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GADA YOGA A planetary combination formed in two ways: W Moon posited in 2nd house along with Jupiter and Venus, or the lord of 9th house additionally aspects them; and (ii) all planets, excluding the nodes are posited in adjoining cardinal houses. Gada Yoga makes the individual engaged in philanthropic and religious activities but fierce in appearance and free from any enemy. He earns much money. He is also happily married. GAJA YOGA A planetary combination in which the lord of the 7th house from ascendant, which would be 9th from the 11th house, is in the 11th house along with Moon, and the lord of the 11th house aspects them. A person born under this combination is always happy, rich, religious, and lives in luxurious style. His third decade in life proves to be very important. GAJA KESARI-YOGA [Gaja = elephant, Kesari = lion, Yoga combination]. An auspicious planetary combination formed by certain relationships between Moon and Jupiter. It postulates that Jupiter must be in an angle (q.v.) from Moon or the ascendant; or that benefice such as Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury without being debilitated or combust, aspect the Moon. An alternative condition is that Jupiter in a quadrant from the ascendant or Moon is in association with or expected by benefices which are neither combust nor posited in the 6th house. The combination makes the individual bright, affluent, intelligent, accomplished and favored by the government. Gaja Kesari-yoga is both protective from evil consequences of other maleficent as well as productive of auspicious results. GANDANTA The conjunction of Pisces and Aries, Cancer and Leo, and Scorpio and Sagittarius. GANESHA [(Gana = inferior deity, or the masses) + (Isha = Lord)]. Also known as Ganapati. Son of Shiva and Parvati or of Parvati only. He is the deity invoked at the commencement of all auspicious activities; he is the supreme god of all educational activities, specially of those connected with divine wisdom. He is the god of wisdom and remover of all obstacles. He is one of the five primary deities (the other four being Shiva, Vishnu, Surya, and Durga) who are related with the five primeval elements, the Panch Mahabhutas (q.v.). Ganesha is described as a short, fat deity of golden-yellow color with a protuberant belly, four hands, and the head of an elephant, which has only one tusk. In one hand he holds a conch shell, in another a discus, in the third a club or goad, and in the fourth a water lily. Sometimes he is depicted riding a mouse or attended by one. He is very fond of lidos. There are many legends about his birth, which makes him born only of Parvati, and which even explains his having an elephant head and only one tusk. According to one version, Ganesha sprang from the scurf of Parvati's body; he was created by her to guard the door while she went for a bath. Shiva, her consort, wished to enter the house but was opposed by Ganesha. An infuriated Shiva cut off Ganesha's head. Later on, to pacify a wailing Parvati he replaced it with an elephant's head. According to another story, when the gods assembled at the birth ceremony of Ganesha, Parvati, proud of her offspring, asked Sani (Saturn), disregarding the natural malefic effect of his glance, to look at him. Sani, when prodded, looked at Ganesha and his head was burn (to ashes. It created a turmoil and Parvati could not be consoled. Brahma however saved the situation by arranging to replace the head with the first one that could be found and that was an elephant's. Another version is that Parvati formed him to suit her own fancy. A further explanation is that Shiva slew Aditya, the Sun but restored him to life again. For this violence, Kashyapa cursed Shiva's son to lose his head, and when he lost it, the head of Indra's elephant was used to replace it. Ganesha's elephant-head contains only one tusk, the other having been lost in a fight with Parasurama (q.v.). It happened so when the latter came to Shiva's abode at Mount Kailash but was stopped at the door by Ganesha who was deputed there to stop anyone from entering the sleeping chamber of Shiva. On being stopped Parasurama felt humiliated, as it is said that Ganesha wrapped him in his trunk. An angry Parasurama threw his axe at Ganesha. As the axe was given to the sage by Shiva himself, Ganesha received it with great humility lest its greatness was compromised, and permitted it to sever one of the tusks. Ganesha is also known as Aj, meaning 'unborn', an epithet for Aries (q.v.). He is said to be a brother of Kartikeya (q.v.), the presiding deity of Mars. [Ganesha is related to Sagittarius in a special way. While Sagittarius is represented as an animal body with a human head, Ganesha is depicted as a human body with an animal head, suggesting his inner preoccupation with cosmic manifestation transforming spirit into matter.] Dr. Rees gives another sea cance of Ganesha. He states Ganesha to be Indra's celestial elephant, Airavata, represented by Capricorn. (See Revelation in the Wilderness, vol. 11, p. 26) According to him, Ganesha watches the beginning of the spiritual path, he is the lord of karmic cause-and-effect, hence the binder and remover of obstacles. Ganapati, according to him, represents the manifested universe in his body, the unmanifested in his head. From another standpoint, Dr. Rees states that below his throat, Ganesha is one with Maya (q.v.), while his head represents Brahman. He associates Ganesha's mouse with Atman, the Divine Self. (See, Ibid., vol. I., p. 288) GARUDA A mythical bird vulture-like-half-man, half-bird-on which Vishnu rides. According to Puranic stories, he is the chief of the feathered race and a staunch enemy of serpents. He is born of Sage Kashyapa and Vinata, one of the daughters of Daksha Prajapati. He has a white face, a beak-like nose, red wings, and a golden body. His lustre was so brilliant that soon after his birth, the gods mistook him for Agni (q.v.) and began worshipping him. Garuda had a son named Sampati, and his wife was Unnati, or Vinayaka Kadru, another wife of Kashyapa, and the mother of the serpent race, was Vinata's great rival. Once the two wives had a dispute over the colour of Indra's horse, Uchchaishravasa, said to have been obtained during the churning of the ocean. Vinata lost and as per the condition of the wager, she was made a slave of Kadru. She could regain her freedom only if Garuda could obtain the nectar. Garuda succeeded in stealing it from heaven but not without a severe fight with Indra, its custodian. Indra recovered the nectar, but he was worsted in the fight and his thunderbolt was smashed in the broil. Garuda's son Jatayu once tried to fly up to the Sun in the sky. This burnt his wings and he fell down. He awaited his death till Rama took birth in a successive yuga, and after giving him details of Sita's abduction by Ravana and her whereabouts, left his body. His last rites were performed by Rama. Jatayu had been a friend of Rama's father, Dasharatha. The friendship began from the time Dasharatha went to the ecliptic to recover Sita from Sani (Saturn). His carriage was consumed by a glance from Saturn but Jatayu caught the falling king and saved him. (See Dowson, p. 135) Blavatsky considers Garuda as a symbol of the Great Cycle representing the periodic rejuvenation of the universe. GHATIKA LAGNA The Ascendant in the Indian system of horoscopy which is expressed in relation with the daily sunrise and sunset time described in traditional time counts such as ghati, pala, etc. (See Time) GAYATRI A sacred Mantra (q.v.) of the Rig Veda which is ascribed to Sage Vishwamitra. It is at one and the same time, a prayer, an invocation, and a mantra, a creative sound vibration. It consists of three parts, viz., Maha Vyahritis, Gayatri Mantra proper, and Gayatri Sirah. The first one refers to "Om bhuh, Om Bhuvah, Om Suvah, Om Mahah, Om Janah, Om Tapah, and Om Satyam." These are the seven spheres of existence. Gayatri Mantra alludes to "tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat." It means, We meditate upon the Divine Light of that adorable Sun of spiritual consciousness, which stimulates our power of spiritual perception. Gayatri Sirah consists of "Om apo jyoti raso 'mrtam Brahma bhur bhuvah suvar Om" meaning, Om is the Waters, Light, Essence, the Immortal Reality; the Physical, Intermediate and Heaven worlds is Om." A Brahmin is every aspirant seeking Truth, and Brahman, is enjoined to repeat the mantra during his morning, more importantly at dusk, and even during his midday meditations. Gayatri mantra is addressed to Aditya (q.v.), Savitri. Explaining the inner significance of this mantra, Dr. Rees states that Savitri forms an aspect of the Sun in the house, which Mercury rules on the Night-throne. Gayatri is a prayer for spiritual illumination. The mantra has 24 divisions, viz., Tat-Sa-Vi-Tur-Va-Re-Ni-Yam-Bhar-ghoh-De-Va-Sya-Dhi-Ma-Hi-Dhi-Yo-Yo-Nah-Pra-Cho-Da-Yat. These are said to be related with the 24 divisions of the soundboard of the veena, the musical instrument held by Saraswati (q.v.) who is said to be identical with Savitri. These are further associated with the 24 divisions of the path through the zodiac, and with the 24 vertebrae in the spinal column. The Gayatri mantra symbolises, according to Dr. Rees, the world of creation in its stages from midnight to morning, from morning to midday, from midday to evening, and from evening to midnight. (See The Revelation in Wilderness, Vol. 111, pp. 67-68) GEMINI Mithuna (sk). The 3rd sign of the zodiac which extends from 600 to 900 of the ecliptic. It consists of two bright stars, Castor and Pollux. They symbolise a twin. In Vedic astrology they represent a male and a female holding a mace and a harp in their hand. The sign is ruled by Mercury; it stands for divine creative energy activated by the polarisation of spirit and matter. Polarisation is an important feature of the sign. Gemini is an odd sign, classified as male by sex, hermaphrodite by temperament, airy by element, and fierce by nature. It is related with west direction. It is powerful during night. Its natural habitat is in gambling dens, pleasure haunts, and bedrooms. It imparts Mahat (q.v.), the thinking principle in its trine aspects. It activates both subjective and objective activities in its interactions. Blavatsky describes Gemini to be the stage corresponding to the ceasing of the androgynal union and the man evolving the woman out of himself as a separate entity. In Kala Purusha, the heavenly or the cosmic man, Gemini represents the neck, the upper portion of the chest and the shoulders. It stands for his courage, enthusiasm as well as the impediments and difficulties met on the evolutionary path. Gemini is considered as the bridge as well as the separating agent between spirit and matter. The synonyms of Gemini are Mithuna (the twin), Dwandwa (conflict, strife), Nriyugma (union of human kind), and such other terms pointing to the duality in life. GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM The conception of the universe with Earth as its center. It is the system based on the pre-Galilean view of the stellar world. This unrealistic view is opposed to the Heliocentric System (q.v.) yet it does not much vitiate the validity of various astronomical coordinates, especially for their practical use. The present day Ephemeris's provide coordinates of stellar relationships as seen from Earth. With the knowledge of its limitations, the astrological findings do not need any adaptation and they do not lose their applicability. GOCHARA The range of pasturage for grazing by the cattle; the transit or passage of a planet in relation with other planets during the course of their usual movement. At any moment of time, a planet's position is different from its natal position. This divergence requires to be taken into consideration for astrological predictions. This relationship with natal Moon, along with Sarvastaka Varga (q.v.) and astrological direction (q.v.) synchronized together indicate the precise nature of situation an individual may face due to any planetary influence. GO-YOGA The planetary combination formed by exaltation of the lord of the ascendant, and strong Jupiter placed in its Mool Trikona (q.v.) in association with the lord of the 2nd house. It makes the individual hail from an elite family and bestows upon him happiness, attractive appearance, and high social standing. GOLA-YOGA One of the Sankhya-yoga (q.v.). Persons born under it are poor, lazy, and idiots. GOLAI VRITA Circumference. GOLARDHA Hemisphere. GRAHA Planets. In common parlance it refers to the effect of adverse planetary conjuncture. GRAHA, POURA The nature of planets when they are in opposition to another planet. (See Graha Yudha) GRAHAYUDHA [(Graha = planet) + (Yudha = fight) planetary warfare]. An astronomical phenomenon resulting from proximity between two planets. It affects their power to produce any result. The planets involved in this relationship are rendered unable to bestow their beneficence, and become inauspicious. Such a situation occurs when a planet other than Moon or the nodes (Rahu.or Ketu) is situated within 50 of the Sun. The planet so placed is considered Asthagatha or combust. When such a relationship takes place with Moon, it is known as Saniaagama, or combination. Any of the five nonluminaries within 50 of any other planet causes planetary warfare, or Graha yudiza, and one of the two involved in this relationship is said to be vanquished and the other is a victor. The victorious planet produces powerful auspicious effects, while the vanquished one becomes inauspicious. The house in which this phenomenon occurs is destroyed and the individual suffers throughout his life in respect to that Bhava (q.v.). There are five kinds of planetary warfare, viz., Bhedam, Ullekham, Amsumardhanam, Apasauyam, and Yuddham. Bhedain occurs when two planets are within 50 of each other though in different asterisms. When they are between 30 and 50 of each other located in the same asterism, they are in Ullekha yuddham. When such planets are within a distance of 10 to 30 of each other in the same asterism, the relationship is known as Amsumardlianam. If the planets are within one degree of the other, they are known as in Graha yuddham proper. If one of the two planets within 50 of each other is direct while the other is retrograde, they form Apasavya Yuddham. The effects of planetary warfare depends upon the conditions classified under Poura Graha, Akranta Graha, and Akrita or Yayee Graha. Poura Graha is a planet in a state of opposition to another. Akranta Graha is the overpowered, chased, or eclipsed planet. Akriti Graha is generally aggressive on the move. The Sun is Poura up to 11 a.m., Akranta at noon, and Akrita or feeble in the afternoon. Moon is always overpowered. Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn are always in opposition (Poura), while Mars, Venus, Rahu, and Ketu are always aggressive. The effect of Graha yuddha is conditioned by the mood of these planets as indicated above. A planet with earlier longitude is said to defeat the planet ahead of it. A planet in southern hemisphere is considered defeated. But Venus is always victorious. The planet with a fairly larger orb than the other becomes victorious. (See Brihat Samhita, Chap. XVII). GRISMAKRANTI Also known as Dakshinayan Vibhu. Summer solistice. GULIKA An invisible point considered as a son of Saturn; Mandi (q.v.) is Saturn's another son. Gulika and Mandi are sometimes said to be the same but this view is not universally accepted. Both of these are theoretical satellites, Upagrahas (q.v.), but the methods for determining their positions are different. Gulika assumes that one-eighth of the day and the night is ruled by the seven rulers of the weekdays, while the remaining one-eighth portion is not assigned to any planet. Each ruler is assigned a number according to its sequence in the week, i.e., Sun (1), Moon (2), Mars (3), Mercury (4), Jupiter (5), Venus (6), and Saturn (7). The duration of the day, if the birth is in daytime, and of the night, if the birth is in night, when divided by would indicate the duration of their rulership. The first rulership belongs to the planet ruling the day. The subsequent portions will be ruled by planets in the sequence as in weekdays. The period belonging to Saturn is the period belonging to Gulika. In case, the birth is in night, the first portion of the night does not belong to the planet of the day; it is ruled by the planet relative to the fifth day from the first day. For example, the first planetary rulership for Wednesday night will belong to Sun, and consequently Saturn's portion on this day will be the 7th portion, which will be the time for Gulika. Gulika produces good results in ,the 3rd, 6th, and 11th houses in a natal chart; in the 10th house it makes the person religious and devoted to austerities. The longitude of Gulika is worked out as in the case of ascendant, depending upon the time of birth after sunrise. GUNAS The three primeval emanations of the Supreme Spirit, Sachchidananda, known as Sattwa (pure harmony), Rajas (pure creative impulse), and Tamas (primeval darkness, or the state of ultimate dissolution). Esoterically, they correspond to Vishnu Brahma, and Shiva, respectively, though for common people Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva represent them. Together known as Trimurti or Trinity, they represent the three qualificative attributes of the universe. These are the basic attributes or qualities of the phenomenal existence. According to Sankhya doctrine, matter, Prakriti, is nothing but a condition of perfect equilibrium of the three attributes, known as Triguna-Samyavastha (harmonious balance of triplicity). Taimini explained the three attributes as different modes of motion. These modes, for want of better words, he calls (i) the vibration which involves rhythmic motion of particles, (ii) the mobility which involves non-rhythmic motion of particles with transference of energy, and (iii) the inertia which involves relative position of particles. The discovery of equivalence and interconvertibility of mass and energy will, according to him, ultimately reveal that the nucleus of an atom is also an expression of energy, and that the ultimate bases of the manifested physical universe is nothing but motion or energy. All properties can therefore be reduced to their simplest elements such as wave, motion or li ht (Prakasha), action (Kriya), and position (Sthiti), at least for the physical universe. Dr. Taimini concludes that these three are the ideas associated with the three Gunas or Attributes. (See Science of Yoga, p. 174-76) Among the planets, Sun, Jupiter, and Moon are considered Sattwic planets, representing self-formative, pure, quiescence and rhythmic motion in life's enfoldment. Mercury and Venus are Rajasic; they are involved with self-preservation, energizing action and desire. Saturn and Mars are Tamasic planets leading to a growth process, both physical and psychological, which ultimately leads to dissolution. GURU Teacher (sk); he who dispels darkness and ignorance; Jupiter (q.v.). GURU-CHANDALA YOGA A planetary combination relating Jupiter and Rahu. When these two planets are associated together in a house, it produces inauspicious results. It makes the individual depraved and inclined to indulge in socially and morally unethical activities. |