“देर आये,दुरुस्त आये “ (Der Ayee Durust Aye) – it means “You have come late but you have taken the right step.” In plain words – it resonates with the saying “It is better to be late than to be NEVER.” Retrograde Jupiter is a situation where the native takes time to understand certain values of life – it takes time to SINK IN.
However, once it sinks in – then they never turn back – then they are all set on the PATH – the PATH of righteousness – the PATH of awareness – The Buddha Path.
Now when it takes time to SINK in – SAMJHNE MEIN WAQT LAGTA HAI – then it is obvious that you will commit certain serious mistakes in life for you may regret later.
And so Retrograde Jupiter is a sign that the person is going to commit certain action (Karma) in the state of ignorance however when the thought of “How much an idiot I have been” sinks in – then they go through self-transformations.
So ideally Retrograde Jupiter is a story of a BAD man or an IGNORANT IDIOT transforming into a wise man – of course in the later stage of life – because self-growth tends to delay with this placement.
One significant aspect of Retrograde Jupiter is that these fellows always feel guilty about their acts. The feeling of guilt is actually not good for spiritual progress.
Jesus says “No one among you is free from sin” – Sin happens. What is Sin? Asked Mohan.
Sin is simply the absence of awareness. Whatever you do in the absence of awareness is SIN. And so SIN can be corrected – by bringing back awareness in your being. That is why the Buddhists don’t have the word SIN in their ‘dictionary’.
Jupiter is the GURU. And who is your FIRST GURU? The very FIRST GURU in life is your FATHER. Now when GURU is RETROGRADE – it is obvious that there is some problem or issue with the FATHER. Either there are differences with the Father or the Father is a very unique person and that he is not easily reachable or the native cannot truly relate with the thoughts of his or her father.
Retrograde Jupiter actually is a sign of certain challenges when it comes to seeking a spiritual master. The question of whether the spiritual master is available in physical form or not is irrelevant. Always remember – GURU is not the physical form.
The Bhagavan used to say – “You will be disappointed if you hold onto my physical feet because one day this physical body will disappear. The greatest worship is worshipping the Guru’s feet that are within oneself.”
SELF is the GURU says the Bhagavan – Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi. SELF means the consciousness within you. Because GURU is nothing but PURE CONSCIOUSNESS! And so when you start living your life with more and more consciousness – someday you are going to meet your master who is the LIGHT OF CONSCIOUSNESS!
So meeting the GURU in physical form is irrelevant – what is relevant is that you CONNECT with your GURU – and this is exactly where RETROGRADE JUPITER native falls short of – he or she is unable to CONNECT with the GURU. This is because of JUPITER in a retrograde state. It simply implies that this PAUSE state of Jupiter is a second chance given to you – so that you take efforts towards improvising yourself and rectify yourself – thereby in the next birth – you come out as a person who has had his share of learning and is now a better version of oneself.
No matter whether Jupiter is a beneficial planet or not – RETROGRESSION always is a STATE that demands that you PAUSE to introspect in the matters ruled by Jupiter as well as the matters that fall under the house ruled by Jupiter in your Ascendant as well as Moon chart.
RETROGRESSION of JUPITER is simply a signal to PAUSE, to INTROSPECT, to REFLECT.
Now the question may arise that why certain individuals are born with a message to PAUSE and introspect?
And the answer is because they have been going wrong. They have been doing something wrong and so the existence gives them a chance to PAUSE and introspect in the form of RETROGRADE JUPITER.
Many a time when you are doing certain wrong things in life and when you visit the divine master then you know what the master says? The master says “Let’s walk”. This walk is a state of PAUSE – in which the master help you realize your mistakes. And the master is so soft – so compassionate – that just his voice – his few words are enough to bring tears to your eyes! And those tears become the foundation of your self-transformation! After all who is born as SAINT – nobody. Jesus says “No one among you is free from sin” however what makes you unique is your intensity to transform – that is why Nelson Mandela writes to his wife – “A SAINT is a SINNER who keeps trying.”
This nature of trying and trying is what eventually transforms you into a beautiful butterfly – then you are no more an ugly caterpillar – you become a beautiful butterfly.
If you ask me then I would say that YES – Retrograde Jupiter is indeed a sign that something has gone wrong in the conscience of the native – however, it is also TRUE that GOD has been kind enough to give him a second chance to take STOCK.
One needs to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to PAUSE and take STOCK. Retrograde Jupiter is a sign that the native has been allocated this life to PAUSE and take STOCK of his own doings – his level of awareness – his mistakes and so on. Basically, in simple words – it is a golden opportunity to get yourself right by being more introspective.
And ideally in good quality horoscopes – Retrograde Jupiter – does make the native introspective and when there is a certain spiritual inclination to the horoscope then the person does not limit himself with mere introspection but starts TURNING INWARDS – and that indeed is the TURNING POINT of his life.
Remember – the only TURNING POINT in life is when you start TURNING INWARDS.
Shallow people ask “When will the turning point come in my life?” To them, the turning point of life is limited to when they will become rich and have all pleasures of human life.
However, an evolved soul is not a common soul. Such a soul is perfectly aware that the real turning point is when you get hold of the REAL GOLD – the SELF. And you can get hold of your SELF only when you go deeper and deeper in your self-inquiry.
Remember – only when you go deeper into life by turning inwards that you can truly understand the beauty of life. Life is like a musical instrument and only those who deeply dive inwards – can truly create great music out of this musical instrument called LIFE.
Reminds me of a beautiful Sufi story. In a very ancient family, there was some musical organ, but people had completely forgotten how to play it. Generations came and people even forgot that it was a musical organ. It was gathering dust.
It was a very big organ and it was taking up much space. One day the family decided to throw this nonsense.
They said, ‘This is just a nuisance. Why should we keep it?’ They took it out; they threw it on the road.
They had just reached home when a beggar started playing upon the organ.
Time stopped. They simply turned. The whole traffic stopped, people came rushing from their houses; they forgot everything. For one hour the beggar was playing on it.
It was so beautiful, so enchanting — they were just hypnotized. And when the music ended the family demanded their organ back.
The beggar said, ‘It is not yours, because a musical instrument belongs to one who can play with it. There is no other ownership. It may have remained in your house for many centuries but it doesn’t belong to you. You are not worthy of it. I am the owner!’
And of course, the whole crowd agreed with the beggar — that he was the owner — because what does one mean by ownership?
A musical instrument belongs to one who can play with it.
And that’s how it is: life belongs to those who can go deeper and deeper and deeper into it.
RETROGRADE JUPITER is a golden opportunity that makes you go deeper and deeper into yourself – in self-inquiry. Of course, the soul has to have a certain quality to it – else this wonderful opportunity is also lost. When RETROGRADE JUPITER falls with many malefic planetary aspects then the native simply is not able to take advantage of such a golden opportunity to reinvent oneself.
It is said that when things are bad – it is time to reinvent yourself. Retrograde Jupiter gives you this chance to reinvent yourself however if RAHU obstructs or if Retrograde Jupiter sign lord is also retrograde or in a bad state then this opportunity to reinvent yourself goes down the drain.
Reinventing yourself is a chance to RISE back in this eternal journey called life. Always remember – the greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Retrograde Jupiter is thus a state in which you can rise every time you fall. It is a sign that the native will NEVER GIVE UP and will continue to reinvent himself no matter how difficult the path is.
As I discuss this beautiful placement of RETROGRADE JUPITER – I wonder what a coincidence it is that today is also GURU POORNIMA – a day specially dedicated to expressing gratitude towards the benevolent Guru – the master. The significance of GURU is beyond the power of words but there is one man who has expressed the significance of the GURU in the most beautiful way possible. His name is SANT KABIR.
SANT KABIR says if Guru and God are both in front of me, I will greet the Guru first as he is the one who showed me the path to God. On this auspicious day of Guru Poornima, it is necessary to revisit the definition of GURU as stated by Sant Kabir.
Sant Kabir says “He is the real Guru Who can reveal the form of the formless before your eyes; who teaches the simple path, without rites or ceremonies; Who does not make you close your doors, and hold your breath, and renounce the world; Who makes you perceive the Supreme Spirit whenever the mind attaches itself; Who teaches you to be still in the midst of all your activities. Fearless, always immersed in bliss, he keeps the spirit of yoga in the midst of enjoyments.”
The most beautiful essence of Sant Kabir who himself was such a great divine master is that he emphasized living in the material world, executing your daily responsibilities and while doing all of this – maintaining the spiritual side of your life. Kabir never advocated the idea of renouncing this material world. And that makes Kabir the most beautiful and greatest saint. He belonged to the lineage of saints who don’t look down on the material world but who teach you and encourage you to BALANCE your material life with spiritual life. Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi also never encouraged his devotees to renounce and become a Sannyasi. One close devotee and classmate of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi quotes:
Such are the real masters – masters who don’t compel you to renounce and stop having your normal course of material life – but they are the real masters who help you attain balance in life – by executing your worldly responsibilities while focusing on your spiritual growth.
It is necessary to remember that by renouncing you don’t get a visa to ENLIGHTENMENT. Enlightenment is possible only when you overcome the Mind. And so people renounce – they escape to the Himalayas – but how can they escape their MIND? How can they escape from all the desires of the mind? A man who says “I have no desires” is fooling himself. Because who is this “I” – until this “I” remains – progress on the spiritual path is not possible. This “I” is your EGO. People who renounce – they continue to carry this EGO – that I HAVE RENOUNCED EVERYTHING – you see even in renouncing the EGO remains. The “I” remains. That is why in the Holy Bible it is said “That I must decrease and HE must increase”. This HE is the holy Lord. When you become smaller – only then the master’s omnipresence will increase in your life. And the day you become completely empty – SHUNYA – then there is only the master and nobody else. How beautiful is this state – Arjuna had experienced this state – his whole being was filled with KRISHNA – LORD KRISHNA. Reminds of a beautiful story. Once – Rukmini asked Krishna “What is so special about Arjuna? Why he is your favorite disciple?”
Krishna smiled and said, “Because he is constantly remembering me – no matter in what state he is – his every breath is filled with my name in it.”
Rukmini said “But then even I continuously remember you – I continuously chant your name. Then why I am not your favorite?”
Krishna said “ You will find your answer. Today – at midnight you visit Arjuna and see for yourself.”
Rukmini said, “But at midnight – he must be in deep sleep.”
Krishna said “ That is why you should go – that is the time when you will come to know about his greatness and why he is my favorite?”
Rukmini was Lord Krishna’s wife. She also had great spiritual powers. So with her spiritual power – through astral journey she visited Arjuna. It was midnight – the whole capital was in deep sleep. She looked at Arjuna – Arjuna was also in deep sleep – but something moved her – she could hear the chant of “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Hare Krishna” and the sound of the chant was coming from Arjuna. Rukmini was taken aback – her eyes became wet – this was impossible – even when in deep sleep – Arjuna’s whole body was vibrating with the beautiful soothing name of Krishna – Hare Krishna! Even when in sleep – this man had not stopped chanting – she could hear the rhythm – the sound – the music – and it was so enticing that she remained until sunrise. When Arjuna opened his eyes – he could see Rukmini standing before him – her eyes were filled with tears. She folded her hands before him and said “I am touched by your devotion – now I can understand why Krishna loves you so much.”
My friends – this is how a true disciple is. We all call ourselves disciples but we are still very far from the state of real discipleship. Always remember – before you start finding your GURU – first become a good disciple – and when you become a good disciple – when devotion is overflowing your being then the master will appear before you. You don’t have to seek the master – the master will come in search of you – when your devotion will flower – when your inward journey progresses – and when you stop being a doer. I hear many people saying that “I should do this” – and “I should do that” – as long as you remain a doer – you will continue to suffer in life.
Your progress on the spiritual path will happen only when you stop thinking about it. When you stop thinking that it is YOU who is chanting – it is YOU who is meditating. The evolved soul is perfectly aware that it is the grace of the master that enables you to chant – that enables you to meditate. And so he never takes credit or he never lives with the belief that “I am doing everything”.
There is no such thing as a “SELF-MADE MAN”.
A man who lives his life with the belief that he is a self-made man – never progresses in the true sense. Never evolves to new heights.
However, a man who lives his life as a “GOD-MADE MAN” – is already on the surest path of enlightenment.
The state of RETROGRADE JUPITER is simply a wake-up call – a call to help you self-realize that there is no such thing called self-made man – because man is merely a tool – whatever happens – happens with HIS grace. Benjamin Franklin- one of the founding father of the United States quotes:
A man who understands the fact that HE is not the doer – he is merely a tool in the hands of the mighty Lord is indeed a blessed man. Such a man has a bright future – and when I say bright future – it is not about millions of dollars and Rolls Royce cars – it is about realizing yourself – and coming back to the source – CONSCIOUSNESS. GOD-CONSCIOUSNESS.
Coming back to the level of consciousness that you had fallen from – is primarily the message and the purpose of Retrograde Jupiter.
Love to all my close followers and listeners – it is my joy to wish you all HAPPY GURU PURNIMA. You all are beautiful souls – I pray that you all find your light and you continue to progress in your journey within.
Jai Shri Ganesha. Jai Guru.
