OWNERSHIP OF ZODIAC SIGNS BY PLANETS

                                      ARUN ROY MUKHERJEE

In astrology each planet owns at the least one zodiac. Mars is considered the owner of Aries and Scorpio, Venus  the owner of Taurus and Libra and Mercury the owner of Gemini and Virgo and so on. Only Sun and Moon own one zodiac each. Sun is the owner of Leo and Moon is the owner of Cancer.

The theory of ownership of zodiac by a planet in the solar system is possibly the most bizarre and ludicrous of them all.  We very well know that a planet is attracted to Sun by the pull of its gravitation and revolves around the Sun due to the operation of two opposite forces. The Sun attracts the planets and the planets’ force drives it towards the outer space. These are known as centrifugal and centripetal forces.  The planets can neither go beyond the gravitational field of Sun nor fall back on Sun and merge with it. They go around the Sun in their respective orbits. As a result, a planet and its forces and energy, if any, are restricted within the gravitational field of the solar system. In view of this we will have to consider the astrological theory of ownership of zodiacs by the planets.

A planet which does not have the power and energy to go beyond the solar system, owns a zodiac which consists of more than one star (sometimes as many as 7 or 8) some of which are much bigger in size than our Sun lying millions and millions of miles away in the sky. We shall have to take that as granted if we believe in astrology and its various theories used for predictions of events, past, present and future.

Some people interpret that ownership does not mean ownership as such but that the planet rules over that house or zodiac. It is difficult to understand the difference between the terms “ownership” and “Rule over” in the present context. There is, however, no explanation regarding the system through which a planet in a solar system, limited in its power within the gravitational field of Sun, can rule over a zodiac consisting of several stars lying far far away in the sky.

Some others interpret such ownership stating that the nature, character and attributes of the planet and zodiac being the same and compatible,  match well. There again the question remains about how the nature, characteristics or attributes of both the planet and the zodiac as a whole is known. Can it be verified ?  No explanation is offered in support of such claim and as proof in support. How do we know about the qualities and characteristics of the planets and the zodiacs ? There is no explanation or method to prove such qualities and characteristics. It may be noted that astrological predictions depend on the said theory of ownership of zodiac by the planets.

Lastly a question may be asked that zodiac signs, as we know, are creations of human imagination and are only imaginary figures. Zodiac signs are the creations of human beings by drawing imaginary lines between a few stars which appear to be lying close to one another on a plane surface in the sky. Therefore any idea about their ownership, rule, nature, characteristics or attributes are also bound to be imaginary.