Lesson 10

Prashna or Horary Astrology

The Prashna branch is another unique division of Vedic Astrology. When a person asks a question to an astrologer, based on the time at which the question is asked, a horoscope is made for that time and date. With the help of this chart the astrologer predicts about the events that are going to take place. There are several types of Prashna systems and it is almost a separate science by itself. Normally the Prashna chart is studied along with the birth chart to give an additional dimension to predict the results correctly.

Gochara or Transits

The Gochara or the constant transits of the planets in the zodiac is the other instrument used by the astrologers to time an event. The position of the planets in your birth chart is fixed. These planetary placement and the dasas you are going through as per your birth chart give you one set of parameters to judge the events. At the same time the planets in heaven are constantly on the move. At any given time how these planets are positioned vis-à-vis the 12 houses and the 9 planets in your chart also has a major bearing on your destiny. It is said that the natal chart and the dasas are what you have inherited from your past and the gochara is the interplay of the present with your past. The 1st, and the most important study of the positions of the 9 planets transiting in the zodiac, is done from the janma rasi or the position of the moon in ones natal chart. After that their positions from all other planets, houses etc of ones birth chart. Based on these positions, the gochara shastras give the detailed results.
Let me explain this with the help of the example chart and the Gochara planetary position chart as on today, 16-4-03.

Example Chart

Gochara Chart

For the native of this chart as shown in the picture above, the gochara planetary positions as shown in the charts below, is as follows.
His Janma rasi, or the sign in which his moon is positioned in the birth chart (above), is kumbha or Aquarius. In the gochara chart (below) sun is positioned in Aries or Mesha. Hence counted from his Janma rasi, sun is in the third house in gochara. Similarly mercury is also in the 3rd from his natal moon. Rahu is in the 4th from moon, saturn in the 5th, jupiter in the 6th, moon in the 8th, Ketu in the 10th, mars in the 12th and venus is in the Janma rasi. Similarly note the positions of these planets from his lagna, i.e., sun and mercury in the 6th etc. Similarly the positions of the 9 gochara planets from the natal position of sun, then mars, then mercury etc. etc.

The effects produced by the 9 transiting planets, placed in various houses from the 9 natal planets and lagna (Total 10x 9×12=1080 only) are given in the Gochara shastras.

To know the Gochara/transit results of planets click here

You just have to remember and recollect them and apply the relevant ones. While doing this simple task, you must also see their transit effects as per asthakavargas (12x8x9=864rules). Then also remember the strengths, weaknesses and effects of these planets, and the dasa, antardasa and pratyantardasa effects – based on lagna & 16 Vargas placements, shadbalas, different rasi & house placements, avasthas etc. of the 9 planets and lagna. After that you just have to synthesize, summarize and analyze these 25000 appx permutations and combinations, and then study the results as per Prashna also to arrive at what is going to happen!!! God bless you.