Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Puranic Stories (Illicit relationships-role of jupiter)


> hello forum members,
>
> i got this data frm a shri Rath's serbia website.
>
> yogas in navamsha varga
>
> There are some additional Yogas such as Bahoo Stree Yoga which were present in
some of the horoscope, which is formed by mangal and shukra influence over 2nd
house, while guru influence may enhance immorality, ketu lorded by Shri Ganesh
can definitely stop it. Guru in trines or other chastity Yogas such as
dharmakarmadhipaty may also counteract the evil influence.
>
> kindly suggest something that ...why guru is said to be enhancing immorality
..
>
> because many members have previously said that Guru is guru its totally of
nice morals...
>
> thanks
>
> tarun.


Dear Tarun,

Guru's aspect on Venus and Mars in 2nd in navamsa increases the licentious nature in sexual matters.

According to Puranic stories, Brihaspati raped an unwilling Mamata, wife of Brihaspati's elder brother Utathya. The child born due to Brihaspati's moment of weakness, Kacha, was brilliant and he is the one who learnt the Mrita Sanjivini mantra from Sukracharya, teacher of demons.

Of course, even Brihaspati had to pay for his karma. His own wife Tara fell in love with Moon and had a child with Moon, giving much grief to Brihaspati. Mercury was born to Tara as a result and Jupiter accepted him as his son later.

So Jupiter is associated with two stories of immoral extra-marital affairs - once on the receiving end and once once on the other end.

Though mythological stories help us sometimes to make sense of astrological combinations, a better way to appreciate those stories is by understanding the metaphors in them. Puranic stories are full of metaphors. I am not saying that the stories are unreal. They may be a real in a different space or a different loka. However, given that each human being is a microcosm of the entire universe and that various lokas, devas and asuras exist in each human being, one can see that various Puranic stories are re-occurring within each human being at various
times, metaphorically speaking.

For example, let us understand the metaphors in the above stories.

Who is Brihaspati? As astrologers, we know that Jupiter shows the wisdom and intelligence in a person. He shows the dhee of a person. What does Mamata show? Mamata means ego-centricism, selfishness etc (mama-ta=mine-ness). In other words, Mamata of mythology is a metaphor for the selfishness within us.

Is ego-centricism/selfishness the correct companion to wisdom? Of course not. No wonder, Mamata is not Brihaspati's wife. Brihaspati's wife is Tara. By the meaning of name, Tara stands for a radiant and brilliant protecting force that carries across. Such a force is the right companion to wisdom. While male element shows the existential potentiality, female element shows the engulfing energy and the actual manifestation. Thus, Brihaspati's manifestation is thru the energy of Tara. No wonder the purpose of wisdom, intelligence and dhee is to
radiate brilliance, protect one and carry one across. That is how wisdom is supposed to manifest!

Also no wonder Rishi DirghaTamas was Mamata's son thru her real husband Utathya. Utathya could mean certainty or confidence that comes with great learning. That confidence is born before wisdom (elder brother). When such great confidence combines with ego-centricism, excellent knowledge is born which is also blind forever. No wonder, Utathya and Mamata had a child named Dirgha Tamas (long darkness), who was very learned but blind.

Anyway, coming back to the main story, ego-centricism and selfishness are not the correct companion to wisdom. But, if wisdom finds selfishness attractive and combines with it once, it is not bad after all. Without some selfishness, a lot of abilities of wisdom go wasted in a sense! When Brihaspati (wisdom) combined with non-cooperative selfishness (Mamata), it resulted in the birth of practically inclined brilliance (Kacha)!

Similarly, when the mind (Moon) and the brilliant protecting and carrying force of wisdom (Tara, wife of Brihaspati) combine, the learning ability (Mercury) is produced!!! Learning ability (Mercury) of the product (son) of mind (Moon), but it is accepted and nurtured by wisdom and intelligence (Jupiter).

As time is short, I will not speak of the metaphors in the story of Sukracharya, Kacha, Devayani, Asuras and Mrita Sajivini mantra.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to the Puranic stories. The metaphors in Puranic stories are very meaningful and illuminating. Sometimes, there are astrological links to the metaphors. I am not such a good scholar in Puranic stories. But, even with my limited knowledge, I see so much Light in those stories!

I covered this to some extent in my first few Sunday classes at Dracut, MA, USA. MP3 audio is freely downloadable at the link given below.

May Jupiter's light shine on us,
Narasimha

Brihaspati Gayatri, Vishwamitra/Gaathina Rishi Rig Veda 6.62.6