Signs of Immediate Rain
This chapter describes various astrological, natural, and behavioral signs that indicate immediate or imminent rainfall. These signs range from planetary positions to animal behavior, atmospheric conditions, and even the actions of the querist.
Astrological Signs
đ Moon Position (Bright Fortnight)
Sign
Moon in Lagna (watery sign: Cancer, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces) or 4th, 7th, 10th house
Condition
Aspected by benefics
Result
Plentiful rain ere long in the monsoon
đ Moon Position (Bright Fortnight)
Sign
Moon in Lagna (watery sign) or 4th, 7th, 10th house
Condition
Aspected by malefics
Result
Very little rain
âī¸ Venus Position
Sign
Venus should be treated on par with Moon during rainy season
Condition
Same rules as Moon apply
Result
Rain predictions
đâī¸ Moon-Venus Relationship
Sign
Moon in 7th house from Venus
Condition
Aspected by benefics
Result
Rain soon
đâ Moon-Saturn Relationship
Sign
Moon in 5th, 7th, or 9th house from Saturn
Condition
Aspected by benefics
Result
Rain soon
Planetary Events Indicating Rain
| Event | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Heliacal Rising and Setting | Planets rising or setting with the Sun | Rain generally occurs |
| Moon Conjunctions | Conjunction of non-luminaries with the Moon | Rain expected |
| Mandala Entry | Planets entering any of the six Mandalas | Rain expected |
| Fortnight End | End of a fortnight | Rain expected |
| Solstice | At the time of solstice | Rain expected |
| Sun in Ardra | Sun passing through asterism Ardra | Rain certainly occurs |
| Mercury-Venus Conjunction | Conjunction of Mercury and Venus | Rain will occur |
| Mercury-Jupiter Conjunction | Conjunction of Mercury and Jupiter | Rain will occur |
| Jupiter-Venus Conjunction | Conjunction of Jupiter and Venus | Rain will occur |
| Mars-Saturn Conjunction | Conjunction of Mars and Saturn (not aspected by benefics) | Peril from wind and fire (not rain) |
| Planetary Eclipse by Sun | Planets about to be eclipsed by Sun (slower in front, faster behind) | Convert earth into an ocean |
Signs from the Querist
If any of these conditions are met at the time of query, predict rain ere long without
any doubt:
- Querist touches any wet object
- Querist touches water or any other liquid (pearls, etc.)
- Querist stands near water
- Querist is about to do something connected with water or liquid
- At the time, the word "water" is heard in the place
Celestial Signs
âī¸ Sun Appearance
- Sun at rising cannot be looked at due to dazzling brilliance
- Sun appears like molten gold
- Sun possesses pure lustre of beryl
- Sun burns with intense heat at zenith
Rain on the very same day
đ Moon Appearance
- Moon has red hue of eyes of parrot or pigeon
- Moon has color of honey
- Second Moon shines in the sky
Immediate rain
â Halos
- Halos of color of cock's eyes round the Moon
- Halos round the Sun and Moon at sunrise or sunset
Rain indication
⥠Lightning
- Blood-red lines of lightning standing erect like rods at day time
- Lightning flashing from north-east at day-time
- Flashes of lightning at sunrise or sunset
Immediate rain / Earth filled with water
đŠī¸ Thunder
- Peals of thunder at night
- Clouds thunder close to the earth
Immediate rain
đŦī¸ Wind
- Cool breeze blowing from the east
Immediate rain
đ Rainbow & Atmospheric
- Rainbow at sunrise or sunset
- Cross bar of clouds
- Mock Sun
- Straight fragmentary rainbow
Plentiful rain in near future
đ Sky Color
- Sky bears tinge of wings of Tittira bird
Rain soon by day and night
âī¸ Sun Beams
- Sun-beams called "unerring" stretched upwards like out-stretched arms of "setting Mountain"
Important sign of rain
⨠Night Signs
- Glow-worms at night near the clouds
Rain filling all fields before long
Cloud Characteristics
Clouds at Dawn or Twilight
Colors
- Peacocks
- Parrots
- Blue-jays
- Chataka birds
- Roses
- Red lotuses
Shapes
- Waves
- Hills
- Crocodiles
- Tortoises
- Fishes
Features
- Piled up with many folds
Pour down rain before long
Clouds at General
Colors
- White as chunam or Moon at edges
- Dark as collyrium or bees at centre
Shapes
- Breaks like steps of staircase
Features
- Glossy
- Many folds
- Dropping particles of water
- Formed in east sailing westward or vice versa
Yield plenty of rain before long
Natural Signs (Animal & Environmental Behavior)
đ§ Water & Environment
- Tasteless water
- Sky color of cow's eyes or crow's eggs
- Uncontaminated directions
- Moisture of salt
- Calm wind
đ¸ Aquatic Life
- Much tumbling of fishes ashore
- Repeated croakings of frogs
đą Animal Behavior - Cats
- Cats scratching earth very much with their nails
đē Household Items
- Accumulation of rust on iron or bronze vessels with musty smell
đļ Children's Activities
- Construction of bridges on high roads by children
â°ī¸ Mountains
- Mountains resembling heaps of collyrium
- Mountain caves wrapped in vapour
đ Insects
- Ants shifting their eggs without any trouble
- Creeping worms betake themselves to tips of grass
đ Snakes
- Snakes mating
- Snakes climbing down the trees
đ Cows
- Cows' stampede
- Cows look up towards the Sun
- Cows reluctant to go out of house
- Cows shake their ears and hoofs
đĻ Chameleons
- Chameleons perched on tops of trees fix their gaze on firmament
đ Dogs
- Dogs shake their ears and hoofs
- Dogs stand on roofs of houses
- Dogs bark continuously looking up towards heavens
đĻ Birds
- Birds bathe in water or dust
- Groups of birds twitter merrily at sunrise and sunset
đą Plants
- Sprouts of creepers turned up towards the sky
Spurious Verses
The following verses are considered spurious or not recognized by the commentator:
Sloka 17
Sky bears tinge of wings of Tittira bird, groups of birds twitter merrily
Marked as spurious by commentator
Slokas 23-24
Glow-worms at night; jackals howling preventing rain for 7 days
Not recognized by commentator
Key Principles
- Moon in Lagna (watery sign) or Kendra (4th, 7th, 10th) in bright fortnight + benefic aspect = plentiful rain
- Same position with malefic aspect = very little rain
- Venus treated on par with Moon during rainy season for predictions
- In dark half, Moon must be in Lagna Kendra only; in bright half, any Kendra is acceptable
- Querist's actions involving water at time of query = definite rain prediction without doubt
- Sun's dazzling brilliance at sunrise or intense heat at zenith = rain same day
- Multiple natural signs from animals, insects, and environment indicate immediate rain
- Cloud characteristics (color, shape, features) are important rain indicators
- Specific planetary events and conjunctions trigger rainfall
- Sun passing through Ardra asterism = rain certainly occurs
- Benefic conjunctions (Mercury-Venus, Mercury-Jupiter, Jupiter-Venus) = rain
- Mars-Saturn conjunction without benefic aspect = peril from wind and fire, not rain
- Planets eclipsed by Sun = earth converted into ocean
- Lightning from north-east at daytime = earth completely filled with water
- Cool easterly breeze + thunder at night + blood-red lightning = immediate rain
- Jackals howling in evening despite rainfall = no rain for 7 days (spurious verse)
Quick Reference: Timing of Rain
| Sign Category | Timing | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Rain | Very soon | Moon color of honey, second Moon, thunder at night, cool east breeze |
| Same Day Rain | Within 24 hours | Sun's dazzling brilliance at sunrise, intense heat at zenith |
| Rain Ere Long | Soon/Near future | Moon in Kendra + benefic aspect, querist touching water, animal behaviors |
| Before Long | In the near future | Specific cloud characteristics, glow-worms near clouds |
| Without Much Delay | Shortly | Chameleons gazing at firmament, cows looking at Sun |
| Plentiful Rain | Near future | Rainbow/halos at sunrise/sunset, specific cloud formations |