Category: Śubhārambha

There is another slide on drawing charts. You also need to study this and make a list of the spiritual practices discussed therein. It is important that you practice drawing the charts, even if you have a computer to do so. You MUST learn how to draw them correctly by habit
Drawing Charts Slides
Various MP3 Audio
A few MP3 files have been added for your benefit.
Spiritual
Sarbani Rath performed the Durga Puja and this is a recording of two very important parts of the Puja – the recitation of the navakshari mantra followed by Sri Chandi.
Chamunda Mantra

नक्षत्रपादैः राशिविचारः।
nakṣatrapādaiḥ rāśivicāraḥ |
Translation: The signs were created from the pada of the nakṣatra (constellations). Every nakṣatra has four pada each measuring 3°20’. The span of nakṣatra is 4×3°20’=13°20’. The span of a rāśi is 30°. Nine nakṣatra-pada join to create a rāśi 9×3°20’=30°. The important concept explained here is the power of mind over matter. The 360° nakṣatra-belt is called the bhā-chakra, and the zodiac is derived from this bhā-chakra of the nakṣatra. In other words, nakṣatra chakra is creator of the rāśi chakra. By implication, the mind which works through the nakṣatra chakra is superior

राशिनामानि। rāśināmāni |
मेषो वृषोऽथ मिथुनः कर्कटः सिंहकन्यके।
तुलाऽथ वृश्चको धन्वी मकरः कुंभमीनकौ॥
meṣo vṛṣo’tha mithunaḥ karkaṭaḥ siṁhakanyake |
tulā’tha vṛścako dhanvī makaraḥ kuṁbhamīnakau ||
Translation: Popular names of the Rashi are Meṣa (Aries), Vṛṣa (Taurus), Mithuna (Gemini), Karkaṭa (Cancer), Siṁha (Leo), Kanyā (Virgo), Tulā (Libra), Vṛścika (Scorpio), Dhanus (Sagittarius), Makara (Capricorn), Kumbha (Aquarius) and Mīna (Pisces)
Rāśi: Sun Signs
The word rāśi refers to a quantity of something, and is a measure of this quantity implying something tangible. It means a heap, mass or pile of anything. For example, dhana (wealth) rāśi can mean the quantum of wealth. It

om gurave namah
The time allocated for each topic is about 15 days and the dates indicated are the last date for the topic to be completed and assignment submitted. If you are late, please do not submit the assignment. Students will be graded on the basis of their assignments and tests. However, we have done away with the grading system and this removes the stress and makes the learning much more fun.

Please read the general instructions for online and contact classes
Discussions Forum
The Social Forum at Yahoo!Groups is for your gossip, chat, small notes and other

Concepts
Before we begin, we need to study a few sources to understand the importance of Maharṣi Parāśara. The first Lesson in this group was prepared for another course and the original word document is lost. I hope some of you can preserve these file for posterity. There is a nice description of the life and times of Parāśara.

Note: These Lessons were taught for the Brhaspati Jyotish Program and some of you may have alrady learnt them. I want to ensure that all students are on the same footing for this course. There are some more lessons in

In this lesson we learn about what is vedāñga jyotiṣa and its scope.
Vedāñga Jyotiṣa
Objective of the lesson is to know how big is this subject and to realize that jyotiṣa is as vast as the universe. Everything that is created finds its place in symbols and significations. Please take a printout of the slides and keep them with you while listening to this lecture so that you can make notes immediately as you go through the slides. Let me give you an example of a student who got into a detailed discussion with a pandit and later

Vāra & Vāreśa: Weekday
अथ सप्त वाराः। atha sapta vārāḥ |
Translation: We speak of the seven weekdays
आदित्यश्चन्द्रमा भौमो बुधश्चाथ बृहस्पतिः।
शुक्रः शनैश्चरश्चैव वाराः सप्त प्रकीर्तिताः॥
ādityaścandramā bhaumo budhaścātha bṛhaspatiḥ |
śukraḥ śanaiścaraścaiva vārāḥ sapta prakīrtitāḥ ||
Trasnlation: Sun (āditya), Moon (candramā), Mars (bhauma), Mercury (budha), Jupiter (bṛhaspati), Venus (śukra), Saturn (śaniścara) are the givers of the seven (sapta) weekdays (vāra). The weekdays are simply named after the planets by adding the suffix ‘vāra’ or ‘day’ after the name of the planet/lord.

Example: Ravi (Sun) + vāra (day) = Ravivāra or Sunday. In this manner all weekday names

Brhat Naksatra $7.53
God has decorated the heavens with constellations like pearls on dark steed. The light of the Sun hides them in the day, and all knowledge of them is divined in the darkens of the night’
…Maharishi Parasara, Rig-Veda
Although we will be giving some basic lessons on Nakṣatra, they cannot substitute the knowledge contained in this book. If you do not have your copy, get one now. It will help you to understand not only the basics of the nakṣatra, but also has many advanced concepts that will not be found in any other book on

Saṁvatsara Purusha
The lessons given in this part are extracts from a forthcoming book on Jyotiṣa by Sanjay Rath. You are not authorized to use this information for any purpose in any literature, course or paper. There will be some more lessons on this topic and will be covered in two months including one on Pañcāṅga: Five Limbs of Time.
VC#01: Saṁvatsara PDF document
Lesson VC#02: Tithi
This lesson should give you a very good understanding of Tithi, the sun-moon angle (actually angular difference). The material given here will not be found in any book available. There is a

Lesson#03: Language of Seers Part#1
Language of Vedas, Vedāñga Jyotiṣa, Śikṣā – The Language, Chandas – The Rhythm, Vyākaraṇa – Meaningful Word, Nirukta – The Root, Jyotiṣa – The Vision, Kalpa – The Karma
Language of Seers #01
Lesson#04: Language of Seers Part#2
Language of Jyotiṣa, Ṛtu – Season, Definitions, Yuga and Seasons, Weekdays, Vedāñga-ṛtu, Jyotiṣa = Grīṣma ṛtu, Season and Mood, Aśvamedha yajña, The Indologist View, Upadeśa, Dharma, Expansion of the dot, Expansion and contraction, Adding for Weekdays, Deriving the Weekday, Process of adding sounds, Method 1: Sthiti Chakra,(Sustenance), Method 2: Sṛṣṭi Chakra (Creation wheel)
Language of