Parāśara Horā: Half Sign

Commentary
Parāśara speaks of the half division of the rāśi of 15° each. As such the first principle of differentiation of the rāśi is made as odd and even. The odd numbered signs counted from Aries are named “odd signs” and even numbered signs are “even signs”. The first couple are the Sun and Moon representing divine father Śiva and mother Gaurī. Odd signs have Sun as their over-lord indicating the masculine aggressive nature and even signs have the Moon indicating their passive feminine nature.

Parāśara now takes us to a deeper aspect of the sign called ‘horā’ (15°) which is a half the sign (30°). If the rāśi takes about 2 hours for the lagna to traverse, then the lagna traverses the horā in about an hour. In other words, the hour is synonymous with the horā.

In odd signs the first horā (0-15°) is ruled by the Sun and the second horā (15°-30°) is ruled by the Moon. We find that the Sun which symbolises the male energy of the odd sign continues to rule the first horā while the second horā is ruled by the Moon and shows a passive energy. In even signs the first horā (0-15°) is ruled by the Moon and the second horā (15°-30°) is ruled by the Sun, which is the reverse of odd signs. We find that the Moon which symbolises the feminine energy of the even sign continues to rule the first horā while the second horā is ruled by the Sun and showing aggressive energy. The real internal nature as “aggressive, masculine” or “passive, feminine” is seen from the horā and not the rāśi. Men work during the day and rest at night – this horā differentiation also shows them as “producers” or “enjoyers” respectively for Sun and Moon horā. Thus when any planet is placed in the horā of the Sun (1^st half odd sign or 2^nd half even sign) it has to behave like a producer, become systematic and steady like the Sun, become aggressive, energized to create and so all that people do during the daytime. Instead if the planet is placed in the Moon horā (2^nd horā of odd signs and 1^st horā of even signs), then it beckons the native to bask in the cool moonlight, feel romantic, enjoy music and all the good things the world has to offer.

Light is the enlivener and during the daytime the source of natural light is the Sun. This is received as reflected by the Moon in the night. What the Moon does is to remove the “heat” and only pass on the “light” which makes it so cooling and yet things can be visible.

Parāśara Horā Chakra
Based on this division of the rāśi into two parts controlled by the Sun and the Moon, we can have a two-sign horā chart called “Parāśara Horā Chakra” which has just two signs – Cancer and Leo. This is based on the śloka 5½ where the planets owning the signs become the rulers of the varga (divisions). For example, if the first half of Aries is lorded by the Sun, then this should map into Leo which is the sign owned by the Sun (day). If the second half of Aries is lorded by the Moon (night), then this should map into Cancer which is owned by the Moon.
Table 5: Parāśara Horā

Horā	1		2		Horā	1		2
Rāśi	15° 0′		30° 0′		Rāśi	15° 0′		30° 0′
Ar	Su	Le	Mo	Cn	Li	Su	Le	Mo	Cn
Ta	Mo	Cn	Su	Le	Sc	Mo	Cn	Su	Le
Ge	Su	Le	Mo	Cn	Sg	Su	Le	Mo	Cn
Cn	Mo	Cn	Su	Le	Cp	Mo	Cn	Su	Le
Le	Su	Le	Mo	Cn	Aq	Su	Le	Mo	Cn
Vi	Mo	Cn	Su	Le	Pi	Mo	Cn	Su	Le

Correct way of drawing the North, East and South Indian Parāśara Horā Chakra is shown in the diagram with just two functional signs – Leo and Cancer.
Step 1: Determine the horā of the lagna as being in the Sun or Moon half. If it is in the Sun half, then in the North India Chart, write the number “5” (Leo) in the top box and number “4” in the bottom box.
In the East and South India charts, the signs are clearly fixed and based on “uttara ayana” (north) for the Moon (Cancer) and “dakṣiṇa ayana” (south) for the Sun (Leo). Write “Lag” (for Lagna) either in the upper or lower half depending on whether the lagna is in the Moon or Sun horā respectively.

Step 2: Determine the placement of all planets (special ascendants, āruḍha etc) in either the Sun or Moon horā and accordingly place them in Leo or Cancer in the chart.
{tab=Illustration}
Eg
Parāśara Horā of Standard Chart

 
Step 1: Lagna is in Pisces 14°5’ which is in the first half (0°-15°). Pisces is an even sign and the first horā is ruled by the Moon. Therefore the lagna is placed in Cancer. In the north India chart the number “4” is written in the top quadrant. In the east and south charts the word ‘Lag’ is written in the upper half of the box.

Step 2: Similar exercise is done with each of the other planets and they are placed in Cancer or Leo.

Rules for Judgment
Rules for judgment of this Parāśara Horā have been spelt out in the next chapter titled वर्गविवेकाध्यायः (vargavivekādhyāyaḥ).

Rule 01: Day-strong planets Sun, Jupiter and Venus are said to be well placed if they occupy the Sun horā. Night strong planets Moon, Mars and Saturn are said to be strong when occupying Cancer.

Rule 02: Mercury is equally strong in yielding fruits during day or night (i.e. Leo or Cancer). However the fruits are felt when it is in the Moon horā in even signs and Sun horā in odd signs, else it is fruitless.
Some say that Leo is the sign of its detriment, and therefore Mercury should be better when in Cancer. But this is not found to be correct. Instead Parāśara point that Mercury gives good results when in the “first horā” (0°-15°) of a sign is found to be more accurate. In even signs (female energy), the first horā is that of the Moon (feminine) whereas in odd signs (male energy), the first horā is that of the Sun (male energy). This causes the sign and horā energies to match. If the sign and horā energies do not match, it does not affect the other planets but it does create the problem of “eunuch” or birth defect in Mercury. This causes the changeable Mercury to become negative.

Rāhu-Ketu Rules
Nodes are naturally like Saturn (Rāhu) or Mars (Ketu) and therefore, should be better in Cancer than in Leo. But they are different than these planets and tend to eclipse the Sun and Moon respectively.
Rule 03:If Rāhu and Ketu are in the same horā as Lagna, they bring strife and troubles from “within” or inside the family, company or home. Such people have a natural tendency to like foreigners, foreign cultures and are very broad minded, free from bigotry. Yet there is a danger of over emphasis of the foreign to the detriment of their tradition if the planets associating are in negative (fruitless) horā.
Rule 04:If Rāhu and Ketu are not in the lagna horā then they indicate strife and troubles from “without” or outsiders including foreign nations, people or things you may not know. Such people have a tendency to like their own family, people and culture and could become xenophobic and very critical of foreign cultures. They could suffer from over emphasis of their tradition and ancient customs and become narrow minded if the planets associating are in negative (fruitless) horā.

Longevity-Suffering Rule
The Sun-Moon Parāśara Horā is the first rudimentary system for determining the planets which are contributing to growth (Sun horā) and sustenance (Moon horā). Planets adversely placed in this two-sign chart lack the “light of life”.
Rule 05: Death and suffering can happen only when there is no jīva-jyoti (life-light). The daśā graha which derives is light from the Sun is without light and the antardaśā graha which derives its light from the Moon is also without light. Death and suffering is symbolic of darkness.
Vedic Remedies
The eyes of a creature are the doors to its soul. Sun is the right eye and Moon is the left eye in male nativities which is reversed for female nativities. Death happens when the daśā and antardaśā planets are without life-light which by implication means that the two eyes are closing and shutting down permanently. Death is everlasting sleep from which the soul never returns to the same body. Since neither the right eye nor left eye can open due to the overpowering darkness, the only way in which the creature can continue to live is through the light of the “third eye”. Three deities have third-eye attribute: Lord Śiva, His śaktī Durgā and His son Gaṇeśa (in kṛṣṇa pakṣa). The highest mantra which can ensure that the third-eye is always open and death is kept away is the mṛtyuṅjaya mantra. All jyotiṣa students have to memorize this mantra and recite it 21 times before going to sleep.

Illustration – Standard Chart

Saturn is ill placed in Leo and Venus is ill placed in Cancer. All other planets are very well placed in the correct horā. Mercury is away from the nodes but is in Leo which can be said to be a sign of its detriment but it is also in an odd sign in the rāśi chart and therefore shall yield fruits.
The nodes Rāhu and Ketu are in Cancer and the Lagna is also in Cancer horā indicating troubles, shocks and strife from “within”. The natives own family or own people will let him down or cause setbacks.

Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi has Lagna in Leo horā with Jupiter; Rāhu and Ketu are in Cancer showing danger from foreign people or things. Mercury is in odd sign (Leo), in Cancer horā indicating that Mercury has become fruitless and negative. In addition Mercury also joins the nodes in Cancer. He was assassinated in Rāhu daśā Mercury antardaśā by a terrorist from Śrī-Lanka (foreigner).

The other negative planets are Saturn and Venus. Saturn daśā never featured in his life and Venus daśā was for 14 years in childhood (1944-58).

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi also has Lagna in Leo horā with Jupiter; Rāhu and Ketu are in Leo in Lagna horā showing danger from “within” indicating family, staff, own party and people or things. Mercury is in even sign (Scorpio), in Cancer horā indicating that Mercury has become fruitful and positive. The other negative planets are Saturn and Venus (just like Rajiv Gandhi). She was assassinated in Saturn daśā Rāhu antardaśā by her own staff and trusted bodyguards.

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi has Lagna in Leo horā. The nodes Rāhu and Ketu are in Cancer showing danger from foreign people, unknown people or things from outside his family and circles. Mercury is in odd sign (Libra), in Leo horā indicating that Mercury has become fruitful and positive. The other negative planets are Jupiter, Saturn and Venus being in the wrong horā. Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948, in Jupiter daśā Ketu antardaśā by an Indian who cannot be said to belong to family or inner circle or employment and was definitely an “outsider”. Dvisaptati Sama Daśā – Mars daśā Saturn antardaśā. Chaturasiti Sama Daśā – Sun daśā Jupiter antardaśā.

Jawaharlal Nehru

Nehru has Lagna in Leo horā with the nodes Rāhu and Ketu are in Leo showing danger from “within”. Mercury is in odd sign (Libra), in Cancer horā indicating that Mercury has become fruitless and negative. The other negative planets are Jupiter, Moon, Saturn and Venus being in the wrong horā. Nehru died on 27 May 1964 in Rāhu daśā Mercury antardaśā because of old age/disease.

Abraham Lincoln

 
Abraham Lincoln has Lagna in Leo horā. The nodes Rāhu and Ketu are in Cancer showing danger from foreign people, unknown people or things from outside his family and circles. Mercury is in odd sign (Aquarius), in Cancer horā indicating that Mercury has become fruitless and negative. The other negative planets are Jupiter and Mars being in the wrong horā. Lincoln was assassinated on 15 April 1865, in Saturn daśā Mercury antardaśā by an Actor who was definitely an “outsider” from the southern confederacy.

Dvisaptati Sama Daśā: Sun daśā Rāhu antardaśā

Parāśara Horā
Parāśara Horā Presentation

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