JUDGING TRANSITS IN VEDIC ASTROLOGY

Transits – Natal References and Bhrigu Transits

Introduction
By transits or gochaara, we mean the motion of planets in the skies. By the transit or chaara or gochaara position of a planet, we mean the position occupied by a planet at a given time. By the natal or radical or birth or janma position of a planet, we mean the position occupied by a planet at the time of one’s birth.
By correlating the transit positions on a given day with the natal positions of several reference points, we can draw some conclusions about the nature of results experienced by the native then. Some methods normally employed in such correlation will be studied in this chapter.

Transits from Moon
The most popular natal reference in transit analysis is Moon. Moon is the significator of mind and analysis of planetary positions with respect to Moon shows the mental state. Depending on the houses occupied by transit planets with respect to natal Moon, they exert different influences on one’s mental state. The transit of Vimsottari dasa lord is particularly important, because he is the one who has the greatest influence on one’s mental state during a period.

Other Natal References
We can analyze transits with respect to lagna and paaka lagna. Lagna is the hub of vitality and one’s personality in a chart. Using the ashtakavarga tables, we can decipher whether the transit of a planet in a house from lagna is favorable or not. We can see which house a planet is transiting in, with respect to natal lagna, and expect the planet to influence the matters of that house. The influence exerted by a transit planet on the house occupied by it depends on its inherent nature and its significations in the natal chart. For example, Jupiter transiting in the Ta may give marriage to someone born in Sc lagna, because Ta is the 7th house from Sc. Saturn transiting in Ar may give relationship problems or marital problems for someone born in Li lagna, because Ar is the 7th house from Li.

We can also look at the aspects cast by transiting planets. Suppose Jupiter is transiting in Vi and someone has lagna in Sc. Jupiter aspects Ta, the 7th house from Sc, when he is in Vi. So Jupiter can give marriage during his Vi transit also. We can look at the aspects cast by transiting planets on the rasis containing the natal houses and the natal planets. Suppose someone has lagna in Sc and Venus in Pi in natal chart. Then the 7th house is in Ta and Venus, the significator of marriage, is in Pi. Jupiter transiting in Vi aspects both Ta and Pi and hence he may give marriage.

Thus we should look at the rasis occupied and aspected by planets in their transit and find out which houses and planets occupy those rasis in the natal chart. Based on that, we should guess the results given by the planets. A planet occupying or aspecting a rasi in transit influences the matters signified by the houses and planets stationed in that rasi in the natal chart. The exact nature of the influence exerted by a planet depends on its inherent nature and the matters it stands for in the natal chart. For example, if the 5th lord in the natal chart is occupying the 8th house from natal lagna in transit, some troubles related to children may be expected. If Mars is the 8th lord in the natal chart and aspects, in transit, the rasis occupied by Venus and 7th lord in the natal chart, then some disturbances in marital life may be expected.

Sahams are useful in transit analysis. Sahams are the significant points in the zodiac. For example, when the 7th lord or Venus transits close to vivaha saham, one may get married. When the 6th lord or 8th lord or Mars or Rahu transits close to kali saham, one may have an accident.

A malefic planet transiting in janma rasi may give mental worries and a malefic planet transiting in natal lagna may affect the vitality of the native and create obstacles in his efforts. On the other hand, paaka lagna explicitly stands for the physical self and a malefic planet transiting in paaka lagna may give bodily complaints. Similarly planets occupying or aspecting arudha padas in transit may give relevant results. For example, Saturn’s transit in A10 can be bad for career, Jupiter’s transit in A9 is good for fortune and so on.

Transits and Divisional Charts

Though the motivation for the approach described here comes from some principles described in classics, the actual approach is essentially based on this author’s own researches. This author heard about “Bhrigu transits”, which correlate the transit positions in navamsa chart with the natal positions in rasi chart. However, he does not know much about the tradition of Bhrigu transits to conclude whether or not his findings are loosely related to that tradition.

Though this author prefers to teach only those approaches that have the sanction of maharshis, he finds this particular approach superior to most other techniques of transit analysis. Moreover, this approach does not violate any teachings of maharshis. This is also a fertile area for research and deserves our attention. Hence it will be covered here. However, readers are advised to keep in mind that what follows is a product of the very limited intelligence of this author and hence prone to errors. Readers are encouraged to question and to conduct further researches in this area.

We said that a planet occupying or aspecting a rasi in transit influences the matters signified by the houses and planets stationed in that rasi in the natal chart. For example, we said that Jupiter transiting over Venus may give marriage. However, we know that navamsa is the chart that shows marriage. So, is there any significance for Jupiter’s rasi chart transit over the navamsa of Venus? In other words, if Venus is in Cancer in navamsa, can Jupiter transiting in Cancer in rasi chart bring marriage?

We do not have different zodiacs for different divisional charts. All the divisional charts use the same zodiac. So Cancer in natal navamsa chart and Cancer in transit rasi chart are not different. They are one and the same. If Jupiter transiting in Cancer can influence the house and planets stationed in Cancer in rasi chart, he should be able to influence the house and planets stationed in Cancer in navamsa chart too! We can extend this logic to all the divisional charts.

Rasi chart shows everything that exists at the physical level. Divisional charts show various areas of life. The interaction between the two decides how events in various areas of life materialize at the physical level. Natal chart shows the innate potential. Transit chart shows the temporary influences. The interaction between the two decides how temporary influences convert innate potential into actions and life events.

So the most important interactions are those between

(1) a natal divisional chart and the transit rasi chart, and,
(2) the natal rasi chart and a transit divisional chart.

Here (1) shows how innate potential in a particular area of life is influenced at a given time to result in action at the physical level. This helps us in coarse timing of events. We can fine-tune the timing of events with (2), which shows how the potential at the physical level is transformed into an event in a particular area of life.