Now stated below are of signs as village resorters etc. as per Jataka Ratnavali.
28- 29. Gemini, Libra, Virgo, Sagittarius, Scorpio and Aquarius are village resorters. Aries and Taurus are strong in the night. Capricorn’s first half and (whole of) Leo resort to forests and (both the signs) are strong in day time. Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Pisces, Capricorn’s second half and Aquarius are water ¬resorters according to Lord Siva. These have been described by sages like Markandeya.
30 – 31. Biped and other Divisions as per Varaha Mihira: Aries, Taurus, Leo and Capricorn’s first half are quadruped signs. Scorpio and Cancer are known as crawlers, as well as insect signs. Capricorn’s second half, Aquarius and Pisces are watery signs. Gemini, Libra, Aquarius, Virgo and first half of Sagittarius are
biped signs. Thus end the views of Varaha Mihira.
Notes: There is some confusion in these two verses. The author, Bala Bhadra, comments on the same in the ensuing passage.
Bala Bhadra’s Comments: (a) Varaha Mihira had excluded Cancer from watery signs and classified it as an insect sign. Similarly he had not noted Aquarius’ as a biped sign but watery sign. These are incorrect because Yavanesvara’s verses reproduced earlier classify Cancer as watery sign, and Aquarius as a biped sign. In sage Garga’s
aphorisms, viz. “Nriyuktula ghatah kanya” (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius and Virgo being biped signs) occurring later in this work, Aquarius and Cancer are in order unambiguously noted as biped and watery signs.
(b) According to the Sun God, Aquarius is a man (i.e. biped) carrying an empty pot of his shoulder and Cancer a watery sign. Thus has been stated of these with certainty.
(c) In Parasara Jataka, Gemini, Libra, Virgo, Aquarius and first half of Sagittarius have been put under biped signs from this, it is evident that Cancer and Aquarius are respectively watery and biped signs.
(d) In the ensuing portion, Deva Kirti’s words concerning diurnal strengths of signs also confirm this line’ of thinking. Based on t4ese, Satyacharya also treated Aquarius as a biped sign.
Notes: The above views of Bala Bhadra based on the authority of Parasara, Surya, Deva Kirti, Satyacharya and Yavana are meant to clarify that Varaha Mihira’s exclusion of Cancer and Aquarius respectively from watery and biped signs is incorrect.
Speculum 5 shows the signs classified as biped (or human), quadruped etc. as held by sage Parasara. However, in assessing directional strength of a sign, the nature of a sign being centipede and footless is ignored. At that point of evaluation, watery and insect natures of these signs come into play, as shown in the ensuingverses.
32 – 34. Directional Strengths of Signs as per Sage Garga: Biped or human signs, viz. Gemini, Libra, Aquarius, Virgo and the first half of Sagittarius are strong in the ascendant (i.e. when in the east). Strong when in
the 4th, i.e. in the north are the watery signs which are Cancer, Pisces and the second half of Capricorn. Scorpio, the (only) insect sign, when placed in the, 7th, i.e. the west, is strong. The quadruped signs, i.e. Aries, Taurus, Leo, second half of Sagittarius, and first half of Capricorn are strong when in the 10th, i.e. the south.
Notes: As stated earlier, Cancer, Pisces and 2nd half of Capricorn are watery signs and Scorpio is an insect sign in the context of directional strength for signs.
This kind of evaluation will be useful in obtaining strength of houses and others forming part of Shadbala or six-source strength. In this context, “strong” does not denote “strength” for an purposes. These are just for assigning some specific values of power to a Bhava.
A horoscope has four basic directions and are strong accordingly.
How to make use of this information is now explained. If the ascendant which is the eastern direction of the horoscope occupies a biped sign, it gets a pre-allotted strength. If the 4th house (northern direction) coincides with a watery sign, it gets a certain strength. Similarly, the 7th and 10th falling in the insect sign or a quadruped sign obtains prescribed strength.
Some in the recent times use the Moon sign also, as a point of evaluation for directional strength which is incorrect. Only the ascendant is the point of counting for directions of a horoscope and not the Moon sign.
35. According to Deva Kirti: Gemini, Libra, Virgo, Aquarius and first half of Sagittarius are strong during day time while Aries, Taurus, Leo, first half of Capricorn and second half of Sagittarius are so in the night time. Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer and the second half of Capricorn are strong during both the twilights. Thus end the views of Deva Kirti.
Notes: These hints are also usable in case of Shadbala computation. These show the strength of houses (and not signs in general) in day and night as the case may be.
There is another set of classification which divides signs into day signs and night signs. These will be useful in respect of birth time rectification, horary astrology, lost horoscopy etc.
36-37. Further Classifications: (a) Now stated are of the, various classifications of the zodiacal signs as rising with head, or otherwise, malefic, benefic, male, female, movable etc. as per Hora Makaranda (of Gunakara).
Excluding Gemini in the group of Virgo, Scorpio, Libra, Leo, Pisces, Aquarius and Gemini, the rest are strong in day time. In this group exclude Pisces to get Seershodaya signs or the signs that rise with their heads. Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Sagittarius, Capricorn and Gemini are strong in the night. Out of these night¬-strong signs, excluding Gemini, the rest of the signs are Prishtodaya signs or the signs that rise with their hind part. Pisces rises both with head and hind part and hence is Ubhayodaya. The concluding parts of Pisces, Scorpio and Cancer are known as Riksha Sandhi. “Dina.akhyaa” means gaining strength during day time, in the present context.
(b) According to Parasara Jataka, Seershodaya signs gain extreme strength in day time, Ubhayodaya sign in both the twilights, and Prishtodaya signs in night time. The last Navamsas of Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio are called Riksha Sandhi (or critical junctions of certain signs).
Notes: (a) The 12 signs are classified as under
1. Seershodaya (rising with head), Prishtodaya (rising with back) and Ubhayodaya (rising with both back and head).
2. Signs are malefic or benefic nature.
3. Signs are male or female in sex, explained in the ensuing verses, Observe that all masculine signs are malefic and feminine signs are benefic.
4. Signs are movable, fixed (or immovable) and common (dual or double-bodied) as shown in speculum 10.
(b) About Gandanta, the authority is not Parasara Jataka. It is the author’s own line of thinking.
There are three different kinds of Gandanta discussed elsewhere in this work and also vide pages 13 and 14, chapter 1, Jyotisharnava Navanitam, English translation by R. Santhanam,
38. Riksha Sandhi: One born in Riksha Sandhi or critical junctions of certain signs (as mentioned in the previous verse) will not live for long, will Cause difficulties to mother and will destroy the family lineage. If at all he survives (due to other favourable combinations), he will be a ruler owning many elephants and. horses (Le. royal paraphernalia). This view is as per Saravali.
Notes: Although Bala Bhadra asserted the last Navamsas of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces being “qandanta”, most exponents describe the last degree of each of these’ signs as Gandanta. Saravali also uses the words “Grihanta Sandhim” which does not include the whole Navamsa. Thus it is only the last degree and not the last Navamsa.
Rasi Gandanta and Riksha Sandhi are one and the same.
39-41. Further Classifications of Signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius are masculine signs and are fierce (or malefic) in nature. Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn arid Pisces are feminine signs and are soft (or benefic) in nature.
The directions east, south, west and north are ruled by Aries and their trines in succession (i.e. in three cycles).
The division of signs as masculine, feminine etc. is to be used as stated by Satyacharya thus. Masculine signs will impart splendour while feminine signs will impart equality. Fierce signs (i.e. Kroora Rasis or odd signs) ascending will render one fierce in nature and soft signs (i.e. Saumya Rasis or even signs) will make one soft in disposition. Movable, fixed and common are another kind of three divisions of the various signs from Mes.
One’s nature will correspond to the sign ascending at the time of his birth.
Bala Bhadra clarifies: The expression “Ajadya” is to be understood thus. The directions east etc. are ruled by Aries and others in three cycles. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius rule the east; Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn rule the south; Gemini, Libra and Aquarius lord over the west; and Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces hold sway over the north. These are useful in knowing the direction of delivery chambers’ or the location of stolen and lost articles.
Further, a journey should be undertaken to the respective direction when the sign ruling that direction ascends. Journey in an ascendant which is incompatible to the direction will be fruitless. Such things are taught by directions.
Notes: The 12 signs are divided into 3 cycles of 4 directions each as shown in speculum 11 which can be helpful in decisions on journeys, profession etc.
