The Chariots of Navgrahas
While describing the chariots of all the nine planets, Lord Vishnu told Rudra–‘ The chariot of Surya deva(sun) has an unbelievable expanse stretching up to nine thousand yojans. The axle of the chariot is one crore and fifty seven lakh yojans long and wheels are fixed at both its ends. The wheels have six circumferences symbolizing the six main seasons and five spokes symbolizing the five different units of time measurement in them. The chariot of Surya(sun) is pulled by seven horses. These horses symbolize the seven ‘chhands’ (stanzas used in poetry)- gayatri, vrihati, ushnik, jagati, trishtup, anushtup and pankti.
The chariot of chandrama(moon) has three wheels in it. It is pulled by ten white horses. The color of Mangal’s(mars) chariot is golden and is pulled by horses of dark red color. Buddh’s(mercury) chariot is of brown color and is pulled by eight horses of the chariot of Vrihaspati(jupiter) is made of gold and is pulled by eight horses of yellowish complexion. Jupiter remains in each of the twelve zodiacs for a year.
Shukra’s (venus) chariot is well escorted by his army. The chariot has a mast on it’s top and is pulled by horses that are found on earth.
- Horses pulling the chariot of Shani(saturn) are of varicolored.
- The chariot of Rahu is pulled by eight horses, which are of the color of smoke.
- The chariot of Ketu is pulled by eight horses, which are red in color.
Description of Yogas and Muhurtas
Giving elaborate description of inauspicious days on which one should not undertake travels or journeys, Lord Vishnu told Shiva– ‘Various Yoginis (goddesses) dwell in different directions on specific days and one should never set out on journeys on those days. A yogini named Brahmani dwells in the East on Pratipada(first) and navami(ninth) of both the fortnights of each month and nobody should travel on both these dates towards east. Maheshwari dwells in the north on second and ninth of both the fortnights of each month and hence nobody should travel towards north on both these dates. Varahi dwells in the south on the fifth and thirteenth of both the fortnights of each month and hence it is unadvisable to travel towards south on the above mentioned dates. In the same manner, Indrani dwells in the west on sixth and fourteenth of both the fortnights of each month and therefore nobody should travel in this direction on both the above mentioned dates.’
While giving names of some auspicious Nakshatras suitable for undertaking journeys, lord Vishnu said–‘ Constellations like Ashvini, Anuradha, Revati, Mrigashira, Mool, Punarvasu, Pushya, Hast and Jyeshtha are auspicious for undertaking journeys.’
Lord Vishnu, giving some specific combinations of days and tithis considered to be inauspicious said-‘ One should never travel on the following inauspicious days: Dwadashi falling on Sunday or Ekadashi falling on Monday or Navami falling on Wednesday or Ashtami falling on Thursday or Saptami falling on Friday and Shashthi falling on Saturday.
Amrit Yoga
It is the most auspicious yoga for commencing any work. The conjunction of a particular day and specific nakshatra constitute this yoga. Few examples of Amrit yoga are Mool nakshatra falling on Sunday, Shravan nakshatra on Monday, Uttara bhadrapad on Tuesday, Kritika on Wednesday, Punarvasu on Thursday, Purvafalguni on Friday and Swati nakshatra falling on Saturday.
Visha Yoga
It is considered to be an inauspicious yoga and unsuitable for commencing any important work. Few examples of this particular yoga are Bharni nakshatra falling on Friday, Chitra nakshatra on Monday, Uttarashadha on Tuesday, Dhanishtha on Wednesday, Shatabhisha on Thursday, Rohini on Friday and Revati nakshatra falling on Saturday.
Graha Dasha
Describing the period for which a particular planet is supposed to have its influence on the native, Lord Vishnu told Shiva– ‘ Surya’s dasha continues for six years and brings turbulence, turmoil and agony to the concerned person. Moon’s dasha continues for fifteen years and is considered very auspicious as it brings happiness and prosperity. Mangal’s dasha is considered inauspicious and lasts for eight years. It brings sorrow and misfortune. Buddh’s dasha is auspicious and lasts for seventeen years. It brings all kinds of favorable results and is extremely rewarding in every respect. Shani’s dasha lasts for ten years and brings all kinds of inauspicious results to a man. Vrihaspati’s dasha continues for nineteen years and is extremely auspicious. Rahu’s dasha continues for twelve years and is inauspicious. Shukra’s dasha lasts for twenty years and is auspicious.’
NOTE — The period of years stated in the above mentioned Graha- dashas are at variance from those mentioned by sage Parashar, which is in practice nowadays.
Predictions based on Physical Traits
Dwelling on length about the importance of physical traits and symptoms apparent in an individual, Lord Vishnu told Shiva-‘ If one sees the following physical traits in a man, he should immediately understand that he is seeing a prospective King : Hands and feet as soft as a Lotus flower, pink nails and no space left between the fingers when kept straight. There is no sign of bulging veins on his hands and palms and they do not sweat excessively. On the contrary, a person having rough feet that appears pale, with prominent veins on them indicates that the concerned person would be poor and miserable.’
Predicting Age with the help of Forehead Line
Lord Vishnu said-‘ Anybody having three parallel lines on his forehead lives happily for sixty years whereas two parallel lines indicates that he would live till the age of forty years. Only one line on the forehead indicates that he would have a short life but if the line stretches up to both the ears then he lives for a century. If two parallel lines on the forehead stretches up to both the years then the concerned person lives for seventy years while a triple parallel lines reaching both the years indicates that he would live till the age of sixty years. A forehead devoid of any line on it means that the concerned person would live for only forty years while a cobweb of intersecting lines on the forehead indicates that the concerned person is definite to die a premature death. A forehead with a Trident or an Axe mark on it indicates that the concerned person would be prosperous and live for a century.
Predicting Age by Palmistry
Lord Vishnu, continuing with his narration told Shiva that the age of a person could be predicted by the lines found on his palms- ‘ If the life line reaches the base between index and middle fingers then the concerned person lives for a century. If the life line is long, clear and without intersections from other lines then the concerned person lives for a hundred years.
Prediction based on physical traits of women
Lord Vishnu said-‘A woman having a round face, curly hair and lower portion of her navel slightly slanted towards right, is extremely fortunate not only for herself but also for her whole clan. Similarly, a woman with golden complexion and hands as beautiful and soft as red lotus flower is exceptionally chaste and faithful towards her husband. A woman having dry and unruly hair and also round eyes becomes a widow.
A woman whose face is round like a full moon and which radiates like a rising Sun, enjoys a happy and contented life. A woman having a cobweb of lines on her palms is sure to lead a torturous, Any woman having either a ‘Chakra’, a hook or a ear ring mark on her hand indicates that she would beget worthy sons and rule like a queen. Any woman having a festoon mark on her palms indicates that she would get married in a family superior to her in status. A woman whose little toes as well as big toes of both the legs do not touch the ground while walking spells doom for her husband. In the same manner beautiful eyes indicate good fortune and a painful life whereas a palm with few lines indicates that she would be poor. If the lines are pink, then they indicate happiness, prosperity and good health whereas blackish lines indicate that she would live a life of slavery.
Prominent Places of Pilgrimage
Sutji- one of sage out of 84 thousand sages, while giving the names of some prominent places of pilgrimage told the assembled sages-‘The banks of Ganga are considered to be the holiest among all the places of pilgrimage. The holy Ganga, which originates from the Himalayas in the north, ultimately gets merged with the ocean in the east. During her entire course of flow, she passes through numerous holy places, which owe their holiness mainly to her. Although, any place situated on the banks of Ganga is considered holy, yet Prayag, Haridwar, Varanasi and Ganga sangam (The place where she meets the ocean) have special significance and there is no other place as holy as each of them. Prayag is believed to fulfil both the wishes, which a man aspires for- worldly enjoyments as well as salvation.
Performing the rituals of pinda daan here not only helps the ancestors to liberate but also himself. Varanasi is the same place where lord Shiva and Keshav have their respective abodes. Donating at Kurukshetra brings incomparable virtues and gives both worldly enjoyments as well as salvation. Kedar teerth is capable of liberating even a heinous sinner from all his sins. Few other places considered very holy are- Shwetdweepa, Naimisharanya, Pushkar, Ayodhya, Chitrakut, Gomti, Kanchipuri, Sri Shail, Kaam- teerth, Amarkantak, Ujjain, Mathura, Govardhan, etc. All these places have great religious significance and each of them is capable of liberating a man from all his sins.
The Significance of Gaya Teerth
Once, while narrating how Gaya, a prominent place of pilgrimage in eastern part of India got its name, Lord Brahma told sage Vyas-‘ During ancient times there lived a mighty demon named Gaya. He used to torment the deities, who ultimately went to seek the help of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu successfully killed Gayasur after a fierce mace-duel. The place where Gaya died became famous by his name. There is a grand Vishnu temple situated at Gaya where there is a magnificent idol of Lord ‘Gadhadhar’ (Lord Vishnu holding a mace in his hand).
Gaya is considered to be the most ideal place of pilgrimage for performing the shraddh rituals. It is believed that a person goes to hell if he dies in the following circumstances- if he dies without his consecrations being performed, or if a wild animal kills him, or if he meets an accidental death no matter what the reasons are. But, if ‘Shraddh rituals’ are performed at ‘Gaya’ then the soul of such a man gets rid of the tortures of the hell and goes to heaven.
The importance of performing ‘Shraddh rituals’ over there can be gauged by the fact that a person becomes liberated from ‘pitra rina’ (debts towards one’s father) once he touches the sacrosanct soil of ‘Gaya’. The reason being that Lord Vishnu himself dwells there in the form of ‘Pitra devata’ and by having his divine glimpse a man is freed of all his three debts. The entire area stretching from the foothills of Vishnu mountain to ‘Uttar Manas’ is considered extremely holy and this is the same area where river Falgu flows. Offering ‘Pinda daan’ to ancestors at this place helps them to attain salvation. While performing the rituals of ‘Pinda daan’ he should chant the following matra-
‘ESHA PINDO MAYA DASTRATAV HASTE JANARDANAH;
PARLOKAM GATE MOKSHAM KSHAYMU PATISHTHATAAM.
There are many other places as holy as the banks of Falgu and performance of ‘Shraddh rituals’ over there give undiminished virtues to the ancestors – Dharma-Prishtha, Brahmasar, Gayashirsha, Akshay-Teerth, Dhenukaranya are few such places capable of liberating twenty generations of a man. The entire city of ‘Gaya’ is considered sacrosanct and performing the rituals of ‘Shraddh’ or offering Pinda daan to ancestors at any place within ‘Gaya’ helps the soul of the ancestors to attain to Brahmaloka.
The Royal Astrologer- Dr. Sanjay Sharma.