Nakshatras (Lunar Mansions)

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The lunar mansions which have developed from the ancient nakshatras deserve a separate topic. Since the meanings of these lunar divisions appear to have been changed from ancient to modern times, I would ask anyone interested in this topic to read this article:
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/AANaks ... istory.htm
"Astrological Use of the 27 Mansions"

I would like to ask our Indian readers if there are any older texts in native Indian languges prior to Bepin Behari which discussed some of his interpretive additions to the mansions. Much of Behari's discussion of the mansions doesn't appear in prior English translations from the Sanskrit or other Indian languages.

I have been very curious about the origin of Behari's writing on the mansions. I will detail some of my questions in a future post.

Therese
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/LostZodiac.htm

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Hello Therese,

Bepin Behari a prolific author of astrology texts. Which specific book by Bepin Behari are you referring to where he discusses the Nakshatras?

I personally only possess a copy of his book Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology. This does have quite a detailed discussion of the planetary rulers, deities and myths associated with the Nakshatras in chaper IV of the book.

Mark
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly

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Mark wrote:
Bepin Behari a prolific author of astrology texts. Which specific book by Bepin Behari are you referring to where he discusses the Nakshatras?

I personally only possess a copy of his book Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology. This does have quite a detailed discussion of the planetary rulers, deities and myths associated with the Nakshatras in chaper IV of the book.
I know all about Bepin Behari. I am not a fan. Yes, Myths and Symbols is the book with all the previously unknown attributes of the nakshatras. The author doesn't give a single reference, and some of his assignments make no sense. It's not a book I recommend for anyone who wants to learn about the naksatras/mansions.
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/LostZodiac.htm

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Varuna2 wrote:
Therese, I saw you are not a fan of Behari based on the article. Why do you accept Trivedi but not Behari?
Varuna, I believe that I adequately explained my reservations about Behari in my article. Perhaps it's been a while since you read the article? Since Behari gave no information on his sources, we can speculate that he simply made up some of his material. For a review of the article:
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/AANaks ... istory.htm

It's true as you say, that India has its oral traditions, and since there are so many different languages, much may be hidden away in individual Indian dialects. However, my opinion is that Behari goes beyond these traditions into his own thoughts and perceptions. This has also happened in western writings on the tropical signs of the zodiac.
India is a collection of many different peoples, many different teachings exist there, and many different schools of thought exist within that entity called India.

Yes, and I've always wondered why some sources say that India comes under Virgo, a sign associated with Mercury and precision. It seems to me that India belongs to Jupiter ruled Pisces, a sign of great variety (number 12), that tends to be all-inclusive of different philosophies and appoaches.
When I watch these 'western' traditionalists discuss points, it is clear there are many different understandings in what people may classify as 'western traditional astrology,'
Actually as the western tradition is recorded, it is fairly stable and accurate. It's easy to determine when new concepts and ideas were introduced. It's all recorded in texts used by astrologers. The west doesn't have India's oral tradition. That tradition is most likely due to the many different languages, and the fact that (in earlier times) the populace was not generally literate. So a great amount of folklore grew up in individual parts of India.

I will have to review Trivedi's writing before further comment on 27 Celestial Portals.
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/LostZodiac.htm

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Varuna, I can understand why you would want to support one of your teachers. I have four of Behari's books which were sent to me by Passage Press for review in the 90s when I was publishing a Vedic newsletter. But your post reminded me that it would be a good idea to review Prash Trivedi's book, and I'll write a few words about that book in another post.

I also studied Theosophy when I was younger, but it has gone into the past in favor of India's more ancient teachings. I don't like to see Theosophy applied to astrology. That is my personal viewpoint, and others will have different opinions.
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/LostZodiac.htm

Prash Trivedi's 27 Celestial Portals

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Prash Trivedi's 27 Celestial Portals is the most complete of contemporary books on India's nakshatras or 27 lunar mansions. In his 23 sections for each mansion Trivedi has included everything that can be associated with the mansions including the symbol, ruling deities, nature and functioning, caste, gender, etc. 27 Celestial Portals also includes colorful paintings of the symbolism of each mansion, a useful aid to learning.

The lunar mansions have caught the attention of a number of modern writers, for they are rich in myth and symbolism. Thus, many stories can be spun around India's mythology in relation to the mansions, a creative writer's dream.

Trivedi's book contains the aura of an old and traditional India. This kind of energy in a book cannot be imitated. Trivedi owes his attunement to the fact that he was born and raised in India, so from birth he was steeped in India's traditions. Something I very much like about this book is that Trivedi will question a traditional aspect of a mansion that puzzles him and contradicts a central meaning of the mansion. I have not seen this questioning in any other book on the nakshatras.

For example he says the traditional female gender of Mansion 21 makes no sense because the ruling deities are all male. Or with mansion 15 he asks why that mansion is said to belong to the butcher caste when it is classed as a Deva or godly mansion with the goddess of learning as a deity. In all cases Trivedi seeks to find an explanation for puzzling mismatches within a mansion. We can also ask if some of the mansion classifications are simply wrong and perhaps should be ignored.

As every other book on the nakshatras/mansions I have seen, the author has not checked a map of the sky in relation to the stars that are said to be in each mansion. The nakshatra stars go far back into antiquity, but in comparatively recent times the 28 individual stars and asterisms that identity the ancient nakshatras (which had no boundaries) have been incorporated into the 27 lunar mansion system.

These mansions are all exactly 13 degrees and 20 minutes in length. This displaces a number of the stars into mansions that are said to belong to another group of stars. Yet this text, like all the others, analyzes the mansions as if the displaced stars were actually located in that area of the sky.

How many of the characteristics of these displaced mansions are somehow correct (perhaps based on observation and folklore), even though stars in other areas of the sky are said to be he basis of the symbolism? This is a fertile area for research. We cannot trace the development of the traits of the modern mansions through the centuries, except as they are related to the ancient ruling deities of the nakshatras. Perhaps natives of India proficient in the various languages might offer clues, but western readers must rely on contemporary texts by Indian authors.
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/LostZodiac.htm

Details about Nakshtra

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There are lot of classical texts, also translated in English, which can be refered for discussion on Nakshtras. One of the most famous Text is "Briht Samhita", one can search Google and Scribd for that. Along with Briht Samhita, Brhit Jataka, Hora Ratnam, Phal Deepika, Briht Parashra Hora Shastra, Jataka Parijata etc are lot of classical Texts translted in English. Bipin Bihari is modern translator, he is good one. Also, one check Dr. BV Raman's books.

Re: Details about Nakshtra

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J K Sharma wrote:There are lot of classical texts, also translated in English, which can be refered for discussion on Nakshtras. One of the most famous Text is "Briht Samhita", one can search Google and Scribd for that. Along with Briht Samhita, Brhit Jataka, Hora Ratnam, Phal Deepika, Briht Parashra Hora Shastra, Jataka Parijata etc are lot of classical Texts translted in English. Bipin Bihari is modern translator, he is good one. Also, one check Dr. BV Raman's books.
None of the older translations give the extensive interpretations of the nakshatras found in the modern texts. Mr. Sharma, you must live in India? If you have time, please read my review of the modern books on the nakshatras and tell us the origin of some of the modern concepts.
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/AANaks ... istory.htm

Especially Behari has introduced concepts that are never mentioned in books like Brihat Samhita and Brihat Jataka. Where did these concepts come from? Were they orally transmitted in different regions of India? In what century did they first appear? Do they appear in writings of one or more of India's many languages, and these writings have never been translated into English?

Since Theosophy is fairly modern, we know that Theosophical concepts grafted on to the nakshatras by Behari must have originated only with him. Some of these concepts are highly questionable in my opinion.
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/LostZodiac.htm

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None of the older translations give the extensive interpretations of the nakshatras found in the modern texts. Mr. Sharma, you must live in India? If you have time, please read my review of the modern books on the nakshatras and tell us the origin of some of the modern concepts.
http://www.snowcrest.net/sunrise/AANaks ... istory.htm
Yes, I am from India. You seem trying to compare the old and modern interpretations of nakshtras, which is, I think wrong method. There is first principle of Astrology is to keep in mind about "Country, Time (Kaal) & Conditions of that time period". All the presently available clssical texts were written minimum 500 years ago and also in Indian tradition.. these scared knowledges are being transfered from generation to generation by mouth to mouth under very strictly rules. With the course of time, this is tradition is almost lost. Still there are many such sources availble which are enough to throw light on Astrological concepts.