Transits or Gochara

BY BV RAMAN

Innumerable methods of interpreting results of transits or Gochara have been enumerated in classical astrological texts. It is not my intention either to decry or glorify them. In a subject like astrology, the dependability of methods must rest upon the accuracy of results obtained. Delineation of results by considering the move­ments of planets from Jahma Rasi or the radical Moon has invariably been a rule rather than an exception with the rank and file of astrologers in India. The factor of latta or the dominant nature of the directional influences is hardly considered. It is not for me to comment on the reliability or otherwise of such methods of transit interpretations.

By transit is meant the passage or movement of planets. They take varying periods for moving from one sign to the other. Such movements may give rise to certain changes in the generation and distribution of forces which in their turn are bound to produce their own effects on mankind in general and individuals in particular. It must be noted that.Gochara or transit results, however, powerful, are always subordinate to the radical or birth influences." Some astrological texts claim that irrespective of directional influen­ces, planets while in transit can produce results, good, bad or indifferent, according to ther parti­cular places transited, by them, both with refe­rence to the Moon and with reference to the situa­tion of the different planets at the time of birth. Such a view cannot be tenable in the light of facts and experience. I think, the approach of Prasna Marga to the subject of Gochara jn the light of Ashtakavarga is fairly systematic and scientific.

There are two factors to be considered in interpreting Gochara effects,v/z., (a)the Ashtaka­varga of the planet concerned and (b) the malefic or benefic nature of the place transited.

The following are the results likely to be produced by the Sun and other planets when they transit different signs from the sign occupied by the Moon at the time of birth.

The Sun.—(1) Financial loss, discomfort, chest pain and aimless journey; (2) increase of expenditure, eye trouble,deceit and unhappiness; (3) increase of emoluments, freedom from sick­ness and destruction of enemies; (4) quarrels with wife, unhappiness in conjugal life and the general ailments ; (5) increase of enemies and physical indisposition ; (6) success over enemies, joy and good health ; (7) wearisome travelling, chest pain and stomach troubles; (8) misunder­standings with or separation from wife; (9) acci­dents,  stomach   trouble,    menial   worry   and opposition ; (10) success in endeavours,  honour and realisationof ambition ; (11) great success, respect, freedom from disease and prosperity; and  (12) success by right means, have means of character.

The Moon.—(1) Good  food, comforts and clothes ; (2) loss of respect, money and increase of obstacles ; (3) domestic happiness and access to money; (4) loss of trust in others and lack of peace of mind ; (5) indisposition, grief and  dis­appointment; (6) happiness, success over enemies and good health; (7) respectfrom others and sudden   ihflux    of  unexpected   resoures;    (8) apprehension, uneasiness and worry ; (9) mental pain, stomach trouble and incarceration (if there is an indication in the horoscope); (10) success, authority and position, realisation of ambition ; (11) prosperity, new friends and good income ; and (12) injuries due to fall from vehicles and increased expenditure.

Mars. — (1) Troubles from various sources and bodily affliction; (2) trouble from the Government, frequent quarrels with enemies, disease, accidents, bilious and windy complaints and loss by theft; (3) benefits through auspicious characters,financial improvement and acquisition of woollen articles and also authority ; (4) fpver, stomachache, piles and blood discharges and frequent trouble from ailments; (5) trouble from enemies, illness, misunderstandings with children and loss of physical energy ; (6) success over enemies, termination of strife in the family, and acquisition of self-confidence; (7) frequent quarrels with wife, eye trouble and stomachache; (8) loss of blood from piles and anaemia and loss of wealth and name ; (9) suffering from insults, heavy expenditure and weakness due to ill-health; (10) acquisition of money from unexpected source ; (11) fame, reputation and authority; and (12) unforeseen expenses, quarrels with wife, eye disease and bilious affections.

Mercury.—(1) Loss of money due to advice by wicked men, worry due to association with tale-bearers, quarrels, imprisonment and dis-agrecble news whiletravelling; (2) disgrace, ill-treatment from relatives but acquisition of success and wealth ; (3) new friends, but antici­pation of trouble from government and enemies, aimless roaming about due to misdeeds; (4) prosperity for relatives and family members, addition to family and gain of money; (5) quarrels with wife and children; (6) gain of renown,success and popularity;(7)bloodlessness, quarrels and mental uneasiness : (8) birth of an issue, success, happiness and acquisition of new articles ; (9) obstacles and mental worry ; (10) defeat of enemies, acquisition of money, happi­ness with wife and agreeable company; (11) acquisition of wealth; birth of a son and happi­ness ; and (12) disgrace from enemies, disease and domestte disharmony.

Jupiter. — (1)Loss of money and intelligence; aimless roaming about and frequent quarrels ; (2) happiness, domestic harmony and success over enemies ; (3) moving about from place to place, obstacles to own work and loss of posi­tion ; (4) troubles from relatives, development of a sense of resignation to the inevitable; (5) acquisition of servants, birth of a son, general prosperity, addition of property and development of good qualities ; (6) affliction of mind, friends turning enemies and indifferent to good things ; (7) happiness, erotic   pleasure,   good   income, purchase of a conveyance and graceful  speech; (8)  imprisonment,   disease,   heavy   grief  and serious illness; (9) influential, birth of an issue, success in work and acquisition of wealth from an unexpected source ; (10) destruction of posi­tion, loss of money and health and aimless roaming about;   (11) reinstatement in former position, and recovery of health; and (12) fall from ideals and right conduct and increase of grief.

Venus. —(1) Acquisition of comforts for pleasure, and a happy life ; (2) acquisition of money and gifts, birth of an issue, and erotic pleasure; (3) influence, wealth and respect; (4) disgrace to enemies and general prosperity ; (5) renewal of contact with friends, increase of reputation, influence and power ; (6) general happiness, extension of business, birth of an issue and good income ; (7) humiliation, disease and danger; (8) injuries and trouble from women and mental worry ; (9) acquisition of a new house, articles of luxury and wife if not married ; (10) increase of virtue, happiness, wealth and performance of religious acts ; (11) quarrels and disgrace; (12) acquisition of new friends, money, perfumes and clothes.

Saturn.— (1) Fear from poison or fire, of friends and family members, fear of incarcera­tion, travel to foreign lands, loss of money and near relatives; separation from kith and kin and suffering from insults; (2) emaciated physical appearance, loss of comfort, acquisition but not enjoyment of wealth; (3) increase of wealth and other comforts, good health, general happiness and disappearance of enemies; (4) separation from friends and family members, suspicious nature, crookedbehaviour and wicked acts ; (5) separation from sons, loss of money and frequent quarrels; (6) freedom from enemies and diseases, association with fair sex; (7) separation from wife and children and aimless roaming about; (8) indulgence in mean activities and bereft of happiness; (9) same results as in (8), suffers from hatred, heart trouble and even imprisonment; (10) gets new avocation, but loses money and fame ; (11) frequent loss of temper_but acquisi­tion of wealth through wrong means ; and (12) grief, series of miseries, ill-health and general affliction.

The above results are general and they should be carefully applied to individual horoscopes in the light of directional influences and Ashtaka-varga dispositions. When there are no combina­tions for incarceration in the birth of horoscope, imprisonment indicated by a transit should not be predicted. Similarly when there are no powerful yogas in the radical chart, reputation, fame, etc., denoted by a transit will have a very limited scope for expression.

When a planet transits a Rasi, declared favourable and has less than 4 bindus in his own Ashtakavarga, the favourable results will be minimum. If the number \*4, they will be optimum and if more than 4 the maximum. Similarly if a planet transits an unfavourable place, but has bindus in it, the malefic effects are proportionately reduced, depending upon the number of bindus in it. Conversely, a favourable transit in a Rasi devoid of bindus reduces the benefic effects while an unfavourable transit in such a Rasi will further increase the malefic effects.

For example, in the Standard Horoscope, the Sun's transit of Aries (3rd from Moon) should prove favourable. In the Sun's own Ashtaka-varga, there are 5 bindus in Aries. Therefore the good effects produced should be to the extent of 62%. The Sun's transit of Capricorn (12th from the Moon) should prove adverse. Capri­corn has no bindus. Therefore the evil results to be produced by this transit are to the brim.

This is only a general method of gauging the extent of benefic or malefic results a transit­ing planet is capable of.

According to classical texts, the following results are supposed to be produced when planets transit Rasis with different bindus.

In Sun's Ashtakavarga, when the Sun tran­sits a Rasi having 8 bindus, the effects will be wealth and prosperity and royal favour ; 7— welfare, happiness and pomp ; 6—rising power; 5—wealth; 4—both good and bad will be equal; 3—fatigue through journey ; 2—sinful actions ; 1—severe sickness, and no bindu—death.

Similarly in Moon's Ashtakavarga when Moon transits a Rasi with 8 bindus—happiness, prosperity and help from relatives ; 7—gain of clothes, agreeable food and gain of perfumes ; 6—study of Mantras and association with reli­gious beads; 5—courage and mental satisfaction; 4—misery and ill-health ; 3—quarrels with rela­tions ; 2—quarrels brought about by one's wife and one's wealth; 1—irreparable losses; and no bindu—sorrow and extreme panic.

When Mars transits a Rasi with 8 bindus— gain of landed property and moneys, acquisition of a house and victory ; 7—prosperity through brothers ; 6—favourthrough kings ; 5—pleasing experiences ; 4—good and bad in equal propor­tion ; 3—separation from brothers and women ; 2—quarrels due to wife and wealth ; 1—disease ; as smallpox, etc.; and no bindu—disease in the stomach, fits and exhaustion.

When Mercury transits a Rasi with 8 bindus —respect from rulers; 7—increase of wealth and learning ; 6—success attending all efforts ,' 5— reconciliation with relations ; 4—want of spirit in everything ; 3—anxiety through disturbed thoughts ; 2—diseases caused by mental worry ; 1—imprisonment by force and unexpected cala­mities ; and no bindu—unexpected loss of every­thing and consequent mental worries.

When Jupiter transits a Rasi with 8 bindus— sovereignty, ownership and kingly prosperity; 7—gain of wealth and happiness; 6—gain of 130

Asbtakavarga

clothes, vehicles and gold ; 5—ruin to enemies, accomplishment of desired objects ; 4—gain and loss in equal measure ; 3—nervous debility and ear diseases; 2—royal frowns; 1—loss of wealth and relations ; and no bindu—derangement of the mind, loss of wealth and children.

When Venus transits a Rasi with 8 bindus— comfort from good clothes, women, flowers and wholesome food; 7—gain of ornaments and pearls ; 6—happiness from agreeable wife ; 5-meeting with friends ; 4—equal dose of good and .bad ; 3—quarrel with the people of the locality and relatives; 2—diseases and dismissal from service ; 1—fear from water and poison ; and no bindu—all sorts of calamities.

When Saturn transits a Rasi with 8 bindus— acquisition of administrative control over a village or town ; 7—acquisition of servants and domestic animals ; 6—popularity with thieves, hill tribes and armychief; 5—gain of gYain ; 4—good and bad equal; 3—loss of wealth, servants, women and happiness; 2—imprison­ment, fear and disease ; 1—dirty fallen life ; and with no bindu—ill-luck in everything.