Karma Rebirth and Jyotish by O D Mande

In the Rasi chart, the ascendant lord and Atmakarak Moon are placed in the ascendant, hemmed between Saturn and Rahu, the former indicating people’s aspiration for independence and the latter, British rule. The ascendant,  Moon, and Sun are in sarpa dreshkan. In the shastyamsa chart,  Atmakarak  Moon is vargottam and under the influence of Rahu and Saturn which confirms Jawahar Lal Nehru’s karma inherited from the previous birth. In the Rasi chart, the lord of Arudh Lagna is Mars (power) whereas that of Ghati– Lagna is Venus conjunct with Mercury–a prominent position in the field of literature.

The ninth lord is Jupiter conjunct with Ketu implying a soft but tactful Dharma (policy) and their placements in the sixth house indicate a non-violent form of protest (freedom struggle) as preached by his mentor Mahatma Gandhi.  He followed the same policy as the Prime Minister of India,  particularly the foreign policy of maintaining good relations with neighboring countries as well as both superpowers USA and USSR, who were very inimical in those days. During his tenure (1947-1964)  Five Year Plans for India’s economic growth were launched and a number of new projects for India’s development viz Steel Plants, large dams like Bhakra, Hirakud, Nagarjuna Sagar, etc. for irrigation and power, new engineering/medical colleges were taken up.

As mentioned earlier he looked at neighboring countries as friends and believed that they too would look at India as a friend. The slogan “ Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai” (Indians and Chinese are like brothers) was very popular in those days. However, this belief was shattered by the most unexpected Chinese aggression in October 1962. India’s defense forces were unprepared for that surprise attack and faced a humiliating defeat. Nehru and his cabinet colleagues had to face the ire of the public and politicians. V K. Krishna Menon, then Defense Minister, bore the brunt and resigned. All this had a debilitating effect on Nehru. 

His health deteriorated and he passed away on May 27, 1964.  Nevertheless, the debacle of 1962  did serve as a wake–up call for  India’s defense preparedness. The defense sector was strengthened as a top priority.  This was proved with India’s victory in the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and again in 1971.

In the Shastyamsa (which shows past karma) the ascendant is  Pisces( Kubera shastyamsa) aspected by Rahu ( Aardra shastyamsa).  Atmakarak Moon is in ( Maheswara shastyamsa –great lord) but conjoined with Rahu ( British rule) placed in the house of power, indicating the plight of Bahadur Shah Zafar ( 1775-1862),  the namesake  Mughal  Emperor whose rule did not extend beyond the Red Fort. The placement of Arudh Lagna and its lord Jupiter in the fourth house is fine but  Ghati Lagna  (power and authority)  in the 12^th house shows that he wielded hardly any power. However, GL is aspected by Mercury and Venus being in trine with Mercury, making Zafar a poet of high standing. Atmakarak  Moon has the aspect of Saturn ( Brahma shastyamsa) and argala of Mars (Vish–dagdha shastyamsa) indicating. People’s aspiration for freedom from British rule,  even if violence becomes unavoidable. The Badshah himself must have nurtured a longing to become a sovereign Emperor but was unable to fulfill it with his limited might.  So, when the mutineers of 1857 requested him to give his leadership to the struggle,  he might have been tempted to give his consent in that hope though he was 82 at that time.

At the mutineers’ request, he issued a Shahi  Firman  (Emperor’s decree) on 12 May 1857 exhorting Hindus and Muslims to join the revolt against the British. During the initial few months, the mutineers had the upper hand but in due course, the tables were turned.  When the victory of the British became certain, Zafar and his close relations hid themselves at the Humayun Tomb.  But they were compelled to surrender on 20^th Sept 1857.

The next day his both sons were executed at the Khooni Darwaja near Delhi Gate.  Later on,  after a show of trial  Zafar was exiled to Rangoon, Burma ( now Yangoon,  Myanmar)  in 1858 with his wife and some family members. He died there on 7^th Sept 1862. His wish to see India liberated from British rule and become her sovereign Emperor remained unfulfilled in his lifetime.

That is why Nehru was very eager to become and did manage to become Prime Minister despite the Congress Working Committee’s full support to Sardar Patel  Zafar was a person of sober temperament and a scholar. He was a noted poet and wrote many ghazals. His court was home to Urdu writers of high standing like Ghalib, Dagh, Mumin, and Zauq.  Nehru too, was a soft-natured person and a gifted writer. Whenever one thinks of him as a writer,  his masterpiece work  ‘Discovery of India’ comes to one’s mind.