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Vedic Astrology:

Sri Parasara


The greatest of all India's astrological sages, Parasara has been studied through the centuries & has inspired numerous classic texts. He is best known for the many dasa systems, the 120 year Vimshotari dasa chief among them, but his great treatise is comprehensive in scope:

See also K.S. Charak's two volume Elements of Vedic Astrology, an excellent condensation.


BRIHAT PARASARA HORA SHASTRA, A Compendium in Vedic Astrology
- Maharishi Parasara, translated by Girish Chand Sharma, $65.00/set

Synopsis: A recent English translation of Parasara's treatise. Includes original Sanskrit slokas. Judged the finest English translation currently available.

Sagar, a hardcover set. Continued below.

Contents, volume 1:
Translator's preface; Chapters 1 - 47:
1. The creation; 2. Great incarnations of the Lord; 3. Planetary characters & description; 4. Zodiacal signs described; 5. To find out planetary position; 6. Special ascendants; 7. Sixteen divisions of a sign; 8. Divisional consideration; 9. Aspects of the signs; 10. Surroundings at the time of birth;

11. Evils at birth; 12. Antidotes for evils; 13. Judgments of houses; 14. Effects of the 1st house; 15. Effects of the 2nd house; 16. Effects of the 3rd house; 17. Effects of the 4th house; 18. Effects of the 5th house; 19. Effects of the 6th house; 20. Effects of the 7th house;

21. Effects of the 8th house; 22. Effects of the 9th house; 23. Effects of the 10th house; 24. Effects of the 11th house; 25. Effects of the 12th house; 26. Effects of non-luminous planets; 27. Effects of the bhava lords; 28. Evaluation of planetary aspects; 29. Evaluation of strengths; 30. Ishta & Kashta balas;

31. Bhava padas; 32. Upa pada; 33. Argala or planetary intervention; 34. Planetary karakatwas; 35. Effects of karakamsa; 36. Yoga Karakas; 37. Nabhasa yogas; 38. Many other yogas; 39. Lunar yogas; 40. Solar yogas;

41. Raja yogas; 42. Yogas for royal association; 43. Yogas for wealth; 44. Combinations for penury; 45. Longevity; 46. Maraka (killer) planets; 47. Avasthas of planets. 651 pages.

Contents, volume 2:
Preface; List of tables; List of examples. Chapters 48 - 100: Dasa systems;
49. Results of dasas; 50. Results of the dasas of the lords of the houses; 51. Results of the kalachakra dasas; 52. Results of chara dasas; 53. Computation of antardasas; 54. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of the sun; 55. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of the moon; 56. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of Mars; 57. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of Rahu; 58. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of Jupiter; 59. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of Saturn; 60. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of Mercury;

61. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of Ketu; 62. Results of the antardasas in the mahadasa of Venus; 63. Results of the Pratyanterdasas in the antardasa of planets; 64. Results of the Sooksmantardasas in the Pratyanterdasa of planets; 65. Results of the Pranadasas in the Sookshmadasa of planets; 66. Results of antardasas in the Kalachakra dasa system; 67. Results of the dasas of Navamsa-signs in the Kalachakra dasa; 68. Ashtakavarga; 69. Trikona shodhana (reductions) in ashtakavarga system; 70. Ekadhipatya shodhana (reduction) in ashtakavarga system;

71. Pinda shodhana (reduction) in ashtakavarga system; 72. Results of ashtakavarga; 73. Longevity from ashtakavarga; 74. Samudaya (collective) ashtakavarga; 75. Planetary rays; 76. Sudarshana chakra; 77. Characteristics of Panchamahapurusha; 78. Results of primordial compound of file elements (Panchabhutas); 79. Satwa, Rajo & Tamo gunas; 80. Lost horoscopy;

81. Yogas causing asceticism; 82. Female horoscopy; 83. Characteristics of the parts of woman's body; 84. Body-marks like moles, etc; 85. Curses of the previous birth; 86. Propitiation of planets causing affliction; 87. Inauspicious births; 88. Propitiation of planets for births during amavasya; 89. Births during Krishna-Chataurdashi; 90. Births during bhadra & other inauspicious yogas;

91. Births in the relatives birth nakshatras; 92. Propitiation of planets for births during solar ingress (sankranti); 93. Propitiation of planets for births during eclipses; 94. Propitiation of planets for births during Gandanta; 95. Propitiation of planets for births during abhukta moola; 96. Propitiation of planets for births during Jyeshta Gandanta; 97. Propitiation of planets for tritara births; 98. Propitiation of planets for abnormal births; 99. Horary system; 100. Epilogue. 797 pages.

Comment: One fine day the Brahmin Maitreya, being curious, sat down with Lord Parasara & asked him many questions. So it says in volume 1. I imagine it was one of those endless summer afternoons, on a riverbank. The result was this stunning treatise. How long ago was this? I know of only one man with the name Maitreya. He is presently the 5th Bodhisattva (the 4th was Lord Buddha). So a long time ago.

This is a 1994-5 translation of the great sage Parasara's classic text. The translator made great efforts to study & compile the available literature on this ancient treatise. It is his belief that this edition is the most complete possible. To the 97 accepted chapters, Sharma adds three more: To find out planetary positions, and, Surroundings at time of birth (from volume 1), and Horary system in volume 2. Includes the complete Sanskrit slokas.

In the preface to volume 1, G.C. Sharma writes, Astrology is like any other science, however its practice would always remain an art as the parameters of man's environments & times lead to different interpretation in different parts of the world. I say so on the basis of my experience/practice through two decades over which principles laid down in BPHS progressively became lucid & amazingly true. A lot more is yet to be done, especially in the face of the fact that past deeds & predestination have a definite role to play. Hence it is only through the study of Vedic Astrology that the secret of fate & free will can be deciphered on a logical plane.

Parasara is the heart, the soul, the foundation of Jyotish astrology, essential for any serious study.

August, 2013: These two volumes are now supplied without dust jackets. Pity. Please accept my apologies on behalf of the publisher. - Dave


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