Transit Influences by Dr. P. S. Sastri

Nanda refer to the 1^st, the 6^th, the 11^th tithis; Bhadra to the 2^nd, the 7^th, the 12^th tithis; Jaya to tithis 3^rd, the 8^th, the 13^th; Rikta, to the 4^th, the 9^th, the 14^th tithis; Purna to the 5^th, the 10^th, the 15^th, the 30^th tithis.  Each group has its own week-day.  The Sun, Mars, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu, the waning Moon, and Mercury associated with maleficsa are all  malefic planets; the rest are benefic.  A planet is situated in a constellation; and by its aspect thee vedhas arise for it – one in the left, one in the front, and one in the right.  In the right or left the vedha will be with a star, a consonant, a Rasi, or a vowel only.  Thus a planet in Krittika has a vedha with Bharani, अ, Vrishabha, Nanda, Bhadra, Thula, त, Visakha, and Sravana.  One in Rohini has vedha with उ, Aswini,  व, Mithuna, औ, Kanya, र, Swati, and Abhijit.  One in Mrigasira has vedha with Kataka, क, Simha, प, Chitra, Revati,  ल, अ, and Uttarashadha.

The aspect of a retrograde planet is towards the right, and that of one in direct motion is to the left; when it is stationary, it is towards the front.  For Rahu and Ketu the vedha will be on the right; and for the Sun and the Moon it is on the left.  A retrograde malefic in vedha position causes great evil and a

When a planet transits over Aridra, Hasta, Poorvashadha and Uttarabhadrapada, the triplets that are hit are – (1) घ, ङ, छ; (2) ष, ण,  ठ;  (3) घ, फ, ढ; and  (4) थ झ ञ.  Regarding the pairs  ब – व, स – श, ख – ष, ज – य  and ङ – ञ  if one letter is hit the other also is hit.  When the vedha is caused by a benefic, it is Saumya vedha.  If one vowel is hit the other vowel similar to it is also hit; and this applies also to अं – अः

When a planet is the junction of two constellations in any of the four corners of the square, the vowels अ, आ, इ and ई and the Purna Tithi are hit.  The results are अ – agitation or excitement, आ – fear, इ – loss, ई  – disease, and tithi-death.  When the vedha is with a star the result is confusion; with a consonant loss; with a vowel sickness; and with tithi or Rasi a great obstacle.  When there are five vedhas at the same time one is not likely to live.  One vedha causes fear, two bring loss of money, three obstacles, and four death.

In the vedhas of individual planets, different results follow.  The Sun’s – misunderstanding; Mars – loss of wealth; Saturn – ill health; Rahu and Ketu – obstacles; the Moon – mixed results; Venus – pleasures; Mercury – intelligence; Jupiter – good effect.  When the planet causing vedha is retrograde, the result is twofold; in exaltation threefold; in rapid direct motion the normal effect; in depression the effect is half.   A malefic vedha on a Tithi, Rasi Amsa, or Nakshatra should be avoided for all auspicious undertakings.  If a vedha caused by a retrograde malefic occurs during sickness, the patient is not likely to survive; but if the malefic is in direct motion, the ill-health will subside.  It the vedha is caused by a malefic on the week day of one’s birth there will be mental anguish.

The transit of the Sun in Vrishabha, Mithuna, and Kataka makes the East appear as set.  The vowels अ, उ, लृ, ओ  may be taken as belonging to the east; आ, ऊ, लृ, औ to the south;  इ, ऋ, ए and अं to the west; ई, ऋ, ऐ, अः to the north.  During the time the Sun stays for three months in any direction, all the stars, vowels, consonants, Rasis, and tithis are considered to be set.  When a star is set and there is vedha, the result is ill-health; when a consonant, loss; when a vowel, sorrow; when a Rasi, obstacle; when a tithi, fear; when all the five have vedha, the result is death.  The consonants and vowels refer to the initial letter of the name of the native.

If these are not set, the vedha produces different results.  If a star, growth; if a consonant, gain; if a vowel, happiness; if a Rasi, success; if a tithi, fame; if all the five, status.

When a planet transits over the 5^th, the 8^th, the 14^th, the 18^th, the 21^st, the 22^nd, the 23^rd and the 24^th stars counted from the one in which the Sun is posited, there will arise obstacles.  Countering from the birth star, where there is a malefic vedha on the 1^st, the 10^th, the 19^th and the 23^rd stars, the results are respectively death, sorrow, absence from one’s place, and quarrels. When the vedha is on the 18^th star, something untoward will happen.  If it is on the 16^th, there is loss; if on the 26^th, there is destruction of the family; if one the 28^th, one may be imprisoned; if on the 27^th, there is expulsion.  But if these vedhas come from benefics, the results will be auspicious.  The malefic vedhas on the stars counted from the birth star should not coincide with the vedhas on the 5^th, the 8^th, the 14^th, the 11^th, the 21^st, the 22^nd, the 23^rd, the 24^th stars counted from the Sun.

In the Prakirnadhyaya of Uttara Khanda of Parasara Hora, Chapter 6 and verses 18 to 23 we have a list of Pachakas and Vedhakas.  Their places are counted from the house occupied by a planet.  We tabulate:

From  Lagna, Pachaka planets are the Sun in the 6^th, the Moon in the 7^th, Mars in the 9^th, Mercury in the 10^th, Jupiter in the 11^th, Venus in the 8^th, and Saturn in the 4^th.  All these have an important role to play when we interpret the significance of the planetary transits.  As Parasara observes, the Vedhaka obstructs the emergence of the results, and so does the Pachaka to some extent.

During transit the Sun, Rahu or Ketu gives good results when he is in the 3^rd, the 6^th, the 10^th houses from the Moon; the Moon in the 1^st, the 3^rd, the 6^th, the 7^th, the 10^th; Mars and Saturn in the 3^rd and the 6^th; Mercury in the 2^nd, the 4^th, the 6^th, the 7^th, the 10^th; Venus in places other than the 6^th, the 7^th, the 10^th; Jupiter in the 2^nd, the 5^th, the 7^th, the 9^th.  All planets give good results in the 11^th.

Leaving Latta and other factors aside, we can tabulate the vedha signs, counting these from the sign in which the Moon is located.

For example in the horoscope taken as an example earlier the Moon is in the 12^th house from the Ascendant.  Saturn came to the 12^th house from the Moon and Mars was in the 8^th.  For Mars the vedha sign as per the table is the 7^th from the Moon.  The Moon at the time being in the 11^th, the vedha came from Mars who was in the 8^th.  The 11^th house Mercury got a vedha from Saturn in the 12^th.  The 1^st house Venus too had the vedha from Mars.  These transit movements brought about the death of the individual.  Failure to consider the vedha positions gives rise to a faulty interpretation of the transit influences.  But this alone is not enough, since the radical chart and the Ashtakavarga are also to be taken into consideration.