This man ate a human brain which is possible in throught his veiw,Maldevta is a popular picnic spot near Dehra Dun. Thirst overtook us while trekking to Maldevta and we decided to ask for some water at a small thatched hut about a eight hundred scrubby hundred yards from the canal we were following. A dusky, well built man wearing a skimpy loin cloth emerged from the dark interior of the hut. Why, of course, we could have water, he answered. He didn't have that much left, just a couple of glasses, as he'd just finished cooking, but we were most welcome to it. Was this his permanent residence, we asked him conversationally? Oh no, he had no fixed place of stay. There was a cremation ground just a stone's thrown away, and he'd built this hut as he had been waiting for a lawaris body (homeless person's body which is generally cremated by a philanthropic organization or trust). As luck would have it, after waiting for some three months, such a body had arrived just yesterday, and he'd been able, in exchange for a good luck charm, to obtain the head of the dead man. In fact, he'd almost run out of water as he had used most of it for cooking the dead man's brain with some rice. He brought out a blackened pot and showed us the contents. He'd already had one portion of it, and would have to space out eating the cooked brain and rice over the next three days. Repelled, chilled, yet curious, we asked him who he was.
He was an aghori, he said, and Calcutta was his birthplace. After early initiation when he was just nine years old into Tantric Kali worship, he'd moved into other deeper sadhnas (disciplines), but always, it was with the forces of the dark. The rules and demands of the search for power in which he was now engaged ordained that he had to eat at least one human brain annually.
Already, he had acquired the ability of divining the future. He could actually show us our future, in case we were interested. Why didn't we come in ? Fascinated yet afraid that at this isolated spot we might end up becoming his annual meal, we left somewhat hastily, forgetting all our lessons in politeness.
Over the next few days, I couldn't get the aghori out of my mind. When a brigadier and his wife came to seek a reading from the cards as they were in deep trouble with a court martial looming on the horizon, it gave me the opportunity to go back to the aghori, with the anxious brigadier and his wife in tow. After all, he had said he could show one the future. What better way of testing the claim ?
He was still there, at the peak of his powers, he informed us, as he'd recently consumed the human brain. This time, we entered his hut and our eyes soon became accustomed to the dimness. The aghori requested us to sit, and as we sat cross-legged on the earthern floor, placed a lota (container) of water before us. "Look into the water" he commanded. And in the water, we saw the brigadier, older, dressed in civilian clothes. After several sequences, we saw the brigadier with the Supreme Court clearly visible in the background, and he was wearing a dark blue suit and distributing sweets to a group of people who were with him.
Some months after this amazing incident, the brigadier wanted to take a friend to meet the aghori, but when we reached there we found the hut in a sad state : it was just a bundle of grass and straw and twigs strewn on the ground. Enquiries at the cremation ground revealed that the aghori had been driven away by irate residents of Raipur, a nearby suburb.
Seven years passed with only occasional meetings with the brigadier, who was no longer in active service and was fighting his case in the civil courts. One day I received a message from him. The Supreme Court was to give the verdict on his case. And when I went on the appointed day, apart from other settings, there, outside the imposing Supreme Court building, was the Brigadier, dressed in a dark blue suit, distributing sweets just as he had been seven years ago in the lota of water the cannibal aghori had placed before us.
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Ancient Science at Modern Universities
In response to an initiative to start astrology as a regular subject of study in the Indian universities, a lot of hue and cry has been raised by sundry groups as well as individuals claiming to be scientists or rationalists. The Indian English language press has shown its vulgar prejudice against astrology by highlighting the objections of the self-styled rationalists while refusing to publish the views of the scientific astrologers. Virtually all the critics of astrology happen to be those who have never studied astrology and are, therefore, unqualified to comment about this grand subject. Such lamentably unscientific attitude of the so-called educated class in India augurs ill for the Indian intellectuals. That they wait for an approval from the west in all matters of intellect only emphasises their state of deep intellectual slavery. The good news, however, for the believer in ancient Indian wisdom is that the west too has noticed merit in this wisdom and has started adopting it in a big way. Thus we see that even in Britain, there is a move to study the relevance of astrology. We do have an apprehension that if the principles of Vedic astrology are not judiciously applied in a given study, the results may not be convincing enough. But we do derive solace from the fact that the era of astrological thinking has arrived. Already in the USA, a great movement in favour of Vedic astrology has started. There are over five hundred established Vedic astrologers in the USA. Regular international astrological meets are organised there which are attended by astrologers from widely separated parts of the world. A new enthusiasm about Vedic astrology in the Western world is converting more and more practitioners of Western astrology to the more authentic Vedic astrology. While these developments take a more concrete shape, we do pray to the Lord Almighty to shear our unscientific scientists and pseudo-rationalists of their slavish overhang. – Editor
Is astrology a science?
This was a headline in one the leading dailies recently. The newspaper report went on to state that following India’s lead in the matter Britain too is contemplating the introduction of astrology as a mainstream subject at the university level. It is indeed likely and ironic that consequent upon such a development, those in the front ranks of the critics, having no basis of their own, desiring to be identified with the so called educated class under the influence of western culture and slavish overhang, with imported learning and natural ignorance of the rich Vedic heritage, will tend to temper down. Though the debate has been on since a long time now, however it has been brought to the forefront yet again as a result of a recent decision by the University Grants Commission of India (UGC) to introduce astrology as a mainstream subject in the universities in India, as Jyotir Vigyan, at graduate, post-graduate and doctoral level. The so-called independent print media too is apparently biased against for reasons best known to them. While the negative side put forward by the so-called eminent personalities of science is put forth, the rebuttal of the same by the members of the very same scientific community is not even acknowledged by the media. The irony of it all is that the so called scientists are only managing to express their ignorance of the subject and are going about doing so in as blatantly non-scientific manner as may be possible. Is there a possibility, howsoever remote that the ‘scientific’ community and may be the media too are feeling a wee bit threatened of being exposed?
As a result of all this I have been meaning to express my views on the matter. The catalyst was provided by a recent mail from a fellow astrologer Sarajit Poddar and some of the credit for the views in the article must go to him. Before going into the merits of the debate as to whether Astrology is a Science or not, we must understand what is science? How science is defined ...
A Brief Definition of Science
Science is a process of searching for fundamental and universal principles that govern causes and effects in the universe. The process itself is a method of building, testing, and connecting hypothetical models to describe, explain and predict the outcome. The method includes hypothesis, repeatable experiments and observations, and new hypothesis. The prime criterion in determining the usefulness of a model is the ease with which the model correctly makes predictions or explains phenomena.
Valid predictions/results are those that are verifiable by independent observers and whose causes and effects do not change in time and/or space. If forces cause accelerations today, we must assume that this was so a thousand years ago. The fundamental causes and effects that exist today existed in the past and will exist in the future, allowing us to understand and agree upon past events. If we do not share consistency of cause and effect, then it will be impossible to test all theories explaining past events and falsify them. The process will then cease to be a part of science.
Science as a process
Science is not a collection of facts and theories. The process by which we develop theories is science, not the theories themselves. The fact that objects accelerate on earth under the influence of gravity at 9.8m/s2 is not science. The theory from Newton that predicts objects accelerate at this rate is also not science. The process used to develop the theory is science.
Theories must be subject to falsification
There must be a way to prove the theory wrong. If we can’t prove it wrong, then it is not a scientific theory. This idea of a theory being subject to falsification is one of the most important aspects of science. The theory, “beyond Earth there is intelligent life in the universe,” may be true, but it is not a scientific theory since there is no way to prove it false.
Theories must be able to predict
All science theories must have some predictive nature. Even if a theory does not in itself make predictions, it does have consequences and can be used to make some sort of predictions. Einstein’s theory of relativity, which he developed in the early 1900s, predicted changes in the passage of time for objects travelling at extremely high speeds. Much later than the time of Einstein, we can now confirm that electronic watches carried on the space ships show altered timings when compared with the terrestrial watches. This is how the validity of a theory is confirmed. This is how a valid theory is able to predict or provide it.
It inspires more confidence when two independent theories confirm one another. Cosmic rays create new particles high in the upper atmosphere. It was noted that according to a theory of radioactive decay, particles should not be observed to hit the surface of the earth because the “half life” was too short. Observations showed that the particles did hit the earth. By using one of Einstein’s equations in relativity theory it was shown that time slowed down for the particles traveling toward earth. The theory matched experimental results and both the theory of relativity and the theory of radioactive decay were supported.
Experiments must be repeatable
It is not acceptable that only one person or only one group can obtain results that support the theory. Anyone using proper procedures must be able to achieve the same results.
Confidence in Theories
We have degrees of confidence in theories, sometimes very strong, but none is absolute. The more a theory has been used successfully in the past, and the more it seems to fit in with other theories, the more confidence scientists have in it. There are occasions when evidence seems to indicate a theory is false, but scientists do not abandon the theory immediately. However, if the negative data remain unexplained, the theory must be replaced. For example, scientists had a high degree of confidence in Newton’s theory (“law”) of gravitation. When Uranus’ orbit was seen to be different than predicted by Newton, the theory was abandoned right away. Scientists looked for other explanations for the orbit that would be consistent with Newton’s theory. They succeeded in finding the planet Neptune that meant Newton’s theory was still viable. If the new planet had not been found scientists would have had to discard or modify Newton’s theory. This did happen in the early 1900s when the orbit of Mercury could not be explained in terms of Newton’s theory. Newton’s theory was then replaced by Einstein’s theory of gravitation.
In a like manner, many theories in science have been replaced or modified, such as the ones dealing with the structure of the atom.
From the above article we might infer that no theory is an “absolute theory”. All the so-called scientific theories are the outcome of series of observations. From these observations when some kind of high correlation of occurrence of two subsequent events is found, causation is inferred from them i.e., the preceding event causing the succeeding event. However, can this correlation prove with certainty whether the theory about the causation is correct? No. Not until it is mathematically verified. However the limitations of the mathematical process itself must be acknowledged here. While we are subjecting some hypothesis to mathematical rigour, there might be instances when the mathematical proofs are not possible as it might require further advancement of the mathematical principles.
But this is something about what we call exact science such as Physics. However, if we take some science such as Biology or physiology, do we subject the theories to similar mathematical rigour? The answer is in the negative. There we try to explain the cause of some disease merely on the basis of statistical probability. Consider this, when all the doctors found the same germ Salmonella Typhi in the blood of all the patients suffering from Typhoid, they concluded that Typhoid is caused by Salmonella Typhi. This is nothing but an instance of high correlation between occurrence of two events viz., occurrence of Typhoid and finding of Salmonella Typhi in the blood of such patients. Leaving the non-exact science such as Biology and Psychology that are empirical, even the so-called exact sciences are vulnerable. This happens many times in the physical world. Some past theories couldn’t explain some events and henceforth the theory is modified. For instance, Einstein said that nothing in this universe could travel faster than light, which is no longer true. Einstein’s theory of quantum mechanics came into being only because Newton’s theory of mechanics failed to explain some events of time and space. Thus it is only a matter of time. Any theory that seems absolute for the time being may well be modified with new discoveries.
Any theory is said to be credible based on objectivity, repeatability and last but not the least, predictability of the experiments. Objectivity implies an unbiased observer and repeatability implies that the experiments, not necessarily restricted to a laboratory situation, should give the same results irrespective of who is conducting them including the collection of samples according statistical principles and their analysis. What is the use of a theory without predictive validity, i.e., the theory only explains past events and is unable to foretell what would happen next under certain specific circumstances.
Given the background above, the stage has been set to address the opening query, whether Jyotisha is a science. Applying the yardstick arrived at earlier, we observe that Jyotisha passes all the test criteria of validity for qualifying as a science. Like any other scientific theory, Jyotisha has similar attributes, namely repeatability and predictability. No matter, who sees the horoscope of an individual, the variation in the prediction by various qualified astrologers will be well within the tolerance limits as defined. There is no dispute to that.
Consider this: if physics/applied mechanics, etc., as a science accurately calculates the path of a rocket to be launched under certain conditions like a given atmospheric temperature, pressure, gravity, wind, etc., Jyotisha also is a science that can predict that a person having a trikona and a kendra lord together will have Rajayoga under specific conditions, which are a matter of detail. Leave aside individual predictions, at the mundane level no predictive tool in the area of conventional science, statistics, probability, etc., can match the arsenal of astrology. It may not be inappropriate here to mention that the author has an engineering background having a masters degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Having experimented with various theories including fuzzy logic, etc., the direction of the stock market movement could only be correctly predicted using astrology. The outcome of the recent US Presidential election drama was correctly forecast including the various unusual scenarios, again on the basis of astrology. However, if the contention is that Jyotisha is not accurate in all the cases, the answer would be that neither is science. We do not need to scratch our heads on this one, recall the recent Indian GSLV launch failure. I am sure that the nation’s scientific community had used its entire might to ensure the success of the launch and yet it failed. The nation would have saved itself a large amount of money and the scientific community a lot of prestige if the timing of the recent launch of the Indian GSLV had been better selected using astrological principles, of course within the existing constraints. Detailed articles on all the subjects referred to hereinabove are available in the earlier issues of the Vedic Astrology and can also be referred to at our website www.VedicAstro.com
Let us not forget that we have passed through two centuries of British rule, preceded by many more centuries of Mughal rule. During this period astrology was consciously and willfully put down by the rulers. The populace at large was encouraged and rewarded to dissociate from astrology. Those who expressed their support for astrology were scoffed upon and subjected to harassment. A lot of valuable literature and ancient scriptures have been damaged and destroyed, lost perhaps for all times to come. In the process astrology as a subject has suffered. Further as a result of the circumstances the principles enunciated by the ancient sages are not understood completely and interpreted properly, and the specific conditions, etc., under which those principles could be applied
are to be rediscovered. I suspect that a large part of the current day criticism emanates from the slavish overhang on the psyche and the remaining out of ignorance of the rich traditional heritage. We have never encountered criticism of astrology from anyone who has actually studied the subject and then alone found it to be irrelevant.
The author has maintained a consistent view that the independence won in 1947 was merely political. Subsequent to 1947 we as a people of India have not been able to come to terms with our identity and the centuries of alien domination has left a distinct mark on the psyche of the nation that is proving hard to undermine and erase from our memories. Understandably so since the period of domination extended to several centuries. As mentioned earlier in my articles on the stock market the economic and financial independence is round the corner, perhaps the time for intellectual, spiritual, religious and cultural independence has arrived too. Times are changing fast and developments appear favourable for emergence of independence in thought and action. Permit me to mention a laudable act on the part of our illustrious judiciary. A writ petition was filed in the Honourable Supreme Court of India against the introduction of Jyotir Vigyan (Vedic astrology), Sanskrit, etc., in the universities by one of the leading societies normally espousing the cause affecting the common man. You will be glad to know that the Honourable Supreme Court expressed its unwillingness to entertain the matter.
Coming back to the topic at hand, it is but an inevitable conclusion that the impression about Jyotisha not being a science is nothing but prejudice of so- called 'rational minded scientists,' who are compelled to comment on subjects beyond their domain thereby exposing their limitation and non-scientific approach. It is little wonder that the progress in the conventional scientific spheres is not what it should be. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Honourable Minister for HRD Mr. Murali Manohar Joshi, the HRD ministry and the UGC on the initiative to introduce astrology as a regular mainstream subject in the universities. Hence the answer to the opening query is a resounding YES.
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A Jinn with a Dream
Till he was almost fifty four, Ram Chariter lived a contented life in a small village in Bihar. He wasn’t rich, but he had enough fields to feed his family of seven: two aged parents, a wife whom he loved dearly, and three sons. They had cattle too, and they never had reason to complain that God or life had not been good to them. The sons were obedient, and did as Ram Chariter had envisaged. Equipped with a school education, they got jobs in the city, which was a milestone in the family. Nobody before them had ever been able to get a job in a town or city. Ram Chariter and his wife waited impatiently every week for the postman to arrive and bring them news from their beloved sons. Soon, they began thinking of the time the sons would be married.
We have only one hut, they reasoned, so we must prepare separate huts for our sons and their wives. It gave Ram Chariter something new he could take up. He collected stones, he collected timber, but the bricks he found were too expensive. I’ll make and fire them myself, he decided, and that’s when his life changed most unexpectedly. Dusk was falling, as he lined up the brick moulds, when suddenly he felt a weight descend on his back and felt somebody breathing down his neck. A thick guttural voice informed him that the hut he was thinking of building wasn’t good enough. He must go to town and earn money for it and he must leave the village before the day on the full moon.
Ram Chariter was terrified, but still managed to stutter and ask questions. He learnt that he was dealing with a jinn, who had been a human in this very village many centuries ago. Unfulfilled desires which death hadn’t been able to snuff out remained with him and over time, he took the shape of a jinn. But he had now got tired of floating around on earth. The only way he could break away from earth was through fulfillment on the strongest desire he had possessed in his life time, and that happened to be the same as Ram Chariter’s, to build a good hut.
Ram Chariter found over the next few days that getting out of the clutches of a determined jinn was not an easy matter. At an age when most people retire, Ram Chariter found himself beginning a new career in a city, as a night watchman, all because he had to earn enough to build the kind of hut a jinn wanted. “People ask me why I want to work at this age,” he told me, “but if I tell them it’s because of a jinn who wants a hut, nobody will believe me.”
It took Ram Chariter almost two years of work in Delhi to collect the amount of money needed to build the kind of hut the jinn wanted. He left the security agency he was working at and returned to his village, but was back within a month. The jinn was more demanding than before, and wanted a cemented roof for the hut instead of a plain wood and thatch one.
Once again, Ram Chariter collected the money, and once again he returned to the village, and once again he rejoined the security agency. This time, the jinn wanted a water pipeline instead of a simple handpump or well. The jinn also wanted an elaborate fencing around the hut. Ram Chariter was irked, but each time he consoled himself with the thought that in the end, it would be one of his sons who would get a swanky hut to live in. At last, there came a day when the jinn was satisfied that the hut which had been constructed was his passport to the next world. Ram Chariter and his wife rejoiced. But that was six months ago. Now, they are desperately trying to re-establish contact with the jinn who has departed, because they find that they cannot occupy the hut. They fall ill the moment they enter it and feel so restless in any case that it is not worth staying there.
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Lessons in Palmistry
Assessing a man's destiny from his palm is an age old technique. Its proponents hold that this knowledge is a highly useful, scientific tool that must be employed, along with other such exalted subjects as astrology, to analyse the strengths and vulnerabilities of a native. Vinay Aditya is one such proponent who holds that, as far as possible, a horoscopic analysis must be accompanied with a study of the hand. While in Germany for a few months last year, he used his prificiency in Palmistry in good measure. He has agreed to write on this subject here for the benefit of the readers of the Vedic Astrology. – Editor
“That there is so much information in the hand will be a surprise to many, and when it is seen how logical, rational and even common place, hand reading is, perhaps it will then be taken out of the occult class to which it distinctly does not belong, and placed among the other rational means at the service of mankind, whereby they may be enabled to gain a better knowledge of themselves.” We cannot find better words than the ones given above by William G. Benham, to introduce the subject of Palmistry. Those who do not want to make use of this ‘information’ in the name of pseudo-scientism are nothing but a blinkered lot. The vidya of palmistry is ancient and was a part of Samudrik Shastra that dealt with signs and marks on the human body and palm. We refrain from calling it a ‘science’, lest the heckles of the so-called scientists are raised, till the time they evolve to the level of understanding and appreciating it. However, the common man can continue to derive benefits from this vidya.
One of the best names known to the lovers of palmistry is that of ‘Cheiro’ who has most reverentially referred to seeing an old manuscript in India that contained the meanings of markings on the palm. Cheiro, the most prolific writer on the subject, was also a very successful practitioner of this vidya, but his success could not have been so stupendous if he restricted himself to the use of knowledge that he revealed in his own books. He certainly used in his practice the secret knowledge on palmistry that he acquired in India.
In the modern times, a study of palmistry can be very useful at least in the following major areas:
1. To understand the basic character and aptitude of the self and the others. Thus one can work towards removing one’s character-flaws. The hand would indicate if a certain flaw has been overcome.
2. To offer career-counselling by understanding one’s nature, temperament and aptitudes.
3. The same knowledge can be used to reduce costly errors in recruitment-exercises.
4. Pre-warning for imminent diseases or pre-disposition to certain diseases. The palm would show a disease much before it manifests on the body – thus it allows for a preventive treatment resulting in avoiding the disease completely.
5. Psychotherapy : This is one big area where palmistry can be most effectively used. The number of couch-hours saved in diagnosing the problem can be invested in actual treatment. We would like to propose that study of palmistry should be made mandatory for all doctors and psychotherapists, for infallible clues available from the palm are difficult to come by through any other means or tests.
6. Predicting success in business or profession, extent and timing of it.
7. Compatibility, specially in marriage. Differences in sexual appetite and behaviour are the root cause of many marriages failing. It is not difficult to assess such differences from the palms of the couple.
Accupuncture, accupressure and reflexology are subjects much better accepted today than a decade ago. They make use of meridians in the body that the modern science does not understand, yet it acknowledges its efficacy. Accepting validity of principles of hand reading is but one step further. The fact that markings on the palm have specific meanings is analogous to having meridians or chakras (as per Patanjali Yoga Sutra) in the body. One hopes and would like to encourage the modern scientists to take up the study of these subjects and ‘prove’ them the way they would want to prove to their satisfaction that these things are scientific. Till then we can continue to study these things for the benefit of mankind.
It was a medical man who first wrote, “Hand and brain are physiologically connected”. In fact, as compared to any other part of the body, it is the palm that receives maximum number of nerves from the brain. Lines on the palm are formed by brain cells acting through the blood vessels and nerves. According to Benham, “Never was there a hand that did not exactly reflect the brain that directs it.” Just as no two brains are alike so are no two hands alike. The ridges on the thumb are so unique that they are considered a better reference for identification of a person than his signatures. While the criminologists have developed the science of ‘finger-prints’ to a great art, they have ignored the rest of the palm — though, as a logical extension, the whole will give more information than the part.
The palm is a highly evolved organ of the body and is capable of expressing feelings and thoughts by gestures and writing. The markings on the palm. however, are a different ball game. Our growing understanding of the genetics is now opening new vistas in hand- analysis. The palmists have aways known that the hands in a family have remarkable similarities more often than not.
The hand analysis is generally divided into two parts — Cheirognomy and Cheiromancy, a proper understanding of both is necessary to arrive at competent hand analysis. Cheirognomy is the traditional name given to the study of the mounts; Cheiromancy is the study of lines on the hand. A student of palmistry must not harbour the notion that palmistry is only the study of lines on the hand — a very popular misconception in the minds of lay-persons. Infact, the student must prepare a chart in front of him enlisting all the parameters of hand analysis, so that he does not miss out on any of them. They are all equally important, e.g., a line cannot be considered more important than the mount. It is the combination of all the parameters that gives the accurate analysis:
1. Type of hand
2. Palm in relation to fingers
3. Fingers
4. Thumb
5. Mounts
6. Lines
7. Nails and hair
8. Ridges
9. Special signs
10. Abnormality or special features.
We will take up the study of each one of these parameters one by one not necessarily in the same order as in the list given above.
TYPES OF HANDS
Different authors have described and categorised the type of hand differently. The correct understanding can be had only by imbibing the spirit behind each system. None of them are wrong; it is just a matter of how one begins to unfold the subject.
A. Standard Classification
1. Elementary Hand: It denotes lowest type of mentality. Its appearance
is coarse and clumsy. It has large, thick, hea-vy palm short fingers and short nails, very few lines on the palm. Such people have very little mental capacity but they have brute force. They have very little control over their passions. They generally have short and thick thumb with the upper part heavy and full. Such people can be violent in temper and passionate in a coarse manner. They behave more by instinct than by reason.
2. Square Hand: It denotes the prac-tical, the useful and the regu-
lar personality. Better speci-mens amongst them are very orderly, punc-tual and precise. They con-form to custom, are disciplined and law-abiding. Such people have nearly square palms and square finger tips. They are generally materialistic in nature. The square hand undergoes major modifications in its implications depending on the nature of fingers and the head line.
3. Spatulate Hand: It denotes a personality that is restless, exci-table and full
of energy with purpose and enthusiasm. It derives its name from the word ‘spatula’, an implement that chemists use to mix two medicines or two chemicals. These people are generally creative, inventive and have a marked individuality. They are generally ahead of their times.
4. Philosophic Hand: The people belonging to this type are analytical and philosophic in nature. The shape of the hand is gene-rally long and angular with bony fingers, developed joints and long nails. As opposed to being practical or materialistic they are thoughtful people. They study mankind and the issues that confront mankind. Many of them become mystics and yogis.
5. Conic Hand: The main characteristics of this type of hand are impulse and ins-tinct as opposed to practicality and rationality. The conic hand is generally me-dium sized, the palm slightly tapering upwards, fingers full at the base and conic at the tip. Such people are usually artistic in nature – but more of consumers of art than creators of art, of any kind. They fall for luxury easily and have enough indolence to prevent them from converting their intentions into actions. They are generally generous, sympathetic but selfish. Impetuosity in word and deed is a common feature of their personality.
6. Psychic Hand: What is considered beautiful, artistic or feminine hand, in popular perception, is this type. In
its formation it is long, narrow and fragile looking with slender, tapering fingers and long nails. In its pure form it is most rare but when you do find it you immediately recognise it. It is not a very fortu-nate type since
in this age and
time their char-
acteristics are
ardly sought after.
These people have a visionary and idealistic nature and appreciate beauty in every form. They are quiet and gentle and pure-hearted. They often make good psychic ‘mediums’ and have very good intuitive powers.
7. Mixed Hand: As its name implies, it has a mix-
ture of all the types, in varying degrees. It is the hand of ideas, of versatility and often changeabi-lity of purpose. With mixing of races down the ages, a very large number of people fall in this category.
B. Division of Hands According
to Basic Elements
Another type of classification of hand is in accordance with the elements of the 12 signs of zodiac, viz., Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Their characteristics are quite in accordance with the properties of the sun-signs they represent. One would do well to study the sun-sign descriptions by Linda Goodman or someone similar.
1. The Earth Hand: It has a square palm and short, thick fingers, generally square tipped. It is a practical hand that belongs to sensible and level-headed, down-to-earth people. They are hard working, have keen insight and can be a bit impatient with non-performers. Typically, the lines on the palm are few but well-marked and deep cut. Generally, the headline is straight but if it curves downwards, it can lend a very creative and imaginative mind to its owner. These people love outdoor activity and love to be close to nature, specially the mother earth. The zodiacal signs that this hand represents are: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
2. The Air Hand: This hand also has a nearly square palm but the distinguishing feature from the earth hand is that the fingers are rather long and supple, with rounded tip. These people are mentally very active; physically they may or may not be. A typical air hand will have an elegant hand with clear, well-defined fine lines, not as deep-cut as in Earth types. Communication is the key word for the Air type and many of them display vocal or literary talents. The media is full of such people.
Writing, journalism, translation and publishing are some key careers for the Air people. They learn to handle technological toys of every description, including computers and the latest programs, very quickly. The zodiacal signs they represent are: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
3. The Fiery Hand: It has a long palm with comparatively short fingers and square or spatulate tips and fine construction. These are lively, dynamic and enthusiastic people who are driven by thrills, challenges and excitement. They are generally extrovert people. The palm contains several well-defined, strong lines. The Fiery hand people take the lead in any group activity since they lead their lives with passion and zeal. These people make fine actors and strong performers. They must guard against accidents and disproportionately expansive urges. The zodiacal signs represented by this type are: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
4. The Water Hand: This hand has long palms and long fingers. These are the most sensitive people amongst all the types. They are intuitive and creative. Many of them are poets and musicians. These people are cultured and refined. The palm has a profusion of lines indicating a very emotional nature. Of the four type of hands, these are the least materialistic. Many of them possess heightened intuitive or psychic powers and find their way into psychological or spiritual careers. They are themselves vulnerable, often high strung and highly impressionable. The zodiacal signs they represent are: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
C. Division of Hands According
to Mounts on Hands
The third type of classification of hands as proposed by Benham is according to the predominant mount on the hand. Thus, the seven mounts on the palm create seven types of people possessing seven distinct characteristics. The mounts and their locations on the palm are as shown in the diagram.
The names associated with the mounts and the characteristics they represent are almost identical with the planets and their significations as used in Astrology.
The seven types of Hands thus are:
1. Jupiterian Hand 2. Saturnian Hand 3. Apollonian Hand (or Sun hand)
4. Mercurian Hand 5. Lunar Hand (or Moon hand) 6. Venusian Hand and
7. Martian Hand.
To understand the characteristics of mounts is of paramount importance in palmistry. These would be discussed
in the next lesson
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My Experiments with Palmistry in a Foreign Land
It was between June and October 2000 that Vinay Aditya, Associate Editor to the Vedic Astrology, happened to participate in the Expo 2000 at Hannover in Germany. He had several interesting experiences during his rather prolonged stay there even as we in India missed him. While his primary participation was to promote the Vedic astrology, it turned out, rather interestingly as well as unexpectedly, that he found palmistry as of greater help there. He seems to have learnt a lot from his German experience. Here he recounts some of his interesting encounters that might prove enlightening to our readers. – Editor

We were selected by India Trade Promotion Organisation, New Delhi, to participate in the Expo 2000 at Hannover, Germany. We were to promote and give a taste of Indian Astrology to the visitors of this five-month long international exhibition whose theme was ‘Human Being, Nature and Technology’. We were given a small stall to conduct our activities as a part of India Pavillion. There were 20 odd other ‘shops’ selling Indian handicrafts, jewellery, textiles and nick-nacks, quite like Delhi Haat.
We went there armed with the most sophisticated computer programmes of astrology with the notion that there would be a lot of interest in astrology amongst the Europeans and specially the Germans. We put up small posters to indicate that we were offering computerised Astrological reports, Prashna, Matching of Horoscopes, Muhurta, Varshaphala, etc. We tried to do this in as short yet as explanatory a manner as would drive home the idea. But it failed to create a longing in the hearts of the visitors to make use of these services. Most of these were so foreign to them that they did not appreciate the very idea behind them. They failed to understand how the methodology of Prashna could work or how some body other than the couple themselves could vouch for the compatibility in marriage. Our concepts of ‘gunas’ (which we called the Compatibility Index) or ‘Muhurta’ (which we called finding the most auspicious time to start a new venture) had few takers. In an exhibition it is possible to cater to a de-mand that has caught the fancy of the visitors but it is a quite a task to create demand where none exists.
Within a day we realized that we would not survive here on the staple diet of astrology alone. We have to invent something new to sell, and that too pretty fast, and it has to be in the line of astrology, something for which at least a little demand already exists. And we stumbled upon Palmistry. My colleague had been doing it ever since he was in the womb of his mother who herself has been an exceptionally gifted palmist. And I had stopped doing it ever since I found a wife through Palmistry. When I was a bachelor, a Chhaya Shastri in Bombay. Chhaya Shastri is apractitioner of a variation of ‘Prashna’ or Horary astrology who constructs the Prashna chart by measuring the shadow of the querist. He probably uses it to fix the lagna of the Prashna chart. He had told me that my wife would have a cross on her mount of Jupiter (which indicates happy married life). So, when I was looking for a bride, I would make sure to look at the palm of every prospective girl. The moment I found a girl matching the description given by the Chhaya Shastri I gave the much awaited nod to my family. As if the purpose of learning palmistry had been fulfilled, I practically stopped seeing the palms of people except when I would be recruiting fresh talent in my company. It was beyond my wildest imagination at that time that a day would come when I would have to resort to my favourite pastime (nay, a passionate and absorbing hobby of holding delicate hands of nubile young girls) for economic survival. As it turned out later, I saw a couple of thousand hands in five months, as against a fraction of this in the previous 33 years. What you learn in your youth, I realised, comes back to you spontaneously flying back on the wings of time. After the whole experience I took a vow never to do astrology alone; I must combine it with a good look at the palm too.
Insufficient interest in Astrology
While trying to find reasons behind lack of interest in astrology amongst the masses in Germany (and probably in the whole of Europe) several reasons surfaced.
• Performance of Wester Astrologers: The first and the foremost seemed to be a dismal performance of the western astrologers as a class (individual exceptions notwithstanding). The common man gets the taste of astrology through its practitioners. If his expectations are not fulfilled he loses interest in astrology. We found that an astrologer is more a target of ridicule there than respect. Our Indian experience had made us 'assume' that we would be accorded respect automatically because we were providing astrological services. That our assumption was false came to us as a painful revelation. Their argument was seemingly impenetrable that ‘If you can’t change the future what is the use of knowing the future; and if you can change the future then what is the use of taking the prediction’. Either way the astrological activity is good-for-nothing. Our counter arguments convinced but a few. The ones who had preconceived notions were harder nuts to crack, but crack we did.
• Attitude of the Church: For many centuries the church had got the state to ban the practice of astrology and palmistry. The church perceived that its authority would be undermined due to the growing influence of astrologers and palmists in around the 16th century. So, the teaching in the school was that these kinds of vidyas were unscientific, more like black magic and fit for consumption only by the weak minded. (Vidya means a body of knowledge which can be learnt and taught either through books or by a teacher. I am using this term to avoid a controversy that very often arises due to the use of the word ‘science’.) Any one found to be engaged in these activities was doing so illegally. The law abiding citizen thus would not like to be seen anywhere around an astrologer or a palmist irrespective of his personal inclinations.
• Scientific Attitude? Similarly, the scientific community would not like to be caught having a reading or consultation from an astrologer/palmist for fear of ridicule by the peer group – even if one had a genuine desire to test and explore the veracity of these vidyas. This reminded us of the Indian scientific community who scores hardly any better on this account than their European counterparts. They both equally shun the responsibility of providing proofs for these vidyas (science/art/craft). The astrologer/palmist does not have the wherewithal of providing a scientific explanation for his vidya; he can only successfully demonstrate that there is truth in his vidya and this he demonstrates time and again in the form of readings, consultations and predictions for his clients everyday. The burden of finding the ‘science’ behind everyday occurrences, whether in nature or in practice by individuals, must obviously fall on the shoulders of the scientists. But the scientific community has betrayed the most unscientific attitude towards these vidyas by rejecting them ‘without testing them’.
• Useful branches of Indian Astrologer: The western astrologer probably does not deliver any of the more ‘useful’ offshoots of astrology as does the Vedic astrologer. Only a few western astrologers practise Horary. Matching of horoscopes is done by a few on psychological lines; they have nothing as concrete as guna in matching.
They do not seem to be doing sufficient work on actual event-predictions because they have no system like dashas. All their work is focussed on transits which are never the primary causative factors for actual events. That transits are subordinate to dasha indications is a well-digested dictum for every Indian astrologer. Thus most of the work done by western astrologers confines to ever-flexible psychological pronouncements. This amounts to the condition of a hypochondriac who has every sickness that happens to have been mentioned in the book. This is not to say that no western astrologers have ever done any significant work in the realm of actual predictions. This is also not to say that majority of Vedic astrologers keep making unfailingly accurate predictions everyday. But the popular perception is always formed on the basis of consultations churned out by the majority of astrologers. My stress is on the more useful aspects of astrology mentioned above. Those aspects are missing from the arsenal of the western astrologers. Therefore, the common man in Europe does not find astrology or astrologers very useful for his day-to-day life or even during his exceptional circumstances.
• Faith in Karma: An Indian should be more tuned to belief in Karma because he has Gita’s teachings flowing through his blood from early childhood. Alas, it is not so. An average German/European has more belief in his power and ability to shape the destiny through his own efforts. The material advancements in their countries support their belief. Therefore, their disdain towards astrology is understandable.

Reasons apart, we turned to palmistry purely as a survival measure and began to enjoy it soon. Astrology was not foresaken completely; it formed only about 10% of the total activity.
Palm-Readings
As it turned out, Palm-readings were more readily accepted though there was no dearth of cynics, disbelievers and down right ridiculers. Yet the more open-minded people started trickling in. There were various reasons due to which they came. The most important can be broadly classified as:
1. For the sake of pure fun.
2. For the sake of curiosity, how it is done? Can it really be done? Is it not some magic?
3. Some real problems that would be gnawing at their hearts or haunting their minds and they would want to know what lay in store for them in future.
4. Some friend or colleague recommended that they must visit the Indian Palm-readers as they are something special.
5. The last but the foremost was 'When will I meet the love of my life?' or 'when will my big love come?' or 'Is my current love the love of my life?’
The fun lovers just wanted to have the experience of what it is like to have the palm read as they had no previous experience of it. Generally, they were suitably impressed and happy to have got it done. Their apprehensions turned out to be unfounded. One case comes to mind. A young American girl got her palm read and left money enough for 3 persons. A little later she came to say that we should see her friend’s palm but not tell him that we had been paid since the friend did not believe in all this. The friend refused to come despite her persuations. They came back again after an hour and this young man then got his palm read. He was amazed how we could tell so much from the palm. He disbelievingly accepted my explanation that it is a language that can be learnt by anyone. His scientific mind(?) had received a big jolt and he had gathered enough food for thought for a whole life-time. Atleast this is how he described his experience of the reading.
You know a lot of me!
Then there was this class of curious people. Many of them would just watch us doing the palm from outside the stall. They just stood fascinated watching that such a thing could be done. We were the subject of innumerable flashguns fired by such curious people. They would take the photo even if they did not know the person showing his/her palm.
After the reading many of them expressed their approval by a quaint remark, “You know a lot of me”. One such person came again after 10-12 days and asked for a repeat reading. I suggested that in 10-12 days there would have been no difference in his lines and, therefore, my reading would be the same. He told me that he wanted to ascertain if the other day I was not doing some magic, because that day I had told him something significant and he wanted to test whether I would tell him the same thing again. For a moment I was in a fix. It was nearly impossible to recall what I had told him 10 days back. Here was the question of protecting the honour of my science of palmistry. I searched hard for any abnormality or special thing in his hand and told him whatever I found. I was unsure whether I had repeated (covered) that one thing that he wanted to hear. To my utter relief (and I am sure his too) he confirmed that last time I had told him that he had had a legal hassel related to his love life (an influence line from lower mount of Mars was cutting the life line at the age of 34-35 and going towards the marriage line) at the age of 34 years and today I told him the same thing at the age of 35 years. Since the difference of 1 year was hardly material he congratulated me and promised to send a photograph of me which he had taken the last time. In a week’s time I received a letter of appreciation from him and a very crisp digital printout of my photo looking at the palm of a lady, his new conquest that earlier evening.
There were many amongst the curious who wanted to show their hands but did not want us to tell them anything bad. A very large number of people had this apprehension that if we told them about any tragic event in their future, how would they handle it. This was in direct contrast with the Indian clients who would insist that we told them everything as it is. Of course, a wise and compassionate palmist would never tell about tragic or strongly unfavourable things as it is because he has clients’ well being at the back of his mind. He also gets a fairly good idea of how well the client can take bad news by one look at the palm. Generally, a hard hand with straight head line will be able to get the useful message from the bad news and will be able to make efforts in the direction of averting the calamity. As opposed to this, a soft hand with drooping headline, pointed fingers and badly rayed mount of Moon has to be handled with care, bad news broken gently and remedial measures, if any, advised simultaneously.
I used to tell the client who forbade me from telling the bad news that he was paying for the full bottle of Coca Cola, drinking the half and throwing away the remaining half. Towards the end of the all-positive reading I would ask for the client's permission if now he/she was ready for the bad part. Most of them were in a state of reassurance by now and gave the permission for the bad news also. Actually, it is the bad news in which lies the useful aspect of palm-reading – the palmist’s advice. If everything is going great guns where is the need for any palm reading or advice?
A Typical German Hand
Having seen so many German hands, in such a short time, the picture of a typical German person was etched on our minds. As are the characteristics in the palms of its people so are the characteristics of a nation. With practice it had become possible for us to announce that even if a curtain was put between us and the client we would be able to pronounce whether we were seeing the hands of a German or a national of some other country. So typical is the hand of a typical German that we caught ourselves using the following words almost parrot-like: sincere, honest, ambitious, practical, hardworking, strong willed and well-disciplined. The palms had the features to warrant this type of reading – a well formed mount of Jupiter and the heart line commencing from it or sending an offshoot to it, square tips, head line nearly straight with a slight droop towards the end, semi hard hand and an unbending thumb. Another feature which could be considered as a 'constant' was present in majority of cases. It was a malformed heart line after the mid point. This indicated emotional unhappiness or stress after the age of 35 or 40 years. If one could generalise from these sample cases, it seemed as if the whole nation was suffering from emotional disturbances. Almost everyone was suffering from insecurities in his/her relationship. No one could say with any degree of confidence how long their present relationship would last. And that is why that was the oft-repeated question to us. It was understandable if a person would come alone and ask this question. But this question was asked even by husband-wife teams who came together – though there were few such teams. This question was an open admission in front of each other that they could be having some one else in their minds – otherwise why this question? On our reassuring them that there seemed to be good indications in the hand that they would stay together for a long time, they would express their happiness by planting a kiss on the lips of each other right in front of us.
Real Problems
The third category was of people who had some real problems at present and were looking for possible solutions or guidance in how to solve these problems. At one point of time we realized that our proficiency at palm reading would not suffice. A mere mention of a problem at present or in future does not help people. They are looking for solutions to their problems and guidance in that direction. And that is what is not given in the books on palmistry. It is only your own life-experience, your own special training or your own special interests that can help the situation.
There were all kinds of questions directed at us which had no direct answers in palmistry. My colleague had a degree in Business Management and I in Engineering. In these curricula none of what was taught to us came to our rescue. Even if our proficiency in Palmistry were ten times higher these questions would have remained unanswered if we did not make use of the techniques we had learnt from psychotherapeutics, meditation, management, or general readings in spirituality or self-development.
The techniques that were spontaneously developed and repeatedly used were mainly drawn from: Transactional Analysis (psychotherapeutics), Vipas-sana (meditation), seven Habits of Successful People by Steve Cauvey (management), seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Dr. Deepak Chopra (spiritual management), Wisdom of the New Millennium by Sri Sri Ravishankar (spiritual evolution). It would be difficult for me to place my finger on a specific source of inspiration for a specific answer as often times the guidance offered would be a mixture of several of them. These sources are any way known for their porous boundaries.
Health Problems
The clients who had specific health problems were advised a suitable remedy from Naturopathy or other alternative therapeutic systems. It came to us as a great surprise that homoeopathy was not such a popular therapy in the land of its birth as it is in India, even though the world imports its best medicines from Germany. We developed a technique to diagnose whether a client was predominantly Vaata type or Pitta or Kapha type by looking at the palm. I experimented with prescribing homoeopathic medicines such as Nux Vomica to Vaata type and Pulsatila to Pitta type because the description of Vaata imbalance matches exactly with the medicinal profile of Nux and of Pitta with Pulsatila. These medicines could work for the respective types as constitutional remedies — a concept unique to homoeopathy. We met with many cases of skin diseases. Some people reported back miraculous recoveries who had been recommended a wash with Neem-water — a harmless remedy practised in rural India. We recommended the use of emerald in the little finger, after a thorough appraisal of their horoscope, if afflicted Mercury was the planet causing their skin disease. This was prompted by a badly rayed mount of Mercury in the palm.
Simple remedies that are known to most Indians such as drinking 2-3 glasses of water in the early morning to cure constipation were reported back by some as miraculous. Bad digestion is detected easily by a badly broken line of hepatica and can be cured easily in its early stages by the above method or other naturopathic methods which have no adverse side effects. Of course we left the more complicated diseases to be handled by the well trained ayurveda experts, who were also present in the India pavillion. But unlike the physician, an astrologer or a palmist can detect a possible disease much before it manifests on the body and, therefore, a preventive regimen can be profitably prescribed.
Career Counselling
Palmistry can offer very sound advice on careers and many young men and women took advantage of that. I think personality traits and potential are more easily discernible from the palm than the horoscopic chart — at least to me. Since many people in Germany continue to study till late – even upto the age of 30 or 35 years (with intermittent breaks), what to study that will offer them a better professional success becomes a perennial question. We broke many a young heart by advising them that they should concentrate on their studies because they were not likely to become famous pop-stars. They neither had the proper Sun line nor an appropriate mount of the Moon. A strongly drooping headline with conic tips and soft hands would never give them the tenacity or perseverence so necessary to succeed in such a competitive line.
One young girl, exceptionally beautiful, was the first client one fine morning. She wanted me to guide her whether she should study medicine, psychotherapy or law. Her hand revealed that she was more beauty than brains. I took her permission to take a picture or two before giving the answer. In the process of taking her portraits I realized how photogenic she was and how powerful were her eyes. I advised her to take to modelling rather than the studies she was contemplating.
What was very surprising was that several young girls who had either passed the examinations for becoming doctors or were about to complete their courses themselves had very poor health – a very strongly criss-crossed hand, soft and delicate, islanded life line, depressed mounts of Mars, etc. Of course they had very good headlines indicating sharp minds. They had to be advised to avoid physical and mental stress so as not to fall prey to nervous breakdown because the basic vitality was low.
Psychotherapists
We saw the hands of many psychotherapists who were themselves in urgent need of therapy. Some of course were very good but the majority had serious problems in their own lives. They were vaguely aware of the benefits offerred by meditation specially by Vipassana. We extolled the virtues of meditation and told them what profound effect it had had on our lives and that they must try it not only for their own benefit but also for the benefit of their clients. One psychotherapist is coming to my mind whose head line was so defective that I was suspicious that he must be causing damage to his clients rather than offer them any improvement. On entering into a dialogue with him my suspicion got confirmed because he had a very poor practice and most of his clients did not return to him after a couple of sessions with him. His heartline was also full of islands indicating that he did not have emotional stability either.
Characters of an author
It was a matter of great delight to see the hands of many musicians, dancers and actors. To one person I told that he must be an author, a poet or a philosopher. He said he was an author. I said, “You are not writing on history, social sciences or articles based on facts; you must be writing fiction.” He said ‘yes’ and asked me, “Now that you have told a lot about my character, can you describe the characters I write?” Now this was like a second order equation in algebra, quite difficult to solve. The author had a strong imagination (bulging mount of Moon) but then so had I. The author had a strong mount of Jupiter and so had I. I told him that his characters, specially the hero, is an extremely idealistic man and would fight for the cause he stands for till the last drop of blood in his body. I had seen that this author was an idealistic man but compromised with his principles as he was also very comfort-loving. So, what he could not become in his real life he could project onto his characters and satisfy his fancies and idiosyncracies. I was dead right as the author confirmed my description of his hero. But he kept wondering aloud whether I was reading his hand or his novels or I must be having some supernatural powers.
Many other instances come to the mind. One notable case is of the actor who had come from Holland and his play was running at the Expo. He wanted me to tell him what roles he should choose so that he could turn in a powerful performance. He was advised that he should pick up high energy roles with sincere and profound dialogues because that went better with his own personality – high mount of upper Mars, strong mount of Mercury and a very good mount of Jupiter; good space between his lines of head and heart and the heart line starting from mount of Jupiter.
New Venture
Some people wanted an opinion on whether their new venture would succeed or not. To most of them we gave reassurance that they would succeed except to those in whose hands clear danger signals were visible or a special character flaw would not allow them to succeed. A good fate line if supported by a fine Sun line is a sure formula for success. But if the fate line in subsequent years had islands or breaks they were advised to make their moves rather cautiously. On the other hand, some people had plans and proposals but were hesitant to take the final step. They needed a little push to come out of their fear or complacency. There came a physics teacher who was a very fine man but was a bit too shy. He was being asked by the members of his village community to take on the responsibility of supervising the village welfare schemes. He was very hesitant. I told him to go ahead as this post could open the doors for his future evolution and influence. He had to be convinced that with his scientific and logical mind he could do a lot of good work for his community. He promised to give it a try in pursuit of his ideal of selfless social service. He had a good Sun line and a good head line besides many other supporting features in his hand.
Management Tip
There was this other lady who had inherited her father’s business but not his business acumen. She was very perplexed about how to make her staff work according to her plan. Now this should have been a question to a management guru and not to a palmist. But the question was asked with a confidence that we would be able to answer it easily. We had noticed that the lady had a bit of a headstrong character and did not think high enough of others in comparison to herself. Drawing upon our experience of dealing with our own workers we told her the game plan. “You should invite each worker to your cabin and explain the job. Then ask the worker to explain the plan how he/she is going to achieve the target.. Suggest at the appropriate time gently, how about doing it ‘this’ way. The worker can go back with the idea that the whole plan is his/her’s. Once the worker has the ownership of the plan he/she automatically takes the responsibility of making it work enthusiastically. It relieves you of the burden of constantly supervising or pushing them to work harder”.
There were many such hints that were offerred to various people which went beyond the confines of astrology or palmistry as such case.
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Significance of Gulika
Gulika holds a position of prime importance in the evaluation of a natal chart. Also called as Maandi, it, like Rahu and Ketu, has no physical existence. But it always makes a difference in the natal chart output. Gulika is generally considered the most malefic entity in a chart. According to the set standards of assessment of maleficence, it surpasses all natural malefics. Gulika enjoys a special status almost like an independent planet, and in astrological classics it is considered as a minor planet or subplanet.
In the traditional astrological practice, the Gulika-Kundali (a horoscopic chart, with houses reckoned from the position of Gulika) used to be an essential component of the Janma-patri (the scroll carrying the horoscopic details of a native, according to the traditional system of making horoscopes in India).
Gulika and Maandi
In Vedic astrology, Gulika and Maandi are considered synonymous although some people try to differentiate between them. Gulika denotes a certain segment of time controlled by Saturn. The word ‘Maandi’ is derived from Manda or sluggish, another name of Saturn. According to the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra :
ukekUrja rq rL;So ekfUnfjR;fHk/kh;rsAA
That is: Of the same (i.e., Gulika), another name is Maandi.
Fixing the Gulika
The position of Gulika is different for daytime (from sunrise to sunset) and night time (from sunset to
sunrise). The duration of the day or of the night (as the case may be) is divided into eight parts. The segment belonging to Saturn is known as Gulika. For daytime, the first segment (the first one-eighth of the night) belongs to the planetary lord of the weekday that falls fifth from the weekday under consideration. The subsequent segments belong similarly to other planets that rule the weekdays in natural order. The eighth part here too is without a lord. In each case the part belonging to Saturn is called as Gulika.
The Controversy
The segment of Saturn during the day or during the night would have some duration. Some people think that the ending moment of Saturn’s segment is the time to calculate the position of Gulika. They determine the ascendant for the ending moment of Saturn’s part; the cusp thus obtained is considered the ‘longitude’ of Gulika. However, the above-mentioned concept results from an erroneous nderstanding of the shloka from the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, which is as follows :
xqfydkjEHkdkys ;r~ LQqVa ;TtUedkfyde~A
xqfyda çksP;rs rLekr~ tkrdL; Qya onsr~AA
That is: The cusp of the sign rising at the beginning of the Gulika segment is considered as Gulika-from this the chart must be analysed.
There is a popular, but vague, method of finding out the Gulika. According to this, for a day of 30 Ghatis, the rising time for Gulika during the day, for the seven days from Sunday to Saturday, is at 26, 22, 18, 14, 10, 6 and 2 Ghatis from the time of sunrise. For night time, the order from Sunday onwards is 10, 6, 2, 22, 18 and 14 ghatis from sunset. This method is not accurate. The Prashna Marga, a south India treatise, also refers to the Gulika and Maandi being the same.
Results of Gulika
• Gulika in the first house most certainly reduces the good results of the chart. The impact is maximum in malevolence when the cusp of the lagna and the Gulika are close in degrees. This means that birth taking place at the commencement of the Gulika-kaala suffers the maximum affliction. In such a situation, the Raja-yogas or other benefic yogas lose their potence. The Phala-deepika states:
xqfydL; rq la;ksxks nks"kkUloZ=k fufnZ'ksr~A
That is: Determine all adverse results from Gulika’s association.
• When the nakshatra of the lagna and Gulika are mutually trinal, the basic benevolence of the lagna nakshatra lord (LNL) is lost. Nakshatras 1, 10 and 19 are mutually trinal.
• Gulika spoils the benefic significations of most of the houses by occupying them. Thus, all troubles ensue when Gulika occupies the lagna. In the second house, it curtails family comforts and financial savings. Poor social status results when Gulika occupies the fourth house. In the fifth, it leads to troubles from progeny. And so on.
• Of all the sub-planets, Gulika and Yamakantaka (the subplanet represented by Jupiter’s segment) surpass all others in maleficence and beneficance respectively.
• Only in houses 3, 6, 10 and 11 does Gulika generate benefical results. In the tenth house, however, it indicates delay in getting established
in a career.
• The good results of Gulika (from its placement in the above houses) are lost when the rashi and navamsha lords of Gulika are neecha (debilitated) or combust.
Gulika with Natural Karakas
The association of Gulika with a natural Karaka (significator) always destroys the good effects of that
Karaka. Classics hold the opinion that Gulika conjunct with the Sun creates lack of comforts for father, with the Moon it is bad for mother, and with Mars it is adverse for brother. When Gulika joins Mercury, the native becomes mentally disturbed. With Jupiter, the native becomes a hypocrite. Gulika with Venus brings troubles from women and ruins marital life. Association with Saturn leads to disease and skin disorder, with Rahu it leads to proneness to infection, and with Ketu fear from fire.
Gulika can alter the results of other planetary yogas in the chart. All good yogas are lost when the birth time and the Gulika-Kaala coincide together with another inauspicious factor like Mahapaata, Gandanta, Visha-Ghati, etc. (refer to our article: ‘Pitfalls in Astrology’, vide the Vedic Astrology Vol. 5, No. 3, May-June 2001 issue).
In Chart 1 (born on May 6, 1982; at 11:30 hours; in Nepal), the lagna is Karka (Cancer), at 23º06'. Gulika lagna is 2S11º54', associated with Rahu. The native is mentally retarded. A Mahapaata birth is also confirmed here.
A Special Rule
A point 180º from Gulika is also considered as acutely malefic in the natal chart. This point must be taken into consideration when the lethal potential of a planet is to be determined. This is better known as the Pramaana Gulika in Vedic astrology. The dispositor of Gulika or Pramaana Gulika may prove fatal during its dasha, etc., displacing the other maraka or killer planets.
Dashas and Transits
• The dasha periods of the dispositor of Gulika or its navamsha lord may prove hazardous.
Chart 2 (born on October 17, 1955; at 17:30 hours; at Pune) belongs to an erstwhile famous ?? actress, Smita Patil. Her lagna is Meena (Pisces) while Gulika occupies Makara (Capricorn) in the eleventh house. She died of meningitis in the Saturn-Mars period. Saturn is the rashi lord of Gulika while Mars is its navamsha lord.
• Gulika in houses 1, 5 or 9 authorises the lagna lord to disburse the maraka effect during its dasha.
• Trouble results during the dasha of a planet that happens to be an associate of Gulika in the rashi chart.
• Severe troubles are also likely during the dasha of any planet associating with Gulika in the navamsha or the dwadashamsha charts.
• Specially adverse results ensue during the dasha period, of Jupiter or Saturn when they associate with Gulika in the navamsha, or the dasha of the Sun when it associates with Gulika in the dwadashamsha, or that of the Moon associating with Gulika in the Trimamsha chart.
• The Pramaana Gulika deserves the same treatment as Gulika (vide supra).
• The transit of Saturn and Jupiter over the navamsha sign lord of Gulika, that of the Sun over the Dwadashamsha sign lord of Gulika, and that of the Moon over the Trimshamsha sign lord of Gulika, put the native in trouble. This is according to the Prashna Marga, which states:
eUnkseq"; uoka'kikfJrx`gs e`R;qçnk;h xq#&
HkkZuq}kZn'kHkkxikfJrx`gs f=a'kka'ki{ksZ 'k'khA
• All trikona (1, 5, 9) rashis should be considered in application of transits.
Gulika and Accidents
• Gulika is extremely important as an active killer in Vedic astrology. It is used in the judgement of longevity, along with dasha and transit.
• The lagna, the Moon and Gulika falling in Dwiswabha (dual) or
Sthira (fixed) signs prompt multiple ailments and fatality. In Chara (movable) signs, it leads to good health and long life.
• The lagna, the Moon and Gulika falling in mutual trikonas in the navamsha chart, particularly in rashis 4, 8 and 12 are fatal. Such a native is disease prone and accident prone. This is according to the following dictum of the Prashna Marga: sphnt
vU;ksU;a ;fn rs f=dks.kHkxrk Hkkxk egkjksxnkA
n`"Vk eksgdjk ;qrk ej.knk% dfdZf=dks.ks n`<+e~AA
Gulika and Longevity
For the calculation of longevity, the lagna, the Moon the Sun and Gulika are all important. A special rule for assessment of longevity involves using the cusp of the lagna and the longitudes of the Sun, the Moon and Gulika. This is as follows:
Lagna ´ 5 + Gulika = Prana Sphnt
Moon ´ 8 + Gulika = Deha Sphnt
Gulika ´ 7 + Sun = Mrityu Sphnt
When the sum of Prana and Deha is more then the Mrityu, the native is likely to live long. However, if Mirtyu is bigger than the Sun of Prana and Deha, a rudder end of life is indicated.
Chart 3 (born on November 19, 1917; at 23:11 hours IST; at Allahabad) belongs to the Late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Here, the lagna is 3S27º22', the Sun is 7S04º7', the Moon 9S05º35' and Gulika 1S29º23'.
The sum of Prana and Deha is 1S2º16' while Mrityu is 2S15º04'. The native met a tragic end.
• Although Gulika is favoured in the third house, it turns death-inflicting when joined by or aspected by Saturn.
• Gulika in the third with the Moon or receiving the full aspect of the Moon causes tuberculosis or other internal fatal disease.
Daily Results of Gulika
• Add the cusp of the lagna to the ‘longitude’ of Gulika. The month when the Sun transits the resultant sign leads to troubles and miseries.
• The most hazardous day is when the Moon transits the sign obtained from adding the longitude of the Moon to that of Gulika.
• Add the lagna, the Moon and Gulika. The resultant ‘rashi’ is to be considered fatal. The month, the day and the lagna indicated by the sum obtained above must be avoided in all major ventures.
In the example (chart 3) given above, Gulika is at 1S29º23'. This indicates Kanya (Virgo) navamsha, Mesha (Aries) Dwadashamsha and Vrishchika (Scorpio) Trimshamsha for Gulika. The native was shot dead on October 31, 1984 at around 10:00 hours IST, at Delhi (Chart 4). The ascendant is Vrishchika, with Saturn in Tula along with the Sun, Jupiter and Gulika are in Dhanu (Sagittarius). The Moon is in Makara (Capricorn) while the navamsha lagna is Meena (Pisces).
Adding the Moon and Gulika of the native of chart 3, we get Meena (Pisces). This is in time with the
rising lagna of chart 4 as well as with its navamsha lagna. The natal Gulika was in Mesha (Aries) Dwadashamsha (Chart 3). At the time of the fatal mishap, Jupiter and Gulika were in times of Mesha
(see chart 4).
Gulika and Progeny
• Gulika in the fifth house, particularly in rashis 3, 6, 10 and 11, leads to lack of children. In such a situation, the native is likely to have some defect in his generative organs.
• Gulika may ensure successful conception when: (i) Gulika and the Moon are in the same sign; (ii) Gulika is with the fifth lord; (iii) Gulika is aspected by the fifth lord; (iv) Gulika in the other sign of the fifth lord; (v) Navamsha lords of Gulika and the Moon are related mutually.
• A successful conception results when Jupiter transits the times of Gulika rashi or Gulika navamsha rashi. When Gulika is in any of the first six rashis (Mesha to Kanya), consider the transit of Jupiter
from the Gulika rashi. When it is in the last six signs (Tula to Meena), consider the transit from Gulika navamsha rashi.
Gulika in Special Lagnas
• Gulika in houses 1 or 7 in the Pada Lagna causes grey hair, ill health and serious disease of the stomach.
• When AK and Gulika occupy the Karkamsha lagna and both are aspected by the waxing Moon,
there ensue losses from repeated theft.
• The native dies of poisoning if Gulika in Karkamsha lagna is not aspected by any planet.
It may be noted that the same aspects, as applicable to the natal chart, are to be applied to all the special lagna charts like Karakamsha, Pada, Upa-pada, Navamsha, etc.
Raja-yoga from Gulika
The dispositor of Gulika, a its navamsha lord, placed in a kendra or trikona,
or in its own sign or in exaltation, mollifies the adverse effects of Gulika and gives yoga effects, though its lethal propensity (markatwa) would remain intact.
The Phaladeepika states:
xqfydHkouukFks dsUæxs ok f=dks.ks cfyfu
futx`gLFks LoksPpfe=fLFkrs okA
jFkxtrqjxk.kka uk;dks ekjrqy;ks
efgri`Fkq;'kk% L;kUesfnuhe.MysUæ%AA
That is: Let the Gulika be in a kendra, a trikona, or be strong, in its own house, or in exaltation or in a friendly house. A potent Raja-yoga results from this disposition.
In chart 3 (vide supra), Gulika is in the eleventh house. Its sign lord Venus is strong, in its own navamsha. The Gulika navamsha rashi lord in time shows a good and strong Raja-yoga.
In the horoscope of Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu (Chart 5, born on April 27, 1951; at 6:30 hours IST; at Hyderabad), the lagna is 0S22º16'. Gulika is 1S08º37'. Gulika rashi lord Venus and navamsha lord Jupiter, are in there own signs. Its Dwadashamsha lord Sun is exalted. A strong Raja-yoga is formed and the native becomes powerful during Jupiter dasha. During Jupiter-Venus, the Raja-yoga results would be enhanced.
Ms Jai Lalitha (Chart 6) was born on February 24, 1948; 14:34 hours IST; at Chennai. Gulika is at 1S20º14' in the twelfth house. However, its rashi lord Venus is exalted in the tenth house. This exhibits a potential Raja-yoga.
To Mitigate the Evil
The evil of Gulika must be neutralised by prescribed remedies. Says Parashara:
nhia f'koky;s HkDR;k xks?k`rsu çnki;sr~A
Parashara thus recommends that one should worship lord Shiva regularly in the evening, bow down to the Sun-god and lord Vishnu in the morning, and light a holy lamp of ‘ghee’ before a Shiva temple. This would defy the evil arising out of an adverse disposition of Gulika.