[quote="astrosoul"]call me dumb, but i don't quite understand the terminology u used - Baba, Vishnu.....! anyways, i don't understand either that whether it is you or other astrologers u r referring to being uncomfortable with equating astronomical and astrological phenomena - either case, we need to probe into Aryabhatta's territory for resolving that.

I wish to clarify that we cannot equate "eclipse" with "combustion" - as i put it clearly "a simplistic allegory" - not as "synonymous" . Both are different phenomena - astronomically and astrologically - no one ever says Mars or Venus etc. are 'eclipsed' - and combustion of Moon is different from 'eclipse' of Moon. Eclipse (grahan) involves the Nodes (North and South - viz. Rahu and Ketu as in astrology), combustion (astangata dosha) doesnt - you would know that, ofcourse.

[quote="rohiniranjan"]
Very good post!

However, I have a bit of discomfort with two aspects in your posting. The primary one being that uneasy territory where some/many/most/someday all astrologers would find themselves in equating 1:1 as to observable astronomical phenomena being totally identical or as the Romans said Sine Qua Non with astrological realm.

I wrote many times about this clock and when the two hands meet at 12 and the sun is up, most people feel hungry. It is not the clock or the hands that made them hungry but the visible markers are just that! Coincident (yoked by Brahma?) markers which allow us to read astrological interpretations by simply watching the clock and its 12 slices and the two hands (sun and moon) and the navratna (9 jewels) in all, sun to saturn and including the lunar nodes!

The second point of discomfiture (sp?) that I have is about your equating solar occultation (eclipse) with combustion! Sol shines in one situation while Baba relinquishes His formidable POWER when immersed into MA (MOON)!

If you tax your arudha a bit, you will see that the message involves creation and destruction in these heavenly phenomena!

But WHAT or WHO sustains? What is Vishnu in terms of Astrology emanating from India?[/quote][/quote]

AS, the concepts of conjunction, eclipses, occultation are similar! No one is saying that they are interchangeable in terms of effects. I hope that is clear now

Nodes are involved or not is not the issue. In order for eclipses or newmoon if you are more comfortable with that, or combustion or occultation to take place, two bodies have to come closer in the 2-dimensional view we have of astronomical indicators/bodies that we use in astrology. 2-Dimensional because we are so distant from the planetary bodies and even more from the starry background that 'depth' does not matter!

[quote="shubh"][color=blue][color=yellow][quote="astrosoul"]either side would mean n degrees before or n degrees after the Sun (Su) - here before and after refers to the placement of planet from the Su in the chart.
e.g. if Su is at 3 deg Taurus (approx), then Ma would be combust if placed

from 3 deg Taurus upto 20 deg Tau

or

from 16 deg Aries to 3 deg Tau

Hope this clarifies.[/quote][/color][/color]

Thank you for your few posts astrosoul.....the responses were clear, direct and solution oriented. They would definitely help out my friend to a large extent.

Uptil now, despite repeated attempts at getting an answer to my simple questions, I had recieved answers which were nebulous ("beating around the bush"), patronizing and confusing. Using metaphors, expressions and phrases instead of giving a proper answers only confuses things further for us amateurs. Neither is it good english, which is extremely vital here as that is our language of communication. There are numerous readings available on astrology. However, going through all or even one might be a bit difficult for many people including myself due to paucity of time. In such circumstances your guidance has proved to be very helpful. I would request other astrologers to take your example fo making this forum more use friendly.[/quote]

Shubh,

I loved your writing style! Hopefully you will make a fine teacher someday

It is best to learn jyotish from a text book where the rules and other factors are included and at times illustrated with charts and analyses. BPHS and Phaldeepika are quite lucid and well organized and although not perfect would perhaps appeal to a beginner or amateur who needs structured training, better. It will reduce frustrations.

Thanks but no thanks Rohini...I know what I am good at and I'm successful at what I am doing right now...astrology is just a hobby...and I'm sure you know that good writing style is not the only quality that a teacher requires...neither is teaching the only profession for good writers

But I believe you somehow did not get the gist of what I wanted to say or chose to avoid it....

call me dumber, i thought  that you said i was using combustion and eclipse in the same vein. neways, I like to take a look at the 3D astronomical aspect of these rather than just the 2-D veiw...and also ponder that while we have 2 Eyes in the physical plane, what good be the Third Eye for if well-developed...bad allegory!

hmm....new moon to full moon and back to new - the endless cycle of material and spiritual - shakti - shiva - when would we realise they are One....until then, pedallling is all that we do.

[quote="shubh"]Thanks but no thanks Rohini...I know what I am good at and I'm successful at what I am doing right now...astrology is just a hobby...and I'm sure you know that good writing style is not the only quality that a teacher requires...neither is teaching the only profession for good writers

But I believe you somehow did not get the gist of what I wanted to say or chose to avoid it....[/quote]

And the same, dear forum member, goes for you . Anyway, Merry Christmas and Peace to all!!