"Opportunity is missed by most people because
it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
- Thomas Edison
"As is the individual, so is the universe.
As is the universe, so is the indivdual"
- Yajur Veda
"Better three hours too soon, than a minute too late"
- William Shakespeare
"The idea of marriage is to multiply joy,
Multiplying misery is a crime against humanity."
- Sadhguru Vasudev Jaggi
"Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions."
- Rig Veda
"You are what your deep driving desire is; As your desire is, so is your will,
As your will is, so is your deed, As your deed is, so is your destiny."
- Brihad-Aranyak Upnishad
"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us."
- Winston Churchill
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination."
- Albert Einstein
"Knowledge has power, it allows access to
opportunity and advancement"
- Peter Drucker (Austrian Management Author)
"Do what you do so well, they will want
to see it again, and bring their friends"
- Walt Disney (American Businessman)
"One good test is worth a thousand expert opinions"
- Wernher von Braun (German Scientist)
"By failing to plan, you are planning to fail"
- Benjamin Franklin
The Sporting Spirit
Sports persons are entertainers. They are performers on the field, who with their display of strength, speed, stamina, skill and determination, bind spectators in spells of fascination and awe.
The world over, people spend money and time to watch them play. They are admired, loved, honored and rewarded. In times when more and more parents are encouraging their wards to ‘follow their interests’ and with IPL-like competitions for even rustic games like kabaddi making sports a very lucrative pursuit, an important question before the modern-day astrologer is - ‘what does it take to become a sports-star?’
To get close to the answer, let us take a look at the horoscopes of some world-famous sports-persons through the astrological lens and find out what makes their lives and achievements, so coveted.
For most people, participation in sports usually begins as a pastime or a hobby. Initial success, interest and encouragement turn the pastime into a serious inclination. Then begin focused efforts to hone skills and display them at a recognized level. Admiration and more encouragement follow. From there on, grit, fitness, training and adaptability decide the level of success which comes with proportionate fame, rewards and sometimes – government honours.
The Beginning
The third-house is known to signify the ability to take initiative, or simply – the guts a person has to start something. It also signifies interest or hobbies. Influence of malefics, on the third-house or on the third-lord has been found to give an interest in competition, especially if that influence has anything to do with the sixth-house. This is because sixth-house signifies competition among other things. An influence of malefics on the sixth-house or the sixth-lord gives ideas and courage that make it easy for the native to face competition. A sports-person has to deal with competitors very frequently, so yogas like these are useful for them and are often found in their horoscopes. Conjunction of Mercury, which is the significator-planet or karak-graha for sports, with the third-lord, tends to give an interest in sports.
Falling in the third house of the Kaal-Purush, (the natural zodiac) the sign Gemini becomes the karak-raashi or ‘significator-sign’ for interests and hobbies. Influences on Gemini give a clue about the hobbies a person might have. Aspect on, or occupation of Gemini, by a malefic, or Mercury, which is the ‘significator-planet’ for sports, is also seen to give an interest in competition and sports.
Serena Williams
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
The Strength
In addition to interests and hobbies, the third-house also signifies arms and shoulders. Most sporting routines require extensive use of arms and shoulders and athletes train long and hard to keep those body parts especially supple and strong. This apparent development and upkeep of muscles comes through an aspect of a benefic on the third-house, which in many cases has been found to be Jupiter.
Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay)
Ashish Nehra (Fast Bowler)
The same principle will apply to footballers also, but for them, the important body parts are legs and feet. It is to be noted that Jupiter’s aspect, though a huge assurance of muscle development, is not the only criterion. For a particular body part to be strong enough to endure more than usual wear and tear, the house governing that body part should be under the influence of a benefic planet and/or its lord should be well placed. Knees come under the 10th house. Calf-muscles and shins fall in the 11th house. Feet are covered by the 12th house.
David Beckham.
Encouragement/Motivation
Motivation is another important quality. Without motivation, the quality of effort is almost always sub-standard. Motivation can come as an effect of external encouragement or it can come from within. When it comes from external admiration/encouragement, it means the aspiring sports-person is doing well. But, to stay motivated even when there are no admirers and no encouragement, is a more desirable quality.
The encouragement and/or motivation to pursue the sport seriously, comes when the third-lord is aspected by a benefic, or when it is associated with benefics. Aspect of the seventh-lord (public recognition/applause) on the third-lord also provides motivation and necessary support. Some athletes come from families that can’t easily provide the necessary financial support and encouragement which is required in the initial years to pursue the sport seriously. Yet such natives are able to carve-out a place for themselves because they are self-motivated. Such natives have a strong connection of the third-lord and the lagna-lord. Aspect or association of a benefic Lagna-lord, with the third-lord is a sort of guarantee for self-motivation and determination.
Dhanraj Pillai
Zinedine Zidane
Opportunity/Prospects
A hint about the level/platform (district/state /national) that the native is likely to compete at, and, the support/sponsorship that he/she will get, comes from the strength of house in which the third-lord is placed. When the lord of the sign in which the third-lord is placed, (dispositor of third-lord) is placed in a quadrant and is either exalted, in its mooltrikon, own or a friendly sign, or is digbali, (has maximum directional-strength) it is more likely to give the native opportunities for pursuing the hobby/interest at the highest level. The same results can follow if the dispositor of the operating dasha lord meets the same criteria.
A weak and ill-placed dispositor will result in lack of opportunity and sponsors/patrons i.e. failure in meeting expectations of selectors or lack of support and encouragement to pursue the sport at a serious level.
Diego Maradona
Sunil Gavaskar
Fame and Recognition
Sports stars get a lot of attention and adulation. So much so, that sometimes their names become synonymous with the sport they play. Such distinction comes through a favourable association of the third-lord or third-house with the lagna or the lagna-lord. A well-placed third-lord in lagna can make the native an ‘icon of the sport’.
Harbhajan Singh
Then there are some whose style and personality have such an impact on the sport, that not only do they reach new heights of popularity, even emulating their trademark style becomes a rage amongst the masses. Such sports-stars ‘stamp’ their times with their distinct brand of performances for the world to remember them long after they retire from the field. Very often, the lagna lords of such players are found to be influencing their third house/lords.
Pele (Black Pearl)
Virender Sehwag
Dara Singh
Why People Pay to Watch Them
People will spend their hard-earned money to just sit and watch somebody, only when the performer’s actions are known to generate extreme feelings of thrill, ecstasy and disbelief. These are feelings which people are not able to experience in their routine, everyday lives. Such feelings can only be generated by somebody who is running a dasha of a ‘well-placed’ and dignified planet, not just in the lagna chart, but even in the relevant vargas. Ideally, placement of the dasha lord with, or under aspect of, benefic planets is important. This along with placement in kendra or trikona houses helps in a big way.
If the native is able to draw large crowds by virtue of his/her performance, it is also understood that proportionate monetary compensation will follow. Indication of money-inflow in horoscopes of sports-persons will require a dhan-yoga (‘money-making’ planetary combination) facilitated by the Lagna lord, the third-lord or the sixth-lord in some way. Also, for people to readily part with their money to see someone in action, the seventh or the eighth houses or their lords have to create or facilitate a dhan-yoga in the chart.
Vishwanathan Anand
Roger Federer
Foreign Travel
Along with other combinations for success in sports, a connection of the third house/ lord and the twelfth house/lord or the ninth house/lord has been found in some cases. This connection explains foreign travel and participation in international competitions.
Steffi Graf
VVS Laxman
Means of Livelihood / Profession
Making a living out of sport is possible in many ways. Amateur players turn professional when the sport offers good money and they believe they have the potential to win at a serious level of the sport. Players from disciplines that don’t pay as handsomely as sports like cricket and tennis do, often get ‘sports quota’ jobs in some PSU or government organization. Then there are others who opt for team-selector roles, some do television and radio commentary, some take-up administrative roles in sports bodies, some start coaching children in schools, private institutions and sometimes even reputed players and teams. These are some examples of how - association with a sport, that started as a hobby turns into a means of making a living, and sometimes even a fortune!
Boris Becker
(Coach for Novak Djokovic)
To give the native, steady and sufficient income from sport, together with the other combinations stated above, a horoscope should also have the third-lord connected with and favourably influencing the second, the tenth or the eleventh houses, or their lords.
After going through the article, some readers might wonder or ask why some of the greatest sports-persons of all times, like Sachin Tendulkar, Major Dhyanchand, Christiano Ronaldo, Mary Kom, Waseem Akram, Jahangir Khan, Garry Kasparov, Martina Navratilova, Michael Schumacher, Tiger Woods etc. weren’t included in this list. Should that question come to your mind, we want to tell you that we wanted to include them too, but we didn’t have their horoscopes, or the horoscopes we had, didn’t seem reliable.
Before we finish, we want to tell our readers, that the astrological-principles required for being a successful sports-person, that have been discussed in this article, are in a way, ‘just the tip of the ice-berg’. And therefore, if readers start to evaluate horoscopes of their friends/relations based on the information provided here, they will do so at the risk of going wrong with their prediction. Still, if a lot doesn’t depend on your prediction being very accurate, please go ahead….. TRY THIS AT HOME!!
Sports-persons are usually capable of a lot more than what we see them do. The following poem (also part of the article) is an attempt by the writer to end the article differently, while summing-up what it takes to be a successful sports-star.
The Sporting Spirit
They train, they befriend injury and pain, they sacrifice,
They plan, they execute, they improvise,
They fight, they compete, they mesmerize
They perspire, they inspire,
They win, they lose,
They celebrate, they congratulate,
They collaborate, they orchestrate,
They calculate, they innovate,
They invigorate, they intoxicate,
Wood, water, grass, synthetic, mud or clay,
From all turfs, their feats emanate
They entertain, they complain, sometimes even utter words profane
Through talent arcane, strength insane, action germane
And guts to embrace the rival’s disdain,
They eventually taste the victory champagne
Their acts of sportsman-spirit and fair-play,
Grace the field and forge the righteous way,
For youngsters to follow and the world to praise,
The sport, the spirit and performances to daze
They carry the weight of expectations,
They overcome criticism and lamentations,
They go beyond the satisfaction of adulations,
To push the limits of achievement and exaltations
They strive to fulfill obligations and aspirations,
In the face of limitations and tribulations,
To rouse ecstatic exclamations across generations,
They put smiles on faces and give hope to nations….
Sports persons are real heroes.
JyotishWorks.com
17th October 2022
Afterword
This article was originally written for an astrology journal with a view to highlight parameters required for being a successful sports-star, but for some reason it wasn’t submitted for publishing. Its intended audience was supposed to be conversant with terms used by astrologers and so the article had a fair bit of astrological-jargon. Before putting-up the article here, some changes were made, to make it easier for all types of readers to follow what is being said.
This (afterword) section has been added to help those who are unschooled in astrology and unfamiliar with the terms used in the article, but are still curious and desirous of verifying whether the stated principles actually apply to the horoscopes given as examples.
On scrolling further down, the reader will find two pictures that show how houses in a North-Indian styled horoscope are identified and one picture that shows which houses planets gain directional-strength in. Below the pictures there are two guide-tables that give necessary information about planets and signs.
How to test the stated principles –
Section – The Beginning
Example Horoscope – Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Principles Stated in the Section –
Step 1 – See ‘Houses in a Horoscope’ to find out where the 3rd house lies.
Step 2 – Go to Dhoni’s horoscope and see if there is any planet in his 3rd house (There is no planet in his 3rd house)
Step 3 – Which number do you see in his 3rd house? This number signifies the sign that falls in his 3rd house. (Number 8)
Step 4 - Go to Table 1 and search for the zodiac sign that has a numerical representation of 8 (Its Scorpio).
Step 5 – Check if any malefic planets have an influence on the 3rd house. Which are the malefic planets? (Search Table 1 to find-out which planets are malefic – Mars, Sun & Saturn)
Step 6 – Check if any of these malefic planets aspect the 3rd house. Go to Dhoni’s horoscope and see where the malefic planets are placed and whether they influence the 3rd house.
See Table 2 (Aspects) to find out which signs Mars will aspect from Taurus.
It aspects – Scorpio, Leo and Sagittarius.
Does any of these signs fall in the 3rd house? Yes – Scorpio falls in the 3rd house (Step 4)
Mars being a malefic, influences the 3rd house by aspect.
See Table 2 (Aspects) to find out which signs Sun will aspect from Gemini.
It aspects only Sagittarius.
No influence of Sun on the 3rd house, either by aspect or by placement.
See Table 2 (Aspects) to find out which signs Saturn will aspect from Virgo.
It aspects – Scorpio, Pisces and Gemini.
Does any of these signs fall in the 3rd house? Yes – Scorpio falls in the 3rd house (Step 4)
Saturn being a malefic, aspects the 3rd house by aspect.
Horoscope satisfies criteria (a).
Step 7 – Dhoni’s 6th house and even its lord – Saturn, is not aspected by any planet. No planet is placed in his 6th house. (See ‘Houses in Horoscope’ picture & Table 1. Sign in 6th house = 11 = Aquarius. Lord of Aquarius = Saturn)
Horoscope does not satisfy criteria (b).
Step 8 – Mercury is conjunct (placed in the same sign) with Sun. Sun is the 12th lord. (See ‘Houses in Horoscope’ picture & Table 1)
Horoscope does not satisfy criteria (c).
Step 9 – The Sun (a malefic planet) influences the sign – Gemini through its placement there. (From Step 6b)
Horoscope satisfies criteria (d).
Step 10 – Mercury is placed in a sign with the numerical representation of 3. (3 = Gemini, from Table 1)
Horoscope satisfies criteria (e).
We've solved one case as an example for unschooled readers. The rest they will have to do themselves following the process mentioned. Good luck.
** All horoscopes will not satisfy all given criteria. Criteria satisfaction also depends on operating dasha and sometimes on transit positions of planets. Getting the right transit at the right time, amounts to being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes, that is a ‘good-enough’ criteria for success. When that happens, even people with mediocre skills and abilities get big opportunities. It does not matter whether the person is the right person or not.
Table 1 (Sign Ownership, Nature, Exaltation and Debilitation) |
|||||
Zodiac Sign |
Numerical Representation |
Lord (Owner of Sign) |
Basic Nature of Lord |
Exaltation Sign of Lord |
Debilitation Sign(s) of Lord |
Aries |
1 |
Mars (Ma) |
Malefic |
Capricorn (10) |
Cancer (4) |
Taurus |
2 |
Venus (Ve) |
Benefic |
Pisces (12) |
Virgo (6) |
Gemini |
3 |
Mercury (Me) |
Benefic |
Virgo (6) |
Pisces (12) |
Cancer |
4 |
Moon (Mo) |
Conditional |
Taurus (2) |
Scorpio (8) |
Leo |
5 |
Sun (Su) |
Malefic |
Aries (1) |
Libra (7) |
Virgo |
6 |
Mercury (Me) |
Benefic |
Virgo (6) |
Pisces (12) |
Libra |
7 |
Venus (Ve) |
Benefic |
Pisces (12) |
Virgo (6) |
Scorpio |
8 |
Mars (Ma) |
Malefic |
Capricorn (10) |
Cancer (4) |
Sagittarius |
9 |
Jupiter (Ju) |
Benefic |
Cancer (4) |
Capricorn (10) |
Capricorn |
10 |
Saturn (Sa) |
Malefic |
Libra (7) |
Aries (1) |
Aquarius |
11 |
Saturn (Sa) |
Malefic |
Libra (7) |
Aries (1) |
Pisces |
12 |
Jupiter (Ju) |
Benefic |
Cancer (4) |
Capricorn (10) |
Table 2 (Aspects) |
||||
Planets in Sign |
All Planets Will Aspect |
Mars will also Aspect |
Jupiter will also Aspect |
Saturn will also Aspect |
Aries (1) |
Libra (7) |
Can (4) & Sco (8) |
Leo (5) & Sag (9) |
Gem (3) & Cap (10) |
Taurus (2) |
Scorpio (8) |
Leo (5) & Sag (9) |
Vir (6) & Cap (10) |
Can (4) & Aqu (11) |
Gemini (3) |
Sagittarius (9) |
Vir (6) & Cap (10) |
Lib (7) & Aqu (11) |
Leo (5) & Pis (12) |
Cancer (4) |
Capricorn (10) |
Lib (7) & Aqu (11) |
Sco (8) & Pis (12) |
Vir (6) & Ari (1) |
Leo (5) |
Aquarius (11) |
Sco (8) & Pis (12) |
Sag (9) & Ari (1) |
Lib (7) & Tau (2) |
Virgo (6) |
Pisces (12) |
Sag (9) & Ari (1) |
Cap (10) & Tau (2) |
Sco (8) & Gem (3) |
Libra (7) |
Aries (1) |
Cap (10) & Tau (2) |
Aqu (11) & Gem (3) |
Sag (9) & Can (4) |
Scorpio (8) |
Taurus (2) |
Aqu (11) & Gem (3) |
Pis (12) & Can (4) |
Cap (10) & Leo (5) |
Sagittarius (9) |
Gemini (3) |
Pis (12) & Can (4) |
Ari (1) & Leo (5) |
Aqu (11) & Vir (6) |
Capricorn (10) |
Cancer (4) |
Ari (1) & Leo (5) |
Tau (2) & Vir (6) |
Pis (12) & Lib (7) |
Aquarius (11) |
Leo (5) |
Tau (2) & Vir (6) |
Gem (3) & Lib (7) |
Ari (1) & Sco (8) |
Pisces (12) |
Virgo (6) |
Gem (3) & Lib (7) |
Can (4) & Sco (8) |
Tau (2) & Sag (9) |