Astroज्योतिष

Today's teaching

“Wealth is the star for wealth; what will the stars do?”
— Kautilya, Arthashastra IX.4

Jaimini: the Upadesha Sutras · Chapter 3 of 4

Arudhas and argala

Argala: intervention (JS 1.1.5–10)

Argala means "bolt" or "bar". Planets in certain houses from a house (or a planet) intervene in its affairs, and planets in the corresponding houses can obstruct that intervention:

  • planets in the 2nd, 4th and 11th exert argala;
  • planets in the 12th, 10th and 3rd respectively obstruct it;
  • the 5th gives a secondary argala, obstructed by the 9th;
  • many malefics in the 3rd give an argala that cannot be obstructed.

(JS 1.1.5–10; the BPHS gives the same rules, 31.2–9.) Whether the intervention helps or harms depends on the planets.

Example. For a Libra ascendant with Rahu in Capricorn (the 4th), the Sun, Jupiter and Venus in Cancer (the 10th), Mercury in Leo (the 11th) and Saturn in Sagittarius (the 3rd): the 4th's argala (Rahu) is obstructed by the three planets of the 10th; the 11th's (Mercury) by Saturn in the 3rd.

Arudha padas: the image (JS 1.1.29–31)

The arudha of a house is the sign showing how that house's matters appear to the world.

Jaimini's rule (JS 1.1.29–31): count from the house to the sign holding its lord; count the same number again from the lord; the sign reached is the arudha. Rao's worked examples apply this rule plainly: a lord in the 4th from its house gives an arudha in the 7th; a lord in the 7th gives an arudha in the house itself.

The BPHS's exceptions (BPHS 29.4–5): if the arudha falls in the house itself, take the 10th from it; if in the 7th from the house, take the 4th from it.

So the two sources disagree whenever the plain count lands in the house or its 7th.

Example. A Libra ascendant with its lord Venus in Cancer, the 10th sign. Count 10 from Cancer: Aries.

  • By Jaimini's plain rule (Rao): arudha lagna Aries.
  • By the BPHS: Aries is the 7th from Libra, so take the 4th from Libra: Capricorn.

The arudha of the ascendant — the arudha lagna — is read as the person's public image; the arudha of the 12th, the upapada, for marriage.

Summary

  • Argala: the 2nd, 4th and 11th (and 5th) intervene; the 12th, 10th and 3rd (and 9th) obstruct (JS 1.1.5–10).
  • Arudha: count from the house to its lord and as far again (JS 1.1.29–31); the BPHS adds exceptions for counts landing in the house or its 7th; the two disagree in those cases.

Exercises

  1. Which houses obstruct the argala of the 4th? Of the 11th?
  2. The ascendant is Gemini and Mercury is in Gemini. What is the arudha lagna by Jaimini's plain rule, and by the BPHS?
  3. Why should a reader always state which arudha rule they use?

Answers: 1. The 10th; the 3rd. 2. The lord is in the 1st; counting 1 from Gemini gives Gemini. Plain rule: Gemini. BPHS: it falls in the house itself, so take the 10th from it: Pisces. 3. Because the two sources give different arudhas in these cases.