343 – 344. Sex of the Child: Now the combinations for births of male, female or hermaphrodite, as per Varaha Mihira.
(a) Jupiter, the Moon, the ascendant and the Sun (at the time of impregnation), placed in odd signs and odd Navamsas will cause birth of a male issue.
(b) These four in even signs with even Navamsas will usher a female child.
(c) The Sun and Jupiter with strength in odd signs will cause birth of a male child.
(d) Mars, the Moon and Venus with strength in even signs will promote acquisition of a female child.
(e) The Sun and Jupiter in odd signs; with the aspect of Mercury, and in dual Navamsas that are masculine (i.e. Gemini and Sagittarius), denote that twins
comprising ‘of male children will be born.
(f) Mars, the Moon and Venus in odd signs, with the aspect of Mercury in dual Navamsas that are feminine (i.e. Virgo and Pisces) will cause birth of twin female, children.
(g) In case of “e” and “f’ if the Navamsas are of both kinds, i.e. one masculine and the other feminine, birth of one male child and one female child will take place.
Notes: Although the. sub-heading mentions “hermaphrodite”, these two slokas contain no such clues.
In a short space of two lines, in sloka, 344, Varaha, Mihira has tactfully squeezed three combinations at “e”, “f’ and “ft’ with minimum possible words. Bala Bhadra in the ensuing two slokas quotes the same from Suka Jataka in expanded terms.
A careful study of Varaha Mihira’s Brihat Jataka and his son Prithu Yasas’ Hora Sara reveals their great dependence on the work Suka Jataka. The only difference is, Varaha Mihira had tersely and beautifully reconstructed his verses in charming Sanskrit meters while Prithu Yasas had verbatim reproduced the slokas of the said work.
It seems, Bala Bhadra could lay his hands on Suka Jataka and acknowledged his reproductions but he did not comment on Varaha Mihira’s said reliance. Saravali and Phala Deepika too used many of the verses of Suka Jataka concerning Ashtaka Varga and the like. Apparently, Suka Jataka was much earlier than the 5th century AD and considered as a very authoritative work. Lakshmana Bhatta, author of Jagan Mohanam, was another author who directly acknowledged Suka Jataka. A safe conclusion could be drawn that the said popular work was written by the parrot-faced Suka Maharshi. Our present work refers to Suka Maharshi by name in some cases. Suka Jataka is particularly famous and authoritative in respect of Adhana, Ashtaka Varga, Stri Jataka, Raja Yogas etc. I am stating these after a thorough comparison of various works, verse by verse. , I have also a doubt, after reading the slokas attributed to “Sukra Jataka” in the present text, that it is only “Suka Jataka”. “Sukra Jataka” as such may (or may not be) a wrong reference.
345 – 346. This has been clearly stated in Suka Jataka as under.
(a) The Sun and Jupiterin aspect to Mercury and in Gemini and Sagittarius Navamsas will cause birth of twins comprising a male and a female child. If the Navamsas in question are Virgo and Pisces, the twins will comprise two female children.
(b) Mars, the Moon and Venus in aspect to Mercury in the Navamsas of Pisces and Virgo will cause birth of twins comprising two fem8Ie children. If the Navamsas are Sagittarius and Gemini, the twins will be made up by one female and one male.
Notes: As against the views of Varaha Mihira, there is an omission in the quotations of Suka Jataka. The reader will note that positions of odd signs for the Sun and Jupiter and of even signs for the Moon, Mars and Venus are not included in Suka Jataka.
Bala Bhadra observes that the words “Dwayangastha” used by Brihat Jataka should be interpreted as “in double-bodied signs” as otherwise a contradiction will arise between Brihat Jataka and the sages.
Notes: Here, Bala Bhadra refers to slokas 343 – 344 supra, attributed to Varaha Mihira which are from the latter’s work called Laghu Jataka, which is a condensed
version of his own Brihat Jataka. In the said quotation, “Dwisariramsa” appears which means Navamsa in common signs. The words “Dwayangashta” appear in Brihat Jataka, chapter 4, sloka 11 which are rewritten by Varaha Mihira, but with the same concept.
“Dwayanga” simply means “double-bodied” – a common sign – which however does not allow a second astrological interpretation.
347. According to Varaha Mihira, Saturn in an odd house from the ascendant will cause birth of a male issue. The question of the child being a male or female should be addressed after assessing the strengths the various planets. Bala Bhadra adds that the specific combination involving Saturn relates to birth of a male issue. Birth of a female issue is also possible for which the relevant combinations should be’ sought, by scrutinizing the strength of other plants involved in granting progeny.
348. Now some specialties from Suka Jataka. Saturn without the aspect of another planet, placed in an odd house excluding the ascendant, will cause birth of a male issue. In an even house, he will cause birth of a male issue. In an even house, he will contribute to a female child.
Notes: As for birth of Ii male issue, this quotation from Suka Jataka is a after version than Varaha Mihira’s earlier aphorism where the ascendant is not excluded, and no mention of another planet’s aspect is made.
“‘Odd house” other than the ascendant indicates, 3rd, 5th; 7 h, 9th and 11th,
349. It is stated in Hora Makaranda, that a male planet with strength, occupying an angle; be getting its own Navamsa or other division in aspect to a male planet will
cause birth of a male issue. “A female” issue will be born if a female planet is in exaltation in an angle and, in aspect to a female planet.
350-354. Birth of a Hermaphrodite: Each of the following combinations is based on Saravali, denoting birth of a hermaphrodite.
(a) The Sun and Moon aspecting each other, placed in odd or even signs.
(b) An aspect between Saturn and Merc1ll’y from odd or even signs.
(c) Mars in an odd sign aspecting the Suri in an even sign.
(d) Mars in an even sign aspecting the ascendant or the Moon in an odd sign.
(e) Mercury in an odd sign and the Moon in an even sign, aspected by Mars.
(f) The ascendant, the Moon and Venus in odd signs with odd Navamasas in aspect to Mercury or Saturn.
355 – 356. Other Combinations: (a) According to another authority, even with the blessings of Lord Vishnu, only a hermaphrodite will be barn if the 7th, 10th
and 4th from Adhana ascendant are occupied by her maphrodite planets.
(b) This combination as at “a” should be applied only in the absence of other combinations stated earlier for birth of a male or a female issue. Only the strongest of these combinations will give final results. For Hora Makaranda states as under
(c) The question of male or female issue should be decided after ascertaining the, strengths of relevant combinations. Only in the absence of an indication of a male or a female issue being due, a hermaphrodite, will be born.
357 – 362. Twins and Triplets: Given below’ are combinations leading to birth of ‘two’ or three issues in the relevant delivery as per Kalyana Varma.
(a) The ascendant in an even sign aspected by strong Moon will cause, birth of twins, so should an astrologer declare.
(b) The Moon and the ascendant in an even sign in aspect to a male planet will cause birth of twins.
(c) The ascendant, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter all in strength and in even signs will cause birth of twins.
(d) The Moon and Venus in even signs while the ascendant, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury are in odd signs will cause birth of twins.
(e) Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and the ascendant being in strength in dual signs will cause birth of twins.
(f) The ascendant and a planet in it should obtain a dual Nayamsa. Mercury should be in Gemini Navamsa. Lastly Mercury should aspect the said Adhana ascendant and the planet in it. Then birth of one female and two ales will follow in the’ ensuing delivery.
(g) If Mercury is in Virgo Navamsa instead of Gemini Navamsa as stipulated in “f” above it will be two be two females and one male.
(h) The Adhana ascendant and a planet in it should be in Gemini or Sagittarius in Navamsa. Mercury should be in Geinini Navamsa. Lastly the aspect of Mercury should be on ‘the said ascendant and the planet. As a result, three male issues will be born in the ensuing delivery.
(i) The Adhana ascendant and a planet in. it should be in Pisces or Virgo in Navamsa. Mercury being in Virgo Navmasa, and lending his aspect to the said ascendant and the planet will lead to the birth of three female issues.
363. More Than Three Children: According to Varaha Mihira, if the A ana ascendant is in the last. Navamsa of Sagittarius, and all the (seven) planets are Sagittarius Navamsa while the Adhana ascendant is in aspect to strong Mercury and Saturn there are many embryos in the womb.
Notes: Utpala is short form for Bhattotpala who was one of the most famous commentators of Varaha Mihira’s Brihai Jataka and Kalyana Vanna’s Saravali. Other famous commentaries include Dasadhyayee from Kerala and Rudra Bhatta’s Vivarana. In fact Brihat Jataias more than ten commentaries.
The word “Prabhutaa” (refer to sloka 363) has been interpreted by Bhattotpala that the pregnant woman may deliver as many 5 to 10 children which at one stage should be treated as the next to impossible or such a Yoga should be applied to some specific animals only.
Bala Bhadra adds, “Dhanurdharanthyagathe Village” in sloka 363 means “the ascendant Sagittarius being in the last Navamsa”. The word” Prabhutaah” is interpreted by Utpala, as 5, 7, or 10 embryos (being in the womb) which is not logical.
