Jyotish reminds me of a layered sweet-meat/dessert! I don't know about all cultures and cuisines but in many different cuisines there exist dishes which can be described as layered dishes! They don't even have to be sweet! One can choose to taste each layer one by one or one could bite deep and enjoy all the layers simultaneously in a melange. There are pros and cons to both approaches, which are simply stated analytical vs synthetic. And yet fortunate are those who get an opportunity to do it both ways: eat the layer of cream by itself and the cookie crusts surrounding it (the OREO experience) or bite into it all!

A new adage and axiom seems to have formed recently, perhaps derived from earlier scriptures that the lagna indicates the Satya and the arudha represents the Maya. The former indicates the essence the real while the latter represents how others perceive the nativity. Narasimha Rao and Rath have written a lot about this and it indeed is a wonderful window into a somewhat closed room in jyotish to many.

However, this must not become a GIVEN particularly when a beginner is looking into individual charts in a large collection. While Satya, one would assume is constant and fixed and rigid and so on, Maya would have two components at the very least. The maya of expression of the nativity and the maya of the perceiver (astrologer and others)!

So when we look at a chart of a nativity and from the mayapada, arudha for instance and hastily assume that that is how the individual is perceived by others, it is a bit simplistic conclusion! And that becomes apparent when one works for a while in this research laboratory of life: Internet. The individual may express and be perceived in so many different ways by different people!

Then there is the other variable. People come across very differently in person as opposed to their internet persona. That maya would have so many variable expressions and impressions perceptions is not unusual because in a cosmic or any other dialogue for that matter there are two MAYAs involved: those of the expressor and the perceiver.

This is normal and I am not talking about confidence tricksters (con-artists) but regular people. Now it is possible that some of us do not think we are perceived differently by different people-cohorts, for example by the people within our family or intimate circle, as differently from the people we work with, people we meet during club or shared activities, people we meet on different forums/fora on internet. So many faces to the metaphorical Eve or Adam!

Astrologers must be acutely aware of and sensitive to such nuances of expression and perception which are commonplace and not unusual! These are important factors that can have a role in why different people respond to a planetary dasa or transit etc in different ways. Very relevant astrologically and I trust good advice for the budding astrologers preparing for a serious reading/counselling situation.

I do not want to upload the entire "ramayana" into a paltry message but just thought I will plant the seed and wait for your collective expressions and perceptions or even silent rumination!

The starting points of such a quest as I dare point out will still be lagna and arudha of the basic varga: the rashi varga which is created by none other than the sun and earth!

Enjoy!

RR

Okay..some rambling...if I am allowed...

If we consider the Lagna as the true (?) self then arudha becomes what the self is perceived by others ( again takes into consideration the state of mind of the percivers) and what the self wants to showcase himself as to others.
If we remove the others out for some sanity and reasoning...

If Lagna is weak then the native would like to project different a self to others.It would become his need or want for growth in  areas where self lacks. ( self moving towards AL).Then the self actually isint permanent.
Now if the self is strong there could not be any need of projecting a different image...or projecting a certain image wrt to a situation given.

So I guess nothing is real or it is as real as we want it to be....

Impressive! Why do you call it rambling? Maybe your griha pada needs to be looked at (as pointed out by PVR Narasimha Rao!).

But what you say is in itself or by itself may not be complete and still perception of others will play a significant role!

Gandhi for instance. Just see how differently his MAYApada has been perceived as: by those who believed in him, by Patel, by Jinnah, by Godse and so on ...

I better shut up before they shut me up

RR

MJ,

You have an important point there about the strength of the Lagna. I will try to remember that always and I hope so will you.

An example about strength of Lagna of a person who did not have 'any need of projecting a different image':

Mahatma Gandhi has Libra rising with Lagna Lord Venus in Lagna (along with Mars and Mercury). His AL, which is in the 10th house, is in Cancer with Moon (and Rahu) in Cancer.

Please don't stop! Share more...

Cancer is about caring and rahu is about "others" or those that are perceived as "them"

Wonder what would have been the case if Gandhi had ketu in cancer? The hint to that is in "the Autobiography of an Yogi"

Why do I love riddles so much, almost boyishly? But this is not about me

RR