The 12 signs of the zodiac are divided into,
- Agni tattva rashi ie the fiery signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
- Pruthvi tattva rashi ie the earthy signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
- Vayu tattva rashi ie the airy signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
- Jal tattva rashi ie the watery signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
Agni अग्नि is a Sanskrit word meaning fire, gold, the fire in the body, the number 3, ability to digest, the akshar ‘Re’ the energy of the third eye etc. The consciousness of fire, ie Agni is one of the prime deities of Sanatan Dharma. He is the witness of everything and knows everything.
Rashi राशि means volume, mass, amount, cluster, collection, quantity, sum, multitude, number, division, etc. A rashi is a collection of attributes and to really understand a sign we have to analyse how these attributes interact with each other in a dynamic pattern. The environment presented by a sign is never static but always dynamic. If you can understand this then you will be able to comprehend how and why a single sign can create a variety of different results.
The three fiery signs, Aries / Mesh, Leo /Simha and Sagittarius /Dhanu show a few common attributes which can be used in analysing the chart, especially the dynamics of the Trikon they occupy. Or if your birth Moon is in such a fiery sign then you can use these attributes to become more aware of your Mind and how it operates. The ascendant sign or several birth planets in fiery signs will also add these traits to your personality.
A spark puts things into motion. And Agni rashis are pure energy, the active signs of the zodiac, dynamic and passionate. The environments represented by these signs burn, ie convert the stored potential to the kinetic and create a visible force. This energy can burn inwards towards the self or outwards towards the environment. Fire is a fluid energy, so it needs to be consciously directed in order to be useful. The same fire can either warm you or destroy you, it depends on if you manage it or let it run wild. The force represented by fire can be magnified and very rapidly, just as a single spark can easily turn into a raging inferno in a matter of seconds. This fire is omnipresent, it is there in all things, eg a piece of wood has fire hidden within, it just needs the right conditions to express itself. Similarly the Agni rashis have extraordinary potential which can easily converted into action.
Rulers of the three fire signs are in sequence, Mars, Sun and Jupiter. Mars is the fire which ignites you to explore, move out of your comfort zones, try new things, etc. Aggression, passion, competition, invasion, are his keywords. And Sun is the regal fire where one knows what he is, what he is entitled to and what he ‘rules’ over. Every king in history had the Sun on his emblem to proclaim his sovereignty. Both Mars and Sun are obviously fiery planets, one is blood red in color, the other is burning gold, but how does Jupiter figure in this sequence? Jupiter is not ‘fiery’, or is he? He is the culmination of the fiery energy, the mellow slow burning auspicious yellow saffron which emerges after the Martian passion and the Solar ego have been burnt out. Jupiter is thus the fire of gained knowledge and pure wisdom, the benevolent elder, who wields soft power which is, in a way, more effective than the fire of the other two planets.
Another way of looking at this sequence is that first you explore, discover and use things for yourself without thinking about them too much. You are more into the thrill of the conquest. Next you realise that these things are yours, but if you use them systematically they will continue to be of use. You ‘cultivate’ them in a dispassionate manner. You are confident that you can always conquer more if you run out but now you see the value of a system. And finally you are willing to accept the advise of people wiser than you and use your assets as per their teachings. You learn the philosophical foundations of this cycle of invasion, rule and wisdom. The sequence is a continuous expansion of perspective and increase in maturity. This cycle repeats with every new idea, project or assignment that you take up.
The odd signs are considered male and even ones as female. The 3 fiery signs are all male signs, they are a more solid energy, they are able to consolidate their energy. All three are capable of focussing on a goal and making every effort to achieve it. There is an implacable will and motivation to push forward. They also function as catalysts ie, they can inspire or motivate or even force others to come out of their lethargy and act. Their passion and conviction in themselves makes them leaders whatever be their life situation. And whatever these signs achieve, create or make will be a permanent item which will act as a foundation for others to build upon. (Fiery signs are followed by earthy signs, the builders of the zodiac.) This foundation can be in the form of a conquest, an establishment or more a more intangible philosophical theory.
The three Agni rashi are in the sequence of moveable / chara, fixed/ sthira and dual/ dvi swabhavi rashi. This indicates that the flow of energy is to first explore, to move, to advance into new territories, new thought processes, new experiences, new people etc. Then the task is to regulate the energy, to control and use these experiences, items etc generated from it in a dispassionate and sustainable way. And then to finally to use them but in a typical manner, part of this energy will serve as the foundation and part will be a spurt of movement emitted out from it. Thus this fiery energy will be completely consumed and a new cycle will begin again. eg the analyse every revolution in history, it has always began with a philosophy. Actions, dominion and words, all three are the same fire.
All these three signs are of the Kshatriya varna. These rashis have the capacity to absorb immense pain if the objective is worth it. There is an inbuilt sense of responsibility, a desire to protect, to expand and also to control. All three signs are in their own ways, highly disciplined, strict on themselves, capable of training themselves diligently and are ready for every eventuality. They have a very good instinct as their minds are able to pick up the slightest nuances from others and their environment. Active and reactive by nature, the fiery signs are always alert and ready for anything. They are born leaders, able to strategise and take the initiative. Whenever these signs are placed in life they will always rule. Just as Mars rules over his soldiers, Sun over his subjects and Jupiter over his students. They always have some goal in mind and they will not dissipate their fire in vain. Target oriented, they will attain whatever they set their minds to, they are tenacious and are willing to act.
These three signs make up the fundamental Dharma trikon of the natural zodiac. This trikon is how your own personality, the environment that you have chosen for yourself, the creative energy that you have with you and the way you use it and finally the foundations in every way possible of your life link with each other, generate energy, feed into each other in a endless loop. This trikon is the fire of your personality, the way you initiate things, process them, project them, use them completely to go onwards and then again repeat this cycle again.
According to the bright and dark halves concept, Aries is half and half bright and dark. Sagittarius is in the bright half and Leo in the dark half. This indicates that the fiery signs have an equal potential to project outwards or inwards depending on the rest of the chart. So here you have an opportunity to use this trikon in the way you choose, either for self development in the inner world or in the outer world.
Each sign consists of 9 nakshatra quarters/ pad, ie quarters from 3 nakshatra make up one rashi.
- Aries – Ashwini Bharani and one quarter of Krutika nakshatras
- Leo – Magha, Poorva phalguni and one quarter of Uttara phalguni nakshatras
- Sagittarius – Moola, Poorva ashadha and one quarter of Uttara ashadha nakshatras
The planets associated with these three lunar mansions are in sequence Ketu, Venus and Sun. In this sequence too we can see the same concept being subtly repeated. Ketu is the flag which signals the advance, Venus is the process where equitable systems are set up to manage the newly acquired stuff and Sun is then the process where the entitled ruler takes it all in his hands.
The preferred partner, the mirror, is seen from the signs located 7th from, so here we have Libra, Aquarius and Gemini, the airy signs, the natural Kama trikon. The energy of the being is best used to desire, move and create things. Fire and air make a volatile mix as both are fluid in nature, intense too, but they do support each other. They appreciate each other’s natures and often work well together, there is mutual intelligence, drive, passion and capacity to achieve the highest goals. However in such charts for marriage matching, do check if they have any support from the watery and especially from the earthy signs. Air and fire together lack staying capacity and having some support from these other signs will make up for this. Also both together can literally turn into a fireball so some grounding or emotional elements will help stabilise their life together.
Some negatives for the fiery signs are hyper-activity, uncontrolled energy which can consume you and destroy the people around you. Aggression, rage, violence, selfishness, over-confidence, fanaticism, egoistic and impulsive behaviour is possible. Engaging in risky activities, getting into accidents, jumping to conclusions and giving in to passions without thinking. Starting projects and never finishing them, this is your biggest problem. So try to be practical about stuff, even if you feel that you have unlimited ideas and energy do take up only those projects which you can realistically complete. Or assemble a team which can sincerely continue your projects. Overextending yourself and then burning out is possible. Medical problems related to overheating, head, eyes, blood, etc are possible. Mental and emotional distress is possible as there is no outlet for expressing this energy. Or at the other extreme, if the fire signs are suppressed in some way, eg if ‘cold’ planets like Saturn are placed in them, then you might lack drive, passion, energy, courage, inspiration, enthusiasm, creativity etc. On the medical front, poor digestion, general ill-health and low immunity etc is possible. Emotionally you will suffocate on the inside with limited options for expressing yourself. Malefics in these signs can twist the pure passion and create criminals, despots and zealots. These are the people who deny others the chance to express their individual energy, suppress them or cause others harm in some way.
The Moon is fluid and receptive by nature. He is in charge of the astral self, the sum total of your past present, future and parallel existences. The Moon is primarily a building force, he takes the necessary energies from the Sun, reflects them in typical ways and thus creates, nurtures, nourishes and then even comforts you. The birth Moon sign is an important significator of your Mind and how it works. If you are able to decipher and direct your Mind, you can control everything within and around you.
If you have your birth Moon in a fiery sign, or even the ascendant sign or have several planets in fiery signs, then you will express the above traits in your life in a significant manner. You have the ability to see opportunities in every aspect of your life. You are inspired and also inspirational. Ideas buzzing in your mind, you are always active. With this fire within you there is a high possibility of tapping into your latent potential and to make your dreams real. So use Jyotish to understand yourself better to live a fuller life.
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