Chapter 4: Determination of the Shadbalas of Planets

The strength of a planet is said to be six fold and they are in the following order: — (1) Kalaja or temporal, (2) Cheshta or motional, (3) Uchcha or that derived from its exaltation position, (4) Dik or directional, (5) Ayana or that derived from its declination (north or south) and (6) Sthana or positional. In the night-time, Mars, the Moon and Venus are strong. Mercury is strong at all times. The rest are strong during the day. In the bright-half of a month the benefics, and in the dark -half, the malefics, are strong. Planets when they happen to be the lords of the year, month, day and hour get 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 Rupa respectively.

The Moon gets Cheshtabala when she is full. The Sun gets it when he is in his northern course ; the other planets, when in their retrograde motion. In planetary war, those that are posited in the north and who have got brilliant rays should be considered as victorious. Planets have their full Uchcha bala when in their highest exaltation. As regards directional strength, the Sun and Mars are strong in the 10th Venus and the Moon in the 4th; Mercury and Jupiter in the 1st and Saturn in the 7th. Mercury, Saturn and the Moon have their Ayana bala in their southerly course. The rest have the same in their northern.

The strength accruing to a planet in the six Vargas (viz. Rasi, Hora, Drekkana, Navamsa, Dwadasamsa and Trimsamsa) on a consideration of its being posited in its exaltation, its own and its friendly-signs, etc., is termed its positional strength. That arising from its being in Kendra and other Bhavas (i.e., Phanapara and Apoklima) will be 1, 1/2 and 1/4 Rupa respectively. The hermaphrodite planets are strong in the middle, the male ones at the initial and the female ones at the concluding portions of a Rasi. Saturn, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, the Moon and the Sun are in their order increasing in their natural strength.

A planet is said to possess strength when he is retrograde or when his rays are full and brilliant, though posited in a depression or inimical Rasi or Amsa. Like the Moon, a planet though occupying an exaltation, friendly or his own Rasi or Amsa becomes weak, should his rays be overpowered or eclipsed.

All planets are strong when they are in exaltation. The Moon is strong and auspicious when she has her full Paksha bala and the Sun when he has his full Dig-bala (i.e., when he is in the 10th house or the Meridian). The other five non-luminous planets are strong when they are retrograde. Rahu in Karkataka, Vrishabha, Mesha, Kumbha and Vrischika and Ketu in Meena, Kanya, Vrishabha and the later half of Dhanus, in Parivesha and Indra-chapa are strong if there be a conjunction of the Moon and the Sun and the time be night.

If the first Bhava be a biped sign, one Rupa has to be allotted to it; if it be Vrischika, the bala is 1/2 ; if it be any other sign, the strength is [1/4]. The strength of the Lagna is equal to that of its lord and is very powerful when the lord occupies an Upachaya (3rd, 6th, 10th or 11th) house. The same is also the case when it is occupied or aspected by its lord, Jupiter or Mercury, when it is associated with Venus and is at the same time without the conjunction or aspect of any other planet. The day-signs possess strength in day-births, while night-signs are declared powerful in night-births.

A planet gets one full Rupa as positional strength when he is in his exaltation Rasi. The strength is 3/4 when he is posited in his Moolatrikona Rasi. It is 1/2 when the planet occupies his own Rasi. When the planet is in a friendly house, his bala is only 1/4. In an inimical house, he gets only very little. The strength is nil when he is in his depression sign or eclipsed by the Sun's rays.

The strength of the planets occupying the 4 Kendras (1st, 4th, 7th and 10th) has been distinguished by the astrologers in the following manner; It is 1/4th in the 4th house; 1/2 the 10th, 3/4 in the 7th and full in the 1st or Lagna, thus increasing it by 1/4 in each stage.

The aspect from the 7th house is the only one that should be declared as most effective in all cases ; not so, the rest. But there are others who opine that the special aspect (of Saturn, Jupiter and Mars) is in no way less efficacious in producing full effect in all Yogas and the like.

Natural enmity or friendship between two planets is more fully effective than and preferable to their corresponding temporal ones as the latter is only a variable quantity and not a permanent one.

In completely warding off evil and in promoting prosperity, Jupiter is the most powerful of all the planets. Mercury and Venus have a 1 and 4 respectively of that power. The Moon's strength serves as a basis as it were for the strength of all the planets.

Find what portion of the asterism occupied by the Moon has elapsed at birth. Reduce the same to Vighatikas. Divide this result by (1) 60 (2) 300 and (3) 100. The three resulting quotients are termed (1) (Chandrakriya) (2) (Chandra-avastha) and (3) (Chandra vela) respectively, Their effects are described below :

(1) One that has fallen from his position (2) one practising austerities (3) one intent on others' wives (4) a gambler (5) one who is mounted on a mighty elephant (6) one seated on the throne (7) a ruler of men (8) one that destroys enemies (9) a commander of an army (10) a virtuous person (11) one that is dead or quite exhausted (12) one that is decapitated (13) one whose hands and legs are injured (14) a prisoner (15) one that is lost or spoilt (16) a king (17) one that studies the Vedas (18) one that sleeps (19) one of a good character (20) one who practises virtue

(21) one that is born of a good family (22) one who has come by a treasure (23) one belonging to a renowned family (24) one clever in exposition (25) a destroyer of enemies (26) one who is sickly (27) one that is vanquished by his enemy (28) one that has left off his native country (29) a servant (30) one who has lost his wealth (31) one that is always seen in royal assemblies (32) a good counsellor (33) one that is in charge of others' lands (34) one that lives with his wife (35) one who is afraid of elephants (36) one who is timid in conflicts (37) one that is generally very timid (38) one that lives concealed or incognito (39) one that feeds others (40) one who falls into the fire.

(41) one that suffers from hunger (42) one that eats cooked rice (43) one that is wandering (44) one that eats flesh (45) one that has been injured by a missile or weapon (46) one who is married (47) one with a ball in his hand (48) one who amuses himself with dice (49) a king (50) one that is distressed (51) one that is in his bed (52) one that is served, by his enemies (53) one that is surrounded by his friends (54) a saint or devotee (55) one that is with his wife (56) one that eats sumptuous food (57) one that drinks milk (58) one that does good or virtuous acts (59) one that is confident or self-possessed and (60) one who continues to be happy.

The following are declared by the wise as the effects of the 12 Avasthas of the Moon: (1) Absence from one's head-quarters (2) becoming a favourite of an esteemed king (3) danger of losing one's life on account of service to another (4) possessing qualifications of being a ruler of the world (5) delighting to have qualifications and merits befitting one's family (6) sickly (7) holding a royal Darbar (8) fear (9) torment by the pangs of hunger (10) marriage with a young lady (11) desire to have handsome bed and (12) eating sumptuous food.

The effects of the Moon's 36 Velas have been thus described by the wise: (1) headache (2) pleasure (3) performing a sacrifice (4) living happily (5) eye disease (6) being happy (7) amusement with young damsels (8) violent fever (9) adornment with golden ornaments (10) shedding tears (11) devouring poison (12) coition (13) stomach-ache

(14) amusing oneself in water, merriment and painting (15) anger (16) dancing (17) eating food along with ghee (18) sleeping (19) gift (of presents) (20) tooth-ache (21) quarrel (22) starting (on a journey) (23) intoxication or insanity (24) swimming in water (25) enmity

(26) the act of bathing according to one's own inclination (27) hunger (28) fear (29) acquisition of a sacred lore (30) wantonness (31) meeting (32) fighting (33) doing a virtuous act (34) practising evil (35) perpetrating cruel actions and (36) exultation.

The Chandra kriya and others described above will be found to be useful and productive of effect in the case of a birth, a Muhurta (celebration of an auspicious event) and a query. One ought therefore to particularly examine them and then only set about predicting.

Pakshabala (fortnightly strength) is of special importance to the Moon, while the Bala arising from Sthana position) is important for the other planets. This when added to the other kinds of strength of the several planets will become very great. Other kinds of strength, there are many, similar to this.

The Sun is declared strong when his strength is 6 1/2 Rupas. In the case of the Moon, it is 6 Rupas. Five Rupas are assigned to Mars and 7 to Mercury. Jupiter's Purnabala is similar to that of the Sun, that is, 6 1/2 Rupas. Venus is strong when he gets 5 1/2 Rupas.

Saturn should have 5 Rupas. These are the figures representing the total Shadbala for the several planets. If the respective figures be otherwise, i.e., less than the above, the planets should be considered as weak. It is only after a minute examination of the several kinds of strength (the Shadbalas) of the several planets, one ought to declare their effects.

In the case of the Lagna and other Bhavas, add one Rupa to the strength of the lord of the Bhava concerned. Supplement this by the Directional strength (Digbala) due to that Bhava and also by the strength of aspect (Drigbala) of that Bhava. The aggregate sum - total is the Bhavabala required. For more details about the several kinds of strength of planets, please see Adhyayas II and III of my edition of Sripatipaddhati.