Be Your Own Astrologer: Ascendant Gemini a Comprehensive Introduction

By Dr. Bhojraj Dwivedi

Ascendant is the most important element of Astronomy and Astrology. Ascendant is the fundamental factor or seed of Astrology. This is the base on which the entire mansion of Astrology or the vast banyan tree stands. The calculative portion of Astrology can be solved by computer to a great extent, but the predictive portion is out of question. Astrology without prediction is just like a flower without fragrance. Many a time learned Astrologers and professional fortune-tellers are hesitant in giving correct predictions. The present book is intended to combat this challenge, by presenting facts and figures Ascendant-wise in separate books so that a clear and concise avenue may be opened for those who are aspiring to know what is there in store for them in the celestial world.

With the help of this book people can know their future and they can foretell the future of their near and dear ones. It is our humble endeavour to bestow the common people with knowledge of Astrological prediction. Twelve (12) Ascendants arise in the sky during the course of a day and night. An Ascendant exists for roughly two (2) hours. It is the first step towards giving the prediction on the basis of Ascendant itself. It is hoped that it will be appreciated in the world of Astrology.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamond Books
• Release date: Jun 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9788128835421

Book preview

The Utility and Importance of Astrology

These days, it is observed, sea of humanity assembles to listen the preachings of great saints, Rev. Ramesh Bhai Ojha, Shudhanshu ji. Guru Maiya etc. It proves the fact that the people are tending towards religion, spirituality and astrology.

Pious Science

This is the pious science, which gives renunciation. The President of British Association of Astrology, Mr Andrue Phas, agrees to the suggestion of including Astrology in courses of study in Indian universities. Mr. Phas told, We have introduced this subject in four British universities and out of the three universities of America, where the subject is taught, two are quite credible. Dr Phas, who has been teaching science of vedas for the last 25 years opines, There are some common points in Astrology and Physics."

Recently, a controversy was kicked off when UGC approved the courses on Astrology, Priesthood (rites) and yoga. Both types of persons, who believe in traditional culture, and those who are opposed to it, voiced their opinion. The English newspapers and the foreign news media defamed Astrology, claiming it to be the subject of blind faith. Many so-called scientists criticised Astrology and put a question mark on whether the Astrology should be included in the curriculum or not? This led to a survey of public opinion, which was published by the Delhi edition of The Times of India. About 79% of the respondents gave their opinion in the favour.

The result was opening up of many institutions of Astrology, Vastu Shastra, Palmistry and spirituality. The interest of the people towards religion and spirituality can be assessed by the fact that a large number of people including young boys and girls with tickets of Rs 500/ and Rs. 1000/ stand in the queue for hours to have a glance of God in the temples of Tirupati Balaji, Siddhi Vinayak in Mumbai. Likewise the vast crowd in the temples of Sirdi Sai Baba, Vaishno Devi, churches and mosques show the increasing popularity of religion and spirituality.

Only sometimes back, the people who performed religious rites, performed prayers, believed in astrological calculations and Vastu-Shastra, were considered to be blind in their faith. But the concept has changed, the people have become more religious-minded and believers in God to find mental peace and spiritual attainment.

Acknowledging the importance of time, an astrologer has been called as ‘knower of time’, Knower of past, present and future and knower of all (Omniscient). In the famous ancient book, Vedanga Jyotish, the author said that Astrology is the controller of time. It has also been said that one who knows astrology knows yagya (rituals). Out of the six Vedangas, astrology has been described to be the apex (Primary), and a comparison has been made with the wings of a peacock and the mani (gem emiting light) embedded in the head of the great Naga (serpent).

Astrology gives the knowledge of sun-rise, sun-set, eclipses of sun and moon, the conjunction of planets, change of season etc. Astrology is useful in knowing the fortunes and misfortunes of a man.

As a man is able to see the different articles in darkness by the help of light, so a man can be able to know the bad and good aspects of human life with the help of astrology. Without the help, a man remains in darkness.

Astrology is a science of possibilities and future information. It is also helpful in getting wealth. If a man takes action under the guidance of an astrologer his achievements will be manifold.

In fact, astrology serves the purpose of life-saving device at the time of crisis. In the crucial period, when one passes through the most debilitating circumstances, or when one meets failures despite his best efforts, one either goes to the temple or mosque or a church or to an astrologer. Temple, mosque or church don't deliver soothing words but God delivers consolation through the mouth of an astrologer.

Astrology is very useful like meteorology. The time of tide of ocean is decided by the astrological calculation. Through astrological calculations big ships are anchored on the port which saves it from great devastations and also saves lives and property. Astrology helps a man to plan his future. Some people may take the plea that we are unable to control the happenings of future. So, why to bother about it? But we should bear in our mind that if we plan our future according to the astrological advice, we may be safe and secure like a man who can fore-see the rain and take the help of an umbrella, saving himself from drenching, whereas the others will suffer.

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The Benefits of Astrology

Planning time: —We may get an idea of coming events- good or bad and act accordingly.

We may get the advice on most opportune time for doing a work.

We may know about the events of past, present and the future.

It imbibes positive thinking and make us believe in the existence of God.

Astrology creates interest in religion, charity, penance, and Vrata, etc.

Astrology not only solves the individuals problem but of a country and the world.

Measures may be taken to wane the bad effects of the malefic planets.

To turn the bad situation into a good.

To relieve tension and create optimism in the mind.

To guide a person towards spirituality and wisdom.

Astrology gives patience and confidence to a person and prepares him for fight against the evil forces.

These days people are drenched in a pool of problems- family problems, financial worries and official tension. Such persons get mental peace and solace by going to their Guru and God. So, the new generation is making a bee line for joining spiritual organisations. Faced with insecurities of different sorts, and increasing immorality, people either go to the temple or join the religious gathering to listen to the saints or hear the spiritual cassets for meditation. Many people want to make their fortune by reading astrology and Vaastu Shastra.

All of us know that there are many happenings on which we don't have any control. Many a times, we don't get the fruit of our labour and actions. We go to the astrologer to know as to when the marriage will be solemnised, or when we will get the job, whether we will come out successful in the examination or business or not. Likewise, there are many questions about right time for journey, filing the nomination for election, taking oath etc. Others may ask which house or what type of house will suit. These days all the stalwarts and important persons go to the astrologer for the solution of their problems.

Which sign is effective for knowing the future?

There are many people who are confused on the point of fixing the sign for knowing their future. Many people think that the birth sign should be taken for knowing the future of a person, and others think that the sign indicated by the popular name of the person should be chosen. Actually, the scientific horoscope of the person is useful for this purpose. But, there are many persons, who don't have the scientifically made horoscopes. In such cases, it is not possible to come to a correct conclusion. Only a vague idea can be formed by knowing the Rashi (sign). There the sign of birth is more important than the one indicated by the popular name. But some traditional astrologers have suggested that the sign indicated by the name of the person may be used in certain cases like commencement of journeys, agricultural operations, inauguration of factories etc.

The birth sign should be used in the cases of commencement of education of children, marriage, initiation and religious rites.

The great learned man Mr. Alin Leo thinks that the sign to be used should be the one that is related to the daily affairs of the person. The first letter of the name of the person is selected on the basis of the sign of birth and that name should be taken to be valid.

Some ancient sayings about the ascendant

As all of us know that the ascendant is the most important part of the horoscope. In the ancient book Trailokya Prakash, it has been said that the ascendant is the God. Ascendant is capable master and it is the powerful light. There is no light emitting object greater than the ascendant, as it is the version of the Saints and Gurus.

Acharya Lalla has praised the ascendant in his own style and said that the Saints Garga, Narada and Kashyapa have told that the strength of the ascendant is greater than that of tithi, constellation and moon.

In the book ‘Bhuvan Deepak’, it has been said that Moon is like the seed of all the works, ascendant is like a flower, Navansa is like a fruit and the twelve houses are like the taste.

Importance of Ascendant

The ancient book ’Trailokya Prakash,’ says- As it is not proper to pay attention towards the bodies of others and avoiding the attention to one's own, it is useless to pay importance to the other houses without attaching prime importance to the Ascendant.

It has been said in ‘Jyotirvivran’ (ज्योर्तिविवरण) that the work started in weak Ascendant is spoilt as the rainy rivers disappear in summer. Acharya Renuk has told that the benefic and malefic results are obtained by Ascendant, all the works become successful, when the Ascendant is strong. So all the works should be done in strong Ascendant.

Acharya Shripati has told that it is the opinion of the learned astrologers that complete success is obtained in the beginning of the Ascendant, the midway success in the middle of Ascendant, and a little success in the last part of the Ascendant.

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The Characteristics of Every

Ascendant in Folklores

In the rural Rajasthan a song in Lavani is very popular, which I heard for the first time from the mouth of Astrologer, Pandit Magduttjiee Vyas, in the village Samdandi. It was so enchanting that it left me spell-bound. In this lyric, the characteristics of the persons born in the twelve Ascendants have been depicted, which are very close to the truth. Not only the lyric, but also the underlying meaning in essence is here for you:

The people born in Ascendant Aries are angry and arrogant. They maintain their relatives and their eyes are reddish.

The people born in Ascendant Taurus are devoted to their Guru. They wear different types of shawls on their bodies and ornaments in their neck.

The people born in Ascendant Gemini are clever and fearless.

The people born in Ascendant Cancer mostly suffer from diseases.

The people born in Ascendant Leo are very strong and powerful.

The people born in Ascendant Virgo are fickle minded.

The people born in Ascendant Libra are interested in smuggling and betting.

The people born in Ascendant Scorpio are naughty and selfish.

The people born in Ascendant Sagittarius are wise, skilled and happy go lucky persons.

The people born in Ascendant Capricorn are less intelligent and happy in their own way.

The people born in Ascendant Aquarius believe in Tantras and offer prayer to God.

The people born in Ascendant Pisces find it difficult to compete and survive in this world. They don't blame anybody for any action but think that whatever happens is the result of past deeds.

Ascendant and its importance

Ascendant is the most important and essential element of the birth-horoscope. A group of stars which arise in the eastern horizon at the time of birth of a person within the limitation of 30° (thirty degrees) of a Zodiacal sign is called the Ascendant. The period of an Ascendant is two hours roughly. The calculation of the Ascendant is based on the Siderial Time calculated on local time of the place where a person is born. Birth horoscope is actually the horoscope based on Ascendant.

The earth rotates on its axis once a day and thus all the Zodiacal signs are invariably exposed to the solar influence on the first day of Aries; the first degree of that particular sign rises in eastern horizon at sunrise and remaining signs gradually ascend till the next day, when the sun again rises in the second degree of Aries. Thus sun rises on the last day of the solar year on last degree of the zodiac i.e. the 30th degree of Pisces (360° of the Zodiac)

In fact, all the twelve signs rotate in the sky, rising over the horizon one after another in a day in a particular period of time subsequently, constitute the twelve different Ascendants. The Ascendant is the first house of the horoscope. Subsequently, there are other houses which are called second house, third house, fourth house etc. till it comes to the twelfth-house. The entire universe of 360° is divided into 12 houses in equal 12 divisions and each division is made of a sign of 30° (thirty degrees). This astronomical division of the universe is the fundamental basis of the Astrology which decides and depicts the coming events.

The westerners cast the horoscope (birth-horoscope) on the basis of the Map of the Heaven, as all the twelve Zodiacal signs rotate around the earth. Hence, they cast the horoscope in the circular manner giving details of the Ascendant and twelve houses including the position of the planets.

Indians cast the horoscope in different styles, which varies according to the area or zone of the country.

To find out the correct Ascendant, three information are necessary:

Date of birth.

Time of birth.

Place of birth.

In different Almanacs, daily position of planets with table of Ascendant is available in English date and Indian Standard Time on which the birth horoscope can be constructed, giving details of Ascendant and the planetary position.

The Significance of Ascendant

Ascendant is the basic factor on which the construction of horoscope starts. This is the starting point. The ancient Astrologers have defined Ascendant to be the body of the person and the other aspects of the birth horoscope are the different parts of the body.

It is said—

यथा तन्त्वानमन्तरैव

परागसम्पादनम् अत्र मिथ्या ॥

बिना विलग्नं परभाव सिद्धि:

तत: प्रवक्ष्ये हि विलग्न सिद्धिम् ॥

As it is useless to imagine the formation of fruits, flowers, leaves and the fertilization, without the existence of a tree, so it is also impossible to find out the different houses and give the prediction without finding out the Ascendant.

Ascendant is the Face of the person

In predictive Astrology, the different parts of the body of Kaal Purusha (Time personified) co-relate the different signs of the zodiac.

The face of the native will bear the peculiarities and characteristics of the Ascendant. Please study my book Astrology and Face Reading (ज्योतिष एवं आकृति विज्ञान). The face and nature of a native will be influenced by the planets who are the significators of the Ascendant. The part of the body of the native will surely be defective or deformed which resembles the part of the body of Kaal Purusha according to the afflicted house (in a particular sign). So keeping in view the Ascendant alone, if an astrologer ventures prediction, he will surely be a champion in delivering predictions.

The first house of the horoscope is called Ascendant. Starting from the first house or Ascendant and moving towards left (anti-clockwise) to the subsequent segments representing the subsequent houses in ascending serial upto the 12th house is the framework of the birth horoscope.

There is a famous sloka which points out the different aspects of human life through the different houses of a birth- horoscope. The famous sloka is given below:

देहं द्रव्यं पराक्रम: सुख, सुतौ शत्रुकलत्रं वृत्ति: ।

भाग्यं राज्यं पदे क्रमेण, गीदता लाभ-व्ययै लग्नतः ॥

It means that the 1st house defines the body, 2nd house-wealth, 3rd house—courage, public contacts, brothers and sisters.

4th house—Pleasure, servant, mother

5th house—Sons and daughters, education

6th house—Enemies and illness

7th house—Wife (and husband)

8th house—Longevity

9th house—Fortune

10th house—Kingdom (profession)

11th house—Gain

12th house—Expenditure or loss.