Rahu - a guide to agriculturists

There is a heightened awareness about astrology nowadays,

but it is about how to ward off bad effects.

The effects - both bad and good - are the results of Karmic causes of the past.

Without realizing that these causes give rise to the bad effects,

people want to rely on astrology as a quick-fix solution.

But Astrology is not meant for giving miracles or fast solutions.

It is an organized body of knowledge which is based on the principle of

interaction and mutual inter-relation between the created things in this universe.

By knowing these principles and the way results spring form causes,

one can take care of the causes so that the desired result can be achieved.

Rahu is one planet

(a planet is known as gruham in astrology

and it means ‘that which binds’.

A gruham binds one with certain specifics.)

which gives useful guidance in agriculture,

so that desired results can be achieved.

The star through which Rahu is passing is constantly noted.

In Hindu astrology a star does not mean

the small bright spot in the night sky that we usually call a star.

A star represents a distance of 13 degrees and 20 minutes in the sky.

The heavenly body within this distance exhibiting a specific significance

gives its name to this distance.

If we say Ashwini, in astrology it denotes the distance of 13-20 degrees

which signifies certain characteristics indicated by Ashwini

and therefore known as Ashwini.

In Rahu-chakra, the position of Rahu in a star will be noted

and counting is done from that star.

If the day happens to fall on the days 1,2,3 & 4

as counted from the star in which Rahu is seen,

sowing operation is not advised on those days.

The days 1,2,3 & 4 from Rahu are known as ‘death days’.

The yield from the sowing done then, will wither off.

Whereas the days 5,6,7,9,10,11,13,14,15,17,18 & 19

from the star in which Rahu is seen

are known as ‘Womb days”

The sowing on these days will give rich dividends.

The days 8,12,16,20 & 24 are “expelling days”.

The plants that grow from the sowing on these days will be venerable to attacks by pests.

The days 21,22,& 23 will result in destruction of the plants by floods.

The days 25,26 & 27 will find destruction by fire.

Until two generations ago, Indian farmers possessed

this knowledge of Rahu-chakra

to decide about the time to sow the seeds.

As a result they avoided losses in agriculture.

Even in the analysis of Bengal famine

that brought Nobel to Prof Amartya Sen,

it was seen that the famine was not due to fall in agricultural produce.

It was due to improper distribution of the farm produce to all people.

Fall in agricultural production had not been a problem in those days.

The keen observation of the heavens and knowledge by means of astrology

protected them from any untoward mishap.

Role of moon and sun

Like Rahu, Moon and sun also play a role in agriculture.

Researches are being done on the influence of moon on agriculture.

It is now accepted that moon does play a role in rainfall and in agriculture.

In Ayurveda, leaves of certain plants are plucked only one certain days

depending on the position of the moon.

The sun’s position also was keenly observed by ancients for plowing operations.

If the star of the day, counted from the star in which sun is traversing,

happens to be 8,9,10,12,13,14,16,17,18,20 & 22

then that will be beneficial for starting plowing operations.

Science has come to accept that the plant Arkha, (erukku in Tamil)

does have lot of potential as curative for sun-related diseases.

Arkha is the plant or samit connected with sun.

There is Arkha sastra which tells about

how arkha cures nearly 52 diseases.

I have seen some people do data collection on Saturn

to relate it to failure in agricultural produce.

Saturn is of course related to Agriculture,

but that alone does not decide the success of agriculture.

Saturday is known as Sthira-vaara,

meaning that things done on Saturday will last long.

Since bhoomi (earth) is sthira – strong and lasts permanently,

things related to bhoomi can be done favorably on Saturdays.

Buying of agricultural implements (made of iron)

and sowing operations can be done on Saturdays

and in sani hora.

But combining the Rahu chakra with a Saturday will ensure more success.

I have seen a data on rainfall on the basis of Saturn’s position.

But it will be more ideal to compute the data on the basis of moon’s position in relation to stars.

Sapta-naadi charka of astrology makes it known

that moon is indicative of rainfall, not Saturn.

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I am writing all these details in the hope

that someday someone might use them

or even do a research to know whether these are reliable

so that losses incurred in agriculture as it is happening now can be arrested.