JASA

Vol. 1(6)

May-Jun 2012

Research Perspectives
The Lunar Constellations (Part 2): Bharani
Dr. E.S. Neelakantan
Dr. E. S. Neelakantan was born on 5th August 1967 in Kannimangalam Village, Palakkad District , Kerala. He completed his
graduation from Loyala College In Statistics with distinction in 1987. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992. He is also a qualified
Information Systems Auditor since 2004. He developed interest in Astrology by reading the works of Dr. B. V. Raman . He learnt Astrology
in a formal way under Prof. K. V. Seshadrinatha Sastri , a renowned authority on Jyothisa and Ayurveda. For his thesis on Medical
Astrology, he was awarded Ph.d. , by Sri Chandrasekarendra University, Kancheepuram, which is recognized as a Deemed
University in 2005. He is a practising Chartered Accountant in Chennai since 1993. He is at present a regular contributor to four of the
leading journals on Astrology in India viz, Express Star Teller, Modern Astrology , Astrological eMagazine and JASA.
esneelakantan@gmail.com

The second in the list of constellations is Bharani: what is known as Bharani in Jyotisha is Apabharani in
the Vedas. The presiding deity of Bharani is Yama. The Vedas say that Yama, when propitiated, could
bestow Moksha. Yama is the custodian of Dharma. All living beings, after birth experience different
effects, but the journey ends in death.
Paramatma is the supreme soul of which the Jivatma is a fraction; in other words, 'the individual soul'. The
end of the individual soul is in its realization that it is no other than the supreme soul. The Vedas suggest
propitiation of Lord Yama as the means to attain this goal.
A girl born in Bharani star becomes a queen so goes the saying. The ability to rule is intrinsic to Yama.
This justifies the above saying. According to Varahamihira, a person born in Bharani has the following
qualities: capable of completing undertaken tasks, be truthful, be healthy, be smart, and be happy.
According to Parasara, a person born in Bharani has the following qualities: is courageous, ability to
conceal truth to succeed, covetous of others' wealth, vacillating mind, has many enemies, and likes to eat
According to Varahamihira, a person born in the first quarter of Bharani Star will become a mendicant; one
born in the second is born to enjoy life; one born in the third quarter likes to perform misdeeds, while the
one born in the last quarter lives in penury.
In Astrological convention, another view prevails: a person born in first quarter of Bharani is peaceful, in
the second quarter is honest, in the third quarter is lustful, and in the fourth quarter is one who lives with
self-respect.
Bharani is a prohibited star for all auspicious deeds. It is also considered inauspicious for travel.
Nonetheless, Bharani is a suitable for the following activities: destruction of enemy strongholds ,
administration of poison, working with fire arms, and working with fire.
A wrong notion that Yama is inauspicious because he heads the death ministry prevails among common
people. Nachiketas gained wisdom through the grace of Yama. In Sandhya worship, there is a verse in
praise of Yama, which is chanted everyday by people for securing safe passage during the post-death
journey. People born in Bharani star will be specially benefitted if they chant this verse. Bharani is suitable
to open meat shops. The act of killing birds and animals is termed as vyadhakarma. Astrology goes hand in
hand with Dharma. This rule need not be taken as a licence for indulging in slaughter of birds and animals.
The real import of this rule is that Bharani favours cruel activities. Hence textbooks on Muhurtha
recommend Bharani for such cruel activities, although prohibited by scriptures.

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Vol. 1(6)

May-Jun 2012

Bharani is also suitable for manufacture and sale of arms and ammunition. It is also suitable for
manufacture and sale of alcohol-based bevarages such as wine, starting Breweries and sale of other
alcoholic preparations. It also favours opening fish markets as well as commencement of fishing activities.
Bharani is also a favourable star for harvesting crops.
Curiously enough Bharani, although inauspicious in itself, is a good day for selling. For sale of
commodities seven stars are suitable - these are Bharani, Krittika, Aslesha, Poorvaphalguni, Visakha,
Poorvashada, and Poorvabhadrapada. Books such as Muhurtha Chintamani take the view that stars suitable
for buying are unsuitable for selling. In commercial parlance this presents us with an interesting question:
For a sale to take place, it requires a buyer as well as a seller. If there is no muhurtha, which favours both
seller as well as buyer, then how can a sale take place, if both parties choose to rely on Astrology? I wish to
offer my views on this subject here. Let us assume, that I want to buy a share. I can telephone my share
broker on Ashwini day, which is favourable for buying. The share broker can actually buy the shares on the
next day, which is Bharani, which favours the seller. In this case both parties have complied with rules of
Astrology. The only debatable point here is whether Muhurtha refers to the 'time of purchase by the share
broker'. Even in the case of immovable property the 'Agreement to sell' and 'Sale deed' can be executed on two
different dates. The point I wish to make here that this is a grey area in Muhurta and I, for one, cannot think
of any other way in which both buyer and seller can obey the laws of Astrology.
Ideal days for purchase are those days when the ruling star is either Ashwini or Swati or Satabhishek or
Sravana or Chitra or Revathi. To remember the six stars, a mnemonic 'CAR SSS', can be handy. CAR
representing Chitra, Ashwini, and Revati; 'SSS' representing Swati, Sravana and Satabhisek.
Bharani is a suitable star for digging the foundation for new buildings. Note that I have said 'digging' and not
'laying'; for laying the foundation, Bharani is unsuitable. Bharani is also suitable for underground
construction activities. Coming to legal matters, Bharani is a suitable for filing a court case during a
litigation. Patients can take bath upon recovery from an illness, when the ruling asterism is Bharani.
Bharani favours construction of eating houses, hostels, refreshment rooms and choultries.
Bharani belongs to a category of asterisms termed Vajra - other stars in this category are Makha,
Poorvaphalguni, Poorvasadha, and Poorvabhadrapada. A girl who attains puberty when ruling star is
Bharani, gives birth to a son. Bharani reflects entanglement in the world of desires and illusions. The
constellation is owned by Venus and figures in the house of Mars. It is precisely this MarsVenus
influence on Bharani that makes it susceptible to illusions. Students can be trained in athletics, sports,
games and physical education on a day ruled by Bharani. Bharani is an ideal day to commence training in
outdoor games and sports. Some scholars hold the view that one can commence learning of Astrology on a
day ruled by Bharani. Bharani is also an ideal day to start learning Urdu, Persian, and Arabic, besides
French and German. Interestingly enough, Bharani is an auspicious day for borrowing money but not for
lending. If money is lent on Bharani day, then it augurs well for the borrower but not for the lender.
We will discuss the salient features of Krittika, in the next issue.
Editor's Note
We at JASA are very delighted and proud to have Dr. Neelakanatan, one of the most erudite astrology scholars in
India, to write on 27 stars in this journal. Write-ups about the 27 stars are mainly authored by Western scholars
and we seldom find any Indian scholar authoring anything about it.
Dr. Neelakanatan, a PhD in astrology and a successful, award-winning practitioner of this science, has divulged
many unknown secrets about the 27 stars. This distilled knowledge is an essential tool for any serious practitioner
of stellar astrology, be it KP or any other forms.

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