Astrological Mythology The Meaning of ... - Mandhata Global

Sun to prevent him from learning of her absence. Saturn is born of this union
between the Sun and Chhaya. This allegory suggests that Saturn is the
projection of solar radiance through the veil of matter, which alone is
capable of casting a shadow. The casting of a shadow denotes that the pure
radiance of the Sun has been obstructed by matter. Saturn is also named Asit,
Surya-putra and Manda. Asit means black and dark blue, and a black
serpent. Surya-putra means the son of the Sun. Manda means slow or dull.
The various mythological children born to the Sun represent different
combinations of solar light with feminine creative forces. The resulting
children become special creative powers furthering the Divine mission that
is the sole purpose of the solar light. Some of these children are: Yama, god
of death; Manu, father of the human race; Sugriva, the monkey king friendly
with the demons but who sided with the gods to help conquer them; Jatayu,
the vulture who gave the great hero Rama knowledge about how his wife
Sita was abducted; the Ashwins, great healers with tremendous rejuvenating
powers; Kama, a hero of the Mahabharata born of Kunti; and Savarni, a
daughter of the Sun. All these offspring of the Sun have the common feature
of carrying further the Divine mission of the light, the victory of the spiritual
force over materiality.
Saturn does the same thing but in a special way. Saturn spiritualizes but not
by arousing an inner urge to discover the real Self. This comes as an aftereffect.
Saturn causes frustration with the material world. It creates sorrow
first. It accentuates the nature of the 'shadow' and makes the veil covering
the soul's real nature more prominent through its restricting influence. Saturn
does not show us the ultimate goal at first but confronts us with the
limitations of the veil. Then follows the urge to liberate oneself and attain
one's real nature.
Another name for Saturn is Saptarchi, which means "he who has seven
flames or rays." The Sun has seven rays, or seven channels of the life
current. These arc the seven flows of the celestial river Ganges, or the seven
flames of the fire. They are the basic differentiation of the life-current which
results in the seven human temperaments. This categorization depends upon
the seven paths on which souls evolve. It not only influences temperament
but affects our life conditions. The special path each soul must follow to
unfold its basic nature depends upon the special ray contained within it. The
basic characteristics of the seven channels has been classified under the
seven Rays. These show the underlying impulses which guide all activities
of the individual during both the unconscious and conscious stages of
cosmic evolution.