182 Spiritual Astrology
of the year. This forms the horizontal line which is called
the “high watermark”. Speaking the sacred word out and
breaking the secrecy of creation into objectivity includes
“the great penalty” of burning the body and throwing
the ashes on the high watermark. This signifies that man
rises in this sign above the level of water. The head of a
goat represents the land-animal and the body of a
crocodile represents the water-animal. The stage of
evolution of the animal kingdom from the aquatic to the
terrestrial takes place during the period of Capricorn in
the much bigger cycles. This also marks the rise of man
from the soul-level to the spirit-level.
Capricorn is the vehicle and Cancer the abode of
Varun.a. Varun.a is the father of Bhrugu the initiate of the
seventh stage. The drama of the dialogue between the
father and the son contains five journeys and five sets of
conversations.* Every time Bhrugu asks “Know through
penance - THAT - THE BIRTH PLACE OF YOUR QUESTION”. At every
step there is a realisation and in the fifth step there is the
grand realisation of the unconditional. This drama which
is a conversation between the soul and Antahkaran.a is one
of the major initiations of Capricorn, the emblem of the
hand with its five fingers stretched out. This emblem of
the Father stretching his hand is called Abhaya Mudra the
emblem of fearlessness. The true disciple who is born in
Capricorn can receive the sacramental value of this mudra
by performing the ritual. He receives it under the influence
of Varun.a through Uranus. More will be explained in the
volume on Rituals.
- Vide : Taittireeya Upanishad, Book III.