Hari Aum
I am going to outline some basic principles with regard to seeing one's spiritual life from the birth chart.
In my previous post from March 2015 on this topic, I made an attempt to analyse the various ayanamsas and work out which one seemed the most accurate. As mentioned in that post, I have found the Raman ayanamsa to be the most accurate and use this to cast the chart. I use the Jagannatha Hora software. (I have deleted that post as I have no wish to debate with anyone over ayanamsas- each to their own.)
Key points when analysing spirituality in the chart:
1. The key elements of spirituality in the chart that need to be examined are the lagna, the moon, the fifth house and the 9th house. The lagna represents the individual self/body/personality, the moon represents the mind. With regard to spirituality, the fifth house represents mantra, intelligence, creativity and good karmas from past lives. Similarly, the 9th house represents dharma, spirituality, wisdom and Guru.
2. Connections between the lagna, lagna lord, moon and fifth and ninth houses is good for spirituality
3. The eighth house- this is the house of the occult, hidden mysteries of life, suffering and transformation through this. It is one of the moksha trikonas, along with the 4th and 12th houses. It is not uncommon for people with an interest in spirituality and the occult to have planets in the 8th house.
4. The twelfth house- this is the house of meditation and moksha. The influence of benefic planets here or aspecting this house is said to be auspicious. A connection between this house and lagna/moon can again give an interest in meditation and moksha.
5. Planets of spirituality- the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Ketu are important for spirituality. Moon/lagna/lagna lord aspected by Saturn can indicate a person with vairagya, non-attachment to worldly things. The association between Jupiter and the Moon/lagna can give an interest in spiritual life as Jupiter represents the Guru and spirituality. Sun is the natural indicator of dharma.
6. Ketu's influence on the lagna or moon can produce non-attachment and spirituality.
7. Charts- the main rasi chart, the navamsa and vimsamsa (d 20) charts should be analysed with regard to the above
8. How to find the ishta devata, the deity who leads one to moksha from the chart:
a) Find the atma karaka AK (planet with highest degrees in the chart).
b) Identify the sign in which AK is placed in navamsa or vimsamsa (there is controversy about which chart- I use both, but mainly vimsamsa based on what I have read on this subject).
c) Now look at the sign in 12th position from the sign containing AK. If there are planets in the sign, see which is the strongest. The higher deity associated with this planet is the ishta devata. If no planet is present here, take the lord as ishta devata.
9. I have read that planets in trines in vimsamsa indicate deities one will worship and found this to be pretty accurate
10. Yogas for spirituality -certain combinations of planets create 'yoga' which are regarded as good for spiritual life. These include hamsa yoga, tapasvi yoga, parivrajaka yoga, sadhu yoga, sannyasa yoga, dharma-karma adhipati yoga (these are well-described on other sites so I will not elaborate here).
I am going to outline some basic principles with regard to seeing one's spiritual life from the birth chart.
In my previous post from March 2015 on this topic, I made an attempt to analyse the various ayanamsas and work out which one seemed the most accurate. As mentioned in that post, I have found the Raman ayanamsa to be the most accurate and use this to cast the chart. I use the Jagannatha Hora software. (I have deleted that post as I have no wish to debate with anyone over ayanamsas- each to their own.)
Key points when analysing spirituality in the chart:
1. The key elements of spirituality in the chart that need to be examined are the lagna, the moon, the fifth house and the 9th house. The lagna represents the individual self/body/personality, the moon represents the mind. With regard to spirituality, the fifth house represents mantra, intelligence, creativity and good karmas from past lives. Similarly, the 9th house represents dharma, spirituality, wisdom and Guru.
2. Connections between the lagna, lagna lord, moon and fifth and ninth houses is good for spirituality
3. The eighth house- this is the house of the occult, hidden mysteries of life, suffering and transformation through this. It is one of the moksha trikonas, along with the 4th and 12th houses. It is not uncommon for people with an interest in spirituality and the occult to have planets in the 8th house.
4. The twelfth house- this is the house of meditation and moksha. The influence of benefic planets here or aspecting this house is said to be auspicious. A connection between this house and lagna/moon can again give an interest in meditation and moksha.
5. Planets of spirituality- the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Ketu are important for spirituality. Moon/lagna/lagna lord aspected by Saturn can indicate a person with vairagya, non-attachment to worldly things. The association between Jupiter and the Moon/lagna can give an interest in spiritual life as Jupiter represents the Guru and spirituality. Sun is the natural indicator of dharma.
6. Ketu's influence on the lagna or moon can produce non-attachment and spirituality.
7. Charts- the main rasi chart, the navamsa and vimsamsa (d 20) charts should be analysed with regard to the above
8. How to find the ishta devata, the deity who leads one to moksha from the chart:
a) Find the atma karaka AK (planet with highest degrees in the chart).
b) Identify the sign in which AK is placed in navamsa or vimsamsa (there is controversy about which chart- I use both, but mainly vimsamsa based on what I have read on this subject).
c) Now look at the sign in 12th position from the sign containing AK. If there are planets in the sign, see which is the strongest. The higher deity associated with this planet is the ishta devata. If no planet is present here, take the lord as ishta devata.
9. I have read that planets in trines in vimsamsa indicate deities one will worship and found this to be pretty accurate
10. Yogas for spirituality -certain combinations of planets create 'yoga' which are regarded as good for spiritual life. These include hamsa yoga, tapasvi yoga, parivrajaka yoga, sadhu yoga, sannyasa yoga, dharma-karma adhipati yoga (these are well-described on other sites so I will not elaborate here).
Om Namo Narayanaya.
Hari Aum Tat Sat
P.S. I use the Raman ayanamsa for my vedic astrology readings. I have analysed some of the other ayanamsas including Lahiri, Pushya paksha and Yukteswar and find Raman ayanamsa works best for me. I appreciate that each astrologer has their own preference with regard to ayanamsa and wish everyone the best with their work (have no wish to debate with anyone regarding this topic - each to their own).
Update: July 7, 2022:
I had used my chart in this post as an example to illustrate how to apply some of the principles described above. Based on some new information that has recently come to light, some important elements of my chart have changed while many things have remained the same. As a result, I am removing the section on my chart from this post for now (as the old version is no longer accurate). I will write another post using my chart to explain these and some other principles of vedic astrology.
Please see the article below which explains some of the key principles of seeing spirituality in the chart along with the concept of the bhava chalit chart:
PLEASE NOTE:
June 28, 2024
Dear Readers,
The comments section on this post is already very long and it is not easy for me to keep track of your queries on ishta devata here. Therefore, I will not be publishing any further astrology ishta devata/other personal reading queries on this page from now onwards.
However, if you would like to share your thoughts related to spirituality/astrology in general, you are very welcome to do so here.
If you wish to send me a query regarding your ishta devata, please do so via the contact page on my free Vedic astrology site (see details on this blog; currently, it can take me 1-2 months to reply due to work and other commitments).
Thank you for your understanding.
Om shanti
Vishnupriya
Hi Vishnupriya,
ReplyDeleteI remember you did the astrological prediction & I realised that we are sailing in the same boat in terms of astrological knowledge. As a gratitude & goodwill gesture, I am sharing major B.V. Raman Books with you...
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cxpp7xacnu6kc0x/AAArtHXtuyLfqgF_NESdTPGua?dl=0
Thank you for the kind gesture Abhishek
DeleteIt was very helpful coming to.conclusion regarding ishta devata from navamsa or.vimsamsa.chart in both chart i have mercury and iam already a.krishna bhaktha it was very helpful to move in spiritual path.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree - it is nice to see confirmation of one's spiritual path in one's vedic chart.
Deleteit was great to go through the blog about very nice only thing i wantyed to discuss is when we look at he Atma karaka should we take it from the D1 chart or D 20 chart because my D1 has Shukra in the highest degree, where as in D9 its Rahu ketu who are in highest degree and in D 20 shukar is highest please advise
ReplyDeleteThe D1 chart is to be seen for Atma karaka
DeleteBest wishes
Dr.Vishnupriya ji,please submit my humble pranams unto guru's holy feet, thanks for writing this article..., are these things compulsory for spiritual growth, what happens to a person without these combinations who gets into the enquiry of the self ?
ReplyDeleteNamaste, I would not worry about combinations in the chart-- if you desire God, doing japa or similar suitable sadhana will definitely lead you to Him.
DeleteBest wishes,
Vishnupriya
Useful
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for this. I want to know more about this. Does Ketu in 12th house from Atmakaraka planet in Navamsa chart indicate Mahaganapathi as Ishta devta?
ReplyDeleteNamaste, you're welcome. Yes Ketu in the 12th from AK in navamsa can indicate Lord Ganesha as the ishta devata. Doing daily japa of one of His mantras would be helpful for spiritual progress.
DeleteIs Lagna lord Saturn (D-1) in 7th house with Venus in Vimsamsa chart (Scorpio ascendant in Vimsamsa) good for Upasana?
ReplyDeleteNamaste, yes it can be. In vimsamsa, Saturn can indicate detachment, discipline and austerities, and Venus indicates devotion/bhakti. These planets would aspect lagna from 7th house Taurus in vimsamsa which is good for spiritual life.
DeleteI've 9th lord Moon in 6th house in Vimsamsa chart, is it bad for Upasana?
ReplyDeleteNamaste, no not necessarily. One has to see the chart as a whole. The first, fifth, eighth and ninth houses in particular are significant with regard to spiritual life. The sixth house indicates service but can also mean some challenges. Everyone will face some challenge or the other in life, including spiritual life. Have faith in yourself, in God and your Guru, and you are bound to succeed in your sadhana.
DeleteNamaste. Is strength of Lagna, lagna lord an essential criterion for spirituality?
ReplyDeleteNamaste,
DeleteIn any chart, whether the rashi or divisional charts, the lagna and lagna lord are generally regarded as important. However, the interpretation of 'strength' can sometimes vary depending on whether one is looking from a spiritual or material perspective.
For example, lagna lord in the 12th house may be regarded as challenging/weak from a material perspective, but can be called strong/a blessing from a spiritual point of view (as 12th house represents loss of self, and also moksha/liberation). There is no one essential criterion for spirituality-- there are various combinations of factors that can indicate spirituality in a chart.
Hope this helps.
Vishnupriya
Hi Namaste..should rahu be considered as atmakaraka... Jupiter in trines in vimsamsa d20.. can you tell me the deity to worship
ReplyDeleteNamaste, yes Rahu can be atmakaraka....you need to look at the 12th house from AK to predict the ishta devata. As the nodes appear to move in the opposite directions to the other grahas, some astrologers (such as Narasimha Rao of Boston who I respect), count the house in reverse order AK is a node. i.e. if Rahu is AK and is placed in Scorpio in D20, then the 12th house would be Sagittarius (not Libra) if counted anti-zodiacally. I cannot tell you the specifics of your chart as I do not know your 12th house details. However I hope this is helpful.
DeleteIn D20, Taurus Asc, Me-Ra-Ke in Asc, Sun in Aries (12thH), Ve in Pieces (11thH), Sa-Mo in Sc-(7thH). AK is Ra, not sure if nodes are included in AK…what type of Sadhna would be best for me as per this info? Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeleteNamaste, based on what you have written, the path of bhakti yoga would seem suitable. Ishta devata would be the higher deity represented by Mercury, ruler of Gemini, 12th sign from Rahu (which appears to travel in reverse direction to other grahas). This is generally regarded as Vishnu/Hari/Narayana (or any avatar of His). Hope this helps.
DeleteI wish you well with your sadhana.
Vishnupriya
Hi please suggest isht dev and Marg
DeleteIn D 1 pisces accesdent jupiter in lagn 1 house,saturn in Aries mars mercury cancer,sun rahu venus in leo ,moon in Sagittarius,ketu in Aquarius.
In D 20 chart Gemini accesdent, Jupiter in leo 3 rd house, saturn Venus and sun are in Libra 5 th house,Venus in Sagittarius 7 th house house,mars moon in Capricorn 8 th house house,Rahu ketu in Aquarius 11 thHouse, Please suggest isht dev and marg
Namaste,
DeleteThe information you have given is unfortunately not enough for me to tell you the ishta devata and the spiritual path. Please go through the above article and feel free to send me your birth details if you wish for my input.
May God bless you.
Vishnupriya
Jai Guru,
ReplyDeleteWhat if Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu are within the 1st house?
Namaste,
DeleteThey can all have spiritually beneficial influences depending upon the lagna and the rest of the chart.
Nameste guru ji my dob 2 September 1998, time 8pm,place delhi.I m Pisces ascendant please tell my isht devta, i want to know, have serious problems .
ReplyDeleteNamaste,
DeleteI have checked your chart as requested. Your ishta devata is the Divine Mother (the higher deity of Venus representing the ishta devata in your chart). You may worship Her in any form you wish. Doing daily japa of a suitable mantra of Hers will grant you both spiritual and material benefits.
Your chart is very good for spiritual life, and shows many divine blessings. This difficult period (Rahu-Rahu) will end in March next year and you will feel significant relief. Regular daily prayer and worship is the best way to handle all karmas. Take care, hope this helps. God bless you.
Vishnupriya
Namaste, please help me identify my ishta devata. 18 october 2004 time 01:28 am, place Russia , Tomsk.I really adore hinduism and I want to improve my spiritual life.I'm cancer ascendant.
ReplyDeleteNamaste,
DeleteThe ishta devata in your chart is represented by the planet Saturn, which would represent Narayana. Any mantra of His such as Hari Om or Om Namo Narayanaya or of one of His avatars would be helpful for daily recitation for spiritual life.
Hope this is helpful.
Wish you the very best with your spiritual practice, may God bless you.
Vishnupriya
Namaste,thank you very much for the answer.I accidentally wrote you two comments under different nicknames . I would also like to know about my spiritual potential .Thank you in advance.
DeleteDate of birth 26/01/1991, time 2.30 am, place: Davangere Karnataka India.
ReplyDeleteI am really interested in spirituality pls check my d20 chart regarding spiritual growth in my future life.
Namaste
DeleteI have checked your chart as requested. This is auspicious for spiritual life. As per your main chart and D20, mantra japa sadhana would be ideal for you. D20 lagna is Mithuna with Mercury in the 5th house of japa-- a Vishnu mantra would be suitable for you.
Hope this helps. May God bless you with success in spiritual life.
Vishnupriya
Thank you so much sir...felt blessed by your reply.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome. God bless you.
DeleteThis is written by a woman
DeleteNamaste my Date of birth is 04/January/1987 , time of birth is 10:25AM and place of birth is Bangalore. Can you please check which deity should I worship?
ReplyDeleteNamaste,
DeleteBased on the information provided, your chart suggests that the planet Mars (as ruler of Aries) represents your ishta devata. This can be Subramanya or Hanuman (whichever feels closer to your heart).
Hope this helps.
Best wishes with your sadhana, may your ishta devata bless you.
Vishnupriya
Hello, I see you are so kind as to tell others their ishtadevata. May you tell me mine as well please -
ReplyDeleteMay 16th, 1994 at 3:30 a.m. Santa Clara, California.
Do you offer services or full reports regarding D20? I've been looking at mine but was curious about consulting a professional.
Namaste,
DeleteBased on the information provided, in your chart the ishta devata is represented by the planet Saturn. The higher deity associated with Saturn is Narayana/Hari (or one of His avatars) and He would be the ishta devata.
Hope this helps. Wish you the very best with your spiritual practice, may God bless you.
Vishnupriya
Namaste,
ReplyDeleteI have noted the above two queries regarding the ishta devata and will get back to you soon in the next couple of days. Apologies for the delay replying (things have been a bit hectic recently).
Om shanti
Vishnupriya
Namaste, no problem at all, thank you so much for giving me a heads up. Sending you thoughts of peace in this hectic season.
DeleteHari Om.
ReplyDeleteI am a Pieces ascendant (Uttara Bhadrapada nakshatra) in Lagna chart. My D20 chart shows Rahu-Ketu in Pieces; (Revati nakshatra) as AK, Saturn-Venus-Asc in Scorpio (Jyeshtha nakshatra), Sun-Moon in Libra (Swati nakshatra). DOB 28.2.93 8:04 am (Mumbai). Could you please tell me what can you glean about finding my guru from this chart?
Thank you for your insights and for helping everyone.
Namaste
DeleteHari Om
I have examined your chart as requested. This shows very positive karmas for spiritual life (along with some challenges from a material perspective).
Your chart shows a strong connection with your Guru (regardless of whether or not you have met him/her yet). If you perform regular spiritual practice, you will find find your Guru at some stage (and they will guide you from within even before this occurs).
Mantra japa of your ishta devata would be especially suitable for you based on the placements in your chart (if your birth time is precise, this is likely to be the Divine Mother). This will grant you spiritual and material blessings.
Hope this is helpful. May the Divine shower blessings upon you for success in your spiritual life.
Vishnupriya
Hi Madam, My name is Prasanth. DOB:28/10/1997, time: 03:30 am, place: Erode,tamilnadu, india. Can you please suggest me who is my ista devata. Kindly check D9 or D20 whatever you follow.Venus is my Aatma karaga planet. Thanks in advance madam🙏.
DeleteNamaste Prasanth,
DeleteBased upon your chart, the planets Mars and Mercury occupy the 12th house from your AK Venus in Vimsamsa chart. They are in Gemini so Mercury is the stronger of two. The higher deity represented by Mercury is Vishnu so He would be your ishta deity. Worship of Him daily via mantra japa will lead to spiritual progress and also many blessings (especially as Mercury is lagna lord in D1).
Hope this helps.
Vishnupriya
Hari Om.
DeleteThank you Vishnupriyaji for looking at my chart and for your analysis. I had quite forgotten that I had requested your help on this thread last December. Then today, whilst going through Google search results for an astrological term, I stumbled upon this thread again, which had highlighted my question to you (although the question did not contain the term that I had Googled).
I feel quite blessed to have read your reply. Thank you very much again, and yes my birth time is correct and I do think your analysis of my ishta and Guru is correct too.
Hari Aum.
DeleteYou're very welcome. I'm glad you found the reading helpful.
Om shanti
Vishnupriya
Namaste,
ReplyDeleteKindly help me know my ishta dev.
Date of birth- 17 Feb 1987.
Time - 1040 hrs.
Place - Cuttack, Odisha.
Regards.
Namaste,
DeleteI have examined your chart as requested. Your ishta is represented by the graha Chandra/Moon. This would be either Devi (Parvati) or Krishna. You can choose whichever form appeals more to your heart and perform daily mantra japa. This will be very helpful for overall happiness in life.
Hope this helps.
Om
Vishnupriya
PLEASE NOTE:
ReplyDeleteDear Readers,
The comments section on this post is already very long and it is not easy for me to keep track of your queries on ishta devata here. Therefore, I will not be publishing any further astrology ishta devata/other personal reading queries on this page from now onwards.
However, if you would like to share your thoughts related to spirituality/astrology in general, you are very welcome to do so here.
If you wish to send me a query regarding your ishta devata, please do so via the contact page on my free Vedic astrology site (see details on this blog; currently, it can take me 1-2 months to reply due to work and other commitments).
Thank you for your understanding.
Om shanti
Vishnupriya