by Vic DiCara
Supplication
Let us prosper by offering prosperity to others,
without self-interest.
May Mitra’s friendship extend to everyone.
Let our prosperities
increase our expressions of love.
May we live a hundred autumns
full of virility and vitality.
It is well known,
that beauty leads love.
So, Citrā leads Anurādhā to rise
bringing Mitra’s golden radiance into the sky.
Jyeṣṭhā -
The Power-Wielder
इन्द्रस्य रोहिनी
शृणत्परस्तात्प्रतिशृणदवस्तात्
indrasya rohinī
śṛṇat parastāt pratiśṛṇad avastāt
The power-wielder’s ambition
needs attacks, for counter-attacks.
indrasya:
of Indra
(power-wielders)
rohinī:
arousal, ambition
śṛṇat:
attacking
pratiśṛṇat:
counter-attacking;
Indra
As explained previously (see Citrā’s sūtra), the word indra indicates a powerful person. Kings, are often called Indra. The king of the gods, for example, bears this title.
Rohiṇī
This nakṣatra is more typically named Jyeṣṭhā, and elsewhere Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa uses that name (see 3.1.2.3), but here in the sūtra the author instead uses an unconventional name, rohiṇī. As explained previously, the sūtra’s author sometimes uses unconventional names due to having a very limited number of words in which to convey an essential message.
Rohiṇī indicates arousal, inspiration, passion and ambition. It is often associated with the color red, the color of such emotions. The main star in Jyeṣṭhā is the red star Antares (lit. “the star who rivals Mars”). Any red star can be, and often is, referred to as Rohiṇī.
The use of this word hints that Jyeṣṭhā usually involves the arousal of strong desires and emotions, which often has a sexual context or flavor.
The more common name of this nakṣatra, jyeṣṭhā, means “best, first, foremost.” It illustrates that the nakṣatra deals with rivalry and the ambition to be “#1.”
Śṛṇat
Sṛṇa means “attack.” This reveals that Jyeṣṭha, although passionate and aroused, is not particularly gentle or loving.
Pratiśṛṇat
Adding the prefix prati- to sṛṇa changes the meaning from “attack” to “counter-attack.” This shows Jyeṣṭha to be a nakṣatra of expert strategy.
Summary
Those who wield power (indra) achieve their ambitions (rohiṇī) by provoking enemies to attack (śṛṇa), which exposes their weaknesses and intentions, justifying and legitimizing counter-attack (pratiśṛṇa).35
Interpretive
Jyeṣṭhā is excellent wherever power can be obtained through strategy, cunning, and intrigue. It is also excellent in difficult situations, since it has a knack for turning strife and conflict to its own advantage. As a result, Sun, Mars, Saturn, Rāhu and Ketu tend to indicate positive outcomes here. Sun depicts an expert and unassailable ruler. Mars depicts an expert strategist and opportunist. Saturn indicates being impervious to counter-manipulation, due to clear, rational perception, patience, and detachment. Rāhu and Ketu depict those who can overthrow stronger opponents through subterfuge and misdirection.
Jyeṣṭhā is not welcome where straightforward honesty is required. Nor is it welcome where peace is sought. Softer, gentler planets in Jyeṣṭhā tend to indicate being beset by jealous rivals and ensnared in their cunning, intrigue, and politics. The Moon brings this out. Venus brings it out and adds a romantic and sexual undertone to the nature of the politics. Mercury indicates being embroiled in complex diplomacy. Jupiter indicates mistrust and abuse of trust for personal gain.
Life Lesson
This sūtra on Jyeṣṭhā teaches us a crucial life lesson about how to deal with the provocations and aspersions constantly being cast upon us by those who consider us their rivals. If we study the sūtra carefully we will realize that such rivals seldom if ever approach in a direct, honest and straightforward way. Instead they surreptitiously agitate us until we “pop” and lash out in retaliation.
That retaliation is exactly what they need (parastāt), for it “shows our cards” and informs them of our strengths, weaknesses, and style of combat. This allows them to create an effective strategy to counter-attack and defeat us. Additionally, because they were sly and surreptitious in taunting us, our retaliation is seen by the world as an initiation of aggression, rather than what it really is: a response. This weakens us and strengthens them by making us seem ethically wrong. It then invests their “counter-attacks” with moral and legal legitimacy, as if they were the party engaging in self-defense.
The lesson to be learned then, is to never respond to the provocations and taunts of ambitious power-seekers. At first, it seems like defeat to do so and not defend oneself, but far greater defeat lies in store if we take their bait. Our silence and calm will draw the rival to be less and less subtle in their provocations and taunts, until they finally cross the line and reveal themselves as outright aggressors, which then gives us the upper hand, and the chance to strike in an effective manner.
Supplication
The powerful seek excellence.
So, Indra follows Jyeṣṭhā nakṣatra.
They overcome all opponents,
as Indra overcame Vṛtra the Dragon.
They claim the spoils of their enemies
as Indra took the ambrosia.
Defeating them,
as ambrosia defeats hunger.
Indra is the fortress-smasher,
the bold, defiant bull.
His victory is glorious and plentiful.
Jyeṣṭhā produces sweet ambrosia for Indra.
And helps the endeavorer conquer the world.
Mūla -
Destroyer of Lies
निरृत्यै मूलवर्हणी
प्रतिभञ्जन्तः परस्तात्प्रतिशृणन्तोऽवस्तात्
nirṛtyai mūla varhaṇī
pratibhañjantaḥ parastāt pratiśṛṇanto ‘vastāt
Destroying the roots of untruth
needs mutual crushing,
for mutual annihilations
nirṛtyai:
for Nirṛti (untruth)
mūla:
the root
varhaṇī:
the destroyer
pratibhañjantaḥ:
mutual crushings
pratiśṛṇantaḥ:
mutual destructions
Nirṛti
Ṛta means “real.” Nir- means “without.” So the word nir-ṛta means “unreal.” Nir- also indicates “removed,” so the word implies one who removes things from reality: a “destroyer.” It is a name for the Goddess of Destruction.
Ṛta also means “true.” So nirṛti denotes “lies.” The Goddess named Nirṛti has mastery over all things that are illusory, delusive, false, and unreal.
This informs us that the symbolism of Mūla nakṣatra is focused on truth and lies, reality and unreality.
Mūla
Mūla indicates the origin and foundation of something. For example, it is very often used to refer to the roots of trees. Here, we are talking about the roots of lies and delusions. Nirṛtyai mūla literally means “the roots serving [the tree of] lies.”
Varhaṇī
This word, which means “destroyer”, describes goddess Nirṛti as the cutter and uprooter of the roots of lies. Mūla’s symbolism revolves around exposing lies to uproot and destroy them.
Pratibhañjana
Bhañjana means to strike, hit, crush, and destroy. The prefix prat
i- indicates mutual strikes going back and forth. Here, the word is plural. Lies seldom if ever remain singular. They proliferate. This is important, because their proliferation causes them to contradict each other, weakening and eventually destroying one another. Prati-bhanjanta = “attacking each other.”
The prefix prati- in prati-bhanjanta also implies that Mūla’s attacks are not unprovoked or undeserved. Mūla does not strike out at the innocent and truthful, its strikes in retaliation at the lies which have tried to strike it.
Pratiśṛṇana
The word śṛṇa was also in the previous sūtra, for Jyeṣṭhā. Here too it means “to attack, destroy, kill, etc.” Again, using the plural case indicates that lies multiply and proliferate, then start bumping into each other, cracking one another, and eventually annihilating each other.
Summary
Mūla’s motive is to annihilate lies and untruth (nirṛtyai mūla varhaṇī) by uprooting and exposing how the lies contradict one another (pratibhañjanta), and thus invalidate and destroy each other (pratiśṛṇana).
Interpretive
Mūla is very welcome and useful wherever and whenever we need to dig below the surface, cut through lies, and uncover the real truth. Thus it is very supportive of truth seekers, detectives, researchers, scientists and so on. Sharp and deep planets here (Mars, Nodes, and Saturn) tend to bring out this potential. Rāhu is especially powerful here.
Mūla is not so welcome where compliance and conformity is called for (as in many familial and relationship situations) because it needs to “shake things up” and “dig into forbidden places.” The softer and more relationship-oriented planets in Mūla (Venus, Moon, and Mercury) can indicate these sorts of challenges.
The Sun and Jupiter in Mūla also tend to indicate the more challenging side of the nakṣatra, suggesting frequent or significant clashes with authorities who typically establish and enforce what is normalized as true, real, lawful, moral, and so on.
Life Lesson
The first lesson is that it is good to be non-conformant and defiant against an untruth. The Vedas have ascribed a goddess to this very topic! The intention to be non-conformant with untruth is the beginning of understanding truth and reality.
The second lesson is that lies will destroy themselves. All we have to do is shine light on how they contradict and attack each other. If you have to figure out a very complex strategy to defeat a lie, it might not be a lie at all. All that needs to be done is to point out how one statement clashes with another.
The third lesson teaches us how to target and detect untruth. Untruth reveals itself by disharmony. It will not “sit right” with the rest of the facts that surround it. It will struggle with them, become nervous, defensive, convoluted and cunning. Truth is protected by the very fact that it is true, it needs no defense and no strategy, it is very simple, straightforward, consistent, and plain. It therefore has a calm, innocent, child-like and somewhat unprepared or spontaneous confidence. Lies proliferate, complicate, and become tangled with one another. Truth is simple, singular, constant, and open.
Finally, this sūtra also explains why we die (or what anything and everything comes to an end). As long as we have not discovered the truth of who and what we are, we will know only untruths about ourselves. These untruths become very complex and plural. Then they rub against and contradict each other - causing their inevitable mutual destruction. If we can eventually discover the truth of who and what we are, the necessity of death disappears.
Supplication
Mūla produces heroes
who cast falsehoods (Nirṛti) far away.
Thus it protects innocents,
the animals and cows,
giving great prosperity.
Mūla Nakṣatra shines a bright light,
establishing goodness.
It’s words cast untruth out.
Auspiciousness flourishes,
and I too become auspicious.
Pūrva-Aṣāḍhā -
Initiating Victory
अपां पूर्वा अषाढाः
वर्चः परस्तात्समितिरवस्तात्
apāṁ pūrvā aṣāḍhāḥ
varcaḥ parastāt samitir avastāt
Beginning an invincible action
needs vital power, for concordance.
apāṁ:
Apās (flowing, moving, acting)
pūrvā:
the beginning
aṣāḍhāḥ:
the invincible;
varcaḥ:
vital power
samitiḥ:
concordance
Apām
The word apām most often refers to flowing waters, rivers. The root of the word, ap, indicates work, action, the ability to set things in motion. Pūrva Aṣāḍhā is therefore a nakṣatra about what rivers do. They move and let things move.
Pūrva
Pūrva (first, initial, beginning) indicates the initiation of an action, setting things in motion.
Aṣāḍha
Aṣāḍha means “unconquerable.” Flowing water is unstoppable. The sūtra describes how to begin (pūrva) a movement or action (apas) that will be victorious and successful (aṣāḍha).
Varcas
The word varcas comes from the root ruc - which indicates bright, hot, brilliant power. Most commonly it refers to sunlight, but is also used as a word for enthusiasm and vitality.
Varcas is what Pūrva Aṣāḍhā needs (parastāt). Initiating a successful endeavor requires power, especially the power of vitality and enthusiasm.
Samiti
Samiti means assembling, coming together. It can indicate a concordant agreement, or it can indicate armies assembling for war. It also indicates consolidation. This is what Pūrva Aṣāḍha tries to produce (avastāt). The enthusiasm and effort we put in to initiating a successful endeavor has to result in consolidation of a team which agrees to cooperate.
Rivers (apām) have an inherent power to bring communities together (samiti). Humans always prefer to build their towns and cities near rivers, and animals always assemble on riverbanks.
Summary
Pūrva Aṣāḍhā initializes (pūrva) successful (aṣāḍha) endeavors (apam) by using power and enthusiasm (varcas) to assemble a cooperative team of diverse talents (samiti).
A more literal reading of this sūtra is also fascinating: Rivers (apām) need the sunlight (varcas) to evaporate ocean water. The resulting rain then consolidates itself into rivers which flow back to join again with the ocean (samiti).
Interpretive
Pūrva Aṣāḍhā is welcome wherever we need the power and vigor to overcome obstacles and get projects started by assembling required resources. Thus it is a particularly good nakṣatra when we need to make teams, form alliances and pool resources.
Pūrva Aṣāḍhā does not have many weaknesses, but one area in which it is not ideal is self-reliance. When it malfunctions, Pūrva Aṣāḍhā indicates feeling powerless and incapable of starting anything due to lack of assistance from others. The softer planets are candidates for such interpretations. An ill-functioning Pūrva Aṣāḍhā also suggests foolhardy, hasty, ill-prepared and overambitious enterprise; attacking opponents one is incapable of defeating, and embarking on journeys one lacks the fuel to complete. The more decisive planets tend to malfunction in this manner.
The Sun and Mars bring out the good side of this nakṣatra because they provide vitality and power; but their self-reliant, independent nature clashes with the nakṣatra’s focus on teamwork. Venus, Mercury and Moon are just the opposite: their partnering nature fares well here, but their gentility and softness does not do much to supply the varcas the nakṣatra requires. Saturn’s strength and determination is good for this nakṣatra, but also lacks the varcas it requires. Rāhu and Ketu are powerful, which suits the nakṣatra well, but individualistic and non-cooperative, which clashes with the nakṣatra’s fundamental nature. Perhaps th
e best planet here is Jupiter, with Venus a close second.
Life Lesson
The concept that water (apas) is powerful (aṣāḍha) was a significant revelation to me, because water is soft and nourishing - which I did not conceive of as “powerful.” The divinity named Apas is a goddess, not a god - again not what one would typically expect for the “unconquerable nakṣatra.” This sūtra, however, showed me that water and femininity has great power when it comes together and flows. Softness, care, consideration, nourishment, and togetherness - classically feminine traits associated with water - contain indomitable power because they allow teams to be formed, and when teams pool their resources, any hurdle can be overcome. This confirms that feminine strength thrives by togetherness and mutual prosperity.
A second lesson I learned from this sūtra is that success requires focus, but “focus” is not the same as “uniformity.” By using the word samiti, the sūtra teaches us that that focus doesn’t eliminate diversity, it concentrates diverse talents and resources on a single goal.
The third lesson I learned is how to start a project with the greatest chances for success. The key is that our enthusiasm should be directed to foreseeing and gathering all the resources and talents one will need to overcome the initial obstacles one will face. Once we have this preparation done, we can set out from the starting line like a powerful and confident elephant.
Supplication
May waters (Āpa) flow
from the sky to the earth,
be drunk
and pervade our inner being.
May these waters from Aṣāḍhā
lead to the fulfillment of our desires.
May these waters calm and delight us.
Let the waters collect
in wells, rivers, and seas.
Let them be stored,
in glaciers and reservoirs.