Chapter on the Character of the Rāśis — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 5

राशिशीलाध्यायः

The complete Chapter on the Character of the Rāśis chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 23 verses, each in the original Sanskrit with VedicSpace's clean-room English translation, cited by śloka. Translated from the Chaukhamba (Devachandra Jha) edition and audited against the printed plates.

Śloka 1 — Etymology of 'horā'; the lagna as the key to prediction

अहोरात्र-पदाद्यन्त्यलोपाद्धोरेति कथ्यते । तस्या हि ज्ञानमात्रेण जातकर्मफलं वदेत् ॥ १ ॥

By the dropping of the first and the last syllable of the word 'ahorātra' (day-and-night), the term 'horā' is arrived at. Merely by knowing that horā one may declare the fruit of the native's karma.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — The twelve rāśis as the limbs of Kālapuruṣa (Viṣṇu)

यदव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुः कालरूपो जनार्दनः । तस्याङ्गानि निबोध त्वं क्रमान्मेषादिराशयः ॥ २ ॥

Viṣṇu Janārdana, whose self is the unmanifest and whose form is Time — know thou that the rāśis beginning with Meṣa are, in order, His limbs.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Enumeration of the twelve rāśis

मेषो वृषश्च मिथुनः कर्क-सिंह-कुमारिकाः । तुलालिचापमकराः कुम्भमीनौ यथाक्रमम् ॥ ३ ॥

Meṣa, Vṛṣa, Mithuna, Karka, Siṃha, Kumārikā (Kanyā), Tulā, Ali (Vṛścika), Cāpa (Dhanus), Makara, Kumbha and Mīna — in that order.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Kālapuruṣa aṅga-vibhāga — which limb each rāśi is

शीर्षानने तथा बाहू हृत्क्रोडकटिवस्तयः । गुह्योरुयुगले जानुयुग्मे वै जङ्घके तथा ॥ ४ ॥ चरणौ द्वौ तथाऽजादेर्ज्ञेयाः शीर्षादयः क्रमात् ।

The head and the face; then the two arms; the heart, the belly, the waist and the pelvis (bladder region); the genitals and the pair of thighs; the pair of knees; likewise the two shanks; and the two feet — thus, from Aja (Meṣa) onward, they are to be known in order, beginning with the head.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Cara/sthira/dvisvabhāva, krūra/saumya, male/female classification

चरस्थिरद्विस्वभावाः क्रूराक्रूरौ नरस्त्रियौ ॥ ५ ॥

[The rāśis are] movable, fixed and dual [in repeating order]; cruel and non-cruel [alternately]; male and female [alternately].

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 5

Śloka 6-7 — Humoral (doṣa) classification of the rāśis; description of Meṣa

पित्तानिलत्रिधात्वैक्य-श्लैष्मिकाश्च क्रियादयः । रक्तवर्णो बृहद्गात्रश्चतुष्पाद् रात्रिविक्रमी ॥ ६ ॥ पूर्ववासी नृपज्ञातिः शैलचारी रजोगुणी । पृष्ठोदयी पावकी च मेषराशिः कुजाधिपः ॥ ७ ॥

The signs beginning with Kriyā (Meṣa) are, [in repeating order], bilious, windy, of united tri-humour, and phlegmatic. Meṣa is red in colour, large-bodied, four-footed, valorous at night, dwelling in the east, of the royal (kṣatriya) kin, ranging over mountains, rājasic in guṇa, rising with its back, of the fire element, and lorded by Kuja (Maṅgala).

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 6-7

Śloka 8 — Description of Vṛṣa

श्वेतः शुक्राधिपो दीर्घश्चतुष्पाच्छर्वरीबली । याम्येड् ग्राम्यो वणिग् भूमी रजः पृष्ठोदयो वृषः ॥ ८ ॥

Vṛṣa is white, lorded by Śukra, long-bodied, four-footed, strong at night, dwelling in the south, village-ranging, of the merchant (vaiśya) class, of the earth element, rājasic, and rises with its back.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — Description of Mithuna

शीर्षोदयी नृमिथुनं सगदं च सवीणकम् । प्रत्यङ्मरुद् द्विपाद्रात्रिबली ग्रामव्रजोऽनिली ॥ ९ ॥ समगात्रो हरिद्वर्णो मिथुनाख्यो बुधाधिपः ।

Mithuna rises by its head; it is a human couple, [the one] bearing a mace and [the other] a vīṇā; it is western, of the wind element, two-footed, strong at night, moving among villages, windy [in humour], of even body, green in colour, and lorded by Budha.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 9

Śloka 10-11 — Description of Karka

पाटलो वनचारी च ब्राह्मणो निशि वीर्यवान् ॥ १० ॥ बहुपादी स्थूलतनुस्तथा सत्त्वगुणी जली । पृष्ठोदयी कर्कराशिर्मृगाङ्काधिपतिः स्मृतः ॥ ११ ॥

Karka is pale-red (pāṭala), forest-ranging, of the brāhmaṇa class, strong at night, many-footed, stout of body, sāttvic in guṇa, of the water element, rising with its back, and is declared to be lorded by the Moon (Mṛgāṅka).

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 10-11

Śloka 12 — Description of Siṃha

सिंहः सूर्याधिपः सत्त्वी चतुष्पात् क्षत्रियो वनी । शीर्षोदयी बृहद्गात्रः पाण्डुः पूर्वेड् द्युवीर्यवान् ॥ १२ ॥

Siṃha is lorded by Sūrya, sāttvic, four-footed, of the kṣatriya class, forest-dwelling, rising by its head, large-bodied, pale-yellow (pāṇḍu), dwelling in the east, and strong by day.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 12

Śloka 13-14 — Description of Kanyā

पार्वतीयाथ कन्याख्या राशिर्दिनबलान्विता । शीर्षोदया च मध्याङ्गा द्विपाद्याम्यचरा च सा ॥ १३ ॥ सा सस्यदहना वैश्या चित्रवर्णा प्रभञ्जिनी । कुमारी तमसा युक्ता बालभावा बुधाधिपा ॥ १४ ॥

The sign called Kanyā belongs to the mountains, is endowed with strength by day, rises by its head, is of middling body, two-footed, and moves in the south. She holds grain and fire, is of the vaiśya class, variegated in colour, of the wind element, a maiden, joined with tamas, of youthful state, and lorded by Budha.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 13-14

Śloka 15 — Description of Tulā (first half)

शीर्षोदयी द्युवीर्याढ्यो घटः कृष्णो रजोगुणी । पश्चिमो भूचरो घाती शूद्रो मध्यतनुर्द्विपात् ॥ १५ ॥

[Tulā] rises by its head, is rich in strength by day, is [shaped as] a pot/balance-pan, black in colour, rājasic, western, ranging on the earth, violent (destructive), of the śūdra class, of middling body, and two-footed.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 15

Śloka 16 — Lord of Tulā, then description of Vṛścika

शुक्राधिपोऽथ स्वल्पाङ्गो बहुपाद् ब्राह्मणो बिली । सौम्यस्थो दिनवीर्याढ्यः पिशङ्गो जलभूवहः ॥ १६ ॥ रोमस्वाढ्योऽतितीक्ष्णाग्रो वृश्चिकश्च कुजाधिपः ।

[Tulā] is lorded by Śukra. Now [Vṛścika]: it is small-limbed, many-footed, of the brāhmaṇa class, dwelling in holes, situated in the north, rich in strength by day, tawny (piśaṅga), moving both in water and on land, abundantly hairy, with an exceedingly sharp point [sting], and lorded by Kuja.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 16

Śloka 17-18 — Description of Dhanus

पृष्ठोदयी त्वथ धनुर्गुरुस्वामी च सात्त्विकः ॥ १७ ॥ पिङ्गलो निशि वीर्याढ्यः पावकः क्षत्रियो द्विपात् । आदावन्ते चतुष्पादः समगात्रो धनुर्धनः ॥ १८ ॥ पूर्वस्थो वसुधाचारी बहुतेजः समन्वितः ।

Now Dhanus: it rises with its back, is lorded by Guru, sāttvic, tawny (piṅgala), rich in strength at night, of the fire element, of the kṣatriya class, two-footed in its first part and four-footed at its end, of even body, bow-bearing, dwelling in the east, ranging over the earth, and endowed with abundant splendour.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 17-18

Śloka 19-20 — Description of Makara

मन्देशस्तामसो भूमियाम्येट् च निशि वीर्यवान् ॥ १९ ॥ पृष्ठोदयी बृहद्गात्रः कर्बुरो वनभूचरः । आदौ चतुष्पादन्ते तु विपदो जलगो मतः ॥ २० ॥

[Makara] has Manda (Śani) for its lord, is tāmasic, of the earth element, dwelling in the south, strong at night, rising with its back, large-bodied, variegated (karbura), ranging in forest and on land; four-footed at the beginning but footless at the end, and is held to move in water.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 19-20

Śloka 21 — Description of Kumbha

कुम्भः कुम्भी नरो बभ्रुवर्णो मध्यतनुर्द्विपात् । द्युवीर्यो जलमध्यस्थो वातशीर्षोदयी तमः ॥ २१ ॥ शूद्रः पश्चिमदेशस्य स्वामी दैवाकरिः स्मृतः ।

Kumbha is a man carrying a pot, brown (babhru) in colour, of middling body, two-footed, strong by day, standing in the midst of water, of the wind element, rising by its head, tāmasic, of the śūdra class, belonging to the western region; its lord is declared to be the son of the Sun (Śani).

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 21

Śloka 22-24 — Description of Mīna; closing summary of rāśi-guṇas

मीनौ पुच्छास्यसंलग्नौ मीनराशिर्दिवाबली ॥ २२ ॥ जली सत्त्वगुणाढ्यश्च स्वस्थो जलचरो द्विजः । अपदो मध्यदेही च सौम्यस्थो ह्युभयोदयी ॥ २३ ॥ सुराचार्याधिपश्चेत्थं राशीनामुदिता गुणाः । त्रिंशद्भागात्मकानां च स्थूलसूक्ष्मफलाय च ॥ २४ ॥

The Mīna rāśi is two fishes joined tail to mouth, strong by day, of the water element, rich in the sattva guṇa, at ease in itself, water-moving, of the twice-born (brāhmaṇa) class, footless, of middling body, situated in the north, rising both ways, and lorded by the preceptor of the gods (Guru). Thus have the qualities of the rāśis — each consisting of thirty degrees — been declared, for the sake of both gross and subtle prediction.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 22-24

Śloka 25 — Transition: determining niṣeka (conception) from the birth time

अथातः सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुष्व मुनिपुङ्गव । जन्मकालं च संशोध्य निषेकं परिशोधयेत् ॥ २५ ॥

Now, therefore, I shall fully declare [this] — listen, O bull among sages! Having rectified the time of birth, one should determine the time of conception (niṣeka).

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 25

Śloka 26 — Promise to teach niṣeka from the birth lagna

तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि मैत्रेय ! त्वं विधारय । जन्मलग्नात् परिज्ञानं निषेकं सर्वजं तु यत् ॥ २६ ॥

That I shall fully declare, O Maitreya — do thou hold it firmly: the complete knowledge of the niṣeka, which arises entirely from the birth lagna.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 26

Śloka 27 — Niṣeka computation — Śani, Māndi (Gulika), lagna and the ninth

यस्मिन् भावे भानविः स्यात्तस्य मान्देर्यदन्तरम् । लग्नभाग्यान्तरं योज्यं यच्च राश्यादि जायते ॥ २७ ॥

Whatever the difference between Śani (the son of the Sun), in whichever bhāva he may stand, and Māndi (Gulika) — to that should be added the difference between the lagna and the ninth bhāva; and whatever rāśis, degrees and so forth then result —

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 27

Śloka 28 — Niṣeka computation — converting the sum to time before birth; lagna-lord correction

मासादि तन्मितं ज्ञेयं जन्मतः प्राग् निषेकजम् । यद्यदृश्यदलेऽङ्गेशः तदेन्दोर्भुक्तभागयुक् ॥ २८ ॥

— that measure is to be understood as so many months and so forth prior to birth, being the [interval] arising from conception. If the lord of the lagna is in the invisible half [of the chart], then that [figure] is to be joined with the degrees already traversed by the Moon.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 28

Śloka 29 — Casting the niṣeka chart and reading the child in the womb

तत्काले साधयेल्लग्नं शोधयेत् पूर्ववत्तनुम् । तस्माच्छुभाशुभं वाच्यं गर्भस्थस्यविशेषतः ॥ २९ ॥

For that [conception] moment one should compute the lagna and rectify the tanu-bhāva as before; from that, the auspicious and inauspicious [results] for the one lying in the womb should be told in detail.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 29

Śloka 30 — Reading the parents from the niṣeka lagna; chapter close

शुभाशुभं वदेत्पित्रोर्जीवनं मरणं तथा । एवं निषेकलग्नेन सम्यग् ज्ञेयं स्वकल्पनात् ॥ ३० ॥

One should declare the auspicious and inauspicious [conditions] of the parents, and likewise their living and their death. Thus, by means of the niṣeka lagna, all is to be known correctly through one's own reasoning.

BPHS Adhyāya 5, śloka 30