Gulika in Astrology

Gulika is a sensitive point in the Zodiac emerging at different points on different days. Its longitude is calculated like that of the Planets and is marked in the horoscope along with the other longitudes. Though rich and varied effects – good and bad – are attributed to Gulika in Kerala basic treatises, like Prasnamarga, other basic treatises in Astrology like Parasahora etc. are silent on Gulika. The present work Gulika in Astrology is a compendium of all materials available in the treatises. Perhaps at present this is the only work of its kind.

Prof. N. E. Muthuswamy, written, edited and compiled about 38 Astrological books in Malayalam dealing with various aspects of Astrology and three books in English, ‘A course in Astrology, A commentary on Krishneeyam, and Gulika in Astrology,. He is the founder President of Jyotish Prachara Sabha, Trivandrum, established in 1985.

Besides writing books on Astrology he has been organizing Astrological conferences, workshops and classes and correspondence course in Astrology. Due to his efforts through this Sabha, has been able to promote Astrology and create an awareness among the intellectuals.

He is an M.A. in Hindi, D.I.M. in Ayurveda, M.Ed in Education, Mahopadhyaya in Sanskrit, Sahitya Ratna in Hindi.

Astrology is the study of human experiences indicated by the celestial bodies on the back-drop of time and space. Though time has no conceivable beginning and end like space it is the space which regulates the idea of time. Though the space envelopes the whole universe as far as Astrology is concerned space is confirmed to the Zodiacal path of planets demarkated by the Nakshathra zones or constellations. All living beings on earth particularly human beings are the miniature or microcosmic editions of the zodiacal or macro- cosmic universe. So naturally every bit of a human being should possess all the qualities both conceivable or inconceivable - possessed by the zodiacal universe, which we can term as Brahrnananda and the Brahma contained therein. The great seers with their instuition have been able to comprehend the mysteries of this mysterious universe and present it to the world as the wisdom of Astrology. They based the tenets of Astrology on Rasis and Nakshathras representing space and Bhaavas representing the human experiences. They also found out that the human experiences are the results of their deeds in past and they are indicated by the planets occupying different positions in the Raasi chart of the Individual which is called horoscope or Jathaka in the Astrological parlance.

When one tries to understand the indications given by planets in the horoscope it strikes his mind that it is the sensitive points imprint by the planets, in the microcosmic zodiac, that were transitting at the time of birth of each individual. Like these sensitive points imprint by the transitting planets there are other sensitive points also embedded in the zoadiacal space which get energised at fixed periodical intervals. Such sensitive points in zoadiacal space are numerous. Some of these are called Shoadasa vargas, Ashtakavarga bindus, sphutas of different nature and some others are called Gulika, Kaala, Ardhaprahara, Yamakhanda etc. These sensitive points come under the category of upagrahas.

Unfortunately to Astrology the significations and indications of planets were personified by the writers of Astrology and this personification is being questioned by rationalists. There is no convincing answer to the poser_ of rationalists that how a planet can have hands, legs and human shape. And such unanswerable posers create problems for Astrologers.

In this way the grahaas, upagrahaas, chaayaagrahaas, vishti, Baadhaas, all are personified in the Astrological texts. It is true that some name is to be given to a sensitive point because without a name nothing can be conceived. But to personify it with human or animal appearance takes it nearer to superstition. The real sad fact is that it is these unrealistic fantastic and fictitions personifications which make Astrology questionable by rationalists.

So it is in the interest of the Astrological study, attempts should be made to present the Astrological principles in the form of abstract ideas and elucidate the personifications and myths. Because of this personification and allegories one finds it impossible to have a concept of Astrological tenets without a human force.

It is the duty of savants of Astrology to teach the principles of Astrology in its pure and prestine form and not with personified examples and prescriptions. All the interpretative principles should be explained and illustrated in their pure form.

Keeping this ideal in mind I am making an attempt in this small book to present Gulika one of the sensitive points in the zoadiac. It is presented here not as a personified planet but as a sensitive point in the zodiac which vibrates and invigorates periodically.

I have not presented anything of my own but only collected materials scattered in various texts and presented them in a readable form. I feel that this will be helpful to those who had no access to Prasna Marga, Muhoorthapadavi etc which are very popular in kerala.

It is very painfully observed that some authors of Astrological works had the unmannered and unprofessional tendency to give the data borrowed from treatises and their own without acknowledging the source. This I feel is not conducive to writers’ ethics. In my works as far as possible I have given the source material also along with the borrowed material and so the readers may find many Sanskrit quotations in this book. I request the readers to bear with me.

As explained in the pages of this text Gulika has assumed prominence in the different branches of prasna— particularly death, spirit and Devaprasna. Gulika has been assigned a special dasa named gulika dasa. Many sensitive points are derived from Gulika namely Thrisphuta, Chathussphuta, Panchasphuta, Praanasphuta, Daehasphuta, Mruthyusphuta, Sukshmathrisphuta, Mruthyuchakra, etc. So Gulika will be definitely an interesting topic of study for the student learners of Astrology. And I hope that this work may be a harbinger in this line.