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Glossary of Astrology & other terms |
BHOGAYONI [(Bhoga = experiencing of pleasure as well as of sufferings) + (Yoni = womb, female generative organ, a place, a species)] = The individual born to experience the conditions of life imposed on him.] The individuals born primarily to reap the consequences of their earlier karmas (q.v.). It assumes that the present efforts of an individual are not (very much) reflected in the existing conditions of his life, especially the pleasures and sorrows he is made to suffer. Bhoga Yoni refers to such individuals who are born mainly to experience these consequences, while Karina Yoni refers to such individuals who are born primarily to generate fresh karmas and their past karmic fruits are temporarily put in abeyance. They may not be allotted the fruits of past karmas to be born in the given incarnation which they may have to encounter in subsequent births. Devas or the shining ones belong to the first category, while the human individuals generally belong to the latter. In fact, a clear-cut distinction between these two categories among the human individuals is not always possible. BHRATRI KARAKA Significator of brothers. Apart from Mars which is the natural Bhratri Karaka planet, the lord of the 3rd house and the planet attaining the third highest longitudinal distance among all the Signs also acquires this status. BHRIGU A Vedic sage and seer. He is called a 'Son' by Manu (q.v.) who confides to him his Institutes, the basic elements of his jurisprudence. Bhrigu is one of the seven Prajapatis (q.v.) and is regarded as the founder of the race of Bhrigus or the Bhargavas in which was born Jamad-agni and Parasurama. Bhrigu also stands as an epithet for the planet Venus and the sage who identified Vishnu as the God worthy of universal worship among the Trinity (q.v.). He officiated at Daksha's performance of sacrifice, yajna; Bhrigu had a beard which at the turmoil ensuing at the yajna was pulled out by Shiva. Blavatsky mentioned that "the very erudite Dr Kenealy made Bhrigu the fourth, out of his twelve 'divine messengers' to the world, adding that his religion spread even to Britain where his followers raised the megalithic temple of Stonehenge". But she added that this is a hypothesis based merely on Dr Kenealy's personal speculation. (See Glossary, p. 57) BHUJA Arms; sides of a triangle. BHUKTI Sub-period of planetary ruler ship within the main Dasa Period (q.v.). BHUMl Land; Earth. BHUMI PUTRA [(Bhumi = Earth) + (Putra = Son) Earth's Son]. The planet Mars. BHUPA YOGA A planetary combination formed by the lord of the 5th or 9th house from the sign where & Navamsa lord of Rahu is posited occupying its own sign and expected by Mars. The combination makes the individual born under it victorious in warfare and bestows on him high military status. BHUTA Means that which is over. Any being, divine, human or others. Mythological, it refers to malignant spirits. In Vayu Purana, Krodha (anger) is said to be their mother. The Bhutas are the attendants of Shiva, who is held to be their king. Metaphysically, the Bhutas stand for that which stimulates sense organs. In the sense of Panch Bhutas or the five primeval elements, they stand for Prithvi (earth), Apas or Jala (water), Tejas or Agni (fire), Vayu (air) and Akasha (ether or sky). (See Panch Maha Bhutas) BHUTASARGA [(Bhuta = being, past) + (sarga creation)]. The second creation of the elements; the creation of the world; the class or order of created beings. BIJA (Also spelt as Vija) [bi = to disjoin, scatter, separate; jan = to generate, produce, be born]; seed; semen; germ; to go in different directions; to diffuse. Also implies the cause or the beginning of any chain reaction. The nucleus. BIJASPHUTA [(Bijam = seed, semen) + (sphuta = bursting forth, manifestation) = possibility of begetting progeny]. A factor in determining the possibility of begetting a child of one's own. Along with kshetra sphuta (q.v.) and progeny tithi sphuta (q.v.) this factor is used in deciding the final outcome. Bijasphuta is applicable to male horoscopes, and kshetra sphuta to female horoscopes; and progeny tithi sphuta is used for calculating the highly opportune date for copulation with a view to begetting an offspring. One method of calculating the child-bearing possibilities is to add the longitudes of the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter in the husband's chart and work out the resultant sign and its navamsa (q.v.). Alternatively, the longitude of the Sun can be multiplied by 4, and that of Venus and Jupiter by 3, and then together, to find out the sign and its navamsa. If both, the resulting signand navamsa are odd signs, the individual is virile with good prospects of begetting an offspring; if both are even, the virility is doubtful. In case one is an odd sign and the other even, the progeny may be delayed but there is a possibility of one's having his own offspring. BRAHMA (Neuter). The supreme soul of the universe, self-existent, absolute, and eternal from which all things emanate and to which all return. It must be distinguished from Brahman, and Brahma (masculine) (q.v.) (pronounced Brahmaa). Brahma (neutral) is sometimes also known as Brahman (q.v.), which is the impersonal, supreme and unrecognizable principle of the universe, from the essence of which everything emanates and into which everything returns, which is incorporeal, immaterial, unborn, beginning less, and eternal. It is all pervading and infinite in its manifestation, in all nature, animate and inanimate, in the highest god, and is manifested in the tiniest creature. Although not worshipped, it is the object of abstract meditation practiced to obtain absorption into it and thus getting released from bondage and restrictions. BRAHMA (Masculine) (pronounced Brahmaa): The first member of the Hindu Trinity, the other two being Vishnu and Mahesh (also known as Shiva). He is the Supreme Spirit manifest as the active creator of the universe; the male and the alleged creator, exists periodically in his manifestation only, and then goes into Pralaya, dissolution. In Vedic theology, he sprang from Hiranyagarbha, the mundane or the golden egg deposited by the supreme first cause. Aurobindo states that Brihaspati (q.v.), Brahmanaspati (the deity presiding over Jupiter), and Brahma were considered almost identical by the ancient sages. In the later Puranic theologies, Brihaspati and Brahma became separate deities. Brihaspati did not possess great importance and was relegated as the spiritual teacher of gods, and incidentally as the guardian of Jupiter, while Brahmanaspati, who once linked the two, disappeared altogether. Brahma is the Prajapati, the lord and father of all creatures. He began manifestation by dividing himself in two, male and female. When Brahma created the world, it remained unchanged for one of his days, which lasted for 2,160 million mortal years. Everything, except the sages, gods, and elements in the world are then consumed by fire. When he wakes up, after a similar period of night, he again restores creation, and the process is repeated for a hundred years, measured in terms of the duration of his days and nights. After this, he himself expires, and along with all the gods, sages, and the universe resolves into the constituent elements. Brahma is said to be red in color, has 4 heads, one of his heads (the fifth) having been burnt by Shiva because it had spoken disrespectfully. Brahma has four hands and 8 ears. BRAHMAN (Also see Brahmin) Generally refers to the highest caste in ancient India, the sacerdotal class, the members of which may be, but are not necessarily, priests. It also refers to the works composed by and for Brahmins; occasionally used as a synonym of Brahma (neuter). As sacred books, they are commentaries on those portions of the Vedas which were intended for ritualistic use and guidance of the dvijas (the twice-born) or the Brahmins. Aurobindo states that Brahman in the Vedas signifies ordinarily the Vedic word or mantra in its profoundest aspect as the expression of the intuition arising out of the depths of the soul or being. It is the voice of the rhythm which has created the worlds and goes on creating perpetually. This vast being, this all-containing and all-formulating consciousness is Brahma. It is the soul that emerges out of the sub conscient in Man and rises towards the super coincident. The word of creative power willing upwards out of the same is also Brahman. (See SoV, pp. 303-13) BRAHMANASPATI A Vedic deity; known as the planet Jupiter in exoteric works. This deity is supposed to link together two cosmic creative functions. The all-containing and all-fonnulating consciousness creates the worlds out of the waters of sub conscient by the mantras. The word power is different from the conscious soul power at the root of manifestation. The former, represented by Brihaspati, is an expression of the latter, Brahma. In the name Brihaspati, the two varying stresses are unified and equalized. It is the link between the general and the special aspects of the same deity, variously known as the Divine, the Deva, or the Supreme. BRAHMARANDRA (Brahma = the Supreme Spirit; randra = a slit, fissure, hole). A term used in yogic literature. It refers to an aperture on the top of the head through which the soul is supposed to exit at death (See Kundalini). A spot on the crown of the head (See Sahasrare) connected with the heart by Sushumna Nadi (q.v.), a nerve in the spinal column. BRAHMARISHI A great sage belonging to the Brahmin caste. A rishi is a sage or an inspired poet, but the Indian tradition graded them as different orders of Prajapatis (q.v.). These grades are (i) Rajarishi, (ii) Brahmarishi, and (iii) Devarishi. Rajarishi is a royal sage, a man of the kshatriya caste (of princely or royal status) who by his pure and holy life on earth to be a great sage, demi-god has risen to Indra's heaven. Brahmarishis belong to the highest caste and by their austerity and saintliness have attained the wisdom of the Supreme Self. Devarishis are divine sages of the celestial class, who dwell in the regions of the gods, such as Narada. These sages are generally the mind born sons of Brahma or they have attained perfection upon earth and are given the exalted status. BRAHMAVIDYA The wisdom about the Supreme Self. The knowledge, the esoteric wisdom, about Brahma (neuter and masculine) and his true nature in both the aspects. BRAHMIN (Also known as Brahman). The first of the four castes, the-sacerdotal class, the members of which may be, but are not necessarily, priests. A Brahmin is the chief of all created beings; his person is inviolate; he is entitled to all honors, and enjoys many rights and privileges. According to Shatapatha Brahmana, Brahmans are the gods who have learnt the Vedas and chant them; they are human gods. The chief duty of a Brahman is to study and teach the Vedas; to perform sacrifices, yajnas, and other religious functions. All the asterisms (q.v.) are classified according to the four castes to indicate their nature, duties, and general influence. Asterisms classified as Brahmans are Krittika, Purva Phalguni, Purvashada, and Purva Bhadrapada. BRIHASPATI A Vedic deity and preceptor of gods; the planet Jupiter (q.v.). BRIHAT SAMHITA A celebrated work of astrology by Varaharnihira (A.D. 505-576). The term Samhita means 'compilation, and Brihat Samhita (Major Compilation), encyclopedic in its contents' deals with almost every subject even remotely connected with predictive science. It includes detailed chapters on astrological, seismological, sexual, and psychological subjects. It also dwells upon portents, market fluctuations, gems and precious stones, palmistry, physiognomy and worship of stellar deities. The work is executed in superb poetic language. Al-Beruni, who came to India in A.D. 1030, translated the work into Arabic and introduced it to the Middle East and the West. During recent times, Dr.. Kern translated it in English and it is now available as translated and annotated by many Indian writers too. BUDDHA The enlightened being who reveals to the world the way to Liberation, Nirvana. To become a Buddha, one has to break through the bondage of sense and personality to acquire complete perception of the Real Self and learn not to separate it from all other selves. (See also Buddha Siddhartha) BUDDHA SIDDHARTHA The name given to Gautam, the prince of Kapilavastu, the son of king Suddhodhana. Gautam was born in 621 B.C. He left his father's palace to become an ascetic in 597 B.C., became a full Buddha on the full moon night of Vaisakha in 592 B.C. and entered Nirvana in 543 B.C. These dates are given differently by different traditions, though only with slight variations. Siddhartha was the most perfect of all mortal men that the world has even seen. Gautarn Buddha, the fourth of the seven Buddhas and seven Tathagatas, had the most powerful influence in spiritualising the world. He is considered the ninth avatara of the Hindus. (See The Light of Asia by Sir Edwin Arnold) According to Dr B.V. Raman, Gautam Buddha was born on 14 April 623 B.C. at about middday at Lat. 270 8' North, Long. 830 5' East, the planetary position of the epoch is given as Sun 290 Y; Moon 2000 45'; Mars 260 54'; Mercury 530 6'; Jupiter 110; Venus 60 12'; Saturn 240 36'; Rahu 860 54' and Lagna 116045'. Ayanamsa +140 16'. BUDDHI Universal soul; mind. Cognition of sensations through the sense organs resulting from the interaction of mind (citta) which produces knowledge of the external world. It produces intuitive awareness either of the inherent qualities of an external object or higher spiritual laws and their operations, which are not perceived by consciousness. It is intuitive awareness, resulting from intonations of spiritual illumination. It functions like a mirror reflecting the spiritual, Atmic, messages. In the reverse process it filters the mundane experiences to comprehend the Atmic manifestation. In Sankhya philosophy, Buddhi is the second of the 20 elements involved in manifestation. Astrologically, the Moon reflects Buddhic consciousness and stands as a component of the higher triad, represented by Atma (Sun), Buddhi (Moon) and Manas or Citti (Mercury). BUDDH Wise, intelligent. The planet Mercury, son of Soma, the Moon, Rohini or by Tara, who was a wife of Jupiter. Buddh married Ila, daughter of Manu Vaivasvata, and from her had a son named Pururava. [Ila or Ida is primarily food, refreshment or libation of milk. She is called the instructress of man.] (See MSVA, pp. 58-64) BUDDHAYOGA A planetary combination formed by Jupiter in ascendant, Moon in a cardinal position from Jupiter, Rahu in 2nd from Moon, and the Sun or Mars in 3rd from Moon. An individual boom under this combination attains renown, erudition, intelligence, and a social status of high order. He does not have enemies. |