Strength of Rashi: As Per Jaimini Astrology

Introduction – Many times in Jaimini Sutras sage instructs us to find stronger signs between two [or more signs] and decide between them. How to find this stronger sign is a cumbersome task [it is simple but made difficult] Jaimini Sutras in Chapter 2 Pada 3 Deals with Strength first categorising it in four sections and then again he deals with this in Chapter 3 pada 3. In both places, there are some differences in opinion between scholars. Let us try to understand them. [Based on my own understanding]

Caution – only apply the next rule or next set of rules when the previous one fails to decide stronger

Chapter 2 Pada 3

First Source of Strength

2.3.5 – अथ प्राणः – [अथ – Now प्राणः – living energy] Now I am describing Prana. [Strength] of Rashi because the Jaimini system mainly deals with Rashi’s.

Wikipedia defines Prana as “In Hindu philosophy including yoga, Indian medicine, and martial arts, prana (प्राण, The Sanskrit word for “life force” or “vital principle”) Is all cosmic energy, permeating the Universe on all levels. Prana is often referred to as the “life force” or “life energy”. It also includes energies present in inanimate objects. In literature, prana is sometimes described as originating from the Sun and connecting the elements of the Universe. This life energy has been vividly invoked and described in the ancient Vedas and Upanishads”

From this, we are very clear that Prana is the internal and essential strength of anything that decides its influence [power] Hence Rashi’s strength will decide its influence on our life. For this simple reason, this is a very important consideration [Now readers can better understand why we saw stronger between Lagna and It’s sanmukha Rashi to decide Arudha Lagna] In Jaimini Astrology Sanmukha Rashi is as powerful as the Rashi itself and if having more Prana [Now referred as energy/vital energy] it will influence us [whose horoscope it is] in a more pronounced way.

2.3.6 – कारक योगः प्रथमो भानाम – [कारक-Doer] Bhava is a condition, Rashi is situation and planets are living beings which makes thing happen [Is what I had learnt in the first stage of Jyotish] hence this means “Occupation of a sign by any planet is first strength” [प्रथमो -First] it means first it must be applied and if this does not decides stronger then proceed to apply next rule.

2.3.7 – साम्ये भूयसा – If both signs [we take it like we are comparing two signs but one can also compare more than one sign using the same formula. This is will be explained in end with an example] are occupied by planets then the one with more number of planets is strong.

2.3.8 – ततस्तुन्गादिः – [तुन्ग is a synonym for exalted and आदि means etc] After that [if earlier two aren’t able to decide stronger is what तत् means “after that”] decide stronger by the strength of planets by their being in exaltation etc [here one can take Exaltation-Mool Trikona-Own Rashi]

2.3.9 – निसर्गस्ततः – By Natural strength [निसर्ग – Natural] Fixed signs are stronger than Movable signs and Dual signs are stronger than Fixed signs is Natural Strength of Rashi’s. [Movable-Fixed-Dual in ascending order is more powerful]

2.3.10 – तदभावे स्वामिन इत्थं भावः – Judge the same by their lord [being in Exaltation etc]

 2.3.11 – अग्रायतोअत्र विशेषात – If they are equally strong [after using the previous rule] then what their Chara Karakattwa. It will decide strength. That means Darakaraka-Gnatikaraka-Putrakaraka-Pitrukaraka-Matrukaraka-Bhratrukaraka-Amatyakaraka-Atmakaraka are stronger in increasing order. [In my humble opinion 2.3.11 is not a new rule but an addition in the last one which says if both lords (of two comparing signs) are exalted then the one with highest Chara Karakattwa will win due to the use of the word विशेषात – where विशेष means special. meaning between two exalted planets one in highest degrees is stronger than the latter one]

 2.3.12 – प्रतिवेशिकः पुरुषे – [प्रतिवेशिक means being situated in opposite oddity] An odd sign whose lord is in even sign is stronger than an odd sign whose lord is in odd sign. An even sign whose lord is in odd sign is stronger than an even sign whose lord is in another even sign.

2.3.13 – इति प्रथमः – [इति- ends प्रथमः-first] Here ends the first source of strength.

Second Source of Strength 

2.3.14 – स्वामि गुरुज्ञदृगयोगो द्वितीयः – [स्वामि-lord गुरु-Jupiter दृग-aspect योगो-occupation द्वितीयः-second] Aspect or occupation of Sign’s lord, Mercury and/or Jupiter gives the second source of strength.

Third Source of Strength

2.3.15 – स्वामिनस्तृतीयः – Third strength from lord of sign to be known is now explained [this shloka seems out of context – with the translation accepted by me. but next shloka if one watches carefully can also be misinterpreted as being talked about Rashi. Hence sage makes it clear that the next rule that I am going to tell/disclose is to be seen from lord only [of signs] and not from signs themselves.

2.3.16 – स्वात्स्वामिनः  कंटकादिष्वपार दौर्बल्म् – [स्वात – it must mean Swakaraka but most have taken here Atmakaraka as Swakaraka that is also a valid interpretation स्वामिन्-lord कंटक – a synonym for Kendra आदि-etc स्वापार-after crossing that दौर्बल्यं-weak] It means Sign’s whose lords are placed in Kendra [1-4-7-10] to Atmakaraka is strong. Signs whose lords are in Panaphara [2-5-8-11] to Atmakaraka is weak and Signs whose lord is in Aapokilma [3-6-9-12] from Atmakaraka are weakest.

Fourth Source of Strength

2.3.17 – चतुर्तथः पुरुषे – [चतुर्थ्-four पुरुषे-male] the Fourth source of strength lies in odd signs [Odd signs are said Male sign and Even signs are said female signs in Astrological Terminology] that means even if after implying all these strength rules strength be same then take Male/Odd sign to be stronger

Application of rules 

In my humble opinion, the reason behind categorising them in four different sources is due to their separate usage for each and every case/condition.

The first category of strength is generally applicable everywhere unless mentioned, This is the basic strength that must be used to decide stronger between two signs at all places. Like in a dasa named Atmakaraka Kendradi Graha Dasa primarily Third Source of Strength must be used to decide stronger. Hence the application of these four categories of strength must be used as instructed. [we will see them in coming articles]

Sometimes one may need to skip a few rules to decide stronger. Let us see an example.

1. Decide Strongest Rashi in the whole chart? – Aquarius because it contains three planets whereas the rest contains only a single planet.

2. Judge stronger between Lagna and 7th house? – Lagna with three planets.

3. Stronger between 5th and 9th house? – Both have an equal number of planets but due to Saturn being in exaltation Libra is stronger (9th house)

4. Stronger between Capricorn and Pisces? -Both have planets, Their numbers are also the same (both signs contain 1-1 planets each) their dignity is again the same (both are exalted) but Pisces is stronger due to it being a Dual sign

5. Decide stronger between Virgo and Sagittarius – Both signs are empty [first three rules doesn’t give any result] both are dual sign [the fourth rule also gave no result] lord of both houses are not in exaltation or own house [Except Moon all planets gets their Mool-Trikona only in their own houses. Hence rule five also is unable to decide stronger] Because their lords are not in dignity [I am leaving Mercury’s Vargottam here that must be taken akin to exaltation] Rule 6 is non-applicable. Virgo is a female sign whose lord is in male sign whereas Sagittarius is a male sign whose lord is in male sign hence Rule  7 decides Virgo 8th house as stronger. 8th is the house of Kundalini and spiritual transformation and the 11th is the house of gains and fulfilment of desire. One can see Thakur even after becoming priest of Dakshineshwar Mandir was only concentrated upon spirituality and never on money.

Like this one can decide stronger Rashi between two [or more] signs under consideration.