Chapter 32.
Jataka Lakshanas
The Jyotishi should in a clean, lonely place, where there is no movement of people, comfortably be seated and salute his preceptor, Ganesh and all the nine Grahas.
He should maintain silence and have lofty notions. He should face the Sun-God. He should note all the omens, as instructed by Siddhasena.
A weapon’s hit, quarrel, fall and cry, or grief are considered ominous. Astrological calculations made at that time portend death, separation and loss of wealth.
A snake, a chameleon, an alligator, a skull of a naked person are all evil, if sighted. A mention about these will indicate evil and danger.
The cry of a lizard on the left and a sneezing on a side other than the left are indicative of evil. Death is hinted, if the sound of a fox, buffalo, or a cow is heard in the near-by area.
The good and evil results should be judged with the help of above omens and the queries can be correctly answered within a limit of two years.
The Jyotishi should calculate the position of the Grahas, after knowing the age, month, natal Nakshatr, Lagn, Hora etc. He should also note the number of days elapsed (on the day of birth etc.) since the beginning of Kali Yuga.
Pita Maha Siddhanta’s calculations should be carefully adopted to know the slow and fast motions (preceding and following their retrogressions), retrograde motion, combustion in Sūrya. (heliacal) rising, whether at war etc.
The Jyotishi should make calculations regarding the Dreshkanas, Navamshas, Dwadashamshas, Trimshamshas etc., after ascertaining the minutest details mentioned earlier.
The results due to Sūrya and Mangal will be revealed in the beginning by itself, while Budh, Guru and Śani give effects at the end. Candr reveals, while rising and the effects of Śukr depend on its motion.
The position of Śukr at the time of retrogression and immediately before and after retrogression is not possible to be exactly known. The Jyotishi should correctly work out the same through various systems and ascertain the placement of Śukr in the heavens.
To know the Navamsh position of a Grah, multiply its longitude by (?) and divide by 12 and the Navamsh position is revealed.
The longitude of a Grah should be multiplied by 12. Add to the product the longitude of the Grah and divide by 12. The process will reveal the Rāśi, Amsh sphutas of the Graha.
To Candr’s position, add one eleventh of Sūrya’s longitude and one fourth for other Grahas. If Śukr and Budh are combust, or are rising after heliacal setting, or are retrograde, then addition of subtraction should be made by doubling Sūrya’s longitude and not otherwise.
The Sun-God should be worshipped by offering red flowers, Akshata and Sandal with folded hands and then the Grahas should be worshipped. The querist after doing so shall honour the Jyotishi according to his capacity.
The querist should say: I want to ascertain the span of my life, the past, the future and the present, the auspicious and inauspicious events. I want to hear all these through your mercy.
The Jyotishi should begin in a good Muhurta, when Candr and her Nakshatr are beneficially disposed and give a written account to the querist of his longevity etc.
The Rāśi Mandala (i.e. the firmaments), the Grahas and the movements are well effective. The Jyotishi and the Kala Purush shall be duly presented.
The entire work is constructed by me after studying the several Shastras of the ancestors. The essence has been abridged for increasing the wisdom of the readers and should there be anything inconsistent, the noble may forgive me.
Just, as Candr was taken out of the (Milk) ocean by churning with the Mandara mountain, I have produced this essence after riddling the ocean of Jyotish.
Thus ends the 32nd Chapter. entitled Jataka Lakshanas in Horāsāra of Prithuyasas, son of Varaha Mihira.
