Over the years, at least for the past several decades, the thinking in mainstream (tyros and pros, beginners and higher and much higher ups on the Jyotish hierarchical totem pole, has been that there are TWO SYSTEMS: Parashari and Jaimini! I had ALWAYS had signficant degree of discomfort for that idea!
The fundamentals of what many know as Jaimini Paddhati (rhyming with Krishnamurti Paddhati which is indeed separate from traditional Jyotish and a few other newer systems and paddhatis, all useful in their sectors of course (this is not a comparison or value judgment!) -- the fundamentals of JP exist in the codex of what we call Parashari Paddhati!
When Mr. K.N. Rao arrived in our reality and realization, back a few decades ago, although he too in his writings seemed to hint at keeping those two apart, at least for jyotish research, his writings, published and those that I was fortunate to read when he graced Ben Collinses Jyotish List which now has turned, grimly, into a battleground for demolition of Jyotish (Ironical, isnt it how these subjects uncared for decimate!), spurred me to look closely into Jaimini system as it was and still called by most!
Mercury is generally thought of as the Shape-changer! Jack of all trades, the generalist, comfortable in many roles, but really speaking so are ALL other astro-indicators! Thus, we get so much variety from basically 12 signs, 27/28 nakshatras (sub-divisions of the 12 signs or their alter egos, perhaps) and 9 planets! Toss in the upagrahas and more the merrier! But, seriously, they also have multiple roles and thus they adequately describe the billions of individuals (IN-DIVIDUALS!) that inhabit the earth and distributed amongst primarily TWO genders but myriads of ages, nationalities, cultures, races and communities, RELIGIONS (That is a BIG ONE!), castes, with STARK DIFFERENCES and INDIVIDUALITIES yet still so many COMMONALITIES!
But each planet, say for simplicity, wears many hats! Each has a lordship responsibilities over houses, yet, each also has an inherent, temporal, functional role as a good guy and a bad guy and a guy who is on the fence or neutral! And, each also has its roles (plural) as a Karaka or significator or more correctly, as an executor (sometimes EXECUTIONER!).
So very human, indeed! Like a woman who has so many roles to play simultaneously! She is a daughter, granddaughter, mother, grandmother, wife, lover, friend, administrator, professional, teacher, activist, writer, perhaps even a jyotishini, and so much more. And men too!
Just like these planets! Just like mercury, the jack of all trades!
Love and Light and a very Happy New Year!
Rohiniranjan
) technique for cross-checking the findings showing up with so called Parashari analysis! As far as this matter about "after the fact, retro-analysis vs forecasting-predictions, both are necessary for any and all astrologers (going beyond just jyotish-jyotishis). It is like medicine or any other field. One has to practice the craft, but also stay in touch with the subject in general, and to study case-studies, scientific trials etc. Often 'pooh-poohed' by many astrologers, the retro-analyses if done in the right spirit without egotism and bravado etc or trying to find some magical technique anew, can teach us all a lot. And gradually we attune ourselves to the RIGHT MIX of tools that suit us. Your bag of tricks might be different from mine, or from others! Why so? Because divination including astrology (all kinds) is not a science but more like a language! We all for instance speak the same language, but describe and express things differently! Similar is the case with jyotish. No one way is better or worse, but simply unique! So, it is something to be appreciated as part of LILA!