Prasna Marga Part 1

Book excerpt: Prasna Marga is a unique work on astrology, natal and horary, of vital importance to every astrological scholar, practitioner and student. The author, a Nambudari Brahmin of Kerala who wrote this book in 1650 A.D., was a renowned scholar and has culled valuable information from a number of ancient sources. This ancient work, an English translation of which is presented here is simple and elegant English interspersed with copious notes incorporating the author's own experiences, touches on some of the most important aspects of life marriage, children, longevity, death, disease, etc. Part 1 is an exhaustive treatise on the various aspects of predictive astrology of immense practical utility, which deals not only with the various aspects of Prasna or Horary Astrology but also with almost the entire range of the forecasting art-Jataka or predictive astrology, Muhurta or electional astrology, Parihara or remedial astrology and Nimittas or the science of indications (Omens). Part II is an encyclopaedic work on matters that affect all areas of human life, such as marriage, children, causes of diseases as given in karma vipaka and the remedies, matters relating to deities, rulers, war, natural calamities, travel, rainfall, digging wells, details for finding underground water, theft cases, dreams and their interpretation as indicators for the death of disease and its timings, etc.