Pregnancy of Clouds
As food is the elixir of life to living beings, and as that food is dependent on the monsoon, the pregnancy of clouds should be investigated carefully. Ancient sages such as Garga, Parasara, Kasyapa and Vajra have enunciated detailed characteristics of the rainy season.
The prediction of an astrologer who day and night attentively watches the symptoms of the pregnancy of clouds will come true like that of a sage when determining the fall of rain. This astrological science determines the exact time of rain and gives the power of visualizing the past, present and future.
Pregnancy Timing and Gestation
Start of Pregnancy
Moon transits Purvashadha commencing from the first day of Margasira
Gestation Period
195 solar days
Birth Time
Moon standing again in the same asterism according to laws of her revolution
Birth Timing Rules
The time of rainfall (birth) is opposite to the time of cloud formation (conception):
| Formation Time | Birth/Rainfall Time |
|---|---|
| Bright half of month | Dark half of month |
| Dark half of month | Bright half of month |
| Day time | Night time |
| Night time | Day time |
| Dawn | Evening |
| Evening | Dawn |
Monthly Formation and Birth Times
| Formation Month | Birth/Rainfall Time |
|---|---|
| Beginning of Margasirsha | Little consequence |
| Beginning of Pushya | Little consequence |
| Dark half of Pushya | Bright half of Sravana |
| Bright half of Magha | Dark fortnight of Sravana |
| Dark half of Magha | Former part of Bhadrapada |
| First half of Phalguna | Latter half of Bhadrapada |
| Dark fortnight of Phalguna | Bright half of Aswayuja |
| First half of Chaitra | Latter half of Aswayuja |
| Latter half of Chaitra | First half of Kartika |
Directional Rules
Clouds formed in one direction will give water in the opposite direction. The same rule holds for winds:
Formation: East → Rainfall: West
Formation: West → Rainfall: East
Formation: North → Rainfall: South
Formation: South → Rainfall: North
Good Symptoms at Conception
Auspicious Signs
Delightful and cool breeze from north, north-east, or east
Clear sky
Sun and Moon surrounded by glossy, bright and thick halo
Sky covered with large, bulky, smooth, needle-like or razor-like red clouds
Clouds having color of crow's eggs or peacock's neck
Moon and stars shine brightly
Good twilight (morning or evening) accompanied by rainbow
Good rumbling of thunder
Lightning and mock Sun
Groups of birds and animals crying pleasantly in north, north-east or east
Planets being large, beaming brightly, moving to north and unhurt
Trees with sprouts unimpaired
Men and quadrupeds happy
Monthly Special Symptoms
Margasirsha
Red glow of horizon at dawn and evening; clouds with halos; not too severe cold
Pushya
Red glow of horizon at dawn and evening; clouds with halos; not too thick frost
Magha
Strong wind; Sun and Moon dim by mist; severe cold; Sun rising or setting with clouds
Phalguna
Rough and violent gale; glossy floating banks of clouds; incomplete halo round Sun or Moon; Sun russet or red
Chaitra
Foetuses forming among wind, clouds, rain and halos
Vaisakha
Clouds, wind and rain; lightning and thunder
Clouds with Abundant Water
Clouds with the following characteristics will contain abundant water and pour torrents at delivery:
Clouds resembling pearls in color
Clouds resembling silver in color
Clouds resembling Kamala flower in color
Clouds resembling lily in color
Clouds resembling collyrium in color
Clouds in shape of aquatic animals
Note: Clouds scorched by burning rays of the Sun and fanned by gentle breeze will pour torrents of water at delivery as if they were angry.
Miscarriage Indicators
Signs of Embryo Destruction
The following portents (celestial, atmospheric, and terrestrial) destroy cloud embryos:
Fall of meteors
Lightning
Dust-storm
False fire in the quarters
Earth-quake
Appearance of forms of cities in the sky
Thamasa Keelakas
Ketu
Planetary warfare
Portentous thunder
Unnatural phenomena in rain (such as blood)
Cross line of clouds at Sunset or Sunrise
Rainbow
Eclipse of Sun or Moon
Fertile Asterisms
Plenty of Rain
Foetuses developing when Moon stands in these asterisms yield plenty of rain:
- Purvabhadra
- Uttarabhadra
- Purvashadha
- Uttarashadha
- Rohini
Long Duration Rain
Embryos formed in these asterisms rain for many days:
- Satabhisthak
- Aslesha
- Ardra
- Swati
- Magha
Rainfall Duration by Month
Foetuses formed in conjunction with fertile asterisms during these months will yield rain after 195 days for the specified duration:
8
days
Margasirsha
6
days
Pushya
16
days
Magha
24
days
Phalguna
20
days
Chaitra
3
days
Vaisakha
Rainfall Area Coverage
The area of rainfall depends on the five phenomena (wind, water, lightning, thunder, cloud):
| Number of Phenomena | Area Coverage |
|---|---|
| 5 | 100 Yojanas |
| 4 | 50 Yojanas |
| 3 | 25 Yojanas |
| 2 | 12.5 Yojanas |
| 1 | 5 Yojanas |
Note: For every phenomenon less, the area is half the extent of the previous one.
Rainfall Quantity
The quantity of rainfall at the season depends on the concomitants:
| Condition | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Five concomitants (wind, water, lightning, thunder, cloud) | 1 Drona (200 Palas) |
| Wind | 3 Adhakas |
| Lightning | 6 Adhakas |
| Clouds | 9 Adhakas |
| Thunder | 12 Adhakas |
Note: 1 Drona = 200 Palas. 1 Adhaka = 1/4 of a Drona or 11 oz. Avoir.
Special Conditions
Planetary Affliction
If the asterism at which an embryo is formed be afflicted by a malefic planet:
It will pour down showers of hail stones, thunderbolt and fish
However, if Moon or Sun be posited in this star and conjoined with or aspected by a benefic:
There will be copious rain
Excessive Rain at Formation
Too much rain without apparent reason at the time of formation of foetuses:
Tends to their destruction
If rainfall exceeds 1/4 of a Drona:
There will be miscarriage
Delayed Rain
If a full-grown embryo does not yield rain at proper season due to planetary and other evil influences:
It will rain with hail-stones at the same period as it formed at the beginning
Just as milk of a milch cow grows hard if retained too long, so does water kept back beyond its time.
Five Concomitant Signs
An embryo with all five concomitant signs (wind, rain, lightning, thunder, clouds):
Yields plenty of rain
One which loses too much water at formation:
Produces at delivery only a drizzle
Important Principles
- The symptoms of pregnancy are detected when the Moon transits Purvashadha commencing from the first day of Margasira.
- The foetus formed during Moon's stay in a particular asterism will be born 195 solar days hence, with Moon standing again in the same asterism.
- Birth timing is opposite to formation timing: bright half → dark half, day → night, dawn → evening.
- Clouds formed in one direction give water in the opposite direction; winds also reverse at the two periods.
- Signs precisely the reverse of good symptoms (both general and seasonal) produce contrary results.
- Foetuses formed in beginning of Margasirsha and Pushya are of little consequence.
- Certain asterisms (Purvabhadra, Uttarabhadra, Purvashadha, Uttarashadha, Rohini) yield plenty of rain.
- Other asterisms (Satabhisthak, Aslesha, Ardra, Swati, Magha) produce rain for many days.
- The area and quantity of rainfall depend on the number of concomitant phenomena present.
- Three-fold portents (celestial, atmospheric, terrestrial) can destroy cloud embryos.