Mantreswara: the Phaladeepika · Chapter 2 of 3

#The yogas

Chapter VI of the Phaladeepika is one of the great collections of yogas, and chapter VII adds the cancellation of debilitation.

#The great persons (PD VI.1–4)

Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus or Saturn in its own or exaltation sign in a kendra gives Ruchaka, Bhadra, Hamsa, Malavya or Sasa — and Mantreswara adds that these may also be counted from the Moon (PD VI.1–4).

#Round the Moon (PD VI.5–7)

Sunapha, Anapha and Durudhara: planets other than the Sun in the 2nd, 12th or both from the Moon; Kemadruma: none. Mantreswara records that some authorities cancel Kemadruma if a planet is in a kendra from the ascendant, if the Moon is joined by a planet, or if a planet is in a kendra from the Moon (PD VI.5–7).

#Round the Sun, and the scissors (PD VI.8–20)

• Vesi, Vasi, Ubhayachari: planets other than the Moon in the 2nd, 12th or both from the Sun, benefic or malefic in kind.
• Shubha kartari and Papa kartari: benefics, or malefics, in both the 2nd and the 12th from the ascendant — the ascendant protected, or hemmed in.
• Mahabhagya: for a man, a day birth with the Sun, Moon and ascendant in odd signs; for a woman, a night birth with all three in even signs.
• Kesari: the Moon in a kendra from Jupiter.
• Sakata: the Moon in the 6th, 8th or 12th from Jupiter — cancelled if the Moon is in a kendra from the ascendant.
• Adhama, Sama, Varishtha: the Moon in a kendra, panaphara or apoklima from the Sun.
• Vasumat: benefics in the upachayas from the ascendant or Moon.
• Amala: benefics in the 10th from the ascendant or Moon.
• and Pushkala, Susubha and others.

#Fortune and learning (PD VI.21–31)

• Lakshmi: the 9th lord and Venus in their own or exaltation signs which are kendras or trikonas.
• Gauri: the Moon so placed and aspected by Jupiter.
• Saraswati: Venus, Jupiter and Mercury in kendras, trikonas or the 2nd, with Jupiter strong in its own, exaltation or a friend's sign.
• and Shubhamala, Ashubhamala, Shrikantha, Shrinatha, Virinchi.

#The sixty-six exchanges (PD VI.32 onward)

Two planets each in the other's sign are in exchange (parivartana). Of the 66 possible exchanges between house lords, Mantreswara classes:

• the 30 involving the lord of the 6th, 8th or 12th as Dainya ("misery");
• the 8 involving the lord of the 3rd as Khala ("rogue");
• the remaining 28 as Maha ("great").

#The twenty-four house yogas (PD VI)

For each house, a good yoga when its lord is well placed, and a bad one when the lord is in the 6th, 8th or 12th. The twelve bad ones: Avayoga (1st), Nisswa (2nd), Mriti (3rd), Kuhu (4th), Pamara (5th), Harsha (6th), Dushkriti (7th), Sarala (8th), Nirbhagya (9th), Duryoga (10th), Daridra (11th), Vimala (12th).

Three of them reverse: when the lord of a difficult house — the 6th, 8th or 12th — is itself in a difficult house, the result is good: Harsha for the 6th lord, Sarala for the 8th, Vimala for the 12th. These are the classical source of the "viparita raja yogas" of later writers.

#Adhi yoga and others (PD VI)

Adhi yoga — benefics in the 6th, 7th and 8th — counted from the ascendant or from the Moon; Mantreswara's own definitions of Kahala, Parvata, and the number (sankhya) yogas.

#Debilitation cancelled (PD VII.26–29)

A debilitated planet's weakness is cancelled (neecha bhanga) when:

• the lord of its debilitation sign, or the lord of its exaltation sign, is in a kendra from the ascendant or the Moon (VII.26, 29);
• the lords of its debilitation and exaltation signs are in kendras from each other (VII.27);
• the lord of its debilitation sign aspects it (VII.28).

The result is better if the planet is not in the 6th, 8th or 12th.

#Summary

• The great persons, from the ascendant or the Moon (VI.1–4); the Moon's yogas with Kemadruma's recorded cancellations (VI.5–7).
• Sun yogas, kartaris, Mahabhagya, Kesari, Sakata (with cancellation), the Moon from the Sun, Vasumat, Amala (VI.8–20); Lakshmi, Gauri, Saraswati (VI.21–31).
• 66 exchanges: 30 Dainya, 8 Khala, 28 Maha; 24 house yogas, with Harsha, Sarala and Vimala reversing (VI).
• Debilitation cancelled under three conditions (VII.26–29).

#Exercises

1. From what two points may the great persons be counted, according to Mantreswara?
2. What cancels Sakata?
3. How many of the 66 exchanges are Maha yogas?
4. What is Harsha yoga, and is it good or bad?
5. Give one condition that cancels debilitation.

Answers: 1. The ascendant and the Moon (VI.1–4). 2. The Moon in a kendra from the ascendant. 3. 28. 4. The 6th lord in the 6th, 8th or 12th; good. 5. For example, the lord of the debilitation sign in a kendra from the ascendant or the Moon (VII.26).