When we talk of the nine planets in Astronomy, we are taught in school that they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
The International Union recently downgraded Pluto to that of a dwarf planet. Pluto meets all the three criteria for being a planet excepting one - it has not “cleared its neighbouring region†of other objects.
So the three criteria for being a planet are:-
- It is in orbit around the sun.
- It has sufficient mass to assume the round shape which is turned “Hydrostatic Equilibriumâ€.
- It has “cleared the neighbourhood†around its orbit (This means that, that planet has become gravitationally dominant - there are no other bodies of comparable size in its vicinity in spare). It is worth noting that Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, USA on 18th February 1930.
Having said this, let us understand who the Navagrahas are. The nine planets in Vedic Astrology or the navagrahas are Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu. How do we distinguish the nine planets in Astronomy from the nine planets in Astrology? All predictions in Astrology are made through the navagrahas - so Uranus, Neptune and Pluto don't matter at all.
Moon is not a planet according to Astronomy. It is a Satellite of Earth. But in Vedic Astrology, Moon is a full fledged planet. In this article we will have a detailed look at various aspects of the Moon and its role in Predictive Astrology.
What does Moon denote? In Vedic Astrology, what matters are signified by the Moon is explained by Mantreswara in Phala deepika.
It is from the Moon that one ought to determine the welfare of the Mother, mental tranquillity, sea - bath, white chowrie, umbrella, fan, fruits, flowers, corn, agriculture, tenderness, acquisition of pearls, bell - metal, silver, sweet substances, milk, clothes, water, cows, women, good meals, physical health and beauty. (Phaladeepika, Chapter 2, sloka 2).
The Moon in own decanate or friends' decanate will make the chart holder beautiful in appearance and possessed of good qualities. If Moon is in an Uttamavarga, it will make the person very lucky. If placed elsewhere, then the qualities of that person will be in accordance with the lord of the house. (Phaladeepika, Chapter 3, verse 17). If the navamsa occupied by the lord of the 10th house be that of the Moon, the income of the person concerned will be through trading in pearls, corals and other products related to water, through Agriculture, cattle farming, textiles etc., (Ibid, chapter V, verse 3).
LUNAR YOGAS:
Yoga means conjunction. This refers to a phenomenon where two planets occupy the same Zodiac sign. There are Eleven important yogas given rise to by the Moon. We can segregate them into three categories.
CATEGORY - 1:
- Sunapha Yoga
- Anapha yoga
- Dhur Dhura Yoga
CATEGORY - 2:
- Kemadruma yoga
- Sakata Yoga
CATEGORY - 3:
- Gaja Kesari Yoga
- Adhi Yoga
- Pushkala Yoga
- Sasi Mangala Yoga
- Vasumathi Yoga
- Maha Bhagya Yoga
Before we judge a horoscope we need to study the placement of the Moon and also study the implications of these Lunar Yogas. These yogas can either make or mar the fortunes of a horoscope. How they are formed and what their effects are, we will discuss, in detail, right now.
1. SUNAPHA YOGA:
When there is a planet in the 2nd from Moon (other than Sun) this yoga is given rise to.
RESULTS: The person will be a king or his equal, enjoys good reputation, is intelligent, wealthy and has self earned property.
We have two types of people in this world - those who live on their own efforts and those who eke out a parasitic existence on others' money. Sunapha yoga makes a person financially independent. They seldom take money from others. When a person is born with Moon in Taurus and Mercury, Jupiter and Venus in Gemini, there will a powerful Sunapha Yoga. So is the case when Moon is in Leo and Mercury and Venus are in Virgo.
All five planets (other than Sun, Rahu and Ketu) can be in the 2nd from Moon. A single planet can be in the 2nd from Moon and you have 5 variants. There can be a 2 - planet yoga in Sunapha yoga with 10 variations, 3 - planet with 10 variations and 4 - planet Yoga with 5 variations. Each planet while giving rise to Sunapha Yoga gives rise to a particular result. There are 31 ways in which Sunapha Yoga can occur as explained above.
MARS:
Native is valorous and is a commander. He is averse to hypocrisy.
MERCURY:
Well versed in scriptures, highly intelligent and of polite speech. Has good income.
JUPITER:
Is a versatile scholar and is conversant with every branch of learning.
VENUS:
The native is very efficient. He is also good looking and speaks politely. He is a learned scholar and is blessed with wife, house and vehicles.
SATURN:
The native is clever, wealthy and leads a contented life.
2. ANAPHA YOGA:
When there is a planet in the 12th from Moon (other than Sun) this yoga is given rise to.
RESULTS: The person is healthy, affable, famous, polite, has good reputation, generous, has self respect, virtuous, has material comforts, pleasant in looks, fond of dress and sensual pleasures, is a good orator and is happy. In later life the person takes to renunciation and austerity.
Sunapha Yoga is related to the 2nd from Moon - the house of wealth. Anapha Yoga is related to the 12th viz., the house of expenditure.
In general a person born in Anapha Yoga is very healthy and fit as a fiddle. Very rarely they fall sick. In today's Covid - ridden world, I would say that the greatest blessing would be to have Anapha Yoga in one's chart.
All five planets (other than Sun, Rahu and Ketu) can cause Anapha Yoga. We will see their results as follows;
MARS:
The Person is haughty but bold. He is hurtful and unethical in his approach. He leads a group of criminals.
MERCURY:
He is eloquent and writes poetry. He is well versed in Fine Arts.
JUPITER:
The person is learned and honoured by the ruler. He is energetic and endowed with strength. He is wealthy.
VENUS:
He is able to attract young girls through his charisma. He is bestowed with material possessions and is polite in speech.
SATURN:
He owns vast lands. He enjoys other people's wealth and associates with wicked women. He undertakes forbidden pursuits.
There are 31 ways in which Anapha Yoga can occur.
3. DURDHURA YOGA:
If there are planets on either side of the Moon, Dhurdhura Yoga is given rise to
RESULTS: The native earns name and fame. He desires the association of beautiful women. He is endowed with good speech learning, vehicles, lands and servants. He gets freedom from enemies.
Since there is one planet in the 2nd and another in the 12th, there is a perfect balance between income and expenditure. It is also possible that there may be more than one planet in the 2nd and the 12th and that also comes within the definition of Dhurdhura Yoga. There are four ways in which Dhurdhura Yoga can occur.
- A malefic in the 2nd and a benefic in the 12th
- A malefic in the 12th and a benefic in the 2nd
- Benefic(s) in 2nd and 12th
- Malefic(s) in 2nd and 12th
The first two are pretty much indicative of Dhurdhura Yoga. When benefic planets occupy both 2 and 12 it becomes a Dhurdhura Yoga par excellence. This is because in this yoga there is a simultaneous occurrence of Shuba Kartari Yoga of the Moon with Dhurdhura Yoga. The last one viz Moon with malefics on either side is also Dhurdhura Yoga but in this case the Moon is afflicted and hence the yoga is not an unmixed blessing. This is because in this yoga there is a simultaneous occurrence of Papa Kartari Yoga of the Moon with Dhurdhura Yoga
The planets in this yoga should be sufficiently well placed to produce the effects of the yoga. Let us for instance say, Moon is in Leo. If Mercury is in Virgo, there is Sunapha Yoga; 2nd Lord is exalted and the Lord of 11 (denoting income) is in the 2nd - a powerful Dhurdhura Yoga. Instead let us say, Mars causes Anapha Yoga by being in Cancer. We have the Yogakaraka Mars debilitated and also in a dustana - the 12th. If Moon is in Leo with Mars in 12 and Mercury in 2 then Dhurdhura Yoga is caused but then, Moon and Mercury seem to be well placed, but not so Mars. So there is a weakness.
Similarly if Moon is close to the Sun, Rahu or Ketu, then these Lunar Yogas will yield only moderate results.
If the Moon is hemmed between Jupiter and Venus, one will be blessed with wisdom, prosperity and a guileless mind. If the Moon is hemmed between Mars and Saturn, one will be addicted to unchaste women, will engage in vile deeds, will be treacherous and will be without remorse. If Moon is hemmed between Mars and Jupiter, one will be wealthy, famous, contented and will amass a fortune through his own efforts. If Moon is hemmed between Venus and Saturn, one will be liked by women and favoured by the King.
There are 180 ways in which Dhurdhura Yoga can occur.
Deepika Padukone's chart is a classic example of the beneficial effects of
Sunapha Yoga. In her chart Sunapha Yoga is formed by the presence of yoga
karaka planet Saturn in the 2nd from Moon . Incidentally Saturn is exalted in navamsa and is a yoga karaka both from the Moon as well as from Lagna. She shot to fame through the melodramatic movie “Om Shanthi Om†released in
November 2007. At the time of release both transit Saturn and Ketu were in
the favourable 11th from Lagna as well as the Moon, with Gochara Jupiter
transitting the second house from the Moon, over natal Saturn, which is
giving rise to Sunapha Yoga.
Deepika Padukone's chart is a classic example of the beneficial effects of
Sunapha Yoga. In her chart Sunapha Yoga is formed by the presence of yoga
karaka planet Saturn in the 2 nd from Moon . Incidentally Saturn is exalted in
navamsa and is a yoga karaka both from the Moon as well as from Lagna. She
shot to fame through the melodramatic movie “Om Shanthi Om†released in
November 2007. At the time of release both transit Saturn and Ketu were in
the favourable 11 th from Lagna as well as the Moon, with Gochara Jupiter
transitting the second house from the Moon, over natal Saturn, which is
giving rise to Sunapha Yoga.