Shadbala – State Related to Age in Vedic Astrology
One of the states of a planet has to do with its age. Just as a 10-year old child or an 80-year old man have their limitations and cannot execute certain tasks efficiently, a planet in childhoos or old age may not be very effective.
These are bal (infant), Kumar (youthful), Yuva (adolescent), Vriddha (old) and Mrit (dead) and these five states are based on the degrees attained by a planet in a sign (Rashi).
In odd signs these states are placed in ascending order at the rate of 6 degrees.
In even signs these states are placed in decending order at the rate of 6 degrees.
| In Odd Rasis | In Even Rasis | Avastha | Meaning | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0° to 6° | 24° to 30° | Saisava | Child | Quarter (¼) |
| 6° to 12° | 18° to 24° | Kumaara | Adolescent | Half (½) |
| 12° to 18° | 12° to 18° | Yuva | Youth | Full |
| 18° to 24° | 6° to 12° | Vriddha | Old | Some (Neglegible) |
| 24° to 30° | 0° to 6° | Mrita | Dead | None |
A planet at 23º in Cn will be in Kumaara avastha (adolescence) and it will give half of its results. A planet at 19º in Li will be in Vriddha avastha (old age) and it will not be very effective. A planet at 14º in Sg will be in Yuva avastha (young age) and it will give all of its results. A planet at 27º in Pi will be at Saisava avastha (childhood) and it will give one quarter of its results.