Nativity chart; horoscope scroll, which records the year, month, date, tithi, configuration and relative position of the planets, stars and constellations at the time of birth. It also contains the name of the person and acts as a table of fortune throughout life.
Most people believe that the destiny of a person is affected by the position of the stars and other heavenly bodies at the moment of birth. Therefore extreme care is taken to note the exact time of birth to make a correct janmapatri. This janmapatri is made by the priest or jyotishi whose trade it is. He makes it by consulting the almanac and making mathematical and astronomical calculations. It is first read out during the naming ceremony or namakarana of the child. It tells of favourable and unfavourable periods in a person`s life, his profession, character, marriage and progeny.
Many factors are considered to determine the fate of a person. The janmapatri gives the position of various planets and the zodiac (rashis) at the time of birth. By comparing the astral positions at birth with those of the present and future, the compatibility of the two can be judged and the future predicted. The various combinations of the zodiac, planets and time units determine the good or bad result of an event, should it then occur.
The janmapatri is used in all spheres of a person`s life. With its help, the yearly horoscope (varshaphala) is made which tells of the year ahead. Its most important use, however, is before a marriage when the horoscopes of the prospective bride and groom are matched. Astral incompatibility precludes marriage.
A janmapatri is depicted as either a circle or square with 12 "houses" or "ghara", numbered from one to twelve. Each house represents one sign of the zodiac.
The earth revolving on its axis goes around all the 12 signs of the zodiac in one day. It takes about two hours to cross from one sign to the next.
The sign rising on the horizon at the time of one`s birth is the "lagna", which is also the first house of the janmapatri. The subsequent houses are occupied by the signs of zodiac that follow. Thus, if the "lagna" of a person is Cancer, it would occupy the first house. The second house would be occupied by Leo and so on. It is the "lagna rashi" that determines the character and qualities of a person.
Each zodiac sign is classified as movable (chara), stationary (sthira), or of both characters (dvisvabhava). They are also classified as mild (saumya), fierce (krura), powerful during the day (dinabala), and powerful at night (nishabala). If a person"s "lagna" is Leo, he is said to be of fixed character and so on.
The nine planets or navagraha, in combination with the zodiac, affect a person"s life and are duly invoked in every ceremony. These nine planets are: Surya (Sun), Soma (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Buddha (Mercury), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Vrihaspati or Guru (Jupiter), and Rahu and Ketu. Of these Rahu and Ketu are "shadow" planets which cannot be seen.
At the time of one"s birth, every planet except Rahu and Ketu is in one of the houses. If a planet is present on the "lagna", it is called the major planet and affects a person the most. Planets are classified as malefic and beneficial, and each one affects the person accordingly. For instance, it is believed that a person born under the influence of the sun will possess an anxious mind, and be subject to disease because the sun is considered malefic.
Anyone born under the influence of a full moon would possess elephants and horses,and be powerful, for the moon is beneficial.
A person born under Mars, which is malefic, would be wounded and oppressed with fear of robbers and fire. Similar beliefs exist about all the planets.
Every planet has a "favourite" house and a few which are not congenial. The planets with their houses are : Sun - Leo; Moon - Cancer; Mars - Aries and Scorpio; Mercury - Gemini and Virgo; Jupiter - Sagittarius and Pisces; Venus - Taurus and Libra; Saturn - Capricorn and Aquarius. Rahu and Ketu do not have a house. Of the planets, some are more powerful than the others. Natural powers in ascending order are: Saturn, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Moon and Sun.
A planet in its own house affects a person positively. However, its presence in a noncongenial house has a negative effect. If more than one planet is present in a house, the effect depends on the congeniality between the planets and that house.
Apart from this, every planet has its period of influence. The influence of the Sun lasts for eight years bestowing both sorrow and excitement. The moon`s influence, which lasts 15 years, is filled with happiness. Everyone undergoes a seven-and-a-half year Shani influence, when life is difficult.
Astral conjunctions at birth affect a person`s fortune inexorably. For example, if a person is born with Mars in the seventh house, it is considered the gravest of misfortunes. Such a person is termed a "mangali" meaning his Mars planet is very strong. Not only is the person himself affected, but so is anyone associated with him. Therefore he can only marry another "mangali", which nullifies the effect.
The janmapatri is considered extremely important even today. Many propitiatory pujas are performed to a malefic planet if a person`s janmapatri indicates a bad time ahead, or to overcome astral incompatibility in a proposed marriage.