Find the Ishta Devta with Jaimini Astrology. The following essay is based on Sutras 1.2.68 – 1.2.82 in Upadesa Sutras by Sage Jaimini.
The Atmakaraka, Navamsa & Chaturvimsamsa
To understand this technique fully, one must first find their Atmakaraka. The Atmakaraka or soul indicator is the most important planet in the Jaimini System. It’s the planet with the highest degrees in a Sign in the Birth Chart. The Atmakaraka remains the same throughout all the Varga charts because it is established only in the Birth Chart.
Once the Atmakaraka has been established, calculate the Navamsa (D9) and Chaturvimsamsa (D24). The Chaturvimsamsa (D24) is the chart of higher understanding. This is the chart utilized for understanding the influences in a person’s spiritual life. It is a 12th house varga (2×12 = 24) and the 12th house rules over enlightenment and liberation. Understanding means a person “stands under†something. They stand with their feet and the feet are indicated by the Sign of Pisces. Pisces is the 12th Sign of the Zodiac corresponding to the 12th house.
Note which Sign the Atmakaraka occupies in the Navamsa (D9) and Chaturvimsamsa (D24). To find a person’s deity or the energy that aids them in their spiritual life, examine the 12th Sign from the Atmakaraka within these Vargas. If the Atmakaraka occupies a Masculine Sign (Air or Fire Sign) then find the 12th from the Atmakaraka normally, counting zodiacally (in a forward direction). If the Atmakaraka occupies a Feminine Sign, count backwards.
Venus as Lakshmi
For example, if the Sun is the Atmakaraka and occupies Aries in the D24 and Venus occupies Pisces, then Venus would be crucial in influencing the spiritual life of a person because it occupies Pisces, the 12th Sign from Aries that holds the Atmakaraka Sun. Venus represents Lakshmi who clings to the chest of Vishnu as she was so devoted to him. Lakshmi represents devotion and Bhakti yoga, extremely devoted to a spiritual path with attachment and love. Hare Krishnas are supremely devoted to Krishna. The Catholic nuns in prayer are devoted to Jesus and Mary. This devotional feeling spans across religions. The person needs something to focus on like a deity that will attract the attention and fill them with love.
Sun as Shiva
If the Sun occupies the 12th from the Atmakaraka, that represents Shiva according to Jaimini. Shiva is the god of the yogis. The Sun as Shiva in the 12th from the Atmakaraka represents Kundalini Yoga. He is the god of the Hatha Yogis, Kundalini Yogis, Tantra Yogis, Kriya Yogis, etc. Anything that moves the energy through the body, like Qigong, falls under the rulership of Shiva. But this type of worship spans across religions and spiritual traditions. In Islam, they have the Sufi tradition of the Whirling Dervishes to move the energy in the body.
Moon as Gauri
The Moon in the 12th from the Atmakaraka represents Gauri, the wife of Shiva, or the Divine Mother. The Moon is a feminine planet and is receptive, so the person with the Moon as their deity does not really have to do much for spiritual evolution. It is not necessary to be rigorously disciplined, chant mantras or pray. The person will have spiritual insight come to them without even trying. If the person is Christian, the Divine Feminine is Mother Mary.
Mars as Skanda
Mars represents Skanda who is a 7-day old infant. Mars is also the baby of the planets, according to the planetary ages in Parasara. Skanda was brought into existence by the Angelic forces to help fight the Demons because the Angels were losing to them. Mars is a righteous warrior in the form of an infant. He represents traditions like the Knights Templar, the Kshatriyas in India or the Samurai in Japan. The person having Mars as their deity must fight for a righteous cause and something they believe in. While they are immersed in this fight, they will have strong convictions about how the world should be, however, they go through situations that will test and negate those strong convictions. As a result, they learn to be open to these new experiences and incorporate them into their worldview, like a young child would do. An infant is filled with wonder at the world, and they are innocent and see the world as innocence that should be protected. Such is the attitude in the person with Mars in the 12th from the Atmakaraka.
Mercury as Vishnu
Mercury is Vishnu, the all-pervading force within creation. Vishnu is the active, maintaining aspect of God and is said to reside everywhere and within everything. He multiplied himself into all phenomena. Mercury also represents words, chanting and singing. Mercury as the deity will facilitate worship and altering reality through chants, mantras and poetry. Mercury urges the native to see God in everything like an Advaita Vedanta path, a Zen path or Taoist Path. The person is striving to see God in everything, then the striving disappears because it is no longer needed. The ability to feel God in everything is spontaneous. The Buddhist monks say, “Make me one with everything.†This refers to Vishnu but is interpreted differently in that spiritual tradition.
Jupiter as Sambashiva
Jupiter is both Shiva and Gauri or “Sambashivaâ€. Jupiter represents the Shiva aspect and Divine Mother aspect in union. Jupiter is a strong planet to have in the 12th from the Atmakaraka because Jupiter will give a lot of blessings. The native can practice Kundalini Yoga or Qigong, move the pranic life force and experience the bliss that each chakra gives in different forms. In addition, the native will be able to receive insights and blessings without making much effort, so they get the best of both worlds.
Venus as “Low Spirits”
When Venus occupies a Sign of a malefic (a Sign of Mars or Saturn), Jaimini says the person worships “low spiritsâ€. These low spirits to which he is referring are nature spirts, elementals, spirits of grimoires, etc. This applies to all religious and spiritual traditions including those of the pagan world. Elsewhere, in Sutra 1.2.74, he says Venus means Lakshmi. Does that mean Lakshmi does not influence if the person has Venus in the 12th from the Atmakaraka in a malefic’s Sign? No, Lakshmi does indeed still influence, however the person becomes devoted to either contacting spirits, practicing magic and shamanism or they become devoted to some worldly pursuit.
Saturn as Vishnu
Saturn is also Vishnu, so it is seeing God in everything, whereas Mercury has a chanting, mantra type of worship, Saturn represents karma yoga where a person is doing selfless service, giving in charity or time and energy.
Saturn as “Low Spirits”
Saturn is like Venus in that when he occupies malefic Signs (his own Sign, Signs of Mars and the Sun) in the 12th from the Atmakaraka, Jaimini says he gives worship of “low spiritsâ€. However, Saturn moves a person more towards the darker realm like that of the Qliphoth or the lower astral where the native confronts suffering and sometimes horror. These experiences allow the person to withdraw into themselves, just like Saturn tends to do. These people need spiritual tests which the darker, left-hand path will provide. Vishnu also influences and Vishnu is everything in creation, so he shows the person how one can let go of certain ideas and concepts about the darker, more sinister side of life and that if you are suffering or in total bliss, it is all the same according to Vishnu. Saturn is the planet of detachment and he detaches from ideas about what gives happiness or suffering.
Rahu as Durga
Rahu represents Durga, a destructive goddess, much like Kali. The native with this placement usually has a lot of suffering in their life which serves to cleanse them and elevate their spirit. Rahu in the 12th from the Atmakaraka also gives an interest in witchcraft or shamanism, but the emphasis is more on the destructive force as is embodied in the destructive goddess. If that magical, shamanistic aspect of Rahu does not appeal to them, then it is the suffering and traumatic experiences that molds their spiritual life. What this native goes through would destroy most people, but they gain wisdom through these experiences. It is not necessary to seek out worshipping destructive goddesses, the experiences she provides are enough.
Ketu as Shiva and OM
Ketu in the 12th from the Atmakaraka means liberation, particularly if Ketu occupies Pisces or Cancer. If Ketu is in another Sign besides Pisces or Cancer, then it intensifies the native’s spiritual life. Ketu also indicates Shiva, like the Sun, and represents the OM vibration. Since Ketu also represents Shiva, he is Kundalini Yoga and moving the pranic energy the through the body. If Ketu conjoins another planet, it will strengthen the spiritual meaning of that planet for the native.
Analyze these factors in the Chaturvimsamsa (D24) first. If there is no planet in the 12th from the Atmakaraka in that varga, analyze the Navamsa (D9). If there is no planet there, check in the Birth Chart. If there is no planet in the 12th from the Atmakaraka in the Birth Chart, go back to the D24 and look for the strongest planet Rasi-aspecting the 12th from the Atmakaraka. Strongest means highest dignity. Make sure to use Rasi aspects. If no planet is Rasi-aspecting there, look in the Navamsa (D9) then the Birth Chart.
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