Judging Mental Factors In A Horoscopic Nativity

JUDGING MENTAL FACTORS IN A HOROSCOPIC NATIVITY

The concept of the Kalpurusha or the Cosmic Man is a fundamental centrality in J
yotish. The various Rashis (signs) are said to govern several physiological, psy
chological, spiritual and religious features of the Cosmic Man who is an astrolo
gical summation of created existence. It is in this basic sense that the twelve
Rashis, the nine Grahas or planets (as used in Jyotish!) and the twenty-seven Na
kshatras or the Lunar Mansions derive their essential validity, meaning and sign
ifications.
Though psychiatry has gained far greater acceptability in relatively recent time
s than it used to, there is some inherent dissatisfaction with the purely psychi
atric process. Fun is poked at the practitioner for being nothing more than an a
bsent-minded listener. If poking fun at something was a drawback for the concern
ed discipline, Jyotish would have curled up and died a long time ago. The longev
ity of the astrological sciences and/or arts, as one may choose to view them, co
uld have drawn only from one thing: their eternal truth!
Psychological makeup of an individual is a complex thing and it partakes of many
factors. The approach of Hindu astrology to judging the mental health, aptitude
s and inclinations, capacity to withstand setbacks and stress, nature of emotion
al disposition, social and criminal attributes and any number of factors related
to the mind, is very sophisticated. One who is new to Jyotish or has not come a
cross a well-educated practitioner of this incredible mystic art is liable to be
bewildered and startled at the clear-cut mental picture that may emerge from a
Kundli belonging to a Jatak or a consulter.
It will be appreciated that the term mental factors is vast and includes tendenc
ies and attributes stretching over a natives psychology, rationality, intellect,
cognitive and emotive intelligence, maturity and wisdom potential, capability to
not only handle but assimilate stress in order to reproduce a fully participato
ry matrix of actions that may be contributory at any level, be it individual, fa
milial, societal, national, international, universal and so on and so forth. The
list pertaining to this area could be endless and unwieldy. It is not intended h
ere to enter into a philosophical debate on what the mind could mean; rather, it
is our endeavour to lay bare those specific factors in a chart that can provide
this sort of complex and highly useful information with hardly any interactionprerequisite with the consulter. The only thing that Jyotish requires is the ref
erence frame of the Desh-Kal-Patra. There are, after all, only twelve Bhavas (ho
uses) and nine Rashis in the horoscopic chart and very basic information, about
the country (Desh), prevailing socio-economic-political environment (Kal) and so
me specific details about the consulter (Patra), is needed to base the chart ana
lysis on. This is a sort of substratum, upon which foundation, the mystic truism
s relating to various aspects of the chart shall be expounded.
The Lagna is always the most important factor in horoscopic delineation. It is t
he sign rising on the eastern horizon as seen from any given point on the surfac
e of the earth. A sign may be said to have rising duration of approximately two
hours. After that the next sign in the zodiacal sequence shall rise for broadly
the same duration. The Lagna or Ascendant governs the area from the back of the
head to the beginning of the forehead. Quite obviously, since the human brain is
located in this area, The Lagna is of massive importance in judging factors rel
ating to mental features of the native whichever sub-area they may specifically
be grouped under. The Lagna is the focal point that decided the functional malef
ic or benefic status on the natural malefic and benefics, thus imparting to the
Grahas a complex interweaving of teleological tendencies, even without consideri
ng the advanced interplays of their location is signs and houses and with each o
ther, the latter forming scores, of the celebrated phenomenon, of Yogas (planeta
ry combinations). The Lagna is indicative of the overall personality and life-st

ructure of the native. Its importance cannot be overemphasized. Afflictions to t

he Lagna by location or aspect of malefics (whether natural or functional) can l
ead to warped thinking, weakness and frailty in, inter alia, mental areas, lack
of talent, application to understanding and so forth. Similarly, benefic (whethe
r natural or functional) influences to the Lagna, can lead to situations where p
ositive outcomes and events imbibing strength manifest fully. A strong Lagna can
countermand many adverse and afflicting tendencies in the rest of the horoscope
. Conversely, its weakness will not allow beneficial Yogas like Rajayogas, Dhana
yogas and a massive number of fortunate combinations seen by the seers in their
supreme meditative trances, to come to proper fruition. In this regard, the lord
of the Lagna cannot be overlooked. What applies to, and is seen from the Lagna,
is equally derived from the Lagnesh. The position, conjunction and aspects (PAC
) accruing to the Lagnesh are very important in judging the psycho-rational-spir
itual worth of the native.
The Navamsha or the Ninth Division of the Lagna is called the Navamsha Lagna and
is considered at least equally, if not more, important as the natal Lagna. The
Navamsha Lagna has a great bearing on the thinking, appearance, ability and over
all personality of the native. The signs tenanting the natal and Navamsha Lagna
will provide valuable interpretative data about the various facets of the natives
mental personality. The placement of the natal Lagnesh in the Navamsha Varga ch
art, by consideration of house and sign, as too by conjunctions and aspects, wil
l lead to many conclusions about the natives predispositions and predilections. E
qually, then, the placement of the Navamsha Lagnesh in Navamsha and Lagna charts
with due consideration on the benefic and/ or malefic influences on the Navamsh
a Lagna and Lagnesh will have a visible and quite clear bearing on the various i
nterlocking features of the natives incarnate being. Another feature that is rele
vant is the Nakshatra rising in the Lagna. This has a subtle effect based on the
symbolism, ruling deity and mythological realities associated with the Nakshatr
a. Each Nakshatra has a lord, just like each sign does, and the placement of suc
h a lord in any of the houses and signs of the Janma Kundli (natal horoscope) sh
all have weighty bearing, albeit at a subtle level, on the natives person.
It stands to mystic reason that the Cosmic Lagna Rashi, Mesha or Aries, forming
the head of the Kalpurusha is an important key to unraveling things related to a
ll particular heads, so to speak, on planet Earth. All heads, irrespective of na
tionality, race, colour, caste and so on, are controlled and formed by the unive
rsal archetypal head-quality loaded in Mesha. Irrespective of where Mesha happen
s to fall in any given horoscope, its affliction and/or strength have to be judg
ed if overall mental status is being evaluated. As a logical corollary, Mangal (
Mars), the lord of Mesha is to be seen as well. It is no surprise that in head i
njuries and matters pertaining to human heads. Mesha and Mangal, more often than
not, have a conspicuous role to play.
In many ways, Chandra, or the natal Moon, is the primary significator of emotion
al and psychological well-being. The Chandra Graha is a natural benefic if it is
bright and waxing and unafflicted by malefics (primarily natural malefics), wel
l placed and suitably aspected. Since it rules some vulnerable and delicate area
s in life, it is a delicate and vulnerable planet, easily afflicted. A waning an
d afflicted Moon is a malefic. It is a very important Graha synonymous at times
with the created world or the manifestation. It is linked to Goddess Durga, the
deity whose specific power Maya is responsible for the veil of illusion that cau
ses the soul-body (and others!) dichotomy. The house where Chandra is placed is
treated as an alternate Lagna, especially in North India, where this writer live
s. Chandra is not directly linked to intellectual dimensions of the human mind.
It is the prime karaka of emotional and psychological mapping and mother. Astrol
ogically it is no surprise that our relationships with our mothers make up such
a huge component of our psychological well-being. They have an identical mystic
core! Chandra governs our ability to connect with people, our societal impulses,
our relationships, attitudes towards people at large, joie-de-vivre, being emot

ionally fulfilled and unselfish enough to be able to care for other people, happ
iness, laughter, sensitivity and allied areas. An afflicted Moon is an otherwise
healthy chart can drive the Jatak to help other people to alleviate anxiety, fe
ars and self-centric fears. In this sense it can also be considered an Upaya or
remedial measure for an oppressed Chandra. The location of the Chandra Lagna in
a given house as reckoned from the natal lagna allies the psychological focus an
d desires of the natives mind with the significations associated with that house.
It is exalted in Vrishabh (Taurus) Rashi. Variation of degree makes this the Mo
oltrikona sign as well. Vrishchik (Scorpio) Rashi is its sign of debility. Chand
ra is bereft of its positive qualities in fall save for allied positive factors
that may alleviate the misery, or, indeed, a Neechabhanga Yoga may annul the deb
ility. Even in such a situation, the debility effects of Chandra are seen to man
ifest. Chandra lords over Karka Rashi and this Rashi is the storehouse of the Co
smic Emotive Content. It also holds the seeds of all future manifestation. Karka
forms the apex of the Moksha Trikona, the initiation of the Triangle of Liberat
ion. It is no surprise that enlightenment is associated with a mastery over the
mind and its attendant emotions!
For this reason the Fourth House of any chart partakes of the qualities of Karka
(Cancer), the Fourth House of the Kalpurusha, no matter what sign may fall ther
e. The Fourth House is the Cosmic Womb or Hiranyagarbha and a prime storehouse f
or the psyche, emotions and personal character of an individual. The Rashi actua
lly falling in the Fourth House will indicate the innate psychological nature in
herited at birth. The aspects and location of planets in this house will be dire
ctly responsible in making up a persons nature. Likewise, the Rashi falling in th
e Lagna and that of the house where Chandra is posited will colour the personali
ty. The Chandra Lagnesh (Lord of the Moon sign) will rule the natives mind accord
ing to its own nature, sex and attributes. Where nature of the mind is to be gle
aned from Rashis, their polarity, quality and element shall be instrumental in p
roviding crucial fields of information in this regard.
The location of Mesha and Karka Rashis in auspicious houses will augur well for
the mind of the Jatak (native/consulter) while the opposite situation will lead
to relatively poor results. The Lord of the Fourth House in a chart would need t
o be judged according to the PAC rule laid down above. Aspects and conjunctions
relating to the Chaturthesh will be dependent on Naisargik and Tatkalik Maitri (
natural and temporal friendship) with the associated Graha.
It ought to be mentioned here that though Chandra does not treat any Graha as it
s enemy, Budh (Mercury) the Graha ruling intellect, is inimical to it since he r
esents the fact of being the bastard son, resulting from the illegitimate union
of Tara, the wife of the preceptor of the Gods: Brihaspati (Jupiter), and Chandr
a. There is an unspoken tension between intellect and academic excellence (Budh)
, emotions (Chandra) and Sanatan (eternal) philosophical wisdom (Guru). The bast
ardization of Budhs mythic entity hints at the fickle and neutral (Budh is a eunu
ch!) nature of the intellect. Reasoning can cut any which way. The human intelle
ctual acumen lends itself to any activity without qualms. Over-intellectualizati
on or lack of intellectual discernment has a special linkage with emotive percep
tion. If emotions and intellect are harmonized we have a balanced and beautiful
human being. If they are out of sync we know the lamentable effects that can res
ult. Guru (Jupiter), whose sage advice embodies the eternal, unchanging truth do
es not quite fancy the neuter, fickle and nervous endeavours of Budh, the messen
ger of the Gods, running about gathering information, giving primacy to human, M
ayik intellect, non-aligned, easily misguided (afflicted!) and unreliable. In th
is sense Guru is the enemy of Budh, inimical only in a sense of conservative dis
approval, keeping Gurus ultra-benefic nature in mind. It will be appreciated that
true, everlasting knowledge of Godness, God, Godhead, divinity, the spirit or b
y whatever name we choose to address it, once attained steadies the mind, calms
it and helps it transcend itself. This is precisely how a powerful Guru can tran
sform some of the more surface characteristics of Chandra. If the reader wishes

to delve into it, a reading of the causes behind the waxing and waning of Chandr
a, responsible for mood changes, cycles including menstrual cycles and all sorts
of rapid day to day changes, in mythic form, will lead to Rohini Nakshatra, in
which sensual domain, the human mind (Chandra) feels the best. The course of Cha
ndra will also display the linkage between mood swings and the female menstrual
cycle, including symptomatic conditions like PMS.
Some crucial factors relating to the human mind such as individual likes and dis
likes are linked with the fondness of Chandra for his favourite bride Rohini. Th
is is the world of the intoxicated, sated mind, connecting lavish and vigorous p
articipation in the sensual world, as a created expression of divine sentiment.
Lord Shri Krishna chose to be born under this royal and auspicious Nakshatra. Th
e less favoured places that Chandra is compelled to transit by dictates of Dharm
a or Cosmic Law hold the occult keys to our changing foci of mental choices, eve
n from day to day, or every other day.
Gurus expansive, forgiving and magnanimous nature explains the natural friendship
between him and Chandra. The association or aspect of Guru on Chandra is very a
uspicious and gives fortunate direction and steady wisdom to the mind. The conju
nction or location in mutual Kendras leads to the highly praised Gajkesari Yoga.
The affliction of the factors discussed till this point by natural malefics such
as Rahu (North Node), Ketu (South Node), Shani (Saturn), Mangal (Mars) and Sury
a (Sun) inevitably colour the mental faculties both according to their permanent
attributes and significations as too by lordship of houses and association with
other planetary energies. The detailed effects of such associations and afflict
ions are the subject matter of full-fledged books. Rahus conjunction or aspect to
Chandra can give Shani like effects in accord with the dictum Shanivad Rahu (Ra
hu acts like Saturn). Rahu can lead to illusions, phobias, drug abuse, neurosis,
psychosis, distorted fancies, schizophrenia, compulsive lying, general substanc
e abuse, addictions, pathological manipulative tendencies, fear, specific fear o
f a calamity happening, dread and countless other like afflictions. Rahu also fu
els creative writing and media related work. It governs foreigners and foreign t
hings. It can spur the creative impulse by turning its illusion into a craft. Ou
ght it surprise us that so many writers of fiction are prone to mental disorders
, perpetually fighting some guilt, viewing there are as a lie at a deep and inti
mate level and this turmoil can even drive them to contemplate suicide.
Or indeed as to why a highly charged Budh carries with it nervous torment! Why d
o so many clowns and comedians have such disastrous mental states as private hum
an beings? The roots of this entire thing lie in Jyotish. The Graha that owns th
e ability to laugh and to make others laugh, communication skills, intellect, hu
mour, wit, sarcasm, repartee is the same who lords over the nervous system. If t
he fiery logician Mangal is providing Budh a cutting edge in intellect, will thi
s sword hesitate to cut both ways, other factors supporting this? These are cosm
ic truths that lie concealed in the horoscope, only desirous of a blessed eye to
come and unravel them.
Ketu if manifesting its negative energies as a headless, lusty demon can give a
bloodthirsty mentality, much like an evil Mangal, according to the dictum Kujvad
Ketu (Ketu acts like Mars). Mars and Ketu hold swords in their hands and are re
sponsible for violent, impulsive and trigger-happy mentalities. Having said all
this, the attention of the reader is necessarily drawn to the fact that none of
this can be applied directly to the chart. A host of factors need to be addresse
d by the Jyotishi (astrologer) before any conclusion can be drawn about them. An
astrological prognosis is a complex thing. The naturally malefic tendencies of
Mangal, Shani, Rahu, Ketu and Surya can not only turn functionally benefic but s
ome of these Grahas may become Yogakaraka (lording over both a trine and a quadr
ant simultaneously) and maximum benefic results can lead from their energies in
certain charts. Very many other factors like the strength of the Grahas in Varga

s, Shadbala (six-fold) strength and other like measures will modify the results.
Hence simplistic conclusions are forbidden.
The reader is advised to follow the myth of the beheading of Rahu to understand
the difficulties faced by human beings when the nodes of Chandra afflict the lum
inaries.
Having viewed some of the planetary reservoirs from which diverse, or seemingly
disparate, activities of the human realm emerge, we ought to only be expectant o
f the link that exists between asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis of the lungs and
other chest-related ailments on the one hand, and the sign Karka, the natal fou
rth house of a Kundli, Chandra and the fourth lord on the other. Chandra rules w
ater and the chest area of the Kalpurusha. Afflictions to various areas linked t
o Chandra, cosmic fourth house, natal fourth house and fourth lord lead to disor
ders of the chest. Asthmatics are frequently advised to drink a lot of water, bo
th the illness and the cure being Karakattwas (significations) of the same Graha
. It should also not surprise us to note that specific asthma or bronchitis atta
cks in people suffering from the disease hit at a time when the patient is overl
y anxious, worried or is experiencing panic. These latter emotional afflictions
almost always involve an afflicted Chandra.
Another factor linked with mental potentials and kinetics of the chart is the au
spicious Fifth House. The Cosmic Fifth House Simha (Leo) and its Lord the Pratya
ksha Dev (the manifest Lord), Surya are quite important. The Fifth House of the
natal chart and that of the Kalpurusha as too their lords deal with Purva Punya
(good deeds in past lives). This house deals more with intellect and intellect-o
riented thinking and output than emotive areas. Though the Fourth House has suff
icient latent intellect content for it to be the prime significator house of gra
duate education and overall educational qualifications, it is the Fifth House th
at deals with higher studies. It is natural for it to be linked with the higher
mind. It suggests intellectual, creative, spiritual and fictional output as well
. In addition to the mental it also shows the physical output, namely children.
A great many people prefer the higher procreation while to indulge in both is ha
rdly uncommon or taboo. The main thing here is that the mind is inextricably and
crucially linked to even the physical output, reflected in the fact of our grea
t mental attachment to our children. In this house the linkage is exercised to b
oth physical and ideational progeny. Yet another facet fundamentally rooted in t
hinking, feeling and generally the mental vortex is the fascination with the opp
osite sex. This house governs romance and love affairs but not necessarily marri
age which fact casts some subtle light on the real state of affairs in a marriag
e that has no connection with this house or its lord. Speculation, art, entertai
nment, authorship, knowledge of the Mantras (mystic Sanskrit formulae and chants
), Vedas (revealed truth of the Hindus), Vedanta (philosophical basis of the Ved
as, called Upanishads), spiritual truth, music, cinema are some of the many shad
es of the human mind that form a gorgeous fabric in this Bhava. Affliction to th
is area in any form will lead to suffering, be it through children, lack of inte
lligence or Viveka (discrimination), faulty thinking, over-intellectualization,
being spiritual to the detriment of material life, ruinous love affairs and the
like. This is one of the most auspicious Trikona Bhavas (trinal houses) and is i
ndicative of our entire Karmic balance we have as souls or Atmans. If the Ninth
House or Lord of Prarabdha (fate-quality of the present birth) is afflicted whil
e the Fifth House or Lord is strong or indeed the sign Simha is potent while Dha
nu (Sagittarius) is afflicted, it may show a difficult incarnation in this life
while overall good Karma in store, to come to the aid of the Jatak in future bir
ths. The learned reader should envisage the contrary situation by positing weakn
ess and strength in exchange in the factors mentioned. The simultaneous strength
of both with a supportive Ketu might mean final release or Moksha or emancipati
on.
The location of Chandra, Budh, Guru, Lagnesh, Chaturthesh (lord of the fourth ho

use), and Panchmesh (lord of the fifth house) in the Dusthanas (the evil houses)
: the Sixth, Eighth and Twelfth houses, or linked with their lords is liable to
predispose the nativity to mental difficulty in one way or the other. Once again
the strong language of the classics is not to be applied verbatim for that is a
sure shot recipe for predictive disaster. It will also be prudent to note that
Dusthanas can hold many fine things in their bosom but that this is always secon
dary to their basically evil nature. The location of Chandra in Dusthanas leads
to Balarishta (ill health in childhood) but in practice it will be found that th
is only predisposes the chart to ill health. The timing of specific mental or ph
ysical adversity will be contingent on Dasha (planetary periodicity) triggers as
is the rest of Jyotish analysis. The static promise of a chart is quite importa
nt, even fundamental, but Dashas can surprise us. A seemingly chronic underachie
ver may suddenly flower, his mind wide awake and blooming all of a sudden while
a performing, participating person may begin to wilt without any majorly apparen
t secular cause. So, almost everything will be surveyed with regard to operating
Dashas.
That most potent of all transit phenomenon, in relation to the mental health of
a person, the Sade-Sati of Shani Dev is not being discussed here in full detail
since, at the very least, it merits an independent paper. Let the author merely
hint at the awesome potential of the limiting principle of Lord Shani. The SadeSati has the potential to create extreme mental distress in most cases leading t
o a radical emotional and psychological reorientation by cramping the style of t
he native and suppressing what comes most naturally to him. This is one of the m
ost unambiguous and unyielding destruction-regeneration cycles of Nature. Certai
nly Dashas, Shanis lordships as reckoned from Lagna and Chandra Lagna, strengths
or afflictions of Shani and Chandra and the numerical measures of strengths of h
ouses natally and the contributory factors relating to each Graha qua a house in
the form of Sarvashtakvarga, Ashtakvarga and Bhinnashtakvarga are factors that
will temper the results.
The Sade-Sati is said to be on when the Gochar Shani transits the sign preceding
, containing and following the radical Chandra. Since Chandra lords over feeling
s, emotions and psychology, affliction by Shani, who embodies the misery of the
Kalpurusha, the elder of Yama- the God of Death, ruler of setbacks, obstacles, h
arsh discipline, obscurity, depression, pariah status, suffering, limitation, co
ntraction, failure, pain and many such lighthearted magnitudes, can lead to a de
ath and rebirth of the psychological entity. A therapeutic reading of the travai
ls of Raja Vikramaditya in his archetypal Sade-Sati, as recorded for the benefit
of blessed souls, in the Shani Mahatmya (The Greatness of Saturn) as in other m
ythic legends is highly recommended.
Most of the factors covered in this paper ought to be considered from the Chandr
a Lagna and Navamsha Lagna in addition to the natal Lagna, wherever applicable.
For those supplementing their astrological odyssey with Jaimini, this also holds
true for the Karakamsha Lagna. The Nakshatras of sensitive areas and Grahas, an
d their lords placement and associations are relevant.
It is not the authors delusion that all factors relating to mental features in a
nativity have been exhausted. Indeed, all the various Bhavas and Grahas can be s
aid to carry mental elements in some form or the other. This is a modest attempt
to touch upon some of the more prominent features that are defining parameters
in this sort of study. It is felt that a systematic analysis that begins with a
study of the features in this paper will help in unraveling some of the mental c
omplexities in a horoscope.
What does it say of the human mind when certain supposedly educated particular m
anifestations of it persistently give verdicts that Jyotish is invalid or when c
alls are made, for some obscure reason, to prove it is a science like the physic
al sciences. I would exclaim For Gods Sake if only the tedium of either proving or

disproving the existence of God were not such a philosophical conundrum!

ANURAG SHARMA.
DEHRADUN, INDIA.