Varahamihira: the Brihat Jataka, the Brihat Samhita and the Panchasiddhantika · Chapter 11 of 22 · Part Two · The Brihat Jataka
The Moon, pairs of planets, and the ascetic
Brihat Jataka, chapters XIII–XV
Chapter XIII: the yogas of the Moon
The Moon from the Sun (XIII.1)
The conduct, wealth, knowledge, intelligence and skill of a person will be poor, moderate or excellent according as the Moon occupies the kendra, the panaphara or the apoklima houses from the Sun (XIII.1).
The verse adds that a person will be rich and comfortable if the Moon is in its own navamsa or a great friend's, aspected by Jupiter in a day birth or by Venus in a night birth.
Adhi yoga (XIII.2)
If the benefics (Mercury, Jupiter, Venus) occupy the 6th, 7th and 8th from the Moon, the yoga is Adhi: the person "will become a general, a minister or a king", with pleasures, wealth, long life, subdued enemies and freedom from disease and fear (XIII.2). Aiyar's notes: by Shrutakirti there are seven forms, with benefics in all three houses or any one or two; the rank (general, minister, king) depends on the benefics' strength; the Saravali counts it a royal yoga when they are not combust or aspected by malefics.
Planets on either side of the Moon (XIII.3–8)
Excepting the Sun, if the other planets occupy the 2nd, the 12th, or both the 2nd and the 12th houses from the Moon, the yogas are respectively known as Sunapha, Anapha or Durudhura; otherwise, the yoga is known as Kemadruma by numerous writers (XIII.3).
And the cancellations, in the same verse: "according to some" — Garga and Parashara, says Aiyar — Kemadruma does not form if the Moon is in a kendra from the ascendant or is joined by a planet. Others count the yogas from the kendras of the Moon, or from the Moon's navamsa; "but these views are not considered as authoritative" (XIII.3).
Varahamihira counts the possible forms: 31 each of Sunapha and Anapha, 180 of Durudhura (XIII.4) — and Aiyar's long note teaches the arithmetic of combinations needed to get these numbers.
The results (XIII.5–6):
- Sunapha: self-earned property, kingly or king-like, intelligent, wealthy, renowned.
- Anapha: influential, healthy, self-controlled, renowned, comfortable, well dressed, free from grief.
- Durudhura: pleasures, wealth and vehicles, generosity, good servants.
- Kemadruma: poverty, grief, dependence — "though he may belong to a king's family".
The planet that forms the yoga colours it (XIII.7–8): Mars active, combative, wealthy, rash; Mercury skilled, well-spoken, learned in the arts; Jupiter wealthy, virtuous, respected; Venus pleasure-loving and very wealthy; Saturn managing others' wealth and people, the head of groups. A Moon above the horizon by day is said to be less fortunate than one below it, and the reverse by night (XIII.8).
The wealth yoga (XIII.9)
If all the benefic planets occupy the upachaya places from the ascendant at the time of birth, a person will be very rich, and if they occupy the upachaya places from the Moon, he will be moderately rich. If two of the planets occupy the upachaya places, a person will be moderately wealthy, and if one, he will possess small wealth (XIII.9).
The verse adds that this yoga takes effect even when the person is born under other, malefic yogas.
Chapter XIV: pairs of planets
Chapter XIV gives the result of every pair of planets in one sign — twenty-one pairs (XIV.1–5). In summary:
| Pair | Result |
|---|---|
| Sun–Moon | a maker of machines, a worker in stone |
| Sun–Mars | given to wrong deeds |
| Sun–Mercury | skilled, intelligent, famous, comfortable |
| Sun–Jupiter | harsh, works for others |
| Sun–Venus | earns by public shows and weapons |
| Sun–Saturn | skilled in metals and pottery |
| Moon–Mars | trades in crafts and goods; troubles the mother |
| Moon–Mercury | sweet-spoken, skilled in interpretation, popular |
| Moon–Jupiter | defeats enemies, important in the family, very rich |
| Moon–Venus | skilled in cloth-work |
| Mars–Mercury | trades in roots, oil and crafts; skilled in contests |
| Mars–Jupiter | head of a town, a king, or a wealthy Brahmin |
| Mars–Venus | herds cattle, skilled, but a gambler and unfaithful |
| Mars–Saturn | grief, untruthfulness, contempt |
| Mercury–Jupiter | skilled in contests, music and dance |
| Mercury–Venus | well-spoken; a ruler of lands and men |
| Mercury–Saturn | deceptive, ignores teachers |
| Jupiter–Venus | learned, wealthy, with a wife and many virtues |
| Jupiter–Saturn | a barber, a potter or a cook |
| Venus–Saturn | weak-sighted; wealth increased through a friendship (XIV.5) |
(One line, on the Moon with Saturn, concerns the mother's remarriage; it reflects the social judgements of its time.) Later astrologers read these as the blend of two planets' natures: the Sun with Mercury, intelligent authority; Mars with Jupiter, leadership; Jupiter with Venus, learning and comfort.
Chapter XV: the ascetic
A person born when four or more powerful planets occupy a single sign of the Zodiac becomes an ascetic of the Sakya, Ajivika, Bhikshuka, Vriddhashravaka, Chakra, Nirgrantha or Vanyasana class according as the most powerful planet of the group is Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, the Moon, Venus, Saturn or the Sun (XV.1).
The list is a snapshot of the religious orders of sixth-century India: Shakya (Buddhist monks), Ajivika (an ancient ascetic order now extinct), Bhikshuka (mendicants), Vriddhashravaka, Chakra, Nirgrantha (Jain monks) and Vanyashana (forest-dwellers living on wild food). If the strongest planet was defeated in planetary war, the person returns to ordinary life after a time (XV.1); if combust, the person does not take the vows but attaches themselves to those who do (XV.2). Other configurations involving Saturn and the lord of the Moon's sign also give the ascetic life (XV.3); with a royal yoga, Saturn alone in the 9th makes a person "both an emperor and an ascetic" (XV.4).
Summary
- The Moon's distance from the Sun grades a person's qualities (XIII.1); benefics in the 6th, 7th and 8th from the Moon make Adhi (XIII.2).
- Planets in the 2nd, 12th or both from the Moon make Sunapha, Anapha or Durudhura; none, Kemadruma, which Garga and Parashara cancel if the Moon is in a kendra or joined by a planet (XIII.3–8).
- Benefics in upachayas from the ascendant or Moon bring wealth (XIII.9).
- Chapter XIV gives the results of the twenty-one pairs of planets in one sign.
- Four or more powerful planets in one sign make an ascetic of the order named by the strongest (XV.1).
Exercises
- The Moon is in the 9th sign from the Sun. How does XIII.1 grade the person?
- Who, according to Aiyar, cancelled Kemadruma, and how?
- Which planet gives a "wealthy, virtuous, respected" Sunapha or Anapha?
- What does Mars with Jupiter in one sign give?
- What does the list in XV.1 tell us about sixth-century India?
Answers: 1. The 9th is an apoklima: excellent (XIII.1). 2. Garga and Parashara: if the Moon is in a kendra from the ascendant or joined by a planet. 3. Jupiter (XIII.7). 4. A head of a town, a king, or a wealthy Brahmin (XIV.3). 5. The variety of its religious orders: Buddhist, Ajivika, Jain and other ascetics.