Brihadyatra 2: adhyāyaḥ 2

Chapter 2: The Qualities of the Lunar Day

Hereafter, having examined the opinions of sages, I shall proclaim the time for a military expedition,

proclaiming what has been extensively taught to the lord of the earth endowed with heavy syllables.

When his birth is known, knowers of horary astrology desire the time of march;

yet even when it is unknown, he spoke here a string of jewels, not as if letters in fruitless [matters]:

When the horary zodiacal sign is known, and the positional strength of the planets,

and the lifespan is thoroughly known, an auspicious or inauspicious fruit should be declared.

Others say: Even when the time of birth is unknown,

there is a suitable time of departure for lords of men.

Conferring success and fortune endowed with results born from the rising sign of the query,

Vaśiṣṭha, who knows the reality of truth, spoke this statement:

Whether inquiring or not inquiring, for whoever wishes to march,

one should ascertain the auspicious and inauspicious from the horary astrology, cardinal houses, and trine houses.

For by fate, to the astrologer who desires good and bad fruits,

every mortal is brought under control, helplessly entering his range of vision.

And anciently, standing near Viṣṇu for the sake of knowledge,

he heard the word that issued from the lotus-mouth of the Lord of the World.

Whatever essential fruit dependent on the planets and zodiacal signs applies to the inquiring man,

that essence would be his birth-[chart], even if it occurred in another house [or sign].

Having understood the treatise according to proper method, in accordance with the rule of relative strength and weakness,

everything that has been stated in horoscopy should be considered here also in the very same way.

Therefore, the king, with flowers, gems, and fruits in his hands,

having bowed in the morning to Ravi while facing east,

having assembled the astrologers who are skilled in the limb-science of horary astrology and are well-wishers,

should make inquiry only once.

Then, near the king, as soon as he is questioned, the astrologer

should infer the result through arising omens with the eye of the treatise.

In the assembly he should declare it to be good, even if it might be bad;

yet it must be told clearly in secret to the king or to his minister.

On [ground] covered with trees having very sweet fruits, flowers, and milky sap,

pleasant for the movement of feet, possessing cow dung and drinkable water,

possessing water and flowers, prosperity from then on for the bather

should be declared for the inquirer by one who knows the motions of the planets and the zodiacal circle.

If the king touches his breast, sole of the foot, lip, thumb, upper limb of the hand,

ears, face, nose, or secret apertures

with the tips of his fingers, or touches his cheek, hip, or shoulder,

or utters an auspicious word, his army subdues its enemies.

Having observed the rising sign or the lord of the rising sign, or the natal asterism or the lord of the natal sign,

or its house of increase in the ascendant of the one who wishes to march,

know that the faction of the enemy is slain; or, if this belonging to the enemy

is associated with the fourth house or situated in the seventh house of the inquirer, [know the same].

The rear-enemy is behind Bhāskara; the march of the hot-rayed one is eastward to the destination;

and the ally in the rear is that which is situated in the seventh from the Sun; their equals should be considered according to their power.

When Jīva, Mercury, the Sun, Śukra, and the others occupy the fifth, fourth, third, ascendant, and eleventh houses,

the inquirer, having achieved his purpose and conquered the enemy forces, returns home before long.

Or when Kuja and Manda are in the ascendant, Jīva is in the fifth, Ravi is in the tenth,

or Śukra and the son of Indu are in the eleventh or tenth, victory is certain for the inquirer.

In that very combination, if Śukra has occupied the eighth,

the enemy, with his power destroyed, slays the inquirer right from his undertaking.

Success is brought by the Guru, the Sun, and the Moon situated in the ascendant, sixth, and tenth houses;

likewise by Jīva, Śukra, and the Sun situated in the ascendant, sixth, and eighth houses.

The gaining of a minister occurs when Guru is in the eleventh, Manda and Kuja are in the tenth;

victory occurs when Mercury is in the fourth, the Moon is in the eighth, and Śukra is in the seventh.

When Kuja is in the tenth, Ravi is in the eleventh, the son of the Sun is in the third,

the Moon is in the sixth, and the remaining [planets] are in the ascendant, victory is certain for the inquirer.

When the Sun, the son of the Sun, and the son of the Earth are in the third, and the benefics are in the ascendant, there is victory;

or when Guru is in the ascendant and malefics are situated in the eleventh or the tenth.

When Kuja and Manda are in the sixth, Guru and the Moon are in the ascendant,

Śukra and the Moon's son are in the twelfth, and the hot-rayed one is in the tenth, there is victory.

Thus the auspicious combinations relating to victory at the time of inquiry have been declared.

Now there are inauspicious ones in this regard; I shall proclaim them after this.

Rout in battle occurs through Yama, the Moon, and Kuja occupying the ninth, fifth, and ascendant houses.

When the Moon and Yama are in the ascendant, aspected by the son of the Earth, death occurs.

When Manda is in the eighth along with Kuja, and the Sun is in the ascendant, there is death.

When the Moon is in this [ascendant], situated in the third, eleventh, or eighth, or along with the Sun, one should predict slaughter.

When Kuja, Mercury, and the Moon are in the seventh, there is destruction of the inquirer even as he sets out.

When Kuja and Śukra are in the ascendant, there is increase of hunger, pestilence, and enemies.

When the Moon and the son of the Earth are in the ascendant, the Moon's son and Śukra are in the sixth,

and the thousand-rayed one is situated in the eighth, the slaughter of the minister should be understood.

Slaughter of the inquirer's son occurs through malefics occupying the rising sign and the fifth house.

When Kuja is in the ascendant with the Moon and aspected by the son of the Sun, there is rout.

When the Moon is in the seventh or eighth and the Sun has entered the ascendant,

or in the reverse case, terror, rout, and the onset of slaughter come upon the one who has marched.

When malefics are situated in two or three cardinal houses and benefics are devoid of strength,

and the lord of night is in the eighth, imprisonment, slaughter, and death befall the inquirer.

When Kuja and the Moon are in the seventh, and the Sun and Mercury rise, there is internal division among one's own people.

Likewise, when Manda and Kuja are in [such] configuration, or similarly Mercury and the Sun, there is rout in battle.

If all [malefics are] in the ninth [house], the king kills his ministers and royal chaplain;

under this combination, if the Moon is in the rising sign, [he kills] his son, husband, and spiritual preceptor.

When the Sun and the son of the Sun are in the ascendant and aspected by the son of the Earth,

the Moon is in the seventh house, and the benefics are devoid of strength, there is the slaughter of the commander-in-chief of the inquirer.

When Mars and Saturn are in the eighth house, the Moon is in the seventh house, the Sun is in the ascendant,

and Mercury is in the third [house], the king, having displayed valour, is killed along with his ministers.

An ascendant that rises head-first, or is conjoined with or aspected by benefics and friendly [planets],

and strong benefics in an ascendant possessing benefic divisions,

bestows success; otherwise, it is undesirable. From that,

further [results] are to be inferred through combinations of results pertaining to birth and departure.

Malefics in the eighth house, the fourth house, the ascendant, the seventh, and the second

do not produce auspicious results for inquiring men.

Benefics placed in these [houses] along with the tenth house are praiseworthy.

All this good and bad must also be considered at the time of marching.