For those of you who are old enough to remember, astrologers at one time had available to them a great research tool in the form of Lois Rodden’s AstroDataBank that ran on Microsoft’s Access database software. Personally, I made great use of it more than a decade ago when I was writing my book Parivartana Yoga, allowing me to find every famous person in the then-existent database who had one among the 66 different house lord exchange combinations.

Since those days, the software fell into disuse, victim of many subsequent Window upgrades that no longer supported its use, not to mention the sale of Rodden’s database to Astrodienst.com, where it has since become part of their vast and reputable store of astrological birth data for tens of thousands of notable nativities and events.

But for the research-minded, even if you’re only a teacher who wants more examples of a Gaja-Kesari yoga, or a Chandra-Mangala yoga formed in trikasthanas, etc, help is now at hand. Several years ago, Iranian astrologer and jyotishi Ehsan Khazeni developed a program that performs many of the search features we’re interested in. Thanks to Sunil John, this useful little program is now made available for free on the Saptarishis site, where it goes by the name of Saptarishis Astrological Research Software, abbreviated occasionally as SARS, more often as SRS.

Here’s how to download a copy of the software for your own use:

1. Go to https://saptarishisastrology.com/

2. I don’t think you need to become a member to access the SRS, but just in case, you can always sign up.

3. Click on the link to the bookshop at the top of the page.

4. On the Bookshop page, go to the Software menu and pull down to choose SRS.

5. On the SRS order page, choose BUY NOW (for free) if that’s all you want to do, and it will then ask you for name and email address, and that’s it. 

  • Within 24h or so, you’ll receive a ZIP file to download and install SRS onto your PC or laptop. I’m not sure about this, but it might only be available for MS Windows, maybe not iOS for Apple.
  • Note: Even though I’ve been using my version for years, I get a recurring error message. Just click OK and continue, it’s nothing.

6. An alternative and faster way to get to the SRS order page is, after joining the site (#1 above), just scroll right to the bottom of the homepage where there’s a black panel with multiple headings. Click on the SARS software link and that will take you straight to the order page (#5 above).

Although this program can’t do everything that Rodden’s AstroDataBank once did, it does a lot of things very well, including many jyotish-specific searches, eg, grahas/lords in nakshatras, as opposed to just general astrology. Most importantly, it not only lists the results of your search but visually displays the horoscopes that meet your criteria, and links directly to the Astrodienst/AstroDataBank site containing that horoscope’s birth data, along with the appropriate subject biographies.

See my YouTube channel(https://youtube.com/@AlanAnnand) wherein I show you (1) how to request the free software from Saptarishis Astrology site, (2) how to set your preferences for its use, (3) how to find Parivartana yogas, strong Chandra-Mangala and Kesari yogas, MahaPurusha yogas, etc, along with (4) demonstrating the many useful features of SARS in saving search results, copying horoscopes, and exploring subject biographies on the AstroDataBank website.

Have fun doing some research of your own!

~~~

Alan Annand is a Vedic astrologer, palmist and author. He’s a graduate of the British Faculty of Astrological Studies and was for many years their sole tutor for students in USA and Canada. After being introduced to jyotish, he was certified by the American College of Vedic Astrology, and went on to enjoy advanced instruction from Hart de Fouw. Aside from consulting and tutoring, he has long been a professional writer, straddling the corporate and creative worlds. His New Age Noir crime novels feature an astrologer protagonist whom one reviewer has dubbed “Sherlock Holmes with a horoscope.” His books on Vedic astrology – Kala Sarpa, Parivartana Yoga, and Stellar Astrology, Vols 1-4 – have been praised for the quality of their research and writing. His latest book – Kama Yoga: Love, Marriage & Sexuality in Jyotish – is a complete guide to personal relationships as seen through the lens of Vedic astrology.

Services on Website: http://www.navamsa.com

Lessons on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlanAnnand

Books on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alan-Annand/e/B0052MM0PO