PRASHNA TRAVEL QUERY

“Prashna” literally means “Present” and in the context of astrology, it refers to the present birth
of an important query of which an astrologer will erect a chart to attempt to interpret the outcome
and timing of the event. Astrologers recognize that birth is not an event but a process which takes
place over time. Similarly, the birth of a Prashna question can take time assuming the query
posed the question to the astrologer at a particular time but the astrologer deigns to erect and
interpret the Prashna chart at a later time. Of course, ideally it would be good for the querent to
pose the query and at the same time the astrologer erects and interprets the chart on the spot. The
time of birth of the question posed is taken as the time the astrologer erects the chart at the
location the astrologer is based.

Prashna questions range broadly across a spectrum of subject matters. Unlike natal chart
analysis, analogical to balance sheet, which outlines the assets and liabilities, possibilities and
potentials as well as timing of likely events in the native life like painting the broad brush of
future predictions, Prashna is very specific and answers the outcome of a particular question. In
other words, Janma Jyotish answers general questions while Prashna answers specific questions
– we must be clear on this distinction and keep faithfully to it. Thus the more specific and
concrete the question, the clearer will be the answer provided by the Prashna chart. Prashna can
answer the query posed assuming the querent is genuine and sincere in posing the question and
enunciates the motive and intention of the query clearly to the astrologer so that the astrologer
can analyze and delineate the query accurately. As example, a person posing a marital query but
interested in when he can have a child should have his motives clearly spelled out whether he is
inquiring on marriage or children so that the astrologer can focus on either the 7th or 5th house
matter.

In this instance, the querent posed to the astrologer whether he will travel overseas within the
month and if so when will he commence the travel?

The 9th house covers matters such as overseas travel, pilgrimage, visit to temple and holidaying
among many other significations. Thus, under the rules of traditional Prashna or horary
astrology, we visit the relationship between the Ascendant and the 9th, their lords and the strength
of the Ascendant and 9th house.

Based on the chart erected at 6.57.01 pm on 25th July 2009 at Petaling Jaya Malaysia (3.05.00N
& 101.39.00E) at +8.00 GMT (no DST) applying Placidus system of House Division and
Krishnamurti New straight line adjusted ayanamsha at 23 degrees 58 minutes 44 seconds for year
2009, the Ascendant is Capricorn and the 9th house is Virgo. Therefore the Ascendant Lords are
Saturn and Mercury respectively. To answer the question whether the query is valid or not, note
whether there is relationship or sambandha between the Ascendant Lord and 9th house lord. In
this case, there is a 2/12 relationship between the Ascendant lord and 9th house lord which
validates the sincerity of the query. The sambandha relationship is “Ithasala” or applying aspect
between Saturn and Mercury as applying semi-sextile from Mercury at 20 degrees 57 minutes
Cancer and Saturn at 24 degrees 42 minutes Leo. Note that the Moon is also conjoined Saturn at
25 degrees 9 minutes Leo albeit a separating conjunction of one degree orb. Thus, the Moon
aspects both Mercury and Saturn as semi-sextile and conjunction respectively albeit separating
aspects – note that the Sun and Moon have mutual reception or parivartana strengthening the
houses of 7th and 8th which the Ascendant and 9th house lords are located. By dint of the Ithasala
or applying semi-sextile aspect between the Ascendant and 9th house lords amid a situation of
strength, the astrologer can safely infer that the query on whether the querent will travel overseas
within the month will come true. There is an aspect difference of about 4 degrees which can
translate to one of the following - 4 hours, 4 days or 4 weeks within the month inquiry. Owing to
the one month time-span locus, it is pragmatic to infer the 4 degrees orb of aspect as 4 days from
the date of inquiry hence 4 days added to 25 July 2009 translates to 29 July 2009. Therefore, we
may conclude that the travel arrangement will positively occur and will likely happen on 29th
July 2009.

The above-said approach marks the traditional basic approach to both Vedic Prashna and
Western Horary Astrology from the narrow perspective of Tajika aspects and dignities.

I shall now introduce KB Astrologics methodology founded by Krishnan Baskaran which in my

humble opinion has revolutionized the landscape of Hindu Astrology. Before I begin my
astrological analysis, I would like to sincerely commend the brilliant efforts of the aforesaid
founder and pioneer of KB System (Shri Krishnan Baskaran) as well as give my highest
salutations to my learned mentor, Mr Arvind Mathialagan without which I would not have the
chance to savour and appreciate shades of the intricacy and subtle depth of Tamil Siddhar
philosophy and culture. Moreover, I have had the chance to study and test the astrological system
of Mr Baskaran and have nothing but the highest praise for the system. I would perchance
venture to mention seriously that Horary practitioners should learn and advocate this system for
reasons henceforth.

As per indicated, I would even go on to envision and state categorically that this is possibly the
best of contemporary Prashna systems as though the methodology of Baskaran had been custom
made and tailored specifically for the unique requirements of Prashna astrology! Of course, it
would be presumptuous for me to state that this is the ultimate as I have not yet made a life-long
attempt to compare with the myriad of Prashna/Horary astrology systems which span the
continents and multitude of foreign cultures. One of the key strength of the Baskaran system is
the accurate use of the Vimsottari Dasa system – Hindu Astrology’s greatest contribution to the
field of astrology – applied to the unequal house division and the distinction and division of time
into the 249 subs as enunciated by the preeminent predecessor astrologer KS Krishnumurti of the
eponymous KP Astrology.

Now the KB approach to analyzing a Prashna chart – firstly, we must address the first “hurdle”:
whether the query is valid or not?

To address this, we must check the Lagna sub equation in the Prashna chart. By “Lagna sub
equation”, what I mean is that we must analyze the components of the Ascendant namely the
sublord or Kalamsa of the Ascendant. Note that Lagna is the Hindu equivalent of Ascendant.

Looking at the Cuspal Positions Table, the Lagna sublord is Jupiter under the Cuspal Position
Table. We will then check under the Planetary Positions table in which nakshatra and sub Jupiter
is posited – the table indicates that Jupiter is posited in Mars nakshatra Mercury sub.
Hence, we have the components of the Lagna sub equation ie the Lagna sub is Jupiter which falls
in Mars nakshatra and Mercury sub. With this base information, we can correlate the links of the
Ascendant to the other bhavas. To do so, we merely check the Cuspal Positions Table to check
where the components of the Lagna sub equation are linked to ie Jupiter, Mars and Mercury.

The Cuspal Position Table sub category informs us that Jupiter is the sub of the Ascendant, Mars
is not the sub of any Cuspal Position and Mercury is the sub of the 5th, 9th and 11th Cuspal
Positions or Rising Degree of Houses.

Since the query is about travel and the Lagna sub equation has linkage to the 9th as per Mercury
sub, the question is deemed valid and genuine. This is further corroborated by the presence of
Jupiter and Mercury in the Lagna sub equation which rank among the planetary karakas for
travel – the list of karakas for travel state Moon and Mercury for travel, Jupiter for long distance
pilgrimage and travel for religious purpose, Rahu for international relations and interaction with
foreigners.

As long as the 9th appears in the Lagna sub equation, the question can be safely answered
because in the words of Carl Gustav Jung, the spirit of the question is “in synchronicity with
universal consciousness”.

The next step or question is to ask whether the travel overseas would have a successful outcome
ie whether the querent can reach the destination without issue or it would involve obstacles or
sudden termination or perhaps the journey would not even have taken place?

An analysis of the Lagna sub equation, the crux and essence of the Prashna chart, will provide
the answer to this question. Note that the Lagna sub equation analyzed and interpreted
holistically indicates that the travel will reach the destination without hitches because the entire
Lagna sub equation supports the 9th house of travel as Mercury sublord’s linkage to the 5th and
11th are trine and supportive of the 9th link and do not in any way impede travel which would
have been the case if the linkages of 12th and 8th appear in the Lagna sub equation as 8th and 4th
house links respectively.

Since the answer to the query is in the affirmative, the next step is to predict the time the event
will occur. The dasa-bhukti of the Vimsottari Dasa scheme provides the key to timing. The
complexity arises when we want to find out whether the dasa refers to hour, day, month or year.
Since the query revolves around the period of a month, we can safely infer that the dasa or its
spatial equivalent nakshatra refers to a day. The daily transit of the Moon in a nakshatra related
to the sub which enables travelling will be the day the native will commence travel.

The nature of the activity or event provides us a clue as to where to check for the timing of the
event. Since this travel is a short term activity which has been classified as an impermanent
house activity and not permanent bhava event/activity (1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 10th or the five houses of
self-development, wealth, health, relationship and career), it therefore goes that we should
analyze the gochara (transit) and possibly sookshma of the Vimsottari Dasa. The dasa-bhukti
schemata of the Vimsottari Dasa periodic tables should only be used to analyze major events in
life and/or events pertaining to the permanent houses as earlier indicated. For example, for
permanent migration, we should study the Vimsottari Dasa to analyze for 12th house
considerations and connections to the current dasa and for travelling overseas to commence
higher education for a three year period, we should study the Vimsottari Dasa to analyze for 9th
house considerations for that particular bhukti. Since this is a short span overseas travel, we
merely look at the transits of the Moon relative to the other planets and more pertinently, to the
stars which are rulers of the pertinent sublords.

This inference of whether it is an hour, day, month or year is crucial to predicting the timing of
the event. I have to reiterate that it is very important to find out what type of time period activity.

Look at the Planetary Positions Table and check which nakshatra the Moon is in at the moment
of erection of chart. The Moon is in Venus nakshatra in Pooram star in the sign of Leo.

When or which day will the travel arise? When the Moon which is currently in Pooram of the
Prashna chart transits a particular nakshatra which is linked to the 9th house in this case, Moon
will transit Venus star first, then Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn nakshatras in that order.

The Lagna sub equation of the Prashna chart links to Jupiter, Mars and Mercury. It is likely
but NOT necessary that when Moon transits the stars governed by Jupiter, Mars or
Mercury that Pany will commence travel.

Let us analyze the nakshatras that Moon will transit daily from the Prashna chart ie from
Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury onwards in the Vimsottari Order.

Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars are not linked to the 9th house but Rahu and Jupiter star are linked to
the 9th house of the Prashna chart via Mercury. Note that in the Prashna chart, Mercury is the 9th
sublord and see whether other grahas are also linked to Mercury as sublord of that graha. Note
also that in the planetary table, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu and Kethu all have Mercury the
9th sublord as their sublords. Therefore, when Moon transits these stars ruled by Moon, Jupiter,
Saturn, Rahu and Kethu, Pany can commence travel. Sun is nakshatra of 9 but not sub & Sun’s
sub is Venus, 8th sub. The first star to appear is Moon. However, Moon has links to the 8th
because Moon sits in Venus nakshatra and Venus is sublord of 8th house; note that Kethu itself
is also not promotive of overseas travel as 8th nakshatra lord. Mars is SL of 2 & 6 as starlord in
Moon star, Jup sub; Jupiter has no 8th negation links; Rahu sits in Sun star Mercury sub and both
Sun and Mercury are star and sub of the 9th house. Rahu itself is linked to the 4th and 10th
signifying that the journey is for 4th house and 10th house matters linked to
home/property/education/vehicle and career. The travel is a covert or low profile activity? Since
Rahu is the earliest star to emerge and is promotive of travel before Jupiter and Saturn, it is likely
that Pany will travel when Moon transits Rahu star of Swathi on 29th July 2009. If not it will
occur on later dates when Moon transits Jupiter star of Visagham on 30th July 2009. Saturn is not
promotive of overseas travel because Saturn sits in Venus star and Venus is the sublord of the
8th house.
 Addendum Notes

1. Highest priority is the 9th bhukti Nathan which prioritizes over the Moon which acts as mere
daily timer
2. Impermanent bhava activity – cannot use the Vimsottari Dasa Schemata which is for
permanent bhava events and major events, as for other events just use Moon gochara for
daily motion, Mercury as 9th sublord or Sun for monthly motion etc
3. Always check in whose star and sub the 9th sublord is sitting in
4. The querent will travel or show intent to travel when Mercury entered Aayilium the 9th
nakshatra and will definitely travel overseas before Mercury leaves Aayilium, the 9th
nakshatra
5. Rahu is stronger than Mercury the 9th lord because Rahu sits in the star and sub of 9th lord
6. Mercury is in 9th star as Lagna sub indicates that travel will definitely occur before Mercury
finishes transiting Aayilium
7. See what type of activity eg ask whether travel will occur in December, so check the 9th
sublord eg Mercury only starts to enter own leg in January and not December, so must
advise the native will travel only in January and not December
8. Since Mercury the Lagna sublord is in 9th star Mercury, travel will definitely has to take
place while Mercury is in his own star as 9th sub
9. Travel will commence in Mercury or Rahu as Moon is in Venus star, Mercury sub Rahu
antara