Ganesh Loses his head
Out of his deep-seated anger against his father Saturn started doing penance (see Birth of Planets). His objective was to become more powerful than Sun, his father.
In Indian Puranas it was believed that by doing penance one could gain such powers that one could even topple the seat of Indra (Indian equivalent of Zeus).
During penance, one had to remain celibate, control all his emotions and subject the body to extreme suffering. In summer, one had to stand on one leg within a Ring of Fire or in winter stand neckdeep in cold water through the night. All the while chanting specific mantras, which could energize one’s latent powers. Saturn went through this for years and finally success was his. While Sun gave life to all beings, Saturn became the dealer of Death. He had the additional power of bestowing instant wealth and prosperity and also the power of healing (by denying death).
Even after achieving his goal he continued to be a celibate and led the life of a hermit. Chhaya, his mother was alarmed. She literally forced him to marry a girl of her choice believing that the beauty of the bride would ensnare Saturn into domesticity.
No such thing happened. Saturn continued with his daily meditation after going through the marriage rituals with extreme reluctance only to please his mother. He remained a celibate, although technically married. It is not clear why he agreed to marry. While agreeing to his mother’s entreaties he remained totally oblivious to the fact that in the process he was ruining the life of normal and healthy girl. Possibly he did not quite understand the responsibilities of marriage! His wife tried her best to win him over. She would bedeck herself with all kinds of finery and try to attract his attention. But Saturn did not even look at her.
One day she had enough of it and cursed Saturn saying “Since you did not even bother to look at me, I curse you that from today whomsoever you look at will perish.”
All this while, elsewhere other important things were happening. Mother Uma the consort of Shiva created a child from her mind. The baby was most gorgeous looking and Shiva made him the leader of his guards known as the ‘Ganas’. Hence his name became Ganapati or Ganesh.
There is an Indian ceremony when a child receives his first meal of solid food. Family and friends are invited and there are festivities. It is known as Annaprashan.
The time came for Ganesh’s Annaprashan. Uma in a joyful mood invited all the gods and demigods. Everybody was too happy to oblige. Everybody except Saturn. Remembering his wife’s curse he did not turn up. Uma noticed his absence and sent her emissaries to fetch him. It was difficult to avoid her summons and reluctantly Saturn went. He decided that he would not look at the child and only join the festivities and bless him with his eyes closed.
Alas, that was not to be. Uma brought the child to him and wanted to know what he thought of him. Saturn told her that he did not want to see the child because if he did something terrible might happen.
Uma would hear none of it. She asked Saturn to look at the child and assured him that she herself would remain responsible for the consequences. What could Saturn do? He looked at Ganesh and as he did Ganesh’s head dropped off his shoulder.
Uma was hysterical. There was general confusion. Everybody started crying. Only Vishnu kept him cool. He took one of Shiva’s attendants aside and asked him go out and find the first living being lying with its head towards the north. He was to cut the head off and bring it as fast as possible to Vishnu.
The attendant found an elephant lying down with its head northwards. He chopped the head off and brought it to Vishnu and he set it on a Ganesh’s headless body and Ganesh became whole again. Since then he became known as the elephant god.
Such were the powers of Saturn - made even more potent by his wife’s curse.
In Indian astrology it is said that the house which receives Saturn’s aspect (i.e., the house to which Saturn looks) is ruined and nothing good can be expected from it.
Madhushri completed her early schooling at the Shri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry. Having grown up in an environment of literature, music and spirituality she proceeded to complete her Masters in Comparative Literature from the Jadavpur University after completing graduation studies in the same course of the University. In addition, Madhushri also hold a Masters degree in Music from the Rabindra Bharati University.
Given her deep interests in mythology, literature and spirituality, the move to Vedic Astrology was a natural extension. Being an intuitive reader of Natal Chart, she brings a successful blend of astrology and spiritual skill-sets into all her readings and counseling’s. A natural flair for expressing complex and difficult matters makes her a prolific creator of most of the content on CyberAstro website since 2001. Madhushri has a large following for the accuracy of her daily, weekly and monthly zodiac predictions.
Tags: astrology, Devotion, future prediction, hanumaan, hinduism, Lord Ram, religionQuestioning the Definition of Astrology - Our Ancestors Pass on Their Knowledge In Many Ways
Everyone has a hard time justifying astrology as a science due to the wide variations that exist within the world of humans. The definition of astrology is an ancient system of divination using the positions of the planets, moon, and stars. According to astrology the celestial bodies exert specific energies that influence people and events. These influences may be determined by mapping positions in the sky at various times, but is still regarded today as a huge speculative issue due to the deep complexities and misunderstanding associating the field. What if the powers of Astrology had a deeper meaning, which stretched into the spiritual world and the ethereal planes of existence, including the very top-tier planes of power. Astrology is widely interpreted by every human on earth, but only a certain few have a defined ability to understand anything about it. A fair amount of people define astrology as “nonsense” and “childish” through lack of understanding. These are of course the usual human reactions to something we can’t understand.
How are the powers of astrology currently portrayed to the world?
Currently, people manifest numbers and equations on planetary alignments, star locations, the apparent divine powers the sun has and also the moon. Their conclusion of what is the horoscope is usually the external scripture you will read. While largely amusing, holds little scientific merit. Astrology needs to be valued more than just this. It is a concept to be considered for all walks of life; it holds bearing to the time continuum of the past, present and future settings on earth.
The human race has existed for a great deal of time now and has since evolved heavily in appearance, behaviour, intelligence, structure, strength, ability, perception and so much more. Some people consider the present to hold the “maximum amount of people time has ever seen” but again we can only speculate about such mysteries told of the highly advanced civilization that apparently walked earth (theosophists define it as Atlantis, the real society and cultural name is unheard) and the age old question of just how long has the world existed? The documented time that has existed shows the definitive lives of several billion people, all born under the same planetary rotation of the earth, which is 365 days or 52.177 weeks. This universal pre-set time fixture of 365 has dated and cycled existence accordingly throughout several millions of years, and in that time has been rotating humans. Currently the study of astrology and namely Astrologists are people who predict the future by the positions of the planets and sun and moon. They do this based on their own interpretation and creativity, which can be as inventive as the person likes. Astrology to some is just a shallow fabric of life to help them feel better by reading what is known as “Powerful wording” written by novelists and professional writers. It is widely under-appreciated the similarities that hold true in the definition of each human’s star sign. In that I mean for every 500 people born in August for example, on the exact same date, hold a very strong connection to each other in terms of their memories, philosophies, beliefs and behaviour. All things which astrology boasts, these are relations not understood by many. It is in that key of understanding and spiritual-thinking that makes people wonder how many humans were born at the exact same moment in time you were, only altering the year. If we were to find that spiritual connection, just how much like that person would we be? If you were to consider sun-sign astrology ONLY, this would be fallible due to the alteration of the physical plane of life, which is earth’s galaxy.
If you were to consider all aspects and relations, the planes of existence, powers to be and the akashic records, these spiritual points all connect to the “collective consciousness” Carl Jung was referring to. The collective consciousness is only Jung’s interpretation and hence a vague reference to the gateways he portrayed. Jung attempted to show the connections between dreams, anthropology and the dualism of life to astrology. His work always showed these links but the people could never grasp the concept of them, given a large amount of humans will only work on what they perceive to be fact-based evidence. The creation of humans defined by scientists is a great example of what can be construed as myth or fact. Physical items “prove” evolution to be the definitive, such as bones and relics discovered at different points in time. We believe this to be the truth because we perceive it based on our senses, which is as far as some people can stretch their mind.
This article is making a bold question to the beliefs of “Astrology”, the purpose intended is to get people thinking about the world and the deeper meanings it has to offer. Consider the relations, sources and relevant knowledge available to you and you’ll always keep an open mind to the question that everyone asks. “What is life”.
Nick Jacob
Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom
http://www.electronicsathome.com
A Bone to Pick
In the Ancient times, there was always arch enmity between God and demons. On one occasion when the Gods had performed a Yajna or fire sacrifice, the demons demanded a share of the sacrifice.
The laws of ‘atithi Sewa” or hospitality, bound the Gods and they had to abide by the demand. Gods offered Saraswati the Goddess of knowledge and learning to the demons. Alas! Demons were meant always to be ignorant and they refused to accept her. Demons felt that knowledge had no positive aspects and that it only increased sorrow. They were not so concerned with speech and the art of communication. According to them speech only led to disputes and quarrels.
Enraged Saraswati was happy to decree the Gods as always higher and wiser while stated that the demons would always remain fools of ignorance.
Gods are not always serious and somber and ritualistic. They are also witty, cunning and diplomatic. A tale of such a wit is also associated with Saraswati.
A certain demon had practiced meditation over years together and had appeased Brahma. Brahma in such events always blessed the devotee. This would normally be a boon which may make him invincible.
The heavenly kingdom was alert as the demon continued with his austerities and reached a stage when getting a boon from Brahma was looming large. They all in a group appealed to Saraswati to find a way where Brahma’s boon will not make the demon at par with the Gods.
Saraswati the symbol of intelligence transformed herself into a little speck and perched at the tip of the demon’s tongue. When the time came and Brahma was pleased and asked the demon what he wanted as a boon, the demon’s tongue was in control of Goddess Saraswati; the poor demon could only say ” I want to be asleep forever”.
This way Brahma’s boon was diverted towards making the demon ineffective, ignorant and always asleep.
Madhushri completed her early schooling at the Shri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry. Having grown up in an environment of literature, music and spirituality she proceeded to complete her Masters in Comparative Literature from the Jadavpur University after completing graduation studies in the same course of the University. In addition, Madhushri also hold a Masters degree in Music from the Rabindra Bharati University.
Given her deep interests in mythology, literature and spirituality, the move to Vedic Astrology was a natural extension. Being an intuitive reader of Natal Chart, she brings a successful blend of astrology and spiritual skill-sets into all her readings and counseling’s. A natural flair for expressing complex and difficult matters makes her a prolific creator of most of the content on CyberAstro website since 2001. Madhushri has a large following for the accuracy of her daily, weekly and monthly zodiac predictions.
Tags: astrology, Devotion, future prediction, hanumaan, hinduism, Lord Ram, religion