Vedic Astrology’s Nakshatra System
Vedic astrology has made some wonderful contributions to the world of astrology. The tradition of astrology has been alive and well in India for 5000 years or more, making India’s astrological community perhaps the oldest and largest on the planet. One of the oldest parts of the Vedic astrology tradition is the 27 nakshatras. Many of the ancient astrological systems from around the earth use the 12 signs of the zodiac; Aries, Taurus, etc. The 12 signs and 12 houses are also important in the Indian system. The Vedic astrology system has a unique contribution of 27 nakshatras, each with their own Hindu Deity and a unique set of characteristics. The stories of the deities can be found throughout the vast collection of Vedic and Hindu literature. It is always amazing to see how the stories of the Gods play out in the astrology charts and lives of chart owners.
The Lord of the Sea and the Night
Varuna is the Vedic God who rules the nakshatra Shatabisha. Varuna rules the ocean and the night, the realm of the dark, where Sun that goes beneath the horizon; the oceans can be the emotions and the subconscious, one who can swim in those seas with integrity can rise to the status of truth teller, judge, law enforcement, Lord of Order in the Universal Laws and their application. In the Vedic era Varuna was once a God on par with Indra. Fierce and dreadful, all seeing and all knowing, Varuna knows if you have been naughty or nice and will punish you accordingly. And Varuna can forgive sins as well, if you can repent and behave yourself. One of Varuna’s weapons is the net, pasa, and will capture and contain you, if need be and bind you to the rule of law.
Varuna hangs with Indra and Vayu and loves to throw back some Soma. Addictions of all sorts can be a down side of Shatabisha.
Varuna can empower one to be a shaman or therapist who guides you into hidden realms of the spiritual world or subconscious. Being a healer, doctor and/or one in need of healing, are common Shatabisha traits.
Being lord of the night, the realm the Sun disappears into, things unseen and hidden can be part of this nakshatra: criminals, plotters, those who dwell in dark places, people with big secrets or who reveal secrets of others, revolutionaries, and underground movements could be qualities.
Once Varuna desired the wife of a man and stole her away, hiding her so well that her husband had to drain every last drop of water on the planet to find her. Varuna is good at hiding things.
Famous People with Shatabisha
Some great examples of Varuna playing out in the charts of famous people are:
Edgar Allen Poe (Moon and Lord of the 1st in5th house)
The serial killers Ricardo Ramirez (Sun H12, Saturn goes to H8) and John Wayne gacy (Ketu H4 emotions)
Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar (Lagna)
Che Guevara revolutionary warrior (Moon H12-secrets and foreign lands)
Anais Nin erotic memoir writer (Sun H6)
Frank Sinatra famous singer who hung out with the mob (Moon)
Elvis Presley founding figure in rock and roll, womanizer and drug addict (Moon)
United States of America (Moon)
Whitney Houston singer who died of drugs (ascendant)
B.V.Raman epic Indian astrologer last century (ascendant)
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa major Indian spiritual leader (Sun)
Robin Williams had Moon and Rahu, very close together, in Shatabisha in his 5th house of creativity and the mind. Venus, the lord of the chart sits very close to Ketu. He was one nodal kind of guy. His creativity was unique and often he spoke very openly about his drug abuse and his vulnerabilities in life. Also, he loved being subversive and was brilliant in his ability to talk about things in his life most of us keep hidden.
Personal Example of Varuna’s Influences
Another great example; my wife has Saturn in Aquarius in Shatabisha the ascendant. So she has always been a rebel and at the same time, she has been a lifelong stickler for the truth. Fruthermore she has a gravitas that’s striking, being very intense and direct. In addition, she has great confidence and leadership qualities. Her body language and facial expression say “I’m in charge. Amoung her Varuna qualities: she is a therapist and a licensed scuba diving instructor. Furthermore, she has multiple health issues that require her to see multiple doctors. Also, she has worked as a parole officer working with rapists, pedophiles, and murders. She has an amazing ability to sit with people’s suffering to help them untangle the thoughts and emotions that got them there. She guides people to their pain, and then she guides them out.
In addition, I have Sun in Shatabisha and share a fascination with emotions and dark realms of the mind and rebellious people. Obsessing on truth and justice is a shared passion. We relate from a deep emotional place and hold each other to being honest all the time (as best we can). Also, we enjoy nefarious characters in movies and the process of uncovering the truth. We like to look into the dark. I also have multiple health issues that have required multiple doctors.
Finally, I’m just now realizing that our house is full of aquatic things, like paintings of the ocean and fish and we have a scuba diving helmet in the living room.
