Planets in Jyotish

7/28/2019 Planets in Jyotish

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CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANETS IN JYOTISH

SatVa& kuJaae buDaE" P]aae ae buDaae vaa" P]aa NaE" P]aaeX^aYaSaUNauXc du"%d" )) 13 ))

sarvtm ca divntho mana kumuda-bndhava

sattva kujo budhai prokto budho v-pradyaka

devejyo jna-sukhado bhgur vrya-pradyaka

ibhi prktanai prokta chy-snuca dukhada

"The Sun is the soul of all. The Moon is the mind. Mars is strength. Mercury is thespeech giver while Jupiter confers knowledge and happiness. Venus governs semen(potency) while Saturn indicates grief." (BPHS. 3.12-13.)

In Vedic Astrology the position and significations of seven planets are considered:the Sun (Srya, Ravi), Moon (Soma, Candra), Mars (Kuja, Magala), Mercury (Budha),

Jupiter (Guru, Bhaspati), Venus (ukra), Saturn (ani). Besides that, Rhu and Ketuare shadowy planets, or chy-grahas. These planets govern different significationsin the chart according to their nature. The Sun represents God, so it will alsorepresent the divine spark or the soul within us. But he may also represent theahakra or false ego, pride and desire to control and dominate. His counterpart, the

Moon represents the mind, emotions and feelings. Mars indicates ones strength,determination and fearlessness. Mercury indicates speech, communication andtravel as well. Venus indicates semen and sex life, and also arts, beauty andenjoyment. Jupiter gives wealth, wisdom, happiness and children. Saturn usuallygives pain, grief, losses and represents old age also. He is the most malefic planet ascompared to Jupiter, who is the most benefic. Rahu indicates the negative karma,and usually manifests as disease, sin, poison, illusion etc. Ketu is his counterpart,and he signifies moka or liberation, and also may give spiritual knowledge, althoughhe sometimes cuts attachments very abruptly thereby causing pains also.

Mahri Parara gives a list of significations for the different planets, which arepresented in the following table:

Planets Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn

Nature Malefic Benefic Malefic Benefic Benefic Benefic Malefic

Kraka of Soul Mind Strength Speech Knowledge,happiness

Potency Grief

Colour Red-orange Tawny Red Green Tawny Variegated Black

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Cabinet King Queen General Prince Minister Minister Servant

Deities Agni Varua Krtikkeya Mahviu Indra ac Brahm

Sex Male Female Male Eunuch Male Female Eunuch

Tattwa Agni (fire) Jala (water) Agni (fire) Bh (earth) ka (ether) Jala (water) Vyu (air)

VarasKatriya

(warrior)Vaiya(trader)

Katriya

(warrior)Vaiya(trader)

Brhmaa(priest)

Brhmaa(priest)

dra(worker)

Guas Sattva(goodness)

Sattva(goodness)

Tamas(ignorance)

Rajas(passion)

Sattva(goodness)

Rajas(passion)

Tamas(ignorance)

Abode Temple Wateryplaces

Fireplace Sportsground

Treasurehouse

Bedroom Filthy places

Dhtus Asthi(bones)

Rakta(blood)

Majj(marrow)

Tvak (skin) Vas (fat) Vrya(semen)

Snyu(muscle)

Timeperiods

yana(halfyear)

Kaa

(second)Vra (day) tu (season) Msa (month) Paka

(fortnight)Vara (year)

Taste Pungent Saline Bitter Mixed Sweet Sour Astringent

tu

Vara(rainy)

Grma(summer)

Hemanta(Dew)

ta (winter) Vasanta(spring)

iira (fall)

Division Mla(plants)

Dhtu(matter)

Dhtu(matter)

Jva(animals)

Jva (animals) Mla(plants)

Dhtu(matter)

Mercurys benefic-malefic nature depends on the planets conjoining, but alone he is a benefic.

Rhu and Ketu: Both are considered natural malefics for most indications, althoughMahri Jaimin mentions Ketu to be a natural benefic, as he is moka-kraka orsingificator of liberation. So he is benefic for nava-related things like dharma,spirituality and marriage. But he is usually a malefic for health, longevity, etc. Rhuis kraka for karma form past life, while Ketu is kraka for liberation from the cycle ofbirth and death. Color of Ketu is smoky grey, and that of Rhu is brown. Most of thetime they take up the significations of their dispositors, i.e. lords of the housesocuppied by them. Otherwise they are somewhat similar to the co-lords of thehouses owned by them. Rhu owns Aquarius together with Saturn, and Ketu ownsScorpio together with Mars. Their cabinet is that they are the army of the planets.

The Deity is Durg or Kl for Rhu and Ganea for Ketu. Rhu is male, and Ketu iseunuch. Tattwa is according to their dispositor. Vara is cala or outcaste. Gua istamas for Rhu and rajas or nirgua for Ketu. Abode for Rhu is the forest, and forKetu is no specific abode. The rest of the characteristisc are not specified for thenodes.

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5.2. Planetary Strengths

There are several different systems existing inJyotia for judging planetarystrengths. In this chapter ofBhat Parara Hor stra the Mahri gives certainelements of the adbala system, namely digbala (directional strength) and klabala(temporal strength). Planetary strengths are presented in another table as follows:

Planet Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn

Direction South North South East East North West

House Karma(10th)

Mt (4th) Karma(10th)

Lagna (1st) Lagna (1st) Mt (4th) Kalatra(7th)

Day/Night Day Night Night Day&Night Day Day Night

Paka Ka ukla Ka Ka/ukla ukla ukla Ka

yana Dakina Uttara Dakina Dakina/Uttara Uttara Uttara Dakina

5.3. Planetary Descriptions

Mahri Parara gives the following description of the nine planets (BPHS 3.23-30.):

MaDauiPaLad*KSaUYaRXcTaur" XauiciRJa )

iPataPa]k*iTakae DaqMaaNa( PauMaaNaLPakcae iJa )) 23 ))

madhu-pigala-dk srya caturasta ucir dvija

pitta-praktiko dhmn pumn alpa-kaco dvija

"The Sun has honey-coloured eyes, square body, he is of clean habits, is bilious,intelligent, manly and has limited hair on his head." (23)

bhuvaTakf " Pa]ajaXcNd\ae v*taTaNauRJa )

Xau>ad*x(MaDauvaKYaXCa cLaae MadNaaTaur" )) 24 ))

bahu-vta-kapha prj candro vtta-tanur dvija

ubha-d-madhu-vky ca cacalo madantura

"O brhmaa, the Moon is very windy and phlegmatic. Shea has round body and islearned. Sha has auspicious looks and sweet speech, is fickleminded and verylustful." (24)

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k]Urae re +aaaEMaXcPaLaaedarMaUiTaRk " )

iPataPa]k*iTak " k]aeDaq k*XaMaDYaTaNauiRJa )) 24 ))

krro rakte kao bhauma capalodra-mrtika

pitta-praktika krodh ka-madhya-tanur dvija

"O brhmaa, Mars is cruel, has bloodred eyes, is fickleminded, liberal hearted,bilious and has thin waist and thin physique." (25)

vPau"]e" iXLavaKc iTahaSYaicbRuDa" )

iPatavaNa( kfvaNa( ivPa] MaTaPa]k*iTaSTaQaa )) 26 ))

vapu reha ilaavk ca hyatihsya rucirbudha

pittavn kaphavn vipra maruta-praktis tath

"O vipra, Mercury possesses an attractive physique and the ability to make pun or tospeak words having double meaning, sense of humour. He has a blend of all threehumours of bile, phlegm and wind." (26)

b*hd(Gaa}aae GauXcEv iPaLaae MaURJae+aa*Gaae" SauTa" )

kaVYakTaaR kfaiDaKYaae _iNaLaaTMaa vk]MaUDaRJa" )) 28 ))

sukh knta-vapu reha sulocano bhgo suta

kvya-kart kaphdhikyo niltm vakra-mrdhaja

"O son of Bhgu! Venus is joyful, charming in physique, has beautiful brilliant eyes, isa poet, is phlegmatic and windy and has curly hair." (28)

k*XadIgaRTaNau" XaaEir" iPad*XYaiNaLaaTMak " )

SQaULadNTaae_LaSa" Pa&Gau" %rraeMakcae iJa )) 29 ))

ka-drgha-tanu auri piga-dyaniltmaka

sthla-danto lasa pagu khara-roma-kaco dvija

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"O brhmaa, Saturn has an emaciated and long physique, honey coloured eyes, iswindy in temperament, has big teeth, is indolent, lame and has coarse, rough hair."(29)

DaUMa]akarae NaqLaTaNauvRNaSQaae_iPa >aYa&kr" )

vaTaPa]k*iTakae DaqMaNa( Sv>aaRNauSTaTSaMa" iXa%I )) 30 ))

dhmrkro nlatanur vanastho pi bhayakara

vtapraktiko dhman svarbhnustatsama ikh

Rhu has smoke-like blue body, lives in forests and is horrible. He is windy intemperament and is intelligent. Like Rhu is Ketu." (30)

5.4. Additional Significations of Planets

I have collected some significations of the planets from Klidsas Uttara-klmta as follows:

SUN: Soul, power or strength, greatest severity, fortress, good strength, heat, influence,fires, worship of iva, courage, trees having thorns, favour of the king or ruler, bitter taste,old age, cattle, wickedness, land, father, taste, awakening of knowledge or enlightenment,looking up towards the sky, very great ambition, one born to a timid person or one whoseactions are born out of fear, world of mortals, square or harmonious, bones, valour, grass,stomach, enthusiasm, forest, half a year, eye, wandering in or over hills, quadrupeds, king,travelling, dealings with affairs personal or social, bile, feverish or inflammatorycomplaints, circular forms, diseases of the eye, body, timber, mental purity, sovereigntyover the entire country or over all countries, freedom from disease, rulership over Saurra- southern Gujarat, ornaments, disease of the head, pearls, ruler of the sky controlover air space, short or dwarfish stature, rulership over the eastern direction, copper,blood or blood-red gems like ruby, kingdom, blood-red cloth, stones, undisguised or openconduct, shores of a river, red coral, strong at noon, east, face, long-standing anger or longindignation, capturing the foe, sttvika or benevolent and good temper, red sandal paste orsaffron, opposition or hostility, thick or coarse yarn.

MOON: Intelligence, flowers, perfumes, going to a fortress, disease, brhmaa or dvija,

laziness, phlegmatic constitution, epilepsy, hidden or ulcerous troubles in the stomach,nature of the mind, heart, woman, benefic and malefic nature, acidity, sleep, happiness,liquids, silver, stout sugarcane, malarial fever, pilgrimage, wells, tank, mother, impartialoutlook, noon, pearls, consumption, whiteness, waist-band, bell-metal, salt, short stature,mind, abilities, ponds, diamond, autumn, muhrta or 48 minutes duration, facial lustre,white colour, stomach, worship of Gaur, the consort of iva, honey, grace of favour, senseof fun or humour, nourishment, wheat, pleasures, splendour, face, swiftness of mind oragility of mind, fondness for curd, one who does tapasya or penance, fame, beauty, strongat night, facing west, lover, saline, acquiring a post, love of the west, middle world, ninegems, middle age, self, eating, going to distant places, aliments of the shoulders, umbrellaand other royal insignia, good fruits, fine blood circulation or vital energy, fish and otheraquatic beings, serpents and the like, clothes, fine blossoming, lustre, clean crystals,refined clothing.

MARS: Valour, land, strength, carrying weapons, ruling over people administrator, lossof virility, thief, battle, opposition, foes, charitable nature, love of deep-red objects, ruler

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over sacred places archaeologist or sacred endowments, sound of a trumpet, fondness,quadrupeds, king, obstinate fool, anger, going to a foreign country, steadfastness,supporter, fire, controversy or arguments, bile, heat, wounds, service under the ruler, day,sky, sight, shortness, ailment, fame, tin, sword, spear, minister, firmness of limbs, jewels,worship of Subrahmanya (Krttikeya), youth, pungent taste, hall of the ruler, earthenware,obstacles, eating non-vegetarian food, abusing or bitterly criticising others, conqueringfoes, bitterness of taste, strong towards the end of the night, gold, summer season, valour,

strength of enemy, profundity, courageous behaviour, man, character, Brahm, axe,moving in the forest, forest officer, chief ruler or officer of the village, favour of the king,painful urination, square, goldsmith, wicked one, burnt place, good food, leanness, skill inarchery, blood, copper, variegated or peculiar clothes, face turned towards the south, fondof the southern direction, desire, anger, spreading scandals, house, commander of thearmy, a fire arm that kills a hundred (like a machine-gun), tree, Sma Veda, brothers,hatchet, controlling fierce or wild animals, independence, persistence, land, one whoawards punishment, snake, world, speech, fickleness or imbalance of the mind, getting ona vehicle, seeing blood, drying or coagulating of blood.

MERCURY: Education, horses, treasury, mathematics, knowledge, speech, dvijas,

infantry, script, writing, new clothes, construction of palaces, green colour, sculpture,astrology and astronomy, pilgrimages, wise or good conversation or lecturing, temples,commerce, best ornaments, soft speech, system of philosophy, maternal grandfather, baddreams, eunuch, face turned to north, skin, moisture, bell-metal and the like, renunciation,seasons, fine place, medical practitioner, neck, black magic, child, looking cross-wise,heaven, humility, collaterals, fear, dancing, devotion, tendency to laughter, strong atsunrise or morning, beginning of winter, scratching ailments, self-control, navel, flourishingof ones own dynasty, mixed or compound substances, presides over the Telugu language,worship of Viu, dras, birds, younger co-borns or brothers and sisters, witty language,sticks,Atharva Veda, carrying out the karmas or religious rites, towers of temples, dust,garden, sex organs, evenness, beneficial nature, wandering in the villages, balancednature and outlook, fond of the north-western direction, well-versed in the Puras orminor epics, grammar, one skilled in researching and testing the precious stones, scholar,maternal uncle, mantras or sacred spells,yantras or symbolic religious diagrams, verypowerful tantric and the like.

JUPITER:Brhmaas, teachers, religious, social and other duties, chariot, cows, infantry,deposits, Mms- and Dharma-stras, treasure, horses, buffaloes, large or stout body,valour, fame, logic, astronomy and astrology, sons, grandsons, complaints of the digestivesystem, wealth of elephants, Vednta philosophy, elders like great-grandfather, mansion,Gomedha (hessonite), elder brother, grandfather, Indra, first half of winter, acts arising

from great indignation, precious stones, tradesman, physical health, strange or peculiarpalace, honour from the king, great Gods, penance, charity, Dharma, doing good to others,impartial outlook, facing towards the north, circular forms, yellow colour, wandering in thevillages, north, dear friends, swinging on a plank or on an elephant, great eloquence, brain,cloth of a medium count, happiness in a newly built house, old age or old persons, mantra,dvijas, holy water or place of pilgrimage, knee, moving towards heaven, house that offershappiness, intellect, great proficiency, great long poems, towers, delighting or impressingaudience, throne, installation of the idol of Brahm, Cats eye, the great results of the agnioma sacrifice, sweet juices, sttvika nature, happiness and unhappiness, long things,gentle or benefic, understanding the minds or thoughts of others, gold, decorations, tantraor technical subjects and the like, wind (vta) complaints, phlegm (kapha), good yellowtopaz, sound knowledge of the sacred texts and scriptures, soft and pleasant stones,worship of Shiva, performing religious and moral acts strictly, and travelling in a carriagecovered on the four sides.

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VENUS: White umbrella, which is a royal insignia, good cowry, good clothes, marriage,income, bipeds, woman, dvijas, gentle or benefic, white colour, wife or husband, happinessfrom sex life, short stature, acid taste, flowers, commands, fame, youth, pride,conveyance, silver, fond of the south-east, salty taste, cross-wise vision, cough, fortnight,rjasika nature, firmness, pearls, Yajur Veda, vaiyas, beauty, buying and selling articlesthat contribute to beauty, pleasant talk arising from mutual love, watery place, elephants,horses, peculiar or strange poetry, dancing, middle age, music, enjoyment, happiness from

wife or husband, precious stones, love of humour, swimming, servants, fortune, strangelustre, tenderness, kingdom, fragrant garland, taking pleasure in violin and flute, pleasantmovement or walking, eight kinds of prosperity, well-proportioned limbs, frugal in takingfood, season of spring, ornaments, possessing many women, facing east, eyes, speakingtruth, skilled in the fine arts, semen, sporting in water with love, profundity, excess oreminence, pleasant musical instruments, decoration for dramatic shows, indulgence inamorous sports, declining physical form, one who attaches great importance to sex,receiving good respect or honour, fondness for having white clothes, expert in BharatasNya stra (science of drama), having the seal of authority or of the government, ruler,fond of worshipping Gaur and Lakm, emaciated from the pleasures of sex, playing therole of mother for those born during daytime, skilled in composing poems, minor epics and

the like, blue-black hair, benefic, genitals, urine or urinary tract, moving in the world of thesnakes, strong in the afternoon, and an awareness of the genital organs and the secretsconnected with them.

SATURN: Ill-health and other sufferings, obstruction, horses, elephants, skin, income,standards, distress, disease, enmity, sorrow, death, happiness from a woman, maid-servant, asses, outcastes, persons with strange or mutilated limbs, roaring in the woods,disgust, charity, lords, longevity, eunuch, one born outside the four castes, birds, Tretgni,one of the sacred domestic fires, servants duties, doing something other than thetraditional or accepted duties, one losing his ego, telling lies, lasting long, wind, old age,tendon, strong at the end of the day, the second half of winter, indignation, exertion, bornof a low woman, born in adultery, a widows bastard, dirty cloth, dirty house, mind turnedto dirty things, friendship with the wicked, black colour, sins, cruelty, ashes, grains in blackcolour, precious stones, iron, generosity, a year, dras, vital or supporters of the lover,significator of father for one born at night, learning what belongs to another caste,lameness, fierce or severe, blanket, facing west, remedies for restoring life, lookingdownwards, living by agriculture or farming, one who knows where the arms are kept,manager of an ordnance factory, cousin, an external position, fond of the north-east, worldof the snakes, falling, wandering in the battlefields, bones, lead, wrong or wicked valour,

Turks, torn clothes or things, oil, wood, brhmaas having tmasika quality, wandering inpoisonous places, roaming in hilly areas, long standing fear, hunter, strange or ugly hair,

whole kingdom, fear, goats and the like, buffaloes and the like, indulgence in sex,displaying amorous intentions in dressing, worship of Yama, dogs, thefts and hard-heartedness.

RAHU: Umbrella, chowry, acquiring a kingdom, faulty logic, harsh speech, one belongingto a caste outside the four main castes, a sinful woman, a conveyance covered on all foursides, an irreligious person or a dra, gambling, strong at sunset, having sex with a wickedwoman, going to a different country, unclean, bones, hidden abdominal ulcer, falsehood,looking downwards, perplexity, emerald, facing south, depending on mlecchs, low castesand the like, malignant tumour, great forest, wandering in difficult places, suffering frommountains, staying outside, south-western direction, complaints of wind and phlegm,serpents, southern breeze, severe, long, reptiles, interpretation of dreams, travels, onemuhrta (48 minutes), old age, conveyance, world of the snakes, maternal grandfather, air,acute duodenal pain, catarrh, breathing, great valour, worship of Vana-Durg, wickedness,association with animals, writing Urdu or Persian, and harsh speech.

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KETU: Worship of the lord of C, Ganea and others, medical practitioner, dogs, cocks,vultures, final salvation, all sorts of prosperity, consumption, painful fevers, bath in theGag, great penance, wind complaints, friendship with hunters, acquiring prosperity,stones, wounds, Mantra-stra, instability of mind, knowledge ofBrahman, diseases of thestomach and eye, stupidity, thorn, knowledge of animals, zoology, observing silencereligiously, Vednta, all kind of luxury, fortune, suffering from foes, sparing in eating,renunciation, fathers father, hunger, great pain from peptic or duodenal ulcer, small pox,

or boils and such other diseases, horned animals, a servant of iva, getting the order ofimprisonment revoked, and conversation or association with dras.

Of course some of the above listed naisargika krakatwas (natural significations) of theplanets may seem to be contradictory to those given by other sources, but this oftenhappens in the classicJyotia texts. By learning to use these significations in practice anddeveloping our intuition we learn to interpret them properly.

Gauranga Das

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Planets in Jyotish