Prasna Marga: Part I

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From the Jacket:

Prasna Marga, Part I, is an exhaustive treatise on the various aspects of predictive astrology of immense practical utility. The work can be considered as of exceptional interest and value.

The ancient classic deals not only with the various aspects of Prasna or Horary Astrology, but also with almost the entire range of the forecasting art - Jataka or predictive astrology, Muhurta or electional astrology, Parihara or remedial astrology and Nimittas or the science of indications (Omens).

This ancient work, an English translation, is embedded with copious notes incorporating the author's own experiences on different aspects of life. The book not only endorses the ancient principles of astrology but also extends beyond by giving novel methods of interpretations which are to be found even in such celebrated works as Brihat Jataka.

About the Author:

Dr. B.V. Raman was the renowned astrologer and author. He was the Chief Editor of The Astrological Magazine. He had number of titles to his credit. He held a string of titles such as Abhinava Varahamihira, Jyotisha Bhanu, Jyotisha Vignana Marthanda, Jyotish Ratna, Abhinava Bhaskara, Jyotisha Bhooshana etc. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, London and a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society. Dr. Raman had influenced the educated public and made them astrology-conscious. His special fields of research were Hindu Astronomy, Astro-psychology, weather, political forecasts and disease-diagnosis. He was widely traveled man and addressed the elite audience almost throughout the world.

Prasna Marga is a unique work on astrology, natal and horary, of vital importance to every astrological scholar, practitioner and student. The author, a Nambudari Brahmin of Kerala who wrote this book in 1650 A.D., was a renowned scholar and has culled valuable information from a number of ancient sources.

This ancient work, an English translation of which is presented here in simple and elegant English interspersed with copious notes incorporating the author's own experiences, touches on some of the most important aspects of life'- marriage, children, longevity, death, disease, etc .

Part I is an exhaustive treatise on the various aspects of predictive astrology of immense practical utility, which deals not only with the various aspects of Prasna or Horary Astrology, but also with almost the entire range of the forecasting art-Jataka or predictive astrology, Muhurta or electional astrology, Parihara or remedial astrology and Nimittas or the science of indications (Omens).

Part II, is an encyclopaedic work on matters that affect all areas of human life, such as marriage, children, causes of diseases as given in karma vipaka and the remedies, matters relating to deities, rulers, war, natural calamities, travel, rainfall, digging wells, details for finding underground water, theft cases, dreams and their interpretation as indicators for death of disease and its timings, etc.

It is with justifiable feelings of pride and humility that I present herewith an English translation of Prasna Marga (Part I) a celebrated work on astrology largely in use ia Kerala.

The idea to bring out an English edition of Prasna Marga nrst occurred to me in 1940. This was largely due to the persuasion of one Mr. P. G. Subrahmanya Iyer, then working as an assistant in my office. Mr. Iyer was well versed in astrology besides being a scholar in Sanskrit and Malayalam. With his help and co operation a rough or tentative translation was made and the matter left there. For health reasons, Mr Iyer had to relinquish the job in my office and return to his native land. I feel indebted to. Mr. Iyer for the initial belp given to me.

I should say that the period between 1942 and 1962 was perhaps the most creative part of my life as it was during these years that the greate r part of my intellectual productions in the shape of books were made available to the public. It was again during these) ears that I was busy building up THE ASTROLOGICAL MAGAZINE, organising research work etc.

Hence It was only in 1964-65 that the translation of Prasna Marga could be completely revised and re-written with copious notes and illustrations. But for various reasons the manuscript had to be again kept in cold storage.

In 1977, thanks to tbe persuasion of my son B. A. Kumar Babu and daughter Gayatri Devi Vasudev, I took up the final revision of Part I and completed the notes and the manuscript was made ready for the press.

I do not claim infallibility. Some of the stanzas may not have been correctly translated or a meaning given which may not have been intended by the original author. I am therefore open to correction .

It is hoped that the book will be received with the same warmth by my indulgent readers as all my other publications have been received by them.

Each part of this great work is self-contained and can be used without reference to the other. Hence one need not have the apprehension that in the absence of Part II, Part I may not be useful.

Though the title Prasna Marga suggests that the book deals with Prasna or horary astrology, I have to make it clear that the text gives equally valuable information bear- ing on natal astrology which can be used with advantage. The translation Of Part II (Adhvavas 17 to 32) is also ready and I hope to bring it out in 1981.

In bringing the book to its final shane, considerable assistance has been given to me by my daughter Gayatri Devi Vasudev add I must record my appreciation of this help.

My special thanks are due to my esteemed friend and colleague Dr. P. S Sastri who has kindly prepared An Index of Technical Terms'.

I have also to thank Prof. M. R. Bhat and late Mr. L. Narain Rao fer their helpful hints and my Ions B. Niranjan Babu and B. Sachidananda Babu who have been of much help to me in proof-corrections etc.

I must put on record the helpful attitude that is being displayed by my esteemed friends P. N. Kamat and B. K. Anantharam of IBH. Prakashana in coming forward to publish this bock

To the ancient astrological literature of the Hindus traced to Sage Parasara there belong a certain number of complementary works without whose assistance, the student of astrology may not be able to understand the deeper implications of the subject. Prasna Marga may be consi- dered as one such work. It is an exhaustive treatise on the various -aspects of Prasna or Horary astrology.

This work can be considered as of exceptional interest and value.

The authorship of the work is attributed to a Namboo- diri Brahmin of Kerala, written in Kollam 825 (1649 AD)in a place called Edakad near Talasseri. It appears that at that time our author bad an opponent by name Easwara Deekshita living in Chola country. Another great disciple of the author was Mochhattiloyit, a well-known personality in Kerala in those days. Kerala Varma was also a great astrologer. Kerala Varma's disciple Punnasseri Nambi Neelakanta Sarma wrote a commentary in Sanskrit. And in rendering the work into English reliance has been placed on this commentary. Unfortunately the Sanskrit commentary is available only for the first part consisting of sixteen chapters.

As regards the nature and value of the work, the author appears to have been a renowned scholar and has culled information from a number of ancient sources though his favourite works appear to be Brihat Jataka and Krishneeya.

The topic of the work, though called Prasna Marga, covers almost the entire range of the subject: Jataka or predictive astrology, muhurtha or electional astrology. pari- hara or remedial astrology and nimittas or the science of omens.

Here we have. essentially a work that touches on some of the most important aspects of life-longevity, death, disease etc. The value of the work is unmistakable, It not only endorses the ancient principles of astrology but also extends beyond by giving methods which are not to be found even in such celebrated books as Brihat Jataka.

The English translation presented herewith, as in the case of my other translations, is not word for word. It is more or less a summary of the stanzas as I have been able to understand, sometimes with the assistance of Pandits who are well acquainted with this work. It is possible my explantation may not render the intended meaning of the author. I can only crave the indulgence of my readers for any such short comings.

Though Punnasseri Neelakanta Sharma's Sanskrit text has been generally followed a manuscript traced at the Oriental Library, Madras, has also been made use of. Some verses in the former have been omitted and some in the latter included As earlier indicated the author of Prasna Marga appears to have been a scholar of exceptional merits not only in different aspects of astrology proper but also in such collateral subjects as omens and mantra sastra. Diagnosing from the horoscope the nature of disease and the" spirits" responsible, and prescription of remedies are an important aspect of Prasna Marga. Today some" men of science" may smile at the author's tracing different types of insaaity to "possession" by evil spirits. To rid the world of mental illness is surely the most ancient aspiration. In this our author is not alone. Some of the western thinkers have started believing in ghosts, possession etc., as causing abnormal behaviour as the various therapies employed by neuro surgeons cannot be the answer to a fight against insanity. It is on record that many persons suffering from such mental troubles (some of them seemingly incurable) have been helped by mantra sastra.

According to ancient thought, whatever be the modern jargon - schizophrenia, catatonia, dissociation, paranoia, reactive and endogenous depression, melancholia, maniac depressive psychosis-insanity is caused nit only by organic factors but also by 'spirits' or disincarnate beings. All the modern medical magic has not been found enough to cure insanity. Hence the ancient teachings cannot be Ignored as cut of date.

The first part has 16 chapters and the total number of slokas is 1283. I shall deal briefly with the contents.

Chapter One begins with an introduction to Astrology, its branches, and who may study the science with success. The author tells us what type of karma is indicated by the birth-chart and Prasna chart under different circumstances.

How an astrologer should begin his day by prayer and what all he should note in any person" ho approaches him with a problem forms the crux of Chapter Two. The directions indicated by differentsigns and use of Arudha Lagna are explained. Answers are to be given according to Sutra, Thrisphuta, Ashtamangala and Suvarnavastha. Muhurtas, favourable and unfavourable for queries, are also mentioned. It also shows how omens, breath-variations and avastha or the mental state of the astrologer are used in answering queries. Sparsa or the part of the body touched by a querent comes in for discussion. The persons or objects encountered on the way to an astrologer, through direction, the first syllable uttered, the way he stands, or the object with him are all dealt with in this chapter. Facial expressions and the sight of certain creatures in interpreting prasna form the rest of the chapter.

Kala Hora and tbe significance of the different quarters (east, south-east, south, south-west, west, north-west, north and north-east) occupied by the Sun during his passage across the sky ; the indications of omens appearing in these quarters; are all discussed in Chapter 'Three.

CONTENTS