Monday, December 9, 2013

Gem Selection Logic in Astrology

Out of many remedial measures available in astrology, use of gems is by far one of the most popular methods availed by people and prescribed by astrologers.

But astrologers are divided on the "right' approach to Gem selection. The two two opposing school of thoughts are the "Anukul vad" and "Praticul vad" school of thought.

Both the approaches are faulty in their line of thinking. The reason is as below:

What is Anukul vad theory? It states "Anukul Planet's gem choosing method for resorting to or harnessing one's auspicious or Anukul planet(s) (exalted, mulatrikona, own sign, benefic, great friend, good house, owner of good house, etc.) based on the concept that lucky planet = lucky gem! In Jyotish there are basically two broad categories of planetary position, viz., favorable (to the chart) - Anukul OR unfavorable (to the chart) - Pratikul. One should avoid their weakness and cultivate their strengths. "Ratna-anukul" means the auspicious gem of strongest most desirable". R.S. Brown

"The Jyotish gems act SAME as their Grahas (planets) and so the gems should be used for a native's ANUKUL GRAHAS (benefic planets) to harness the benefic influence. The Jyotish gems do not act OPPOSITE of their Grahas and so gems should not be used for a native's PRATIKUL GRAHAS (malefic planets). Thus the malpractice of Pratikul Vad by some confused and irrational astrologers to the detriment even ruination of their misguided clients can be put to an end."---Pt. Pemmaraju V.R. Rayudu

In an email to me in 2011, Mr R.S. Brown writes "
Sriman, we are not saying wear gem of weak OR strong planets, we are saying wear the gem of anukul planet, either strong or weak. A strong planet is not always anukul, and a weak planet is not always pratikul. The ideal gem is for the most anukul planet that is weak. We do not think that strong always means good nor that weak means bad. Otherwise Hitler was strong and thus good? Give strength to friends not enemies. Common sense."

This simply means strengthen the benefic planets according to Lagna of the horoscope. So, go by the friends (anukul) of the Lagna, irrespective of whether it is poised to give good or bad effects in life. Wow!!

What is Pratikul vad theory? It states "Pratikul Planet's gem choosing method for strengthening a weak or evil planet, based on the idea that a 'pratikul' (inauspicious) planet is strengthened by wearing it's gem and there by it changes from being inauspicious (pratikul) to become auspicious (anukul). By providing the gem for a malefic planet, benefic results will follow. Example: A person has Jupiter debilitated and a malefic which is inauspicious or pratikul, but by wearing Jupiter's gem, yellow sapphire or another yellow Jupiter jewel, it is believed that the 'weak' (troublesome) Jupiter gets strengthened and REVERSES to become auspicious. Pratikul means a planet that causes evil influence or suffering to the native as seen through the horoscope. This may be a debilitated planet who is in a dusthana and enemy of the lord of the lagna, or otherwise disposed that the influence simply causes suffering.

Prima facie both the schools of thought looks highly appealing and an astrologer is pulled strongly into believing anyone of the philosophies.

Unfortunately, both are wrong equally. Lets see how.

Take the example of medical science. Allopathy. If you are having any deficiency in a particular Vitamin, then you are administered vitamin supplements for your deficiency, not given more and more dosages of the vitamins that you already have in abundance. So, your are given remedy for your "weak" vitamins. And we all know that 9 planets control all the vitamins of our body. 

Similarly, look at Nature all around you. It is the "weak" that is strengthened, the "bad" which is reformed and inasupicious which is kept at bay. You eat only when you are hungry, but if you start gorging your stomach when you are full, you will vomit.

Anukul vad is a wrong approach to Gem selection because it asks you to strengthen a planet which is already strong by being in the exalted sign, mooltrikona house etc. They dont think whether it is good to strengthen an already "strong mischief maker" in the chart or is that strong planet an evil doer or doer of good. They believe, erroneously, that whichever planet is the friend of the Lagna lord and is strong in the chart is a benefic by default and therefore it has to be strengthened more.


Now let us look at Pratikul vad. 
Any planet weak in the horoscope does not by default become evil. Had that been the case, all weak people on Earth would be the most evil people. Mother nature did not make all beings equal in strength--physical, economically or any other way. Weakness is not equal to inauspiciousness.

The main problem lies in trying to transliterate Indian Sanskrit words into English language. Anukul means "helpful" and Pratikul means "unhelpful/impediment creator". But people from the Anukul and Pratikul school of thoughts have equated Anukul with favorablity/auspiciousness/strength/lucky planet and Pratukul with the opposite ideas.

Take a simple situation. For Vrishckika Lagna Jupiter--the natural benefic--is the 5th lord--the functional benefic--is Neecha in 3rd house Makara and aspected by Mercury--the 8th lord from Karkata and the 9th lord Moon. This Jupiter is therefore Anukul or Pratikul?? You can spend your entire lifetime debating on this and never end up suggesting gem for your client.

Take a complex situation now. Is the 8th house ONLY a bad house? It gives accident, but it can also give you your money from wills and legacy, your money from insurance claims. Is the 12th house ONLY bad? Does it not give you the comforts of sleeping on a cosy bed? And what about the 6th house? Is it only giving you enemies and disease and not your win in litigation, and income from service?

So, how come 6, 8 and 12th lords are bad planets and so gems should or should not be given? And is Saturn, Rahu, Ketu are always bad and so gems should not be given ever for them??

It is neither Anukul not Pratikul method that helps in the correct gem selection?

Some other day I will write about the most effective gem selection methods that turn lives of people...at least that's what my 200 year old astrological family has been doing till date. 

The tragedy is that some people who have just 30-40 years small experience in astrology have "conclusively" decided for "this method" or "that method" of gem selection based on a few dozen case studies and whenever any practice does not fit with their positivist frame of reference, they start relegating the concept as mere speculation. They forget that for thousands of years all the world believed that Earth is at the center of the Universe. 


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