VEDIC STUDIES – 27 NAKSHATRAS: VEDIC MOON SIGNS

JULIAN SOLAR CALENDAR
Western astrology is the result of ancient wisdom traveling from India through the Far East to Greece. Just as you whisper a secret into your friend’s ear, and he tells it to a friend, and he tells it as a friend, the original message is distorted and often the core meaning is lost.

The West adopted the Julian calendar created by Julius Caesar during the Greek renaissance in 2011 a few years ago. This time period and calendar is also the basis of Western astrology.

Much was lost in translation. Western astrology originated in Greece without the fundamental piece of astrology called the Nakshatras.

The Julian calendar is based on the sun and focuses on the Sun, which moves in degrees per day, one solar day. Every month, or 30 days, the sun moves through a rashi/sign.

VEDIC LUNAR CALENDAR
The Vedic measurement of time is based on the movement of the Moon. The sidereal lunar Vedic system is at least 10,000 years older than the western Julian calendar system. Our ancient ancestors knew very well the celestial movements of the luminaries (planets).

Behind the mythology of Astrology lie the pure sciences of astronomy and mathematics.

The Moon moves 13 degrees and 20 min per day.

Sidereal time, or real star, measures movement against the backdrop of fixed constellations. 13.20 minutes is a lunar day.

Each lunar day is called a Nakshatra.

There are 27 nakshatras in the moon revolution every month.

Nakshatras form the basis of Vedic astrology.

Think of them as the primordial level of the zodiac within which we find the deepest connections of much older ancestral knowledge.

For the Western astrologer this information is completely missing. For a Western astrologer moving towards Eastern astrology, this information opens up a whole new world and depth of interpretation.

The nakshatras are the finest setting of astrological knowledge and are widely used to measure time.

CHANDRA

The Sanskrit name for the moon is Chandra. Jyotisha is a moon-based system that calibrates energy in a finely perceptive way. The Moon rules the mind and Manas: perception. How the mind perceives reality is basically how one’s life unfolds.

PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING

If we want our outer environment to change, we must first change our inner environment. This refers to manas. Our earthly celestial locale is the Milky Way. Just as you pass the same views of nature when you travel on your commute from home to work each day, we get our celestial nature views as we travel around the ecliptic each day.

The views are lights that we call stars. The fixed stars along our ecliptic path make up the constellations we know and love. As westerners, we’re just getting the story behind the constellations. India has inherently lived with this knowledge since the beginning of recorded time. It is common for a child to be named after the sound of the nakshatra under which he was born. You would not ask for one’s sun sign, but for the lunar nakshatra of birth. Not just the moon; all your planets will fall into one of the 27 nakshatras.

VEDIC MYTH

The Vedas are rich in stories for us to understand the great history dating from the distant past of written records or even earthly time. What we have is probably a fraction of what exists; however, Chandra’s story is a bit sexy and naughty.

It is said that Daksha, the lord of creation, had 27 wives and spent one night with each of them. He would travel every day and reveal himself each night with a different consort. Each wife had a deity, symbol, motivation, direction, sound, etc. different, different from the other. It was noted that Daksha would spend a bit more time in the second Taurus nakshatra called Rohini. The moon is exalted in Rohini, at 3 degrees to be exact. Rohini’s characteristics are beauty, grace and wealth.

As with everything else on earth, we have the opposite point, which creates polarity. The opposite point to Rohini, is where he would spend the least amount of time. Opposite Rohini is Jyestha in the sign of Scorpio.

Jyestha is the eldest wife. The original wife who rules all the rest of the harem with the distinction that only time and experience can offer. The moon weakens at 3 degrees of Scorpio in Jyestha.

DEITIES AND SYMBOLS

Each nakshatra has one or more Gods or Goddesses associated with it. Understanding the ishtadevata goes a long way toward understanding the deeper meaning of each division. Herein lies the underlying foundation of Vedic knowledge! We will gradually deepen this knowledge, since it is laborious to memorize for the aspiring student of Astrology. Also, each of the 27 nakshatras has one or more symbols representing division. These symbols are usually animals as well as inanimate objects that describe the theme of the division.

QUALITIES

The nakshatras are used for the art of planning. Astrologers were the original creators of the calendars and gave advice on the best days to plant and harvest. Also, there are better times to travel, go into battle, start a marriage, start a business, or end a relationship. Life is full of activities, which require careful execution to be successful.

The Nakshatras help us align our human consciousness with the cosmos.

The nakshatras are further divided into the following:

Dhruva: fixed
Tikshna-daruna: terrible
ugra: proud
Ksipra: fast
Mrdu: cute
Mrdutikshna Sadharana: tender frightful

Face: temporary.

As Westerners, we often choose to ignore the harsher realities of life. Instead of facing difficulties head-on, we have become a nation of half-asleep, medicated fearful sheep. A more conscious way to approach reality is to admit that we live in this two-dimensional world, at least visibly, and to approach life in a more prepared way.

ACTIVATION OF KARMA AND DASAS

The nakshatras act like a clock that activates the karmas that are present in the signs.
Based on the nakshatra location of your moon at birth, the cosmic clock of your life will begin to click.
The concept of karma exists within Vedic thought. The nakshatra of your moon of birth plays a fundamental role in your karmic involvement. The interplay between the nakshatras and the signs in your chart is the eloquent mystical dance of the planetary Gods and Goddesses directing your own soul’s journey.

SUMMARY

Vedic astrology is a deep and intricate system of knowledge and wisdom. It is best to take one step at a time. As yoga is spreading across the West, and self-inquiry and spiritual essence are a centerpiece of Vedic philosophy, I think it’s time we got acquainted with the Nakshatras!