This Chapter deals with as to how to assess the strength of the planets and houses (bhavas). In this connection before mentioning the view of Shri Mantreswara, it will be useful to know the views of other ancients.
Six kinds of strength of planets is an important and very instructive contribution of Hindu Astrology. According to our sapient learneds the six kinds of strengths are (1) Sthan Bala, (2) Drik Bala, (3) Kala Bala, (4) Chesta Bala, (5) Naisargik Bala, and (6) Ayana Bala.
Sthan Bala — This is of the following twelve kinds:—
(1) Uchcha Bala —A planet at his deep exaltation point, is allotted 1 Rupa (60 Shastayamsa). If he is at his deep debilitation point, his strength is nil. At the intervening positions the strength has to be worked out by the rule of three. This is known as Uchcha Bala.
(2) If a planet is in his Moolatrikona Rasi he gets 36 Shastayamsa of strength. In the Rasi of Adhimitra he gets 22.5 Shastayamsa and 15 Shastayamsa if he is in the sign of a friend. He gets 7.5 Shastayamsa in a neutral Rasi, 3.75 in the Rasi of an enemy and 1.875 Shastayamsa in the Rasi of dhishatru.
(3) He gets 30 Shastayamsa in his own Hora, 22.5 Shastayamsa in the Hora of Adhimitra, 15 Shastayamsa in the Hora of a friend, 7.5 Shastayamsa in the Hora of a neutral, 3.75 Shastayamsa in the Hora of an enemy and 1.875 Shastayamsa only in the Hora of a Adhishatru.
(4) He gets 30 Shastayamsa strength in his own decanate, 22.5 Shastayamsa in the decanate of an Adhimitra, 15 Shastayamsa in the decanate of a friend, 7.5 Shastayamsa in the decanate of a neutral, 3.75 Shastayamsa in the decanate of an enemy and 1,875 Shastayamsa in the decanate of Adhishatru.
(5) He gets 30 Shastayamsa in his own Saptamsa, 22.5 in the Saptamsa of Adhimitra, 15 in the Saptamsa of a friend, 7.5 in the Saptamsa of a neutral, 3.75 in the Saptamsa of an enemy and 1.875 Shastayamsa in the Saptamsa of an Adhishatru.
(6) He gets 30 Shastayamsa of strength in his own Navamsa. 22.5 in the Navamsa of an Adhimitra, 15 in the Navamsa of a friend. 7.5 in the Navamsa of a neutral, 3.75 in the Navamsa of an enemy and only 1.875 in the Navamsa of an Adhishatru.
(7) A planet gets 30 Shastayamsa of strength if he is in own Dwadasamsa, 22.5 in the Dwadasamsa of his Adhimitra, 15 in the Dwadasamsa of a friend, 7.5 in the Dwadasamsa of his neutral, 3.75 in the Dwadasamsa of his enemy and 1.875 in the Dwadasamsa of his Adhishatru.
(8) A planet gets 30 Shastayamsa in his own Trimsamsa, 22.5 in the Trimsamsa of his Adhimitra, 15 in the Trimsamsa of his friend, 7.5 in the Trimsamsa of his neutral, 3.75 in the Trimsamsa of his enemy and 1.875 in the Trimsamsa of his Adhishatru.
(9) (a) The Sun, Mars, Mercury and Saturn amongst those five whoever is in an Oja Rasi (viz. Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius) gets 15 Shastayamsa.
(b) Amongst the Moon and Venus, whoever is in Yugma (Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn or Pisces) Navamsa, gets 15 Shastayamsas.
(11) A planet in Kendra Rasi gets 1 Rupa (60 Shastayamsa). That in a Panaphara Rasi gets 30 Shastayamsa and on an Apoklima Rasi gets 15 Shastayamsa.
(12) (a) Amongst the Sun, Mars and Jupiter whoever is in the first Drekkana gets 15 Shastayamsa of strength. In other Drekkanas they get no strength at all.
(b) Amongst Saturn and Mercury, whoever is in the 2nd Drekkana, gets 15 Shastayamsa of strength.
(c) Amongst the Moon and Venus, whoever is in the last Drekkana. gets 15 Shastayamsa of strength.
These 12 combinations are known as Sthan Bala. In Sanskrit they are called,
(1) Uchcha Bala, (2) — (8) Saptavarga Bala, (9) Oja Yugma Rasi Bala. (10) Oja-Yugma navamsa Bala, (11) Kendradi Bala and (12) Dreshtakana Bala.
Drik bala (Directional strength)
(a) Amongst the Sun and Mars, whoever Is the 10th Bhava madhya (South) gets 1 Rupja strength. Their strength is nil if they are located in the 4th Bhava madhya. In the intervening locations, the strength has to be calculated proportionately.
(b) Amongst the Moon and Venus, whoever is in 4th Bhava madhya (North) gets 1 Rupa of strength. Their strength is nil if they are located in the 10th Bhava madhya. In the intervening locations their strength has to be calculated proportionately.
(c) Amongst Mercury and Jupiter, whoever is in the Bhava madhya of the 1st Bhava (Lagna) (East) get 1 Rupa of strength. Their strength is nil if located in 7th Bhava madhya (West).
(d) If Saturn is in the 7th Bhava madhya, he gets 1 Rupa of strength. In the 1st Bhava madhya his strength is nil. In the intervening locations the strength has to be calculated proportionately.
Kala Bala
This is admixture of the kinds of strength as described below: —
(1) (a) The Sun, Jupiter and Venus get 1 Rupa of strength exactly at midnoon. Exactly at mid-night they are devoid of any strength. For the intervening periods the strength has to be calculated proportionately.
(b) The Moon, Mars and Saturn get one Rupa of strength if the birth is exactly at mid-night. Exactly at mid-noon, their strength is nil. For the intervening periods, the strength has to be calculated proportionately.
(c) Mercury gets one Rupa of strength if the birth be at any time during the day time.
(2) (a) When the Sun and the Moon are at a distance of 180° from each other, the benefics get one Rupa of strength. When they are together the benefics get no strength at all. For the intervening distances, the strength has to be calculated proportionately.
The Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus are benefics. Keshavi Jatak is of the view that Mercury if associated with a malefic becomes a malefic. But some
Acharyas are of the view that for determining kala Bala Mercury should be treated as a benefic. We support this view.
(b) When the Sun and the Moon are In the same sign and the same degree, the malefics get 60 Shastayamsa (one Rupa of Kala Bala). If they are (the Sun and the Moon) 180° away from each other, the Kala bala of the malefics will be nil In the intervening distances, the strength is to be worked out proportionately.
The Sun, Mars and Saturn are malefics.
This strength is known as Paksha Bala which comes under the purview of Kala Bala.
(c) The Paksha Bala of the Moon should be doubled (the Moon is never retrograde. Therefore it never gets Chesta Bala. Therefore, Paksha Bala of the Moon is doubled).
(3) (a) Divide the Dinamana (the time between Sunrise and Sunset) into three parts, if the birth is during the day. If the birth be in the first part Mercury will get one Rupa of Paksha Bala. If the birth be in the second part of Dinamana, the Sun will get one Rupa of Paksha Bala. If the birth be in the 3rd part, Saturn will get one Rupa of this strength.
(b) Divide the Ratrimana (the time between Sunset and Sunrise) into three parts, if the birth be during the night. If the birth be in the first part, the Moon will get one Rupa of strength. If the birth be in the second part, Venus will get one Rupa of this strength, and if the birth be in the third part Mars will get similar quantum of strength.
(c) Jupiter will get one Rupa of this strength if the birth be at any time during the 24 hours.
(4) One year is of 360 days and one month is of 30 days Find out the day of the week from which the year commences, the lord of that day becomes the lord of the year. The lord of the year gets 15 Shastayamsa of strength.
(5) Similarly find out the day of the week from which the month commences, the lord of that day gets 30 Shastayamsa of strength.
(6) The lord of the day in which birth takes place, gets 45 Shastayamsa of strength.
(7) The planet in whose hora the birth takes place gets one Rupa of strength.
