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THE REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA

A VEDIC ASTROLOGICAL READING
[Spring 2008]

Andrew Kirk


Although Independence was given in 1948, Ceylon did not attain complete freedom from British rule until 1972. Up until then She was still officially a dominion, which means under the jurisdiction of a final court of appeal in London. Also, the country did not have the full power to appoint a Governor as the nation's Prime Minister had to have this decision vetted by the Queen. It was only with the signing of Independence at 12.43 pm. on May 22nd 1972 that these constraints were waived and Ceylon became known as Sri Lanka with full autonomy and explains why I have used this later time for the country's reading.

For Sri Lanka's Rasi* or birth chart positions, Shil-Ponde's Ayanamsha of 200 10' 55" has been used, which would add 30 17' to Lahiri longditudes. No Graha changes His** Sign as often happens, but Their Navamsh positions would all be pushed forward a Sign, for the 30 17' value is virtually the same as the 30 20' of a Navamsh Sign. However, Their House positions remain the same as the Navamsh Ascendant moves by the same amount. The Vimsottari Dasa dates in the far righthand column occur just over 18 months before Lahiri's dates.
* All Vedic astrological terms will be italicized throughout and explained in a glossary at the end.
** The Grahas are male in Vedic astrology and I capitalise the first letter by way of honouring Them.

The Rasi or main chart's Ascendant is Leo, the box to the lower right and marked 'As' and the Houses with Their associated Signs move clockwise from here as marked. The 10th House is the top and to the right Taurus box, which was the Sign brushing over Colombo at the Independence signing.

The Moon's Hora that divides the Grahas between Cancer and Leo is at the top of the three small charts to the right. The Navamsh chart below this is the 9th harmonic and is used here to show the Graha's inner relationship to the main birth chart, as well as indicating how He will operate later on. The Navamsh Ascendant, again marked 'As', is Capricorn and Its Houses with Their associated Signs move around clockwise in the same positions as for the Rasi. The same format is used for the bottom varga, the Dasamsh or 10th Harmonic that measures the power to manipulate matter and people and thereby status and career.


THE PEARL OF THE INDIAN OCEAN
Let us start by examining the Nakshatra of the 170 18' Leo Ascending degree called Purva Phalguni in some depth as it so aptly describes the Nation, Its character and Dharma or 'truth'. Purva Phalguni is the 11th of the 27 Nakshatra asterisms, running from 13° 20' to 26° 40' Leo and is ruled by Venus. It consists of two stars, Leonis and Zosma, located in the rear flank of Leo.
Bhaga, the blissful form of the Sun God rules Purva Phalguni, revealing that it is in the nature of Sri Lanka to seek delight outside of Itself and to gravitate to the source of that delight. Sri Lanka's deity Bhaga reveals Its great wish to attract tourists to its natural Venusian beauty and fertile lushness and to be appreciated for this. Bhaga's primary motivation is healthy enjoyment, even a dynamic zest for life, as witnessed by the profusion of Ayurveda clinics and healing spas. This is certainly a fitting asterism for 'The Pearl of the Indian Ocean', as Sri Lanka is proud of how It looks and hosts a sense of delight in the soft allure of how It is coming across.

Venus's lordship of Purva Phalguni symbolises that Sri Lanka is a bit like a fashion model, focusing upon Its desirability, how It adorns Itself and Its scent. Its women are known world-wide for their physical beauty and men for their libido, especially as Mars tightly conjoins Venus in the 11th to form the classic sexual yoga. Purva Phalguni's 'bed' or 'hammock' images also support this, for they are where matrimonial heaven (the asterism rules the lips, genitals and the right or grasping hand), healing repose and relaxation occur. Its image is 'the fruit of the tree' and indicates a seeking of, then somewhat selfishly grabbing onto delights with the right hand.

Purva Phalguni reveals Sri Lanka to be young at heart, carefree and libidinous, yet Its symbols, the 'bed' or 'hammock', can represent a fundamental inertia, lack of initiative and a compensatory day-dreaming, whereby little is ever achieved. However, Sri Lanka as paradoxical Purva Phalguni is also good at a variety of sports, for Its people also love to be in motion and demonstrate their prowess; as soon as one activity is completed, another is started. But if delight is found solely outside, without any reference to the nation's inner world and the understanding of the vanity, craving for stimulation and narcissism implicit in this asterism*, these can create indulgences of all kinds as shown by the huge number of alcohol addictions on the island; see Rohini on the next page that would also indicate this.

* Rahu's and the Avayogi Mercury's Rasi exchange of aspects with the Ascendant support this.
Multicoloured Sri Lanka, as Purva Phalguni has a strong thirst for direct experience and an ever-present readiness to plunge into fun activities, especially musical and artistic ones, which It loves. Here It would dress up and go out to decorate the streets, dance, act, party, socialise, entertain and generally wow the tourists, encouraging them to do the same, all of which hopefully have the knock-on effect of gaining the objects of Sri Lanka's many desires. But there is an element here of the people doing anything to escape the lonely and impecunious room of themselves and actions may be performed that are later regretted.

The exalted*, bhagyasthana and Yogi Moon is the very pearl itself, for He falls in the 2nd House of clothing and self-presentation. As the Moon resides in Virgo that rules cleanliness and order, we see that even the school children have the same immaculate whites at the end of a school day; I mean, how do they do it? Sri Lankans are generally known for their cleanliness, spotless attire, politeness and wondrous and genuine (Yogi) smiles that fizz the visitors up with a good feeling about themselves. This is helped by the Moon's Nakshatra being Uttara Phalguni, 'the star of patronage', of putting self out for the other. The Moon's lordship of Ketu in the 12th would reflect the ancient, traditional costumes and dance routines as Sri Lanka presents Itself.
* I work on the principle that each Graha is also exalted in the other 2 Signs of the same element He is ordinarily exalted in and likewise for debilitation. Mercury is exalted in Air and debilitated in Fire, not Virgo/Pisces. This is explained by Mercury always doing poorly in Pisces when conjoined to the Sun and why should the Graha of rationality be irrationally exalted in, as well as the mulatrikona lord of Virgo?
However, the Moon as the 12th lord of Ketu, also symbolises that there would be larceny in the heart of many who give out their Yogi smiles. The country is well known for ripping off Its visitors after the alluring lunar charm has taken effect and is not seen as a crime by its perpetrators, but rather a valid way of life. The Moon is full of desires for financial gain as He rules the 11th from Himself. As the Moon is exalted in the non-dusthana 2nd, this would weaken the dusthana 12th House He rules, which means the disempowerment of loss of wealth (12th) and thus is theoretically a beneficial Yoga for wealth. However, due to Ketu's presence here in the 12th, the final House meaning will be reversed*, symbolising much wealth will be lost and indicates Sri Lanka's poverty level to date. However, the contemplative life, sleep, sexual pleasure, inner gains as a result of outer losses and retreat situations, like monasteries, all ruled by the 12th, are in healthy evidence re Ketu's overturning of the Moon's dark influence upon these matters.

* Ketu is said to be excellent for the spiritual life if falling in the 12th and poor for Its corporeal and material meanings. In practice this is not necessarily so for Ketu in the 12th is immensely powerful and reverses whatever the House represents without His presence. In keeping with this way of thinking about Ketu the House to look at for information about the spiritual life is the 12th from Ketu. So Sri Lanka has 2 auspicious Houses for the spiritual life, the 12th where Ketu reverses the Moon's disempowering effects and the 11th that is the 12th House from Ketu, holding Rajyog Mars and Venus in tight association.


SRI LANKA'S DIFFICUTY IN TAKING EFFECTIVE ACTION
The Sun as the Ascendant lord, falling in the 10th House of status, traditionally forms a powerful yoga and is theoretically good for respect, honour, wealth, a powerful and successful life purpose and ability to take control and manipulate the material world. The Sun's placement in Rohini shows that Sri Lankans host a creative power that can be difficult to control for the asterism is represented by a girl having her first menstrual period, as a prelude to her actually giving birth. In this imagery we see that the desire principle is activated that can lead Sri Lankans to either receptivity and devotion to the world of form or to an erotic dalliance with the world and domination by sensual pleasures. In fact Rohini with the large feasting eyes leads the soul* into the mundane world, with all its sensual attachments, drunkenness and delights. Rohini as the people reflects their natural grace, beauty and aptitudes for dance, music and creative projects, blending with and reinforcing the Purvaphalguni images above.
* I use the term 'soul' throughout the reading as 'hotline to Unity'.

However, Sri Lanka's Ascendant is dagdha and lord and indicator the Sun exchanges Rasi aspect with both Rahu and Ketu. Moreover, lord Sun is not happy in Taurus, ruled by arch enemy Venus and is also the Gnatikaraka, which means associated with some sickness or maladjustment. But His greatest weakness is that He conjoins arch enemy Saturn, creating a fundamental divide in governmental power (10th) and symbolising one nation moving as two. Here the Sun is Sri Lanka and Saturn is the 6th lord or power behind the enemy LTTE, fouling up the 10th House of government. The Sun is an indicator of government in His own right, but so is Saturn as He rules the 10th from the Sun and Mercury, both associated with authority and taking action.

As He is only 70 30' away from the Sun, Saturn is combust, meaning there is insecurity and a core lack of confidence about taking effective action. The texts relate that in childhood (here, the very early years after Independence), the person was either never honoured or thanked for jobs they accomplished or alternatively given tasks beyond their ability when they were too young and were humiliated as a result. Saturn is angry or kopa and in Sri Lanka's terms, it would seem that Her Government was not ready to do justice to the task in hand, feeling overwhelmed and overburdened as if It was never given a fair chance. The Government would tend to either complain and be resentful or find an easier but unsound way, rather than persevere. The Government is symbolised in this as only being able to give of themselves if there is some personal benefit*.
*10th lord Venus in 11th of gains also supports this notion.

As combust Saturn is lord of the 6th and 7th, there will be great anger shown by Sri Lanka to Her enemies (6th) and no possibility of an equal partnership (7th). This symbolism reveals how angry the enemy is too as it imagines being a second class citizen, though this is basically hype and an exaggerated excuse to promote war as most Tamils are unaffected by this.

Saturn is an enemy Graha for Leo anyway, with His 6th and 7th lordship, revealing that peace negotiations (7th) are inevitably fraught with hostilities, jealousies, pettiness and needs for improvements (6th). Leo is famed for not being able to meet the other in an equal footed sort of way and making enemies of Its kinsmen. This is because being solar It tends to regard Its partners (7th) as servants or a dimly lit audience whose prime function is to support (6th) the former's brightly lit, centre stage performance. It is a given that Leo will not let the partner or brother* have any of the important action so as to outshine It. The fact that the Sun and Saturn fall in Taurus reveals aggressive issues and inflamed passions based in insecurities over lands and profits from them. This is because the lord of the Sun and Saturn is Venus who sits in the 11th House of gains and only one degree away from the Warrior God, Mars.
* Saturn is the Brahtrikaraka (Graha in the 3rd highest longitude) that indicates Sri Lanka's Tamil siblings.

Saturn in Taurus also portrays Sri Lanka as being very insecure with Its evaluation of Itself and the value of Its purpose. It tries to neutralise this by proving to others as well as to Itself that It has everything under control, but secretly is forever expecting the worst case scenario. At Its furthest extreme It becomes totally superficial and secretly resentful of what appears to be the greener grass of other nations. The afflicted symbolism of the Sun, the chart's lord as well as its indicator supports this and would also serve to explain two things. Firstly is the difficulty the people have in hosting a firm sense of national identity; explained by having been overrun three times by the Portuguese, Dutch then British. And secondly why Sri Lanka is regarded as being one of the most corrupt at the highest political levels. The bribery is revealed by the exalted Moon residing in the 2nd House of ready cash as the 12th lord of guilt and hidden matters being the Nakshatra lord of the Sun and Saturn. But as the Moon is the chart's Yogi, the truth would inevitably come to light.


In the Moon's Hora (top right chart), most Grahas are placed in the Moon's part*. The natural malefics Sun, Mars, Rahu and Ketu are placed here and symbolise Sri Lankans to date as being directionless, lacking in motivation or initiative, weak physically or of poor health and repressed. The naturally benefic Moon, Mercury and Jupiter are again placed in the Moon's Hora and symbolise Sri Lankans as also being sober, mild, modest, intellectual, sweet tongued and obedient followers.
* Grahas in the 1st 150 of odd Signs are in the Sun's day Hora and in the last 150 are in the Moon's day Hora. Grahas in the 1st 150 of even Signs are in the Moon's night Hora and in the last 150 are in the Sun's night Hora.

As Sri Lanka's Sun falls in the Moon's night Hora, He cannot express Himself properly and is shy and reserved as the Sun rules the Ascending House. As Venus falls in the Sun's day Hora, He cannot express Himself comfortably, becoming very affected and unreal as He rules the 10th House as well as scheming and giving false impressions as He also rules the 3rd House. As the two most afflicted Grahas in terms of the Moon's Hora, the Sun and Venus are associated with Government and taking effective action, we can see further reasons for Sri Lanka's malaise here.

But here is some really good news as the Navamsh placement of these enemies, Sun and Saturn, exalts the Sun in the Rasi 9th, when transposed and exalts Saturn in the Rasi 11th and places Them either side of the vargottama Sri Lagna* (SL). This is an Ascendant for prosperity that moreover falls in the Rasi 10th and so we can look forward to a future whereby there will be conciliation and sense of mutual honouring; see below. This picture is supported by the Sun and Saturn falling in the upachaya 10thof growth and that They will improve Their operations as Sri Lanka's life unfolds.
* Is this closeness in sound and spelling of 'Sri Lagna' to 'Sri Lanka' a good omen?

TEARS BEFORE THE PENNY DROPS

10th lord Venus' conjunction with Rajyog but bhadaka Mars in the 11th House of desires is so tight They almost fight a planetary war and fall in the unfavourable 2nd House from Saturn. Symbolically this means the leadership has to concern itself with war and troubles (bhadaka Mars), hopes, dreams, passionate desires (11th), negotiations and endless chopping, changing and trickery as They fall in Gemini. And we sense rolling storm clouds and cries of anguish alongside as They both fall in the Nakshatra Ardra.
Ardra translates to 'the teardrop', indicating one who either causes others pain or who feels for the suffering of others. Its most common meaning is 'The howler' and Grahas falling in Ardra are propelled to shout out Their dismay at problems that beset Them. William Blake's, "An extreme of joy brings tears and an extreme of sorrow brings laughter", comes to mind, revealing how "tears" and "laughter" can manifest for this asterism.
Also known as 'the Martial star', with Its intoxicating and overwhelming Rahuvian needs to break on through, It hosts the trickery of a monkey, anger, ferocity, malice, lying, cheating, lack of gratitude, overwhelming feelings and treachery against a backdrop of Martian war and desire and Venusian Government and desire. This seems to have been the state of Government and its enemies as the 10th lord Venus with Mars are joined in meaning with the antagonistic Sun and Saturn jostling for power in the 10th just behind. Moreover Rahu, Mars' and Venus' Nakshatra lord falls as the classic malcontent in the 6th House; see bottom of page 7.
Indeed, the howls of pain can be seen as birth cries, for Ardra's Deity, Rudra, who is Shiva in another guise, is really the neutraliser of misery, enabling Sri Lanka to cast off what has outgrown its usefulness by initially exaggerating it so that it can be seen. It is associated with any crisis and catharsis that brings about deep change, with the inevitable teardrops. The teardrop is also associated with moistness and Ardra can be described as fresh, soft, wet and shining like a gem and reflects that clarity which comes after a metaphorical Spring rainstorm, like tears shed upon finally twigging the truth so as to wash away the great weight of incomprehension. Indeed the future looks bright, for despite the storms of Ardra, and the slow upachaya development of bhagyasthana Venus, the 10th and Rajyog Mars the 9th lords, They form an extremely auspicious yoga for prosperity and an exalted position that will fructify in time. Their growth potential is highlighted because Rahu is also upachaya as well as being Their Nakshatra lord. It is most important to note that Sri Lanka's chart has 5 of its Grahas in upachaya Houses, revealing the great promise the nation has to alter the level of Its operations. However, Sri Lanka will have to wait until Jupiter's Dasa begins before They come into Their own and be really effective, though They would all be continually improving until then.


A LEADERSHIP WITH THE STANDARD ISSUE HIDDEN AGENDAS
We have built a picture of the Sri Lankan Government from the 10th House and associated factors, but let us now examine the Presidency and the 5th House. 10th lord Venus and 9th lord Mars are closely Graha and Rasi aspected by a retrograde Jupiter in the 5th as the 5th lord. As Jupiter is also the indicator of the 5th, He triply represents leadership in terms of the Presidency. However, when Jupiter falls on His own in Sagittarius He causes problems and this is underlined by His co-rulership of the dusthana 8th House. Here, Jupiter links the principles of leadership and intelligence (5th) to secrets, manipulation, obfuscation, media and banker control, consciousness transforming upsets and/or death (8th). The 8th rules shared finances and for Sri Lanka is associated with overseas interests as Pisces is the 8th Sign and Jupiter exchanges Rasi aspect with this very 8th House. His retrograde motion adds to the subterfuge but also the unrivalled power of the Presidency.
The 8th from Saturn, rules troubles in any chart, and so it does not help that this 5th House falls here. Jupiter also Graha aspects Mercury and the Ascendant, affirming and completing a Grand Trine. With such a fiery hearted and impulsive Jupiter, His close Graha aspect of desire to the Ascendant may not be that helpful, creating at times more problems than are solved, except during His Dasa when the Grand Trine will be a wonderful help; see below. Venus who falls tightly against Mars, the War God is the Nakshatra lord of Jupiter, who falls in the aggressively uptight and war promoting asterism called Purvashada.
As a result of this 5th linked to 8th symbolism, there are some huge things that the Presidents have to keep quiet about, like secret pressures from India, banker manipulations by Tamil billionaires and the scripted war, begun shortly after Independence with the build up the LTTE via the TULF. Indeed, the only people that win wars are the banksters with their, in Otto von Bismark's words, "tortuous tricks and disguises" and the people that lose are the rest. Denis Healey, former British Defence Minister said, "World events do not occur by accident. They are made to happen...most of them are staged and managed by those who hold the purse strings". People seem to forget that revolutions and uprisings need money and co-operation between apparently disconnected sources!

In a kinder fashion, the Presidency (5th) is symbolised as being open to astrology and other occult matters (8th). But just you wait for the start of the Jupiter Dasa at the end of the year, for the Presidency will be gloriously empowered and so much freer of the unavoidable constraints of old.


THE ATMAKARAKA
Mercury is very ambivalent for Sri Lanka, for He is the nation's Atmakaraka or soul indicator, rules the 12th House from Ketu of final liberation and forms a Parivartana yoga with Mars, the 9th lord, creating theoretically an awesome yoga for material and spiritual riches. But Mercury is the 11th lord of desires, the Avayogi, placed in the bhadaksthana, is very uncomfortable in Aries where He is debilitated and is given unbalanced advice by immature Rahu the Amatyakaraka or King's Advisor. Thus the soul of Sri Lanka is associated with lying, hardships, suffering and lack of money as well as fortune. Mercury's debilitation in the non-dusthana 9th is poor for the country's finances as He rules the two non-dusthana Houses for wealth, the 2nd and 11th that are thus disempowered. Moreover, the 2nd from Jupiter that rules wealth holds enemy Rahu in the troubled Sign Capricorn, indicating where the bulk of Sri Lanka's wealth is being spent.

The 12th of financial loss is thereby rendered highly malefic and reveals the impoverishment under which most Sri Lankans live, emphasising the above financial plight at Ketu's and Mercury's hands. As Mercury is the Atmakaraka, the 4th and 7th Houses from Him, or the 12th and 3rd become maranasthanas or evil Houses, causing damage to the country. The 3rd House of personal efforts is rendered malefic and portrays the nation having to expend great manual efforts with poverty inexorably scratching at their doors. The 3rd also rules brothers or neighbours who are the Tamils living with the Sinhala people in Sri Lanka and again the mutual strife is symbolised by the maranasthana. It does not help that Upagraha Kaala, who acts very selfishly, much like a malefic Sun, sits upon the 3rd House cusp, exacerbating sibling tensions early on. But these should improve greatly in time as this 3rd House is also upachaya were malefics like Kaala can put their dark energies to constructive use. Here is further growth factor to add to the 5 upachaya Grahas.
However, as He falls in Bharani, symbolised by a yoni or womb, Mercury is associated with new life forces being able to permeate Him and to underline this, Its deity is Yama, the God of death and resurrection. Mercury is symbolised as being able to detach Himself from an old form and assume an enlivened new one, much like a phoenix arising from the ashes of the past.

THE HEART OF THE NATION
Scorpio is the Karakamsh as well as the 4th Sign of Sri Lanka's heart that reveals the intensity and importance of this issue for Sri Lankans. The trouble is that this 4th is also dagdha, a burnt or destroyed constellation and Mars, the 4th lord sits in the evil 8th from this Scorpio House in howling Ardra. Because Mars' Sign is dualistic Gemini, we see the dichotomy for Sri Lanka between terrible national heartbreak and intense feelings of compassion alongside reptilian-hearted, insensate greed and hatred, resulting in the butchery of innocents. However, Atmakaraka Mercury's Rasi exchange with the 4th symbolises the connection between the soul of Sri Lanka and Its heart. Mars as the 4th lord exchanges with Mercury, giving here a prime connection between the heart and soul, and Mercury sits close to His own and Mars' North Node, both 29+ degrees Aries. The Sun as another indicator and Ascendant lord echoes this by exchanging a Graha aspect of desire with the Scorpio 4th along with Saturn who would cause interminable delays (36 years?) before this could happen; see more below. The Moon as the indicator of the heart is the Yogi but unavailable, lost in His self-presentation and looking good (2nd) as He is the 12th lord of loss falling in the 2nd and remembering ancient times of former glory, as the Moon rules Ketu.

However, it is certain that this heart - soul connection will be forged for the Navamsh Atmakaraka Mercury falls in the birth chart's 4th of the heart and the Navamsh Atmakaraka Sun falls exalted upon the birth chart's Mercury and exchanges aspect with the 4th. It is also significant that at birth, the Independence chart was running Sun's Dasa and Mercury's Bhukti, indicating the unequivocal call at birth for Sri Lanka to find Its soul and thereby move as One with All.
*
HOSTILITIES BEGIN, JULY 1983
Shil Ponde's Ayanamsh for Vimsottari gives Moon/Sun/Rahu for July 1983. These 3 partake of an Earth Grand Trine in the Rasi and tickle up enemy 6th lord Saturn as the latter deeply affects Grahas in trines to Him, along with Rahu*. The reason that hostilities began in the exalted and Yogi Moon's Dasa is as follows.

* It is not so much that Rahu and Ketu throw Graha aspects to the 5th and 9th from Themselves, but that They influence Grahas in trines from Them, just like Saturn.

Mars Graha aspects and exchanges Rasi aspect with the Moon and Mercury, lord of the Moon, forms the Parivartana yoga with Mars. Lord Mercury is also in the 8th from the Moon and falls in Mars' Sign, Aries. The Moon is strongly connected to the conflict between the Sun and Saturn via Nakshatra lordship of Them and the Moon's Nakshatra lord is the Sun, creating an exchange of Nakshatra lordship, which is a very fine combination. The Moon forms the 3rd arm of the darkened Grand Trine with Rahu on one and the Sun and Saturn on the other arm. Thus the Moon is not only warlike, but deeply involved in Government issues. The reason why it was the Sun's Bhukti for the start of the war is that the Sun is conjoined to the combust or angry 6th lord and enemy Saturn, but also from the Dasa lord Moon, the Sun is the 12th lord and conjoined to Saturn the mulatrikona 6th lord.
Rahu's Antara Dasa precipitated the conflict as He falls in the 6th of Sri Lanka's enemies. Rahu here is the independent, compulsive and conspiratorial malcontent, with a weak yet inflated ego, chaffing against the dull authority of His traditional Sign Capricorn. His rulership by a combust Saturn is like rubbing salt into this wound. Rahu is the Nakshatra lord of Venus and bhadaka Mars and this pair fall in the 6th from Rahu that rules troubles anyway. He is intimately connected to Saturn via trinal considerations and acts like Saturn anyway, for "Sani vat Rahu". So Rahu as Saturn is another 6th lord who is placed in the upachaya 6th House and in the early years is the mentally deranged terrorist trying to prove himself with impractical ideals. Until He grows up, His ministership as the Amatyakaraka would be deranged and violent as He whispers evil imprecations into Mercury, Sri Lanka's soul. We sense here that shadowy Rahu is personified by Prabharkaran, the King's Minister, advocate or odd-job man of the Tamil billionaire financial muscle, symbolised by Saturn.

Revealing undeveloped Rahu's warlike and conspiratorial nature, during the earlier Moon Dasa, Rahu Bhukti period from 1975 to 1977, forming two sides of the infamous Grand Trine, there was LTTE build up in the form of 'The Tamil United Liberation Front', [TULF] and the Jaffna mayor, Alfred Doraiappah was assassinated. In fact this Grand Trine could represent the troubled Thr-one, literally the Three-in-one, of Sri Lanka. It hosts the two luminaries, Moon and Sun, representing Sri Lanka's heart and soul with Their two great enemies, Saturn and Rahu.

The assassination of a Tamil MP by Prabharkaran in 1977 took place in Moon Dasa, Jupiter Bhukti. Jupiter is unstable on Its own in Sagittarius and His retrograde status empowers Him but makes Him people unfriendly. His activity becomes highly impetuous, spurious and/or rash, especially as He welds leadership, as lord of the 5th, together with destruction and death, as lord of the 8th. Jupiter's dangerous nature for Government is provided by His Nakshatra Purva-shadha, the warlike and uptight asterism. In the Dasamsh, Jupiter sits with Ketu in the 5th and both are in debility and Jupiter rules dangerous Houses, the 3rd of missions and the 12th of loss. Jupiter is aspected by the maraka 7th lord and Dasa lord Moon from the 7th and Ascendant and maraka 2nd lord Saturn. Saturn as a makara lord conjoins the Dasa lord Moon.

On August 31st 1978, the 1972 Constitution was amended and the President, from being more a figurehead was invested with awesome executive powers. This took place in the Moon Dasa, Saturn Bhukti and Ketu Antara. Here we have two sides of the Grand Trine activated with Ketu sitting at Their midpoint and lying opposite Rahu, the other Grand Trine's member. Ketu is an unlocking symbol if Rahu is featured in a Grand Trine and reveals the hope that the newly empowered President would be able to take charge of and unlock the promise of the Grand Trine.

THE MARS DASA
On the 1st of December, 1983 the Mars 7 year Dasa began. In the Rasi He sits unhappily in one step forward and one step back Gemini as He falls here in the 3rd and 8th from His rulership Houses, Aries and Scorpio. He exchanges with Mercury, the Avayogi and 11th lord of greatest desires and sits in the 11th with 10th lord Venus. He is a Mahayogada in the Dasamsh, but ineffective in the early days as He falls in the upachaya 11th there as well as in the Rasi and still had some significant growing to do. In the Dasamsh He exchanges empowering aspect of heroism with the exalted Sun, but a deranging one from the Moon and Saturn of the heart and feelings. And so a Dasa of glory yet hard-heartedness and foolishness begins. The fact that the Leo Ascendant is the 3rd from Mars, ruling courage, shows that the Sinhala people are brave.

In May - June 1987 during the Mercury Bhukti of Mars Dasa that exchange the 9th and 11th Houses of good fortune and success, even if undeveloped, the Sri Lankan Army fought its first set engagement, 'Operation Liberation' and won, taking Jaffna.


THE TROUBLED RAHU DASA
The hostilities permeating the 18 year Rahu Dasa that began on the 30th November 1990 are due to the considerations about Rahu cited in the middle of the previous page. Being an Upachaya Graha, He will only be sufficiently mature to benefit Sri Lanka at the end of His Dasa, that is around now, having worked through all the difficulties.

In 1999, the female President Chanrika Bandranaiake lost an eye. This was the 28th year of the Republic when Mars gives His maximum effects. Because He sits uncomfortably close to Venus, the prime indicator of eyes in a chart and exchanges with Mercury, the 2nd lord, it was her right eye that she lost.

Peace talks began in December 2001 as Rahu/Ketu/Rahu was running. This seems surprising at first sight. However, the Nakshatra lord of Rahu is the Sun and of Ketu is Saturn, the two 10th House Grahas that also exchange aspect with both Rahu and Ketu. There is an uneasy balance of power with the shadowy Nodes involved at equal and opposite degrees that continued into Rahu/Venus. As Nakshatra lords represent growth, during this period of peace talks, the Sun and Saturn were attempting to grow and were veiled in a negotiable light. Hostilities resumed again mid 2006 during Rahu/Sun and continue through Rahu/Moon. Rahu, Sun and Moon Bhuktis all touch off the infamous Grand Trine in Earth and fire up the afflicted conjunction of the Sun and Saturn in the 10th, falling in insecure Taurus.

The Tsunami happened during Rahu/Saturn/Sun/Moon, emphasising all the interlinked Grand Trine members. This was associated previously with hostilities, very interestingly like a daunting exercise bar, producing severe tests for the nation on its way to harmony. The Moon acted as a trigger as He completed the Grand Trine and is the watery 12th lord of Ketu who rules mass catastrophes and who falls in watery Cancer. Saturn and the Sun fall in a watery Sign Taurus and in the Moon's Nakshatra, Rohini as well as exchanging Rasi aspect with Ketu in the 12th.

We are now in the last Bhukti of Rahu, namely Mars'. Rajyog Mars conjoins the 10th Lord Venus and exchanges Rasi aspect with and Graha aspects the Moon. The Navamsh Mars, Venus and the Moon transpose to the Rasi 7th in Aquarius, the Sign of freedom for Mankind and the end of discord. Taking the degree of Rahu as being an Ascendant for His Dasa, we find eager Mars as the 11th lord conjoined to the 5th lord and Rajyog Venus, in the upachaya 6th of enemies that will be defeated. Moreover, Rahu and Mars are very powerful in the Dasamsh, forming Mahayogadas in the 11th of profit (for whom?) and success, a shubakatari yoga and exchange aspect with the exalted Sun, Ascendant lord Saturn and the Moon. The previous time Mars and Rahu met, was for the Mars Dasa, Rahu Bhukti in 1985 and was the time of the failed Peace Talks. The upachaya 11th House influence of Mars and Rahu in both the Rasi and Dasamsh some 20 years on means They should be mature enough to ensure a resounding victory before the end of Their period.

PEACE AND PROSPERITY AT LONG LAST
On the 30th November, 2008, triple 5th Jupiter's 16 year Dasa starts and investments (5th) will boom. We noted above how Jupiter on His own in Sagittarius is too speedy and trammelled for His own good. However this does not apply for His Dasa as Jupiter alone gives a good one. His composed Graha and Rasi aspects with Mars, (the 5th lord from Dasa lord Jupiter) and Venus (5th lord from Mars, another speculation House) are bound to help investments. It seems as though Jupiter's period will herald the completion of Mars' and Venus' growth and enable Them to manifest Their 9th and 10th lord combined Rajyoga and produce auspicious results. He is also the 2nd and 11th lord from Indu Lagna (IL), falling in His own 11th Sign and conjoins the Hora Lagna (HL) in His own Sign, rules Its 4th of fixed assets (oil?) and indicates foreigners and wealth.

Jupiter is also a Mahayogada in the Dasamsh and would show in His Dasa. When transposed to the Rasi, He sits upon the Sun and Saturn, voiding antagonism in the leadership through heightened awareness. Jupiter Graha aspects and Rasi exchanges with the Ascendant, which is wonderful for the health of Sri Lanka and for It to make sense of Its past as well as stimulating Atmakaraka Mercury in Jupiter's other trine. The lesser Grand Trine composed of Jupiter, Mercury and the Ascendant should bring profits, opportunities and harmonise the nation's soul. But perhaps the most significant effect of Jupiter's Dasa is the activation of the Gaja Kesari yoga, due to Jupiter being in a trikona and own Sign as well as in an angle from the Moon and Graha aspected by a benefic (Venus). This glorious yoga would be empowered as both Jupiter and the Moon are bhagyasthanas. The highly apt reading for this could well portray the Presidency as much as the nation and reads as follows, "One will be splendiferous, wealthy, long-lived, intelligent, endowed with many laudable virtues that are pleasing to the King. One will destroy like a lion all his enemies and conquer everything by his own valour"

The fact that this yoga has not been much in evidence since the signing of the Independence is because Jupiter, out of His 16 year Dasa time, would be far too precipitate for good and lasting effects. The double aspect from upachaya Mars and Venus would not have been much help as They had so much growing up to do and all three, including Jupiter would have been mutually disempowering to each other. Jupiter is the indicator of children, so we can expect something special to be born for Sri Lanka at the end of the year. In remembering the vital image associated with Rohini, lord Sun's Nakshatra, "a girl having her first menstrual period, as a prelude to her actually giving birth", we could view this as a description of the messy and disconcerting 36 year run up to the commencement of Jupiter's major period.

THE SADE SATI AND OTHER TRANSITS
The transit of Saturn over the natal Moon, called Sade Sati, began for Sri Lanka on the 24th of September 2006 at 11.14 am. when He entered enemy Leo, Sri Lanka's Ascending Sign and produced renewed agonies. As the Panoti Moon for this time falls in Virgo, or the 1st from the natal Moon, this gives 'a basis of gold' and the results are extra bad. As transiting Saturn has been aspecting the 3rd House from here, there have been renewed hostilities with brother Tamils, the 7th giving failed peace talks and the 10th incapacitating the Government. However, transiting Saturn leaves the Leo Ascendant and enters Virgo on the 27th of November 2008 at 12.55 pm., just 3 days before the Jupiter Dasa commences. This augurs well, for this Panoti Moon falls in the 3rd from the natal Moon, giving 'a basis of copper' which produces good results. And finally, on the 18th of October 2011 at 2.15 pm. when Saturn enters Libra, the Panoti Moon will fall in the 10th from the natal Moon, again giving 'a basis of copper', and will be good.

The transit situation on the 30th November 2008 is excellent for peace as Venus and Jupiter will have just entered the 6th, mollifying enemies, with the composed Moon transiting the 5th in Jupiter's Sign. The 4th of the heart holds the transit Sun and Mercury, the chart's Atmakarakas, alongside Rajyog Mars, which indicates a good heart and soul connection for Jupiter's Dasa.

Oddly enough the 36th year is when Saturn attains His maximum effects, in terms of the heaviest fighting, which will be past on the 22nd of May this year and the upachayas should start fruiting shortly after this time. It is also noteworthy that the Navamsh Jupiter transposed to the Rasi falls on the Moon and becomes integrated with the primally important Grand Trine, steering It into harmony via the former's trinal aspects. And moreover, taking Jupiter's degree as an Ascendant during His Dasa, we find that the all important Sun becomes the 9th lord of truth and falls with Saturn on the upachaya 6th House cusp, which emphasises their improvement.

GLOSSARY:
Amatyakaraka is the Graha in the 2nd highest longitude and is the King's (Atmakaraka's) advisor or Minister.
Antara is the sub period of a Bhukti.
Atmakaraka is the Graha in the highest longitude and is the soul indicator or hotline to the Source of a chart.
Avayogi is a Graha that is particularly hindering on the path of life due to Its people unfriendly nature.
Ayanamsh is the term for the number of degrees that the degree of the Sun at the Spring Equinox has precessed from 522 AD, when the Tropical and Sidereal Zodiacs last coincided. In a word, the Ayanamsh is the Precessional value. In January 1950, the Ayanamsh value was 19 degrees 52 minutes of arc, calculated from a precession value of 50.1 seconds of arc per year. We can picture the Earth's orbit around the Sun as sliding backwards, taking 25,920 years to complete a circuit. When the Ayanamsh value is subtracted from the Western Tropical Zodiac positions, we have the Vedic Sidereal Zodiac or true starry positions.
Badhaka is a trouble maker and is the lord of the Badhaksthana or trouble spot.
Bhagyashtana is an angular House from the 9th lord that gives auspiciousness to any Graha there.
Bhukti is a sub period of the Dasa, translating to 'a bite of grass' or a bite out of the Dasa.
Dagdha refers to a Sign that is burnt or destroyed. It is calculated from the Sun - Moon angle for each Ascendant.
Dasa is a major planetary period, translating to 'the hem of a dress'. This would flare and cover a lot of ground for the person spinning in life.
Dasamsh is the 10th harmonic chart that is a whole chart describing the career and status.
Dusthana is the 6th 8th or 12th House that are known as evil Houses.
Gnatikaraka is the Graha in the 7th highest longitude and is an indicator of sickness or maladjustment.
Graha, translating to grasper or seizer is the Sanskrit term for 'Planet'. I use it as the Sun and Moon are not Planets but are comparable graspers. The idea is that the Grahas, gasp our subtle bodes and steer us unerringly into our karmic imperatives.
Graha aspect rules are-- all Grahas aspect a Graha in the same or opposite Sign. Mars also aspects any Graha in the 4th and 8th Sign from Him. Jupiter in the 5th and 9th and Saturn the 3rd and 10th from Him. They are aspects of desire and may or may not produce the desired result.
Hora means 'hour' and the simple calculation of the Moon's Hora chart is explained in the text.
Indu Lagna is an Ascendant for measuring wealth in a chart.
Karakamsh is the Navamsh position of the Atmakaraka transposed to the birth chart.
Lagna (pronounced 'lugna') is the Ascendant and means 'tied together' in the sense that each Ascendant Sign as number one ties all the other Signs to a unique number sequence.
Maranasthana is an untoward House derived from the Atmakaraka. If He is the Sun//Moon//Mars//Mercury// Jupiter//Venus//Saturn//Rahu, then It will be the 12th//8th//7th//4th and 7th//3rd//6th//1st//9th House(s).
Kaala is an Upagraha or mathematical point that acts like a malefic Sun and ups the egoism of any Graha It conjoins according to the House meaning, but is benefic for a conjunction in the Upachaya Houses.
Karakamsh is the Navamsh position of the Atmakaraka, transposed back to the birth chart.
Karma means action. The idea is that each action we perform has a karmic reaction and what happens to us is our Karma that has its origin in past actions.
Ketu is the Moon's South Node and is where the backward sliding Moon's orbit plane cuts the Earth's orbit plane as the Moon travels South. Being a mathematical point without material substance He is regarded as a shadowy but enormously powerful Graha.
Lagna means 'tied together' and is the Ascendant as 1 that ties all the Signs to Their numbers or Houses for a chart.
Mahayogada is a term applied to a Graha that Rasi aspects the Ascendant and both the HL or Hora Lagna and the GL or Ghatika Lagna.
Mandi is a super malefic Upagraha, making any Graha he closely conjoins behave like a dark Saturn, unless this occurs in an Upachaya where these House meanings will become auspicious.
Maraka is the ruler of the 2nd or 7th House that are regarded as death dealing Houses amongst Their other meanings. The reason for this is that the two houses of life are the 3rd and 8th and the 12th House of loss from These are the 2nd and 7th Houses.
Mulatrikona is applied to a Sign that of His two rulership Signs the lord is most like. The Sun's mulatrikona runs from 20 to 30 degrees Leo and the Moon's from 3 to 30 degrees Taurus.
Nakshatra is one of 27 lunar constellations or asterisms, the same as the number of lunar orbit days and each has a Graha lord that reveals how the ruled Graha will grow His abilities.
Non-dusthana is any House other than the 6th, 8th or 12th. When an exalted Graha falls in a non-dusthana/ dusthana, the Houses He rules if non-dusthanas/dusthanas will be empowered. When an exalted Graha falls in a dusthana/non-dusthana, the Houses He rules if non-dusthanas/dusthanas will be disempowered. Debilitated Grahas will be disempowered in the first case and empowered in the second.
Parivartana yoga, otherwise known as a mutual exchange is caused by the lord of a Graha being Himself ruled by that Graha. The two Houses They reside in as well as the 2 Grahas are all empowered.
Panoti Moon is the Moon's position in three charts taken for the exact times that transiting Saturn enters the Sign before the natal Moon, the Moon's Sign and the Sign afterwards. The Moon's position in these charts is compared to the natal Moon's and depending if favourable or unfavourable, so will be the effects of Saturn.
Rahu is the Moon's North Node and is where the backward sliding Moon's orbit plane cuts the Earth's orbit plane as the Moon travels North. Being a mathematical point without material substance He is regarded as a shadowy but enormously powerful Graha.
Rajyog is a Graha that rules an angular House and trinal House and thus becomes very powerfully benefic.
Rasi means a Sign (usually associated with a House number) as well as the natal chart itself. Each of the 12 standard Rasi meanings are composed of 2 ¼ Nakshatras, explaining why Rasi also translates to 'heaped up' or 'heaped together' in the sense that 2¼ Naskshatras are heaped up to give the meaning of a Sign or Rasi.
Rasi aspect. The rule for Rasi aspects is that a fixed Sign exchanges aspect with the other cardinal Signs, except if it is adjacent and a Cardinal Sign exchanges aspect with the other Fixed Signs, except if it is adjacent and all mutable Signs aspect each other. Rasi aspects represent a condition inevitably existing between the aspecting Grahas.
Sambandha or complete connection between two Grahas is caused by a Graha either being ruled by or ruling another and also aspecting or being aspected by Him.
Shubakatari yoga is favourable and formed for any House that has benefics either side and free of malefics.
Upachaya is Sanskrit for 'growth' and any malefic Grahas falling in Upachaya Houses are good for growth. They are the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th.
Upagrahas, like Rahu and Ketu are mathematical points worked out from the rising and setting of certain Grahas from the birth place.
Varga is a harmonic chart.
Vargottama is the empowerment of a Graha that falls in the same Sign in a harmonic chart as the birth chart.
Vimshottari is a Dasa system that is the most commonly used method of looking into the future.
Yoga means 'union' or simultaneously occurring symbolic conditions that render Graha(s) auspicious or not.
Yogi is a very people friendly Graha and acts as the person's constant ally that enables the person to help themselves and others prosper amidst the vagaries of life.


1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

I am an Englishman called Andrew Kirk and have practised astrology for some 40 years. I began with the Western approach, but after 15 years of frustration I gave it up when I discovered that the reason for this lay in the mathematical and philosophical nonsense it is riddled with. I have been living full time in Colombo for the past 5 years and have spent my time engaged in writing a huge Vedic astrology computer program and two books. It was when I was finishing off the footnotes for the second book a few weeks ago, that includes several readings of famous people, I was inspired to write this for Sri Lanka.

I am eager to share the good news of what is just ahead for the country that is very clearly marked and would be delighted to exchange information with anyone by e-mail about this reading or anything astrological; <lifelight365@yahoo.com>




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