Significance of Gulika

Dr. Suresh Chandra Mishra

Gulika holds a position of prime importance in the evaluation of a natal chart. Also called as Maandi, it, like Rahu and Ketu, has no physical existence. But it always makes a difference in the natal chart output. Gulika is generally considered the most malefic entity in a chart. According to the set standards of assessment of maleficence, it surpasses all natural malefics. Gulika enjoys a special status almost like an independent planet, and in astrological classics it is considered as a minor planet or subplanet. In the traditional astrological practice, the Gulika-Kundali (a horoscopic chart, with houses reckoned from the position of Gulika) used to be an essential component of the Janma-patri (the scroll carrying the horoscopic details of a native, according to the traditional system of making horoscopes in India).

Gulika and Maandi

In Vedic astrology, Gulika and Maandi are considered synonymous although some people try to differentiate between them. Gulika denotes a certain segment of time controlled by Saturn. The word ‘Maandi’ is derived from Manda or sluggish, another name of Saturn. According to the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra :

That is: Of the same (i.e., Gulika), another name is Maandi.

Fixing the Gulika

The position of Gulika is different for daytime (from sunrise to sunset) and night time (from sunset to sunrise). The duration of the day or of the night (as the case may be) is divided into eight parts. The segment belonging to Saturn is known as Gulika.

For daytime, the first segment (the first one-eighth of the night) belongs to the planetary lord of the weekday on which Gulika is to b determined. The next segment belongs to the planetary lord of the subsequent weekday, and so on till the seventh segment which too has a planetary lord. The eighth segment is lordless.

For night-time, the first segment (the first one-eighth of the night) belongs to the planetary lord of the weekday that falls fifth from the weekday under consideration. The subsequent segments belong similarly to other planets that rule the weekdays in natural order. The eighth part here too is without a lord.

In each case the part belonging to Saturn is called as Gulika.

The Controversy

The segment of Saturn during the day or during the night would have some duration. Some people think that the ending moment of Saturn’s segment is the time to calculate the position of Gulika. They determine the ascendant for the ending moment of Saturn’s part; the cusp thus obtained is considered the ‘longitude’ of Gulika.

However, the above-mentioned concept results from an erroneous understanding of the shloka from the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, which is as follows :

That is: The cusp of the sign rising at the beginning of the Gulika segment is considered as Gulika-from this the chart must be analysed.

There is a popular, but vague, method of finding out the Gulika. According to this, for a day of 30 Ghatis, the rising time for Gulika during the day, for the seven days from Sunday to Saturday, is at 26, 22, 18, 14, 10, 6 and 2 Ghatis from the time of sunrise. For night time, the order from Sunday onwards is 10, 6, 2, 22, 18 and 14 ghatis from sunset. This method is not accurate.

The Prashna Marga, a south India treatise, also refers to the Gulika and Maandi being the same.

Results of Gulika

• Gulika in the first house most certainly reduces the good results of the chart. The impact is maximum in malevolence when the cusp of the lagna and the Gulika are close in degrees. This means that birth taking place at the commencement of the Gulika-kaala suffers the maximum affliction. In such a situation, the Raja-yogas or other benefic yogas lose their potence. The Phaladeepika states:
  गुलिकस्य तु संयोगे दोषान्सर्वत्रा निर्दिशेत्।
  That is: Determine all adverse results from Gulika’s association.
• When the nakshatra of the lagna and Gulika are mutually trinal, the basic benevolence of the lagna nakshatra lord (LNL) is lost. Nakshatras 1, 10 and 19 are mutually trinal.
• Gulika spoils the benefic significations of most of the houses by occupying them. Thus, all troubles ensue when Gulika occupies the lagna. In the second house, it curtails family comforts and financial savings. Poor social status results when Gulika occupies the fourth house. In the fifth, it leads to troubles from progeny. And so on.
• Of all the sub-planets, Gulika and Yamakantaka (the subplanet represented by Jupiter’s segment) surpass all others in maleficence and beneficance respectively.
• Only in houses 3, 6, 10 and 11 does Gulika generate benefical results. In the tenth house, however, it indicates delay in getting established in a career.
• The good results of Gulika (from its placement in the above houses) are lost when the rashi and navamsha lords of Gulika are neecha (debilitated) or combust.

Gulika with Natural Karakas

The association of Gulika with a natural Karaka (significator) always destroys the good effects of that Karaka.

Classics hold the opinion that Gulika conjunct with the Sun creates lack of comforts for father, with the Moon it is bad for mother, and with Mars it is adverse for brother. When Gulika joins Mercury, the native becomes mentally disturbed. With Jupiter, the native becomes a hypocrite. Gulika with Venus brings troubles from women and ruins marital life. Association with Saturn leads to disease and skin disorder, with Rahu it leads to proneness to infection, and with Ketu fear from fire.

Gulika can alter the results of other planetary yogas in the chart. All good yogas are lost when the birth time and the Gulika-Kaala coincide together with another inauspicious factor like Mahapaata, Gandanta, Visha-Ghati, etc.

In Chart 1 (born on May 6, 1982; at 11:30 hours; in Nepal), the lagna is Karka (Cancer), at 23°06'. Gulika lagna is 2^s11°54', associated with Rahu. The native is mentally retarded. A Mahapaata birth is also confirmed here.

A Special Rule

A point 180° from Gulika is also considered as acutely malefic in the natal chart. This point must be taken into consideration when the lethal potential of a planet is to be determined. This is better known as the Pramaana Gulika in Vedic astrology. The dispositor of Gulika or Pramaana Gulika may prove fatal during its dasha, etc., displacing the other maraka or killer planets.

Dashas and Transits

• The dasha periods of the dispositor of Gulika or its navamsha lord may prove hazardous.

  Chart 2 (born on October 17, 1955; at 17:30 hours; at Pune) belongs to an erstwhile famous ?? actress, Smita Patil. Her lagna is Meena (Pisces) while Gulika occupies Makara (Capricorn) in the eleventh house. She died of meningitis in the Saturn-Mars period. Saturn is the rashi lord of Gulika while Mars is its navamsha lord.

• Gulika in houses 1, 5 or 9 authorises the lagna lord to disburse the maraka effect during its dasha.
• Trouble results during the dasha of a planet that happens to be an associate of Gulika in the rashi chart.
• Severe troubles are also likely during the dasha of any planet associating with Gulika in the navamsha or the dwadashamsha charts.
• Specially adverse results ensue during the dasha period, of Jupiter or Saturn when they associate with Gulika in the navamsha, or the dasha of the Sun when it associates with Gulika in the dwadashamsha, or that of the Moon associating with Gulika in the Trimamsha chart.
• The Pramaana Gulika deserves the same treatment as Gulika (vide supra).
• The transit of Saturn and Jupiter over the navamsha sign lord of Gulika, that of the Sun over the Dwadashamsha sign lord of Gulika, and that of the Moon over the Trimshamsha sign lord of Gulika, put the native in trouble. This is according to the Prashna Marga, which states:
  मन्दोमुष्य नवांशपाश्रितगृहे मृत्युप्रदायी गुरुर्भानुर्द्वादशभागपाश्रितगृहे त्रिंशांशपर्क्षे शशी।
• All trikona (1, 5, 9) rashis should be considered in application of transits.

Gulika and Accidents

• Gulika is extremely important as an active killer in Vedic astrology. It is used in the judgement of longevity, along with dasha and transit.
• The lagna, the Moon and Gulika falling in Dwiswabha (dual) or Sthira (fixed) signs prompt multiple ailments and fatality. In Chara (movable) signs, it leads to good health and long life.
• The lagna, the Moon and Gulika falling in mutual trikonas in the navamsha chart, particularly in rashis 4, 8 and 12 are fatal. Such a native is disease prone and accident prone. This is according to the following dictum of the Prashna Marga:
  अन्योन्यं यदि ते त्रिकोणभगता भागा महारोगदा।
  दृष्टा मोहकरा युता मरणदाः कर्कि त्रिकोणे दृढ़म्॥

Gulika and Longevity

For the calculation of longevity, the lagna, the Moon the Sun and Gulika are all important. A special rule for assessment of longevity involves using the cusp of the lagna and the longitudes of the Sun, the Moon and Gulika. This is as follows:

When the sum of Prana and Deha is more then the Mrityu, the native is likely to live long. However, if Mirtyu is bigger than the sum of Prana and Deha, a sudden end of life is indicated.

Chart 3 (born on November 19, 1917; at 23:11 hours IST; at Allahabad) belongs to the Late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Here, the lagna is 3^s27°22', the Sun is 7^s04°7', the Moon 9^s05°35' and Gulika 1^s29°23'.

The sum of Prana and Deha is 1^s2°16' while Mrityu is 2^s15°04'. The native met a tragic end.

• Although Gulika is favoured in the third house, it turns death-inflicting when joined by or aspected by Saturn.
• Gulika in the third with the Moon or receiving the full aspect of the Moon causes tuberculosis or other internal fatal disease.

Daily Results of Gulika

• Add the cusp of the lagna to the ‘longitude’ of Gulika. The month when the Sun transits the resultant sign leads to troubles and miseries.
• The most hazardous day is when the Moon transits the sign obtained from adding the longitude of the Moon to that of Gulika.
• Add the lagna, the Moon and Gulika. The resultant ‘rashi’ is to be considered fatal. The month, the day and the lagna indicated by the sum obtained above must be avoided in all major ventures.

In the example (chart 3) given above, Gulika is at 1^s29°23'. This indicates Kanya (Virgo) navamsha, Mesha (Aries) Dwadashamsha and Vrishchika (Scorpio) Trimshamsha for Gulika. The native was shot dead on October 31, 1984 at around 10:00 hours IST, at Delhi (Chart 4). The ascendant is Vrishchika, with Saturn in Tula along with the Sun, Jupiter and Gulika are in Dhanu (Sagittarius). The Moon is in Makara (Capricorn) while the navamsha lagna is Meena (Pisces).

Adding the Moon and Gulika of the native of chart 3, we get Meena (Pisces). This is in time with the rising lagna of chart 4 as well as with its navamsha lagna. The natal Gulika was in Mesha (Aries) Dwadashamsha (Chart 3). At the time of the fatal mishap, Jupiter and Gulika were in times of Mesha (see chart 4).

Gulika and Progeny

• Gulika in the fifth house, particularly in rashis 3, 6, 10 and 11, leads to lack of children. In such a situation, the native is likely to have some defect in his generative organs.
• Gulika may ensure successful conception when: (i) Gulika and the Moon are in the same sign; (ii) Gulika is with the fifth lord; (iii) Gulika is aspected by the fifth lord; (iv) Gulika in the other sign of the fifth lord; (v) Navamsha lords of Gulika and the Moon are related mutually.
• A successful conception results when Jupiter transits the times of Gulika rashi or Gulika navamsha rashi. When Gulika is in any of the first six rashis (Mesha to Kanya), consider the transit of Jupiter from the Gulika rashi. When it is in the last six signs (Tula to Meena), consider the transit from Gulika navamsha rashi.

Gulika in Special Lagnas

• Gulika in houses 1 or 7 in the Pada Lagna causes grey hair, ill health and serious disease of the stomach.
• When AK and Gulika occupy the Karkamsha lagna and both are aspected by the waxing Moon, there ensue losses from repeated theft.
• The native dies of poisoning if Gulika in Karkamsha lagna is not aspected by any planet. It may be noted that the same aspects, as applicable to the natal chart, are to be applied to all the special lagna charts like Karakamsha, Pada, Upa-pada, Navamsha, etc.

Raja-yoga from Gulika

The dispositor of Gulika, a its navamsha lord, placed in a kendra or trikona, or in its own sign or in exaltation, mollifies the adverse effects of Gulika and gives yoga effects, though its lethal propensity (markatwa) would remain intact. The Phaladeepika states:

That is: Let the Gulika be in a kendra, a trikona, or be strong, in its own house, or in exaltation or in a friendly house. A potent Raja-yoga results from this disposition.

In chart 3 (vide supra), Gulika is in the eleventh house. Its sign lord Venus is strong, in its own navamsha. The Gulika navamsha rashi lord in time shows a good and strong Raja-yoga.

In the horoscope of Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu (Chart 5, born on April 27, 1951; at 6:30 hours IST; at Hyderabad), the lagna is 0^s22°16'. Gulika is 1^s08°37'. Gulika rashi lord Venus and navamsha lord Jupiter, are in there own signs. Its Dwadashamsha lord Sun is exalted. A strong Raja-yoga is formed and the native becomes powerful during Jupiter dasha. During Jupiter-Venus, the Raja-yoga results would be enhanced.

Ms Jai Lalitha (Chart 6) was born on February 24, 1948; 14:34 hours IST; at Chennai. Gulika is at 1^s20°14' in the twelfth house. However, its rashi lord Venus is exalted in the tenth house. This exhibits a potential Raja-yoga.

To Mitigate the Evil

The evil of Gulika must be neutralised by prescribed remedies. Says Parashara:

Parashara thus recommends that one should worship lord Shiva regularly in the evening, bow down to the Sun-god and lord Vishnu in the morning, and light a holy lamp of ‘ghee’ before a Shiva temple. This would defy the evil arising out of an adverse disposition of Gulika.