Understanding Retrograde Planets – Part II

Mercury’s retrogression strengthens the intellect.In Chart 1, Mercury is retrograde. But here it disrupted the native’s academic pursuits. Mercury is the 5th lord influencing the native’s thinking ability and decision-making. After the native’s graduation, studies were disrupted for a 2-year period after which he resumed his education when Mercury became direct. His work into research was also affected due to retrograde Mercury even though the native was selected for Ph.D research in a premier institution. The native was running Rahu Dasa and Mercury Bhukti at that time.

Chart 1:Male:Born February 24, 1941, at 6h.00m at 10N55, 78 E 49

Whenever Mercury was retrograde worries, obstacles and delays were experienced by the native. During December 1958, the native’s mother passed away after a brief illness and he himself suffered from typhoid fever when Mercury was retrograde in Scorpio. In June 1961, studies were discontinued when Mercury was retrograde in Gemini, the 5th house from the Ascendant. In October 1981, when Mercury was in retrogression in Virgo, the 8th house from the Ascendant, the native suffered a serious injury in the right eye resulting in impaired vision. In April 1988, the native’s daughter fell sick when Saturn was retrograde in Sagittarius aspecting the 5th house from the Ascendant. In July 1992, the native’s wife had to undergo surgery for cystic ovary when Mercury was retrograde in Cancer, the 6th house from the Ascendant and the 7th house from the Moon. In October 1994, Mercury’s retrogression in Virgo brought the native financial loss. In May 2016, Mercury went retrograde in Aries, the 3rd house, when the native’s daughter got bed-ridden. Mercury’s retrogression is good for abstract knowledge and writing but it is not good for interaction with others.

Saturn is retrograde in Chart 2. In April 1988, during Saturn’s retrogression, the native was hospitalized for 10 days without proper diagnosis. The sickness and treatment continued for about two years culminating in the native developing epilepsy. In January and February 1991, she was hospitalized twice for epilepsy. She suffered from sickness and also lost her grand-father. Jupiter was in retrogression in Cancer during this period. In 2002, when Mercury turned retrograde, she developed fits and was hospitalized again. In April 2008, Saturn was in Leo and the native was hospitalized for asthama and fever. Whenever, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn and Mars went retrograde, the native fell ill and was hospitalized for sores, debridgement surgery and other medical conditions and the treatment is still being continued at home to this day incurring heavy expenditure.

Saturn is retrograde in the natal horoscope and this led to discontinuation of education. The native suffered from ill-health and was hospitalized in the Dasas of Saturn and Mercury.

Chart 3: Male: Born May 24, 1940 at 10h.00m. at 11 N 56, 79 E 29

Though no planet is retrograde in Chart 3, they can affect the native’s health when they assume retrograde motion in transit. The native was in good health but when Jupiter’s retrogression started in February 2017, he developed serious symptoms of ill-health and was admitted to hospital. In March 2017, Jupiter and Venus turned retrograde. In April at the time of his death, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus were all retrograde. In spite of the best efforts he did not recover and he passed away recently. Venus is the 6th lord from the Moon-sign and turned retrograde in transit in the 4th house.

Death took place during Saturn Dasa, Saturn Bhukti and Saturn Antara. Saturn is the 7th and 8th lord from the Ascendant and the 2nd and the 3rd lord from the Moon-sign. Saturn is a powerful Maraka from both the Ascendant and the Moon-sign.

Natal Venus is the 6th lord from the Moon and the 11th lord from the Ascendant. Hence Venus becomes Rogastanidipati and Badhakadhipati. The Moon-sign was occupied by retrograde Saturn in transit and the 3rd house from the Ascendant was occupied by retrograde Jupiter in transit.

Re in retrograde means to go back. Retrogression turns one’s attention to the past. It is a ‘grace period’ for one to complete the task on hand. The overall effects of the planet in retrogression may be renewing the work already on hand or taking up a fresh a job left half way, change in relationships, indecision, confused mind, sharpening of the mind and intelligence unknown to others, resolution of old problems. me* commitments, bringing discipline in routines miseries and failures, lack of energy and ill-health. The effects of retrograde planets must be faced courageously and steps are to be taken for precautions against the ill-effects before the retrogression slab and the anticipated events occur.