Samaagama – Part I

Samaagama is a celestial event related to the Moon. Generally, the term is used to represent the conjunction of planets with the Moon. Unlike the other types of planetary conjunctions such as Asthangata (combustion) or Graha Yuddha (planetary war) in which the planets are required to be posited within their ‘orbs of influence’ for the events to take place, in Samaagama it is enough even if the planet arrives at some specific distance from the Moon for establishing contact and activating results. This special feature of the Moon is used in the Dasa and Transit systems for timing events in life.

In Vedic astrology, the influence of the Moon is accorded utmost importance. The natal position of the Moon along with the Ascendant is taken as the basis not only for delineating the nature of results signified by a planet but also for determining the time of their fructification. The conventional method of checking as to whether one’s Janma Lagna (Ascendant) or Janma Rasi (Moon-sign) is stronger and then delineating the results based on the stronger of the two, the most widely used Vimshottari Dasa system (and many other Dasa systems such as Ashtottari, Kalachakra, Yogini etc) and the transit system of timing events are based on the disposition of the planets with reference to the natal Moon.

What could be the unique influence of natal But, unfortunately, the answers to these Moon to qualify for such special treatment? In what way is the Moon basically related to the method of arriving at the Dasa and transit results? How are the actual results decoded etc. questions are not discussed in any of the classical texts of Vedic astrology, although the lists of results are given in almost all classical works. In this series of articles, based on my research during the last 1 1/2 decades and the information culled from various sources, an effort is made to explain the logical basis and the reasons for assigning such special status to the Moon besides providing clues to the method of decoding the actual results in Dasa and Transit systems.

According to Uttara Kalamrita (Khanda V, Slokas 25 to 29), the significations of the Moon include the disposition of mind, heart, woman, good or bad, sleep, happiness, anything watery, travel, well, tank, mother, impartiality, consumption, salt, ability, belly, beauty, nourishment, pleasure, splendor, quickness of thought, fame, mendicant, middle world, life, middle age, eating, going to distant countries, royal insignia, good blood, vital energy etc. These significations (selected out of a lengthy list) bear a unique relationship with the physical existence of human life on Earth.

★The Moon, as the Universal Mother, plays a vital role in the process of procreation and nourishment of all living beings on Earth. Brihat Jataka (Chap. 4, Sloka 1) avers that Mars and Moon are the cause for the monthly menses in a woman and when the Moon is in Anupachaya Rasi, the menses for conception occurs. According to Hora Makaranda (Chap. Sloka 4), if the Sun, Moon,Venus and Mars are in their own Navamsa in Upachaya houses (3, 6, 10, 11) from the natal Moon of a man or woman or if Jupiter be in the Ascendant, 5th or 9th house, pregnancy is predicted. The Moon representing the female principle (Prakruti as Mother) and Mars representing the male principle (Purusha as father), their union paves the way for procreation. It is a commonly known biological fact that in the seminal fluid, the sperm is engulfed in a liquid medium which facilitates the actual fertilization of the ovum. Even the ovum contains a protective sheath within which matter is present in liquid form and only in this liquid is the foetus formed after fertilization which ultimately grows into the child. Thus, the Moon happens to be one of the two most important planets ruling the physical manifestation of the soul of man from its very beginning in any particular birth.

★ The Moon, signifying water and other potable liquids, provides the required nourishment for growth and sustenance of life. Water is an essential requirement for all the flora and fauna on Earth. No plant ever grows without it and the yield of crops depends on the quantum of water it received. Any amount of reinforcements like manure etc., for increasing the yield would go waste if the supply of water is insufficient. Human life is mainly dependent on plants for food. As such, life without water is unthinkable as the daily needs of human beings cannot be fulfilled without water. In short, man would be dead without water and earth would become lifeless.

★ The Moon is the ruler of the vehicle (body) of every physical manifestation of all human beings, the Sun being the Soul (Atma) and Jupiter being the life-force (Jeeva). Consequent on impregnation, the physical body of the offspring is created and nursed fully inside the body of the mother until its delivery to the external world. As such, the Moon signifying the mother directly rules the physical body also.

 According to the Prenatal Epoch Theory by E.H.Bailey: “at or near the time of conception the Moon must be posited in natal Ascendant or descendant and the Ascendant at or near the time of conception must be the Janma Rasi or the 7th Rasi from it“.

Sepharial, western astrologer, names the chart calculated for the time of conception based on prenatal epoch theory as ‘The Lunar Horoscope’ and says in his book ‘The Influence of Sun in Horoscopes’.

“The Lunar Horoscope is therefore seen to hold definite astronomical relations to the horoscope of birth. It is referred to the point of time at which the Psychoplasm or astral eidolon forms a link with the physical basis of life or germ-cell.”

He also contends that:

“the birth horoscope is that of heredity and environment. The lunar horoscope is that of tradition and inherent faculty. To the Lunar horoscope, therefore, we must refer for the potential of the unit of life”.

These facts clearly prove the Moon’s influence on human destiny and its solitary control over the domain of physical incarnation of any individual. The Moon, as the Karaka for the mind works as a Karmic agent. Mental tendencies are created and shaped by the Karmic imprints on the soul of the individual. In other words, the ability to comprehend the external world is shrouded by the Karmic veil as a result of which the mind tends to ‘see what it wants to see or what its prejudice makes it see’ depending on one’s upbringing and exposure to various aspects of life in a particular incarnation.

As claimed by the ancients Buddhi Karmaanusaarini, the mind works as per the dictates of our past Karma. Upanishadic lore is full of such allusions. It goes to the extent of saying that whatever is created or understood by the mind is only an illusion while the truth is far beyond the Body-Mind-Intellect frames of reference. However, in the physical frame of existence, all the major activities of the human body are directly related to the state of the mind and each and every activity of an individual can be controlled fully and effectively by the mind.

It is the experience of hundreds of Yogis of our country that the various exercises advocated in the Yoga Sastras are nothing but measures for effectively controlling the mind which ensures control over our activities. Moreover, the human perception of the physical world is through the Panchendriyas or the sensory organs. It is the mind that absorbs the inputs by the Panchendriyas and creates the effect of sensing (Mano-matram jagat; Mano-kalpitam jagat), means without the role of mind no sensing is possible. 

According to Bhagavatpada Sri Adi Sankaracharya ” Mano Maatram Idam sarvam ” – meaning , everything in this world is projected by the Mind and Mind alone (Sloka 28 of Sadachara). Thus, identifying all names and forms and understanding them through the intellect is facilitated by the mind only without which even if the Indriyas sense them, their comprehension would be impossible. Thus, the mind works as an agent of Karma, the latter being the primary cause for the very reincarnation of the soul of the individual. The Moon, as a Karmic agent, ensures that one reaps one’s Karmic fruits by controlling not only one’s perception of the world but also one’s response to any stimulus from it.

Generally, Yogas such as Gajakesari, Sunapha, Anapha, Durdhura, Chandramangala, AdhiYoga caused by the Moon confer wealth and material comforts on the native and Sakata and Kemadruma Yogas which cause loss of wealth, abject poverty and miseries are also directly linked to the placements of planets from the Moon. Yogas like Amala, Vasumati, Pushkala, Kusuma, Indra, Garuda, Gola, Bhaskara, Marud, etc., are effective by the influence of Moon as well.

★ The Moon is the ruler of the material facets of all the incarnations of the soul of a native. Generally, Yogas such as Gajakesari, Sunapha, Anapha, Durdhura, Chandramangala, Adhi Yoga etc., caused by the Moon confer wealth and material comforts on the native and Sakata and Kemadruma Yogas which cause loss of wealth, abject poverty and miseries are also directly linked to the placements of planets from the Moon. Yogas like Amala, Vasumati, Pushkala, Kusuma, Indra, Garuda, Gola, Bhaskara, Marud etc., are effective by the influence of Moon as well, apart from the Ascendant and other planetary influences. Here, it is relevant to point out that in the Hora chart used for delineation of the wealth of a native, only the Moon and Sun are taken as the lords governing wealth. Natural benefics when posited in the Moon’s Hora and natural malefics when posited in the Sun’s Hora confer good wealth on the native.

This discussion reveals that the Moon rules the destiny of man right from the moment of conception, governing not only one’s very physical existence but also facilitating the fruition of one’s Karmic influence in any particular birth. The Moon also plays a vital role in exercising the freewill of the discreet mind (within the ambit of Providence) to operate the Karmic influences while other planets create a conducive environment for reaping the Karmic fruits during one’s lifetime. Thus, the Moon is the chief medium for unfolding of past Karma.

The physical proximity of the Moon to the earth has renders it the most influential planet for the earth. It is a scientifically proven fact that the Moon is responsible for the ebb and flow of tides. All life on earth has a direct correspondence with the different phases of the Moon. It is proves beyond doubt that the abnormal activity of lunatics in on the rise during days near about Poornima (New moon) and Amavasya (New moon). Eclipses involving the Moon have a far reaching impact on almost all global phenomena and affect the human being in every sphere of life causing changes in personal environment (such as health, financial gains/losses, afflictions to family life, etc), in mundane matters(such as variations in prices of commodities, changes in governments, wars between nations etc.,) affecting nature as a whole in causing natural calamities like cyclones, floods, devastating earthquakes etc. In other words, the Moon exercises a vicegerent control over the day to day affairs of not only human beings also the whole flora and fauna on the earth.

Courtesy: Modern Astrology (Dr Revathi Vee Kumar)                                         to be continued…