Hamsa Yoga is an important planetary combination in predictive astrology. Hamsa yoga occurs when planet Guru (Jupiter) occupies a Kendra (quadrant) house from lagna, the ascendant or the first house in the natal chart, which must be in its own or mulatrikona or exalted sign. Since Jupiter owns two sings, Sagittarius and Pisces, it attains mulatrikona in Sagittarius but exaltation in Cancer; and its presence in these signs must be in a Kendra. First, fourth, seventh or tenth house in the natal chart from the lagna constitutes the celebrated Hamsa yoga. The classical text states that a person having Hamsa yoga will be virtuous, wealthy, happy, honored by king, devoted to gods, preceptors, teachers and learned people. He will have sweet voice, will be handsome and will live a long life. Besides he will be liberal and famous. He will also be of refined taste and noble temperament. But he would suffer from excess of kapha humor. In short, this yoga accrues when Jupiter is in Sagi

Paryayaratnamala or Ratnamala by Madhavakara is a famous ancient Ayurveda dictionary. This medical lexicon in ancient India incorporates numerous words of common parlance about medical plants and drugs. It has also appended to itself a section on homonyms as well as another on ‘mana’ measures, including definition of certain technical terms of frequent occurrence. The author Madhavakara was the son of Indu Kasa, the celebrated author of Raghviniscaya, popularly known as Nidana. Ganganatha is of the opinion that since Nidana was translated into Persian at the time of Harun-al-Rashid in the 8 th century AD, Madhava must have flourished during the 7 th century AD or earlier. Joley conservatively places the time period of Madhavakara in the 9 th or 8 th century AD. In Paryaya Ratnamala synonyms are presented in shlokas, ardh ashlokas, padas and padardhas. The homonyms are presented in three ways: Words having a single additional meaning each, indicated by the partic

Prayag in Uttar Pradesh is one of the holiest places in Hinduism. Religious importance of Prayagraj stems from the fact that it is the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati Rivers – Triveni Sangam. In Hindu religion, there  are numerous other spiritual importance to the place. Prayag means ‘place of sacrifice’. Legend has it that Brahma performed Ashwamedha Yajna here to celebrate the recovery of Vedas from Demon Hayagriva by Lord Vishnu. Prayagraj is also said to be the navel of earth. After the Samudra Manthan, or churning of ocean, when the Amrit, or elixir of life, was carried around the earth, few drops fell at Prayag and there for Kumbha Mela is organized here once in twelve years. As per Hindu scriptures, Prayag will be the only place to survive after the Mahapralaya, the great deluge, which will end one cycle of creation. Due to these and several other reasons, Prayag is known as Tirtha Raja or the King among Tirthas.

The Ramayana narrates a highly educative story in its last canto on the dangers of vanity of power and position. Once, a dog came to the palace of Sri Ramachandra (Lord Ram) seeking justice. The dog sustained severe injury of a blow on the head. On enquiry he told that a brahmana of high birth had hit him in an angry mood. The man was summoned, and he confessed his sin. An ideal king that Sri Ramachandra was, he sought the plaintiff ’s opinion on the verdict of punishment. The dog humbly implored that the brahmana be made the chief administrator of a certain monastery named Kalanjara. All the courtiers of the palace were struck with wonder at the liberality of the dog and could not check the temptation of asking the reason thereof. The latter explained that he himself adorned that post in his last birth. He was an honest person, pious, and possessed of many qualities of the head and heart. Yet unfortunately he fell prey to delusion and went the wrong way. As an