Brihadyatra 9: adhyāyaḥ 9

Chapter 9: The divisions of the ascendant

The horā may be upward, transverse, or downward, corresponding in order to traversed, current, and not yet arrived Sun;

These are according to the teaching of Jīvaśarman; according to the view of Brahmaṣaṇḍa, it is known by zodiacal signs.

Some say the upward horā occurs repeatedly in the circle, beginning with the six movable [signs and so on];

Vaśiṣṭha, however, declared the horā in each sign through the decans (drekkāṇas) that have reached the eastern ascendant.

All are authoritative because they are taught by sages; but here, only the half [of a sign] should be employed as a horā.

The half in which the thousand-rayed [Sun] is situated is facing transversely; from that, one should calculate the others.

When in the ascendant, the upward-facing [horā] accomplishes the desired objective without distress;

The transverse-facing one causes distress, fatigue, and ruin for the traveler;

The downward-facing one causes loss of the army and return home with difficulty;

All of them bestow full results when aspected by their own lord and not by malefic planets.

Whatever is the fruit of the planetary day for a traveler, all that his horā produces for him;

A certain [teacher] says, except for causing cold water, the horā of the Moon bestows resort to young women and jewels.

One should apply results corresponding to the form, action, and qualities of the decan for the purpose of prosperity:

In a decan of auspicious form, endowed with flowers and fruits, and accompanied by jewel-vessels,

When aspected by benefic planets, there will be victory; when bearing weapons and aspected by malefic planets, there is defeat;

When containing fire, there is burning; and when containing snakes, fetters, and nooses, there is imprisonment for the traveler.

When a decan is in the ascendant, [it indicates] the king's prosperity; in the second, that of the ministers;

In the third, physicians, the royal chaplain, and royal astrologers; in the subsequent ones, the servants;

Consideration of place and valour; activity and prowess; the strength of the army commander;

Food; and bed and seat—in the next five respectively;

In the tenth: carriages, seats, beds, and conveyances; in the next, food and drink;

Further on, conveyances and warriors; in the thirteenth is the crown prince;

Next to that is to be known the strength of the marching king and the decision of counsel;

Next, in the set of four decans beginning with the fifteenth, are the enemies;

In the nineteenth: soldiers, water, and bedding; next, wealth; next, resources;

Next to this, the army general; next, distress of the army;

From that, vulnerabilities in the army; the leader of the army is in the twenty-fourth;

In the triad, in order: the health of the army, the army, and four-footed beasts;

In the [next] triad: duty, treasury, and success of aims; in the three further on: rulers of the earth;

Then righteous action, honouring of warriors, and the completion of the military expedition.

Thus the houses, beginning with the rising sign, which have been indicated by me through decans—

Their good and bad results are to be predicted from their association with or aspect by benefic and malefic planets.

When a ninth-part (navāṃśa) of the hot-rayed [Sun] reaches the ascendant, there is loss of conveyances;

In a ninth-part of the Moon, there is return to one's home with difficulty and weakness of majesty;

In one of Mars, danger from fire; in one of Mercury, attainment of friends; in one of Jupiter, arrival of wealth;

In one of Venus, increase of pleasures; in a ninth-part of the son of the Sun [Saturn], destruction of servants.

Whatever fruit is declared when a planet rises, its ninth-part produces that when in the ascendant;

Here, in the ninth-part of a benefic sign, an ally comes over to the side of the traveler's enemy's force.

Whatever is stated for the rising of a zodiacal sign, that fruit should also be declared for its twelfth-part (dvādaśāṃśa);

And whatever is prescribed for a ninth-part, that will occur at the rising of a thirtieth-part (triṃśāṃśa).