Bhrigu system is the most complex and mysterious branch of Hindu astrology. It is not possible to learn this system by reading books alone as a student of astrology can do in case of Parashari, Jaimini and Tajik systems. The Bhrigu Samhita has always remain confine to few families of astrologers. In Punjab Hoshirpur and Sultanpur Lodh, in U.P. Meerut, Varanasi, Lucknow and Pratapgarh, in Madhya Pradesh it is Sagar, in Orissa Ganjam district and in Rajasthan Karoi village is famous for Bhrigu reader families since many decades. Apart from these cities the Bhrigu Samhita manuscripts have been found in the libraries of Pune (Maharashatra), Dharbhanga (Bihar), Bengaluru (Karnataka) and Kurukshetra (Haryana). Few decades back Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Patana and Kolkatta also had some families doing Bhrigu astrology but at present their heirs are not practicing this subject any more.
In Lucknow there was one very famous Bhrigu astrologer Late Pandit Parmeshwara Driwedi. I have personally seen some of his astonishing Bhrigu readings in writings. One of my client showed me a hand made Bhrigu Kundali reading by Late Pandit Parmeshwara Driwadi which he got from him in 1997. At that time he was the most expensive astrologer in India charging Rs.5000 ( Around $100) for a Bhrigu life readings. If someone has to ask a single question then his charges were Rs.500/- which was quite high considering the time in 90s in India. Pandit Parmeshwara Driwadi was very popular in political circle though he was quite aggressive at time almost scolding his clients in his high peach voice. It is said that he got his Bhrigu Samhita Granth from Nepal which was later sold to some Pandit in Lucknow after his death.
The Bhrigu Samhita practitioners have different types of texts (manuscripts) with them. We can broadly categorized them in three formats.
(a) Most of the Bhrigu readers ask for your birth details (date, time and place of birth) or the horoscope cast on the basis of Nirayan system. They then search for your Bhrigu leaf from the manuscript based on some secret mathematical calculations done on your horoscope.
(b) Some Bhrigu readers case the Prashna (horary) chart for the time when you put your query before them. Based on some calculations they find your Bhrigu leaf and give you the readings. Late Pandit Des Raj of Hoshirpur was famous for doing this. But now his grandsons only ask for the client’s birth details to find their Bhrigu leaf.
(c) The Bhrigu readers often ask their clients to ask question and put their finger at some number marked in a square box at the manuscript. They then look for the answer written in the manuscript for the question put by client. This is called Bhrigu Prashna system and it was famous after a manuscript from Meerut come out in the market on this subject. Many Bhrigu readers have this manuscripts published from Meerut in the 20th of Century.
Pandit Nathu Lal Vyas of Karoi Rajasthan
Pandit Nathu Lal Vyas is the most famous and experienced Bhrigu Samhita reader at present. He is more than 80 years of age and is practicing this subject since he was 36. I met him in the last week of February and took a small interview of his. Later i wrote two articles on Bhrigu Samhita system for the Hindi News Paper Amar Ujala.
[Hindi] भृगु संहिता के रहस्य और पंडित नाथू लाल व्यास
[ Hindi ] भृगु पद्धति से जाने अपने जीवन के महत्वपूर्ण वर्ष
According to Pandit Nathu Lal Vyas he got this manuscript of Bhrigu Samhita from Varanasi. He left his home when he was 25 years of age and started wandering for about 10 years to learn astrology and Sanskrit. He met saint late Bhaktawar Ji in Varanasi who taught him this mysterious subject of Bhrigu system. He then went back to his home town and started practicing Bhrigu readings. Since then thousands of people have taken Bhrigu readings from him which include many famous politicians and industrialist of the country.
Pandit Nathu Lal Vyas got the attention of national media when his prediction given to Prathiba Devi Patil of reaching very high post become successful. In 2007 Smt. Prathiba Devi Patil become the president of India 6 months after Shri Nathu Lal’s prediction about her reaching at the top post.
Pandit Nathu Lal give both life readings and Prashna (horary) readings as per the Bhrigu system. He do not take any fee and just accept donations from the people visiting him for their Bhrigu readings. He ask for the horoscope and also see the palms for doing his secret calculations to find a number. Then he ask the person to put his finger on a circular shape draw at a laminated sheet. There are 12 such laminated sheets of paper and each of those 12 circular shapes are figured having name of planets and some numbers. One may guess that these are based on solar transit as the Sun transit from the 12 zodiacal sings each year.
Once the number selected by the person matches the calculated number by Pandit Nathu Lal then only he trace the Bhrigu leaf from his file. Each Bhrigu leaf is said to be having a unique number indexed on it. Pandit Nathu Lal also give this number to their client for future reference and ask them to visit after 4 months. He generally give this life reading of Bhrigu in many segments unlike other Bhrigu readers who translate all the Sanskrit solokas in one reading.
In these Bhrigu life readings there are 27 to 40 Sanskrit stanza’s containing information general about native’s siblings, parents, house, spouse, education , career, important years of life etc. Apart from this there is a story of native’s past life and remedial measures to over come any curse of previous birth. This Bhrigu life reading done by most of the Bhrigu readers is very general in nature. So if someone is interest in a specific query then he will have to ask a question to take Prashna or horary reading from Bhrigu reader.
Important years of life as per Bhrigu Astrology
In Bhrigu Samhita there is a mention of some important years in the life of native which some time correspond to the planets influential years. Bhrigu readers often tell their clients about the important years of their life like 22, 24, 26, 28, 32, 36, 42, 48 , 60 etc. How does there years come from ? Is there some astrological logic behind it ? This question is often asked by many students of astrology. In my interaction with a senior Bhrigu researcher from Noida there must be two set of logic’s behind this mention of important years in Bhrigu Samhita.
- Every planet has a specific year of its activation or influence age. In the Bhriat Parashara Hora Shastra published from Mumbai this has been specifically mention. The age of 16, 22, 24, 26,28 , 32, 36 and 42 is the activation age of Jupiter, Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Saturn and Rahu-Ketu. Depending upon the strongest or the weakest planet in your chart any of these above mention years could bring drastic changes in your life. As per this system the period of 16 to 22 years of age, 22 to 24, 26 to 28, 28 to 32, 32 to 36 and 42 to 48 years of age is ruled by Jupiter, Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Saturn and Rahu-Ketu respectively.
2. Apart from this the Bhrigu system also consider 30, 36, 48, 60 and 72 years of age as the time that may bring very enigmatic changes in your life depending upon the running Vimshottari dasha. This principal is based on the transit of major planets Saturn, Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu over their natal positions. In Western astrology this is know as the ‘planetary return’ system which is used in making forecast of important changes in life. Around the age of 30 years the Saturn completes its one cycle in transit and reaches at its natal position. At the age around 36 the Rahu-Ketu complete there two cycles of 18 years and the Jupiter complete its 3 cycles of 12 years each. So around the age of 36 Rahu and Jupiter will be reaching at their natal position in a horoscope. At the age of 48 the Jupiter completes its 4 cycle of transit ( 12 x 4 = 48) .
At around 60 years the Saturn completes its 2 cycles ( 30 x 2 = 60 ) and Jupiter completes its 5 cycles ( 12 x 5 = 60) . Thus both Saturn and Jupiter reaches close to their natal position when a person reaches at the age of around 60 years. At the age of 72 years the Jupiter completes its 6 cycles( 12 x 6 = 72) and the Rahu-Ketu complete their 4 cycles ( 18 x 4 = 72) to reach close to their natal positions. As per the running dashas the above mentions years could bring very enigmatic changes in one’s life.
Apart from this transit of major planets Saturn, Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu over the natal position of planets is studied to make different inferences in the Bhrigu system of astrology.
Some special transit rules of Bhrigu Astrology
. The transit of Jupiter over the natal Rahu and/or the transit of Rahu over the natal Jupiter may bring mental tensions and illness. In Bhrigu system the Jupiter is called ‘Jeeva’. When Rahu transit over the natal Jupiter then it may give very painful experiences to the native if he is under going a dasha of malefic planet in his horoscope.
. The transit of Jupiter over the natal Sun and/or Saturn may bring very important changes in career. In Bhrigu system the Saturn is the karaka of ‘Karma’ i.e. actions. The Sun takes the signification of career for earnings. When the transiting Jupiter influence the natal Sun and Saturn then it generally gives good time to the native depending upon the dasha running in his horoscope.
. The transit of Saturn over the natal Sun generally have been found to bring changes in career of native.
. The Saturn transiting over the natal Moon gives mental tensions and ill-health in some cases. The transit of Rahu and Ketu over the natal Moon also does the similar things.
. The transit of Saturn over natal Mars may give native an injury and/or trouble from enemies depending upon dasha running in horoscope.
. The transit of Saturn over the natal Venus have been generally found to be giving good earnings and benefit from opposite sex.
. The transit of Saturn over natal Rahu or Ketu may give illness and worries depending upon running dasha in horoscope.
. The transit of Ketu over natal Venus may give illness to spouse or diseases of reproductive organs depending upon dasha and yogas in a horoscope.
The above mention special transit of Bhrigu are used by many senior astrologer of India, with respect to the lordship of planets, for giving snapshot predictions to their clients.
