Two Mantras Every Astrologer Should Know
Many people believe that learning Astrology means memorising planets, houses, signs, aspects, Dashas and Yogas. These are certainly necessary. But they alone cannot make a person a good Astrologer.
An Astrologer requires two special blessings. The first is the intelligence to understand the horoscope correctly. The second is the ability to communicate that understanding in the right way.
A prediction may be technically correct, but if it is expressed carelessly, it can create fear or confusion. On the other hand, a few well-chosen words can give a person clarity, courage and direction.
Our ancient Astrology texts begin with prayers because their authors understood this responsibility. Two prayers are especially meaningful for anyone who wishes to become an Astrologer: a prayer to Lord Ganesha and a prayer to the Sun.
Lord Ganesha removes obstacles and grants clear understanding. The Sun illuminates truth and grants the power of speech. Together, these two prayers contain an entire lesson for every Astrologer.
When Astrology Transforms from Science into Art
Human life is extremely complex. We use Astrology to understand this complex life. Therefore, Astrology itself must naturally be complex—perhaps more complex than any other science dealing with human existence.
Astrology has been developed and explained by many great Sages and authors. Sometimes, different authorities express different views about the same planet or planetary combination. There are major principles that influence the entire horoscope, and there are smaller rules that operate only under certain conditions. There is so much to remember.
While reading a horoscope, the Astrologer must know which rule deserves greater importance and which one should be downplayed. A particular Yoga may appear powerful when studied independently, but another planetary influence may weaken, modify or even prevent its promised result. The Astrologer must judge the relative strength of all these factors before arriving at a conclusion.
No book can fully teach this process. Books can provide the rules, but they cannot always tell us which rule should dominate in a particular horoscope. At this point, Astrology ceases to be merely a science and transforms into an art.
Science gives us the principles. Art teaches us how to apply them to the individual standing before us.
This delicate judgement cannot arise from memory alone. It requires experience, intuition, humility and the blessings of our Gurus and God. Without their guidance, it is nearly impossible to penetrate the complexity of a horoscope and understand the karmic message placed before us.
This is why prayer is not separate from the practice of Astrology. Prayer prepares the mind of the Astrologer to recognise the correct rule, understand its proper importance and communicate the result responsibly. The following two mantras are therefore not merely ceremonial prayers. They invoke the two blessings every Astrologer needs: the intelligence to understand and the light to express.
1. Prayer to Lord Ganesha
गजाननं भूतगणादिसेवितं
कपित्थजम्बूफलसारभक्षितम् ।
उमासुतं शोकविनाशकारणं
नमामि विघ्नेश्वरपादपङ्कजम् ॥
Transliteration
Gajānanaṃ bhūtagaṇādisevitaṃ
Kapitthajambūphalasārabhakṣitam ।
Umāsutaṃ śokavināśakāraṇaṃ
Namāmi Vighneśvarapādapaṅkajam ॥
Word-by-Word Meaning
Gajānanaṃ means the elephant-faced Lord.
Bhūtagaṇādisevitam means one who is served and worshipped by the Bhūtas, the Gaṇas and other divine attendants.
Kapittha-jambū-phala-sāra-bhakṣitam means one who enjoys the essence of kapittha and jambū fruits.
Umāsutam means the son of Goddess Umā or Pārvatī.
Śoka-vināśa-kāraṇam means the cause of the destruction of sorrow.
Namāmi means “I bow.”
Vighneśvara-pāda-paṅkajam means the lotus feet of Vighneśvara, the Lord who governs and removes obstacles.
Translation
“I bow to the lotus feet of Lord Vighneśvara—the elephant-faced son of Goddess Umā, who is attended by the divine Gaṇas, who enjoys the essence of kapittha and jambū fruits, and who destroys sorrow.”
This verse is printed as an introductory invocation in certain editions of Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra . It is safer to describe it as a traditional prayer placed before the text rather than conclusively calling it Maharṣi Parāśara’s first original verse. Nevertheless, its placement is highly meaningful.
Why Does an Astrologer Need Ganesha?
Lord Ganesha is not worshipped merely for removing external obstacles. He represents Buddhi—the intelligence that enables us to distinguish what is important from what is unimportant.
A horoscope may contain hundreds of combinations. One Yoga may promise success while another indicates delay. One Dasha may activate wealth, while a difficult transit may simultaneously create pressure.
The Astrologer must not become lost among these apparently conflicting indications. The real skill lies in identifying which factors are strongest, which are presently active and how they will operate according to Kaala, Desha and Paatra—time, place and person.
Ganesha’s elephant head symbolises wisdom, memory and discrimination. His large ears teach an Astrologer to listen patiently to his client. His small eyes represent concentration on the detailed horoscope that has been prepared. His trunk shows the ability and strength to handle both large and delicate matters.
These are not merely religious symbols. They describe the qualities required in every serious Astrologer.
The verse also calls Ganesha Śoka-vināśa-kāraṇam—the destroyer of sorrow.
People rarely approach an Astrologer when everything in their lives is going perfectly. They come with fear, confusion, financial difficulties, illness, marital problems or anxiety about their children.
Being an Astrologer is not an easy responsibility. For many years, I have listened to clients describe their struggles and suffering. Quite often, I feel deeply saddened by what they are going through and find myself wondering, “Why is there so much suffering in human life?”
At such moments, a prayer to Lord Ganesha arises naturally within me. I silently pray that the sorrow in the client’s life will be removed and replaced with clarity, confidence and happiness. The prayer is therefore not merely a ritual performed before reading the horoscope. It is a sincere prayer born out of compassion for the person sitting before me.
Therefore, an Astrologer must not increase their sorrow. The consultation should help remove confusion and show a practical direction.
Before reading a horoscope, the Astrologer may silently pray:
“Lord Ganesha, remove the obstacles in my understanding. Help me see this horoscope clearly. Do not allow my ego or assumptions to interfere with the truth.”
When Karma Blocks the Consultation
During my many years of horoscope consultations, I have observed something very unusual. Whenever a horoscope revealed severe challenges, the client’s karmic obstacles sometimes appeared to influence the consultation itself.
During online consultations, Zoom would suddenly stop working. The call would get disconnected, the audio would fail or screen sharing would refuse to display the horoscope. Everything might have worked perfectly before and after the appointment, but during that particular consultation, one obstruction would follow another.
Such incidents occurred even during personal consultations. On one occasion, the moment the client sat before me, the power went off. On another occasion, a client had just taken his seat when he received a telephone call informing him that someone in his family had passed away. He had to leave immediately, and the consultation could not proceed.
At other times, I became unexpectedly unwell just before a scheduled consultation. Occasionally, something happened in my home or office that prevented me from conducting it. Sometimes the obstacle arose from the client’s side: the client suddenly fell ill or was admitted to hospital before the appointment.
Any one of these incidents may naturally be dismissed as a coincidence. But when similar patterns repeat over many years—particularly around horoscopes indicating serious karmic challenges—an Astrologer begins to notice the connection.
It appeared as though the same karma that created difficulties in the client’s life was also creating obstacles in the very process through which the client was trying to understand and overcome those difficulties.
There were also occasions when I forgot to recite my prayers before beginning the consultation. Curiously, this happened more often when the client’s horoscope contained numerous difficulties. It was almost as though the person’s karma was not only obstructing the consultation but was also preventing me from remembering and uttering the prayer that could remove those obstacles.
When repeated interruptions made me realise that I had forgotten the prayer, I would pause the consultation and recite it. After the prayer, the technical problems or other disturbances would usually disappear, and the consultation would proceed normally.
This may be another reason our ancient masters began their sacred works with a prayer to Lord Ganesha. Before examining the horoscope, the Astrologer seeks the blessings of Vighneśvara—not only for intellectual clarity, but also for the removal of visible and invisible obstacles that may prevent the consultation from taking place properly.
2. Varāhamihira’s Prayer to the Sun
The second prayer is the opening verse of *Bṛhat Jātaka* by the great Varāhamihira:
मूर्तित्वे परिकल्पितः शशभृतो वर्त्मापुनर्जन्मनाम्
आत्मेत्यात्मविदां क्रतुश्च यजतां भर्तामरज्योतिषाम् ।
लोकानां प्रलयोद्भवस्थितिविभुश्चानेकधा यः श्रुतौ
वाचं नः स ददात्वनेककिरणस्त्रैलोक्यदीपो रविः ॥ १.१ ॥
Transliteration
Mūrtitve parikalpitaḥ śaśabhṛto vartmāpunarjanmanām
Ātmetyātmavidāṃ kratuśca yajatāṃ bhartāmarajyotiṣām ।
Lokānāṃ pralayodbhavasthitivibhuścānekadhā yaḥ śrutau
Vācaṃ naḥ sa dadātvanekakiraṇastrailokyadīpo Raviḥ ॥
Separation of the Sanskrit Words
मूर्तित्वे परिकल्पितः शशभृतः ।
वर्त्मा अपुनर्जन्मनाम् ।
आत्मा इति आत्मविदाम् ।
क्रतुः च यजताम् ।
भर्ता अमरज्योतिषाम् ।
लोकानाम् प्रलय-उद्भव-स्थिति-विभुः च ।
अनेकधा यः श्रुतौ ।
वाचम् नः सः ददातु ।
अनेककिरणः त्रैलोक्यदीपः रविः ॥
Translation
“May Ravi—the Sun of innumerable rays and the lamp of the three worlds—who is regarded as a manifested form of Śiva, who is the path to freedom from rebirth, the Self of the knowers of the Self, the sacred sacrifice of those who worship, the sustainer of the celestial lights, and the power behind the creation, preservation and dissolution of the worlds, grant us the power of speech.”
Why Does an Astrologer Need the Blessing of the Sun?
Astrology is the study of light. The Sanskrit word *Jyotiṣa* comes from *Jyotis*, meaning light. We study the lights in the heavens so that we may understand the light and darkness operating within human life.
The Sun is the centre of our planetary system and the natural significator of the Ātma. Without sunlight, our physical eyes cannot see the world. Without the inner light of awareness, an Astrologer cannot see the truth concealed within a horoscope.
Varāhamihira does not end his opening prayer by asking the Sun for money, fame, status or even predictive power. He asks:
वाचं नः स ददातु — Vācaṃ naḥ sa dadātu = “May He grant us the power of speech.” Speech is God. So one should always speak the Truth.
This is extremely important.
An Astrologer’s knowledge reaches the client through speech. The same astrological fact can either guide a person or frighten a person, depending upon how it is communicated.
Speech must be truthful, but truth does not require cruelty. Speech must be clear, but clarity does not mean making reckless declarations.
A responsible Astrologer must know what to say, how to say it, when to say it and sometimes what not to say.
The prayer to Ravi is therefore a request for illuminated speech—words that arise from knowledge rather than ego, and words that bring light rather than darkness.
Ganesha Gives Understanding; the Sun Gives Expression
These two prayers beautifully complete each other.
- Ganesha gives the Buddhi to interpret the horoscope. The Sun gives the light to recognise its central truth.
- Ganesha removes obstacles in understanding. The Sun grants the power to communicate that understanding.
- Ganesha destroys sorrow. The Sun dispels darkness.
An Astrologer needs both.
Intelligence without proper communication may remain useless. Powerful speech without proper understanding may become dangerous. The true Astrologer must first see correctly and then speak responsibly.
How to Use These Two Prayers
An Astrology student may recite both verses before beginning the daily study of Astrology. A practising Astrologer may recite them before starting consultations.
They need not be repeated hundreds of times. Even one sincere recitation, accompanied by attention to the meaning, can establish the right state of mind.
While reciting the Ganesha prayer, ask for clear understanding and freedom from personal bias.
While reciting the prayer to the Sun, ask for truth, courage, clarity and responsible speech.
The purpose is not to perform a mechanical ritual. The purpose is to remember the sacred responsibility of the profession.
Conclusion
Astrology is not merely the ability to predict events. It is the responsibility to understand karma and communicate its message in a way that helps another human being.
The Ganesha prayer helps the Astrologer overcome obstacles, develop discrimination and approach the client with compassion. Varāhamihira’s prayer to Ravi helps the Astrologer seek the light of truth and the blessing of clear, responsible speech.
However, prayer should not be limited to the Astrologer alone. The client may also pray just before the consultation begins. This can help remove obstacles and prepare the mind to receive the guidance offered during the consultation.
The client may recite the Ganesha prayer and the prayer to Ravi given in this article. They may instead recite a Guru Mantra that they already know, pray to their Iṣṭa Devatā or seek the blessings of their family deity. The particular form of prayer is less important than the sincerity with which it is offered.
When both the Astrologer and the client begin with prayer, the consultation becomes more than a discussion of planets and predictions. They approach the horoscope with humility, clarity and faith, surrendering the outcome to God. Through this spirit of surrender, visible and invisible obstacles may be removed, allowing the deeper purpose and karmic message of the horoscope to be understood.
Before opening the horoscope, therefore, let the Astrologer pray for the wisdom to understand and the right words to guide.
Let the client pray for the removal of obstacles and the openness to receive that guidance.
May Ganesha clear the path, and may Ravi illuminate it.
Practical Solutions. Not Mere Predictions.
By Guruji E K Dhilip Kumar
www.astrologyekdk.com
Email : ekdhilipkumar@gmail.comUploading image...
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