Jyotish Digest

Featured Article
Shoola Dasa
by Dr Brendan Feeley bpfeeley@aol.com

The feature article posted from this issue is presented by Brendan Feeley. He practices Vedic astrology and Ayurveda in Washington, DC. He is a faculty member of Sri Jagannath Center and the American Council of Vedic Astrology. He can be reached at BPFeeley@aol.com.

Praise be to you, Mahadeva!
Praise be to you, supreme Lord!
Praise be to you, Shiva, auspicious God!
Praise be to you, embodiment of Brahman!

Praise be to Time, to Rudra, To the great devourer, to the trident-bearer! Praise be to you who bear the Pinaka bow in hand! Praise, praise to the three eyed God!

I bow to you whose form is earth, air, fire, Wind and air, and also to Ahamkara, egotism, To you who are called Brahman! Kurma I.10
Introduction

Maharishi Jaimini mentions a variety of Ayur dasa’s in his monumental Upadesa Sutras [1] and he makes particular reference to the Navamsa dasa, Shoola dasa, Niryana Shoola dasa, Paaryaya dasa, Sthira dasa and Brahma dasa. Ayur dasas are used to determine the longevity of the native but they can also be used to determine periods of illness, accidents or other life threatening events. Shoola dasa is one of the simplest and most effective of these for matters of illness and death, and here cases are presented in the application of this dasa to determine periods of illness and death for family members in the chart of a native.

Shoola dasa receives its name from the Trishoola, the trident carried by Lord Shiva in the form of Rudra. Rudra is the lord of the 2nd or 8th from any sign, whichever is stronger, and there are eleven such Rudra in a chart. These eleven Rudra are forms of Shiva and the trident or Trishoola is the weapon used to bring about the destruction. The lord of the 8th from the Atmakaraka planet has a special status and he is referred to as Maheswara, the Supreme form of Lord Shiva. Maheswara is the giver of emancipation to the soul and delivers it to the feet of the Supreme God. Maheswara is the Rudra for the Atma.

In the Hindu trinity of gods, Brahma is the creator and the source of all Vedic knowledge, Vishnu is the preserver and sustainer, and Shiva is known to be the destroyer of the worlds. Lord Shiva is the personification of the accomplished yogi, who has mastered his senses and desires through the power of his tapas. Because Shiva’s wrath is often expressed in sudden, unpredictable bouts of impatience, anger and even rage, the force of his tapas, when released, is often sudden and destructive. He is so powerful that at the end of creation, he brings destruction to the world simply by opening his third eye. There are stories that tell us about his fury and we can get some insight into Shoola dasa through these tales. He took the head of his own son, Ganesha, before he even knew the boy was his own offspring. In his battle with the demons, he annihilated their dwelling place, the city of Tripura and using the fire of his wrath he burned it to the ground. Lord Shiva spends most of his time in his state of Divine Transcendence and when Kama, the god of love, disturbed him from his deep state of yogic meditation, in a moment of impetuosity, he brought destruction upon him. His fury knows no bounds and when it strikes, it inevitably brings death or events that have a lasting impact on one’s life. Since he is also the cosmic agent for the inevitable and universal blow of death, he uses his weapon to strike at the appointed time to separate the manas from the material body to bring emancipation to the soul.

Shoola dasa shows the movement of Shiva’s force as the dasa progresses through the chart, and when malefic periods manifest before the longevity is exhausted, illness or other tragic events often arise, depending on the severity of influence. It is a powerful dasa for timing death and it should not be ignored in studies of longevity. Numerous examples of this have been presented in the writings of Rath [1, 2] and Rao [3] and the student of this dasa is encouraged to study those examples to master the predictive principles.
Shoola Dasa Calculation

Shoola dasa is easy to calculate and it can be done mentally once the rules are understood. It is a fixed period dasa and it is always regular and zodiacal. The length of the dasa is related to the period of gestation. In the case of a human birth one antardasa is nine months and each Shoola dasa is nine years. The Purna Ayus of this dasa is 108 years. The dasa can also be applied to the study of animals or mundane events or wherever there is a fixed cycle to the life form or system under investigation.

Shoola dasa is initiated from the Lagna or the 7th house; whichever is stronger. Jaimini [1] gives us the following rules for the calculation of the dasa for family members in the chart of a native. The stronger of the 9th and 3rd, initiates Shoola dasa for father. The stronger of the 4th and 10th house, initiates Shoola dasa for mother. The stronger of the 3rd and 9th house, initiates Shoola dasa for younger brothers. The stronger of the 5th and 11th house, initiates Shoola dasa for children. The stronger of the 11th and 5th houses initiates Shoola dasa for elder brothers and sisters. Paternal relatives are governed from the same Shoola dasa for father and all maternal relatives from the same Shoola dasa as mother.

The following rules are used for determining the strength of the 1st and 7th house [3]:

1. If one of the houses is occupied by a larger number of planets, then he is stronger.
2. Determine if (a) Jupiter, (b) Mercury and © dispositor aspects the house. If more of these aspect one of the houses in question, then that house is stronger. Each of these carry equal weight.
3. If one house is occupied by an exalted planet and the other is not, then that house is stronger.
4. A house with its lord in a house of a different oddity (odd/even) is stronger than a house with its lord in a house with the same oddity.
5. A house whose lord is more advanced in longitude from the beginning of its sign is stronger. Rahu and Ketu’s advancement should be measured from the end of sign rather than beginning.

Rudra and Maheswara

In the chapter on Longevity (Ch. II, Qtr I) in Upadesa Sutras [1], Jaimini tells us how to calculate Rudra and Maheswara. The stanzas where the rules are to be found are indicated for easy reference. Some of the rules are presented here.

(i) Rudra is the stronger of the lords of the 8th house from the Lagna or the 7th (2.1.35). Thus, the stronger of the lords of the 2nd and the 8th from the Lagna is Rudra.

(ii) If the weaker lord has more malefic conjunctions or aspects, then he can qualify as Rudra (2.1.36).

(iii) The lord of the 8th house from the AK is called Maheswara (2.1.46).

(iv) If the 8th lord from the AK is exalted or in its own sign, the lord of the 8th or 12th from it, whichever is stronger, becomes Maheswara (2.1.47).

(v) If Rahu or Ketu become Maheswara or if Rahu or Ketu is in the 1st or 8th from the AK, the 6th planet or 6th lord, respectively becomes Maheswara (2.1.48). Pt. Sanjay Rath has made extensive comments on this sutra and the reader is encouraged to refer to those comments.

Dangerous Periods -

Rules of Interpretation

The following rules are delineated in terms of the Arudha Lagna. In the case of family members, the same rules should be applied to the corresponding Arudha pada for the individual in question.

(i) Death can occur in the dasa period of the Arudha Lagna or its trines or the 3rd and 8th from AL as they are places of destruction. The Arudha Lagna is the Maya of our existence and death is the destruction of this Maya.

(ii) Death can occur in the signs aspecting the 3rd place from the AL.

(iii) Death can occur in the 2nd or 7th from the Arudha Lagna, especially if there is association or aspects from malefic planets. These are marakasthanas.

(iv) Death can occur in the dasa of the Sthira karaka or its trines. It can also happen in the dasa of the Rudra Rasi or its trines.

(v) Malefic rasis are more dangerous than benefic rasis. Malefic influences on a sign, give it more potency to cause death.

(vi) Death is likely to occur in the antardasa of the signs in the 3rd, 6th, 8th and 12th to the death inflicting Shoola dasa Rasi.

(vii) The influence of Jupiter or the Charakaraka, the temporary significator, on a Rasi gives protection and may overcome the malefic indications, unless the planets happen to be Rudra.

(viii) Signs conjoined or aspected by a combination of the Moon and Venus or Mars are particular dangerous, as this is the combination for Rudra yoga. Venus and Mars are the rulers of the 2nd and 8th signs of the natural zodiac and the Moon is the significator of health.

Case Study – Daughter’s Murder

This is an unfortunate case where the daughter of the native was found murdered in a parking lot in the city where she lived in early June 2001. The case remains unsolved but it is believed that she witnessed a crime and was shot in the head at close range to ensure her permanent silence.
Chart 1: March 12, 1942, 00:12 am, TZ 4:00, 74w00′ 23″, 40n42′ 51″; Ascendant: 0 Sc 11′

She was the oldest child, so the Putra Shoola dasa begins from the 5th or 11th house, whichever is stronger. Let us apply the rules. Pisces is the 5th house and Virgo is the 11th. There are no planets in either house and they are not aspected by Jupiter, Mercury or dispositor. Neither sign is occupied by an exalted planet. Jupiter is the lord of Pisces and he is in a sign of same oddity, while Mercury is in a sign of different oddity, so Virgo is stronger. Putra Shoola dasa starts from Virgo. The sequence is as follows:

Dasa Period Start End
Virgo 9 12-Mar-1942 12-Mar-1951
Libra 9 12-Mar-1951 12-Mar-1960
Scorpio 9 12-Mar-1960 12-Mar-1969
Sagittarius 9 12-Mar-1969 12-Mar-1978
Capricorn 9 12-Mar-1978 12-Mar-1987
Aquarius 9 12-Mar-1987 12-Mar-1996
Pisces 9 12-Mar-1996 12-Mar-2005

Now, let’s calculate Putra Rudra. Jupiter is the Sthira karaka for children. The stronger of the lord of the 2nd or 8th from Jupiter qualifies as Putra Rudra, so a choice has to be made between Mercury and Jupiter. Both planets are conjoined an equal number of planets but Jupiter is aspected by his own lord, Venus, so he qualifies as Rudra.

At the time of the event, the Putra Shoola dasa of Pisces was operating and the antardasa was Libra. Pisces is the 5th house from the Lagna, which rules the oldest child, the daughter in question. It is in a trine to Putrarudha, A5, and it is also aspected by the Moon, the lord of Putrarudha. Thus, the Pisces dasa is dangerous for the oldest child. We saw that Jupiter qualified as Rudra and he is lord of Pisces, the 5th house, as well as the Sthira karaka for the daughter. Here he is conjoined malefics, Mars and Saturn, and placed in the 3rd from the Shoola dasa, a place of death. Whenever Rudra has the association of malefics such as Mars and Saturn, death is bound to be painful, cruel and sudden. The combination promises a violent and tragic death for the daughter. Note that Putrarudha is also aspected by Rudra, Mars and Saturn, promising a destructive event that would end the mayic existence of the daughter.

The antardasa of Libra had just begun that afternoon, on June 12, 2001, and the event occurred that night. Libra is the 8th from Pisces, the house of death, and has the aspect of Mars, Jupiter (Rudra) and Saturn as well as the Sun, Mercury, Ketu and Rahu – powerful malefic influences. May her soul be at peace!

Case Study – Mother’s Demise

Dasa Period Start End
Leo 9 Oct-56 Oct-92
Virgo 9 Oct-65 Oct-92
Libra 9 Oct-74 Oct-83
Scor 9 Oct-83 Oct-83
Sagi 9 Oct-92 Oct-83

The chart presented is that of a native whose mother was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 1999 and she left the world on December 7, 2000. The Matri Shoola dasa starts from the stronger of the 4th or 10th house and the progression is in regular zodiacal order. Leo and Aquarius are occupied by the same number of planets but Leo is aspected by its own lord and therefore stronger. The Matri Shoola dasa starts from that sign. The dasa sequence is as follows:

Chart 2: Mother’s Demise, October 26, 1956, 10:38 am, TZ 4:00 west, 77w02, 38n53; Asc: 16 Sc 48

Mother’s illness was detected in Sagittarius/Virgo and her demise was in Sagittarius/Libra. Why was the Matri Shoola dasa of Sagittarius so fatal for mother?

The Sthira karaka for mother should be examined for matters of health and death. Maharishi Jaimini tells us that the stronger between the Moon and Mars is the Matri Sthira karaka. Here the Moon is placed in its own sign and is therefore stronger than Mars, and so the Moon qualifies as Matri Sthira karaka. Now, let us calculate Matri Rudra. We saw that Rudra is the stronger of the lords of the 2nd and 8th houses and here we will consider this from Matri Sthira karaka Moon and from the 4th house. From the Matri Sthira karaka, the Sun is the lord of the 2nd and we have to choose between Rahu or Saturn as lord of the 8th. Rahu is more advanced in longitude, so he qualifies as lord of Aquarius, so we must choose between the Sun and Rahu. Both planets are debilitated but the Sun is placed in the 12th house, a Marana Sthana, and therefore becomes a Marana karaka, a death inflictor, so he qualifies as Rudra. From the 4th house, Jupiter rules the 2nd and Mercury rules the 8th. Jupiter is aspected by the Marana karaka Sun and is placed in the sign of Sun, and therefore has a greater capacity to kill compared to exalted Mercury. In this case, Jupiter qualifies as Rudra.

Thus, the Sagittarius dasa becomes fatal for the mother because (i) Sagittarius is in a trine to Jupiter, Matri Rudra from the 4th house, (ii) Sagittarius is the 8th house from the Matri Sthira karaka Moon, according to Vriddha Karika (Table 2.1 [1]) and (iii) Sagittarius aspects the sign of Virgo, the 3rd from Matri Sthira karaka. The onset of the disease was in Sagittarius/Virgo and the foregoing explains why the Virgo antardasa was dangerous to the health of mother. The Libra antardasa operated from 4/00 – 1/01, and it was in this period that she left the world. Libra is occupied by Rudra, calculated from Matri Sthira karaka, and therefore becomes a death inflicting Trishoola Rasi.

Now, let’s see if we can explain the symptoms that brought demise to mother! We know that the 3rd from the Arudha Lagna tells us the circumstances and the cause of death for any native, so the 3rd from A4, the Matriarudha, shows the circumstances and cause of death for the mother of the native. In this case, the Moon occupies the 3rd house from the Matriarudha. In stanza 2.2.16, Upadesa Sutras [1], Jaimini tells us that “the Moon influencing the 3rd house causes tuberculosis (or other chest complaints) as the cause of death.” The malefic influence of Saturn, Mandi and Rahu/Ketu on the Matri Sthira karaka as 3rd lord from Matri Arudha confirms the destructive and irreversible nature of the disease in this dasa.

May Lord Shiva deliver her soul to the feet of Bhagavan.

OM TAT SAT

References
[1] Jaimini Maharishi’s Upadesa Sutras, translated by Sanjay Rath, Sagar Publications.

[2] Crux of Vedic Astrology, Sanjay Rath, Sagar Publications.

[3] Vedic Astrology – An Integrated Approach, P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, Sagar Publications.