Astrological Mythology The Meaning of ... - Mandhata Global
Astrological Mythology The Meaning of ... - Mandhata Global
Astrological Mythology The Meaning of ... - Mandhata Global
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light who guide the evolution <strong>of</strong> the universe by assisting the visible Sun.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Great Naga or serpent draws the wheel.<br />
On this chariot the Sun sits as a dwarf. His body glows like burnt copper and<br />
is yellow like honey in appearance. He has slightly red eyes, big arms and a<br />
neck like a tortoise shell. He wears bracelets and the earrings given to him<br />
by his mother Aditi, and is adorned with a diadem. Surya, the most<br />
important name for the Sun, derives from the root words Sur, Swar, and<br />
Sura. Sur means the Sun, a god, a learned man, and numerically represents<br />
the number thirty-three. Swar represents the galaxy or the milky way; it<br />
stands for sound, the voice, a musical note, scale, tone or tune, and refers to<br />
the number seven. Sura is associated with<br />
courage, valour and might.<br />
If we examine deeply the concepts associated with the Sun we realize their<br />
significance. <strong>The</strong> singleness <strong>of</strong> the chariot's wheel stands for perfect balance,<br />
non-dependence on any external support, and the tremendous speed with<br />
which the Sun moves. <strong>The</strong> Sun's chariot moves in Time which is always<br />
associated with space. It can have its existence only with the support <strong>of</strong> the<br />
three Gunas or primary attributes <strong>of</strong> objective manifestation. <strong>The</strong> objective<br />
existence also requires the energy and vitality provided by Prana or the vital<br />
force circulating in the three Nadis or nerves <strong>of</strong> the subtle body, the Ida,<br />
Pingala and Sushumna. <strong>The</strong>se are twined around the human spinal cord. <strong>The</strong><br />
three naves also stand for the threefold extension <strong>of</strong> time as past, present and<br />
future which enables the unfoldment <strong>of</strong> the inner potential in time. <strong>The</strong><br />
desire for bodily existence or Trishna, the craving for sensual existence, also<br />
arises from three primary motivational impulses, those for wealth, honor and<br />
pleasure (Artha, Dharma and Kama). <strong>The</strong> three naves <strong>of</strong> the Sun's wheel<br />
express the triple nature <strong>of</strong> the manifesting energy.<br />
<strong>The</strong> five spokes refer to the five bases on which the objective manifestation<br />
comes forth. For the macrocosm these are the five elements <strong>of</strong> earth, water,<br />
fire, air and ether. For the microcosm they are the five sheaths; Annamaya<br />
kosha (the physical body), Pranamaya kosha (the vesture <strong>of</strong> the vital airs),<br />
Manomaya kosha (the sensorial vesture), Vijanmaya Kosha (the cognitional<br />
vesture), and Anandamaya Kosha (the vesture <strong>of</strong> beatitude). <strong>The</strong> duration in<br />
which these live and move is described by five various parameters. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
are Tithi (date), Var (day), Nakshatra (constellation), Yoga (combination <strong>of</strong><br />
stars), and Karan (division <strong>of</strong> the day which are eleven in number). For<br />
astrological considerations these are very important.<br />
<strong>The</strong> five vital airs energizing all forms <strong>of</strong> life are: Prana, the breath <strong>of</strong> life;<br />
Apana, the vital air which goes downward; Vyana, the life-wind diffused<br />
throughout the body; Udana, the life-wind which rises up the throat and