Naisargika Strength of Signs - An Appraisal

Om Namah Sivaya

Namaste friends,

Yes, it’s been a long time since I posted a blog. Meantime, I have been busy with studying some of the wonderful commentaries on this Jaimini system. And, I was also busy with proof reading and other works for a book by my guru Sri Rangacharya. It is a manual on Jaimini Astrology in Telugu language. We hope to release it early March this year.

With all your blessings and best wishes, I wrote my first article named “Jaimini Navamsa – Karakamsa” which is going to be published in the annual issue of Saptarishi’s Astrology magazine. As you all know, that magazine is a free online magazine. I have discussed Ishta Devata and devotion for various sects of Hinduism with some examples. Please download it form http://www.saptarishisastrology.com/ and offer your feedback. I must thank the visitors of this blog for their encouragement.

Now, I am writing a very brief article below. I promise to give some more details of Drig dasa in coming days, since whatever the info available in print or on net about this wonderful dasa system is incomplete. There has been wonderful exposition of this dasa system by both Raghava Bhatta and Nrisimha Suri in their respective commentaries.

Here goes the topic of this blog.


Naisargika Strength of Signs – An Appraisal

Jaimini Maharshi dealt with four sources of strength of Rasi. Most scholars mixed up these sources of strength. But, if we study the Sanskrit commentaries, it would be evident that they are very clear as to which strength to be used in a particular situation.

Though I am not going to write all types of strengths here, for I promised to write it for a magazine. I just want to mention here, though very brief, two very important issues to trigger interest in the minds of readers.

Sage Jaimini instructed the Naisargika strength of signs in the following order.

Dual Sign > Fixed Sign > Movable sign.

So, the Dual sign has the most natural strength. Did we ever try to understand the practical application of this strength except using it to determine the stronger between two signs?

As I already mentioned elsewhere, Argala shall be calculated only for an aspecting planet, neither for a sign nor Lagna. Sage Jaimini and other ancient commentaries were very clear on this issue. But, most scholars ignore this very important rider and explain everything under the sky with Argala. That approach perhaps given by Sri V. Suryanarayana Murthy in his Jataka Narayaneeyam, which, I believe Sri Sanjay followed, doesn’t fetch any thing further in this system. Of course, as you all know I ignore whatever given in BPHS regarding Jaimini pointers.

Krishna Mishra in his Phalaratnamala, his son Somanatha Mishra in his Kalpalatha, extensively used the combination of these two (Argala and Naisargika Strength) to assess the Rajayoga of the native, which is explained very briefly below.

The following points must be remembered in assessing the Rajayoga.

If an aspecting planet placed in Movable sign, Poornargala (4/4) is formed if unobstructed Argala formed in three Mukhya Argala signs. This Poornargala will confer Rajayoga.

If an aspecting planet placed in Fixed sign, Tripadargala (3/4) is formed if unobstructed Argala formed at least in two Mukhya Argala signs. This Tripadargala will confer Rajayoga.

If an aspecting planet placed in Dual sign, Ardhargala (2/4) is formed if unobstructed Argala formed in at least one Mukhya Argala sign. This Ardhargala will confer Rajayoga.

For any aspecting planet placed in any type of sign, one more Padaargla (1/4) is formed, if unobstructed benefic Argala (Subha Graha Argala) formed in Gouna Argala Sign (either in 5th or 9th).

As you can see in the above three points that Ardhargala formed for an aspecting planet in Dual sign can confer Rajayoga, where as for a planet in Movable sign needs Poornargala to give Rajayoga. And, planet placed in Dual sign only can aspect other Dual signs.

Please note I used the phrase Subha Graha Argala only for 4th point, not for earlier three points. It must be again borne in mind that any planet, either natural benefic or natural malefic, confers Subha Argala in Mukhya Argala signs.

That’s why Sage Jaimini instructed us that Dual sign is the strongest sign. Do you understand why I always stress the importance of studying the Sanskrit commentaries to understand this science?

Well, I know the above discussion is neither complete nor very comprehensive in itself. Some may question the use of all this, if the above points are not substantiated by practical illustrations. My answer, for now, is to kindly read the book “A Manual of Jaimini Astrology”, by Sri Rangacharya to learn the practical examples.

In fact, I wrote this blog a couple of days back, but could not post it till today. As a bonus I wanted to add this following point.

There is a very peculiar yoga in this Jaimini system, which grants wonderful Raja Yoga for the native. It is connected to the aspect of debilitated planets. For example,

1. If a debilitated planet in 6rd or 8th house aspecting Janma Lagna
2. If a debilitated 6rd or 8th lord aspecting Janma Lagna

Well, there are much more to mention. Sri Rangacharya has made extensive study of these Yogas and vouches the practical application. He calculated the applicability of these special yogas for each lagna and found that Taurus gets much % of applicability.

It was mentioned by Sri Vadrevu Suryanarayana Murthy in his Jataka Narayaneeyam, that he found a special sutra in the Jaimini manuscript available with him. Of course, that Sutra is not found in any other Jaimini Sutras Book. It reads as follows

Na Vrishabha Chetyeke.

It can be argued that the word vrishabha in the above sutra refers to sign Taurus or its numeric value of above sutra. Yet, Sri Murthy interprets that Taurus sign is the best of all Lagnas.

Is it the upadess of Sage Jaimini to treat Taurus lagna as a special Lagna, which gets a different Raja Yoga by debilitated aspecting planet.

You can send your feedback at Shanmukha.t@gmail.com.
Seeking your blessings,

Shanmukha