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Varahamihira:
Chapter One
(Zodiac Signs)
Translated by
Michael Douglas Neely
In July 2015 I felt confident enough to start translating
the Bhagavad Gita in order continue increasing my
The Translator and the proficiency in the Sanskrit language while feeling the
Translation excitement of actually reading and comprehending the
hagavad Gita and then translating the
Sanskrit of the B
I am a mostly self-taught Sanskrit enthusiast. I went to Sanskrit into English. In addition to the Bhagavad
a Sanskrit presentation at a yoga studio sometime in Gita, I have started some translation work on the
the late 1990s. That was my first exposure to any Brihat Jataka and the principal Upanishads.
structured Sanskrit class. The studio arranged a
second follow-up class, but no one showed up, except I am not a Sanskrit professor nor do I claim to be an
me. I took that as an omen. In 2003 I took two expert in the Sanskrit language. Various translations
Sanskrit workshops that emphasized learning the of the Brihat Jataka, Sanskrit primers and textbooks,
Sanskrit alphabet and some noun declensions and verb and the Academic Room Sanskrit-English Dictionary
conjunctions. In 2005 I was able to find a Sanskrit app were consulted during this translation. I consulted
mentor to teach me Sanskrit until about mid-2006. various translations of the Brihat Jataka of
From mid-2006 to mid-2007 I continued my Sanskrit Varahamihira to include those by Swami
studies and Sanskrit to English translations. You can Vijnananada, Usha and Shashi, and B. Suryanarain
see my translation work during this time period and Rao, and the Sanskrit script for this text was found at
my current work on my academia.edu profile: sanskritdocuments.org for clarification and guidance
https://independent.academia.edu/MichaelNeely in my own translation. I relied heavily on the Sanskrit
In mid-2007 I lost interest in studying Sanskrit and primer Devavanipravesika by Robert and Sally
stopped studying it. In 2014, my interest in Sanskrit Goldman, Sanskrit Grammar by William Dwight
was rekindled. I felt a calling to come back to it and Whitney, the Sanskrit Reference Manual by William
started reviewing various Sanskrit primers and Bucknell, and the app just mentioned in making sure I
textbooks. understood the Sanskrit underlying the translation.
In my prose translations, I tried to be as literal as all the same. This book is filling a void that has not
possible, not adding anything to the translation that been provided by the credentialed Sanskrit
was not in the original Sanskrit text. For each verse community that rarely engages the Sanskrit enthusiast
translated, I show the Sanskrit devanagari text, the community in any public outreach minus the
transliteration of the Sanskrit in English (IAST availability of their print and online publications.
format), and the English translation I created. After
that, I broke down each word of the Sanskrit text into
its pre-sandhi form and listed the various grammatical
identifiers of each word. I also explain why my
translation is different from other translations and
provide other background information essential to
understanding the verses. Every translation has it
place in the world. My disagreement with a translation
is just an exercise in how it departs from the literal
translation.
1
"Brihat Jataka," Wikipedia, last modified September 21, 2016,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihat_Jataka.
Chapter One Overview Purpose of this Text
Chapter one of the Brihat Jataka mainly covers The author of this text indicates that he will prepare
matters related to the zodiac signs. This chapter is instructions with concise and various examples and
only twenty verses long, but the concepts that can be many methods for the clever but frustrated people
intuited from the verses is immense. trying to understand the great volume of horoscopic
knowledge. This even applies to the available and
systematic knowledge already in circulation during
Characteristics of the Sun and Homage to It that time.
The first verse of chapter one glorifies the Sun as
having the following characteristics: It is interesting how much does not change, even over
hundreds or thousands of years, in the arena of trying
A many rayed light of the world that unfolds the to understand astrology. Contemporary astrologers
different phases of the Moon echo similar words in the above paragraph to
frustrated astrology students.
The lord of destruction, creation, and preservation
Etymology of the word, Hora
The soul of the births on the liberated path
Hora is a common word in this chapter, meaning the
The sacrifice of the knowing soul and the lord of horoscope as a whole or the half division of a zodiac
sacrifices sign. The author states that some people derive the
word Hora, as an abbreviation, from the word
The science of the heavenly bodies and of the worlds Ahoratra by dropping the first syllable, a, and the
last syllable, tra. Ahoratra means day and night or
Found in the Veda in various ways consisting of day and night. The word Hora is also
found in the Greek language.
Beseeched to give the people speech.
Unconquered Good and Bad Actions Pada Division of the Zodiac Signs
This text states that the unconquered actions of the Next, the text outlines the pada (foot) system native to
previous birth, whether good or bad, mature together India, which is connected with the nakshatra system.
and move toward manifestation. Each pada is 3 degrees and 20 minutes. Each
nakshatra (13 degrees, 20 minutes) has four padas.
There are nine padas in each zodiac sign of 30
Body Area Correspondence with the Zodiac degrees.
A body area correspondence is made with the twelve
zodiac signs in the following manner:
Meaning of the Terms Attributed to the Zodiac
Aries (called the best body part): the head area Signs and Houses
Taurus: the mouth area The terms commonly used for a zodiac signs are
Gemini: the upper chest area with the arms rashi, kshetra, griha, and riksha. The terms
Cancer: the heart area commonly used for the house ares bha and bhavana.
Leo: the middle area (the belly) All of these terms are one and the same, and are often
Virgo: the hip area used interchangeably in this text.
Libra: the bladder area
Scorpio: the genital area
Sagittarius: the thigh area
Capricorn: the knee area
Aquarius: the shin area
Pisces: the feet area
The fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) rule the In this text, the author presents an alternative view of
east. the portions: the first Hora is considered the lord of
the zodiac sign of the Hora and the second, the lord of
The earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) rule the eleventh house.
the south.
The air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) rule the Rulers of the Dreshkanas (three divisional portions
west. of the zodiac signs)
The water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) rule the The Dreshkana portions should be the lords of its
north. own, 5th, and 9th house.
Human: Gemini, Virgo, Libra, the upper part of Houses Endowed with Vigor in a Horoscope
Sagittarius and Aquarius are strong as the first The rising sign joined with an aspect from Mercury,
house/lagnas. Jupiter, or the lord of the zodiac sign, and not with the
others, is endowed with vigor.
Aquatic: Cancer, Pisces, and the lower part of
Capricorn are strong as the fourth houses for Aries, The zodiac signs situated in the Kendras (1st, 4th, 7th,
Sagittarius, and Libra lagnas, respectively. and 10th) are endowed with vigor.
Bestial: Aries, Leo, Taurus, the lower part of The biped (human) zodiac signs are endowed with
Sagittarius, and the first half of Capricorn are strong vigor in the day, the quadruped zodiac signs in the
as tenth houses for Cancer, Scorpio, Leo, Pisces, and night, and the insect zodiac signs in both morning and
Aries lagnas, respectively. evening twilights.
Degrees of Each House Colors of the Zodiac Signs
Aries: 20 Aries: red
Taurus: 24 Taurus: white
Gemini: 28 Gemini: yellow
Cancer: 32 Cancer: pink
Leo: 36 Leo: pale smoke colored
Virgo: 40 Virgo: variegated in color
Libra: 40 Libra: black
Scorpio: 36 Scorpio: like gold
Sagittarius: 32 Sagittarius: reddish-brown
Capricorn: 28 Capricorn: spotted or variegated color
Aquarius: 24 Aquarius: deep brown
Pisces: 20 Pisces: transparent
The bodies are movable, fixed, and dual. 14. The vargottamas in the cardinal, fixed, and dual
zodiac signs residing in the first middle, and end,
The rulers of the east, etc. (east, south, west, and respectively, are the fortunate results understood from
north) are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer with the the portions of the navamsha (320).
trines (fifth and ninth houses).
Leo, Taurus, Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius, Libra, and
In an odd zodiac sign reside the Sun and Moon and in Aquarius are the mulatrikona houses from the Sun.
an even zodiac sign reside the Moon and Sun in the
Hora. 15. Beginning with the rising sign are the houses
related to the body (1st house), family (2nd house),
The Dreshkanas should be the lords of its own, 5th, siblings (3rd house), kinsman (4th house), a child
and 9th house. (5th house), an enemy (6th house), a wife (7th house),
and death (8th house), auspiciousness (9th house),
12. But some others take the first Hora as the lord of business (10th house), income (11th house), and
the zodiac sign and the second as the lord of the expenditure (12th house). The upachaya houses are
eleventh house. Also, they relay the Dreshkana as the the zodiac signs known as Ari (the 6th house), Karma
lords of its own (zodiac sign), the eleventh house, (the 10th house), Labha (the 11th house), and
and the twelfth house. Dushchikya (the 3rd house). Others [say] it is not
always so.
16. Ability (1st house), innate (2nd house), valor (3rd 18. Here, it should be known, next from the kendra
house), seizing (4th house), intelligence (5th house), (1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses) is the panaphara
destruction (6th house), the wife (7th house), a cavity house (2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th house) and from all the
(8th house), preceptor (9th house), pride (10th house), others is the apoklima (3rd, 3rd, 9th, and the 12th).
prosperity (11th house), and loss (12th house). From The fourth house is Sukha, Hibuka, and Veshma, the
the lagna, the fourth and eighth houses are the square seventh house is Jamitra, [the 5th house] is the
signs. The seventh house is termed Dyuna and tenth Trikona, the 10th house is Meshurana and Karma.
house is termed Ajna.
19. The rising sign joined with an aspect from
17. Known as the kantakas (points), kendras Mercury, Jupiter, or the lord [of the zodiac sign], and
(angular), and catushtayas (squares) of the zodiac not with the others, is endowed with vigor. [The
signs of the seventh, the first, the fourth, and the tenth. zodiac signs] situated in the kendras (1st, 4th, 7th, and
In those are declared as strengthening when insect, 10th) [are endowed with vigor]. The biped (human)
human, aquatic, and bestial zodiac signs, respectively. zodiac signs [are endowed with vigor] in the day, the
quadruped zodiac signs in the night, and the insect
zodiac signs in both morning and evening twilights.
vartmpunarjanmanmtmetytmavid
lokn pralayodbhavasthitivibhucnekadh ya
ravi 1
The Sun, many rayed light of the world, unfolding the mrtitve (stem form: mrtitva) (neuter, locative,
different phases of the Moon, the lord of destruction, singular) = in materiality/having a body
creation, and preservation, the soul of the births on the
liberated path, the sacrifice of the knowing soul, the parikalpitas (1st class verb root: pariklp) (past
lord of sacrifices and the science of the heavenly passive participle, masculine, nominative, singular) =
bodies and of the worlds, who is in the Veda in divided
various ways, may that one grants us speech.
aabhtas (stem form: aabht) (masculine,
nominative, plural) = possessed of rabbits (the phases
of the Moon)
vartman = path
apunar = liberated
janman = birth
vartmpunarjanmanm (stem form:
vartmpunarjanman) (neuter, genitive, plural) = of the
births on the liberated path
tman = soul
vid = knowing
tmavidm (stem form: tmavid) (neuter, genitive,
plural) = of knowing the soul
kratus (stem form: kratu) (masculine, nominative, pralaya = destruction
singular) = sacrifice udbhava = creation
sthiti = preservation
ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and vibhus = the lord
pralayodbhavasthitivibhus (stem form:
yajatm (stem form: yajat) (neuter, genitive, plural) = pralayodbhavasthitivibhu) (masculine, nominative,
of the sacrifices singular) = lord of destruction, creation, and
preservation
bhart (stem form: bhart) (masculine, nominative,
singular) = lord ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and
hortantramahravapratarae bhagnodyamnm
straplava prrabhe 2
With abundant clever understanding in clever bhyobhis (stem form: bhyas) (neuter, instrumental,
intelligence for the comprehension of the results of plural) = with abundant
the horoscope in the connection with the systematic
reasonings, even in the known instructions, in pau = clever
crossing the ocean of horoscopic doctrine for the sake buddhibhi = understanding
of frustrated efforts, I will prepare a boat of paubuddhibhis (stem form: paubuddhi) (feminine,
instructions with concise and various examples and instrumental, plural) = with clever understandings
many methods.
pau = clever
dh = intelligence
paudhiym (stem form: paudh) (feminine, locative,
singular) = in clever intelligence
hor = horoscope
phala = results
japti = comprehension
horphalajaptaye (stem form: horphalajapti)
(feminine, dative, singular) = for the comprehension
of the results of the horoscope
abda = reasonings
nyya = systematic
samanviteu = connected with
abdanyyasamanviteu (2nd class verb root:
samanvi) (past passive participle, masculine, locative,
plural) = in connections with systematic reasonings
bahuas (adverb) (indeclinable) = abundant singular) = concise
prvparavaralopt
samabhivyanakti 3
eke (stem form: eka) (pronoun, 3rd person, masculine, saddi (2nd class verb root: as) (gerundive) = to be
nominative, plural) = others (some persons) good and bad
vchanti (1st class verb root: vch) (present yad (pronoun, 3rd person, neuter, nominative,
indicative, parasmaipada, 3rd person, plural) = they singular) = which
are inclined to take
tasya (pronoun, 3rd person, neuter, genitive, singular)
prvpara = the first and last = of that
vara = syllable
lopa = dropping paktim (stem form: pakti) (neuter, nominative,
prvparavaralopt (stem form: prvparavaralopa) singular) = maturing
(masculine/neuter, ablative, singular) = from dropping
the first and last syllable
sam (adverb) (indeclinable) = together
Verse 4
abhivyanakti (abhi + 7th verb class: vyaj) (present
indicative, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular) = it
goes toward manifestation
bastirvyajanamrujnuyugale jaghe
tato'ghridvayam
riketraghakabhni bhavana
caikrthasampratyay 4
The limbs of time are the best limb (the head), mouth, kla = time
breast, heart, middle part (the belly), hips, bladder, aga = a limb
genitals, a pair of thighs and of knees, the two shanks klgni (stem form: klga) (kla + agni)
(the shins), from that, the two pair of feet. The first is (neuter, nominative, plural) = the limbs of time
in the Ashvins in Aries.
vara = the best
The feet of a zodiac sign are nine established in the aga = a limb
circle of zodiac signs. vargam (stem form: varga) (neuter, nominative,
singular) = the best limb (the head)
Rashi, kshetra, griha, riksha, and bha and bhavana.
The terms are one and the same. nanam (stem form: nana) (neuter, nominative,
singular) = mouth
uras = breast
hd = heart
kroa = the middle part (the belly)
vsobht = the hip
urohtkroavsobhtas (stem form:
urohtkroavsobht) (masculine, nominative, plural)
= breast, heart, the middle part (the belly), the hips
Some translations interpret "jaghe" as "buttocks"
versus the correct interpretation of "shanks."
sa = with
va = Indian lute
savam (stem form: sava) (neuter, nominative,
singular) = with an Indian lute
plava = a boat
g = going
plavag (stem form: plavag) (feminine, nominative,
singular) = going in a boat
suragurumandasauriguravaca ghakap
ajamgataulicandrabhavandi nava
kramaa 6
kitija = Mars gha = zodiac sign
sita = Venus aaka = portion
ja = Mercury pa = ruler
candra = the Moon ghakaps (stem form: ghakapa) (masculine,
ravi = the Sun nominative, plural) = the rulers of the (nine) portions
saumya = Mercury of the zodiac signs
sita = Venus
avanija = Mars aja = Aries
kitijasitajacandraravisaumyasitvanijs (stem form: mga = Capricorn
kitijasitajacandraravisaumyasitvanija) tauli = Libra
(masculine, nominative, plural) = Mars, Venus, candra = Cancer
Mercury, the Moon, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars bhavana = the zodiac sign
di = beginning with
suraguru = Jupiter nava = navamsha
manda = Saturn vidhi = the method
sauri = Saturn ajamgataulicandrabhavandinavavidhis
guravas = Jupiter (stem form:
suragurumandasauriguravas ajamgataulicandrabhavandinavavidhi)
(stem form: suragurumandasauriguru) (masculine, (masculine, nominative, singular) = the manner of the
nominative, plural) navamsha beginning with the zodiac signs of Aries,
= Jupiter, Saturn, Saturn, Jupiter Capricorn, Libra, Cancer
pavanasamraakaurpijkaley
ayujiyujitubheviparyayastha asibhavanlijhantam
kasadhi 7
The portions of Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus kuja = Mars
are five, five, eight, seven, and five in an odd zodiac ravija = Saturn
sign (Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, or guru = Jupiter
Aquarius), but in an even zodiac (Taurus, Cancer, ja = Mercury
Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, or Pisces) it is situated in ukra = Venus
the reverse. bhga = portion
kujaravijagurujaukrabhgs
The termination in Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces is the (stem form: kujaravijagurujaukrabhga)
junction of the zodiac signs. (masculine, nominative, plural) = the portions of
Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus
pavana = five
samraa = five
kaurpi = the zodiac sign of Scorpio (the number eight)
jka = the zodiac sign of Libra (the number seven)
leya = the zodiac sign of Leo (the number five)
pavanasamraakaurpijkaleys
(stem form: pavanasamraakaurpijkaleya)
(masculine, nominative, plural) = five, five, eight,
seven, and five
ardham (stem form: ardha) (neuter, nominative, Taurus, Aries, Sagittarius, Cancer, Gemini and
singular) = half Capricorn are called night [zodiac signs]. Indeed, they
are said to rise from their behinds, excluding the sign
of Gemini. The remaining are powerful in the day,
rising with their heads. The lagna of the pair of fish
(Pisces) rises from both sides.
go = Taurus
aja = Aries
avi = Sagittarius
karki = Cancer
mithuns = Gemini
go'jvikarkimithuns (stem form:
go'jvikarkimithuna) (masculine, nominative, plural)
= Taurus, Aries, Sagittarius, Cancer, Gemini
sa = with
mga = Capricorn
samgs (stem form: samga) (masculine, nominative,
plural) = with Capricorn
ni = night
khya = called
nikhys (masculine, nominative, plural) = they are
called night [signs]
vi = excluding
Day and Night Zodiac Signs in the South Indian mithuna = Gemini
Astrology Chart Format vimithuns (stem form: vimithuna) (masculine,
nominative, plural) = excluding the sign of Gemini
kathits (stem form: kathita) (masculine, nominative, sameti (2nd class verb root: same) (present indicative,
plural) = are said parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular) = it rises
te (pronoun, 3rd person, masculine, nominative, ubhayatas (adverb) (indeclinable) = from both sides
plural) = they
pthuroma (stem form: pthuroman) (neuter,
eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed nominative, singular) = a fish
rodays (stem form: rodaya) (masculine, yugmam (stem form: yugma) (neuter, nominative,
nominative, plural) = rising with their heads singular) = a pair
11
krras (stem form: krra) (masculine, nominative, kriya = Aries
singular) = the malefic va = Taurus
nyuk = Gemini
saumyas (stem form: saumya) (masculine, karkaa = Cancer
nominative, singular) = benefic kriyavanyukkarkas (stem form:
kriyavanyukkarkaa) (masculine, nominative,
purua = male plural) = Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer
vanita = female
puruavanite (1st class verb root: van) (past passive sa = with
participle, feminine, nominative, dual) = male and trikoa = the trine
female satrikos (stem form: satrikoa) (masculine,
nominative, plural) = with the trines (fifth and ninth
te (pronoun, 3rd person, nominative, plural) = those houses)
cara = cardinal
gha = zodiac sign
di = et cetera
caraghdiu (stem form: caraghdi) (masculine,
locative, plural) = in the cardinal zodiac signs, etc.
(cardinal, fixed, and dual)
prva = the first
madhya = the middle
paryanta = the end
vargottamcaraghdiu prvamadhyaparyantata tas = (adverb with ablative connotation)
prvamadhyaparyantatas (indeclinable) = residing in
ubhaphal navabhgasaj the first, middle, and end
siho vaprathamaahahaygataulikumbhs ubha = the fortunate
phala = the result
trikoabhavanni bhavanti sryt 14 ubhaphals (stem form: ubhaphal) (masculine,
nominative, plural) = the results are fortunate
The vargottamas in the cardinal, fixed, and dual
zodiac signs residing in the first middle, and end,
respectively, are the fortunate results understood from
the portions of the navamsha (320).
saptamalagnacaturthakhabhnm
paavaca 17
sadhydvaye
trikoa ca tat 19
hor (stem form: hor) (feminine, nominative,
The rising sign joined with an aspect from Mercury, singular) = the rising sign
Jupiter, or the lord [of the zodiac sign], and not with
the others, is endowed with vigor. [The zodiac signs] svmi = the lord [of the zodiac sign]
situated in the Kendras (1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th) [are guru = Jupiter
endowed with vigor]. The biped (human) zodiac signs ja = Mercury
[are endowed with vigor] in the day, the quadruped vkita = looked at (an aspect)
zodiac signs in the night, and the insect zodiac signs yut = joined
in both morning and evening twilights. svmigurujavkitayut (2nd class verb root: yu)
(past passive participle, feminine, nominative,
In the first six signs, the numbers, five, six, seven, singular) = joined with an aspect from Mercury,
eight, nine, ten multiplied by four are the measure [of Jupiter, or the lord
Aries, etc.] and that in the reverse [for the remaining
sign zodiac signs]. na (particle of negation) (indeclinable) = not
Dushcikya is the third house, Tapas is the ninth house anyais (stem form: anya) (neuter, instrumental, plural)
and that Trikona in the three, etc. is the ninth house. = with the others
vrya = vigor
utka = endowed with
vryotka (stem form: vryotka) (feminine,
nominative, singular) = endowed with vigor
kendra = kendra prvrdhe (stem form: prvrdha) (masculine,
stha = situated locative, singular) = in the first half (six signs)
kendrasths (stem form: kendrastha) (masculine,
nominative, plural) = situated in the kendras (1st, 4th, viaya = five
7th, and 10th) di = et cetera
viaydayas (stem form: viaydi) (masculine,
dvipada = biped (human) nominative, plural) = five, etc.
di = et cetera
dvipaddayas (stem form: dvipaddi) (masculine, kta = four
nominative, plural) = the biped (human) [zodiac gua = multiplied
signs], etc. ktagus (stem form: ktagua) (masculine,
nominative, plural) = multiplied by four
ahan = the day
ni = the night mnam (stem form: mna) (neuter, nominative,
ca = and singular) = the measure
prpta = favorable
ahniniicaprpte (stem form: ahniniicaprpta) pratpam (stem form: pratpa) (neuter, nominative,
(masculine, locative, singular) = favorable in the day, singular) = in the reverse
favorable in the night
ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and
ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and
tad (pronoun, 3rd person, neuter, nominative,
sadhya = morning and evening twilight singular) = that
advaya = not of two (one)
sadhydvaye (stem form: sadhydvaya) (neuter, ducikyam (stem form: ducikya) (neuter, nominative,
locative, singular)= in both morning and evening singular) = Dushcikya
twilight
sahajam (stem form: sahaja) (neuter, nominative,
singular) = the third house
tri = three
di = et cetera
trydym (stem form:) (feminine, locative, singular) =
in the three, etc.
pucitra
plavatva
vei 20
raktas (verb root: raj) (past passive participle, kanaka = gold
masculine, nominative, singular) = red sada = like
kanakasadas (stem form: kanakasada) (masculine,
vetas (stem form: veta) (masculine, nominative, nominative, singular) = like gold
singular) = white
pigalas (stem form: pigala) (masculine, nominative,
uka = a parrot singular) = reddish-brown
tanu = a feather
nibha = like a karburas (stem form: karbura) (masculine,
ukatanunibhas (stem form: ukatanunibha) = like a nominative, singular) = of a spotted or variegated
parrot feather (the color yellow) color
svmya = lordship
a = attained
khya = termed
svmykhyam (stem form: svmykhya) = termed
from the obtained lordship