Chapter 14: Diseases, Death, Past and Future Births

Anything about diseases ought to be divined through (1) the planets posited in the 6th house (2) those posited in the 8th and 12th houses (3) the planet owning the 6th house or (4) those in conjunction with that planet. The particular disease may be predicted if the same happens to be signified by two, three or more independent Yogas.

High fever dominated by vitiated bile, burning of the whole body, epilepsy, heart-disease, eye-trouble, danger from enemies, skin-disease, lucaria (Astthisruti), danger from wood, fire, weapon and poison, trouble to one's wife, children and fear of quadruped, thief, the sovereign, the God Yama, serpent and God Siva,— all these may be caused by the Sun.

Excessive sleep, Laziness, phlegmatic affection, (Kapharoga), diarrhoea, carbuncle, malarial-fever (typhoid) danger from horned and water animals, indigestion - Agnimandya tastelessness (Aruchi - Anorexia), trouble from or to women, jaundice, mental aberration, impurity of blood, danger from water, Balagrahas, Goddess Durga, Kinnaras, God Yama, serpents and from female Yaksha may be expected through the Moon.

The disease and untoward events originated by Mars are : excessive thirst, morbid irritation of blood bilious fever, danger from fire, poison, weapons, leprosy, eye-diseases, appendicitis, epilepsy, injury to the marrow, roughness of the body, psoriasis (Pama), bodily deformities, trouble from the sovereign, enemies and thieves, fighting with brothers, sons, and foes, friends fear from evil spirits, Gandharvas, and frightful demons and diseases affecting the upper limbs of the body (such as lungs, throat, teeth, tongue, ear, nose, etc.). ( Pamika ) is synonymous with ( Vicharchika-Psoriasis) .

Mercury brings on mental disease, trouble to the vocal organs, eye-disease, diseases of throat and nose, fever, diseases arising from the three humours (Vata), (Pittha) and (Kapha), poison, skin diseases, anaemia, bad dreams, itches and scab (Psoriasis) falling into the fire, roughness or dryness of the body imprisonment and exhaustion, and harm from evil demons moving in the abodes of Gandharvas, and in fiery pits (where these evil spirits usually dwell) [or Gandharvas, the Earth, mansions and horses, etc., as well as evil spirits.]

Appendicitis (intestinal disorders), fever arising out of disorder in the entrails, diseases arising from sorrow, fainting or swoon, and phlegmatic disorder ear trouble, giddiness, trouble in connection with temple matters, torture for knocking off hoarded wealth, harm resulting from the curses of Brahmins and Gods, diseases engendered by Kinnaras, Yakshas, Gods, serpents, and Vidyadharas, etc., (class of demi-gods) and troubles arising from serious offences done to wise men and elders, all these are indicated by Jupiter.

Venus signifies the following: anaemia, diseases caused by the irritation of phlegmatic and windy humours, trouble to the eyes, urinary diseases, diseases in the generative organ, strangury, trouble in cohabitation, exudation of semen, loss (fading away) of bodily splendour as a result of intercourse with courtezans, rickets, fear from witches, female ghosts and female deities and break of friendship with a dear friend.

Saturn brings on diseases caused by wind and phlegm, paralysis of the leg, misfortune, weariness, mental aberration belly-ache, internal or heart pain heat, desertion of servants, injury to the ribs, danger to wife and children, injury to some limb, mental anguish, wound as a result of a blow from a piece of wood or stone and trouble or harm from (foul) ignominious goblins and the like.

Rahu causes palpitation of the heart, leprosy, aberration of mind, danger from artificial poisoning, pain in the legs, trouble from goblins and serpents and ills to wife and children. Ketu indicates trouble through dispute with Brahmins and Kshatriyas, or from enemies. Mandi (Gulika) causes fear from (seeing) corpses, poison, bodily pain and impurity (arising from the demise of one's near relations).

If the 12th and the 2nd houses be occupied by the Moon and the Sun, being conjoined with or aspected by Saturn and Mars, the person born will suffer from eye-disease. The 3rd and the 11th houses and Jupiter if associated with or aspected by Saturn and Mars will cause ear-disease to the native. Mars (a malefic) in the 5th house in conjunction with the lord of the 6th or the 8th house will make the native suffer from belly-ache. Similarly the lords of the 8th and the 6th houses if posited in the 7th and the 8th along with malefics will bring about rectal disease. Venus under the above conditions will make the person born suffer from a disease in the private parts (venereal disease.)

If the 6th or the 8th house be occupied by the Sun, there would be fear of fever; if by Mars or Ketu, the danger will be from ulcer ; if by Venus, it will be through a disease in the private parts. If Jupiter should occupy the 6th or the 8th house, the native will be seized with consumption. If Saturn be in such a position, the native will suffer from nervous diseases. If Rahu aspected by Mars be in the 6th or the 8th, the person concerned will suffer from carbuncle. If Saturn in conjunction with the Moon occupy any of the above two houses, the native will suffer from the enlargement of spleen. If the waning Moon occupy any of the above houses identical with watery signs, in conjunction with a malefic, the person will suffer from a watery disease or consumption. Note : — In all those cases great care should be used in making predictions. Common sense and experience are to be used as guide.

I now proceed to explain the manner in which a person meets with his death, and the cause of the same. If there are planets occupying or aspecting the 8th house, death is caused through diseases pertaining to the strongest of them ; or (if there be no planets occupying or aspecting the 8th house) through diseases declared for that house or for the house in which the lord of the 8th is placed; and (where the foregoing tests do not apply) it may be predicted with certainty that death will be caused either by the lord of the 8th house or by the lord of the 22nd decanate (counted from the Lagna decanate).

When the 8th house is occupied by a planet or aspected by one, death should be declared to be caused by diseases pertaining to that planet. When there are no planets occupying or aspecting the 8th house, death is caused through diseases declared as arising from the nature (or characteristics) of the Rasi representing the 8th house.

The Sun causes death through fire, high fever, bile or weapon. The Moon brings on death through cholera, watery diseases (such as Jalodara-ascitis) or pulmonary disease in general. The troubles caused by Mars for bringing about death are (accidental) fire, the employment of magical spells, witchcraft and weapons. The agency used by Mercury for the same purpose is anaemia, bloodlessness and similar diseases and giddiness. Jupiter will bring about death without much trouble or through phlegm, while Venus will do it through venereal complaints or similar ones caused by association with women. Saturn will bring it about by wind-disease or a dangerous fever like typhoid.

Rahu will bring about death by leprosy, by eating food mixed with poison, by venomous biles, or by small-pox and the like. Ketu will cause unnatural deaths such as suicide, or assassination as a result of the hatred of enemies or through worms etc.

One ought to predict death through the bad (detrimental) effect arising from the 8th house reckoned from the Lagna or through the evil effect of the Rasi representing the Navamsa occupied by the lord of the 8th house.

If Mesha should happen to be such a Rasi (see previous Sloka), death will be due to bilious fever, heat, and liver or gastric disease. If it be Vrishabha, death will be due to vitiation or derangement of the three humours of the body, through fire, or weapon; if Mithuna, by catarrah, asthma, or sharp pain such as colic ; if Karkataka, by insanity windy-disease or loss of appetite anorexia).

If Simha be the Rasi under consideration, death should be declared to be due to wild beasts, fever, boils, or enemies ; if Kanya, it will be through women, venereal disease, or by a fall (from a height); if Tula, by brain fever and typhoid ; and if Vrischika, by disease of the spleen, jaundice, and sprue.

If Dhanus be the Rasi under reference, death will be due to a tree, water, wood or weapon. If the Rasi be Makara, death will be by stomach-ache, want of appetite or aberration of mind, etc. If Kumbha, it will be by cough, fever and consumption ; lastly, if Meena be the Rasi concerned, death will be by drowning or by some watery diseases such as ascitis (Jalodara).

When the 8th house happens to be owned by a malefic planet (and is also malefic) and be occupied also by a malefic, or a malefic asterism be there, death will be due to weapon, fire, tiger or snake. If two malefics being in Kendras aspect each other, the native will meet with his death through the displeasure of his sovereign or through a weapon, poison or by fire .

If at a person's birth, the 12th house or its lord be in a house or Navamsa owned by a benefic or be associated with a benefic, his death will be a happy one being free from any anguish or suffering. If otherwise, it will be painful.

If the lord of the 12th house occupy his exaltation, a friendly house or a Varga of a benefic planet or be associated with a benefic planet, the (life of the) person concerned will be going upwards to heaven. If it be otherwise, he will be going to perdition or hell. Some interpret this as a result of the nature of the Rasi (of the 12th house) ; i. e., heaven if a (Sirshodaya) one and hell if a (Prishtodaya) one.

The refuge of the departed is signified by the planet associated with the lord of the 12th, by one posited in the 12th house or by the one occupying the Navamsa of the 12th Bhava. If the Sun and the Moon be such planets, the future world indicated is Kailasa ; if the planet in question be Venus, it is Swarga (Heaven, or Indra's Paradise) ; if Mars be such planet, it is the Earth ; if it be Mercury, the native goes to Vaikuntha ; if Saturn, the future abode will be Yama's world ; if it be Jupiter, the native goes to Brahmaloka ; if it be Rahu, He goes to other islands ; and if it be Ketu, the native's next abode will be Hell.

It is the lord of the 9th house that gives all about the native's past birth, while all information about his future birth is revealed by the planet owning the 5th. The particular caste, the country and the quarter or direction of the individual in his past and future births should be guessed from the two respective planets referred to above.

If the planets referred to above be in their exaltation, the particular world indicated should be declared to be the one occupied by the Gods. If they occupy depression or inimical houses, it indicates foreign islands. If the planets be in their own, friend's or neutral's houses, then the abode in question should be guessed as India alone.

The country pertaining to Jupiter is Aryavarta (name of the tract extending from the Eastern to the Western ocean and bounded on the North and South by the Himalaya and Vindhya respectively). Venus and the Moon indicate tracts watered by the sacred rivers. Mercury represents all sacred places. Saturn signifies prohibited tracts like those occupied by foreigners, while the Sun indicates mountain and forest regions, and Mars, the country of Behar.

If the planets (referred to in sloka 24 Supra i. e., lords of the 9th and 5th) occupy a fixed Rasi or Amsa identical with a Prishtodaya and an (Adhomukha) Rasi (vide 7—8 supra) along with malefics, the past and the future births of the native should be declared as trees, plants and the like. If otherwise, i. e., if the lords of the 9th and 5th houses occupy a Sirshodaya and an (Urdhvamukha) Rasi identical with a (Chara) or moveable Rasi or Amsa with benefics, the birth should be of an animal kind.

If the lord of the 9th or the 5th house occupy exaltation, or Swakshetra or the house of a friend of the lord of the Lagna, then it should be declared that the native's previous or the future birth ( as the case may be ) must be that of a human being. If the Rasi occupied be that of a neutral (Sama) to the lord of the Lagna, the birth concerned will be that of a beast. It will be that of a bird, if the Rasi be that of an inimical or depression one. All these may also be declared with reference to the appearance of the decanates occupied by the planets owning the 9th or the 5th.

If the said two planets be together in one house, the native should have had his birth in his own place. If they be of equal strength, the births (past and future) will be in the same caste. The colour and quality will also be similar to those belonging to the lords of the 9th and the 5th houses. Predictions regarding all the rest, should be similarly made by a reference to what has been stated in the (Samgnadhyaya)