This Uttarayana period which was six months long is now over. With the Sun traveling from the sign of Cancer on July 16th, the period is known as Dakshinayana – and the day is Karkata Sankaranti. It will be in Cancer till August 16^th and then go through Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius sign. This month has nearly all the planets in dignity- which is a good thing. During the six-month dakshinayana cycle, after the summer peak, the sun’s energy wanes and the moon’s energy increases, releasing water and cooling energy back to the earth.  Dakshinayana is also the visarga kala or the period of hydration spanning the Varsha (rainy season), Sharad (autumn) and Hemantha (early winter) seasons. In mythology, it is said that in this period the deities are asleep. Most festivals fall in this period of the year to invoke protection and immunity from malevolent beings and diseases.

The current planetary transit of the Sun moving to Cancer gives both relief and obstacles. The main relief is that after leaving Gemini, the Sun is no longer with Rahu under his influence. The eclipse season is also over and the Sun is fresh and clear. The obstacle, however, is that the Sun is opposite Saturn and will be so throughout the month. On 20^th July, especially they are perfectly opposite each other. This father and son duo are always opposed to each other. Astrologically, Saturn represents the common man and the Sun represents the ruler or one in authority. So, with Saturn in Capricorn, (a sign that denotes governments), one could expect opposition to authority by the public. Also, Sun is in a water sign (Cancer) and the father is in a motherly house.

A common representation of the Sun God or Surya Deva shows him riding on a chariot that is drawn by seven horses. According to Vedic literature the carriage of the sun-god’s chariot is estimated to be 3,600,000 yojanas [28,800,000 miles] long and one-fourth as wide [900,000 yojanas, or 7,200,000 miles] (1 yojana =8 miles). The chariot’s horses, are named after various Vedic metres such as Gayatri, Brhati, Usnik, Jagati, Trishtup, Anushtup and Pankti.  are harnessed by the charioteer and demigod Arunadeva to a yoke that is also 900,000 yojanas wide. The entire kala–cakra, or wheel of time, is established on the wheel of the sun-god’s chariot. This wheel is known as Samvatsara or one Hindu year. Standing in front of Surya, offering their prayers are sixty thousand sages known as Valikhilyas. The sun-god travels through the universe for a distance of 95,100,000 yojanas (760,800,000 miles) at a speed of 25755941.4 metres at every moment (the speed of light now as we know is 299792458 per second). The Sun is said to be in the middle of the universe, between Bhuloka and Bhuvarloka. In astrology, he is known to be a benevolent deity.

The Brihat Samhita says  “The sun who is the king of all the planets, full of infinite effulgence, the image of the good soul, is as the eye of this world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in pursuance of whose order the sun performs his journey mounting the wheel of time.”

In addition, the sun will go through Gandanta on 16th August. Hence, both these Sankarantis are extremely important. I have already described Sankarantis and the movement of the Sun in a previous article. Gandanta point is a spiritual knot, which I will perhaps describe in article later. It is a concept very unique to Hindu astrology, which is a point that links two different elements of zodiac signs, which are between last degrees of water and the first degrees of fire signs. This spiritual knot is also known as the ‘drowning point’.  Mars goes Gandata from 14-16^th August (29 degrees in Pisces). This period represents rainy seasons, hurricane seasons. So astrologers do warn against water-related events/ catastrophes for the world. There will be two other times Mars goes Gandanta, but that will be described at a later date.

But overall, Sun in Cancer during this month, would mean that you need to nurture yourselves, look after yourself as well as others. Keeping some quiet time for yourself is a great idea too. Stay Safe, Stay Healthy.

(My obeisance to Sage Parasara who gave us the treatise Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra; Sage VarahaMihira who wrote the Brihat Samhita Hora, and the current astrologers, Joni Patry,  Komilla Sutton, KRS and a host of other experts who have made astrology comprehensible to the layman. I am attempting this essay only because of them. Any errors are only mine)