What is Vedic Medical Astrology?

Medical Astrology is a branch of Vedic Astrology. It deals with the medical aspect (health prospects) of astrology, that is, a Vedic horoscope is drawn by the Vedic Medical Astrologer, based on time, place, date of birth of the concerned person and then appropriate advice is given to cure the disease, the person is suffering from.

The roots of Ayurveda can be traced to Atharva Veda among the four Vedas. The measures and rites to treat diseases are dealt in both Atharva Veda and Ayurveda. In Atharva Veda, it sounds somewhat primitive, but Ayurveda strikes good by its logical approach to the cure of diseases. Jyotisha is one among the six limbs of Vedas. It is considered to be eye of the Vedas. A practitioner of Ayurveda is supposed to know the Vedangas for prognosis, selection of herbs, fix the appropriate time of treatment and finally to know the life span of the patient.

In our country, Ayurvedic practitioners keep themselves associated with learned astrologers and often consult them regarding their patients, because they know and understand within their hearts that Karma plays a very important role in the state of one’s health.

Karma is nothing but different projections created by the unconscious mind, based on one’s thought patterns and can be negative/positive, depending upon the state of consciousness one is at. These projections are carried along to the next life and one is born to parents whose karmic records complement the soul taking the physical body through that parents. These Karmic records can be erased, only by the grace of God and constant sadhana. Apart from the above two, a spirituallyaccomplished person can also help us to lead a healthy life, besides medical care.

According to the famous Ayurvedic sage Vagbhata, Pitta has the characteristic of fire (pittam-vahnihi). Therefore, when the Sun or Mars becomes unfavourable, one suffers from diseases due to heat such as constipation, measles, ulcers, skin eruptions, small-pox, burning sensation, etc. Unfavourable Moon and Venus produce diseases caused by water such as swellings in different parts of the body. Saturn brings about diseases due to (wind). Mercury brings about diseases such as brain fever, typhoid, etc., due to the inflammation of all the three doshas. Jupiter brings about deafness. If in the birth horoscope, any planet is functionally a great malefic, then, during the major, sub, sub-sub period of that planet, the respective disease would make its appearance.

By analysing the horoscope, the astrologer can discern the badly placed planet and the corresponding Dhatu which has caused the problem and can prescribe Ayurvedic remedial measures (“Dushthithasyadi Dhatustho Rogeenam Roga Eeryatham“)

Medical Astrology’s perspective about the 12 Houses of the Zodiac:

If the 6th house is afflicted, there can be digestive tract disorders. Natural malefics in the 6th house may create hyper-acidity and gas trouble. Affliction to the 7th house indicates disorders of the digestive tract, hyperacidity and gas trouble (“Papa Saptamagah Tadodara Ruja”). The same holds good for the 6th house (Papa Shashtagatha Tadodararuja). If the 6th house or the 7th House is afflicted, one should be very careful about the body’s acidity level. The body’s pH value should be kept at 7. Anything less than 7 is dangerous. The 80% alkaline nature of the body should be kept up and acidity should not be above 20%. The best foods to be taken are Vedic Foods, which are low in acidity and cholesterol. To maintain the Acidity- Alkalinity ratio, you consume 100 grams fruits and 300 grams vegetables daily and avoid non-natural food. Natural foods are alkaline and nonvegetarian food are basically acidic. From experience, it can be discerned that not only malefic planets bring in problems from enemies, but also problems to the stomach (“Pape Shashtopagathe Vrina Bhayaschora Satru Peeda Cha”).

If the 12th house is afflicted by malefic planets, then there can be affliction to the feet. We have seen many a patient suffering from 12house affliction, which manifests as problems on the feet. Similarly, 4th house affliction means trouble to the heart.

Affliction to any house indicates affliction to the corresponding part of the body. Affliction to the first house indicates problems to the head. (“Pape Lagnagathe Parajaya Bhaya Siroruja”).

The planets correspond to the different physiological systems of a human being thus:

Looking at Vedic Medical Astrology from a logical perspective :- If you look at the statistics for major health problems suffered by the mankind, you can observe that men suffer mostly from a specific set of diseases and on the other hand women suffer from a different set of diseases and then there are common diseases suffered by both men and women. Diseases common to all (both men and women) : Asthma, Skin Diseases, Allergies, Headaches, Vision problems, Respiratory problems, Hearing problems, Stomach disorders, sexual problems, Obesity etc. Diseases common among Men are: Heart Problems (Most common among Men), Brain Diseases, Liver Problem sand problems relating to sexual organs and at times Brain Cancer or Tumor. Diseases common among Women are: Cancer is common among women, especially Breast Cancer, Thyroid malfunction, and problems related to reproductive system. Here is another secret, which the ancients knew, but the modern science has no idea about it. A child is born, reaches puberty and until he/she has her/his first sexual intercourse, the diseases one suffers are mostly common and curable or they are born with Karmic diseases (birth defects), out of which 90% are incurable unless and until one knows how to access karmic records and rectify them. But after the first intercourse one has with the opposite sex, one has entered a new energy field which could prove deadly to each other or extremely favourable; that is the important reason why in India horoscopes are matched before marriage and carnal pleasures are forbidden for both boys and girls before marriage. Ancients knew the secrets of bio-energy.

By considering the intensity of affliction of these planets, the strength or weakness of the respective organs can be ascertained. Waning Moon brings about the dosha of the lord of the Rasi which its occupies; Full Moon brings about kapha only. If the Sun and Mars are unfavourable, diseases due to the inflammation of pitta (bile) become manifested.

Types of Diseases
There are two types of diseases, viz., Nija and Aaganthuka. These two can again be sub-divided thus : Nija into Sarirotha and Chittotha; and Aaganthuka into Drishta nimittaja and Adrishta nimittaja. Bodily diseases are of four kinds, viz., those caused by Vata, those caused by Pitta, those caused by Kapha and those caused by Sannipatha. The classification of diseases can be represented thus :

Diseases arising in the body may also be due to a combination of Vata and Pitta, Vata and Kapha and Pitta and Kapha. Thus there are seven variations of bodily troubles arising from (1) Vata, (2) Pitta, (3) Kapha, (4) a combination of Vata and Pitta, (5) Vata and Kapha, (6) Pitta and Kapha and (7) Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

Astro-indicators
The bodily diseases (sarirotha) can be determined by considering the strength of the 8th house, its lord, the planet aspecting or occupying it. Anger, fear, sorrow, desires and such emotions bring about mental diseases. They have to be determined by considering the relationship between the lords of the 5th and the 8th.

The Drishta-nimittaja diseases — curses, incantations and falls from elevation — should be ascertained from the 6th house, its lord or the planet aspecting the 6th house or the planet occupying the 6th house. If the lords of the 6th and 8th are related, then the intensity of the diseases will be much. The Adrishita-nimittaja diseases should be known from the attack of evil spirits. There are two types of Agunthaka diseases viz., drishtanimittaja and adrishta-nimittaja. To the former category, belong the curses of great men, elders, parents, Gurus, etc., the incantations (Kshudra, Mantras) of enemies and sudden fall from elevations and accidents. Examine the 6th lord, the planets aspecting the lord / house 6th and the planets occupying the 6th house. Consider the strongest and determine the disease. If the 6thand 8th lords are related (i.e., in mutual aspect, association, etc.), then the effect of the curses, incantations, etc., will be powerful and the native will have to constantly suffer. The adrishtanimittaja diseases are said to be brought about by spirits, devils, hobgoblins, ghosts, etc. (Badhaka Grahas). Those diseases, for which no immediate cause could be traced, are karmic in origin and are caused by the Badhaka Planets.

Astanga Hridaya explains that the shad-rasas (6 different types of taste) remove or aggravate the three doshas as follows : — Vata (wind) is removed by madhura (sweetness), amla (sourness) and lavana (salt); Kapha (phlegm) is neutralised by thiktha (bitter), ushna (hot) and kashaya. Pitta is destroyed by madhura (sweet), thiktha (bitter) and kashaya. Contrarily, Vata is aggravated by thiktha (bitter), ushna (hot) and kashaya. Kapha is increased by madhura (sweet), amla (sour), lavana (salt) and ushna (hot). The disease one will suffer from arises from the dosha governed by the planet causing the disease.

Different planets govern different doshas. For example, if the Sun is the disease-causing planet, then the disease will be due to imbalance of Pitta. If it is the Moon then the disease will be due to Vata and Pitta. In this way, one should ascertain the cause of diseases from the planets.

Signs of Long Life
Various conditions of planatery arrangements are prescribed in Vedic Astrology to determine longevity in many astrological classics like Phaladeepika, Saravali, Horasaaram, Brihat jatakam (6th chapter) and so on. Prasna-marga, explains the long life as follows:- If all are devoid of afflictions and are favourable, the person will live long. If the combinations are all evil, he will die soon. If the influences are mixed, then the querist will neither die nor recover from his diseases. Happiness and misfortunes will alternately trouble him.

Lagna (Asc.) indicates, Deha (body). The 8th is Jeeva (life). If their lords are strong, or are in conjunction or in mutual aspect, the querist will have long life. If the lord of Lagna or Jupiter or Venus is placed in a kendra from Arudha or if these lords, Jupiter, Venus and lord of lagna are in mutual kendras, there will be long life. If benefics are in kendras, trikonas, the 2nd and 8th or llth and malefics are in the 3rd, 6th and llth, there will be long life. If malefics occupy houses other than 3, 6 and 11 and benefics are in 3, 6 and 12, death and serious illness will be the result. If Gulika occupies the 8th, then the questioner’s death cannot be doubted. Of all the malefic planets, Gulika contributes the worst evil. If Gulika has the association, aspect or vargas of Saturn, its evil becomes more intensified.

Longevity from Birth Chart
All beings take fresh births to experience the results of their actions done in their previous birth. Depending upon the past Karma, the longevity will be long, medium or short. People are born in this world just to exhaust their Karma-phala. Even if there is a little Karma left over, it has to be experienced. Effects of Karma can however be overcome by Atma Jnana (selfrealisation). Yogas reveal to us the results of Karma. Yoga means ‘which joins or connects’. Purusha is that which has body. Yogas connect Purusha with Karma-phalas. Planets indicate how these yogas connect the Purusha with Karma-phala from their position.

Yogas and Longevity
There are seven types of yogas. (a) Those formed by position, (b) those formed by Bhavas, (c) those formed by planets, (d) those formed by position, Bhavas and planets, (e) those formed by sthana and Bhava, (f) those formed by Bhavas and planets and (g) those formed by position and planets. By sthana, it is referred to the placement of the planets in uchcha, moolathrikona, etc. By Bhava, it is meant Lagna, etc. The planets are the Sun, etc. Bhava Sthana and Graha are the causes of Yoga. The strongest in bringing about a yoga is the yogakarta (composer of yoga) and it is that planet which gives the results of the yoga.

There are two types of longevity, viz., Yogayus — that which is contributed by Yogas; and Dasayus, that which is contributed by Dasas. There are six types of Yogayus indicating death within one year (Sadhyorishta), death within 12 years (Arishta or Balarishta), death within 32 years (Alpayu or Rishta), death within 70 years (Madhyayu), death within hundred years (Deerghayu) and death after 100 years (Amithayu). Sadhyorishta, Arishta and Amithayu are independent of Dasas. As students of astrology, we know that there are marakas or deathinflicting planets with reference to each lagna. The period of death (maraka Dasa) should be fixed consistent with the term of longevity indicated in the horoscope. By noting whether one’s term of life refers to Alpayu (32 years), Madhyayu (70 years) or Deerghayu (100 years), the appropriate Dasa and Bhukti for death should be fixed, taking into consideration the death-inflicting planets and their Dasas. If there are Sadhyorishta, Arishta or Amithayur yogas, then they function without reference to the Dasas and Bhuktis.

References
Horasaram, Brihatjatakam, Krishneeyam, Prasnamargam, Anustanapaddhthi, Saravali, Mangalavali, Astro classics and Astanga Hrudaya, Charaka Samhita, Susrutha Samhita, Vagbhata Samhita, Bhela Samhita , Karmavipaka samhita etc of Ayurvedic classics, besides a few websites, dealing with Ayurveda and medical astrology.

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