Pranapada Lagna – 1 by Abhishekha
Article by Abhishekha, USA
Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra is undoubtedly the Bible of Vedic Astrology and followed by numerous jyotishis across the globe. As I had stated in some of my previous articles, the book has undergone modifications over ages and on that fact, I completely agree. In fact I am rather thankful that seers through various ages incorporated timeless jyotish methodologies in one book and presented it in a form that is now readily available.
However, it is a completely different story that the text is cryptic and just gives the rules without exposing the underlying principles. Deciphering those principles is the biggest challenge to the learners of this fabulous science.
Pranapada is one such area in the book that requires more explanation than that is readily available in the verses of Parasara’s classic.
In Graha-Guna-Swaroopa Adhyay [Chapter 3 in most BPHS editions], the text introduces Grahas and details on the Grahas. Nearing its end, the text introduces Upa-grahas and at the very end of the text, four verses [71 to 74] are present which exposes the reader to the concept of Pranapada. The injection of
Pranapada with Upa-grahas cannot be considered timely. It could have rather been introduced with Vishesha Lagna chapter. However, as will be detailed in this article, even that has a problem because Pranapada Lagna is very different from the other Vishesha Lagna’s even though there are some major areas of similarity between them.
Later on, the book introduces the result of Pranapada in various Bhavas from the Lagna in the Aprakasha-Graha-Phala Adhyay [Chapter 25 in most BPHS editions]
Let us visit these verses one by one. Transliteration is provided for each of the relevant verses. For the translation of the verses, I have used the translation by Pandit Sitaram Jha of Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra.
भांशपादसमैः प्राणैश्चराद्यर्कत्रिकोणभात्
उदयादिष्टकालान्तं यद्भं प्राणपदं हि तत् ७१
Bhamsa-pada-samau pranaishcharah-adhya-arka-trikona-bhat
Udya-ishtkal-antam yadbham pranapadam hi tat – 71
Bhamsa pada [360/4] is 90 Prana. That Lagna which rises in trines to the Sun placed in a Movable sign around the Zodiac from Sunrise to Birthtime at the rate of 90 Prana is called Pranapada Lagna.
स्वेष्टकालं पलीकृत्य तिथ्याप्नं भादिकं च यत्
चरागद्विभसंस्थेऽर्के भनौ युड् नवमे सुते ७२
Swe-Ishta-Kalam palikritya tithantanam bhadikam cha yat
Char-aga-dwibhasansthe-arke bhanau yung navame sute – 72
The difference between Birth time and Sunrise (also called Ishtagati) should be calculated in Vighatikas and then divided by 15.
If at the time of birth Sun is in a Movable Sign consider the same sign and longitude, if in a fixed sign, consider the 9th sign with the same longitude and if in a dual sign consider the 5th sign from it with the same longitude.
स्फुटं प्राणपदाख्यं तल्लग्नं झेयं द्विजोत्तम
लग्नाद् द्विकोणे तुर्ये च राज्ये प्राणपदं तदा ७३
Sphutam pranapadakhyam tatlagnam gyeyam dwijottama
Lagnad dwi- kone turye cha rajye pranapadam tada – 73
The resultant degrees obtained earlier should be added to get the Pranapada Lagna, O best of the twice born! From the Lagna, if Pranapada falls on the 2, 5, 9, 4, or 10 Bhavas then…
शुभं जन्म विजानीयात्तथैवैकादशेऽपि च
अन्यस्थाने स्थितं स्यात् तदा जन्माशुभं वदेत् ७४
Shubham janma vijaniyat tatha eva ekadashe api cha
Anya-sthane stitham cheta syatat tada janmashubham vadet – 74
Such a birth is considered auspicious. Also 11th House placement of Pranapada should also be considered for auspicious birth.
If Pranapada is placed in other Bhavas from Lagna, the birth is not considered auspicious.
The above verses are extremely cryptic and so we shall decipher them one by one. There is one empirical rule in all Vishesha Lagna studies. They are built on the model of Tropical Equinox of the Earth.
However, let us understand deeper the difference in model of Pranapada Lagna versus the other Vishesha Lagnas. All Vishesha Lagnas can fit into one simple [yeah!] equation –
Vishesha Lagna = Ishta Gati X Rate of Vishesha Lagna + Longitude of Sun
Since in the 21st century, we measure time in minutes and have gone away from the observable measurements in nature, I shall make calculations simple for everyone using minutes and the modern clock. Just as a side note, the Vishesha Lagna time units were all observable natural time units and if we ever come to a day when we have to live without electricity, we may find those units of time coming back to us.
Rate of Vishesha Lagna holds the most important key in naming the Vishesha Lagna. Hora Lagna is named so because the Lagna moves at a rate of 1 rasi per hora. Ghatika Lagna is named so because it moves at a rate of 1 rasi per ghatika. Thus, Pranapada Lagna should be named so because it moves at a rate of 1 rasi per 90 Prana.
However, what is so special about 90 Prana?
Another striking difference between other Vishesha Lagnas and Pranapada Lagna is the correction of the Sun’s longitude. For Pranapada Lagna, Parasara specifically mentions to use the Sun’s longitude after a correction and the Sun’s sphuta should be in Chara Rasi.
Why use this correction of Sun’s longitude for Pranapada when for every other Vishesha Lagna Parasara asked us to use just Sun’s longitude?
The answer to both questions is related. They always are related, aren’t they?
Prana is a Unit of Time in ancient Times. 1 Prana = 1/360 of Ghatika= 4 seconds. This was said to be interval between blinking of eyes or the time period between inhaling and exhaling.
Now, 90 Prana is the denominator for the rate of movement of Pranapada Lagna. 90 Prana is 6 minutes.
What is so special about 6 minutes that the Pranapada moves at the rate of 1 rasi every 6 minutes?
To understand the answer to this question, we will have to study a little bit of human anatomy, specially a very interesting organ called the Heart.
The Heart Beat in a healthy adult is a range between 60 – 100 BPM [Beats per minute]. The average figure accepted as a norm is 72 BPM.
For Vishesha Lagna models, the ideal or average values are to be taken. Again the question may come out as to “Why” we are taking the average or ideal values for these calculations.
If in 1 minute, the heart beats 72 times, in 6 minutes, the heart will beat 432 times.
This number 432 is a very interesting number.
A person is considered living till his brain functions. During the days when beheading was popular, even after the head was cut from the body, the person’s head was alive for a few seconds before it died out.
The human brain contains 10 billion nerve cells or neurons. The blood from the heart is pumped into the brain 432 times in 6 minutes and it reaches every cell.
The highest chakra in the body is on the top of the head and is called Sahasra-ra. It is depicted by 1000 petalled or 10,000 petalled lotus.
What happens in 6 minutes is that the brain is fed 432 times and each of tens of thousands of the nerves is fed so that they are alive.
432 X 1000 = 432, 000
432 X 10,000 = 4,320, 000
432 X 10, 000, 000, 000 = 4, 320, 000, 000, 000
Kali Yuga has 432, 000 years [human]
A Maha Yuga [comprising of a set of 4 yugas – Kali, Dwapara, Treta, Satya] has 4,320, 000 years
A Maha Yuga cannot begin in any other sign than a Chara Rasi or Movable Sign. This is because of the precision of the equinoxes and the calendar system used by the Vedic seers.
This is philosophically explained by some by saying that Chara Rasis are Brahma Rasis as they show creation but the fact is that Vedic Calendar specifically mentions the dates of the beginning of every Yuga and it always begins in a Chara Rasi.
In fact this very fact is used to mark the beginning of Kali Yuga as 18th Feb 3102 BCE. This is also used a basis of arguments on the debates on Ayanamsa.
So, what Parasara was trying to say is that every 6 minutes, the Prana [Heart beat] lives a Yuga [caters to multiples of 432,000 cells in the brain] which makes the person create like Brahma.
This is the very reason why the Chara Rasi rectification is required from the longitude of the Sun.
An earnest request to learners
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a logical explanation to each and every line of Parasara which is strongly connected to science. Today, there is too much emphasis on religion in the jyotish world but we are moving away from the great science the sages wrote for us to decipher. You need not be religious to study the science of jyotish, but you need to be truthful – truthful to yourself and to others. If you worship Truth, jyotish will open its arms to you.
Be open, Be wise and Be kind!
About Author: He was introduced to jyotish by his Kulguru at the age of eight. After the initial trigger early in life, he has pursued the study of jyotish with utmost passion ever since. He writes with the pen name Abhishekha and is the Editor/Publisher of AIAC Times, Chicago.
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