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24
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
he plucked some leaves out of the thick foli- position in the heavens at the time of his age of the tree and threw them down. The birth. A kundali, i, e., a figure like the one leaves, however, chanced to fall on a Shivalinga which happened to stand below, and secured for him the merit' of having worshipped god Shiva with Bel-leaves on Shivratri day. He was also all the while repeating the god's name and had undergone a fast. The result was that not only were his past sins forgiven, but he was placed with his family in heaven, 1
Similarly, Dhruva, the son of king Uttanapad, attained divine favour by unflagging devotion, and was given a constant place in the heavens as the immovable pole-star.2
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According to Hindu astrology, there are nine grahas or planets, twelve rashist or the signs of the zodiac and twenty-seven nakshatrast or constellations. Books astrology explain the distinct forms of the nakshatras. For instance, the Ashvini constellation consists of two stars and presents the appearance of a horse. It ascends the zenith at midnight on the purnima (the 15th day of the bright half) of Ashvin (the first month of the Gujarati Hindus). The constellation of Mrig consists of seven stars, four like the legs of a sofa and three others under them in a line. All these twentyseven groups of stars reach the zenith at midnight on particular days in particular months; and the months of the Hindu calendar are named after them.3
All planets influence the life of a person, one way or the other, according to their
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shown here, is drawn by astrologers to illustrate the respective positions of the planets. The twelve squares of the diagram and the positions of the planets in different represent the twelve signs of the zodiac, squares influence persons in different ways. Ravi (the Sun), Budha (Mercury) and Shukra (Venus) occupy one rashi for one month; Chandra (the Moon) occupies a rashi for 135 ghadis, i, e., two days and a quarter; Mangal (Mars) for one month and a half; Guru (Jupiter) for thirteen months; Shani (Saturn) for two years and a half, and Rahu for a year and a half. This is their normal and ordinary motion. But if they take an abnormal course and move either too fast or
too slow, they finish their revolution through a rashi within a shorter or a longer period.
If the planet Guru (Jupiter) occupies either the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, or 12th, square of a kundali, it is said to bring about rupture with friends, pecuniary wants, and an increase in the number of enemies".
1 Mr. D. K. Pandya, Dhhank.
2 Mr. N. M. Dave, Sankā.
* The nine grahas are. Ravi (the Sun), Chandra (the Moon), Mangal (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), and Rahu and Ketu.
†The names of the twelve rashis are:-1 Mesha (Aries), 2 Vrishabha (Taurus), 3 Mithun (Gemini), 4 Karka (Cancer), 5 Sinha (Leo), 6 Kanya (Virgo), 7 Tula (Libra), 8 Vrishchika (Scorpio), 9 Dhanu (Sagittarius), 10 Makara (Capricornus) 11 Kumbha (Aquarius), 12 Mina (Pisces).
The following are the twenty-seven nakshatras:-1 Ashvini, 2 Bharani, 3 Kritikā 4 Rohini, 5 Mrig, 6 Ardra, 7 Punarvasu, 8 Pushya, 9 Ashlesha, 10 Magha, 11 Pürvä-phalguni, 12 Uttara-phalguni, 13 Hasta, 14 Chitra, 15 Swati, 16 Vishakha, 17 Anuradha, 18 Jyeshthä, 19 Mül, 20 Purväshädha, 21 Uttarashädha, 22 Shravana, 23 Dhanishtha, 24 Shatatāraka, 25 Pārvābhadrapada, 26 Uttarabhadrapada, and 27 Revati,
Mr. D. K. Pandya, Dhhank,
Mr. Motechand Vasanji Doshi, Kalawad
¶ One ghadi 24 minutes. The Schoolmaster, Dadvi.
