The Greatness of Saturn by Robert E. Svoboda Part I

The Greatness of Saturn by Robert E. Svoboda

A Therapeutic Method

(Book review 12/2015)

This book is the translation of the Gujarati version of the “Shani Mahatmya” that was written by Pranjivan Harihar Shastri and published in the 1950s in Bombay by Natvarlal I. Desai. This version is now out of print, and the publisher has closed down but nearly identical Marathi rendition is available published by Jaya Hind Prakashan of Bombay in 1990.

This book is divided into three main parts 1. Purvakarma 2. Pradhankarma and 3. Paschatkarma.

Purvakarma states that a myth should not be overanalyzed as it loses its weight in surgery. Myths are the conscience of any culture and we lose the essence of the culture in over-analysis though it may give temporary intellectual satisfaction but in the end the loss is of the culture. He also said about folklores and songs as it is the responsibility of the hearer to transmit them to other people in case they fail to do so the legends try to come out in some ways but in case if the folklore is not spread it gets lost. Therefore I urge everyone reading these stories to transmit them in their own capacities.

Pradhankarma

King Vikrama deliberates in his court over which of the nine planets is superior. There was a champion for each planet who came to reveal the greatness of their revered ones.

The Sun: - Everything originates from the Sun, for he is the soul of all. His metal is gold or copper, and his gem ruby. In the body he rules the bones.

The Moon: - The Moon is the mind of all, the lord of the senses and the emotions. His metal is bronze or silver, and his gem pearl. He rules the blood in the body, and because he is of the nature of semen he is passion-filled. Whoever seeks sexual satisfaction should worship the Moon.

Mars: - The Mars relieves all difficulties, especially those of illness, debt, and enemies. His metal is copper, and his gem coral. He rules muscles and bone marrow in body. He is Virabhadra, the son of Lord Shiva and the Earth. Some say he is the Karttikeya, the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. He is also referred as the Skanda, the son of Agni and Swaha, daughter of Daksha.

Mercury: - He is the son of Moon. He is the most intelligent planet of all, and he removes all the obstacles of those who worship him. As far as possible for everyone he causes no inauspicious event, but rather creates prosperity for everyone. His metal is brass, and his gem emerald.

Jupiter:- Jupiter is particularly merciful, and his wisdom is extraordinarily profound. Lord of body’s fat, his metal is gold and his gem topaz.

Venus:- Obeisance to Venus causes all obstacles, all worries, and all disease that surround a person to flee far away. His other name is Ushanas. His metal is silver and gem is diamond. 

Saturn:- Son of the Sun, Saturn is the supreme terrifier among planets. His metal is iron, and his gem is blue sapphire. If you hope to prevent Saturn from mangling your life, as he has mangled so many lives, make regular offerings of black sesame seeds, sesame oil, and sugar on Saturdays to an iron image of that planet; also make Saturday donations of sesame and iron to the needy. 

Rahu and Ketu:- When propitiated, Rahu fills one with mercy and removes disease and fear of snakes, while a pleased Ketu gives transcendental wisdom. Rahu rules lead and agate, while Ketu rules earth and turquoise.

The Verdict

“Better not to have a son at all than to have one with a hateful gaze as Saturn’s. Since Lord Saturn tormented his own father, who will he not torment? Tell me, O wise ones.” Uttered Vikramadatiya in his weak moment. It so happened that Saturn was passing overhead in his aerial car; he overheard these things and landed his craft in the assembly hall of the king. All were terrified including the king and all rose to their feet and pitched forward onto the ground. The king offered him his seat and worshipped him with utter reverence, well aware that his fate has been sealed.

When the king was finished, the dark-countenanced Saturn spoke to him in a voice that rang with the calm cold of reality: “O Vikramaditya! You have insulted me in front of the entire assembly without even knowing the extent of my capabilities. Are you aware that Indra and all the other devas quiver in front of me? You know that whomever I get angry with I totally destroy, but what you have not yet comprehended is that I do not allow even a trace of that miscreant to remain; no, not even his name. While flying through the air just now, I sensed you expressing your disgust for me. As it is, I am about to enter the constellation Virgo, which occupies the twelfth house of your horoscope. This means that for seven and half years you will have no choice but to learn precisely who I am. At the moment, your reason has deviated from its proper course, but soon you will know what my powers really are. I shall remove all these airs of yours, mark my word.

“You do not yet know my prowess. The Moon resides in one constellation of the zodiac for a mere two and quarter days; The Sun, Mercury and Venus for one month each; Mars for one-and-half months, Jupiter for twelve months; and Rahu and Ketu for eighteen months. But I remain far a full thirty months in each sign, and I have delivered prolonged misery even to the great gods themselves. Hear my words with full concentration, O King! When I waylaid Shri Ramchandra, the incarnation of God Himself, He was sent to exile in the forest, and when I accosted Ravana Shri Ramachandra and Laxmana collected an army, invaded Lanka, killed Ravana, and destroyed his entire family. So now, King Vikrama, you had best prepare for misfortune!”

On completing this tirade Saturn rose straightaway, just as Vikramaditya fell on ground. Grabbing hold of Saturn’s two dark feet in dismay the king cried loudly, “O Lord Saturn! Forgive me for this offence, I beg of you! Have mercy on this poor miserable wretch!” Saturn said, “If I show compassion to you, you will never obtain personal knowledge of my abilities. At least once you must experience my play; otherwise your insolence will not leave you.” Having said this, Saturn reentered his vehicle and sped away through space to his own realm.

Your Sun Sign as a Spiritual Guide by Swami Kriyananda

Your Sun Sign as a Spiritual Guide by Swami Kriyananda

 (6/2015)

The planets exert certain magnetic influences; individually as well as in various combinations, to which people respond accordingly to their own magnetic constitutions.

The Sun’s placement in your solar horoscope, then, determines the way in which you seek to impress your authority on the world around you. The Moon’s placement reflects the attitude. The Mars indicates the quality of energy. The Mercury determines the intellectual filter through which you impress your authority. Venus indicates kind of sensitivity. The sun, moon, Mars, Mercury and Venus – the inner circle, in other words, of our solar family, and the closest of them to our earth – represent your more intimate, personal nature. The outer planets represent more impersonal influences on your nature.

Jupiter’s placement in a solar horoscope indicates a person’s expansive quality – whether, for example, he is altruistic, philosophical, fame-loving, or self indulgent.

Saturn represents the counteractive influence. It affects one’s capacity for getting things together, for concentration on self-discipline, or in a negative sense, one’s inhibitions and sense of restriction.

By plunging deeper into his own nature, man discovers not only his basic identity with universal realities, but also still deeper levels within himself where he can actually divorce himself from those realities, remaining aloof from them as if he were, indeed, greater than they.

The highest purpose of astrology is to assist man on the inward journey. The true goal, then of astrology is not to fascinate people with endless proofs of their subtle kinship to this universe, but to take them from outward theory to inward practices. This is the science of yoga, known since ancient times in India as the science of inner astrology.

The signs of the zodiac represent in a sense an arbitrary beginning, and no real ending at all.

The sun crosses the equator at the vernal equinox on about March 21^st. For the next six months it is in the Northern Hemisphere, reaching a zenith at the summer solstice on about June 21^st. At the autumnal equinox (September 23^rd) it again crosses the equator, and spends the next six months in the Southern Hemisphere, reaching what for us in the north is a nadir on about December 22^nd, the winter solstice.

Now writing about my Zodiac Sign Capricorn

Capricorn is the first of the winter signs. Winter is the time of outward stillness. Winter symbolizes that period in the soul’s growth when the ego, its autumn months of self-questioning finished, seeks fulfillment in relating to broader realities.

Capricorn, the last of the earth signs, represents earth in its last stages of refinement: the rocks, minerals, and gems into which it condenses over eons of time.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of contraction, of concentration. Saturn’s rulership here suggests great powers of concentration, and an ability to condense amorphous facts into small precious stones of truth.

Capricorn is traditionally represented by a strange creature half goat, half fish. The realism of Capricorn, in other words, when it is developed to perfection, leads to the state of divine self-mastery, a state wherein one finds himself at home equally on the firm “soil” of this world and in the great “ocean” of Spirit.

Capricorn’s influence calls people to scale the peaks of consciousness – to see below them the panorama of reality in all its vastness - if they would fulfill their destiny of balanced outer and inner, temporal and eternal, wisdom.

The key to Capricorn’s influence is its power to awaken in the ego a desire to bring reality into sharp, impersonal focus. A secondary key word for this sign is concentration.

The Sun in Capricorn

The goat is a serious animal, with great powers of endurance.

The more your inner energy and concentration are directed upward, the more clearly you see the shallowness of most human interests.

It is not materialism that marks Capricorn natives, but a power of concentration and single-minded concentration of all of one’s powers is the prime condition for spiritual advancement.

A negative trait that you need to watch, if you are a Capricorn, is a tendency to become over-suspicious of others – a misdirection, merely, of your capacity for realism.

In your meditations, try visualizing your body as a rock, so firm that you can’t move it, so heavy that no one else could move it. Sit perfectly still with a straight spine. After a few minutes you will lose the desire to fidget. Then visualize your mind, too as a rock, so immovably fixed that no thought, no emotion can sway it. The seat of concentration in the body is located at a point midway between the two eyebrows. Your deepening perceptions of reality will expand eventually to embrace the far-flung shores of cosmic consciousness.