for all the three worlds. All the other sages learned (this knowledge) from me. (Brahma wrote Skandahora and I wrote Garga Hora) Like this every Rishi Kula (sage family or tradition) who mastered astrology, improved this subject and wrote texts which are popular in the name of those traditions.] As per this school, the tradition is in the order Brahma=>Garga=>Others Tajika and Yavana school

बणा गदतं भानुभानन ु ा यवनाय यत। ् यवनेन च यों ताजकं तिकाशतम॥ ् (Romaka, Rf. BDR) [By Brahma, this was passed on to Sun, by Sun to Yavana. The Tajika which has been spoken by Brahma has been published by me.] As per this school, the tradition is in the order Brahma=>Surya=>Yavana

सृौ वधाा जगतांि शवाय संहारकाले थतयेऽयुतायः। तुयं नमः सवगताय ि◌नयं यीमयायामलभाकराय॥ यदवान ु ् पूवमिु ◌नतु शां होरामयं लिमतं मयाय। तमीनराजो ि◌नपुणं वबुया वजय चे ऽसहमाम॥ ् (Meenaraja Hora, Rf. MH) [I bow to that Yamala Bhaskara (Sun worshiped as in Yamala Tantras) who in the beginning of creation presents himself as Vidhata (the creator; Brahma), and during its existence as Achyuta (the sustainer; Vishnu) and during its destruction as Siva (the destructor). Whatever traditional astrological wisdom is told by the ancient sages about natal horoscopy in one lakh slokas, that I, the intelligent Meenaraja, presents before you all, after thoroughly analyzing them all (and after removing chaff from gain), in 8000 slokas] As per this school, the tradition is in the order Brahma=>Other sages=>Yavana Meenaraja is a poet who lived in Gujarat during 3rd century AD, was a follower of Hindu religion, and wrote books in Sanskrit. A great effort has been taken by many westerners to project him as a Greek, but his book Meenaraja Hora (alias Vriddha Yavana Jataka) gives no evidence for the same, but on the contrary gives ample proof for the fact that he was a Hindu, India, Sanskrit scholar born, grown and rooted here, writing books about the knowledge branches


16 Skanda Hora of India such as astrology. Same is the case with king Sphujidhwaja too who lived before Meenaraja, but in the same century. Parasara School

Two different quotes are available on this, and I don’t know which one is authentic. Devendra Jha version Uttara Khanda chapter 32nd (i.e.97th chapter in his version of BPHS; last chapter) reads -

पराशर उवाच मैेय! यददं शामुदतं पुरततव। तददं ि◌नखलं ां पापपय मामया॥ पुरा जािपतः ाह नारदाय महषणे। स चाप शौनकादयोऽि◌धगतवानहम॥ ् (BPHS, Rf. Devendra Jha version, Ch.97) [The great sage Parasara said: O Brahmin (meaning Maitreya)! I have described to you the Jyotish Sastra as narrated by Daksha Prajapati to sage Narada and by Narada to Saunaka and other sages from whom I received the knowledge of this Sastra. I have narrated the same Jyotish Sastra which I learnt from them.] As per this quote the tradition is in the order, Brahma =>Narada=>Saunaka=>Parasara=>Maitreya In Tarachand Sastri version Chapter 24th we find another description, as follows -

वेदाय समृय ा ोवाच वतृतम। ् शामां तदेवेदं वेदांग ं वेदचुष॥ गगतमाददं ाह मया तमाथा तथा। तदं ु तव मैेय शामांतमेव ह॥ (BPHS, Rf. Tarachand Sastri version, Ch.24) [Brahma extracted this knowledge from Vedas and taught it in elaborately to sage Garga. This ancient Sastra is a limb of the Vedas - the eye of the Vedas. O Maitreya! After learning this knowledge first from Brahma, Garga taught this to me, and now I am teaching the same to you fully (from beginning to end) in the same form in which it was told to me by Garga!] As per this quote the tradition is in the order, Brahma =>Garga =>Parasara=>Maitreya


17 Skanda Hora In yet another place BPHS states ‘ वियाम

वेदनयनं यथा मुखाछतम। ु ् ’

[I am telling you

about this (Vedanga which is the) eye of the vedas, as I have heard from the mouth of Brahma], which will mean that Parasara learned astrology directly from Brahma. Or in other words as per this quote the tradition is in the order, Brahma =>Parasara. All these considered together indicate that real tradition of Parasara and modern BPHS is skeptical. Others

Suryasiddhanta reads -

दयं ियोतमय ं ानं साधु मां परपृिछस। िकथतं णा पूवम  वशेष ं िवीम ते॥ (Suryasiddhanta, Rf. BDR) [It is good that you are asking me about the divine knowledge of Jyotish. It was spoken by Brahma earlier and I will tell it to you in its entirety.]

Narada Samhita reads -

वनैतिदधलं ौतमात कम न ि◌सियत। तमाजगतायेदं णा िरचतं पुरा॥ (Narada Samhita, Rf. NS, BDR) [Without it none of the activities of the Srutis (Vedas) and Smritis can be performed. Therefore this text was created by Brahma earlier for the benefit of the world.]

The teacher student relations

The teacher student relations between sages evident in some well known Rishi Horas are notable. I am tabulating the same below. Text

Teacher

Student

Skandahora

Skanda

Brahma, Daksha Prajapati

Brihat Prajapatya

Daksha Prajapati Narada

Brihat Saunaka Hora

Saunaka

Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra Parasara

Vatsyayana Maitreya


18 Skanda Hora

A word on transcription mistakes Most of the slokas given in this text are transliterated from Malayalam to Devanagari script. In Malayalam there is a special trend of replacing

म ् with

Anuswara (◌ं), and doubling several

alphabets. I am listing some of these linguistic differences below. 1) Replacing म ् at the end of the line of a sloka with Anuswara (◌ं) 2) Doubling several alphabets such as

ग becoming ग , क becoming क , ज becoming ज

in

several instances. 3) Writing

पचम

instead of

पंचम , writing भवेल ्

instead of

भवत ्

etc. etc. (These are not

mistakes, but a linguistic difference) 4) य instead of य , थ instead of थ 5) Word breaking in places where it is not required such as writing

भवेत ् न

instead of

भवेन

etc Due to such scriptural differences you might find some unusual Devanagari spellings in this text at some places. I have tried to minimize such differences to the maximum, but still many might have escaped my attention. And as ‘tolerable differences’ I have decided not to scrutinize too much for such differences, since transcription of the slokas and preparing this elaborate translation and commentary itself was a hectic and heavy task.

[End of preface]


Skanda Hora Book Preface

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