The Evil of Dustanas (Part I)

Throughout the entire gamut of astrological literature a golden thread is seen to be running and that is the efficacy and power of a good and powerful Jupiter’s aspect. An iron wire is also seen pervading the entire astrological literature, that is, planets in the 6th, the 8th and the 12th and even more, the planets owning the 6th, the 8th and the 12th are highly malefic and evil. The Sloka says:

It means that if the lord of a house is relegated to one of the Dustanas – the 6th or the 8th or the 12th or if the lord of the 6th or the 8th or the 12th occupies a house, the significations of that house do not flourish or prosper. But, if a benefic aspects, the effects are otherwise: that is, the Bhava does not get destroyed, but thrives fairly well. The word “fairly” is mine. For instance, if the lord of the Ascendant is in the 8th, the native has poor longevity, a poor’ physique and suffers (physically and financially) in life; but, if a benefic, like Jupiter aspects him, the native lives fairly long, has honour (manyatha), discharges his duties (vrithavan) and possesses a good intellect (buddhi).

Similarly, if the lord of the 10th is, say, in the 8th or the 12th or the 6th, the native finds it very difficult to get employment; but if Jupiter aspects the planet ill-placed in the 12th, the native gets employed, though late. However, it will be wholly wrong to apply any mythological interpretation as some are prone to do, when they say. for example, that even though Saturn as lord of the 10th for Aries is in the 12th, yet, when he is in Jupiter’s house and is aspected by exalted Jupiter, Saturn gets transformed by Jupiter’s aspect which is like Lord Sri Krishna’s Grace on Kuchela who becomes a Kubera. True, that Saturn is in a house of Jupiter and well aspected by exalted and powerful Jupiter and hence, is transformed, to a large extent.But all the same even viewing that a Badhaka relegated to the 12th is safe and even good, the lord of the 10th becomes weak in the 12th and inflicts disappointments and also reduces the pattern and grade of the Dharmakarmadhipati Raja Yoga, denying rise to the highest position. For, mathematical strength of planets counts and matters and mere mythological similes like Lord Vishnu redeeming Gajendra from a crocodile, or Krishna making Kuchela a Kubera may be flattering but misleading.

It is with this background that I have to consider the full force of a lord placed in the 6th or the 8th or the 12th. For instance, for a female native, I suggested a simple remedy of chanting of Sri Mangalachandika Strotram and she, who was past 30 years got married within three months. The girl has three good Raja Yogas:

(i) Exchange of the 4th and the 5th lord,

(ii) The 9th and the 10th lords in the 2nd, and

(iii) Venus lord of the 7th in the 5th in Chandra Lagna (Moon-sign).

The only defects were Mars, lord of Ascendant and the 8th (Mangalya), in the 12th, and Venus, lord of the 7th in the 6th from the Ascendant lord. So, the Punya was much more than Papa; and the matter was easily remedied.

But, a gentleman from Bombay who writes he was dismissed from railway service for alleged corruption and admittedly lived on his daughter’s earnings as a teacher bombards me for a remedy for his 34-year old teacher daughter getting married, even though he has no money to meet her marriage expenses. I did not reply as I could not encourage him and did not wish to discourage him; but, he will not spare me. His daughter’s chart (Scorpio Ascendant with the Sun, lord of the 10th in the 9th ) showing she is employed but Venus lord of the 7th in the 8th and Jupiter lord of the 2nd and the 5th in the 6th could not enthuse me, as Mars lord of Ascendant is Neecha (debilitated) in the 9th without Neechabhanga. And, when the lord of a good house is in the 6th or the 8th or the 12th, the only effective and powerful antidote to the evil is the powerful aspect of a good and powerful benefic. And, remedies can be prescribed and can become successful only with God’s grace, connected by Jupiter.

For Scorpio Ascendant, Jupiter, lord of the 2nd and the 5th, an intimate and good friend of the lord of the Ascendant is an unsullied benefic. In the horoscope of this girl, such a mighty benefic Jupiter is in the 6th aspecting the 10th but not the 7th or the 9th so that she is employed as a teacher and her problem is marriage and marital life. The father ran the Dasa of Rahu in the 8th for Gemini Ascendant, without any benefic aspect; his Dasa of Jupiter in the 9th in Aquarius may perhaps help him after Jupiter Bhukti. The lord of the Ascendant or Bhagya (the 9th) should never be relegated to a hidden house such as the 6th or the 8th or the 12th. If lord of the 9th is in the 6th or the 8th or the 12th, the native is surely unlucky and unfortunate, except when Jupiter is in the 12th in Pisces for Aries Ascendant or Mercury is in the 12th in Virgo for Libra-Ascendant. Similarly, for Taurus Ascendant, Venus may be in the 6th, as he is the lord of the 1st and the 6th, the 6th being the Moola trikona house; and Mars may be in the 6th for Scorpio natives. But, the word ‘may’ shows only it is permissive and passable; for, it is far better when the lord of Ascendant is in the 1st or the 4th or the  7th or the 10th or the 5th or the 9th or the 11th with the lord of the 5th or lord of the 9th when the evil of bad lordship is minimized, if not eliminated.

However, lords of evil houses, the 6th or the 8th or the 12th may and even must be in the 3rd or the 6th or the 8th or the 12th. Jupiter, though a benefic by nature, is malefic by the lordship of the 3rd and the 12th for Capricorn Ascendant and of the 3rd and the 6th for Libra Ascendant. In such cases, Jupiter in the 6th or the 8th or the 12th or in debility gives good as minus x minus = plus or a double-negative makes a positive. Of course, the Karaka signification may slightly suffer. Likewise, Mercury, lord of the 3rd and the 6th for Aries Ascendant, and lord of the 3rd and the 12th for Cancer Ascendant may and even must be in the 3rd or the 6th or the 8th or the 12th. The 3rd house position may reconcile Karakattwa with the elimination of evil. For Cancer, Leo and Virgo Ascendants, Saturn is highly malefic, .as he owns the 7th and the 8th for Cancer, the 6th and the 7th for Leo Ascendant, and the 6th (and the 5th though) for Virgo.