A (Arishta or Malefic Influences)

The second letter "A" represents Arishta or malefic effects of planets. Here as usual, the lagna lord plays the most important role. Next to the lagna lord, the Moon is important. Then come into play the sixth house and its lord, the eighth house and its lord and the twelfth house and its lord.

Generally planets are divided into two categories, malefics and benefics. The benefics are Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and the strong Moon (the Moon is neither malefic nor very near the Sun). The malefics are Saturn, Mars, Rahu, Ketu and the Sun. So against five malefics there are only four benefics, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and the Moon. Even out of these four benefics, the Moon and Mercury can become ineffective or even malefic if they are in the company of malefic or come under their influence. Then retrograde benefics also lose their natural benefic nature.

Checklist for Danger Points
1. Natural malefics are Saturn, Mars, Rahu, Ketu and the Sun.
2. The Moon and Mercury under malefic influences become malefics.
3. Retrograde benefics lose their beneficence particularly if they are aspected by malefics.
4. The lagna lord placed in the eighth, sixth or twelfth house is bad for health.
5. The Moon, in childhood, is a danger signal for a child if under malefic influence and even in adulthood or old age if in ill-placed (in the sixth, eighth or the twelfth) house or/and malefic influences.

As usual, the dasha sequence and transit of planets are important in timing such events.

The Death Inflicting Planets

The lords of the second and seventh houses and planets in the second and the seventh houses and their dasha periods are the periods to be watched, when sicknesses and diseases affect an individual. There are many other principles. Here only a very easy instance is being given. House-wise they are:

For Mesha, Venus as the second and the seventh lord.

For Vrisha, Mercury as the second lord and Mars as the seventh lord are to be watched.

In this way all the death-inflicting planets can be tabulated for all lagnas. For further reading refer to my book, "Astrology, Destiny and the Wheel of Time".

Sound Time Tested Principles

The sound and time-tested principles of good life and health are:

1. Benefics in kendras (in the lagna, the fourth, seventh and tenth houses) and,

2. Malefics in the third, sixth and eleventh houses.

Therefore, before examining any horoscope apply the following check-list.

1. Are there benefics in the kendras?

2. Are there malefics in the third, sixth and eleventh houses?

3. Are lagna lord and the Moon ill placed in the sixth, eighth and twelfth houses.

4. Is the lagna afflicted?

5. Is the lagna lord afflicted?

6. Is the Moon afflicted?

7. Is the mahadasha running along with its sub-period running and the sub-periods to follow promising recovery for continuing sickness or misfortune?

8. Are malefics in transit harmful?

9. Finally, is the opening dasha and its sub-period itself make that start of someone’s life with ill-health?

Arishta examples are being illustrated here.