Graha Chakra by Shanmukha

Article by Shanmukha

Introduction

In Parasara system the reckoning of bhavas is always in the order of natural zodiac, where as in Jaimini system, there are four of ways of reckoning the bhavas (houses). They are

1. Udaya Chakra,
2. Prakriti Chakra,
3. Vikriti Chakra,
4. Graha Chakra

This paper explains these four chakras and discusses Graha Chakra in detail with suitable examples.

2. Reckoning of Bhavas in Jaimini:

The Venerable Sage Jaimini explained the reckoning of bhavas and dasas in the following two sutras.

प्राची वृत्तिर्विषमेषु १-१-२५

परावृत्त्योत्तरेषु १-१-२६

नक्वचित् १-१-२७

prācī vṛttirviṣameṣu 1-1-25

parāvṛttyottareṣu 1-1-26

nakvacit 1-1-27

Translation:  For odd signs the reckoning of bhavas (houses) and dasa signs will be in regular zodiacal order, for even signs the order will be anti – zodiacal and sometimes different ways of reckoning are also be used.

Odd signs   : Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius

Even Signs :  Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn

Example: If Gemini an odd sign is the Asc, then 1H is Ge, 2H is Cn, 3H is Leo and so on. If Scorpio an even sign is the Asc, then 1H is Li, 2H is Vi, 3H is Leo and so on.

The Controversy: The commentators interpreted these verses pertaining to reckoning the dasa signs, but study of Vriddha Karika verses indicates it is not true always. These three sutras also apply to reckoning of dasas as well, for example in special Ayurdasas like Atmanobhavapamsa dasas etc. There have been different views in interpreting the above mentioned 3^rd sutra. Sage indicates that sometimes this reckoning according to odd and even nature of signs may not be followed, this is to be noted. But, He doesn’t spell out the situation. So, we must checkout what Vriddha Karika has to say in this regard. Fortunately a Vriddha Karika addresses this issue and we strictly follow them in understanding Jaimini. But, Neelakantha interprets these sutras differently by the authority of another Vriddha Karika verse. He interprets that नक्वचित् (nakvacit 1-1-27) deals with the reckoning of successive dasa signs for Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius based on Vishama Pada and Sama Pada principle. His interpretation is useful only in his variation of Chara Dasa and not given here for want of brevity.

The adhikara sutras of Jaimini clearly indicate that there are other ways of reckoning as well. However, the key point here lies in understanding the meaning of नक्वचित् (nakvacit 1-1-27). A Vriddha Karika explained the real purport of these sutras cited above and has given the four ways of counting bhavas. In this paper, we only discuss Graha Chakra with examples, which is useful in understanding the Manipravala Rajayoga article published later on in this magazine.

Vriddha Karika :

चक्रं चतुर्विधं ज्ञेय माद्य मौदयिकं स्मृतम्

द्वितीयंतु प्रकृताख्यं विकृत्यख्यं तृतीयकम्

ग्रहचक्रं चतुर्धाख्य मेवं चक्रस्य निर्णयः

भावा द्वादश लग्नाद्याः क्रम मय्दयिकं भवेत्

यत्र क्रम व्युत्क्रमाभ्यां गणनंत्वोजयुग्मयोः

प्रकृत्याख्यं हितच्च्क्रं यत्र युग्मौजयोस्तथाः

गणनं तद्विकृत्याख्यं ग्रह चक्रमधोच्यते

लग्नाधीशं समारभ्य चोत्तरोत्तरतः स्थितान्

ज्ञात्वा ग्रहान् चरवशाद्रशीन् चक्र क्रमेणवै

ग्रहा  एवंहिभावाः स्युः लग्न वित्तादिसंज्ञिताः

एवं नवषु भावेषु विन्यस्य नवशः ग्रहान्

कर्म स्थनेऽपि लग्नेशं न्यस्य लाभे धन स्थितम्

व्ययेतु षष्ठ रशिस्थं विन्यस्योक्त विधानतः

ग्रहचक्रमिदं प्रोक्तम् फल ज्ञानाय सूरिभिः

cakraṁ caturvidhaṁ jñeya mādya maudayikaṁ smṛtam

dvitīyaṁtu prakṛtākhyaṁ vikṛtyakhyaṁ tṛtīyakam

grahacakraṁ caturdhākhya mevaṁ cakrasya nirṇayaḥ

bhāvā dvādaśa lagnādyāḥ krama maydayikaṁ bhavet

yatra krama vyutkramābhyāṁ gaṇanaṁtvojayugmayoḥ

prakṛtyākhyaṁ hitacckraṁ yatra yugmaujayostathāḥ

gaṇanaṁ tadvikṛtyākhyaṁ graha cakramadhocyate

lagnādhīśaṁ samārabhya cottarottarataḥ sthitān

jñātvā grahān caravaśādraśīn cakra krameṇavai

grahā  evaṁhibhāvāḥ syuḥ lagna vittādisaṁjñitāḥ

evaṁ navaṣu bhāveṣu vinyasya navaśaḥ grahān

karma sthane’pi lagneśaṁ nyasya lābhe dhana sthitam

vyayetu ṣaṣṭha raśisthaṁ vinyasyokta vidhānataḥ

grahacakramidaṁ proktam phala jñānāya sūribhiḥ

Literal Translation: There are four types of chakras for the reckoning of the houses. They are Udaya, Prakriti, Vikriti and Graha Chakra. The twelve houses from lagna can be reckoned in these four ways.

1. Udaya Chakra means reckoning of twelve houses from lagna in regular zodiacal (Udaya) fashion.
2. Prakriti Chakra means counting houses; in zodiacal fashion if lagna is odd sign and anti-zodiacal if lagna is even sign.
3. Vikriti Chakra means counting houses; in anti-zodiacal fashion if lagna is odd sign and zodiacal if lagna is even sign.
4. Graha Chakra reckoning means reckoning the bhavas from lord of lagna in regular zodiacal (Udaya chakra) fashion. So, the lord of the lagna will be the 1^st house (Tanu Bhava) and the subsequent bhavas are the planets next to him by Udaya chakra (Zodiacal) fashion. After the 9 bhavas, then lord of lagna will be the 10^th bhava, 2^nd bhava and 6^th bhava found above in Graha Chakra will be the 11^th bhava and the 12^th bhava Please follow the illustration below.

Udaya Chakra is used in usual horoscopic interpretation, Sthira dasa, Brahma dasa etc. Prakriti Chakra is extensively used calculation of 8^th house for longevity, Niryana Sula Dasas, Varnada Dasa, Chara dasa (Raghava Bhatta method), Hora dasa etc.

Vikriti Chakra is used in Chara Dasa (Raghava Bhatta method) for female charts etc.

3       Graha Chakra –  Illustrations:

3.1     Important Principles:  

1. The longitude of Rahu and Ketu should be calculated from end of sign. For example if Rahu is at 27⁰10′, then effectively Rahu covered only (30⁰ – 27⁰10′ = 2⁰50′). Similarly for Ketu as well.
2. It must be understood that if two or more planets occupy the same sign, then the planet that gets lesser degree, minutes, seconds (DMS) in the sign is considered first. Then next higher DMS planet and so on. Please follow the examples below to understand this.
3. Irrespective of the longitude of the lord of lagna in the sign, he will be considered as Tanu Bhava.

3.2    Steps In Identifying the Bhavas in Graha Chakra:

Step 1:         Identify the lord of lagna and its placement. He represents First house

Step 2:         See whether any planet conjunct with lord of lagna, that planet becomes, the second house. If more than one planet conjunct with lagna lord, decide the planet’s order using the principle 2 given above in previous page.

Step 3:         Move on to next sign and repeat the step 2

Step 4:        Repeat the step 3 until all the nine planets are covered, that is nine bhavas are determined.

Step 5:         Now, the lagna lord itself becomes the Rajya bhava (10^th house)

Step 6:        The planet determined above as second house in step 2 becomes Labha bhava (11^th house).

Step 7:        The planet determined above as representing 6^th house becomes Vyaya Bhava (12^th house). This is a very important rider.

Please follow the illustrations below to understand peculiar principles mentioned above.

3.3 Illustrations

Example 1:

In the following chart,

Step 1: In this chart Lagna falls in Pisces and its lord is Jupiter placed in Aquarius. So, Jupiter represents Tanu Bhava (First House).

Step 2: Since no planet conjunct with lord of lagna, move on to step 3.

Step 3: In the next sign Pisces, two Venus at 15⁰12′ and Mars at 21⁰40′ are placed in. Since Venus obtaining lesser Degrees, Minutes, Seconds (DMS), he is considered first and becomes Dhana Bhava (2^nd house) and subsequently Mars becomes Bhatri Bhava (3^rd house).

Step 4: Similarly, Sun, Mercury, Ketu, Saturn, Moon, Rahu becomes 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th and 9^th houses respectively.

Step 5: Lord of lagna, (i.e.; 1^st house in Graha Chakra) Jupiter, becomes the Rajya Bhava (10^th house).

Step 6: The planet representing 2^nd house in this Graha Chakra, that is Venus in this case, becomes Labha Bhava (11^th house).

Step 7: Ketu represents Vyaya Bhava (12^th house) being the 6^th bhava in Graha Chakra.

In, summarizing the above exercise, the following table can be constructed.

Example 2:

In the following chart, seven planets are occupied in sign Capricorn. Let us construct the Graha chakra.

Step 1:          Lord of Lagna Saturn is placed in Capricorn. So he becomes 1^st house.

Step 2:         Since a number of planets are conjunct with Saturn, we have to consider the longitudes of the planets. Mars is at 4⁰30′ and Ketu covered (30 – 25⁰09′) 4⁰51′. Try to understand this situation. Both Mars and Ketu covered equal degrees of 4⁰. Now, look at the minutes of these planets, Mars is at 30 minutes of 4^th degree where as Ketu at 51 minute of 4^th degree. So, as Mars gets lesser minutes, factually lesser DMS in the sign, Mars becomes 2^nd house and Ketu becomes 3^rd house.

Step 3, 4:      Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Rahu, Moon becomes the respective 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th bhavas in the order of their longitudes in increasing order.

Step 5:         Lord of lagna (i.e.; 1^st house in Graha chakra), Saturn becomes 10^th house

Step 6:         The planet representing 2^nd house in this Graha Chakra, that is Ketu in this case, becomes Labha Bhava (11^th house).

Step 7:         The planet representing 6^th house in this Graha Chakra, that is Jupiter in this case, becomes Vyaya Bhava (12^th house).

The following table summarizes the above exercise.

4. Application of Graha Chakra

The classical literature as available now, doesn’t give many clues about interpretation of this Graha Chakra and it is unfortunate, this wonderful tradition of Jaimini has been lost to us. A humble attempt to bring out this principle has been in order and the outcome of the research will be informed at a later stage. For now, the following is given for the benefit of readers.

This Graha Chakra principle is extensively used in delineating the results of Jaimini Rasi dasas. The legend of Jaimini Astrology Sri Vemuri Rama Murthi Sastri never calculated a dasa without mentioning the Dasa Karakas. These dasa karakas puzzled many astrologers who happened to look at the horoscopes prepared by him. The calculation of dasa karakas is based on the principle of Graha Chakra, where the reference point changes from lagna lord to the lord of dasa sign. For example, in a Leo lagna horoscope, for calculating dasa karakas of Aries, Mars becomes the Tanu Bhava and so on.

For example, if we look at the “New Light on Jaimini – 2” published in SA’s 1st Annual issue, the respective dasa karakas were determined using this principle of reckoning Karaka planets of respective bhavas from lord of dasa rasi. The lord of dasa rasi becomes the Tanu bhava irrespective of his longitude in the sign.

The second application of this principle has been brought out by Raghava Bhatta vide his “Jataka Sara Sangraha”, and by Sri Iranganti Rangacharya in recent times. This is explained in the “Manipravala Rajayoga” article published further on in this issue of Saptarishis Astrology.

About Author: Shanmukha a.k.a T.S.V.R. Nageswara Rao, is 30 years, a graduate in Electronics and Communication Engineering, works in a scientific organization of Indian Govt. He started his study of Astrology when he was 22 years old and though not traditionally trained; he is very fond of the wonderful system of Jaimini and learns it from his Guru, the Living Legend of Jaimini Astrology Sri Iranganti Rangacharya. He is now working on ancient commentaries on Jaimini and writes some of his musings on Jaimini system at his personal blog.