Skyscript Astrology Forum

Could somebody point me at a book or article that explains the meanings of the dispositions of planets?

I know that planets in the 5th and 9th from each other are "harmoniously disposed", that those in 6/8 disposition are "inharmoniously disposed", that 4/10 is a "strong" disposition and so on. But I am hoping to find more detailed interpretations and/or a description of how what I already know is to be applied in chart interpretation.

As I haven't come across any detailed interpretations of planetary disposition myself, I'm wondering if they exist. Contributors to the forum seen very knowledgeable and extremely well-read in the subject. I'm hoping someone can help me out - if it's only to tell me I'm barking up the wrong tree!

Melissa

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Hello Varuna,

A big thank you for replying to my post. I had started to think that nobody was going to answer!
And a special thank you for giving such a detailed response.

At this point, I'm primarily interested in disposition by house, so your comment

you can look at the house relationship such as you mentioned already. The worst house relationship is 6/8 then 2/12.

was of great help to me.

My assumption is that 5/9 is the best house relationship.
But what of the others: 7/7, 4/10 and 3/11?
I presume 3/11 is either moderately negative or neutral.

Also, is the house position 1/1 to be considered, or does it come under the heading of association?

I don't mean to draw on your time, Varuna. If the answer can be found in some book, please direct me there and I will buy the book and take my instruction directly from it.

This question is very difficult to answer because there are too many answers

I kind of expected to hear that.

in general this question is approaching the very heart of delineating the horoscope, which is why I didn't answer it when I saw it previously, and since I am still a beginning student.

I am a beginning student also. But I am very pleased you did take the trouble to answer my query. Thank you again.

Melissa

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Dear Varuna,

Again, my heartfelt thanks for a thorough and clear answer to my question. I already understand the position much better simply having read your reply.

I have read Light on Life and found it most helpful. I will turn now to Light on Relationships.

I have other books: some classical texts such as Parasara's, and modern works like Ancient Hindu Astrology for the Modern Western Astrologer by James Braha, Art of Prediction by J.N. Bhasin, and several by B.V. Raman such as Hindu Predictive Astrology and The Manual of Hindu Astrology. I couldn't find the answer to my question in any modern book. The answer may be in one or other of the classical texts but they are so dense in information, and sometimes they are gnomic in expression, that I haven't been able to find the answer there and don't know which specific chapters to consult in my quest for an explanation.

I'm very pleased with the information you have shared with me.

Melissa

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Varuna,

I now have a copy of Light on Relationships. Almost at once I found the following, which shed an enormous amount of light on the subject for me.

The great astrological authority Maharishi Parashara, in his astrological magnum opus, Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, offers some hints for interpreting graha [planet] placements. These comments, though made in the context of astrological timing, can reasonably be extended to relationship analysis. Maharshi Parashara states that:
? Grahas in Three-Eleven and Five-Nine relationships will cooperate with each other;
? Grahas in Two-Twelve and Six-Eight relationships will be disinclined to cooperate with each other;
? Grahas in One-One, Seven-Seven, and Four-Ten relationships will powerfully influence each other, in ways that will depend on the natures and the strength or weakness of those grahas.
[From Maharishi Parashara's, Brihat Parashara Hora Shasira, vol. II (Delhi: Ranjan, 1984), ch. 52--60.]

You offer this caution:

I should warn you that text is strictly about one method of measuring compatibility between two people or two charts

Point taken.

As your attorney I would advise you to study books listing only yogas, before placing too much weight on the basic interactions.

I have spent some time studying the yogas. Then I felt I'd missed out a stage in the learning process by not studying planetary position by house, which seemed more basic to me. Your suggestion makes sense, however.

I know nothing about Alertness and Moods of the planets. But they are definitely the kinds of areas that excite my curiosity. For now I intend to continue reading Light on Relationships, extracting from it what I can on planetary disposition by house. I'm grateful to you for pointing me in the right direction.

BTW, Light on Relationships cites places in two classic texts where discussion of this subject can be found. I haven't checked them out yet but will do so pretty soon.

Melissa

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I am re-reading (for the third or fourth time) B.V. Raman's Notable Horoscopes. As I read, I noticed something that had struck me previously: that Mr. Raman speaks of planets being in 1/1, 7/7 or 4/10 (though he uses the expression "planets in mutual kendras") and, where he says anything at all about the disposition of the planets by house, he says that these dispositions are "strong". But he never explains whether the planets so disposed are "strong for good" (as a Western traditional astrologer might say) or strong in a negative way.

It was due to a lack of an explanation that I started to look into the lore of disposition of planets by house - and was making no headway in the area until you spoke up, Varuna. Now I see that the pendulum can swing in either direction, as is made crystal clear by this line from Light on Relationships:
"Grahas in One-One, Seven-Seven, and Four-Ten relationships will powerfully influence each other, in ways that will depend on the natures and the strength or weakness of those grahas."

After spending just a few hours studying Light on Relationships, in conjunction with the notes you so helpfully supplied, I understand dispositions by house one hundred per cent better than I previously did.

"when studying the classics . . . usually the rationale behind the concepts is not explained whatsoever, therefore we need contemporary texts in conjunction with the classics to explain various concepts further, at times."

I couldn't agree more.

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Varuna,

I am reading Chapter 37 of BPHS. I see that parts of the chapter relate to planets in mutual kendras and konas - these are dispositions I am interested in. The chapter seems to cover exceptions to the general rules concerning such dispositions. Thus planets in kona disposition from one another (1, 5, 9) in normal circumstances are thought to bestow blessings. However, in the case of the yoga you cite - Halla Yoga - no blessings are discernible. Fascinating.

I will come back to you when I feel I better understand the chapter.

At any rate, I am more at home with Chapter 37 than with the chapter on Avestas. That chapter is gnomic indeed. It is full of gnomes, none of whom are well-disposed towards me, I feel.

Melissa