Bhavartha Ratnakara Part 27: Graha Malika Yoga - A Modern Guide
A modern English guide to the classical Vedic astrology text by Sri Ramanujacharya, translated and annotated by B.V. Raman.
Part 27 of 28
Chapter Xiii
Graha Malika Yogas
If all the nine planets occupy the five houses from Lagna, Panchagraha Malika Yoga is caused.
The chapter is headed Graha Malika Yoga. In Sanskrit, Malika means garland or wreath of flowers and Graha Malika means a wreath of planets. In standard works on astrology, Malika Yoga is defined as the disposition of several planets in seven houses contiguously. If the planets are disposed from
Lagna is it Lagna Malika Yoga, if they are disposed from the 2nd, it is Dhana Malika and so on. When the seven signs beginning from any particular sign are occupied by the seven planets, a semicircle is formed and the term Malikas will more or less be justified.
The author of this work takes into account the nine planets (which obviously include Rahu and Ketu) and the disposition of the 9 planets from Lagna within a certain number of signs is said to give rise to the different types of Malika. Readers should therefore note that according to our author the Malika or band should commence only from Lagna, while according to other standard works, the Malika can commence from any house. Another important difference is that, according to the general principles of astrology, the seven planets should give rise to seven houses beginning from any house, whereas this author suggests that the nine planets should be disposed within the two houses from Lagna.
Ketu is always to be in the 7th from Rahu. Either the combination is impossible or it should mean that eight planets should occupy the five houses from Lagna. I am inclined to think that the author must have been aware of this error which is discernible even to an elementary student. Why, having known that nine planets cannot occupy the first five or six houses, he has still mentioned the combination, I cannot explain.
As I have already pointed out, all the nine planets cannot occupy the last six houses—only eight can occupy. It is also clear that all the houses (from 1 to 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9) should be occupied and no one house should be vacant, to cause Malika Yoga.
I have already explained in the notes given above that the generality of astrologers maintain that Malika can commence from Lagna or any house—but seven houses should be occupied by the seven planets (excluding of course Rahu and Ketu). Here we will state that the author wants us to take into account all the nine planets, and for the first two Graha Malika yogas involving 5 and 6 houses, only eight planets can be taken. Nowhere else it seems to have been said that the counting must be made from the Sun. Consequently, reference to this suggestion made in stanza 6 may be easily ignored.
A person born in the Graha Malika Yoga caused by the presence of planets in 6, 7, 8, or 9 houses from Lagna will be fortunate.
Astrologers say that a person born in the Graha Malika Yoga caused by the presence of planets in the 5 houses from Lagna will also be fortunate.
In general, all the five types of Graha Malika Yoga caused by the presence of the planets in the 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 houses from Lagna are said to make a person born in them fortunate. The term used by the author is Bhaga Yogas—which literally means wealth, hence the fortune is emphasized. Before illustrating these yogas, I shall make a passing reference to some of the various yogas related to the Malika yogas as propounded in other standard astrological works.
I have already referred to “Pancha” and have given an example for it. Pancha Yoga means that all the seven planets should occupy any five signs and not the seven houses. The outcome of Pancha Yoga is said to be malefic (for the occupation of all planets and which will not have even the beneficial results as stated in stanza 6 by the author).
Malika Yoga is when 7 or 6 houses are occupied by the seven planets and the results will be beneficial.
This is also one of the Nabhasa Yogas. According to our author, Shashthagraha Malika is caused if all the planets are
in the six signs from the 1st house. Damni yoga also produces favourable results.
Mars Sun Venus Kethu Merc Moon Sun Venus Mars Kethu Lagna Merc Jupiter
Satyayoga Nirnaya (vide English Translation by B. Suryanarain Row) gives a clear explanation of Mahāyogas as also Jātaka Parijāta. When all the seven planets occupy the seven houses from Lagna, it is Lagnamalika; from the 2nd, Dhanamalika, and so on. Thus, 12 different Malika yogas are formed, which I am giving below for the readers' information.
Name of Malika Yoga Definition Result
1. Lagnamalika All planets in the seven King, commander,
houses from Lagna wealthy
2. Dhanamalika from 2nd Very wealthy,
dutiful, resolute,
unsympathetic
3. Vikramamalika from 3rd Ruler, rich, sickly,
surrounded by
brave men
4. Sukhamalika from 4th Charitable like
rājā, wealthy
5. Putramalika from 5th Highly righteous,
ruler of men
6. Shatrumalika from 6th Greedy ruler
who yet some
men and sinful
7. Kalatramalika from 7th Coiled by wo-
men and sinful
8. Randhramalika from 8th Poor and lean-
pocketed
9. Bhagyamalika from 9th Religious, well-to-
do, mighty and
safe
10. Karmamalika from 10th Respected, virtu-
ous
11. Labhamalika from 11th Skillful and lord
of lofty houses
12. Vayamalika from 12th Honoured, liberal
and respected
There is one more point, which in its very nature is con-
troversial and which I do not propose to deal with in these
pages. And that is, whether in reckoning these yogas,
Bhavas should be considered or the Rasis. According to
Varahamihira, Rasi, Kshetra, Gruh, Riksha, Bhu, Bhavana
are all synonymous terms. But in common parlance, Rasi
means sign and Gruh or Bhava means house. Our author
uses the specific word Rasi and therefore there seems to be no
doubt that in the reckoning of Malika yoga, Rasis are meant
and not bhavas.
For Sankhya yogas the signs are considered, whereas
houses are taken into account for Atirings yogas. However,
I do not want the reader to confuse the issue. I have dealt
with this subject in some of my articles in the columns of
The Astrological Magazine and in my latest book Three
Hundred Important Combinations.
Planets occupying even signs
produce results pertaining to their trinal owner-
ship in the beginning; the results due to the
other ownership will be conferred afterwards.
Planets occupying odd signs
produce results pertaining to ownerships of Rasi,
etc., in the beginning; the results due to trinal
lordships will be conferred afterwards.
Rahu Moon Saturn Lagna Sun CHART NO 61 Mars Venus Jupiter Kethu
Take Saturn in Chart
No 61. He is in an even
sign. He owns Lagna and
also the 12th. In his pada
or in his bhukti, the results
due to his ownership of
Lagna and the 12th house
will be produced, not in the
beginning of the Dasa or
bhukti but afterwards, i.e.,
in the middle and concluding
Let us take Venus. He is in an odd sign. He owns a kendra (4th) and also a trikona. The results due to his kendra ownership will happen in the beginning of his Dasa (or Bhukti), while the results due to his trinal ownership may be produced afterwards, i.e., in the middle and last parts.
A planet in the 2nd from the Sun possesses swift motion; the one in the third from the Sun will have even motion.
Planets in the fourth from the Sun possess slow motion; those in the 5th and 6th have somewhat retrograde motion.
Planets in the 7th and 8th from the Sun possess retrograde motion; those in the 9th and 10th from the Sun will have transverse motion.
Planets in the 11th and 12th from the Sun possess very swift motion. Swift motion renders benefits devoid of strength.
Malefics cause good by having retrograde motion. In this way should be ascertained the movements of planets, by the learned in mathematics.
In the first five stanzas the author introduces some astronomical elements. For astrological purposes they could be led on to mean that planets, when situated at certain distances from the Sun, become strong or weak and thereby capable of producing certain good or bad results.
Or in other words, the above means that all planets produce results when in the 2nd, 5th, 9th and 10th places from the Sun. Malefics and benefics produce favourable and adverse results respectively in the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 12th places from the Sun. This is, of course, the interpretive mode I have put.
The author has briefly suggested the different kinds of motions
of the planets and how they are benefic or otherwise.
According to Surya Siddhanta the motion of a planet is of
eight kinds, viz., Vakra (somewhat retrograde), Atichara
(retrograde), Kutila (transversal), Manda (slow), Atimanda
(very slow), Sama (even), Sighra (swift) and Atisighra
(very swift). We do not know the precise difference between
the various kinds of motion as they have not been elaborated.
Other authors mention all the above kinds of motion except
Atimanda (very slow). Kutila is held by some as a form of
retrograde motion. According to others it is used to desig-
nate the motion of a planet when, being for the moment
stationary in respect to longitude, and accordingly neither
advancing nor retrograding, it is changing its latitude. The
reader need not have to worry with these highly technical
points which are of purely astronomical interest.
Thus ends the Thirteenth Chapter entitled Mahakyoga
in Bhavartha Ratnakara of Sri Ramanujacharya.
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