33. The effect of a planet in a sign has been described with special reference to the characteristics of signs in paragraph 20. More on this can be deduced in the following manner:
(A) Planets are exalted in certain signs and are similarly debilitated in others. When a planet is placed in a sign in a birth or navamsha chart where another planet is exalted, and the planet is related to that planet, the effect of the planet that would be exalted in the sign shall be visible in a positive manner in the period of the planet occupying the sign. For example, when the Sun goes to Capricorn, it would be in an incompatible earth element and an inimical sign. Therefore, the Sun would be inclined to adopt unsavoury results of other prominent planets. Mars is exalted here. It will give much aggression, energy and drive to the Sun if the Sun is related to it, whereas Jupiter is debilitated here. The debilitation of Jupiter shall cause rashness in the individual as the balance and sobriety imparted by Jupiter shall be absent in case the Sun has a relationship with Jupiter. The period of the Sun shall show these characteristics. The aggression and imbalance shall basically
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relate to the house that the Sun occupies. This analysis should be done both for the birth and navamsha charts. The sum of the results of location of a planet in the two charts (navamsha and birth) should be taken.
Both Jupiter and Mars are happy in Aquarius. The result of the Sun in this sign of Saturn will therefore be better than that in the other sign since Aquarius is an airy sign and the element fire of the Sun is friendly with the element of the sign. Further, Jupiter is well placed in this sign. The imbalance expected of Jupiter in Capricorn shall be absent. The aggression of Mars shall also be modified. The individual will be balanced and dynamic. (B) A house will show the characteristics of the matter according to the planets that are either exalted or debilitated in that house if the house is not occupied by a planet. To a lesser extent such planets that are in a compatible sign in that house shall also lend their positive characteristics. Those planets that are in an incompatible sign shall provide negative qualities. Let us take an illustration. Suppose the Factor for father is in Aries. Here the Sun is exalted. This is a dry and fiery sign. So, the father of the individual shall be thin but muscular of build. He will be dignified and related to government. Since Saturn is debilitated here, he may have problems from servants and may face many obstacles in life. Again suppose the Factor for status is in Taurus. This is an earthy sign. The Moon is exalted in this sign and this is the sign of Venus. The Moon and Venus are both watery and therefore friendly with the element of the sign. The individual may do well in the field of arts, he may be wealthy and women may help him in attaining high status and fame. Further, suppose the Factor for mind is in Cancer. This is a watery sign. Here Mars is debilitated and its element is not compatible with that of the sign. Jupiter is exalted here and in a compatible element. Therefore, the individual will be irritable and short tempered but he will be scholarly, and broad-minded.
We know that the relevant house from a karaka shows some of the same significations that the karaka shows. The VI house from Mars shows injury and enmity. Mars in Aquarius will make
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the individual prone to injuries as the VI house from Mars indicates injuries and being Cancer, Mars itself would be debilitated and in an incompatible element there. The IV house from Mercury shows education. Mercury in Gemini is good for education since Virgo is the sign of its exaltation and the elements of the sign and planet shall be the same. Jupiter is exalted in Cancer. This would be the II house from Mercury that shows speech. A person with Mercury in Gemini will therefore talk sensibly and soberly. The II house from Jupiter indicates wealth and XI from it income. Jupiter in Virgo will see the individual getting rich in the second part of his life since Saturn is exalted in Libra and he may earn through matters signified by the Moon, as it would be in its own sign in Cancer. Such an individual cannot hope to get any financial benefit out of the government. When Venus is in Taurus, the VII house shall be Scorpio where Rahu is debilitated. The individual having Venus in Taurus may be sexually promiscuous. Saturn in Gemini may cause disease in the breast or a disturbed or worried mind since the Moon is debilitated in Scorpio. Rahu is also debilitated here. The individual could suffer from a disease that may not be easily diagnosed. Saturn in Aries will cause insufficient mental calibre, grief and disappointment since the VIII house from Saturn shall be Scorpio and the Moon shall again be debilitated here. Rahu in Cancer causes pleasant journeys to developed countries, as Venus is exalted in Pisces, which is the IX house from Cancer. Rahu in Leo is bad for journeys abroad to under developed countries since Saturn shall be debilitated in the IX house from Rahu. Rahu in Virgo is good for cruises and journeys overseas as the Moon is exalted in Taurus. Such journeys would bring happiness to him. The XII house from Ketu indicates spiritual progress and emancipation from the cycle of rebirths. Ketu in Sagittarius keeps the individual worried over lack of progress in spiritual field since the Moon is here debilitated in the XII house from Ketu. (C) The sign has certain significations. For example, Pisces
stands for duality. The significations of the planet shall interact with such significations of the sign. The individual may have several
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bosses in case the Sun is in Pisces.
(D) The influence of a planet on a sign is equally important. The planet shall influence the part of the body indicated by the sign. Saturn in Taurus shall produce a thin neck. Jupiter in Cancer will cause heavy breasts.
(E) Take the owner of the sign occupied by a planet as associated with it. For example, if the Sun goes to Pisces, it will give the results of an association with Jupiter. This is productive of a rajyoga. These results shall be modified by the considerations below.
(F) The element of the planet and of the sign shall act on each
other. Thus, if the Sun goes to Pisces, it will improve the spiritual element in the individual. Since Pisces is a watery sign, it shall douse the fire of the Sun, as compared to Sagittarius, which is a fiery sign. The Sun in Pisces shall tend to make the individual more intellectual and philosophical, but not outgoing and dominant. (G) A planet in debilitation or just out of debilitation shall not
be able to give as good results as when it is about to be exalted or actually in exaltation. The Sun in Sagittarius would be just out of its debilitation, whereas in Pisces it shall be about to be exalted. A weak planet tends to
give more of its adverse results. From this we derive
the following conclusion.
(H) (i) When a planet is weak in a sign, its period will not be productive of good and happiness. It will be inclined to cause unhappy developments relating to the houses that it is related to, and to matters that relate to its karakatwa. Even when it is inclined to cause good with respect to certain matters that could be determined through paragraph (ii) below, the positive result would be severely curtailed. We can determine positive results of a period in the same way. When a planet is powerful in a sign, the good would outweigh the adverse.
(ii) A planet gives results relating to an event only when the planet is related to the karaka for the event. A planet shall cause birth of a child in its period only when it is related to Jupiter. The inclination of a planet to give a
particular result shall be generated through its relationship with the karaka for that event. This inclination will be favourable or otherwise according to the strength of the karaka in the sign that the planet occupies. To clarify, let us suppose that the period of Saturn is current, and it is related to Jupiter. Saturn could thus be inclined to give wealth. Suppose Saturn is in Leo sign in the birth chart and in Scorpio navamsha. Jupiter shall be in congenial circumstances in both these signs. Saturn shall be inclined to give wealth in its period. Let us now suppose that Saturn is related to Venus. Venus is not happy in both these signs. Saturn shall not give good results relating to the karakatwa of Venus. Saturn itself is not happy in these signs. All such adverse matters for which Saturn itself is the karaka shall appear rather strongly in the period, but good relating to the karakatwa shall be suppressed. The individual may in this period face losses, separations, deprivations etc. strongly but very little of good would be seen relating to his profession etc. It would be better if the strength of the concerned karaka is determined in the sign in which the period planet is placed before any conclusion is drawn. Thus if we wish to determine the ability of Saturn to give wealth in its period, we should determine the strength of Jupiter in Leo in the above illustration.
On Marakas
34. Longevity is to be determined by the strength of karaka Saturn, and the three VIII houses from the ascendant, Arudha lagna and Saturn. Life will be long when these elements are strong, and short when weak.
Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra Chaukhamba Edition Chapter 20 verse 6 is of much relevance. It says that when the owners of the ascendant, VIII and X houses and Saturn are placed in angles, triangles or in the XI house, the individual would be long lived. This rule is helpful firstly to countercheck the conclusion derived through the generic rule stated
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above and, secondly to get an approximation of the longevity of any of the relatives of the individual. Suppose we wish to find the longevity for the first wife. We first determine the Arudha of the VII house from Venus. We treat this as the ascendant for the wife and take the VIII and X houses from it. We then see if the owners of the house acting as the ascendant for the wife and VIII and X houses from it and Saturn are placed in the houses as stated in the rule from the acting ascendant or otherwise. We can assess proportionate longevity accordingly.
We should keep in mind that the above only gives an indication as to when the longevity is likely to come to an end. We should therefore look for the period of the Factor for death around that time.
A planet that is a Factor for end, separation, denial, depletion, expenditure etc. shall end longevity in its major-period, if it is also related to the Factor for longevity. We know that the Factor for end is a planet that is related to Saturn and the three XII houses from the ascendant, Arudha lagna and Saturn. It is seen that many a time a person does not die even during the major-period of a Factor for depletion that influences a Factor for longevity. If the aspect of longevity in a chart is strong (owing to the strength of the three houses) a Factor for depletion will not be able to cause death in early years of life. If longevity is poor, death will happen in early years.
We take the XII house from Saturn. We determine the Arudha of this house. We then take the VIII house from Saturn. We determine the Arudha of this house. A planet that is related to these two houses and Saturn shall bring the life of the individual to an end. It will be a maraka. A Factor for death must also be a maraka. A Maraka Factor for death will be the planet that would cause death when longevity has come to an end.
It is noticed that when the Arudhas of the VIII and XII houses from natal Saturn are strongly related to each other and Saturn is related to both of them, the life of the individual would be short.
We take the VIII house from Mars. We determine the Arudha of this house. When a planet determined to be the maraka in the manner stated above (it is related to the Arudhas of the VIII and XII houses from Saturn) is also related to Mars and the Arudha of the VIII house from Mars, it will cause death of the individual in a violent manner. A
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maraka planet determined in the manner stated above related to Mercury and the Arudha of the III house from Mercury shall cause the individual to take his own life. This is thus a formula for suicide.
We now state the periods that are likely to bring about the death of the individual. Before attempting to predict the end of the life of the individual, his longevity should be assessed. Death will occur when the major-period of a maraka Factor for depletion that is afflicting a Factor for longevity runs. A Factor for depletion that is not afflicting a Factor for longevity shall not cause death. A Factor for longevity afflicted by a Factor for depletion may also cause death in its major-period. It is seen that a planet that is likely to kill is a Factor for longevity or loss related to one of loss or longevity respectively. The sub and inter-periods in which death would take place shall be discussed in an appropriate chapter. A reference may be made to the analysis for Chart II-4.
We will now consider the traditional indications for death. If the planets that we have determined through the above method also relate to these indications, their propensity to bring the life of an individual to a close would be very strong. The determination of longevity according to the astrological tradition has been dealt with in detail in our work on predictive astrology. Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra deals with marakas in Chapter 44.
The third constellation from the birth constellation is called the Vipat constellation. The fifth constellation from the birth constellation is called the Pratyari constellation. The seventh constellation from the birth constellation is called the Vadha constellation. According to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra Chapter 44 verses 15-16 when the life span has been determined to be short, the death of the individual will take place in the period of the owner of the Vipat constellation in birth chart. In case the longevity is medium the death is likely in the period of the owner of the Pratyari constellation, and when the longevity is long, the individual will die in the period of the owner of the constellation of Vadha.
The malefic owner of the XII house may cause death. A beneficial owner of the house will only cause disease according to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra, Chapter 44 verse 18. The same may be said of the owner of the VII house.
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A Node placed in the XII house shall act as a maraka according to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra, Chapter 44 verse 22 to 24.
A Node in association with a maraka or in the VII from it will act as a maraka according to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra, Chapter 44 verse 22 to 24.
Rahu shall be a maraka planet for the individual born in Scorpio or Capricorn ascendant according to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra, Chapter 44 verse 22 to 24.
A movable sign in the III house will cause death at a place away from home. A fixed sign in the house will cause death at home, and a common sign will cause death while on journey according to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra, Chapter 44 verse 34.
Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra traces the cause of death to the III and VIII houses. It first deals with the III house. Influence of a planet through occupation of the house or aspect to it will determine the issue. The cause of death according to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra, Chapter 44 verses 25 to 31 shall be the government or cardiac arrest if the Sun occupies or projects an aspect to the house. It shall be lung disease if the Moon influences the house in this manner. When the planet influencing the III house is Mars, the cause of death shall be injury, boil, accident, weapon or fire. In case it is Mercury, death shall be caused by fever. Jupiter will cause tumour, oedema etc. leading to death. Venus will cause death through venereal disease or urinary or kidney trouble. Saturn or Rahu causes death through water, fire, poison, incarceration or fall.
The sage does not refer to aspect to the VIII house when he traces the cause of death through the house. He only talks of occupation of the house by a planet. When the Sun occupies the VIII house death will be caused through fire; the Moon, by water; Mars, by weapon; Mercury, by fever; Jupiter, by disease; Venus, of hunger; and, Saturn, by thirst.
On Ascendants
35. Each sign in the ascendant or Arudha lagna imparts some strength
or weakness to the life and personality of the individual. The strength or weakness indicated is offset to a very large extent if the karaka and the Factors representing the relevant aspects are strong. It is useful to study the areas of strength and weaknesses in a chart through the signs in the ascendant and Arudha lagna when a horoscope is taken up for analysis and prediction. We can be careful in our analysis of birth chart if we know the strong and weak points of a chart and be on the lookout for specific areas of favourable and unfavourable tendencies that are likely to manifest for that chart. When good influence in the chart supports favourable tendencies, even comparatively slight such support will significantly produce the favourable characteristics in the individual or in his life. The same mutatis mutandis can be said for adverse tendencies.