Astroज्योतिष

Today's teaching

“Wealth is the star for wealth; what will the stars do?”
— Kautilya, Arthashastra IX.4

The Kalaprakasika: choosing times for every part of life · Chapter 5 of 6

Journeys, illness and debts

Kalaprakasika, chapters XXIX–XXXII

Journeys (XXIX)

I shall now state the rules relating to travels (XXIX).

  • The Sun's sign: do not set out when the Sun is in Pisces, Cancer or Scorpio; avoid the middle parts of Leo and Cancer; avoid the times when Mars, Venus and Mercury are retrograde or combust.
  • The fortnight: the bright half is preferred.
  • Nakshatras: Mrigashira, Pushya, Hasta and others are best; several others are allowed only after a stated number of ghatikas have passed (Krittika after 13, Bharani after 7, Magha after 14...). Some are to be avoided altogether — Ardra "causes misery", Ashlesha "grief on account of hunger", Bharani and Magha "danger to life", Krittika "needless roaming".
  • Tithis and days: the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th and 13th; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the navamsa of Mercury, Jupiter or Venus rising; Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Libra and Sagittarius rising.
  • Special times: setting out at Vyatipata "impairs health", at the Sun's entry into a sign "signifies rambling", on an eclipse day "portends confinement".
  • The weather: to walk into the wind at the start brings trouble; a halo round the Sun or Moon, hunger and thirst; a cloudy sky, further difficulties.

The chapter goes on at length with omens met on the road and the directions to avoid on particular days.

Illness (XXX)

Chapter XXX gives the course of an illness according to the nakshatra in which it begins: a fever beginning in Ashvini "will shake off in nine days"; in Bharani five days; in Krittika seven; in Rohini twenty-one; others are called dangerous (XXX).

This is history. It is not a guide to anyone's illness: the course of a disease depends on the disease and its treatment, and no one should judge it by the day it began.

Medical treatment (XXXI)

Chapter XXXI gives the favourable times to begin medical treatment and to take medicine — nakshatras such as Ashvini, Rohini, Mrigashira, Punarvasu, Pushya, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Anuradha, Shravana and Revati; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; benefics well placed (XXXI).

The tradition saw this as choosing a good moment. It must never become a reason to delay treatment: The Study of Jyotisha (chapter 39) is clear that no muhurta is worth any risk to health.

Debts (XXXII)

Have regard to Anuradha or Ashvini and pay your creditor at a time when the Moon holds the rising sign. This combination is known as maitra muhurta. Even if you pay but a small fraction of your dues at that time, you will be able to discharge all your debts, though they might be incalculable (XXXII).

Other combinations involving Gulika and particular weekdays and tithis are given for the same purpose (XXXII). The sensible core is clear enough: begin repaying.

Summary

  • Journeys: avoid certain Sun signs, retrograde or combust planets, certain nakshatras, Vyatipata, ingresses and eclipses; prefer the bright half, certain tithis, weekdays and rising signs; note the weather (XXIX).
  • The course of an illness by its starting nakshatra (XXX) — history only.
  • Favourable times to begin treatment (XXXI) — never a reason for delay.
  • The "friendly moment" for paying debts (XXXII).

Exercises

  1. In which Sun signs does the Kalaprakasika forbid starting a journey?
  2. What does it say about setting out on an eclipse day?
  3. Why should the rules of chapters XXX and XXXI not be used to judge or delay medical care?
  4. What is maitra muhurta?

Answers: 1. Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio (XXIX). 2. That it portends confinement (XXIX). 3. Because illness depends on the disease and its treatment; these are traditional rules without demonstrated value, and delay can cause harm. 4. Paying a debt when Anuradha or Ashvini is current and the Moon is in the rising sign (XXXII).