Vedic astrology largely depends on the birthtime, place and date for casting the horoscope of the individual and consequently for making worthy predictions.
However great an astrologer could be, if he has to depend on inaccurate chart (cast based on inaccurate data) his predictions would turn awry. Getting the wrong birthtime is One of the best ways to turn a horoscope to a ‘Horror”scope.
There are several stories emphasising the importance of accuracy in the horoscope and I am avoiding an effort to repeat them. If the lives of twins born minutes apart can have completely contrasting looks, orientation (male or female), education, attitude and career, a chart that puts the birthtime five minutes off mark, can give all wrong predictions even in the hands of an otherwise dependable astrologer.
There are multiple reasons for inaccuracies in the birthtime:
• Watches of the doctor/nurse cannot be expected to be accurate, nor can we expect the watch to have been synchronised with standard times.
• Will the doctor attend to the mother who is in labour or be looking at her watch to make sure the astrologer gets the perfect birthtime of the baby.
• In addition to these material reasons, there can be a conceptual inaccuracy on what signifies the birth time.
o Some say birthtime is the one when the baby starts cryingo Some say it is the time when the baby is touched by the mother for the first timeo Some say it varies from yuga to yuga and for Kaliyuga it is Bhoo-sparsa, meaning the time at which the baby is in contact with the earth (read : cradle/bed)
• Child born in Sthree Vela will only be a girl and one born in Purusha vela will only be a boy.
• Multiplicity of Almanacs & Panchangas used, each differing with the other
• Computational errors by your astrologer
• Multiplicity of Almanacs & Panchangas used, each differing with the other
• Computational errors by your astrologer
With so many features waiting to conspire you to land up with the wrong birth time, chances of the birthtime in the natal chart being inaccurate is much higher compared to that being accurate. No question about that.
Admitting that this is the problem, how to overcome this. Has Vedic astrology provided any remedy for this ? A big YES !
However the prescription is indirect . There is a branch of Vedic astrology titled “Nashta Jathaka”, believed to have been authored by the inimitable Varaha Mihira ( Mihira who got the honorific prefix Varaha, for having predicted the death of a prince in the hands of a Pig).
How to judge whether the chart is accurate:
There are several methods. I have listed out some:
• Ganesha Deivagna’s Lagna based verification (read my short article on this technique: https://scribblingsofark.blogspot.com/2017/06/how-to-verify-if-lagna-is-correct.html)
• Krishnamurthi Paddhathi (KP astrology) based cuspal sublord link with birthstar theory
• Sthree-Pursha vela based verification. This theory believes that Child born in Sthree Vela will only be a girl and one born in Purusha vela will only be a boy.
My experience is limited but I would personally prefer KP cuspal sublord link method, because this is more scientific and hence consistent.
KP astrology principle says that in the cast chart, the Lagna cuspal sub-sub-Lord should have some connection with the Nakshatra Lord (Birthstar) . If such a connection does not exist the given birthtime requires correction.
Now that we know that the birthtime requires correction, the next question comes how can we achieve that.
Birthtime rectification technique:
Several methods exist including:
• Calibration method of synchronising various known events in the native’s life with the planets that the horoscope indicates will cause those events. Example: With a known marriage date run a test on whether the marriage-granting planets were active during that time (Vimshottari Dasa) and iterate for various birthtimes.
o Continue the iteration for other key events in life . Iterate until all the timings of major events coincide with result granting planets (and dasas)
o The handicap in this method is when the native is too young to have witnessed key events in life.
• KP method of iterating birthtime until such time a strong connection between the Lagna’s cuspal sub-sub-lord and the birth star (the star in which Moon is positioned at the time of birth)
These methods are very time-consuming and laborious. KP’s method is less cumbersome and is worth following.
Next time you consult an astrologer silently observe if he is making an effort to check if the chart is accurate before he gets on with his predictions and accordingly draw your own judgment about your astrologer.
