Chaitra Shukla 2001 Chart and the
Destiny of India, Pakistan and USA

Anshumalee Sood

Chaitra Shukla Pratipada chart, in contrast to the beginning of the Christian New Year, has a Luni-Solar basis. Needless to mention that it is the most popular and time-tested method of mundane predictions for the forthcoming year. The year begins at the first instance of the first tithi (Pratipada) of the brighter half (Shukla paksha) falling in the Chaitra month thereby becoming the basis for annual mundane predictions. In fact the ruler of the day or Vaara when Pratipada is running at sunrise is designated as the lord of the year. The strength and disposition of this lord of the year indicates the nature of events likely to occur during the year.

The horoscopic chart is specifically cast for each country at its capital. While the rashi position of the planets in the basic as well as the divisional charts remains the same for all countries, the lagnas for each country would differ.

The Lord of the Year

In the annual chart erected at New Delhi for India, the Pratipada commences after the time of sunrise on Sunday. The Sun, the lord of the day, therefore, assumes the role of the lord of the year. The position, strength and disposition of the Sun in the chart encompasses the indications of the nature of events likely to occur during the year.

As per the classic Brihat Samhita, the results indicated when the Sun becomes the lord of year are: losses to crops, death of cattle in large numbers, lesser rains, depleted rivers, disease and epidemics, shortage of appropriate medicines and warmer winters. The virtuous amongst the populace in general suffer torment while the destructive forces gain ascendance. Rulers will march their armies and attack other countries and destroy them.

These are general results and may not be taken literally. However, in essence they would come about as applicable in the present context. Notwithstanding the adverse indications, the Sun is placed in the ascendant in the friendly sign of Jupiter. Pisces being watery it would tend to dampen the fire of the Sun.

Chaitra Shukla Chart for India

For India, the chart is for 25th of March 2001, 06:50:58 hours IST, at New Delhi. The Ascendant is Pisces. This is the third year running when the Dharma rashis have occupied the lagna and the trines in the Chaitra Shukla chart for India. That such a sequence has occurred is a clear pointer towards the resurgence of religion, spirituality and belief in the Almighty God. As we shall observe subsequently, the Rama Temple at Ayodhya may well become a reality in course of time.

The Sun and the Moon having the fifth and sixth lordship respectively are in friendly sign Pisces in the ascendant along with an exalted and retrograde Venus. Third house Taurus has the stalwart planets Saturn, having the eleventh and twelfth lordship, and Jupiter, the lagna and tenth lord. Second and ninth lord Mars is well placed in own sign Scorpio in the ninth house. Fourth and seventh lord Mercury is in the twelfth house Aquarius. Fourth house Gemini has Rahu and, therefore, Ketu is in the tenth house Sagittarius. All the benefics are ill placed in the chart.

The First House

The fifth lord Moon and the sixth lord Sun along with the third and eighth lord Venus in its sign of exaltation, though retrograde, occupy the lagna. The lagna lord Jupiter is located in the third house, an upachaya bhava, in a benefic sign conjunct with Saturn and aspected by Mars.

In the navamsha chart the lagna lord of the rashi chart Jupiter is in the fourth house in friendly sign and aspected by the functionally malefic Sun, and also forming a Gaja-Kesari yoga being aspected by Moon. At the same time Saturn is posited in the lagna itself in own sign.

Close conjunction of the fifth and sixth lord in the lagna under the influence of the third and eighth lord in the rashi chart does not augur too well for the thought process of the nation in general. The exchange between the lagna and the third brings in an inherent weakness further compounding the situation. In fact the combination in the lagna is indicative of lack of sane thinking and erratic decisions leading to consequent tension and mental anguish. The general health of the nation does appear to be facing affliction due to the placement of the sixth and eighth lord in the lagna.

The position of the lagna lords of the Chaitra Shukla chart, the navamsha and the Dashamsha being in exchange with an Upachaya house/lagna itself in own sign in the respective charts indicates that the nation will be preoccupied with furthering its self interest and economic progress. We may even be entering into enhanced trade relations with neighbouring countries, notwithstanding the political rhetoric and hostile external environment. Let there be no ambiguity about the fact that India is slowly but surely stepping forward in the arduous journey towards economic freedom. Though the need to perhaps insulate the economic policies from the half-baked political ideologies is paramount, it may get somewhat lost. The fact that the independence won in 1947 was merely political has become obvious and that the goal of economic freedom is only now being perceived and concep-tualised as being vital to nation’s well being and future. However, we are not to lose sight of the fact that the combination of planets in the lagna is not good for the sanity of the nation and portends erratic decision making, tension and mental anguish.

The Second House

The cabinet, prosperity, finances and, therefore, the taxation of the nation are the domain of the second house. The lord of the second house is posited in the ninth in its own sign Scorpio, aspected by Saturn and Jupiter from the third house sharing between them the lordship of the houses nine through twelve. Mars forms a Dhana yoga with Saturn by virtue of the eleventh lordship of Saturn. However, the twelfth lordship of Saturn brings into picture the external touch to the combination as well as the distinct possibility of the nation having to waste its scarce financial resources on wasteful and non-productive ends though as a result of compulsions forced upon the nation. Needless to mention that financial resources remain scarce despite the apparently healthy foreign exchange reserve position enjoyed by the nation on account of external inflows. Mars being in the ninth house may well add a touch of religious flavour to part of the money flowing in. The raja-yoga being formed between Jupiter and Mars enhances the significations of the second house too.

The Third House

Saturn and Jupiter occupy the third house. There is an exchange between the lagna and the third. This exchange in itself is not good and is indicative of an inherent weakness in the psyche of the nation particularly in dealing with matters relating to the neighbourhood. The third lord Venus, though exalted in the lagna is retrograde and conjunct with the fifth lord Moon and the sixth lord Sun. Third house receives the seventh aspect of Mars. From the third house, Mars is the twelfth and the seventh lord, while its occupants share between themselves the lordships of houses eighth through eleventh.

The affliction of the third house and its lord suggests extreme caution in dealing with the neighbours, particularly Pakistan, whose track record leaves little doubt of its intentions vis-a-vis Kashmir. Notice the positioning of retrograde third lord in exaltation in lagna, representing the north direction of India. Yet again it remains a moot query whether it will be possible to avoid heightened tension and hostility transforming itself into an armed conflict, even when exercising utmost restraint. The government will do well to keep itself from getting drawn into a sticky situation if possible. The transport sector continues to be on the watch list. Serious accidents in rail, road and air are possible involving a large loss of life. Disruption in the communication field may occur, although the country will continue to progress in this area. This field will witness technical progress with accruing benefits flowing through to the populace as well as respectable inflow of funds.

The Fourth House

Rahu occupies the fourth house and is receiving the eighth aspect of Mars. The fourth lord Mercury is in friendly sign Aquarius in the twelfth house aspected by Mars and Saturn. The opposition parties will remain in disarray and the parliament may continue to witness tumultuous scenes. Possibly the travails of the hapless people and the nation through the political shenanigans is to continue some more. The territorial integrity of the nation continues to remain under threat with the worsening of the situation being a possibility. The presence of Saturn in the third house and the state of third lord Venus as discussed above do not add any measure of reassurance and confidence with regard to the relations with our neighbours. The state of the fourth lord and the aspects it receives do not add any comfort whatsoever.

In the navamsha the fourth lord is placed in the second with the sixth lord Mercury. The country may continue to face calamities and disasters, both natural and man-made. Crops are likely to be damaged. Vehicular mishaps and accidents may increase. Customer will continue to receive ever widening choice of vehicles to choose from and the best of technology at prices that satisfy the value for money criterion too. However, the much desired feeling of domestic harmony may prove elusive, notwithstanding the improvement in the living standards. In fact the internal situation may be prone to strife related to the Rama Temple controversy. The prices of land and property, also a domain of this house, may not witness an upward swing this year too.

The Fifth House

The fifth house has no occupant. The fifth lord Moon is well-placed in the lagna in friendly sign Pisces. It is conjunct with the sixth lord Sun and the third and eighth lord Venus. This conjunction is definite cause for concern. The health of the younger generation, particularly children and infants is affected. There is a possibility of epidemics leading to shortage of effective medicines. Also likely is the onset of diseases that may not have a definite cure within the realm of medical science as on date.

The Saptamsha, is the relevant divisional chart for children. In the Saptamsha chart, the fifth house has the sixth lord Mercury posited therein. The Saptamsha lagna has debilitated Jupiter and is aspected by Saturn and Mars. Jupiter by virtue of its position enjoys neecha-bhanga yoga. The younger generation will, therefore, continue to excel in intellectual fields and related sports pursuits. The tradition established by Vishwanathan Anand in the arena of chess may well be carried forward. The government will face pressures from its allies. BJP, the dominant party in the NDA, will tend to harden its stance and may compromise less than what it has already done, possibly as a result of the worsening state of affairs in the Congress party. The allies will be at a relative disadvantage vis-a-vis the previous year. Although unhappy they may be compelled on account of there being no other alternative. The situation does not speak well of the achievements of the government. The decisions of the government are likely to leave much to be desired and may not muster all round support. A number of these decisions of the government, apart from even those perceived to be apparently unpopular, may tend to border on the irrational. The stock exchange will be very volatile giving plenty of trading opportunities to the speculators. Let it be understood that the market high of BSE Sensex 6150 established in the year 2000 is not likely to be crossed. In fact the market will be hard pressed to even reach anywhere near it. The education system and content will continue to await much-needed overhaul. The steps initiated in this direction are unlikely to meet with success.

The Sixth House

No planet occupies the sixth house. Mercury is aspecting the sixth house. Sun the sixth lord is well placed in the lagna conjunct with the fifth lord Moon and the third and eighth lord Venus. The country’s finances are likely to be increasingly dependent on borrowed funds. Uncontrolled profligacy of a bloated government used to doling out populist schemes and living well beyond its means compounded by unforeseen situations thrust upon the nation and easy availability of borrowed money may result in the future generation having to pay for the forefathers splurging. We have no right to mortgage the destiny of the coming generations. There is serious need to rein in the runaway expenditure and inculcate serious financial discipline. This can be best accomplished by beginning to live within our means. Then and only then can we hope to get the situation under control and initiate rectification of the past blunders. That we are having to suffer on account of irresponsible behaviour on the part of the earlier governments should be a glaring lesson. Faced with compelling circumstances the government is likely to initiate steps towards downsizing and disinvestment. To what extent progress is made is a matter of debate. Crime is likely to be unabated with violence content moving up substantially, although it is unlikely to be any worse than earlier.

The Seventh House

The seventh house is unoccupied and is aspected by the fifth lord Moon, the sixth lord Sun and the third and eighth lord Venus from the lagna. The seventh lord Mercury is in the twelfth house aspected by Mars and Saturn. In the navamsha chart Saturn is posited in the lagna, the seventh house is unoccupied and the seventh lord Moon is in the tenth house Libra conjunct with debilitated Sun. Venus in the navamsha chart is in the adverse twelfth house. The situation in the natal chart about the seventh house affairs does not improve in the navamsha chart. The condition of women in general will not improve and will be well short of the expectations. In fact the women’s issues of yesteryears will take a back seat in the face of new controversies. Overall marital disharmony will be on the increase accompanied with an equivalent enhancement in the divorce rate. The crime against women will also show an upward trend. Not too happy a state of affairs for the fair sex! The projects involving foreign collaborations are likely to have a smoother sailing possibly on account of compulsions. The moot point arising here being whether the composition and contours of the government remain as they are or are subjected to change in the face of changing times. Possibility of some of the existing constituent of the ruling NDA parting ways and others from outside joining in exists. The conjunction of Jupiter with Saturn and aspected by Mars should be kept in mind. Jupiter is linked to BJP, the principal party in NDA, due to its alleged religious overtones and pretensions of being the guardians of the majority community interests. The seventh house having mixed influences will give India success and failure in the diplomatic arena. However, the pressure to compromise on the controversial and discriminatory nuclear treaties that have hitherto proven to be sticky issues will wane and may no longer continue to be the cornerstone of foreign relations. Despite this the undertone of foreign relations will continue to be tense.

The Eighth House

The eighth house is also unoccupied and is free from any aspect. The eighth lord Venus is exalted in the lagna conjunct with the fifth lord Moon and the sixth lord Sun. The year continues to promise political entertainment in the shape of intrigues, intra-party and inter-party disputes amongst both the governing alliance and the opposition groups. The eighth lord of the navamsha chart, the Sun, is posited in the tenth. Although debilitated it enjoys neecha-bhanga yoga. The disease and death rate will be high with respiratory disorders showing a marked rise. The overall health situation in the country will worsen. However, the possibility of discovering hidden underground mineral and oil reserves may provide a silver lining to an otherwise bleak situation.

The Ninth House

Like the previous year, this time too the Dharma signs – Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces – occupy the Dharma trikonas. Though this time around Mars, the ninth lord, is posited in the ninth house itself. It is aspected by Saturn and Jupiter. This indicates the continuing tendency of the nation will be inclined towards the path of God/pursuit of religion, the means and manifestation of the same may not be as peaceful. The relative positioning of the three superior planets indicate that the construction of Lord Rama Temple at Ayodhya will get underway during the year. The pursuit will have covert and overt help from the government to the extent possible. Some latent external assistance in this direction is also likely. Judicial activism is to continue and possibly increase. The Judiciary may be taking some radical steps and pass controversial judgements possibly raising hue and cry and fanning the communal sentiments. The discussion of the Ayodhya temple construction will occupy the centrestage of public attention, and may well commence and proceed, notwithstanding any adverse observation/judgement from the courts.

The Tenth House

The importance of the tenth house in the Chaitra Shukla chart cannot be overstated as it represents the government of the nation. The tenth house has the Sagittarius sign with Ketu posited therein not receiving any aspect. Ketu will behave as its dispositor Jupiter, while its intrinsic nature resembles that of Mars. The lord of the tenth house Jupiter is posited in the third house Taurus, conjunct with the eleventh and twelfth lord Saturn and aspected by the second and ninth lord Mars. The focus and attention of the government is to remain centered around the neighbouring countries, the Ayodhya temple issue and communication matters/controversies. Considerable amount of money will be involved in all these. The element of foreign influence and fund inflows will play a role too. Government will have to make extensive efforts to withstand the foreign pressure in order to prevent them from influencing the policy formation of the nation. In the navamsha the tenth lord Venus is posited in the adverse twelfth house not receiving any aspects. The Eighth lord Sun is placed in the tenth house in its sign of debilitation conjunct with the seventh lord Moon and aspected by Jupiter and Saturn. The government, despite its apparent strength on account of opposition disunity, will continue to face pricks from its alliance partners.

In the Dashamsha chart the tenth lord Saturn is well placed in the tenth house itself in Aquarius conjunct with the Sun and the Moon. The tenth lord Jupiter of the Chaitra Shukla chart is in Aries sign in the fourth house of the navamsha while in the Dashamsha it is in the lagna in Taurus sign along with Venus in RKA. Whatever are the circumstances confronting the government the priority of the nation’s relations with its neighbours and the Rama Janmabhoomi issue continue to dominate the scenario.

The Eleventh House

The eleventh house receives the aspects of the tenth lord and the lagna lord Jupiter. The aspect augurs well for the eleventh house and, therefore, the gains for the nation. The eleventh lord Saturn is well placed in an Upachaya position in the third house in Taurus, a friendly sign, conjunct with Jupiter and aspected by Mars. These give rise to a series of Dhana yogas. Being in a trine from the eleventh house, it is a favourable placement for the affairs ruled by the house again boding well for the material and financial situation.

The Twelfth House

The twelfth house is receiving the aspects of the major planets Mars and Saturn. The fourth and the seventh lord Mercury placed here tends to improve the affairs of the house. The nation will continue to find itself drawn into awkward situations as a result of secret plots and conspiracies hatched by misguided neighbours. The aspect of Saturn on its own house should play a protective role, possibly the restraining touch preventing the situation from worsening any further. This year the prevailing adverse situation within the country and its relations with the neighbours may have a negative impact on its image overseas though it may not have much impact on its relations with the significant global powers.

Conjunction of Heavyweights

The impact of the placement of the major planets Saturn and Jupiter together in a sign just cannot be overstated. This situation was also present in the previous Chaitra Shukla chart. Jupiter representing principles of expansion, increase and abundance and Saturn symbolizing contraction, decrease and limitation come together every twenty years bringing about in their wake unprecedented events. History is replete with ample examples.

The aspect of the catalyst Mars along with the two major planets will prove ominous. The period around conjunctions and oppositions needs to be watched for significant developments. With Saturn poised to enter Rohini nakshatra in May, Mars retrograding to Jyeshta nakshatra attempting to reach Anuradha nakshatra and Jupiter leaving Taurus for Gemini in June, the situation is fraught with ominous signals of the events waiting to unfold promising a rearrangement in the global order not necessarily through peaceful means. The survival of the Indian government also comes under threat and needs to be closely watched.

Pakistan

The ascendant in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, remains Pisces (at 15°17'02"). The situation continues to remain fragile as earlier, only more so now. For readers who may not be familiar, let me reiterate that Pakistan will continue to play its game of brinkmanship with India while the economy will remain close to collapsing. The criticality in the economy will persist, though survival may only be possible by external aid and clandestine funds from dubious sources for services not worthy of mention. Till such time the USA realises that its erstwhile prodigy has gone wayward and is beyond retrieval Pakistan will continue to survive. In the alternative the probability for Pakistan to face reality is highly unlikely. For reality involves giving up the apparent misconception of parity/one up manship vis-a-vis India. The navamsha lagna is Scorpio. As in the previous year the navamsha lagnas of India and Pakistan are mutually at three-eleven positions. Though this indicates some attempts at easing of hostility, whether these meet with a fate any different from those in the past remains a moot point. The sixth lord Mars and the eighth lord Mercury being posited in the fourth house does not bode well. Tenth lord Sun being debilitated in the twelfth house represents latent weakness of the government in office. Altogether a not too healthy position for the nation in general, indicating a persistent instability. Let there be no ambiguity whatsoever, Pakistan is facing adverse times and is slowly but surely creating a situation where certain decimation will be the only outcome.

United States of America

In Washington DC (USA), the lagna is Libra (at 4°53'28"). The planetary position does not indicate a good year for USA. The navamsha lagna for USA and India are mutually in three-eleven position. Such a placement is indicative of normal relations as existing with no further significant breakthrough between the two democracies. The navamsha lagna of USA is Scorpio, which is the same as that of Pakistan. Therefore, the navamsha chart becomes identical to that of Pakistan as described above. So do the inherent problems suitably modified to the circumstances as applicable to USA! Possibly behind the scene sympathy/soft corner for Pakistan may remain for some time. After all old habits tend to take a while to whither away.

© Anshumalee Sood, Vedic Astrology