ASTRO POINTERS TO EDUCATION AND PROFESSION

BY DR. E. S. NEELAKANTAN

INTRODUCTION:

There is great proliferation of branches of education in today’s world. Similarly there is also a great proliferation in the jobs available in today’s corporate world. In Astrology, however things haven’t changed – we have same 12 houses, same 9 planets and the same divisional charts and rules of transits. So the challenge lies in identifying one’s field of education and scope of work given the varied options available. In this write-up, we will try to figure out how astrological combinations guide a person to study a particular branch of knowledge or take up a specific line of activity.

We will now have a brief look at the karaka planets for the twelve houses.

Note: I would like to make two important observations regarding karakatwas of planets;

1. Saturn is karaka of 6, 8 and 12 - the three dustanas.
2. Jupiter is karaka for five houses 2, 5, 9, 10 and 11.

In the above karaka table we find that four planets have karakatwa over the 10th house viz., Jupiter, Mercury, Sun and Saturn.

• Sun denotes the Self, Health and Personality of a person. Sun in the 10th can bestow a career in the government and also take a person to the top.
• Mercury denotes wisdom. It also denotes analytical mind, quickness in decision making and diplomacy in relationship with people.
• Jupiter denotes wisdom. It also denotes philanthropy and spirituality. It also denotes good judgemental ability. It is also a karaka for wealth.
• Saturn denotes patience and perseverance. It denotes hard work. It is said that a rolling stone gathers no moss and there is also an adage which says genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. If we combine the wisdom of the aforesaid sayings and apply this to Saturn, it is clear that a good Saturn bestows hard work and perseverance, thereby showing the path to success.

LINK BETWEEN LORDS OF 2 AND 10:

The second house rules over education while the 10th rules over profession. If the 2nd lord is unconnected to the 10th then there will be no connection between a person's job and his studies. It can also mean that the chart holder would terminate his studies and go for a job. In competitive exams like C.A, it would mean that the candidate takes up a job on account of his/her failure to pass the exams. Effectively this means that a concrete and strong link between lords of 2 and 10 would mean successful completion of studies and getting a job related to one's qualification while the 10th lord unrelated to 2 would mean securing a job unrelated to one's field of education.

ENGINEERING:

In older times getting a first group in college for the Pre - University course would mean the MPC course meaning Maths, Physics and Chemistry. This is the course which would lead one to join any one of the engineering courses. Of course computer engineering is the latest entrant to this field; earlier we had mechanical, civil, electrical and electronics and aeronautical.

Basically Mars and Saturn rule over engineering. Mercury enables one to have the necessary analytical skills. The signs involved should be Aries or Scorpio. Fiery signs in the 10th indicate a career in engineering.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING:

While software engineers also have the same B.E or B.Tech degree as any other engineer, the difference lies in the fact that programming is a creative activity. In cinema we say that an artist or a poet or a music composer should have a strong Venus. Here it is the same Venus which gives creative skills. Rahu in 3, 6, 10 or 11 would enable these software engineers to land up in a good job overseas.

CIVIL ENGINEERING AND INTERIOR DECORATION:

The rules which make one an engineer also give rise to the necessary skill set for becoming a civil engineer but there are a few additional rules which help one to gain proficiency in civil engineering and interior decoration.

• The 10th house should fall in an earthy sign which denotes a career in civil engineering and construction.
• Moon and Venus denote palatial houses and are essential for interior decoration.
• Mars in Bhoomi karaka and the 4th house denotes immovable property. Therefore these houses and planets should be adequately fortified for a career in civil engineering or interior decoration.
• Mars, Venus and Mercury influencing 10th house denotes this line.

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERS:

The above rules are relevant but a few special conditions need to be satisfied.

• Moon, Mars and Rahu inter - related gives one a career in electrical engineering and electronics.
• Fiery signs should be the 10th house.

HARDWARE ENGINEERS:

• Rahu denotes hardware while Mercury denotes software.
• 3rd house rules over communication.
• 6th denotes service; 7th denotes own business. So the above factors need to be analysed to form an opinion whether the chart holder would become a hardware engineer.

INHERITANCE OF PROFESSION:

In the concept called "Varnashrama Dharma" prevalent since olden times, the child inherits the father's profession. Sometimes both parents are doctors and children follow their parent's footsteps. If the 10th lord occupies the 9th along with benefic influences, the father's profession is inherited and likewise 10th lord in 4 denotes inheriting the mother's profession. In such cases, the children follow same line of education as that of parents.

FASHION DESIGNERS:

• Venus denotes clothes and Moon indicate the fabric.
• A harmonious link between 4, 7 and 10 is needed for fashion designers.
• Venus should come under nodal influence. Under the above planetary influences one becomes a fashion designer.
• Mars and Venus conjunct in the 10th.

TIMING OF FIRST SALARY:

Before I venture to discuss about this I would like to narrate a personal anecdote. My father (who was a leading Chartered Accountant in Chennai) had just written his CA (Final) exams and with his boss travelled to meet a spiritual head in Dharmasthala. People used to meet him to get answers to their personal questions. Under instructions from his boss, my father asked him about his exams results. The spiritual head asked him what he proposed to do to the mutt, if he answered his query correctly. My father replied he would donate the first fee he received to the mutt. The spiritual head said he would pass the exams, a prophecy which came true. After leaving, the perplexed boss asked my father, why he wanted to donate the first fee to the mutt. My father said that his answer carried several connotations. Firstly I have to pass, secondly I have to get a client, thirdly I should do the work properly and last but not least, the client should agree to pay the fee. Ultimately all the four events happened as desired and the fee was given to the mutt.

• Jupiter should transit the 1st house, 5th, 7th or 9th either from the 10th house or the 10th lord.
• Saturn should establish contact either with the 10th lord or the Ascendant lord.

Under the above planetary conditions, a person will obtain his / her first salary.

PILOT:

To become a pilot there are a few rules;

• 8th house represents travel by seas and can denote travel by air as well.
• 10th house rules over sky.
• 9th house denotes air travel.
• 12th denotes foreign lands.
• To become a pilot Mars should be linked to Saturn.
• So, some kind of a relationship between 9, 10, 11 and 12 indicates career as a pilot.

While analysing the charts of pilots a few more factors merit consideration. In practice it is found that either Rahu or Ketu is conjunct the Sun or Moon. The lagna or lagna lord or Ketu is seen to occupy Sadabhishek, Vishaka or Pushya star. The 3rd house may have Moon - Rahu or Sun - Rahu or Moon - Ketu or Sun - Ketu conjunction as pilots are frequent travellers. Link between 10th lord and 12th lord is also seen or the 10th lord is conjunct Venus. The 8th lord or the 8th house is seen in watery signs. Either Gemini or Virgo is the 10th house or there is a strong mercurial influence on the 10th. As 9th house rules long distance travel the 9th house is strong or alternatively the 9th lord is strong. Pilots need strong eye sight and therefore it is fond that they have a strong Sun in their birth charts.

MEDICINE:

Generally houses 2 and 4 are related to education. 5th house denotes intelligence while 9th house denotes Higher education. The 6th house rules over diseases. The signs Cancer and Pisces have special relevance to doctors. The 12th house rules over hospitals. Mercury rules over nerves and therefore it is important that Mercury and Moon are strongly placed to give rise to a career in neurology.

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS:

For becoming a Chartered Accountant one needs to have a strong Jupiter and Mercury. 10th rules over profession while 7th rules over growth in Career. Both the above mentioned houses need to be strong to have good private practice in CA. In addition, the 3rd rules over clients and a strong 3rd house and 3rd lord give lot of support from clients.

ADVOCATE:

• Jupiter in own house, 2 or 11or in quadrant to Moon.
• Mars and Jupiter in quadrant or trine and mutually related.
• The lord of 2 rendered strong and related to Mercury.

Every Judge is basically an Advocate. But the converse is not true. Every Advocate does not become a Judge. To become a Judge.

• The Sun should be strong.
• The lord of 5 should occupy own house.

ZOOLOGY:

Before I mention the rules let us try and understand the clarification amongst planets as Dhatu, Moola and Jeeva.

DHATU: Rahu, Mars, Saturn, and Moon.
MOOLA: Sun and Venus.
JEEVA: Mercury, Jupiter and Ketu.

To pursue subjects like Zoology and Entomology one should have the following combinations:

• Jeeva planets related to the 10th.
• Influence of Moon, Rahu, or Ketu on the signifying houses (2, 4, 5 and 9).
• Influence of watery signs on 5 and 10.

OCEANOGRAPHY:

• Moon plays a vital role; so also Ketu.
• Stars of Moon are seen to be prominent in the 10th.
• The 9th lord and the 9th house should be strong and they are likely influenced by the nodes.

Now with this theoretical background, we will move on to our discussion on case studies.

Chart 1 belongs to a software engineer. In her chart Saturn in 10th forms a conjunction with Mercury in a trine from Mars. As discussed Mars and Saturn are the key planets for engineering. Venus as a creative planet is exalted. So all the rules discussed earlier are satisfied.

Chart 2 is also that of a software engineer. Lord of 10th Mercury forms a conjunction with 3rd lord Mars, which denotes communication and Venus is also well planned in the 10th. In navamsa both Mars and Saturn are strongly placed.

Chart 3 belongs to a software engineer who rose to the pinnacle of his career by being in the Board of Directors of the leading software company. In his chart Mars and Saturn are strongly placed and they aspect each other. Saturn as 3rd lord is strongly placed in the 3rd aspected by Jupiter. Mars is also conjunct Venus. For sometime he was also deputed abroad as Rahu occupies the 6th.

Chart 4 belongs to a Chartered Accountant who has a roaring practice. In his chart Mars as lord of 10 is placed in Virgo, owned by Mercury aspected by Jupiter. The lord of 7 is strongly placed and his professional career shows an upward graph. Planets indicating CA viz., Jupiter is in own house while, Mercury is in own navamsa. From humble beginnings, the native has risen to the top.

Chart 5 belongs to a doctor who is a neurologist in USA. Mars is exalted in the 2nd while Moon is exalted in the 6th aspecting the 12th. 2nd rules over education, 6th over diseases and 12th over hospitals. The 5th house rules over intelligence and hence we have lords of 6 in 5, meaning intelligence in relation to health issues.

Chart 6 belongs to an Advocate who was Junior standing counsel in a High Court. Let us look at the rules for becoming an Advocate and you can easily correlate the same with the chart. First combination is Jupiter is in 2nd in quadrant to Moon. Mars and Jupiter are related since Mars occupies Pisces, owned by Jupiter. Lord of 2 is strongly placed in 11 and lord of 2 is also in a quadrant from Mercury in the D-9 chart.

Now we will look at three charts in quick succession, all belonging to pilots. You can refresh the theory and see how they apply to the charts chosen for case study.

Chart 7 is that of a pilot in whose chart the lord of 10, Sun forms a Yoga with 12th lord Venus. We have Ketu in Pushya Star and the lords of 10 and 11 are in mutual interchange. The house of travel the 3rd has a Moon – Rahu conjunction. Mars aspects Saturn and as lord of 8th, Mercury is in the 10th. It is also to be noted that Mercury influencing the 10th is a yoga for air travel.

In Chart 8 there is a Moon – Mercury conjunction in the 9th (as lords of 8 and 10) and therefore there is a link between 8, 9 and 10. Ketu is in Pushya Star.

The Sun - Ketu conjunction is also a Yoga for becoming a pilot. As Mercury rules over Virgo, it becoming the 10th sign makes it suitable for becoming a pilot. The 8th becoming a watery sign is also a yoga for becoming a pilot.

In Chart 9, we have an awesome yoga of lords of 8, 9, and 10 occupying their own houses. The Sun - Ketu combination is suitable for pilots while Moon in the 3rd in a watery sign rules frequent travels. The 10th falls in Libra in an airy sign with its lord Venus, who denotes all form of conveyance, placed in own sign. A strong 9th lord also denotes travel. In short, this chart belongs to a person who is a pilot by birth rather than by training.

Chart 10 belongs to the world famous Zoologist of olden times, Charles Darwin. (12.02.1809 to 19.04.1882). He is widely known for his contribution to evolutionary biology. In his chart, 5th is a watery sign with two strong planets occupying the rasi viz Venus and Jupiter. Mercury, the Jeeva planet conjuncts the 10th lord Sun and aspects the 10th. From the Moon, 4th sign is Aries and we have Moon, Rahu and Ketu in quadrants, which fulfils the second limb in our theoretical discussion. So all the requirements for a great Zoologist can be found in Darwin’s chart.

Darwin published his theory of evolution with compelling evidence in 1859 in the book "On the Origin of Species". Darwin travelled to the Galapagos Islands in South America (aboard HMS Beagle), which is located 900 kilometres west of Ecuador and did lots of research on the species in that island. His observations and collections contributed much to his theory of evolution.

Chart 11 belongs to a girl who did her degree course in Oceanography in a foreign university. Moon is well placed in the 11th with 5th lord Sun aspected by Jupiter. The 9th house has Rahu, aspected by Jupiter. Mercury denotes education; Pisces is a watery sign; So, Mercury in Pisces favours a course in oceanography.

Before we discuss the next chart let me narrate an anecdote. It was a night train journey and the train came to an abrupt halt as some passenger had pulled the red chain which is an alarum chain used to stop a moving train. The railway police identified the passenger who had pulled the chain and started questioning him. The passenger said that in a few metres from the engine, there was a breakage in the railway track and he had deliberately pulled the chain to save the train from a possible derailment. Using torchlights the guards started checking the railway track and indeed there was a crack in the railway track. The railway authorities questioned the passenger how he detected this. The passenger replied that he was sleeping in the lower berth and from the sound generated by the moving train, he could detect a change in frequency which indicated a problem in the railway track ahead. The authorities said, "Sir, if you could detect this, you are none other than a genius. Can you let us know who you are?". "Sir, I am Sir. M. Viswesvaraya" replied the passenger.

Chart 12 belongs to the renowned civil engineer Sir. M. Viswesvaraya,about whom we just saw an anecdote. The 10th falls in an earthy sign Virgo occupied by an exalted Mercury. There is a Mars - Saturn conjunction in Leo together with 4th lord Jupiter who rules over construction. So the yoga is that of Karma Karaka Saturn with Bhoomi - Karaka, Mars and the 4th lord Jupiter. From 1912 to 1918 he served as Diwan of Mysore. In 1955 he was awarded the Bharat Ratna. His birthday 15th September is celebrated as Engineeer's Day.

ECONOMICS:

• The 2nd house rules over economics.
• Mercury and Jupiter are key planets for economics supported by the Sun and the Moon.
• The 9th house ruling over judgement is also important.
• The sign Virgo rules over vocation in economics.

John Maynard Keynes ( Chart 13) has a strong array of planets in 9, 10 and 11. His 10th house has a strong Mercury supported by the Sun and the Moon and the 9th has a strong Mars. Lord of 2 occupies the 10th. Keynes is an English economist whose ideas fundamentally changed the theory and practice of Macro Economics.

In the chart of Paul A Samuelson (Chart 14) the lord of 2, Mercury, is strongly placed in Lagna with the luminaries viz Sun and the Moon. Lord of 11, Jupiter aspects the 2nd from the 10th. So, effectively Jupiter aspects the 10th lord and also influences the 10th house. Saturn, who is lord of 9 also, is there in the 2nd. Both Moon and Mercury are Vargottama. So this chart is also favourable for a career in Economics. Paul A Samuelson received the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1970.