Research
The importance of continued research cannot be ignored. The tendency to adhere to a statement because of its age, or who said it, flies in the face of a basic truth: permanence does not exist. Only with constant evaluation can stagnation and the ultimate demise of this, or any other subject, will be avoided.
Research takes huge resources and amounts of time therefore an individual may only be able to provide small samples. However the small samples may in time may be combined with other similar work. Once a body of research has been created it will be possible to apply mega-analysis techniques which will provide valuable information. In keeping with this mind-set a short piece of research involving 21 cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is offered for review:
A TENTATIVE DICTUM By Phyllis Chubb M.A., C.A.P.
When both the Sthira karaka and the Matrakaraka (as defined using the 8 karaka system and Jaimini aspects) are afflicted early death may be possible.
Dictums are the result of repeated observation within a selection of similar events. Research can be said to be the search for dictums, as the purpose of research is to find correct answers. What usually happens when conducting research is the formation of more questions. On occasion research will substantiate an earlier thought, or provide a new way of looking at a situation, such as happened here.
Bias, although a powerful human trait, has no place in research. Numbers and definitive patterns must be allowed to speak for themselves. The criteria to accept or reject any alternative approach must not be emotionally based.
This research supported two important factors.
First: The importance of assessing the strength, placement and conditions surrounding the Matrakaraka no matter which system is used to arrive at that placement.
Secondly, these results give very positive and convincing support in favour of using the full 8 charaka in all instances of evaluation when looking at a human chart.
What has been stated can be validated by anyone willing to look at the details of the research provided in this case. Before beginning, and for the sake of clarity, a number of foundational issues will be dealt with.
A Belief:
In order for Jyotish to remain vital, practitioners must continue to challenge old ideas and to integrate new ideas when experience proves their validity. It must be remembered that neither the age of an idea, nor its recent development, guarantees truth.
Research cannot be limited to a handful of examples. The subject size of any body of research must eventually number in the hundreds. The following work falls short, very short, of such an ideal. However this offering is a start and that is what is important, small though it may be.
Need For Respect:
It is very easy for us to forget that truth may be achieved in a variety of ways. Given the existence of such variety it is important to remember that more than one road leads to Rome. No person strives to sully this sacred science, each person offering theories, or interpretations of earlier works, does so confident of their accuracy and with the purest of intention. The ultimate and general effectiveness of any theory rises or falls based on its efficacy when applied. In short, the taste of the pudding is in the eating.
Reasons for and the Value of Research:
The value of research is twofold.
- First, research can confirm or reject earlier statements.
- Secondly, carefully conducted research can increases the practitioner’s probability of accuracy.
- Analysis of any chart takes time, better the practitioner’s time be spent on theories that have demonstrated the high probability of accuracy.
- On-going research can provide such assurance.
The Subject At Hand:
The topic of this study is a very painful one. The death of a child is traumatic. It doesn’t matter when a child leaves be it at the moment of birth, weeks, months or years later. There are no words to describe the deep pain felt by the parents as such a time. When the passing occurs, for no apparent reason, during the first year of life it is labelled as a case of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
The subjects within this piece of research are 21 cases of SIDS. The birth data has been taken from Lois Rodden’s Astro Data Bank. Each case has been given the highest rating (AA) for birth time reliability. In addition the date of passing has also been provided for each subject however, that information will not be made use of in this examination. It has been provided for future reference should anyone wish to make use of it. *...