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Balarishta in Hindu astrology is one of the Arishtas. These Arishtas are indicated by certain specific planetary situations or combinations or associations present at the time of one's birth or at the time of query or at a particular muhurta or happening as are revealed by the Natal Chart or the Query Chart or the Muhurta Chart. It is a Dosha.
The three kinds of Arishta that can strike a person at a very young age are – a) Balarishta or death before eight years, b) Madhyarishta or death before the age of twenty years and c) Yogarishta or death before thirty-two years. [1]
Balarishta is the Sanskrit word that means infant mortality, but astrologically it actually indicates a Dosha, a misfortune more in terms of ill-health during infancy and childhood than of any other kind of adversity that can strike a person at that age. Therefore, it is an affliction in the Natal Chart or Query Chart, an ava-yoga (evil yoga), which need not necessarily indicate early death, for death occurs only if the planetary infliction is severe and there are no other yogas indicating a longer term of life counter – acting Balarishta Dosha. [2] In Astrology the most difficult task is the determination of one's age i.e. span of life, time of death and Balarishta. [3]
The ancient astrologers devoted a considerable thought on Balarishta because if the new-born is not destined to live long, astrological prognostications are of no avail. [4] Since Balarishta is the result of one’s past karmas only when there are no evil influences causing Balarishta, the pandits advise, should the determination of probable life-span be taken up in right earnest. [5] There are six types of Yogayus indicating death within one year, death within 12 years (Balarishta), death within 32 years (Alpayu), death within 70 years, death (Madhyayu), death within 100 years (Deerghayu) and death after 100 years (Amithayu). [6]
Early death occurs mainly when at the time of birth the Moon is weak, ill-placed and afflicted by malefic planets. Whereas the Moon situated in the 6th house from the Lagna (Ascendant) causes Balarishta, an affliction by either Mars or Saturn gives curious and incurable diseases and revengeful foes. However, when the Sun and the Moon are strong and free from affliction one enjoys good health even if the Lagna at the time of birth is unfavourably influenced through adverse planetary aspects and conjunctions. [7] Mars in the 7th, Rahu in the 9th, Saturnin the Lagna, Jupiter in the 3rd and Venus in the 6th house are also taken as indicators of infant mortality; malefic planets situated in the 2nd, the 6th, the 8th or in the 12th house from the Lagna increase the chance of Balarishta. [8] Parashara in his Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra Chapter IX has described six adverse situations indicating early death of the infant, Varahamihira in his Brihat Jataka Chapter VI has listed twelve and Janardan Harji in his Mansagari Chapter IV has listed eighty-four; all standard texts on Hindu predictive astrology have described various ava-yogas indicating early death. But, Balarishta ava-yogas if not resulting in early death indicate immense hardship during infancy or period of childhood. Even Lord Krishna suffered Balarishta till the age of 11 years in which age He had to face many a crisis mainly due to His maternal uncle, Kamsa. [9]
According to Mansagari Rahu in the 7th from the Natal Moon proves adverse for father and mother, also the Moon if in conjunction with Ketu in the 4th house or in the 9th or the 10th spoils these bhavas, and according to Phaladeepika if the Sun is situated in the 9th house then one becomes deprived of happiness while still very young. A person born in Scorpio lagna with Saturn in the 2nd house, Rahu in the 3rd, Mars in the 6th, Venus in the 8th and The Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Ketu conjoining with the Sun in the 9th in Cancer sign, lost his father, who died of a motor-car accident, when he was a small child barely able to walk; [10] this too is a kind of Balarishta.
When there are seen ava-yogas indicating Balarishta there can also simultaneously occur auspicious yogas cancelling the adverse impact of the indicated Balarishta. Any one of the natural benefics – Mercury, Venus or Jupiter, strong and unafflicted or the strong lord of the Lagna situated in a kendra from the lagna cancels Balarishta. Parashara also states that if the 4th house is occupied by an evil planet and Jupiter is favourably placed or if Jupiter and Mars conjoin or Jupiter aspects Mars or if evil planets in the kendras are hemmed between benefic planets Balarishta yogas get cancelled. [11] These are some of the favourable "Arishtabhanga yogas". A strong Moon and a strong Lagna-lord are potent protective factors but even a strong Moon cannot escape from the influences exerted by other planets upon the signs and bhava not occupied by the Moon. [12] N.Chidambaram Aiyar, for instance, has given sixteen planetary situations centering on the role of the three strong natural benefics and the strong lord of the lagna, and the Moon, which situations if also simultaneously existing counteract the ill-effect of several Balarishta yogas given in the texts, there will be no early death etc.;. [13] The texts have also described special yogas cancelling Balarishta. For example, if Saturn is in Leo, Jupiter in the 12th (in Virgo) and the navamsa of Aries is devoid of a malefic, one born in Nirmalamsa does not incur Chandra Dosha (blemished Moon to cause Balarishta) Sloka 859 of Chandra Kala Nadi [14] Mahadeva in his Jataka Tattva states that the Moon, weak and lustreless, situated in a sign owned by Venus, causes Balarishta, and the child dies at the age of seven years. But rarely does the Full Moon in the 7th act as a powerful maraka unless there is a strong malefic also situated in the 8th house, early death cannot result if the planet in 8th is aspected by a benefic planet. [15]
Muhurta Charts revealing Balarishta ava-yogas indicate that either the period when the benefits accruing from the work commenced will be very brief or the task begun will not meet successful culmination; their role is similar to that of the Marakas, planets endowed with death-afflicting power. Morarji Desai’s government collapsed because Saturn and Rahu afflicted the 10th house; Mars, in mutual aspect with Saturn afflicting Leo Lagna, transited the 10th house in the swearing-in chart, and the Moon occupied Uttarabhadrapada nakshatra ruled by the afflicted maraka-lord Saturn. In the case of Charan Singh who was sworn in as India's Prime Minister on 28 July 1979 the Moon in Poorvaphalguni nakshatra was severely afflicted by Saturn, Rahu and Mars thus causing a strong Balarishta yoga; he had to resign within one month. [16]
Dasha The dasha pattern shows which planets according to Jyotish will be ruling at particular times.
Raja yogas are Shubha ('auspicious') yogas that give success and a grand rise in career or business, and a greater degree of financial prosperity particularly during the dasha of the planets that give rise to Raja yogas. However, these results get adversely modified by the presence of other Ashubha ('inauspicious') Arista yogas. Basically, the Yoga or Raja yoga-causing planets during the course of their respective dashas confer their most auspicious results if they happen to own the lagna-bhava or the Suta-bhava or the Bhagyasthana ; the person remains healthy, wealthy, happy and successful enjoying yoga and Raja yoga results in case the lagna, the 3rd, the 6th, the 8th, the 9th and the 12th houses counted from the lagna are also not occupied by any planet, and the kendras (quadrants) are occupied only by benefic planets.
Neechabhanga Raja yoga improves the significance of the neecha graha i.e. planet which is in debilitation. Generally coming into operation during the Dasha of the planet causing Neechbhanga Raj Yoga, it indicates cancellation of debilitation of a debilitated planet which then does not tend to produce adverse results during the course of its dasha but produces exceptionally good results.
Planetary dispositors play an important role in Astrology. The dispositor is a planet in whose sign another planet is located in the natal chart and which resident planet gains strength when its dispositor is also strong.
Akhanda Samrajya yoga is a rare and highly fortunate yoga and a powerful Raja yoga that confers rulership.
In Hindu astrology, Vakri grahas are those planets of the Solar System other than the Sun and the Moon that appear to move backwards, which apparent motion is due to earth’s orbit. Vakri in Sanskrit means twisted or crooked; it also means indirect, evasive and ambiguous. A Vakri graha is also known as the Saktha graha. Vakragati confers exceptional i.e. Cheshtabala, to Vakra grahas whose strong influence is expressed by the manner they affect the Natal Chart and by their transits. The two Lunar Nodes have perpetual retrograde motion.
Sanyasa yoga in Hindu astrology are the peculiar planetary situations or combinations seen in certain horoscopes that indicate Sanyasa i.e. renunciation of worldly material life by persons born with those yogas. Sanyasa yogas are also known as Pravrajya yogas.
In Vedic astrology a constant reference is made to the Navamsa occupied by planets and the Lagna-point. Both, the Rasi-chart and the Navamsa-chart are deemed equally important and therefore, consulted together. Whereas the Rasi-chart provides overall information regarding the location of planets and sensitive-points such as the Lagna, the latter provides vital information regarding their active quality and strength. A planet may be well-placed in the natal-chart Rasi-wise but its full effects may not materialise if its situation in the navamsa-chart is not supportive.
Dhana yogas are astrological combinations or yogas for wealth and prosperity which prove more fruitful if both the lagna and its lord are strong, and there are no Arista yogas present affecting the Dhana yoga - causing planets and the bhavas associated with earning, acquisition and accumulation of wealth. Jupiter is one of the natural Dhana-karaka, a strong Jupiter gives lifelong prosperity and financial stability.
Bandhana yoga in Hindu astrology basically indicates being placed under restraint, arrest, capture, detention, confinement, imprisonment, bondage, incarceration and the like, on account of circumstances beyond one's control or by opponents or by concerned authorities for no reason or on criminal charges for infringement law or by placing restrictions on freedom for political reasons. A weak lord of the Lagna (ascendant) and a weak Saturn jointly or severally cause suffering and hardships in life including being confined or imprisoned. Rahu is the karaka for being sent to jail.
Parashara states that at the time of birth benefic planets viz - Mercury, Jupiter and Venus, situated in the 6th, the 7th and the 8th house from the Natal Moon give rise to Adhi yoga and the person will be a king or a minister or a commander of forces in accordance with the strength gained by these named planets; he does not mention the order of their placement. This yoga has also been cited by Varahamihira as arising from the Moon alone. B. Suryanarain Rao, concurring with others states that this definition of Adhi yoga indicates that all benefics must be in these houses or in any one of these houses i.e. in 6th, 7th and 8th, or in 6th or in 7th or in 8th, or in 6th and 7th or 6th and 8th or in 7th and 8th. He also cites the opinion of Srutakriti who states that malefic planets occupying these bhavas will also give rise to Adhi yoga but the person will be evil minded and tyrannical; if benefics and malefic are thus placed then mixed results will ensue. Mandavya and Saravali class Adhi yoga as Raja yoga.
Garbhadhaana, a compound Sanskrit word, means conception, impregnation or insemination. It is the first of the sixteen Vedic Samskaras and is meant to be performed by man and woman at an auspicious time and date for the sake of begetting the desired child. In Hindu astrology this term is used in connection with Nisheka or consummation of marriage. B.Suyanarain Rao in his commentary on Chapter IV of Brihat Jataka explains that the health of women, and thus the health of the community, depends upon the auspicious planetary influences exerted during the act of sexual union; every male or female must come through a female, and therefore, woman occupies the highest rank in the order of creative agencies. The act of sexual union resembles the nature of the 7th house from the sign rising at the time of union or query; if evil planets occupy or aspect the 7th, then the act will be conducted in a quarrelling mood, but when benefics aspect or join the 7th the union takes place under very pleasant circumstances.
Karmasthana, also known as the Kirtisthana and the Rajyasthana, is the 10th bhava or house counted from the Lagna or the Ascendant or from the Chandra-lagna i.e. the natal position of the Moon. It is the house of action and the house of profession.
Trikonasthanas or trikonas or trines are conventionally the Lagna or the Birth-ascendant, the fifth and the ninth bhava or house counted from the Lagna. They form the Dharma-trikona and are also known as the Lakshmisthanas, these bhavas and their lords signify luck and prosperity. The Lagna is both, a kendrasthana and a trikonasthana.
The term Upachayasthana is derived from the Sanskrit word उपचय which means increase, it also means the entire process of acquisition, assimilation and augmentation or proximate aggregation or increase or gain of nourishment or in growth or in body weight.
Saraswati yoga given rise to by the three natural benefic planets, namely, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter co-operating with each other is an auspicious yoga which is not rare in occurrence but when its participants are not strong merges with other yogas. The person born in Saraswati yoga besides being a very learned intelligent orator also becomes very fortunate, rich and famous.
Daridra yogas or Nirdhanta yogas along with Kemadruma yoga and Shakat yoga, are certain exceptional ava-yogas or unfavourable planetary combinations that indicate poverty. The word, Daridra means poor, needy or deprived, and the word, Nirdhanta means poverty, poorness or indigence.
Yoga-karakas are those planets which, according to Hindu astrology, confer fame, honour, dignity, financial prosperity, political success, and reputation. The lords of the kendras and trikonas associating with each other, or the lords of the 9th and 10th interchanging signs or fully aspecting each other, give rise to Raja yoga.
Maraka in Hindu astrology refers to the planet or planets that cause death at the end of a particular life-span, if the assessed life-span is not over they cause accident, ill-health, poverty and misery during the course of their dasha or antra-dasha or in the period of the planet associating/influenced by them. Each lagna has a fixed maraka or marakas. The two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, and the lord of the 9th house generally do not become marakas. The lords of the 2nd and the 7th house, or the malefic planets occupying anyone of these named houses and associated with their lords are the Primary determinants of death. The Secondary determinants of death are the benefic planets in association with lords of 2nd and 7th house or the lords of the 3rd and 8th house, or the lord of the 3rd or the 8th associating with the lord of the 2nd or the 7th house. The Tertiary determinants of death are Saturn associating with any of the afore stated marakas, the lord of the 6th or the 8th associated with a maraka, and the least powerful planet in the horoscope. The transit influences of the Sun, Mars and Jupiter are taken into account for determining the time of death.
Parajāta yogas are special planetary combinations or yogas that indicate birth of children who are not genetically related to their father or non-marital children or born out of illicit connections of their married mothers. Illegitimate children are stigmatized for no fault of theirs; some, like T.E.Lawrence, are made to seek redemption of their mother’s status but most accept their fate like Satyakama Jabala did. In India, illegitimate children of a Hindu father do not inherit from him on intestacy but they do inherit from their mother at par with her legitimate children.