Concept Of Illusion In Astrology

Before explaining the concept of Maya in Vedic astrology lets ponder over the concept of Maya first. You might have heard this story about the Sage Narada. Narada was a seer who roamed all the three ancient worlds, as per the Hindu mythology. He was a close friend of Lord Vishnu and used to create confusion and poke fun at the Demons and sometimes at Gods. In one of his earthly visits, Narada had asked Vishnu about the concept of Maya (illusion). Without arriving at the explanation, Vishnu had asked him to fetch some water from nearby river.

Narada, who went there, fell for a beautiful woman near the river. He then persuaded her to marry him and then they got married. He built a home for them near the river and both had several children. Narada worked hard and their children grew up healthily. And all of them got married and gave birth, making Narada a happy grandfather.

One day, after heavy downpour, his home and his family were washed away in the floods. While Narada was struggling in the flood water, Lord Vishnu picked him up and asked him for the water he had asked for. Narada scolded him for asking water to drink when he was grieving over the loss of his family.

Lord Vishnu explained to him that his family was created by him and they came back to him and all that happened to Narada was a Maya. Narada then got hold of the concept of Maya, which is Sanskrit equivalent for Illusion. Maya literally translates to ‘that what is not’.

Maya is one of the strong concepts of Hinduism. It tells that there is one truth and that is God. Rest all that is seen in this physical world is Maya. A person, who is ignorant of this truth, lives in discomfort in this physical world and gets hurt during his lifetime. He who tries to renounce all the worldly desires and surrenders himself to the God would be able to see the real world behind this Maya.

You can compare Maya to a mirage in the desert. A person under the clutches of illusion would see water in the desert. Only when he approaches that place, he comes to know that there is no water and it is just a mirage. But then the mirage would have been seen there only because of a water source nearby. So the truth exists in reality, but the man falls for the illusion. This is the power of Maya.

Almost everyone is wrapped under Maya until their perception changes. Perception is what you feel by your sense organs. You see an object and recognize it by its physical characteristics such as color, size and location. But one who is free of the clutches of Maya can see beyond those. It is believed that even the yogis cannot see beyond the shadow caused by Maya and the reality appears to them like a strike of lightning.

The concept of Maya is well linked to the Vedic astrology by the means of Arudha Lagna and Arudha Pada. A person’s Lagna is the Zodiac sign rising in the eastern Horizon during his birth time. There are several types of Lagna such as Udaya Lagna, Chandra Lagna, Surya Lagna, etc. Arudha Lagna deals with how you are seen by others and your physical possessions. Arudha Lagna is in sense related to Maya.

For example, if you have a car, some might see you as spend-thrift, while some might see you as a rich man. Either way, the car is real, while the way they see you is Maya.

To find Arudha Lagna, you have to take your birth chart. Then identify the Lagna and the Lord of the Rashi (Zodiac sign) belonging to the Lagna. Then, you should count the number of houses between the Lagna house and the house in which Lord is presiding. Now add this number from the House where Lord is and you will get the Arudha Lagna. So, if the fourth house (Gemini) is your Lagna and its Lord Moon is in twelfth house (Pisces), then the number of houses in between is six.

Now add six to Pisces and you get Virgo. So your Arudha Lagna is Virgo. Do remember that your Arudha Lagna cannot be the same house as Lagna or the seventh house from Lagna. If you chance to encounter such a scenario where the Lord and sign preside in the same or seventh house form Lagna, and then add ten from the deity house to get the Arudha Lagna.

The predictions related to the sign of the Arudha Lagna and the position of benefic and malefic planets in right houses favor your wealthy possessions and shapes how the world treats you. On this basis, you can either be at the top or begging on the roads. After all, all these are Maya in the eyes of God.