Some astrological thoughts on cyclone Sandy and Nilam.

In a year that is expected to reel under drought due to El Nino, we are witnessing severe cyclones in two ends of the world – one on the east coast of the US and the other at the east coast of India.

 

These two occurring around the same time when two strong Anavrishti yogas (deficient rainfall) such as Mercury going ahead of the Sun and Mars in opposition to Jupiter make me take a re-look at the olden texts for what they say on cyclones or rainfall that come with destruction.

The chief sources of rainfall prediction are Brihad Samhita and Prasna Marga. Eight chapters are written on rainfall prediction in Brihad Samhita from which the main points were taken out and written in my earlier post

Planetary connection to El Nino – some tips from rainfall astrology.

It seems the more technical yogas that I have left out in that article may contain the clues to the rainfall that was experienced in Tamilnadu in the last couple of weeks through cyclone. Those clues are about continuous monitoring in the Ashada month (Month of Aadi in Tamil or Cancer). The monitoring includes measuring the rain water collected on specific days. Unless a committed observation and recording of the meteorological features are done all round the year, it is not possible to predict the rains exactly.

Coming to cyclones, there are very few verses on heavy rains with storms. The malefics play a role in such cases. Conjunction or opposition of Mars and Saturn or the nodes without any benefic influence causes storms according to Brihad samhita. Prasna Marga gives clues on prediction of storms or floods or heavy rainfall by means of prasna charts that are made when  someone raises the question on these issues. In that case the lagna (ascendant) is plotted and based on that, prediction of a cyclone is given.

The reason for lack of information on cyclones may be due to the fact that in those days people desisted from living in places that were regularly battered by Nature's fury. The east coast – particularly the cyclone prone areas were not populated but for the fishermen community in olden days. May be only in the last 1000 years, the habitation has come up gradually in those areas. Perhaps Pumpukaar in the east coast was the only city that thrived in olden days, say before 2000 years BP, but was lost to the seas many times.

But places like Chennai were not populated areas until 400 years ago. It was mentioned by Edward Eastwick in The Handbook of India in 1859, that an extent of 500 miles from north of  Kancheepuram to Ganjam district (in present Andhra Pradesh) was a desert forest in the 7^th century CE according to the chronicles of the Chinese traveller Hiuan Tsung. People had kept away from cyclone prone places and perhaps that could be the reason for the lack of astrological literature on cyclones. The same holds good for the US where the native Americans had inhabited the west or interior lands that were safe from hurricane hazards.

In the wake of spread of habitations all over the land, research is needed on identifying cyclones in advance. While translating Prasna Marga, Dr BV Raman had emphasised the need to look into the celestial factors in predicting cyclones and floods.

According to him, sunspot activity has some connection with cyclones and floods. He says that research conducted in the West showed that the average level of water in great lakes like Nyasa, Victoria and Albert as well as the Caspian Sea and other water bodies rose up during times of Solar Maxima. He mentions that in the year 1957 which saw exceptional solar conditions, there were large number of cyclones in the US.

Looking at the sky map in October and November 1957, we are in for a surprise because the long term planets are more or less in the same position as they are now!  Saturn, Mars and the node (Rahu / Ketu) were close to each other in Libra and Scorpio as they are now with Sun joining them in these months. Jupiter also was nearing this group then. Almost similar to this, Jupiter is in opposition to Mars and Rahu at present. In other words, these long term planets get associated with each other in conjunction or opposition with each other in the signs of Libra(airy) and Scorpio (watery). The other watery signs namely Cancer and Pieces also get afflicted by some of these planets.

Dr BV Raman adds Uranus also in the list of these planets (Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu) to watch out for the havoc created by cyclones. He has studied the cyclones in Andhra in the last one century to substantiate this.

When I went through those cyclones, I was amazed to see a similar combination of these planets (as they are now) in November 1927 cyclone that hit Andhra Pradesh. A detailed study of all the major cyclones would give us better insight. As it is seen now, conjunction of malefics in Libra and Scorpio with affliction caused to one of the watery signs (other than Scorpio) is a major factor for violent and destructive storms.

Even otherwise the present combination of malefics afflicting Martian signs with Mars getting involved in the aspect, along with the nodes is an indicator for natural calamities such as earthquakes. Many earthquake charts have this combination. With watery signs also getting afflicted, the effect is also felt in the form of floods or tsunami in the case of earthquakes.

An article on astrology cannot be concluded without some reference to propitiation to avert danger to oneself! In the case of threat from waters and storms (as experienced now), Narayana reclining on Sesha or Krishna on peepal leaf must be worshiped.

Let all beings be saved and protected by the grace of Narayana.

Let there be peace to all beings.