28. (A) We are now going to consider a method to assess the strength of a planet. For this, we will need to first consider the
relationship between planets. The relationships are of two types. The first is the natural, and the second, the temporal as given by Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra, Chapter 3 verses 55-56. The natural relationship between planets is given in the table below, however please refer to paragraph 10 of this Chapter carefully too:
Planet Friendly Inimical Indifferent
Sun Moon, Mars, Venus, Saturn Mercury
Moon Sun, Mercury - Mars, Jupiter,
Venus, Saturn Mars Sun, Moon, Jupiter Mercury Venus, Saturn
Merc Sun, Venus Moon Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars Mercury, Venus Saturn Venus Mercury, Saturn Sun, Moon Mars, Jupiter Saturn Mercury, Venus Sun, Moon, Jupiter Rahu Mercury,
Venus Saturn
Sun, Mars Jupiter
Moon
Ketu Sun, Moon, Mars Mercury, Venus Jupiter, Saturn We have seen in paragraph 10 that some signs are inimical to certain planets. Therefore when a planet is in an inimical sign the owner of the sign shall be inimical to the planet. Otherwise the natural relationship between planets shall remain as stated above. When two planets are associated with or are in sambandha their relationship will be governed by the table of natural relationships and therefore by the resultant relationship. However, when a planet occupies a sign it cannot always be said that the nature of relationship between the planet and sign that it occupies would be governed by the natural relationship that exists between the planet and the owner. We can notice from the table given in paragraph 10 that many a time the sign does not follow the relationship that the planet has with its owner. Therefore on the considerations of paragraph 10 above we can prepare another table of exceptions mainly to help us assess strength of a house in the following manner:
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Planet Inimical to
Sun Venus or Saturn in Leo
Moon Mercury, Venus or Saturn in Cancer Mars Moon, Mercury or Venus in Scorpio Mercury Sun or Jupiter in Gemini
Jupiter Mars or Mercury in Pisces; Venus or Saturn in Sagittarius
Venus Moon or Mars in Libra
Saturn Moon, Mars or Mercury in Aquarius
The location of a planet in a sign sometimes radically changes the natural relationship between two planets. Jupiter is generally friendly to Mars but when the latter is in Pisces Jupiter becomes hostile to it. In such a situation any relationship between the two would be construed to be between two inimical planets.
The Sun is a natural enemy of Venus and Saturn. The location of any of these two planets in a sign of the Sun will therefore not change the relationship in any manner. The Sun remains hostile to Venus and Saturn.
The Moon is not inimical to any planet in the order of natural relationships, but when Mercury, Venus or Saturn occupies Cancer, the Moon becomes its enemy. When the Moon joins any of these planets in Cancer, the association would make the Moon highly inimical to it in resultant relationship. A sambandha between the Moon and any of these planets in Cancer would also form a relationship between enemies.
As regards Mars, the location of Mercury does not change the natural relationship between these two planets, but the Moon becomes an enemy of Mars when it is debilitated in Scorpio, and Venus does not remain indifferent to Mars when Venus is in Scorpio. Mars becomes inimical to it.
Mercury is friendly to the Sun and indifferent to Jupiter, but when either planet is in Gemini the relationship becomes hostile.
Jupiter is friendly to Mars, but Mars in Pisces does not remain its friend. Mercury and Venus are enemies of Jupiter. Their location therefore in the chart is immaterial. Jupiter is indifferent to Saturn but it turns its enemy when Saturn occupies Sagittarius.
Venus is inimical to the Moon therefore the sign that the latter occupies makes no change in relationship. Venus is indifferent to Mars but when Mars occupies Libra, Venus becomes its enemy.
Mercury does not remain a friend of Saturn when it is in Aquarius. The location of the Moon or Mars makes no impact on the relationship between them and Saturn.
We must keep these finer alterations in relationships in mind when we proceed to determine resultant relationship between two planets. We therefore give the final natural relationship table below:
Planet Friendly Inimical Indifferent
Digits represent signs. Thus 4 is Cancer, 8 is Scorpio, etc. Sun Moon, Mars
Jupiter
Venus, Saturn Mercury
Moon Sun, Mercury (When not in 4) Mercury, Venus or Saturn (when in 4) Mars, Jupiter, Venus (When not in 4) Saturn
Mars Sun, Moon (When not in 8) Jupiter Moon (When in 8) Mercury, Venus (When in 8) Venus (When not in 8) Saturn Mercury Sun (When not in 3) Venus Sun (When in 3) Moon, Jupiter (When in 3) Mars, Jupiter (When not in 3) Saturn
Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars (When not in 12) Mars (When in 12) Mercury, Venus, Saturn (When in 9) Saturn (When not in 9)
Venus Mercury, Saturn Sun, Moon, Mars (When in 7)
Mars
(When not in 7) Jupiter
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Contd.... from last page
Planet Friendly Inimical Indifferent
Saturn Mercury
(When not in 11) Venus
Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury (When in 11)
Jupiter
Rahu Venus, Saturn Sun, Mars, Moon, Mercury Ketu Sun, Moon, Mars Mercury, Venus Jupiter, Saturn
A planet that is in the II, III or IV house from another planet, or in the X, XI or XII house from that planet will be its temporal friend according to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra Chapter 3 verse 56. It will be inimical to it otherwise. The temporal relationship depends on the distance between two planets and it will therefore change from chart to chart but the natural relationship between planets is fixed. There is no concept of indifference in temporal relationship. Planets will either be friendly with each other in temporal terms or inimical.
On the above basis we determine the Panchadha or resultant fivefold relationship between planets in the following manner:
1. It may happen that a planet may be naturally friendly with another planet but it may be inimical to it in temporal relationship, or vice-versa. The two relationships will cancel each other out and the'two planets will be indifferent to each other.
2. If a planet is friendly on both the counts with another planet, i.e., naturally and on temporal basis, it will be intimately friendly with that planet.
3. If a planet is indifferent to another in natural relationship and friendly in temporal, it shall be friendly to that planet. 4. If a planet is indifferent to another in natural relationship and
inimical in temporal, it shall be inimical to that planet, and, 5. If it is inimical on both the counts, it will be highly inimical to
that planet.
(B) We should consider the following to determine the strength of a planet:
the planet occupies an incompatible sign (inimical, highly inimical or debilitated) it would earn a negative point. When the planet occupies a compatible sign (exalted, mooltrikona, intimately friendly or friendly) it would earn a positive point. A neutral sign would not make any contribution.
(ii) The sign in which the planet is placed in the navamsha chart. When the planet occupies an incompatible sign (inimical, highly inimical or debilitated) it would earn a negative point. The planet would get a positive point if it occupies a compatible sign (exalted, mooltrikona, intimately friendly or friendly). A neutral sign would not make any contribution.
(iii) The constellation that the planet occupies. If the planet is compatible with the owner of the constellation it would earn a positive point. In case the planet is not compatible with the owner of the constellation, the contribution would be a negative point and when the planet is neutral to the owner of the constellation there would be no contribution.
(iv) If the dispositor of the planet occupies a compatible sign, it shall contribute a positive point. If the sign the dispositor occupies is not compatible, the contribution would be a negative point, and in case the dispositor is neutral to the owner of the sign, there would be no contribution.
(v) The sambandha if any the planet has with other planets should be considered. A sambandha with a compatible planet would give a positive point, and with an incompatible planet a negative point. When the sambandha is with a neutral planet, there would be no contribution.
After analysing a planet on the above lines we should total the positive and negative points scored. If the planet has more positive than negative points, it would be considered strong. The more net positive points it gets the stronger it shall deemed to be. (vi) The strength of the dispositor of a planet shall also add to the strength of a planet. Therefore, having determined the strength of the dispositor in the above manner, we should take it in account for finally determining the strength of a planet.
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A planet that has good strength shall be inclined to influence a planet or house strongly. If it is weak its effect shall not be prominent.
A strong planet shall help matters represented by the house that it owns prosper. The individual will not be worried over these matters. Matters represented by the house shall materialise early. Matters for which the planet is the karaka shall give happiness to the individual. A weak planet shall not be able to help matters represented by the house that the planet owns prosper. The individual will have little happiness from matters for which the planet is a karaka. We will later on see that classical authors have put much importance on the strength of the owner of a house.
A strong planet shall generally not give way totally to the influence of another planet. Thus, if an adverse Factor influences a planet, the adverse influence would not affect the results of the planet substantially. This is not true for a weak planet. The relative strengths of the two planets should therefore be kept in mind. Suppose we have Mars as a Factor representing marital affairs and it has sufficient strength. If weak Mercury as a Factor for disputes influences it marital affairs would not be disturbed very much.
PRACTICAL HINT: A planet is inclined to be strong if it occupies its own, exaltation, mooltrikona, or a friendly sign in the Rashi and navamsha; its dispositor is strong; and, the planet occupies its own or a friendly constellation. A friendly constellation is one the owner of which is friendly with the planet. This is a rough method to quickly assess the strength of a planet.
According to Brihat Parashar Hora Shastra Chapter 3 verse 63 Chaukhamba edition, a planet in exaltation will be capable to give its full favourable result. The result will be 75% if it occupies its mooltrikona sign. It will be half in its own sign. In a friendly sign, the planet will give 25% result. When it occupies a neutral sign, the result will be 12.5%. In an inimical sign, or when the planet is combust or debilitated, there will be no favourable result. This is only an illustration as to how important a role the strength of a planet plays.