29. If a navamsha of Mercury in a two-natured sign is strong and in a cardine and if a navansa of a two-natured sign is in the ascendant or the sign in which the Moon is, they say that twins are conceived.
30. If a strong planet in the ascendant aspects a two-natured sign or the navamsha of a two-natured sign, and if Mercury is in a varga of the Moon, it inevitably causes the birth of twins.
31. If Mercury is in the ascendant in the navamsha of a two-natured sign and is not aspected, it produces twins; even with respect to the rules for determining whether the native is male or female, if navamsas of two-natured signs are involved, the womb is said to contain twins.
32. If Jupiter is in a navamsha of Mercury in a two-natured sign or is strong and in conjunction with Mercury or is aspected by Mercury which is in its own navamsha then twins are born.
33. If all the planets are in the ascendant in the portions (bhagas) of a two-natured sign which belong to Mercury or are strong in their own vargas aspected by Mercury, then they say triplets are born.
34. If (the configuration at birth) is similar to that at conception and the planets are not in different positions, then the result produced by them is considered to be even greater than before.
35. The Sun is father by day, Saturn at night; the authorities say that Venus is mother by day, and the Moon is considered to be mother at night. This is always (true) – at conception, during pregnancy, and at birth.
36. One knows the characteristics belonging to the mother and father by means of such things as the good or bad places and aspects (of these planets), by means of the strength or weakness of their mutual configurations, and by means of their conditions, ages, complexions, and qualities.
37. One finds the distinguishing features of the father made clear in the odd signs, that of the mother in the even signs; the guru (of the native), with his caste and his family (jati), is to be established, night and day, from the position and configuration of Jupiter.
In the Yavanajataka: the rules relating to conception.
CHAPTER 6
1. If the Moon does not aspect the ascendant, he is not born in the presence of his father. One finds the direction toward which (his father has gone) from the nature of the signs and of the planets in order.
2. In the house (where the birth takes place) the direction of the door is to be described from the planets in the cardines according to their strength. The survival of his mother or her demise (is to be predicted) by means of the planets’ being in their exaltations or dejections.
3. If the Moon or the ascendant is in a portion (bhaga) not belonging to Jupiter or is not aspected by Jupiter, they say that the native is begotten by another (than his mother’s husband); or (he is begotten) by … if a strong planet aspects.
4. If there is a planet in a cardine which is in its own house or in its own varga, (the native) is born in his own house. Otherwise he is born in a house which (is to be described) from the position of the lords of the ascendant and of the sign in which the Moon is or from their qualities;
5. or one should describe the house from the nature of the planet which is in the fourth place (the place of the house). Certainty regarding houses is obtained by means of the planets which are in their exaltations or depressions or in the fourth or seventh places, and are in immovable signs.
6. If a sign which is strong in mid-heaven is in that place, they say (the native) is born in a hidden house; if (a sign) which is strong in the ascendant or descendent is in the same place, (he is born) in another (house); and if (a sign) which is strong in the fourth place is in that place, (he is born) in his own (house).
7. If (the ascendant) is aspected by Jupiter, (the house) is new; if by the waxing Moon, it is smeared (with cow-dung); if by the Sun, it is old; if by Mars, it is burnt; if by Venus, it is painted and new;
8. if by Mercury, they say it is a grass (hut) with many curves; and if by Saturn, it is old and dilapidated. The presence or absence of (their) qualities in the house is to be judged on the basis of the strengths of the successive signs.
9. If Jupiter is in its own portion (bhaga) in a cardine, (the native) is born in an apartment with a roof; if Mars (is thus), he is born on the ground in front of a (Vedic) fire-hut; if Mercury, he falls onto (sacred) darbha-grass or on the earth;
10. if Venus, in a lake-house or in the water; and if Saturn, in a grass hut which lets in many cold winds. If the Moon is in its own house or navamsha, (he is born) in cold water; if the Sun (is thus), in the granary of his father’s house.
11. If the Moon in an even sign is either in the navamsha of a water-sign or in the fourth place (the place of water), they say that (the place of birth) is full of cold water; the same is true if Jupiter is aspected by the Moon, but it is otherwise if Mars and the Sun aspect.
12. One knows the measurements of the things pertaining to the house by means of the amounts by which the ascendant or the Moon has advanced in its sign; one knows the furnishings, colour, and appearance (of these things) from the nature of these (i.e., the ascendant and the Moon), which depends on their
positions among the signs.
13. If the Moon is aspected by or in conjunction with the malefic planets and is not waxing, it causes the loss of both mother and chid; the suffering is caused by diseases arising from the lord of the (Moon’s) sign.
14. If the Moon in a navamsha of Saturn is in the ascendant, or if it is in the fourth place in a navamsha of a water-sign, or if Saturn in a cardine is in its own navamsha, and if it is not aspected by the Sun, (the native) is born in darkness.
15. If the benefit planets are strong, (the natives) listen to the sacred tradition (sruti), rejoice in good conduct, and are grateful; devoted to serving gods and Brahmanas and to righteousness (dharma), they wear pure garlands and garments and precious ornaments, and they are brilliant.
16. If the malefic planets have positional strength, (the natives) are rogues and ingrates; treacherous, cruel, greedy, and ugly, they steal others’ goods; they hate good men (sadhu), and are struck by anger and ignorance.
17. If the lords of the ascendant and of the sign in which the Moon is are in their own navamsas, in their own exaltations, in their own houses, in the ascendent, in their own mulatrikonas, in upacaya signs, or in cardines, they cause the births of superior men.
18. If the lord of the ascendant is strong, it causes the birth of men having health, fame, and property; if the lord of the birth (is strong, it produces) men possessing great wealth and enjoyment, and having extensive fame and excellence.
In the Yavanajataka: the rules relating to birth.
