The mundane chart of a country is essentially an annual chart which is cast from specific points in time during the current year. The place for calculating the chart is generally the capitol city of that country, although some astrologers use specific cities of that country for the place of calculation. In practice, the place of the capitol city of a country gives the best results in terms of destinies and outcomes for the year, however.
There are a number of dates during the year that are used for the time of calculation. Among the more popular of these are listed as follows:
Lunar New Year: The lunar New Year chart is cast for the time of the New Moon in Pisces which occurs every year between March and April. This calculation point is the most important and widely used in Vedic astrology and is the most consistently accurate for the general outcome of events for the coming year.
Lunation charts: The lunation chart is cast for new and full Moons throughout the year, although they for the most part give results pertaining to a one month period of time only. The late B.V. Raman, however, apparently used these extensively and applied the results to the entire year.
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An excellent and complete text on the subject of Mundane astrology is Practical Mundane Astrology, J.C. Luthra, Sagar Publications
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Financial New Year chart: This is calculated for the time of the New Moon in Libra, and can be an accurate barometer as to the changes in the economy of a particular country. The outcomes indicated in the financial New Year chart may be observed for one year’s time. This chart can also be used for corporations or businesses, and often business owners in India consult this chart to ascertain the movements of markets throughout the year.
Solar Eclipse charts: While the new and full Moon occur twelve times per year, the new moon solar eclipse on average, occurs only twice per year. Thus the chart cast for the new moon at the time of the solar eclipse is very important. It is said that the results of this chart last for as many years as the duration of the eclipse in hours. The solar eclipse chart, however, should be calculated for the exact time of the new moon on the day of the eclipse, and not the time of the eclipse itself.
Apart from times to calculate the chart, Eclipse points – both solar and lunar – are important references so far as timings are concerned. Dasha periods may activate these eclipses, or they may be influenced by transiting planets throughout the year. More on timing the events suggested in the chart will come later in this article.
Lunar Eclipse charts: These occur at the time of full moon wherein the Moon is eclipsed, with the effects of the chart lasting for as many months as the eclipse lasts in hours. By practice, lunar eclipse charts are not as important as the solar eclipse charts. It may be mentioned here that such solar and lunar eclipse charts will be more effective in countries wherein the eclipses are visible, as opposed to those places where they are not visible.
Mesh Sankranti chart: The exact time of solar ingress into sidereal Aries (Mesh) gives an accurate chart for determining the outcome of the entire year. There are of course four sidereal cardinal points, and charts calculated for the solar ingress into these signs may be used as quarterly charts, although the main Sankranti chart for the year is to be calculated from the Aries ingress. Charts cast for the solar ingress into Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn may thus be used quarterly but only as subordinate to the main chart which is calculated from the Aries ingress date. Western mundane astrology uses the four tropical cardinal points for these calculations and these apply to each of the equinox and solstice ingress dates. Ardra Pravesh chart: This is another type of ingress chart which is cast for the time of the Sun’s ingress into the naksatra of Ardra (6°40’ of the sidereal sign of Gemini). Its main use is in predicting the weather patterns of a country or region for a given year.
Outer Planet Conjunctions and Opposition Charts: Charts may be calculated from the time of conjunction/opposition of outer planets. Among these the conjunction/opposition of Jupiter and Saturn are very important with the effects being very long‐lasting. 2 The trans‐ saturnine planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are very important in mundane astrology also, and thus, due to the very slow movement of these planets, the exact
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The best Jyotish software program for calculating the precise moment of such planetary aspects is Jagannatha Hora, v. 7.32. The program also offers a variety of tools for calculating the mundane charts that are discussed in this article. (http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/jh)
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conjunction/opposition between them could set forth the beginnings of very significant events and occurrences in societal evolution. One such planetary event will be the opposition between Saturn and Uranus covering the sidereal axis of Leo/Aquarius and which will occur on February 5, 2009 at 5:53 AM UT. Another important combination for the calculation of mundane charts will be the conjunction of Jupiter and Rahu in sidereal Capricorn and which will occur on February 13, 2009 at 12:34 PM UT. The charts calculated for these events cover such a broad period of time that the destinies of countries whose mundane charts they are observed, could be seen far into the future.
Natal Chart of a Country: It is difficult to ascertain the exact date of “birth” of a country, especially wherein very old countries are concerned. In country’s whose beginning is very recent, for example, say within the last one hundred or two hundred years, careful rectification could give an acceptable time for the country’s inception. Hindu astrologer’s, for example, take the time of India’s Independence from British rule as the “re‐birth” of India, and the chart cast for this date can be very useful in predicting the coming and going of
political parties, Prime Ministers, or the date of their assassinations, terrorist attacks, etc. The data for the Indian national chart is August 15, 1947; midnight; New Delhi, and will be studied in this article.
It is important to note in this connection that the maximum Paramayus (term of longevity) of any chart is 144 years. Thus after the first 144 years of a country’s existence, a new chart will need to be calculated. It is of no use to make predictions based on a chart which is no longer valid, in the same way one would not waste time making further predictions on the natal chart of someone who has already died. For example, astrologers mistakenly study the chart of the United States cast for 1776, when the full term of that chart’s operation has since come and gone. Thus such charts should be re‐calculated at the end of each 144 year period in order to yield accurate results. 3
Natal Chart of the Political Head: The natal chart of a country’s President or Prime Minister may be seen for the outcome of a country’s destiny for the period of time in which he governs. In the case of such charts, note that the duration of the chart will be for as many years and months that such leader is in office. A similar chart may be cast for the exact moment of the swearing in or Inaugural of an in‐coming president. When dashas are calculated for such charts, they should be compressed for the period of time during which the term of presidency will last. For example, dashas calculated for the Inaugural chart of the President of the United States should be compressed for a period of 4 years. Dashas for other charts as summarized above should be compressed for the periods of time during which such charts are operative.
War Charts: When an opposing Army makes the first military offensive against its adversary at the onset of a war, a chart can be cast for that moment and place which can
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Jagannatha Hora 7.32 software has a function wherein the second and third 144‐year life cycle of a chart may be precisely calculated. Without the use of software, it becomes difficult to hand‐calculate a chart for a 144‐year time period since the birth chart of a nation.
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determine the outcome of the war. In such charts, the first house rules the aggressor Army, or the one that initiates the offensive. The 7 th house rules the defending nation. In the study of mundane charts of terrorism, this chart can be used to see what the short‐term as well as long‐term outcomes of the offensive may be.
While all of the above charts are used in mundane astrology, two will be used for the purposes of this article: The India natal chart and the lunar New Year chart for India in the year 2008.