Divisions of the Zodiac

Ecliptic is the apparent path of the Sun. It has already been stated that the zodiac extends upto nine degrees on either side of the ecliptic. The zodiac, a circle of 360 degrees, has been divided into different parts. One of the purposes is to be able to locate a planet in the zodiac. However, the various divisions of the zodiac have their own specific qualities which are useful for predictive purposes. The two main methods of dividing the zodiac into different parts are:

1. Division into twenty-seven parts

Each such division is equivalent to 13°20' of arc, and known as a nakshatra. It may be pointed out that the original Vedic Jyotisha was primarily based on nakshatras. In the Pauranic stories, the nakshatras are considered to be the twenty-seven wives of the Moon-god. The Moon is the fastest moving heavenly body in the sky. It completes one revolution around the earth in a period of about 27 days, equivalent to spending one day with each of his twenty-seven wives, the nakshatras.

2. Division into twelve parts

Each such part which is equivalent to 30° of arc is called a rashi or sign.

The use of rashis in Jyotisha as prevalent in the modern times is a phenomenon which came into being after the Nakshatrik Jyotisha. Each nakshatra is divisible into four parts (an arc of 3°20' each) known as padas or charanas; nine such parts constitute one rashi.

Aries is the first rashi of the zodiac. If we are referring to the sayana zodiac then Aries would start from the vernal equinox. For nirayana zodiac Aries starts from the ‘Vedic starting point’ of the zodiac. Modern astronomy and to a great extent most of the Vedic astronomical classics, unless otherwise specified, refer to the sayana rashis.

Annual Journey of the Sun

During its annual journey while the Sun is at vernal equinox, according to sayana system, it enters Aries; on summer solstice it enters Cancer; at autumnal equinox it enters Libra; and at winter solstice it enters Capricorn rashi. So during the transit of first six rashis (Aries to Virgo), the Sun is in the northern hemisphere and in the next six rashis (Libra to Pisces) it is in the southern hemisphere.

Direction of Shadows

Formation of shadows of the objects on the earth by the Sun is dependent upon the latitude of the observer.

Tropic of Cancer: This is the latitude north of equator where the Sun lies directly overhead at its maximum north declination. This coincides with 24 degrees (23 degrees and 27 minutes to be exact) north latitude. At this moment, the Sun lies at zero degree Sayana Cancer.

Tropic of Capricorn: This is the latitude south of equator where the Sun lies directly overhead at its maximum south declination. This coincides with 24 degrees south latitude. At this moment the Sun lies at zero degree Sayana Capricorn.

North of the tropic of Cancer the shadows fall toward the north pole only. Similarly south of the tropic of Capricorn the shadows of objects are directed toward the south pole. Between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn the objects cast their shadows both in the northern and the southern direction at different times depending upon the position of the Sun in the zodiac.

Observations by Astronomical classics

Surya Siddhanta, the most authoritative classical text on Hindu astronomy mentions about the stationing of the gods and demons on the earth in the following words:

“At its (earth’s) upper end (the north pole) are stationed, along with Indra, the gods, and the great sages (maharshis); at its lower end (the south pole), in like manner, the demons (asuras) have their place — each the enemy of the other.”

The classic further states:

“In the half-revolution beginning with Aries, the Sun, being in the hemisphere of the gods, is visible to the gods; but while in that beginning with Libra, he is visible to the asuras, moving in their hemisphere.

“Hence, owing to his exceeding nearness, the rays of the Sun are hot in the hemisphere of the gods in summer, but in that of the asuras in winter: in the contrary season, they are sluggish.

“At the equinox, both gods and asuras see the Sun in the horizon; their day and night are mutually opposed to each other.”

Apparent Movement of the Zodiac

Surya Siddhanta thus describes the apparent movement of the zodiac as visible from different locations on the surface of the earth:

“... To the gods, the zodiac revolves toward the right; to the asuras, toward the left; at the equator, directly over-head — always in a westerly direction.”

For the people living towards the north of the tropic of Cancer, the zodiac will remain towards the south of the zenith of the observer and thus will always appear to move in the clockwise direction. For people living towards the south of the tropic of Capricorn, the zodiac will always appear to be moving in anti-clockwise direction. For people living between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn, the zodiac will cross the zenith of the observer, its actual point transacting the zenith depending upon the latitude of the observer. Thus some signs of the zodiac would appear to be rising in clockwise direction, others in an anti-clockwise direction.

Varying views of the Zodiac

To the gods (at the north pole) and the asuras (at the south pole), the equator appears to coincide with their horizon. The gods never see the southern half of the ecliptic and the asuras the northern half. For the gods, the Sun is visible at a stretch when it is in six signs, Aries to Virgo. When. it is in the next six signs (Libra to Pisces), it is visible to the asuras at the south pole, at a stretch.

At 60° north latitude, the rising of the zodiac gets disrupted. North of this place, the Sun may not set more than one day, until at the north pole it will not set for six months at a stretch.

At a distance greater than 69°24’ north latitude, the signs Sagittarius and Capricorn will never be visible.

At latitudes 78°16’ north, the signs Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn and Aquarius will never be visible.

At the north pole, the second half of the zodiac, i.e., the signs Libra to Pisces, cannot be seen.

For the asuras, the first point of Aries is the lagna permanently. Mars is the lord of the Drekkana, Navamsha, Dwadashamsha and Trimshamsha lagna permanently.

Duration of Day and Night

During the half-revolution of the Sun beginning with Aries, there is always an excess of the day in the northern hemisphere, greater according to distance north; and a corresponding deficiency of the night. In the southern hemisphere the days are of shorter duration and corresponding excessiveness of the night. In the half-revolution of the Sun beginning with Libra, both the deficiency and excess of the day and night in the two hemispheres are the opposite of this.

The above diagram shows the path of the Sun at different points of time for an observer positioned in the northern hemisphere at 40 degree latitude.

Circle ‘A’ is the celestial projection of the equator where the Sun lies directly overhead on or around March 21 and September 23 every year. The declination of the Sun at this time is zero. Between points All and A2 is the visible path of the Sun when it is at Sayana Aries or Sayana Libra. Al is the point of rising of the Sun while A2 is the point of setting of the Sun.

Circle ‘B’ is the celestial projection of the tropic of Cancer. This represents the northernmost declination of the Sun. Between points B1 and B2 is the visible path of the Sun for the observer when the Sun is at zero degrees Sayana Cancer. This happens on or around June 21 every year. B1 is the point of rising of the Sun and B2 is the point of setting of the Sun.

Circle ‘C’ is the celestial projection of the tropic of Capricorn. This represents the southernmost declination of the Sun. Between points C1 and C2 is the visible path of the Sun for the observer when the Sun is at zero degrees Sayana Capricorn. This happens on or around December 22 every year. C1 is the point of rising of the Sun while C2 is the point of setting of the Sun.

The shaded areas of Circles ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ represent the relative duration of the sunshine hours or the Dinamana. The unshaded areas represent the night hours or the Ratrimana. In Circle ‘A’, the Dinamana and Ratrimana are equal. At this time the Sun is at zero degree Aries or zero degree Libra. In Circle ‘B’, the Dinamana exceeds the Ratrimana. This is the situation that obtains when the Sun transits the sayana signs Aries to Virgo for an observer in the northern hemisphere. In Circle ‘C’, the Dinamana is smaller than Ratrimana. This is the situation for an observer in the northern hemisphere when the Sun transits the sayana signs Libra to Pisces. The reverse of it happens for an observer positioned in the southern hemisphere.

The table below gives the time of rising and setting of the Sun at Delhi during the equinoxes and the solstices. When the Sun is at either of the equinoxes (March 21 or Sept. 23), the declination of the Sun is zero degrees and the duration of the day and night are equal. As the Sun attains max. declination north at summer solstice (June 21), the duration of the day is at its maximum and correspondingly the duration of the night is shortest. Contrast this with the position of the Sun at winter solstice (Dec. 22) when the Sun is at its maximum declination south, the day is of shortest duration and the night is of longest duration. The difference between the day and night will be more marked as the latitude of the observer is more north. It will be less so as the latitude is more south from Delhi until the day and night equalise for an observer at equator for the whole year.

The Rising and Setting of the Sun at New Delhi (28°N39') as per Sri Vishwavijaya Panchangam
Date	Sunrise (hrs.)	Sunset (hrs.)	Dinamana Duration of day (hrs.)	Ratrimana Duration of night (hrs.)	Difference between day and night (hrs.)
21 March ’97	06-28 (A1)	18-28 (A2)	12-00	12-00	00-00
21 June ’97	05-27 (B1)	19-17 (B2)	13-50	10-10	03-40
23 Sept. ’97	06-14 (A1)	18-14 (A2)	12-00	12-00	00-00
22 Dec. ’97	07-14 (C1)	17-24 (C2)	10-10	13-50	03-40

© Rajeev Jhanji, Vedic Astrology