Graha and Bhava Balas Part 7: Temporal Strength Part 1
We've explored where planets gain strength (Sthanabala) and which direction they face (Digbala). Now we tackle the most complex Shadbala component: Kala Bala, or Temporal Strength—the power planets gain from when events occur.
Think of a farmer planting seeds. The what (quality of seeds), where (soil richness), and direction (sun exposure) matter—but timing determines success. Plant in spring and crops flourish. Plant in winter and they die. Same seeds, same soil, different season, opposite results.
Planets work the same way. Sun at noon blazes with power; at midnight it's powerless. Moon during waxing fortnight swells with beneficence; waning, it diminishes. The identical planetary configuration at different times wields vastly different strength.
Kala Bala has 9 sub-components—more than any other Shadbala. We'll tackle them across three articles. Today: the foundational trio based on day/night cycles and lunar phases.
Kala Bala measures "the various potencies of planetary vibrations due to seasonal peculiarities" (Article 46). It consists of nine distinct calculations:
- Nathonnatha Bala — Diurnal/nocturnal strength (day vs night)
- Paksha Bala — Lunar fortnight (waxing vs waning Moon)
- Thribhaga Bala — Daily thirds (morning, noon, evening segments)
- Abda Bala — Year lord strength
- Masa Bala — Month lord strength
- Vara Bala — Weekday lord strength
- Hora Bala — Hour lord strength
- Ayana Bala — Declination/seasonal strength (Northern vs Southern course)
- Yuddha Bala — Planetary war strength (conjunction battles)
Also called Divaratri Bala (Day-Night Strength), this measures whether a planet prefers daylight or darkness. Some planets are solar—thriving at midday. Others are lunar—powerful at midnight. One (Mercury) is indifferent.
The Three Categories
Sun Jupiter Venus
Maximum at midday: 60 shashtiamsas
Zero at midnight
Moon Mars Saturn
Maximum at midnight: 60 shashtiamsas
Zero at midday
Mercury
Always 60 shashtiamsas, day or night. The neutral shapeshifter.
Method B: The Formula
B.V. Raman presents two methods; Method B is simpler and more direct. Convert birth time from midnight to degrees (15° per hour), then apply:
For Diurnal Planets (Sun, Jupiter, Venus):
Diva Bala = Birth Time (degrees) ÷ 3
For Nocturnal Planets (Moon, Mars, Saturn):
Ratri Bala = (180° − Birth Time) ÷ 3
For Mercury: Always 60 shashtiamsas
Convert Local Mean Time (LMT) to Local Apparent Time (LAT) by applying the Equation of Time. The Hindus calculate noon based on when Sun actually crosses the meridian (apparent noon), not clock noon. If birth time exceeds 180°, subtract from 360°.
Example: Standard Horoscope
Birth: 2:06 PM LMT + Equation of Time (+14 min) = 2:20 PM LAT
2:20 PM = 14 hours 20 minutes from midnight = 14.33 hours × 15°/hr = 215° 0'
Exceeds 180°, so adjust: 360° − 215° = 145° 0'
| Planet | Category | Calculation | Divaratri Bala |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Diurnal | 145° 0' ÷ 3 | 48.32 |
| Moon | Nocturnal | (180° − 145° 0') ÷ 3 = 35° ÷ 3 | 11.68 |
| Mars | Nocturnal | (180° − 145° 0') ÷ 3 = 35° ÷ 3 | 11.68 |
| Mercury | Always Strong | — | 60.00 |
| Jupiter | Diurnal | 145° 0' ÷ 3 | 48.32 |
| Venus | Diurnal | 145° 0' ÷ 3 | 48.32 |
| Saturn | Nocturnal | (180° − 145° 0') ÷ 3 = 35° ÷ 3 | 11.68 |
Source: Example 17, Article 51
Birth occurred in late afternoon (2:20 PM)—closer to midday than midnight. Diurnal planets (Sun, Jupiter, Venus) score high (~48), while nocturnal planets (Moon, Mars, Saturn) are weak (~12). Mercury, as always, maxes out.
A Paksha is a lunar fortnight (15 lunar days). The month divides into two halves:
- Sukla Paksha (bright half) — Moon waxing from New Moon to Full Moon
- Krishna Paksha (dark half) — Moon waning from Full Moon to New Moon
Benefics vs Malefics
Paksha Bala rewards planets based on their moral nature:
Jupiter Venus Mercury (well-placed)
Gain strength during waxing Moon (Sukla Paksha)—light increases, beneficence grows
Sun Mars Saturn Mercury (afflicted)
Gain strength during waning Moon (Krishna Paksha)—darkness increases, malefic power grows
Moon is benefic from 8th day of Sukla Paksha to 8th day of Krishna Paksha (roughly Full Moon ± 7 days). Outside this window, Moon is malefic. Regardless, Moon's Paksha Bala is always doubled to reflect its dominance over lunar cycles.
The Formulas
(a) Paksha Bala of Subhas (Benefics):
(Moon's Long. − Sun's Long.) ÷ 3
(b) Paksha Bala of Papas (Malefics):
60 − Paksha Bala of Subhas
(c) Moon's Paksha Bala is ALWAYS DOUBLED
Adjustment Rule: If (Moon − Sun) exceeds 180°, subtract from 360° first.
Example: Standard Horoscope
Moon: 311° 17' 19" | Sun: 180° 53' 55"
Difference: 311° 17' − 180° 54' = 130° 23'
Less than 180°, so use directly.
(a) Subha Paksha Bala: 130° 23' ÷ 3 = 43.46
(b) Papa Paksha Bala: 60 − 43.46 = 16.54
| Planet | Type | Paksha Bala | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Papa (Malefic) | 16.54 | — |
| Moon | Subha (Benefic) | 86.92 | Doubled: 43.46 × 2 |
| Mars | Papa (Malefic) | 16.54 | — |
| Mercury | Papa (afflicted) | 16.54 | Assumed afflicted |
| Jupiter | Subha (Benefic) | 43.46 | — |
| Venus | Subha (Benefic) | 43.46 | — |
| Saturn | Papa (Malefic) | 16.54 | — |
Source: Example 18, Article 55
Moon dominates with 86.92 shashtiamsas—birth occurred during waxing Moon (Sukla Paksha), amplifying benefic power and doubling Moon's strength. Malefics languish with only 16.54 each.
Each day and night divides into three equal parts (Thribhagas). Different planets rule each segment:
Day Divisions (Sunrise to Sunset)
1st Third
Mercury
Morning
2nd Third
Sun
Midday
3rd Third
Saturn
Late Afternoon
Night Divisions (Sunset to Sunrise)
1st Third
Moon
Evening
2nd Third
Venus
Midnight
3rd Third
Mars
Pre-Dawn
Jupiter ALWAYS gets 60 shashtiamsas for Thribhaga Bala, regardless of birth time. The great benefic transcends divisions—it rules all thirds simultaneously.
Calculation Method
- Determine if birth is during day (sunrise to sunset) or night (sunset to sunrise)
- Calculate duration of day (Ahas) or night (Ratri) in ghatis or hours
- Divide by 3 to get length of each Thribhaga
- Find which third contains the birth time
- Award 60 shashtiamsas to the ruling planet of that third
- Award 60 shashtiamsas to Jupiter (always)
Result: Only two planets get Thribhaga Bala—the ruler of the birth third + Jupiter.
Example: Standard Horoscope
Birth: 2:06 PM (during day)
Day duration (Ahas): 29 ghatis 20 palas = 29.33 ghatis
Each Thribhaga: 29.33 ÷ 3 = 9.78 ghatis
Birth time from sunrise: 20 ghatis 32 palas = 20.53 ghatis
First third: 0-9.78 ghatis (Mercury)
Second third: 9.78-19.56 ghatis (Sun)
Third third: 19.56-29.33 ghatis (Saturn) ← Birth falls here!
| Planet | Thribhaga Bala | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Saturn | 60.0 | Rules 3rd third of day (birth segment) |
| Jupiter | 60.0 | Always receives full strength |
| All other planets: 0.0 | ||
Source: Example 19, Article 57
Late afternoon birth (third segment of day) gives Saturn full Thribhaga Bala. Jupiter, as always, scores maximum. The remaining five planets get zero.
We've conquered the foundational temporal strengths based on natural cycles (day/night, lunar phases, daily thirds). These are the "easy" Kala Balas—conceptually elegant and quickly calculated.
In Part 8, we tackle the mathematically intensive components:
- Abda Bala — Strength of the planet ruling the year of birth
- Masa Bala — Strength of the planet ruling the month of birth
- Vara Bala — Strength of the planet ruling the weekday of birth
- Hora Bala — Strength of the planet ruling the hour of birth
These require calculating Ahargana—the number of days elapsed since creation—then using complex division to find the planetary rulers of each time unit. Buckle up!
Key Takeaway: Temporal strength reveals that when matters profoundly. The same planetary position at different times of day, different lunar phases, yields vastly different power. Mercury shines constant, Moon waxes and wanes, Saturn owns the late afternoon—time shapes planetary expression.