Prasna and its Utility

Prasna is a very important part of astrology and is very useful. In some cases, only prasna astrology is helpful. The prasna refers to when we reply to a question based on the horoscope prepared for the date and time when the  querent has sought astrological help. Generally, prasna is made when the querent does not have a birth horoscope. It is very important that whenever a querent seeks advice for the first time, the time and date are noted. The place would be the location of the astrologer. In case of telephonic query, too, the place remains the location of the astrologer.

For researchers and advance learners, noting down the time of the first query is helpful in timing of events and rectification of the birth charts.  Even the astrological remedial measures prescribed according to the ascendant of the prasna have proved to be helpful in the majority of the cases, wherever a response was available.

The study of prasna is very useful :

When the querent or the person about whom the prasna is being made does not have a birth chart.

To ascertain the ascendant when the ascendant is either in the ending degrees or the beginning of a new sign. In such cases, the ascendant rising in the prasna generally matches with the ascendant of the birth chart.

The correctness of the ascendant of the birth chart is very important to figure out the true functional nature of the planets in a particular nativity. Not only does the functional nature of planets play a key role in the analysis of a chart, but it is also necessary for prescribing the astrological remedial measures.

- To time return of missing persons.

- To time recovery of patients.

- To predict recovery of stolen or misplaced items.

- To predict solemnization of marriage.

- To predict success of new ventures.

The only requirement for the success of the prasna astrology is that the querent approaches the astrologer without any appointment for the sole purpose of a query.  If a telephonic call is made to fix up an appointment, then the time of the telephone call is noted for the prasna while the actual meeting for the consultation may take place at the appointed time.

Sometimes, it so happens that when a person is introduced to an astrologer, the former immediately puts a question.  Such a question should always be replied according to the birth chart of the querent.

In case the querent does not have a birth chart, then he/she should be asked to contact the astrologer after a week or ten days without fixmg an appointment.  If the astrologer is not available at the time of the approach made by the querent, then the time of approach should be noted and should be used for preparation of a birth chart.  The prasna chart is prepared in full for identifying the strength of the planets and working out the planetary periods for timing the events.  The events are timed with the help of the operating planetary periods and the transit influences, both formative and separative.

Even at the cost of some repetition, the essential predictive techniques of the Systems'  Approach have been mentioned here so that the case studies included are properly understood by the readers without referring to other books of the Systems' Approach.

Prasna brings out the main question(s) of the querent based on the conjunctions, aspects, placements and the operating planets.  If the lord of the fifth house is afflicted, the prasna may pertain to progenic matters.  If the lord of the seventh house is afflicted, the question may pertain to spouse or marital affairs or foreign visit or foreign stay.  All the conjunctions, aspects, placements and the operating planetary periods are to be studied with reference to the ascendant and not treating the house pertaining to the relation about whom the question is made as an ascendant to answer the question.  For example, if one wants to know about the spouse then the influences on the seventh house are considered, and the seventh house is not treated as the ascendant of the spouse.  This is further elaborated in the case studies included.

Major Constituents of the System of Astrology

The divine science of astrology has four major constituents that are signs, houses, planets and the planetary periods.  It will be in the fitness of things if the four constituents of the system are briefly discussed to develop an understanding for learning the Hindu system of astrology.                                                                   

A. SIGNS

The first constituent of the system is signs.  They are twelve in number and are ruled by the planets indicated against each of them.   

You mill observe that the planets Mars,  Venus, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn rule over two signs.  These planets have special attention to one of their signs and this sign is known as their mooltrikona sign.  The signs Aries, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius  and Aquarius are the mooltrikona sign of the planets Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, respectively.

The signs possess the positive and negative aspects of their lords according to their nature and according to the strength of their lords.  The most important quality is that they lead us to infer the extent of fructifications of the significations of a particular house.  For example, if the sign Libra falls in a house and its lord   Venus is in full strength, the significations of the house in particular will flourish to a very affluent level of the society in which a particular native (person) is living. The signification of the signs have been detailed  elsewhere.

B. HOUSES

The second constituent of the System is houses. The house are twelve in number and each of the twelve houses of the horoscope deals with specific significations. The significations of the houses fructify under the planetary periods connected with them.The significations of the houses have been detailed elsewhere. The houses are good and bad. The sixth, eighth and twelfth houses are known as bad (malefic) houses as these rule diseases, obstructions and losses, respectively.

C. PLANETS

The third constituent of the System is planets. In Hindu astrology, we consider the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu as planets. While the Sun and the Moon are the luminaries, Rahu and Ketu are the shadowy planets. As the planets Pluto, Neptune and Uranus neither have a lordship over a house nor have a planetary period of their own, they can in no way be considered in predictive astrology.

The planets signify various things including the specific body parts and the functional system of health. For example, the Sun rules heart, digestive system and vitality.  The Moon rules the lungs, fluids in body, lymphatic system, etc.  The significations of the planets have also been detailed elsewhere.

The planets attain benefic or malefic functional nature in a nativity (horoscope) based on the lordship of benefic or malefic houses.  The planets may be weak or strong.  The functional malefic planets when influencing other planets or houses cause afflictions to them.

The planets, when placed in a particular sign, are considered as exalted/debilitated.  In their signs of exaltation, the planets become strong, while in their signs of debilitation the planets become weak. 

The planets become exalted or debilitated in the signs mentioned against       each:

D.PLANETARY PERIODS

The fourth constituent of the System is planetary periods. Various types of planetary periods for specific planetary combinations are mentioned in classical texts.  But, we will consider only Vimshotri dasa system here as this is universally applicable for all sets of combinations in a nativity.

The planets according to their strength in a horoscope, give results of the significations and houses ruled by them in their sub periods.  More light on this will be thrown at appropriate places.