435 – 437. Lamp in Delivery Chamber: On the authority of sage Garga, the lamp in the delivery chamber is now described based on the Sun’s Dvadasamsa. If the Sun is in the 1st Dvadasamsa (of tile sign he is in), the lamp will be in the eastern part of the chamber in the 2nd or 3rd north-east, in the 4th north, in the 5th or 6th – north-west, in the 7th – west; in the 8th or the.9th – south west; in the 10th south or south-east. If the Sun is in the 11th or 12th Dvadasamsa of a sign, there would be no lamp in the chamber.
Notes: “Lagnasya” in sloka 435 is to be interpreted as “in
Surya Lagna”, i. . the Sun sign, and not as the-Sun’s position in the ascendant. “Arka Lagna” in the caption means “Sun sign”.
Hence here the reference by the term: “Lagna” is to “Surya Lagna”.
438 – 439. In this context, other authorities have the following to state.
(a) If the ascendant at birth is a movable one, the .lamp would be held (by someone) in the hand, and if and fixed sign the lamp would be in a particular place (without being taken hither and thither). A common sign ascending denotes that the lamp was being taken hither and thither.
(b) Based on the decanate occupied by the Moon, the quantity of oil in the lamp should be declared. The Moon in the 1st decanate of a sign means the lamp had full quantity of oil. The 2nd decanate indicates that the quantity was half. The last decanate shows emptiness of the lamp.
440. Bala Bhadra’s Comments: This stated in Saravali that the Moon being. Full points out to fullness of oil in the lamp while the weak Moon hints at the exhaustion of oil. This is not logical as on the New Moon day, there will be darkness all around. When the birth is on a New Moon day, or with declining Moon, it will be (illogically) established that there was no oil in the lamp.
(b) The portion of burnt wick in the oil-lamp should be guessed based on the degrees past in the rising sign.
(c) The lamp would contain full quantity of oil if the Moon at birth is in the ascendant or in the 8th.
(d) The length of the wick and the colour of the lamp should. be estimated through the degrees of the ascendant.
(e) Whatever colour is ascribed to the sign ascending will apply to the lamp in question.
These have been stated by preceptor Maniththa.
441- 442. (a) According to Saravali, if Mars aspects the Sun at birth, there would be many lamps in the chamber. If all others are devoid of strength, light was produced burning grass.
(b) With the Moon occupying a watery Navanisa, or a Navamsa ‘owned by Saturn, say that the child was born in darkness. ‘So was the case when the Moon is in the 4th in aspect to Saturn.
443. (a) In all these combinations (relating to darkness), the aspect of the Sun will nullify the effect. So also when the Moon is in aspect to the Sun So says Yavanacharya.
(b) The Moon in the ascendant and in a watery Navamsa or the one ruled by Saturn causes birth in darkness.
(c) The Moon in the 4th in aspect to Saturn and in a Navamsa ruled by Saturn or in Cancer Navamsa causes birth in darkness. In these two cases, the Sun should not aspect the Moon.
444- 445. Description of the House of Delivery: The following are based on Hora Makaranda.
(a) If the Sun is the strongest at birth, the house of birth would be one constructed with old wood, the Moon a new house Mars a burnt house, Mercury one having many artistic trappings, Jupiter a strong house, Venus a new house having beautiful pictures and Saturn an old house.
(b) The entry of the delivery chamber would be in the direction denoted by the planet in an angle. If there are many planets in angles, the strongest one will prevail.
If angles are unoccupied, the entry would correspond to the direction indicated by the sign ascending.
(c) According to Hora Sara, if the planet indicative of the direction of the entry as above is in a fixed Navamsa, the entry will be as stated earlier. The said planet is in a Navamsa which is dual in nature there would be two entries to the chamber concerned. If a movable Navamsa features, there would be many entries. These apply, to the ascelldant’s Navamsa in case the angles are devoid of planets.
(d) The strongest of the planets at birth would describe the house of delivery. If the strongest of them is the waxing Moon, the house would be white in colour and be decorated with many shades. Yavanacharya has also stated that the Moon is indicative of a house painted (with white colour).
446-453, Yavanacharya on Special Effects : (a) The Moon being the strongest at birth indicates that the house of birth would be the one constructed with beautiful wood, be charming and would have learned men, the house would have proper measurements, decorated with precious stones.
(b) If Mars be the strongest and is in own Navamsa, the house would be a burnt one. If the planet be in association with or aspect to a malefic and in another planet’s navamsa, the house would be a dilapidated one. If Mars is aspected by a benefic planet, the house would be owned with grains and wealth.
(c) When the Sun is the strongest, the house in question would be decorated with chalk and various other colours, glittering, constructed on a large piece of land and beautiful in one part and broken in another. A malefic in association with strong Sun denotes that the house would be a warm one.
(d) Mercury being the strongest at birth would describe the house thus. It would have many members, and be endowed with wooden seats and much wealth. The adults dwelling therein would be pure and splendorous with wonderful personalities.
(e) There would be many a precious stones. The house in question would be beautiful and spacious with flags flying aloft while metals and juices would be in abundance.
These are when Jupiter is the strongest.
(f) Venus being the strongest denotes that the house would be beautiful with skilful men in it. Crystal and gold would enrich it. Further it would be wide, surrounded by beautiful roads.
(g) If Saturn is the strongest, the house would be an old one, with men in rags. Its colour would be red. Full of thorns, it would be unsightly.
(h) If the Navamsa dispositor of the planet concerned is in a friend’s Navamsa or that of a benefic planet, the house would be a good one (with the positive attributes prescribed). If it be in an enemy’s Navamsa, the house would be a much broken one. A mixed character for the said Navamsa dispositor in this case would cause a mixture (of good and bad).
454 – 456. (a) Bala Bhadra Clarifies: The entry of the house should be decided thus (based on the previous verses). The entry would correspond to the direction indicated by a planet that is in an angle from the asceding. If there be more than one planet, the strongest should prevail. If angles are empty, the direction would depend on the sign ascending. According to Bhattotpala, the direction would correspond to the sign indicated by the Dvadasamsa attained by the rising sign. For Maniththa has also stated it the same way. In actual experience also, when angles are unoccupied, only the Dvadasamsa of the rising sign prevails.
(b) Saravali stipulates the following. The strongest planet in an angle is indicative of the house of delivery. Other planets close to the indicative planet would describe the neighbourhood. The Sun in this case denotes a” temple in the direction concerned.
The Moon – a reservoir of water; Mars – a place of fire; Jupiter ¬a treasury; Venus – a p-ark; Saturn – a filthy corner, and Mercury – a bed room.
(c) Jataka Chintamani: The space from the ascendant through the 5th would denote the court:yardof the house of delivery. From the 7th through 11th, the eastern part of the court-yard is denoted. With a strong Sun in this relevant space, there would be trees possessing hard wood. The Moon in similar situation indicates trees that yield good quality of juices, Mars bitter juices, Mercury trees that never yield (edible) fruits, Jupiter those that yield abundant fruits, Venus that yield abundant flowers and Saturn unsightly trees (devoid of charm).
(d) The author comments thus. In regard to instructions given at “b” the planet Venus indicates a watery place, Saturn a cavity and Jupiter a temple. In regard to the ones contained in “c” the western and other directions will also contain such trees as specified for the planets. The Sun in strength denotes trees that are quite strong, the Moon that yield juices (or “milk”, like rubber plants and toddy), Mars those that produce bitter juices and are thorny, Mercury those that are fruitless (sans edible fruits), Jupiter the ones having (edible) fruits, Venus the ones with flowers, and Saturn” unsightly ones. These trees will have to be understood according the planets placed in the respective spaces, i.e. 1st to 5th or 7th to 11th as the case may be.
457. Location of the Chamber: Now, considering the entire house, told are the methods of deciding the location of the delivery chamber, as per Varaha Mihira.
If at birth Aries; Cancer, Libra, Scorpio or Aquarius be on the ascendant, the chamber would be on the eastern side. Sagittarius, Pisces, mini and Virgo denote northern part. Taurus indicates the west while Capricorn and Leo the south.
Notes: These directions are peculiar to locating delivery chamber only and do not apply to a general context.
458-462. About the location and state of the lying-in chamber and cot, the following should be understood.
(a) At the rate of two signs from Aries, intervened by a common sign, the directions from the east be understood as the location of the sleeping place, the cot. As for the limbs (or parts) of the cot, these should be understood from houses (with reference to the sign ascending). The 6th, 3rd, 9th and 12th denote its legs. Malefics in the respective space hurt the mother in question. But in case of mutable signs, malefics cause crookedness (or curvature or depression) of the bed and the limb concerned.
(b) The author gives his comments on the ‘directions which are reflected in the notes below. As for malefics he states that the. injury would be commensurate the description and nature of the planet concerned. But a malefic in his sign of exaltation, or Moola trikona, or friend’s sign will not cause the suggested harm A dual sign containing its lord, or a benefic, or aspect from either of these will not cause curvature. So has commented Bhattotpala (on Brihat Jataka) supported by Jataka Chintamani.
(c) For the latter (i.e. Jataka Chintamani) states that an injury is to be declared in the spot denoted by the respective sign. But a malefic in exaltation does not cause any injury. In the same way, the owner of the sign or a benefic related to a common sign by aspect also does not hurt.
(d) Saravali stipulates that there will be. marks on the cot corresponding to the position and state of a planet in a given sign. The ornaments (or trappings thereof) should be understood according to the aspect the ascendant receives from a benefic.
(e) Jupiter in the 10th house identical with Cancer denotes birth in a two, or three or four storeyed building. . A benefic in the 4th or the 10th from the ascendant, and in a Navamsa ruled by Saturn, denotes birth in a house without an enclosure.
(f) Varaha Mihira states that Jupiter in strength in Sagittarius denotes birth in a. house with three large apartments. In the other three mutable signs, viz. Gemini, Virgo and Pisces, Jupiter signifies a house with two such apartments. The apartment will be located in the direction narrated in the earlier verse (refer to “a” in this passage) corresponding to the position of the indicative planet. Should Pisces, Capricorn or Sagittarius be endowed with strength, the house will have three apartments.
Notes: (a) As regards the lying-in chamber (different from delivery chamber vide sloka 457), Aries and Taurus denote the east; Gemini – south-east; Cancer and Leo –
south; Virgo – south¬west; Libra and Scorpio – west; Sagittarius – north-west; Capricorn and Aquarius” – north; and Pisces – “north-east. Note the exclusive lordship for a common sign on intervening corners.
Instead of locating from the signs, the various houses should be scanned to understand about the limbs of the cot (on which the woman in labour was lying), The 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses (in place of common signs) denote the four legs of the cot. The 1st and 2nd significances the head and face of the woman; 4th and 5th right side (of her body); the 7th and 8th legs of the woman and the 10th and 11th her side.
463. Birth in Space etc.: It is. laid down in Hora Pradipa that one of the signs viz.” Sagittarius, Pisces, Virgo and Gemini ascending denotes birth in space (or terrace). In other cases birth would be on the earth.
Notes: This instruction does not seem to be logical although the information relating to space (“Antariksha”) after further corrections could be used to identify births in air planes these days. In other words following the original instruction amounts to stating that children born in a common sign are born in space.
464- 465. In the same work (i.e. in Hora Pradipa) it is stated that one of the three signs commencing from Aries along with Leo and Sagittarius rising denotes that the child will cry aloud soon after its birth. Capricorn, Virgo and Aquarius in this
context denotes crying with a half tone. Libra, Scorpio and Pisces contributes to the child’s crying rarely after many days. In declaring these effects, the stronger of the ascendant and the Moon be chosen.
466. Fair & Other Complexions: According to Janma Pradipa, if the ascendant is in a decanate of Jupiter, the Moon or Mars, the subject is fair-complexioned. Saturn’s decanate gives lack complexion, while the complexion is mixed in case of other planets’ decanates.
The author adds that physical complexion should be ” estimated after considering race, caste and ” country of birth.
467 – 468. Number of Attendants: (a) Based on Saravali now stated are of the nurses attending the fem e in labour. The number of nurses would equal the number of planets intervening the natal ascendant and the Moon at birth.
(a) Attendants present inside the delivery chamber would correspond to the number of planets in the invisible half of the zodiac (the space covering 180 degrees ahead of the ascending degree), while those outside the chamber would be equal to the number of planets available in the visible half of the zodiac (the space 180 degrees behind the ascending degree).
(c) The nature, appearance and ornaments of the nurses should be described with the help of planets betwixt the ascendant and the Moon. If these are benefic planets, the attending females would be attractive, virtuous and weil-ornamep.ted. Malefics denote ugly nurses bereft of auspicious features, wearing dirty robes. If it is a mixture of both benefic and malefic planets, the nurses would be of both kinds.
469-470. (a) The portion from the ascendant upto the 7th (in a direct order) is the invisible of half of the zodiac and the other half is visible, as per Varaha Mihira.
(b) The number of nurses would equal, the number of planets intervening the natal ascendant of the’ child and’ the Moon. Attendants present inside the delivery chamber would correspond to the number of planets in the invisible half of the zodiac, while those outside the, chamber would be equal to the number of planets available in
the visible half of the zodiac. (This is the same as per Saravali.)
(c) Samudra Jataka also states the same thing (as per Varaha Mihira and Saravali).
471. The Sun God in Surya Jataka also asserts the same thing as above. The author adds that -since a majority of preceptors hold one and the same view in this regard, it should be deemed important.
Jhandrika however states specially of the ascendant and the Moon thus. If the Moon is in the ascendant; there would be three nurses. Other authorities hold the same
view as stated earlier concerning planets in visible and invisible halves.
Notes: “Chandrika” is apparently a short term for the work Hora Chandrika.
472.473. (a) As per Jiva Sharma: Commentator Jiva Sharma lays down identical views in regard to the ascendant and the Moon, and visible and invisible halves. He further stipulates that this number would, equal the number of planets in the ascendant, 2nd and 12th; or the number of planets with the lord of the ascendant; and those in the 2nd and 12th from the ascendant lord.
(b) Asper Gnana Prakasa: The work entitled Gnana Prakasa lays down more rules. The number of nurses would correspond to the number of planets in the 4th house. The lord of the 10th placed in the 10th would indicate father’s availability in the place of delivery at the time of child’s birth. As done for life¬span calculations, if the planet indicative of nurses is exalted or retrograde, the number should be trebled. It should be multiplied by two in case of the concerned planet’s position in own Navamsa own sign, Vargottama, and own decanate. The combinations mentioned relating to the Moon and ascendant should also be considered the same way.
474. Based Oil Ascending, Sign: According to another text, Pisces or Aries ascending at birth denotes a single nurse attending the delivery of the child concerned. If it is Taurus or Aquarius the number would be 4, Sagittarius 7, Cancer 5, and Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Capricorn ‘each 5.
475 – 476. In Royal Families: The learned men prescribe special number of nurses for deliveries in royal families as there would be such possibilities. Should
Aries or Libra ascend, the child belonging to a royal family was attended by 90 nurses. If it be Taurus or Virgo, the figure would be 93, Gemini 97, Leo 93, and Virgo or Capricorn 99.
477 – 479. (a) It has been stated in Jatakottama that even sign or an odd sign, ascending will lead to the knowledge of the, attendants being widows or women whose husbands are alive, as the case may be.
(b) If the child’s ascendant has a malefic in the 8th while the Moon is in the 8th from the said malefic, the nurse would be 8th from the said malefic, the nurse would be a widow
(c) With Saturn in the 5th while the Moon and Venus are in the 10th, say that one of the nurses was definitely an unmarried girl.
480. Sneezing: If the Moon and Mercury occupy the 4th, the child will be ever sneezing, i.e. will sneeze a lot.
481. A malefic in the ascendant while another is in the 4th indicates that the child will have marks caused by umbilical cord or resembling a garlic.
Notes: Mark caused’ by an umbilical cord should be interpreted as a lengthy mark (scars) while one “resembling a garlic” means a bulky one.
482-483. Six Fingers: (a) The child will have six fingers in case the 2nd, 12th and the ascendant are occupied in order by Mercury, the Moon and Saturn.
(b) The same effect will come to pass if Jupiter and Mercury are in the 9th place counted from Mars while the Sun is in angle from the ascendant.
The author adds that Aries, Leo an Sagittarius denote the east, Taurus Virgo and Capricorn the south, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius ‘the West. and Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces the north in respect of the direction of placement of the head of the child soon after its birth. The strongest of the planets denotes the kind of juice the delivering woman drunk before delivery.
Notes: In this context ‘Juice” means means medicinal juice to stabilize the woman concerned and protect her from the sudden variations of the bodily humours.
484-485. Parents: Oil the authority of Saravali, the following stated.
(a) If at birth, the Moon is declining and is in the company of a malefic, the mother will face early death. The Sun so placed with weakness will kill the child’s father.
(b) Strong malefics and benefics aspecting the luminaries will cause diseases to parents. Exclusive benefics in this combination will prove auspicious, i.e. will neither kill the parents nor will cause sickness to them.
(c) Full Moon in the 5th with Jupiter and Venus in aspect to Mercury will be auspicious for the mother. So also when the Moon is in the 5th in the company of the Sun, Jupiter and Venus in aspect to Mercury.
486. Maternal Relatives: The Sun in the 5th or the 9th from the Moon will kill maternal uncle while Mars so placed with reference to Venus will kill maternal grand- mother.
487. (a) From the Sun onwards, father, mother, co-born, kinsfolk, progeny, wife (or husband) and servants are denoted by the various planets. Based on these, suitable estimates of childhood, intelligence and comfort should be made.
(b) From these sources, happiness will accrue to the native if the planets concerned are endowed with dignity like placement in own sign, exaltation or Moola Trikona.
The author adds that if these planets are in debility, or in inimical signs, they will be the cause of child’s physical delibility, ulcers and marks on the body which should be understood from the ascendant (I.e. their placement in the ascendant).
Thus ends the discussion on “Delivery”.
