In this piece we read about Rohini, which falls totally in Rishaba (meaning all of its four quarters fall within the boundaries of Rishaba) . Rohini is well known because it is associated with Krishna, who, Hindus consider an incarnation of Mahavishnu. Sri Krishna had both his Ascendant as well as Moon in Rohini star.
Equanimity is the hallmark of the person born in Rohini. Krishna’s life reveals it to us. As a child, Krishna was playful and naughty, whereas, as an adult maintained his poise amidst gloom and pain during Mahabharata battle.
Lunar rhythm of waxing and waning is known to us. A mythical story explains this phenomenon. According to this myth, Moon married the 27 daughters of Daksha; among these several wives, he loved Rohini most, which, naturally infuriated the other wives of Moon. Moon earned the wrath of Daksha and was afflicted by tuberculosis.
Moon worshipped Siva , who on being pleased with his devotion blessed him with immortality, but will wax and wane The transit of malefics such as Kuja and Shani over Rohini is referred as the Rohini sakata yoga (Rohini sakata beda). Rohini favours growth and prosperity in humans.
When Rohini is afflicted by a malefic planet, famine, hunger, poverty and destruction will occur in the world. All cosmic events precurse terrestrial events because of the link between the macrocosm and microcosm. There is a popular hymn known as the Dasaratha Shani Stotram. I will explain how this hymn originated. Saturn makes one complete revolution of the zodiac every 30 years. This implies that Saturn transits Rohini star once every 30 years. When Saturn transits over Rohini, kingdoms and kings fall.
During the reign of Dasaratha, Saturn was about to transit Rohini. To overcome the evil effects of Saturn, Dasaratha composed a hymn on Saturn, who being pleased with the hymn, did not harm any during his transit over Rohini.
Recitation of Dasaratha Shani Stotram could offer relief from evils attributable to Saturn. This hymn finds a place in Brahmanda purana.Transit of Saturn over unfavorable houses or Rohini star is supposed to bring evil to even divine beings. It affects ordinary people, kings and and even animals, and brings about threats to cities, and similar edifices.
Moon is exalted in Taurus.When occupying the second quarter of Rohini, Moon is not only exalted but also vargottama). A person born with sun in scorpio, in Rohini 2nd pãda will have full moon besides the other benefits such as vargottama as well as exaltation. Thus the moon undergoes three fortifications – undeniably the best in any chart. Moon is the only planet, which cannot occupy a debilitated navamsa, while in exaltation. The converse is also true. While in debilitation, it cannot occupy an exalted navamsa. Moon in Rohini can either occupy its own navamsa or the navamsas owned by Mars, Venus or Mercury.According to Brihat-samhita, a person born in the first quarter of Rohini will be wealthy, in the second quarter will be aggrieved, in the third will be stricken with fear, and in the fourth will be truthful.
In Ayurveda, there is a belief that consuming ghee and honey, mixed in equal quantities would be toxic. Whereas honey and ghee, consumed separately are considered good their mixture is positively bad for health. Rohini falling on a Thursday is inauspicious ( Dagdha yoga), although Rohini and Thursday are auspicious individually. Shasti falling on a Thursday in Rohini opportunes vinasa (annihilation) yoga. Students in Astrology need to bear in mind one key concept here. They should pronounce the cumulative effect of thithi, vãra and nakshatra and not add up the effects individually and give the resultant effect.
Rohini along with three Uttaras – Uttaraphãlguni, Uttarãshada, and Uttarabhadrapãda constitute the Dhruva quartet. These stars favour events such as (1) coronations (2) planting of trees (3) laying foundations for towns and (4) performing meritorious deeds Rohini is an urdvamukha naksatra, meaning it is an upward looking star. It is therefore suitable for construction of tall buildings.
The 22nd nakshatra from one’s birth star is a kshema nakshatra and hence should cause goodness; however it hovers under the blemish vainasika which should be avoided ; the rule can be overlooked when one’s birth star is Rohini . Other stars for which this rule is overlooked are Pushya, Makha, Hasta, Chitra, Anuradha, Revati, Uttaraphalguni, Poorvabhadrapada, and Uttarabhadrapada.
In ancient times grains used to be treated like money and people bartered grains for buying goods and/or as payment for services. When grains are bartered in an auspicious muhurtha, grains will flourish ensuring prosperity. When Rohini rules, grains should not be expended, but should be gathered and stored. For gathering and storing, Rohini is favourable.
Rohini favours business transactions. Generally new clothes are worn on birthdays and on festive occasions. Apart from these special occasions, new clothes can be worn on a day ruled by Rohini star. The general rule is that a person begets all kind of wealth by wearing new apparels on Rohini day. Rohini is an auspicious star for fixing the main doorframe for a house. For minting new coins Rohini is suitable.
Rohini is suitable for commencing the study of the following disciplines: mathematics, architecture (Shilpa Vidyarambha), performing arts (music or dance ;Sangeetharambha), logic (Tarka sastrarambha).
According to books on muhurtha, rules prevail for cremation when a person dies in Dhanishta, Satabhisek, Poorvabhadrapada , Uttarabhadrapada or Revati.
These stars are termed Dhanishta Panchami and the dead are taken out of the house through a different door, which will remain closed at least six months . Dhanishta Panchaka Shanthi would be performed at the conclusion of the six months. When a person is missed for a long time, the assumption is that the person is dead. In such instances as well as in instances where the body of the person is unavailable, a mock cremation of a body constructed with dharba is performed. This ritual is Dharba Samskaram . On such occasions, Rohini is considered useful. Since the occasion is undesirable, the appropriate time is to be chosen so the event is not repeated Avoid Tripushkara yoga for such rituals, since anything done in that yoga would get repeated.
Activities such as grooming of hair, trimming of beard, cutting of nails are to be avoided during Rohini. For grihapravesa Rohini is ideal, especially for an east-facing house. New jewellery can be worn in Rohini. A disease commencing in Rohini is curable in 21 days . Rohini is an auspicious for getting initiated into learning a mantra or a hymn and for the study of Vedas. It is also a good star for travel and for returning home after a journey. Rohini is a good star for digging wells.