1. The Creation

अथैकदा मुनिश्रेष्ठं त्रिकालज्ञं पराशरम् ।
पप्रच्छोपेत्य मैत्रेयः प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः ॥ १ ॥

भगवन् ! परमं पुण्यं गुह्यं वेदाङ्गमुत्तम् ।
त्रिस्कन्धं ज्यौतिषं होरा गणितं संहितेति च ॥ २ ॥

एतेष्वपि त्रिषु श्रेष्ठा होरेति श्रूयते मुने! ।
त्वत्तस्तां श्रोतुमिच्छामि कृपया वद मे प्रभा ! ॥ ३ ॥

कथं सृष्टिरियं जाता जगतश्च लयः कथम् ? ।
खस्थानां भूस्थितानां च सम्बन्धं वद विस्तरात् ? ॥ ४ ॥

1-4 Once upon a time, offering his obeisance to all knowing Sage Parasara and with folded hands. Maitreya asked him (Parasara), "O Venerable, Astrology, the supreme limb of the Vedas, has three divisions Viz. Hora, Ganita and Samhita. Even amongst the said three divisions, Hora is still far excellent. I desire to know of its glorious aspects from you. Kindly tell them to me." How was this universe created? How will it come to an end? Kindly tell me in detail the relationship between those born on this earth and those existing in the skies.

सूर्यः पितामहो व्यासो वसिष्टोऽत्रिः पराशरः ।
कश्यपो नारदो गर्यो मरीचिर्मनुरङ्गिराः ॥

लोमशः पौलिशश्चैव च्यवनो यवनो भृगुः ।
शौनकोऽष्टादशाश्चैते ज्योतिः शास्त्र प्रवर्तकाः ॥

As stated in the above verse eighteen sages namely i.e. Surya, Pitamahah, Vyasa, Vashishtha, Atree, Parasara, Kashyapa, Narada, Garga, Marichi, Manu, Angira, Lomasha,, Paulisha, Chayavan, Yavana, Bhrigu and Saunaka, have been recognised as the creators of Astrology. Maitreya was the disciple of sage Parasara. He attained spiritual knowledge in considerable amount. Vidura, the brother of Pandu and Dhritarashtra, went to Maitreya to discuss the heavenly matters of theology. Maitreya has been referred to in Mahabharata and Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana in this connection.

Among the Sages Parasara is the only one whose voluminous work 'Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra' is available even today and is recognised by all. Sage Parasara was the father of the venerable Ved Vyasa. He was the author of 'Parasara Smriti', 'Parasara Samhita' and the present text 'Parasara Hora Shastra'. It has been mentioned in the ancient classics that Narada, the son of the Absolute Brahma got instructions in Astrology and the Vedas from his father and taught these to Sage Saunaka. Hence Sage Saunaka became well versed in the Vedas and wrote classics like the subveda: 'Rig Veda' Parasara was the learned disciple of Sage Saunaka.

Like several other religious books the present book 'Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra' is written in the form of dialogues. Sage Maitreya asks questions which are answered by his learned Guru Sage Parasara. The Guru expounds to him the secrets of Astrology with great felicity.

There are three Skandhas or divisions of Astrology. Samhita, Hora, Sidhdhanta (Ganita).

In the beginning of creation when jeeva (man) with his new experiences enters into his field of actions, he resolves his difficult problems and satisfies his curiosities through a number of ways. It was as a way of compiling these revelations that the Samhita Shastra, Astrology first come into existence. In this branch of science we get a detailed description of good and evil effects through dreams, knowledge of the auspicious and the inauspicious things through sound effects, knowledge of the auspicious and the inauspicious through twitchings of organs or muscles, movements of the planets, good omens, clairvoyance, science of palmistry etc. (Digest and collection of codes or rules of any branch of knowledge is called Samhita). Among the Samhita books available today are Brihat Samhita, Narada Samhita, Garg Samhitaetc..

The prediction of happening in the life of a particular individual on the basis of his time, place of birth is studied in the Hora Shastra. The name of Sage Parasara is very illustrious in the context of a book like the present one'. The assessment of placement and movement of planets through cosmic from the beginning to the destruction of the creation is called Sidhdhanta or Ganita.

साधु पृष्टं त्वया विप्र ! लोकानुग्रहकारिणा ।
अथाहं परमं ब्रह्म तच्छक्तिं भारतीं पुनः ॥ ५ ॥

सूर्य नत्वा ग्रहपतिं जगदुत्पत्तिकारणम् ।
वक्ष्यामि वेदनयनं यथा ब्रह्ममुखाच्छ्रुतम् ॥ ६ ॥

शान्ताय गुरुभक्ताय सर्वदा सत्यवादिने ।
आस्तिकाय प्रदातव्यं ततः श्रेयो ह्मावाप्स्यति ॥ ७ ॥

न देयं परशिष्याय नास्तिकाय शठाय वा ।
दत्ते प्रतिदिनं दुःखं जायते नात्र संशयः ॥८॥

5-8 Parasara said, "O Brahmin, your query (your curiosity with regard to the intricacies of Astrology) has an auspicious purpose in it for the welfare of the world and has been rightly made. Having offered my obeisance to Lord Brahma, his power Sri Saraswati Devi, and the Sun god, the chief of the planets and the cause of creation, I shall relate to you the science of Astrology as it was heard by me from Brahma. The teachings of this science of Astrology is to be given only to the students who are good and peacefully disposed, who honour the preceptors and elders, who speak only truth and who are God-fearing. It is only in this way that good will follow. The teachings of this science, again, should not be given to an unwilling student, to an atheist and to a crafty person.

एकोऽव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुरनादि प्रभुरीश्वरः ।
शुद्धसत्वो जगत्स्वामी निर्गुणस्त्रिगुणान्वितः ॥ ९ ॥

संसारकारक: श्रीमान्निमित्तात्मा प्रतापवान् ।
एकांशेन जगत्सर्वं सृजत्यवति लीलया ॥ १० ॥

त्रिपाद तस्य देवस्य ह्यमृतं तत्त्वदर्शिनः ।
विदन्ति तत्प्रमाणं च सप्रधानं तथैकपात् ॥ ११ ॥

व्यक्ताऽव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुर्वासुदेव गीयते ।
यदव्यक्तात्मको विष्णुः शक्तिद्वयसमन्वितः ॥ १२ ॥

9-12 Lord Vishnu who is one undescribable, who has no beginning and end, who is the Lord of all matters, who has undefiled spirit, who is the Lord of the creation, who is endowed with three gunas, although he transcends the grip of the Gunas (i.e. he is Gunatita), who is the Creator of the universe, who has glory, who is the cause and who is endowed with valour, creates the universe and administers it playfully with a quarter of his power. The other three feet (three quarters) of him filled with nectar are knowable to only the philosophers of maturity knowing the essence of things. The Principal Evolver who is both perceptible and imperceptible is Lord Vasu Deva. The imperceptible part of Lord Vishnu is endowed with dual powers while the perceptible with triple powers.

व्यक्तात्मकस्त्रिभिर्युक्तः कथ्यतेऽनन्तशक्तिमान् ।
सत्त्वप्रधाना श्रीशक्ति-र्भूशक्तिश्च रजोगुणा ॥ १३ ॥

शक्तिस्तृतीया या प्रोक्ता नीलाख्या ध्वान्तरूपिणी ।
वासुदेवश्चतुर्थोऽभूच्छ्रीशक्त्या प्रेरितो यदा ॥ १४ ॥

संकर्षणश्च प्रद्युम्नोऽनिरुद्ध इति मूर्तिधृक् ।
तमः शक्त्याऽन्वितो विष्णुर्देव: संकर्षणाभिधः ॥ १५ ॥

13-15 The perceptible Lord is endowed with three powers and is called the Almighty. The three powers are Shri Shakti (Mother Lakshmi), with Sattvaguna, Bhoo Shakti (Mother Earth) with Rajoguna and Neela Shakti with Tamoguna. Apart from these three. the Fourth Kind of Vishnu who is moved or inspired by Shri Shakti and Bhoo Shakti assumes the form of 'ShankarShana' with Tamoguna, of Pradyumna with Rajoguna and of Aniruddha with Sattvaguna.

प्रद्युम्नो रजसा शक्त्याऽनिरुद्धः सत्वया युतः ।
महान् संकर्षणाज्जातः प्रद्युम्नाद्यदहंकृतिः ॥ १६ ॥

अनिरुद्धात् स्वयं जातो ब्रह्माहंकारमूर्तिधृक् ।
सर्वेषु सर्वशक्तिश्च स्वशक्त्याऽधिकया युतः ॥ १७ ॥

16-17 Pradyumna is endowed with Rajas Shakti, and Aniruddha with Sattva Shakti. Maha-tattva, Ahamkara and Ahamkara Murthi Brahma are born from 'Shankarshana,' Pradyumna and Aniruddha respectively. All these three forms are endowed with all the three Gunas, but have predominance of their own Guna due to their origin.

अहंकारस्त्रिधा भूत्वा सर्वमेतदविस्तरात् ।
सात्त्विको राजसश्चैव तामसश्चेदहंकृतिः ॥ १८ ॥

देवा वैकारिकाज्जातास्तैजसादिन्द्रियाणि च ।
तामसाच्चैवभूतानि खादीनि स्वस्वशक्तिभिः ॥ १९ ॥

18-19 Ahamkara is of three kinds, that is with Sattwika, Rajsika, and Tamsika dispositions and it pervades them all. From Sattwika are born the divine class (Devta), from Rajas the Sensory organs and from Tamas the five primordial compounds. (air, earth, water, fire, and ether). These are endowed with their respective powers,

श्रीशक्त्या सहितो विष्णुः सदा पाति जगत्त्रयम् ।
भूशक्त्या सृजते ब्रह्मा नीलशक्त्या शिवोऽत्ति हि ॥ २० ॥

20 Lord Vishnu, coupled with Shri Shakti sustains and rules the three worlds, coupled with Bhoo Shakti, he is Brahma causing or Creating the Universe, Coupled with Neela Shakti, he is Shiva, destroying the Universe.

सर्वेषु चैव जीवेपु परमात्मा विराजते ।
सर्व हि तदिदं ब्रह्मन् ! स्थितं हि परमात्मनि ॥ २१ ॥

सर्वेषु चैव जीवेषु स्थितं ह्यंशद्वय क्वचित् ।
जीवांशो ह्मधिकास्तद्वत् परमात्मांशकः किल ॥ २२ ॥

सूर्यादयो ग्रहा सर्वे ब्रह्मकामद्विषादयः ।
एत चान्ये च बहवः परमात्मांशकाधिकाः ॥ २३ ॥

शक्तयश्च तथैतेषामधिकांशाः श्रियादयः ।
स्वस्वशक्तिषु चान्यासु ज्ञेया जीवांशकाधिकाः ॥ २४ ॥

21-24 O Brahmin, the Lord is in all beings and the entire universe is in Him. The Jeevatma and Paramatma amsha is there in all beings. Some have the predominance of the Jeevatma amsha while others have the predominance of the Paramatma amsha. Thus there is the predominance of Paramatma amsha in the planets (or grahas) like the Sun etc. and Brahma, Rudra (Shiva) etc. and in many other incarnations. Their powers or consorts like Shri Shakti etc. have also the predominance of the Paramatma amsha. Other divine beings and other powers have more of the Jeevatma amsha.

The combination of Prakriti and Purusha results in the creation of the phenomenal universe because the combination of these two causes imbalance in the Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas humours present in Prakriti. Prakriti produces that particular element whose quantity among these three is predominantly increased. Thus Mahatattwa is produced when there is the increase of Sattwa. This is the chief germ of the universe. It may be called intellect. The quality of intellect is Ahamkar. Therefore intellect is converted into Ahamkar. It is Ahamkar which gives birth to all the senses and the mind. Ahamkar increases Ignorance which symbolizes Tamas. When Ignorance or Tamas increases greatly five Tanmatras are born which are Shabda (word), Sparsha (touch), Roop (shape), Rasa (Juice) and Gandha (smell) - these are equivalent to the five senses- the sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Panch Mahabhutas- Jala (water), Prithvi (earth), Aakasha (sky), Vayu (air), and Agni (fire). All these tattwas are included in Prakriti. There is no reason of the creation of Prakriti. It has been regarded as without reason. Man has the quality related to the element of which he has the greater quantity in his constitution. His life is directed according to that tattwa. A man having spiritual power can know ones future only by seeing one on the basis of the knowledge and experience of these tattwas. Joy and sorrow and all the events of life are directed as per the ratio of these tattwas.

According to 'Vishnu Purana' the first form of Paramatma Parbrahma is Purusha, Avyakta (Prakriti) and Vyakta (Karya or action), Mahatattwa is its another form. 'Kaala' is the supreme form of God. Mahatattwa is of three kinds namely Sattwika, Rajsika and Tamsika, Three kinds of Ahamkar is born out of these and these three kinds of Ahamkar give birth to the Panch Mahabhootas and the senses. It is the Ahamkar which gives birth to Tanmatras. The Panch Mababhootas, of which the body is formed, experience the joys and sorrows, pleasures and pains. Tanmatras do not experience pleasure and pain. The earthly beings have the excess of all the three qualities of Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. Therefore they experience more pain, are very active and are endowed with the knowledge of things and are energetic in doing.

When the native gets the increase of Ahamkar, he will have to suffer the results of Sattwika Ahamkar, because he is wrapped in Ahamkar even while doing Sattwika deeds. In the same way man has to suffer due to the increase in him of the Rajsika Ahamkar. And when there is the increase of the Tamiska Ahamkar man stoops to commit wicked deeds, violence, robbery, man- handling etc. and the evil consequences he has to suffer in life and afterwards.

More knowledge about Sattwika, Rajsika and Tamsika qualities can be had from Chapter 3 Slokas no. 22 and its notes and the knowledge about the Panch Mahabhootas can be had from the same Chapter Sloka no. 20 and its notes. The qualities of Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas were responsible in Ancient India for the Varna Vyavastha (the caste system). The Brahmins represented the Sattwika qualities, the Kshtriyas and Vaishyas the Rajsika ones and the Shudras, the Tamsika ones. The division of Varnas had therefore a scientific and philosophical basis behind it.