Shadbala – Strenth of Planet Related to Activity in Vedic Astrology

There are 12 possible states of a planet related to its activity. This state is the most important of all states.
For each planet, we use the following formula to find its avastha.

Suppose C is the number of the constellation occupied by the planet (1 for Aswini, 2 for Bharani and so on).

Suppose P is the index of the planet whose avastha we are finding (1 for Sun, 2 for Moon).

Suppose A is the index of the amsa (navamsa) occupied by the planet in its rasi. For

example, let us say Mercury is in 22Ge14. Each navamsa has a length of 3°20′ (1/9th of 30°) and 22°14′ in Ge is in the 7th navamsa of Ge (please note that we are not talking about the rasi occupied by the planet in navamsa). Then we use A = 7 for Mercury.

Suppose M is the constellation occupied by Moon. Suppose G is the ghati running at birth. Suppose sunrise was at 6 am and someone was born at 11 pm. So 17 hours were over. Each hour has 2.5 ghatis and 17 hours = 17 x 2.5 = 42.5. So the 43rd ghati was running at birth.

Suppose L is the rasi occupied by lagna (1 for Ar, 2 for Ta and so on).

Then we compute (C x P x A) + M + G + L,

divide it by 12 and take the remainder.

Using the resulting number as the avastha index and referring to below Table, we find out the avastha of the planet.

After we find the avastha index, we can multiply it with itself and add the number corresponding to the first sound in the first syllable of the name, as found from Table above.

We can take the remainder when that number is divided by 12.

Then we can add a planetary adjustment to the remainder. We use 5 for Sun and Jupiter, 2 Moon and Mars, 3 for Mercury, Venus and Saturn and 4 for Rahu and Ketu.

We divide the sum by 3 and take the remainder.

This gives the strength of the activity.

• A value of 1 means “drishti” and medium results.
• A value of 2 means “cheshta” and full results.
• A value of 3 (or 0) means “vicheshta” and gives very little results.

Based on the activity-related state of a planet, we can guess the results given by it. Based on whether it is in Cheshta, Drishti or Vicheshta, the results will be full, medium or little. An example will clarify this computation.

Sun: Digestive troubles, diseases, stout legs, bile, piles, heart troubles.
Moon: Honorable, sluggish, lustful, spoils finances.
Mars: Troubled, wounded, ulcers, itches.
Mercury: Addicted to pleasures, licentious, wicked, always hungry; [in lagna] lame, eyes like a bee.
Jupiter: Strong, but weak voice, tawny complexion, prominent cheeks, afraid of enemies.
Venus: Strong, troubles of teeth, short-tempered, poor, licentious.
Saturn: Hungry, thirst, dieases in childhood, wealthy later.
Rahu: Many miseries; [in Ar, Ta, Ge, Vi] wealth.
Ketu: Many diseases; [in Ar, Ta, Ge, Vi] wealth.

Sun: Poor, fond of quarrels, hard-hearted, loses money.
Moon: diseases, unintelligent, poor, merciless, does misdeeds, steals money.
Mars: Strong, sinful, liar, eminent, wealthy.
Mercury: [in lagna] good character; [conjoined/aspected by malefics] poor; [conjoined/aspected by benefics] wealthy and happy.
Jupiter: Talkative, troubled by enemies and kings, ulcers on feet, hands, feet.
Venus: Endowed with gems and gold, destroys enemies, honored by kings, happy.
Saturn: Self-respect, punished by kings, troubles by enemies, faces dangers, ulcers.
Rahu: Distressed due to ulcers, royal association, honorable, but financial troubles.
Ketu: Distressed due to ulcers, troubles from enemies, snakes and thieves, windy (vaata-related) diseases.

Sun: Ever happy, wise, helps others, strong, wealthy, pleasures, favorite of kings.
Moon: Great diseases, garrulous, wicked, always bad actions.
Mars: [in lagna] penury; [elsewhere] ruler of a town.
Mercury: Honorable, no wisdom, no learning, no well-wishers; [in 5th] no happiness from wife and children, many daughters, gains money from royal patronage.
Jupiter: Devoid of health and wealth, libidinous, likes entertainment, tawny complexion, moves with people of a different class.
Venus: [in lagna, 7th or 10th] troubles to eyes and loss of wealth; [else] large house.
Saturn: Charming wife, learned in arts, royal favors, friends, intelligent, good speaker.
Rahu: Eyes troubles, financial losses, troubles from wicked men, snakes and thieves.
Ketu: Eyes troubles, troubles from wicked men, snakes, thieves and rulers.

Sun: Charitable, wealthy, good orator in assemblies, strong, good-looking.
Moon: Famous in world, virtuous, royal patronage, royal insignia, wealth, luxuries, regular visits to shrines, many ornaments.
Mars: Virtuous and honored by kings; [in 5th] loss of children; [in 5th with Rahu] faces a severe fall.
Mercury: Charitable, kind, good deeds, scholar of many subjects, wise and destroyer of groups of wicked men.
Jupiter: Virtuous, pure happiness and comfort, splendorous, visits holy places of Krishna; [if exalted] excellent fame in the whole world, very opulent.
Venus: [exalted or in own/friendly rasi] has a conduct similar to a mighty elephant; equal to a king, interested in poetry, arts and music.
Saturn: Virtuous, intelligent, opulent, likes entertainment, kind, devotee of Shiva.
Rahu: Prosperous in foreign places, virtuous, welthy, high position, good deeds, a chief in king’s court, charming.
Ketu: Wealthy, righteous, lives abroad, enthusiastic, genuine, serves the king.

Sun: Lives in foreign lands, unhappy, lazy, unwise, poor, disturbed by fears, angry.
Moon: [if waning] sinful, cruel, eye troubles; [if waxing] troubled by fear.
Mars: Wanderer, boils, itches, quarrels with women, many wounds and ulcers.
Mercury: Visits the courts of kings frequently, wealthy.
Jupiter: Brave, many friends, scholar, wealthy.
Venus: Mother doesn’t live long, separated from own people, fear from enemies.
Saturn: Rich, good sons, scholar at a king’s court, grabs other people’s land.
Rahu: Many children, scholarly, wealthy, charitable and honored by a king.
Ketu: Many children, scholarly, wealthy, charitable, virtuous, great man.

Sun: Affairs with the wives of others, deserted by people, likes travels, cheat, dirty.
Moon: Honorable, diseases of feet, secret sins, poor, unintelligent, sad.
Mars: Good character, endowed with gems, has weapons, destroyer of enemies.
Mercury: Visits the courts of kings frequently, wealthy.
Jupiter: Servants, excellent women and wealth always adore his abode.
Venus: Wealthy, visits holy shrines, enthusiastic, diseases of hands and feet.
Saturn: Separated from family, foolish, wanderer, miserable.
Rahu: Irritable, unintelligent, poor, wicked, miserly, libidinous.
Ketu: Diseases, loss of wealth, tale-bearer, hurts others.

Sun: Helps others, possesses wealth, gems and lands, virtuous, very strong, affectionate and kind.
Moon: Eminent, honored by kings, sexual pleasures, good character.
Mars: A scholar in a king’s court, wealthy, honorable, charitable; [if exalted] skilled at wars, successful, upholds dharma; [in trines] unlearned; [in 12th] devoid of happiness from wife and children.
Mercury: [if exalted] highly wealthy and good deeds; wealthy, king or a minister, devotion to Vishnu and Shiva, saattwik, obtains moksha.
Jupiter: Excellent speech, superior gems and wealth, , royal insignia, supremely learned.
Venus: Eminent in a king’s court, virtuous, destroyer of enemies, wealthy and charitable.
Saturn: Displays excellent judicial knowledge in assemblies, excellent wealth and gems, exceedingly brilliant.
Rahu: Scholarly, miserly, many virtues, wealthy, happy.
Ketu: Garrulous, proud, miserly, licentious, skillful in evil subjects.

Sun: Troubled by enemies, fickle-minded, cheat, emaciated, doesn’t follow good dharma and karma, wanton.
Moon: [if waxing] Garrulous, virtuous; [if waning] two wives, sick, cheat, wicked.
Mars: Bad character and deeds, ear troubles, timid, friendly with evil-minded people.
Mercury: Serves mean people and makes money, two sons, one daugher who brings good name.
Jupiter: Many conveyances, comforts, honors, servants, happiness from progeny, knowledge, friends, learning and noble path.
Venus: No wealth, troubles from enemies, separation from children, diseases, unhappiness from spouse.
Saturn: Diseases, not skillful, no royal patronage.
Rahu: Financial losses, fear of enemies and litigation, depressed, separated from own people, emaciated, manipulative.
Ketu: Notorious, sinful, litigation with own men, diseases, enemies.

Sun: Pains in joints, loss of wealth over opposite sex, loss of strength, lies, headaches, spreading lies, bad path.
Moon: [if waxing] Social status, honor, conveyances, wife and daughters, servants; [if waning] these results will be hard to get.
Mars: [if strong] sweet food; [if weak] means acts, dishonorable.
Mercury: Financial losses in litigations, wrath of kings, no marital happiness.
Jupiter: Excellent food, wealth, royal insignia.
Venus: [debilitated] wealthy, respected by scholars; [else] Distressed due to hunger, dieases, fear from enemies.
Saturn: Weak-sighted, delusion, enjoys tasty food.
Rahu: No happiness from wife and children, bereft of good food, timid.
Ketu: Hungry, sick, wanderer, poor.

Sun: Learned, scholar, good at discussing poetry, reverred by kings.
Moon: [if waxing] strong, knowledge of poetry and music, connoisseur of arts; [if waning] sinful.
Mars: Wealthy though royal connections, has gold, diamonds and corals.
Mercury: Honor, conveyances, gems, valorous, friends, progeny, learned in assemblies; [in a malefic rasi] licentious, goes to prostitutes.
Jupiter: Honored by kings, wealthy, learned in dharma sastra and tantra, revered by powerful men, respected by learned men, a scholar and faultless in grammar and etymology.
Venus: Skillful in literature, arts, music, meritorious and opulent.
Saturn: Righteous, opulent, honored by kings, brave and heroic at wars.
Rahu: Great disease, eye problems, fear from enemies, financial losses.
Ketu: Diseases, eye troubles, wicked, sinful.

Sun: Happy, learned, performs yajnas (rites), stays at a king’s palace, good at discussing poetry, good-looking.
Moon: King, wealthy, skillful in sexual acts.
Mars: Curious, friends and children; [if exalted] honored by king and virtuous.
Mercury: [in lagna] skillful in music; [in 7th or 8th] addicted to courtesans; [in 9th] good deeds and character, goes to heaven.
Jupiter: Curious, very kind, happy, honored, sons, famous.
Venus: Opulent, learned, famous and respected in assemblies.
Saturn: Endowed with lands, wealthy, happy, pleasures from charming ladies, learned in poetry and arts.
Rahu: Wanderer, after other men’s wives, steals other men’s wealth.
Ketu: Goes after courtesans, losses in profession, sinful, wanderer.

Sun: Drowsy, lives abroad, troubles to wife.
Moon: [if with Jupiter] eminent; [without Jupiter] loses wealth on females, troubles.
Mars: Angry, unintelligent, poor, wicked, fallen from the virtuous path, sick.
Mercury: Uncomfortable sleep, troubles of neck, miseries, litigation with own men, loses wealth.
Jupiter: Poor, unintelligent, foolish, no righteous acts.
Venus: Serves others, criticizes others, garrulous, wanderer.
Saturn: Rich, charming, good character, brave, destroys all enemies, skillful in dealing with women.
Rahu: Virtuous, good wife and children, happy, proud, bold, wealthy.
Ketu: Virtuous, endowed with wealth and agricultural products, whiles away time with entertainment.

Sayanaadi (Sayana etc) avasthas are the most important of all avasthas. In addition to the results listed above, Parasara listed some special results. If a benefic is in Sayana avastha, the house benefits from his presence. If a malefic is in Nidraa avastha in the 7th house without the conjunction or aspect of another malefic, it is auspicious. If a malefic is in Bhojana avastha, the house containing it is destroyed. If a malefic is in the 5th house in Sayana or Nidraa avastha, it is auspicious. If a malefic is in the 8th house in Sayana or Nidraa avastha, it brings death by royal wrath. If a malefic occupies the 10th house in Bhojana or Sayana avastha, all kinds of miseries may be expected. If a benefic or a planet in own or exaltation rasi occupies in the 1st, 5th, 7th or 10th house in Prakasana, Nrityalipsaa or Kautuka avasthas, it brings Raja Yoga. Parasara specifically mentioned Moon in the 10th house in Kautuka or Prakaasana avasthas.

However, one should not be carried away with avasthas and one should remember that they are only the “states” of the planet. The state of a planet related to age, alertness, mood and activity will have a role in the results given by it, but the houses influenced by it in various divisional charts are more important in deciding the results. We should avoid the temptation to make predictions based on thumbrules and look-up tables.