Article by Tej K. Zadoo

One of the most difficult subjects in astrology is gauging the age of a native. There are many methods for calculating the longevity, the ‘Amsayu’ method being one of the most reliable. In recent issues of “SA magazine” some very good articles regarding this subject have been published. Basilo Sandro’s (Vediko) article {1} about Late Pravin Jagad’s method is really thought provoking and so is the article by Sh. PM Gopalachary {2}. Vediko in his second article {3} has suggested use of divisional charts D3, D9 and D12 for fixing the probable life span of a native – short, medium or long.

In this article , I want to draw the attention of the readers to two methods that can be used for fixing the life span.

The first method is given by Sh. R Gopalakrishna “Meena” in his famous book “ Nadi Astrology”. According to Sh. Meena the life span of a native

can be short, intermediate or long wherein

Alpayus or short life ………………is …… upto 33 years

Madhyayus or intermediate life …….is ………from 33 to 66 years

Puranayus or Full life .……………..is……….beyond 66 years

To fix the life span of a native..

Note down the constellation (Nakshtra) in which 8th lord is situated.

Note down the lord of this constellation (denote it by ‘A’).

a) If the lord of the said constellation (i.e. A) is in enemies house, or is debilitated or becomes weak then native will not live beyond 33 years.

However if “A” is aspected or joined by benefic planets for theLagna of the chart of the native then he will complete 33 years, Otherwise the native’s death will occur before 33 years.

b) If the lord of the said constellation (i.e.A) is situated in a friendly house, the native will live up to 66 If a malefic planet of the Lagna of the chart of the native aspects or joins the said lord (i.e. A) then death will befall the native before end of 66 years.

c) If the lord of the said constellation (i.e.A) is exalted, or is in his own housethe native will live beyond 66 If the said Lord (i.e.A) is exalted, then life span will be more than the case where “A” is in his own house. This holds good only when the said Lord (i.e. A) has no connection with Malefics.

d) When the Lord of the said house (A) occupies a neutral house and gets strength on account of his occupation (for example Guru, Budha in 1^st house Moon, Sukra in 4^th house ) the native lives up to middle age. Generally if the said constellation lord ( i.e. A ) occupies ‘ Chara’ rasi the period of life is prolonged, but when “A” occupies ‘Ubhaya’ or ‘Sthira’ rasi, the life is shortened.

The rules given above are not applicable to “BalaArishta” horoscopes.

Besides the rules given above , one can use the rules given in “ Uttara KalaAmrita” {4} for fixing the life span of a native. As per this treatise ‘ Alpayus’ is upto 32 years, middle age up to 60 years and Long age beyond 60 years.

As per this treatise:

Venus, Jupiter and Mercury in Kendra or/and Kona houses makes a native long lived.

If they occupy 2^nd, 3^rd or 11^th house the person has medium life (i.e. up to 60 years ).

If these planets are in 6^th, 8^th or 12^th, the native will live below medium life.

If malefics occupy 8^th, 12^th, Kendra or kona positions, the person will be short lived.

The native is short lived

If Lord of Lagna is not aspected by benefics posited in a Kendra or a Kona position or when owner of rasi occupied by Lagna lord or the Lagna itself is not aspected by benefics.

If the lord of Lagna and the Lord of the rasi occupied by the Lord of Lagna have no benefic aspect and the Lagna or the Moon is aspected by the Lord of the 8^th house.

The Lord of Lagna and the Lord of the Rasi occupied by the Lord of the Lagna has NO benefic aspect and Lord of the 8^th house from Lagna or the Chandra Lagna is aspected by Saturn or Mars.

Note : 8^th lord in a Kendra, 8^th lord from Moon or Lagna aspects Lagna, 8^th lord in depression , give short span of life.

Moon and Mars in Scorpio is a strong Yoga for long life. Rahu, Mars and Saturn in ‘Upchaya’ houses ( 3, 6, 11) associated with benefics give long life. Combination of Moon, Mars and Jupiter in any one house gives long age.

Illustrations:

Sh. Jawahar Lal Nehru:

Nov.14, 1889, 23:21:00 , 81E 52, 25N28

Asc: 26 Cn 20 Su: 0 Sc 17 Mo: 18 Cn 00 Ma: 9Vi60 Me: 17 Li10

Ju: 15Sg 11 Ve: 7 Li 23 Sa: 10 Le 48 Ra :12Ge 44 Ke : 12 Sg 44

8th Lord : Saturn

Saturn is in Leo 10: 48 in ‘Magha’ Nakshtra whose Lord is Ketu.

Ketu is in 6th house, with Jupiter. Jupiter is 9th lord and in own house, (aspected by Mars, lord of 10^th and 5^th house, a yogakarka for the chart) . So age is more than 66 years.

Venus and Mercury are in Kendra ; Lagna is occupied by its lord Moon.

Thus long age is confirmed.

Sh. Nehru breathed his last at the age of 75.

Mahatma Gandhi:

Oct, 2 1869, 7:11:00 (4:38 east), 69E 36 21N 38

As; 4 Li 29 Su: 16 Vi 54 Mo: 27 Cn 56 Ma : 26 Li 22 Me: 11 Li 44

Ju (R): 28 Ar 08 Ve: 24Li 24 SA: 20Sc20 Ra: 12Cn09 Ke: 12Cp 09

8^th lord : Venus

Venus is in Libra 24:24 in ‘ Vishakha’ Nakshtra whose lord is Jupiter.

Jupiter is in 7^th house in ‘Mesha’, a friendly rasi and a ‘chara’ rasi.

So age is more than 66 years.

Venus, Jupiter and Mercury are in Kendras, Lagna is aspected by Jupiter and has Venus in own sign. Thus long age is confirmed.

Mahatma Gandhi lived up to 79 years.

3.Swami Vivekananda:

8^th lord: Moon

Moon is in ‘Rohini’, Nakshtra owned by Moon.

We have to study ‘Moon’. It being in Kendra would have conferred long age but is associated with a strong malefic Saturn. Thus age will be of middle span. Saturn is 2^nd lord, a strong maraka ; in Budha’s house Moon is not comfortable and is also under aspect of Ketu. Thus age will be on the lower side of middle age.

January 12, 1863, 6:33:00 (5:53 east) 88E 22, 22N 32

As: 28 Sg 10 Su: 29 Sg 26 Mo: 17 Vi 27 Ma: 6 Ar 20 Me: 11 Cp 47

Ju: 4 Li 01 Ve: 7 Cp 07 Sa: 13 Vi 34 Ra: 22 Sc15 Ke: 22 Ta 15

Jupiter occupies 11^th house , Venus and mercury occupy 2^nd house. So Madhyayus is confirmed. Lagna and the lord of the rasi owned by Lagna lord is not aspected by

Any benefic, hence short span of life… 8^th lord from Moon is aspected by Mars, 8^th lord from Lagna is with Saturn and 8^th lord is in a Kendra all pointing to short age.

Combining the results we can easily say that life span will be average of middle and short age i.e. just more than 36 years.

Swami ji died at the age of 39 years.

Male 🙁 Refer ‘Predicting through Navamsa and Nadi astrology by CS Patel….page 147)

Born at Ahmadabad (India) on 22-3-1936 at 17h 15m

As : 17 Le 29 Su: 8 Pi 43 Mo: 28 Aq 52 Ma: 29 Pi 17 Me:21 Aq 34

Ju : 0 Sg 35 Ve: 13 Aq 01 Sa : 22 Aq 09 Ra : 15 Sg 38 Ke: 15Ge 38

8^th lord: Jupiter

Jupiter is in ‘Moola’ Nakshtra, a constellation belonging to Ketu.

Ketu in house of Mercury under aspect of a weak Jupiter (0 degree)

and weak Mars ( 29:17), this will give short age.

Lord of Lagna ( Sun) is not aspected by benefics posited in Kendra or Kona positions. Lagna and owner of the rasi occupied by Lagna lord

(i.e. Jupiter) is not aspected by benefics, Lagna is aspected by 8^th lord,

lord of 8^th from Moon ( i.e. Mercury 21*) is with Saturn (22*) ; all these

indicate ‘Alpayus’.

The native died in 29th year.

Male: (Refer Sh. CS Patel’s book, page 151)

Born on 30-6-1961 at 00h 05m (am) at Anand (India)

As: 5 Pi 46 Su: 14 Ge 26 Mo: 1 Cp 52 Ma: 7 Le 09 Me(R) :10 Ge 55

Ju (R ) : 11 Cp 58 Ve: 29 Ar 02 Sa(R ): 4 Cp 37 Ra:6Le30 Ke:6Aq 30

8^th lord: Venus

Venus is in Mesh 29:02 in ‘Krittika’ whose lord is Sun.

Sun is in Gemini, in a Kendra which could have given medium age, but it is with Mercury (4th and 7^th lord ). For ‘Meena’ lagna Mercury is a malefic, hence life will be less than 66 years. Sun here is 6^th lord and is under aspect of Ketu, which will further reduce the age.

Lagna lord is Jupiter and the owner of the rasi occupied by Lagna lord is Saturn. None of these is aspected by a benefic from a Kendra or a Kona position. Lagna is not aspected by any benefic and is aspected by Mars ( which is with Rahu , almost on same degree). Moon is conjoined Saturn. These all give ‘Alpayus’

The boy died at the age of 16 years.

In this case the rules given above do not give clear indications of so short a life span .

Female: (Refer Sh. CS Pastels book page 151)

Born on 5-12 –1942 at 12h 54m at Bombay (India)

As :20 Aq 48 Su: 19 Sc 28 Mo: 11 Li 14 Ma: 29 Li 43 Me: 21 Sc 49

Ju(R ): 1Cn20 Ve: 24Sc 05 Sa(R ):15 Ta 41 Ra: 5 Le 52 Ke: 5 Aq 5

8^th lord: Mercury

Mercury is in Scorpio 21:49 in “Jyeshtha” whose lord is Budha.

Mercury is in the house of Mars, and Mercury being inimical to Mars will not be comfortable. Mercury is combust, under aspect of an Exalted but retrograde Jupiter posited in 6th house. A retrograde planet in exaltation behaves like a ‘Neecha’ planet. Jupiter is lord of 2nd and 3^rd house hence a malefic. Mercury is also under the aspect of ‘Saturn’ lord of 12th. All these indicate an age of less than 33 years. Mercury is also in a ‘Sthira’ rasi.

Lagna lord ‘Saturn’ is not aspected by any benefic planet from a Kendra or a Kona position. Lord of Rasi where lagna lord is placed and Lagna itself are not aspected by benefics. Lagna lord is aspected by 8th lord. Lord of 8^th from Lagna (Mercury) and lord of 8^th from Moon (Venus) are aspected by Saturn. All these indicate ‘Alpayu’. She died in her 12th year.

Sh. C.S. Patel

Born on 31 Dec 1915 at 19h 44mt near Ahmedabad (India)

As: 8 Cn 53 Su : 16 Sg 10 Mo: 12 Li 13 Ma: 7 Le 9 Me: 25 Sg 13

Ju: 29 Aq 29 Ve: 13 Cp 14 Sa (R ): 20 Ge 42 Ra:17 Cp 6 Ke: 17Cn 6

8^th Lord: Saturn

Saturn is in ‘Gemini’ in the ‘Nakshtra’ of Jupiter viz: ‘Punarvasu’

Jupiter is in 8^th house, in house of a neutral, but is aspected by Mars,

a benefic for Cancer ascendant, so one can say that the native will at the

most have ‘Madhya Ayush’.

Venus is in Kendra but with Rahu. Jupiter and Mercury are in 6th and 8th house. Lord of Lagna Moon is aspected by Jupiter , no doubt, but this will at the most give medium span of life. But the native lived for above 90 years, so it seems that the rules are not giving correct result in this case.

It seems that a single method does not yield the correct result about the age of a native. One has to use more than one method for reaching to a conclusion. Using ‘Amsayu’, Sh.Pravin Jagad’s Method, Shah’s Method and Sh. BV Raman’s method and then using ones experience and intuition, one can make a fair guess about the age of a person.

About Author: Dr. Tej K. Zadoo Born on Deepawali day 1948 at Srinagar, Kashmir in a Brahmin family. Got introduced to astrology in 1966, mostly self study of classical texts, he has a Ph.D. degree in Physics, was working in the education deptt. of J&K Govt. as a teacher and retired recently. Besides astrology he is interested in ‘Ramal’ shastra and paranormal subjects. He can read write Urdu, Hindi and Sanskrit.