Branka Larsen | Vedic Astrologer

Makara Sankranti: meaning and importance

Makara Sankranti is the time of the Sun entering Makara, or the sign Capricorn, and marks the beginning of the Deva-Ayana.

The month of Capricorn is celebrated in India as the New Year and this year it will be celebrated on January 15, 2019. From a Jyotisha point of view, the event of Makara Saṅkrānti is celebrated as the beginning of the year of the Devas.

Tropical vs. Sidereal zodiac

In the tropical (mundane) zodiac it implies increasingly more sunlight on the north pole. We say that when the Sun moves northwards it is day for the devas, and when moving southward, it is day for asura. Sura (deva) and asura herein meaning with light (sura) or without light (asura).

On earth we know the tropical month of Capricorn to be the winter solstice. It is the darkest time of year after which the Sun ceases its southern course and begins its northern course. Capricorn is therefore symbolic of the time of rising out of darkness into the light.

In the Sidereal zodiac it is the spiritual light instead that gets the importance, where the Devas are blessing us.

The Capricorn month is hence the time when Devas awake, we come out of darkens and light is beginning to arise. It refers to the actual understanding of God. Word deva comes from dipa, diva and is translated as the God or the light giver, and for us Jyotishas, this has special significance. During this time God distributes the ability of divine sight to Jyotishas as the natural tenth house is the house of vision.

On the weekday on which this change of signs occurs, planet lording that day gets the mantle of being the head astrologer for the entire year. We examine that planet in the chart of a country to know how well guided that country will be throughout the year!

To learn more on Makara Sankranti read article by my Jyotish guru Pt. Sanjay Rath