Vargottama is explained thus – a planet or a specially calculated degree getting the same Navamsa position as it gets in Rasi. For example the Moon in the sign Gemini with Gemini Navamsa or the meridian in the sign Pisces with Pisces Navamsa.
A planet or the ascendant being in Vargottama obtains much potence to be favourable. Although in the initial stages it is taught that Vargottama is the best, we can conceive practical variations in the following manner.
1. Vargottama in exaltation
2. Vargottama in Moola Trikona
3. Vargottama in own sign
4. Vargottama in friendly sign
5. Vargottama in an inimical sign
6. Vargottama in debilitation sign
In this classification, the beneficence gradually descends in value, only to attain maximum mischievous potence with Vargottama in debilitation.
It is suggested by the author that if the ascending degree obtains the same Navamsa as in the Rasi, the native will be among the prosperous lot.
Whether it is the scheme of Shad Varga, Sapta Varga, Dasa Varga or Shodasa Varga, Vargottama Navamsa is the best among them and is of prime importance.
Yavanas explain Vargottama in a clear manner, thus. The position or a planet in a certain sign with that very Navamsa is called Vargottam by the sages.
Bala Bhadra explains the use hereof. When in exaltation or in retrogression, treble the results. When in Vargottama or in own Navamsa or Drekkana, double the results.
Notes: The above is a literal rendering of the original text. What is actually implied is stated below elaborately to get the correct import.
This relates to computation of life-span. Multiplying by three applies to the contribution of number of years by a planet, which is either exalted or is retrograde at birth. Similarly its contribution should be doubled if it is in Vargottama Navamsa, or own Navamsa or own Drekkana.
Gunakara and Varaha Mihira also hold a similar view. This multiplication process is to be done before commencing reductions on certain counts which do not, however, form part of the present concept.
65-66 Vriddha Yavana. Ascensions of Signs: Now stated are of Aries etc. being signs of short ascension and the like. The first sign, Aries, and the last sign, Pisces, are each allotted an ascensional duration of two Muhurtas (or 4 ghatikas). These measures are to be multiplied by 5 etc. (5, 6, 7,8, 9 and 10) in a direct
order for the first six signs from Aries. Similarly, these should be done for the 6 signs from Pisces in the reverse order. This will yield long, medium and short ascensions of signs which will help in assessing the length of a given limb of the native.
Bala Bhadra Comments: According to Varaha Mihira, these should be used for knowing the length of the various limbs, but are not practical lengths of various signs when on ascendant.
Notes: As mentioned in the original, the figures arrived at, as above, are not exactly the durations of the various sign ¬ascending. The measurements given will help us decide the proportion lengths of signs.
The limbs denoted by these signs will be short, medium or long as the case may be. For example, someone has Virgo as the 3rd house which denotes his arms, legs etc. Hence these limbs will be long in this case. Or when Pisces is, the 5th house in a given case, his belly will be short, meaning depressed, not prominent. Such deductions may be made according to the horoscope available, and keeping in view the limbs they rule in the natural zodiac, i.e. of Time Personified.
Also see the next three slokas and notes thereof.
67-68 Kalyana Varma: Kalyana Varma clarifies these as under. Taurus, Pisces, Aries and Aquarius are signs of short ascension. Gemini, Sagittarius, Cancer and Capricorn are of medium ascension. Scorpio, Virgo, Leo and Libra are of long ascension. From head onwards, the length of the various limbs of the person will correspond to the sign concerned.
69. Satya: A clear picture is given by Satya. If the lord of a sign of long ascension be in a sign of long ascension, the limb denoted by the planet in question will be long. Similar understanding may be obtained about limbs being short or medium by properly noting the planets and signs concerned.
Notes: As an example, take Leo which is a sign of long ascension. If its lord, the Sun; is in Libra, another sign of similar classification, the limb denoted by Leo will be long or prominent. Alternatively, Taurus is a sign of short ascension. Its lord placed in Aquarius, another sign of short ascension, indicates that the person will have a small face.
Similar extensions should be made for the various limbs of the body.
70. Planetary Dignities: According to Varaha Mihira, Aries, Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo, Cancer, Pisces and Libra are respectively the signs of exaltations for the planets from the Sun onwards. 10th, 3rd, 28th, 15th, 5th, 27th and 20th degrees are the degrees of deep exaltations for these planets in their respective exaltation signs. The opposite signs of these are their signs of debility.
Bala Bhadra clarifies that for the Sun, Aries is exaltation sign and its 10th degree is his deep exaltation. The Moon is exalted in Taurus and its 3rd degree is her deep exaltation. This way it should be understood for others.
Notes: Exaltation is a high source of strength to a planet. Debilitation cripples it and makes it adverse. In its exaltation space, the planet has yet a special degree which is called deep degree of exaltation. It is its best point in the zodiac. Once a planet crosses its deep exaltation degree in that particular sign, it is no more exalted. Similarly, in debility, the planet has hat is called the degree of deep debilitation and is at its worst. After passing deep debility in that particular sign, it is more debilitated. This line of argument will be very clear if one understands the basis of computation of life-span, Kiranas (planetary rays), Shadbala etc.For the seven planets.
71- 72. According to Yavanesvara: The 10th degree for the Sun, 3rd for the Moon, 5th for Jupiter, 27th for Venus 15th for Mercury, 28th for Mars and 20th for Saturn are the degrees of deep exaltation in their respective signs of exaltation. The 7th from the exaltation sign is the sign of debility for a planet, and in this sign, the same degree as above is its degree of deep debility.
Bala Bhadra Clarifies: The degrees of deep exaltation and deep debilitation should be used for mathematical assessment. While in exaltation, the planet yields one unit of effects; a quarter of it is lost in Moola Trikona sign, and only a half will prevail in own sign. Thus the effects should be enumerated.
Upto the 100 Aries, the Sun is in deep exaltation. Upto 30 in Taurus, the Moon is in deep exaltation. Since Taurus is the sign of both exaltation and Moola Trikona, from 4th degree onwards the Moon gives effects of Moola Trikona. In the 3rd degree it gives full effects while from the 4th degree onwards it loses a quarter of the effects: It is said that in the first two degrees, the Moon does not enjoy strength. On the same line, Mercury does not enjoy strength upto 14th degree of Virgo.
By the term “exaltation”, it should be taken as a whole sign when Raja Yogas are under consideration. By the term “deep exaltation” 100 Aries for the Sun etc. should be understood. It is for this reason, Vriddha Yavana advised to take all the degrees of exaltation for a planet as exaltation by using the plural ¬”degrees”. Thus for this purpose the whole sign should be treated as exaltation for a planet.
Notes: Bala Bhadra has only misunderstood the term “degrees” (in plural) stipulated by Yavana as the whole sign. Actually, applicability of such a plural term should exactly stop at the deep exaltation degree, which is also plural. For no planet has only one degree of exaltation. The views of Yavana and Bala Bhadra thus defy logic as far as exaltation being treated as the whole sign. Once a planet crosses its Paramochcha or deep exaltation, it is Avarohi, and is not to be treated as in exaltation. Why Raja Yoga computation should be different from that of planetary rays, life-span etc. is inexplicable for a planet causing Raja Yoga etc. should derive strength based on these ‘Very’ computation. Every bit of space in the zodiac has its, own nature and one cannot take destiny for granted.
The distribution of exaltation, Moola Trikona, own signs etc. in case of the Moon and Mercury in particular will make things very clear.
73. Raja Yoga: Sage Garga has specified (separate) effects for degrees of deep exaltation and (mere) exaltation as-stated below. If both the Sun and the Moon are in their degrees of deep exaltation, the person will be a king. If these planets are in their signs of exaltation (i.e. prior to the deepest explanation space) or in Moola Trikona, he will be wealthy.
74. Lordship over ‘Three Worlds’ : According to Vriddha Yavana, when the moon is Full, the ascendant occupied by a benefic and all other planets (than the Moon) are in their degrees of deep exaltation, the person will be a ruler of three worlds (earth, heaven and nadir).
Notes: This is only a theoretical suggestion of effects and is not practical. However, the combination shows the superiority of two or more planets in their respective deep exaltation degrees while the Moon is with strength. Such a person will enjoy a high degree of prosperity, position and fame.
Bala Dhadra Clarifies: From this; the importance of a planet in deep exaltation degree is established the 7th, from the sign of exaltation is the sign of debility, and the opposite degree of deep exaltation is the degree of deep debilitation.
75. As Stated by Burya Jataka: For a planet, the 7th from its exaltation is its sign of debilitation and the degree identical with that of deep exaltation is the degree of deep debility.
76. Sage Garga on Deep Debilitation: If both the Sun and the Moon are in their degrees of deep debilitation, the native will be blind, unclad dumb and will have a troubled livelihood. A planet in deep exaltation obtains one Roopa (a unit of strength), loses a quarter in Moola Trikona, soon and so forth.
77. Moola Trikona Signs: According to Lord Surya, Leo, Taurus, Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius, Libra and Aquarius are the signs of Moola Trikona for planets from the Sun onward. A planet in its sign of exaltation or Moola trikona attains strength.
Bala Bhadra Queries: In case of Leo, the Sun obtains power on two different scores – one as per own sign and the other Moola trikona. So also, Mercury obtains three-fold power in respect of Virgo – as own sign, as exaltation and as deep exaltation. Then it should be given different Roopas (strengths) – one Roopa if in exaltation, 3/4 th for own sign and so on. For Sapta Varga strength, what .strength do we have to consider? These are clarified in the following passages.
78-81. Kalyana Varma: From the miscellaneous chapter of Kalyana Varma’s work, now told are of the degrees of exaltation, own sign and Moola Trikona.
For the Sun, the first 20° in Leo are Moola Trikona. The space after this in Leo is his own sign.
In Taurus, the first 3° are exaltation for the Moon while the rest of the sign is her Moola trikona.
Mars has the first 12° of Aries as Moola trikona, and the rest of Aries as own sign.
That Mercury is exalted in Virgo (upto 15°) should always be considered. The next 5o are his Moola trikona and the last 10° are his own sign.
The first 10° of Sagittarius are Jupiter’s Moola trikona and the rest thereof is his own sign.
Venus has the first half of Libra as his Moolatrikona and the second half as own sign.
Saturn keeps the same sums of degrees of Moola trikona and own sign in Aquarius in the same way as the Sun does in Leo. That is, first 20° of Aquarius are Moola trikona and the next 10° degrees are own sign for Saturn. ..
Notes: Although narration of “exaltation” forms part of the sub-heading of these verses, it is not included in the quotation. However” we had already known of these earlier.
Except the Moon, the other also planets have Moola trlkona area in their own signs. The Moon has her Moola trikona in Taurus.
Mercury has his exaltation also in his own sign, Virgo. In Moola trikona, the planet is more powerful than in the space’ called “own sign”. Whichever planet has a second sign other than these has it as own sign.
Bala Bhadra Clarifies: Lord Surya’s instructions are also identical.-But Gunakara (of Hora Makaranda) prescribes the first 20° (of the respective signs) as Moola Trikona for the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn which is the opposite of the tradition. Gunakara’s views should be rejected in practical application for it has no basis.
