Dr. Suresh Chandra Mishra

A highly authentic and exalted system of Vedic astrology is the Jaimini system. This system, which appears like an offshoot of the Parashari system only, has several distinct features of its own. While it deviates remarkably from the standard Parashari system, it has no conflict with its parent. In fact, at several places, the sage Jaimini, the propounder of this system, advises the reader to accept the standard principles as laid down by the sages anterior to him. The magnum opus of the sage Jaimini, known as the Jaimini Sutram, is not completely available. Whatever is available is also not easy to comprehend. Jaimini has not given us easy-to-understand shlokas in any ordinary language. He has given us potent Sanskrit aphorisms or capsules which are open to varied, sometimes ridiculously absurd, interpretations. It does not need only a knowledge of Sanskrit or astrology to unlock their mysterious meanings; it requires an extremely high level of pure intellect. Until now, we have refrained from publishing articles on the Jaimini astrology in the VEDIC ASTROLOGY. This is the first article on this system and we fervently hope the readers enjoy this. For the uninitiated, it is relevant here for the understanding of the present, simple and lucid, article to point out that the dashas of Jaimini, and there are several of them, are not the dashas of planets. It is the dashas of rashis or signs. In each dasha system, there is a method to arrive at the initial dasha. The subsequent dasha order is also important. Also of significance is the method of arriving at the different Antardashas. A special point of strategic importance is the Atma Karaka, the key planet, which is that planet in the chart which is the farthest advanced in any sign amongst all the remaining planets. Since the present article is simple and elementary, several other important features where Jaimini differs from Parashara have not been touched here in this introductory paragraph. - Editor

In continuation of our previous observations on the analysis of dashas, it is our aim to present here another dasha technique for analysis of a natal chart. The technique we intend to present here is little known but we have found it very correct and accurate in our astrological practice. This technique is applicable to every chart, without any conditions. The readers are invited to try this new method and judge its validity themselves.

Like Parashara, sage Jaimini has also described many dasha systems in his immortal classic, the Jaimini Sutram. The dasha system being presented here is strictly a component of Jaimini astrology. However, this method has also been included by sage Parashara in his magnum opus, the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra.

Both Jaimini and Parashara are authorities on Vedic astrology. The techniques of the two sages, however, differ at several places. As regards the present subject, we have no means to decide whether Jaimini borrowed this technique from Parashara, or vice versa. It is the author's considered opinion that the Jaimini school came into existence after Parashara. Having discussed his several dasha systems, Jaimini says in the fourth quarter of his second chapter: The rest may be accepted from other authorities.

This effectively means that what is not given in the Jaimini Sutram must be taken from other authentic sources available. Apart from the above Sutra or aphorism, there are several other evidences scattered in the classic of Jaimini which point to the successiveness of Jaimini. These comments in no way indicate the superiority of one authority over the other. Both Parashara and Jaimini were exalted rishis whose benevolence in the form of their individual classics is there for all of us to benefit from.

Spotting the Tara Lagna

The word 'Tara' means a star or a constellation. Here Tara means the constellation (nakshatra) of the natal Moon. In order to work out the Tara Lagna dasha, one has to identify the Tara Lagna in the chart. The dasha commences from the Tara Lagna. The method to find out the Tara Lagna is as follows:

1. Take note of the fact that a nakshatra has a span of 13º20'. Divide this by 12. This gives an arc of 1º6'40".
2. From the longitude of the Moon, identify its nakshatra. From the location of the Moon at the particular point in a nakshatra, find out the extent of the nakshatra which has elapsed.
3. Divide the elapsed nakshatra by 1º6'40" (i.e., one-twelfth segment of a nakshatra) and note the quotient.
4. Quotient-plus-one gives the house, counted from the natal lagna, where the Tara Lagna (TL) falls.
5. Order of the dasha: If the Tara Lagna happens to be an odd sign, the order of subsequent dashas is direct, i.e., in the natural order of the houses in a chart. If the Tara Lagna is even, the order is reverse.

Let us consider here an example (Chart 1) for a male child born on December 2, 1982, at 7:15 hours IST, at 28°N39', 77°E13'. The lagna is Vrishchika (7^s18°56') while the Moon is in Mithuna (2S0°38'). The Moon falls in the Mrigashira nakshatra which extends in the zodiac from 1^s23°20' to 2^s06º40'. The elapsed portion of the nakshatra is given by:
Longitude of the Moon - commencement of its nakshatra, i.e., 2^s0°38' - 1^s23°20' or 7°18'

Dividing 7°18' by 1°6'40" (i.e., one-twelfth of the total arc of a nakshatra), we get a quotient of 6. The remainder (of 0°38') is ignored. Adding one to the quotient, we get a value of 7. The Tara Lagna falls in the seventh house as counted from the natal lagna. In the present example, with Vrishchika (Scorpio) lagna, the seventh house is Vrisha (Taurus). Thus, the Tara Lagna (TL) is Vrisha.

Order of the Dasha: Since the TL is an even sign, the order of dasha is reverse. The dashas would thus follow the order: 1. Vrisha (Taurus), 2. Mesha (Aries), 3. Meena (Pisces), 4. Kumbha (Aquarius), 5. Makara (Capricorn), 6. Dhanu (Sagittarius), 7. Vrishchika (Scorpio), 8. Tula (Libra), 9. Kanya (Virgo), 10. Simha (Leo), 11. Karka (Cancer) and 12. Mithuna (Gemini).

The Jaimini Sutra relevant to the calculation of the Tara Lagna dasha is: Tara (the nakshatra at birth) is to be divided into twelve parts. Count from the lagna and compute the dasha from the house indicated by the corresponding location of the natal Moon in its nakshatra.

Each dasha lasts for nine years, starting from the Tara Lagna.

Interpretation of the Tara Lagna Dasha

The following general indications are to be considered from the Tara Lagna.

1. The native will enjoy many worldly comforts, name, fame and wealth if the Tara Lagna happens to fall in an auspicious house, i.e., any of the houses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11. Being a maraka house, the seventh house is exempted here by some authorities.
2. All good results are ensured if the Tara Lagna is occupied by an exalted or a debilitated planet, or by a planet whose own house or Moolatrikona happens to coincide with the Tara Lagna.
3. The Tara Lagna lord would disburse the same results if that too happens to be placed in its exaltation, debilitation, own sign or Moolatrikona.
4. Mediocre results are produced by the occupant of the Tara Lagna if the Tara Lagna happens to be its friendly sign.
5. Tara Lagna lord ensures great success when it is associated with the lagna nakshatra lord (LNL), with the Atma or the Amatya Karakas, or with other Karaka planets. Says Jaimini: Tara Lagna is very auspicious if occupied by an Uchcha (exalted) or a Neecha (debilitated) planet, while it gives mediocre results when occupied by a planet in friendly sign.
6. The native will feel many obstacles when Tara Lagna falls in houses 6, 8 or 12 from the lagna, or when it is occupied by a combust planet or by Gulika or by any other inimical planet.
7. The same line of interpretation needs to be adopted while analysing the dasha effects. This means that any rashi occupied by its own lord, by an exalted or a debilitated planet, by LNL, by the Atma or the Amatya Karaka, or by other Karakas, will exhibit favourable results during its dasha.
8. A rashi falling in an auspicious house is also favourably oriented as far as its results are concerned.
9. Amazingly good results are produced during the dasha of a rashi that harbours its own lord, a planet in Moolatrika, in exaltation, debi-litation, the Atma Karaka, the Amatya Karaka, a yoga-karaka, or the lords of 1, 4, 5, 9, 10 or 11.
10. A rashi falling in a Trika house, or associated with a Trika lord, or an inimical planet, or Rahu or Gulika or even dispositor of Gulika causes troubles, ailments, downfall and several other problems during its dasha.

Antardasha (AD) or Subperiods

Within each dasha period (Mahadasha or MD) of nine years, subperiods of all the 12 signs will pass, each such AD lasting for nine months. The order of the AD's in a given MD is regulated by the location of the Atma Karaka (AK) in the natal chart. The AK is the planet which is the farthest advanced (in terms of its degrees, minutes, etc.) in any of the twelve signs. As far as the order in which the AD's are to operate, Jaimini states: When AK is in odd quarter and odd sign, the AD's are direct in order; AK in odd quarter and even sign indicates reverse order; in even quarter and even sign, the order indicated is direct; and finally, AK in even quarter and odd sign indicates reverse order of the AD's.

The Odd and Even Quarters

The zodiac of twelve signs is divided into four quarters of three signs each. Signs 1, 2 and 3 form the first quarter; signs 4, 5 and 6 constitute the second quarter; signs 7, 8 and 9 fall in the third quarter; finally, signs 10, 11 and 12 form the fourth quarter. The first and the third quarters are odd while the second and the fourth quarters are even. From the above, we can decide on the direct or reverse order of AD's as follows:

(a) Direct order: Two conditions are given above: (i) AK in odd quarter and odd sign (i.e., signs 1, 3, 7, 9). (ii) AK in even quarter and even signs (i.e., signs 4, 6, 10, 12).
(b) Reverse order: Two conditions are given here again: (i) AK in odd quarter and even signs (i.e., signs 2, 8). (ii) AK in even quarter and odd signs (i.e., signs 5, 11).

It follows that when the AK is in signs 1, 3, 7, 9, 4, 6, 10 and 12, the AD's are to be direct in order, considered from the MD. When AK falls in signs 2, 5, 8 and 11, the AD order is reverse.

The rules of interpretation that apply to the MD in general apply to the AD as well.

Illustrations

An application of the above rules needs to be briefly illustrated.

We have earlier referred to the birth data of Chart 1 (a male native). The Tara Lagna dasha (TLD) commences from Vrisha (Taurus). There is no planet in Vrisha. The TL falls in the seventh house (from the natal lagna) which we have earlier hinted at to be an auspicious house. Its lord Venus is located in the lagna and associated with the LNL Mercury, the tenth lord Sun and the fifth lord Jupiter. A good fortune for the native is thus indicated. During Mesha (Aries) dasha, the child under went surgery, because the rashi falls in the sixth house.

Chart 2 (born on October 13, 1961; at 20:18 hours IST; at 29ºN28', 77ºE41') belongs to a wealthy person with Vrisha (Taurus) lagna (12º55'). The Moon falls in Vrishchika (Scorpio) at 11º51', in the seventh house. The nakshatra is Anuradha which starts at Vrishchika 3°20'. Subtracting 7S3°20' (the commencement of Anuradha) from the natal Moon (7^s11°51') we get 8°31'. Dividing this by 1°6'40" (one-twelfth of a nakshatra) we get a quotient of 7. Adding one to the quotient, we get eight. Thus the TL falls in the eighth from the natal lagna, in Dhanu (Sagittarius). The eighth lord Jupiter is posited with Saturn in the ninth house. The TL lord is thus debilitated. In addition, the lagna lord Venus and the LNL Moon are also debilitated.

The native has been enjoying a good financial status since his twenties. During Meena (Pisces) dasha, while in his thirties, he earned fabulous amounts of money. Presently, in Mesha (Aries) dasha, he has been facing lots of problems and mental tension. The reason is that Mesha falls in the twelfth while its lord Mars falls in the adverse sixth from the lagna. As the Vrisha (Taurus) dasha commences, he is likely to regain his position since Vrisha falls in the lagna, its lord Venus is in a trine, and above all Venus is in debilitation.

Magnifying Results through the Sub-period (AD)

To obtain more accurate results, one should take into consideration the AD's. Let us consider here the example of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, born on August 20, 1944, at 8:11 hours wartime (one hour ahead of IST), at 18°N58', 72°E50' (Chart 3). The lagna is Simha 14°36'. The Moon, also in Simha 17°09', is in the Purva Phalguni nakshatra. Mercury is the AK and Venus the LNL. Since the AK falls in Simha, the AD's would run in reverse order. The natal Moon falls in the fourth part of the nakshatra (when the nakshatra is divided by 1°6'40"), hence in the fourth from the lagna, in Vrishchika (Scorpio). Vrishchika thus becomes the TL. Simha (Leo) dasha ends on August 20, 1980. Karka (Cancer) dasha operated until August 20, 1989. He died in Mithuna (Gemini) dasha, Mesha (Aries) antardasha.

Mithuna is occupied by the sixth and seventh lord Saturn. Its lord Mercury is associated with the dispo-sitor of the Gulika and the eighth lord Jupiter. Mithuna falls in the eighth from the TL and seventh from the Gulika. Acutely adverse results are thus expected during this dasha.

Mesha (AD) falls in the sixth from the TL. Its lord Mars falls in an inimical sign. Its placement in a maraka house is also adverse. Mithuna and Mesha do not enjoy any reciprocal aspect. The native was assassinated during this period. The equivalent Vimshottari dasha at that time was Rahu-Mercury.

It was during the MD-AD of Simha-Kanya (Leo-Virgo) that the native's brother died. Why not the native himself? The LNL and the AK are located in the rashi. However, the location of Jupiter, the eighth lord and the dispositor of Gulika, there did give agony to him and his family. His mother died in Karka-Kumbha (Cancer-Aquarius) (May 20, 1984 to Feb. 20, 1985). Karka is occupied by Rahu. The AD of Kumbha falls in the fourth from the TL and in the eighth from the MD.

Tara Lagna vs Natal Lagna

It is interesting as well as important to know that the TL is as good as the natal ascendant for chart analysis. The reader may again refer to the TL in the above chart of Rajiv Gandhi. It will be noted that the LNL, the AK, and the lords of houses 2, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are all located in the tenth house from the TL. A potent Rajayoga is formed in the tenth house. However, the eighth lord and the dispositor of Gulika are also included amongst these various house lords, and the Rajayoga only ended disasterously. He died during the MD of the eighth house and the AD of the sixth house. His mother died in the MD of his ninth house and AD of the fourth house. His brother died in the MD of his tenth house and AD of his eleventh house; this opened up his political career. During MD/AD of Karka-Kanya, he was suspected to have taken bribes in the Bofors gun scandal and suffered disrepute as both Karka and Kanya are occupied by malefics (Rahu and Mars respectively). Mars is particularly uncomfortable in the sign of Mercury.