JOURNAL
by Nalini Kanta Das
Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah
Om Sri Siddha Saraswataye Namo Namah
Om Sri Sad-Gurave Namah
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
The Varshaphal or Solar Return chart
The Varshaphal or solar return chart indicates the fruit or “phal,” or our destined karma for a one-year (varsha) period. This chart is calculated for the time that the Sun hits the same degree and minute which it tenanted at birth, and it should be calculated for the town of birth. It is an accurate portrait of the coming or running year’s destiny, as much as the life chart is an accurate depiction of our life destiny.
​
The varshaphal shows details of a one-year period, and is especially useful if one is going through, for example, a 16-year Jupiter mahadasha and a sub-period of Venus, which runs for 2 years and 8 months. The three yearly charts within such a dasha-bhukti can be more pinpointed for predictions and advice, based on the active yearly charts.
​
Yet, how strongly these yearly chart indications will manifest, should first be considered from the overall strengths and weaknesses of the life chart, and from the indications of the Mahadasha and Bhukti. If a life chart has afflictions to Jupiter and to the houses of wealth, positive signs for money in the yearly chart will HELP but not supersede that life-long karma entirely. With any chart reading, one should consider the overall karma of the life chart, then the effect of the Mahadasha, then Bhukti, then Varshaphal effects, and then Gocharas or transits of the major planets. They all should be considered conjointly, in order of impact or importance.
MAJOR POINT 1 in yearly chart analysis: THE LAGNA OR ASCENDANT
As with the rasi chart, look at the rising sign and see which planets (karakas) become strong or weak house lords, and especially look for the position of the good house lords for that ascendant, in order to see which areas of life are encouraged in a running year. For example, if one’s yearly chart has Virgo rising, you might first wish to check the position of Mercury (lord of 1 and 10), Saturn (lord of 5), and especially Venus (lord of 9).
​
Then look also at the rulers of the good planets from the life chart and their positions in the yearly chart, especially the strength of one’s life chart’s Ascendant lord and/or yogakaraka. Also, consider the Mahadasha or Bhukti lords, from the life chart, and whether they have benefic or malefic powers in the yearly chart.
​
The rising sign always indicates what is rising for us either in the life, or in the year. The placement of the Ascendant lord becomes of upmost import.
MAJOR POINT 2: THE MUNTHA POINT
There is an additional, supplementary Ascendant called the Muntha, which all computer programs will calculate for you. Its placement is quite relevant to the effects of the one-year period. I utilize the Varsha books by Drs. Raman and Charak, which both agree to consider the basic effects of the year by which house the Muntha falls in, by where the Muntha lord goes, by planets which influence the house the Muntha falls in and by the placement of Muntha lord.
For example, if the Muntha Point falls in the 8th house with a malefic Mars, you can expect some types of problems during the year.
MAJOR POINT 3: MUDDA DASHAS IN THE YEAR
There are specific dashas in each yearly chart. I use the Sri Jyoti Star program, and the option of dashas I choose, and have seen to be accurate, is the mudda Varshaphal dashas.
For example, one famous musician (*George Harrison) died in late 2001. In his yearly chart, the Muntha Point tenanted the 12th house (the next life) and the mudda dasha running at the time of his passing in that year, was that of Saturn, which was in inauspicious connection with the 8th house lord Mars; as well as aspected Saturn aspecting his Sun and Moon in the 6th house of disease.
​
In that yearly, the Sun (karaka of the body and health) was in the 6th house, was hit by Lord of the 8th Mars, lord of the 12th Sun, and Lord of the 6th Saturn. As I wrote in a previous article, the combined effects of the 6th, 8th and 12th lords on any point can be very negative; in this case, on the Sun, the karaka of the body, and on the Moon of the blood, and on the 6th house of disease. If the client came to you eight years previously and asked if he would survive the cancer diagnosis, you would have to mention this dangerous year ahead.
AS PER POINT ONE: Consider as of major importance the karma of the birth chart and running dashas:
Mahadasha/bhukti at time of death (age 58): Mercury-Sun
Overall, one might assess the longevity from this life chart as average (ages 36-72), for the following reasons: the waning Moon is on the Ascendant, while more important, the Ascendant lord is in the 6th house of illness, and the 6th lord Jupiter aspects the Ascendant. In fact, Jupiter influences the Sun, Moon, and the Ascendant lord.
​
The Sun, the planet of the body and a major consideration in any yearly chart (as the varsha is calculated for the position of the Sun) is the badhaka for Libra ascendant, and is aspected by Rahu, and Saturn; the dasha lord, Mercury, is lord of the 12th house, and has Papakartari-yoga; and the Antardasha is that of the Sun, which I just mentioned as being afflicted.
The above points do not reflect additional factors, such as Mars being ruler of the 2nd and 7th houses of disease, casting an aspect to the Ascendant lord, Venus; the Sun, being in a star of Rahu, while Rahu aspects it from the Sun’s sign. The traditional yoga for the disease of cancer, Saturn and Rahu, both aspect the Sun. Saturn aspects the 2nd house, and Rahu aspects the 2nd house lord, and, the cancer started in the throat, which is connected to the 2nd and the 3rd houses in astrology.
​
If one wanted more details, the Mercury mahadasha invokes the 12th house, and the 6th house, as Jupiter the 6th lord is in Mercury’s sign, and Mercury is in the sign of Saturn, which is in the 8th house (dispositorship, which our readers are familiar with). Sometimes, Saturn in the 8th gives longevity when it is a good lord, but in this case, he is debilitated in the navamsa, is 8th from the Moon, has the Sun and Ketu in its sign, etc.
​
I always consider the transits of major planets, especially transits from the natal Moon, in making most predictions for the future. Mr. Harrison’s natal Moon is in Libra. At the time of his death in late November 2001, Saturn was in Taurus, which is 8th from his natal Moon, called “Shani-Ashtama;" Jupiter was 9th from his natal Moon, which is good, or a good year for a spiritual person to pass away in God-consciousness. The Sun was transiting 2nd from his natal Moon, which is not particularly good for health. The Moon itself had gone into its 8th transit at the time of his passing as well. (Note: transits from the natal Moon are doubly effective when the ascendant and the Moon tenant the same sign).
​
We might note that his Sun affliction from Rahu/Ketu and Saturn speaks volumes, as it is in the 5th house of fame and reputation. He never really relished the “Beatlemania” that he endured for many years. His life goal of God consciousness and self-realization became much more important to him, and while he continued his musical compositions, he spent much more time solo in his gardens, than on stage.
Let's take one more example of a life and yearly charts with a similar fate.
​
This chart has some weak combinations for longevity, such as the malefic Sun on the Ascendant being aspected by the 7th and 10th lord Jupiter (benefic planets owning two quadrants become somewhat malefic); the Moon, being with Saturn lord of the 8th, and under the aspect of Ketu from the 6th, while the Ascendant lord Mercury is also in a house of disease.
​
He went through his Sun mahadasha from ages 30-36, which weakened his health and professional career, and then he passed away at age 40 in the Moon dasha, Saturn bhukti.
Obviously, the Rahu - Ketu axis hits the Ascendant, and the Ascendant lord Mercury is in between the 8th and 12th lords (papakartari yoga). He died of a heart attack (generally a Sun problem) in the Mercury mudda Varshaphal dasha (Lord of two kendras). The waning Moon is in the 8th house as well.
​
In general, one can also say that Jupiter in the 8th house puts the planet of good fortune, in fact our best fortune, in its weakest place. His natal Moon was in Cancer. If we look to the transits, Saturn was transiting 6th from Cancer, as was the Sun; The Moon was over his Lunar Ascendant on that day, and Jupiter was transiting 9th from his natal Moon. So, the transits were not bad at all for him on that day; but overall, the life chart is not of great longevity, neither was the Moon mahadasha helpful to his health, nor was the Saturn bhukti. Of course, the Saturn - Moon conjunction is not highly desirable, at least from the material point of view.
Birth chart / varsha chart for JonBenét Ramsey.
In the life chart there are several reasons for death in childhood. One is that Rahu and the Moon, the planet of one’s childhood, were together; and both were in the sign of Saturn which tenants the 8th house. Secondly, she was in the Mars major period and Rahu sub-period. Mars is in the 12 house (of the end of life) and Rahu afflicts the Moon, Sun, and the Ascendant. Thirdly, she was born on a Sunday (Monday morning before sunrise) and her Sun planet is afflicted by the Rahu/Ketu axis and by Mars from the 12th house.
In her yearly chart, from August 1996 to August 1997, there will be obvious dangerous indications. When I bring up that yearly chart, the ruler of the chart, Venus, is together with malefic lord Mars, and, the Rahu period of the year, which is in the 12th house and influenced by Saturn and Mars, was in effect. Besides these, the Ascendant lord is also lord of 8; Saturn and Rahu influence the 8th and 12th houses, the important MUNTHA is in sign #8, etc. etc.
Regarding the transits at the time, Saturn was transiting the 12th house from her natal Moon (Sade-Sati), and Saturn was aspected by Mars, Rahu, and Ketu. Sade-sati is always to be noted, and it gives its’ weakest effects in the first 2 ½ years while Saturn is 12th from the Moon. The Sun was transiting the 9th house from her Moon, which diminishes one’s good fortune. Venus, the ruler of her life chart, was transiting 8th from her Moon. The Moon was in Ardra Nakshatra at the time, which is a star number 3, translated in all astrology books as danger, loses and accidents.
​
The most difficult thing to pinpoint is the time of death, but a good technique for accuracy in interpretation and prediction is to notice when a NUMBER of benefic or malefic influences are active at a certain time, or affecting a certain house of the horoscope.
POINT 4: The position of the SUN in the varsha chart is of obvious importance.
Considering the above three examples of varsha charts, we will see some affliction to the Sun in each case:
-
in case one, the Sun is in 6th house, aspected by Saturn, Mars and Rahu;
-
in case two, the Sun is lord of the 12th house and is with the 8th lord Mars;
-
and in case three, the Sun is the BADHAKA or tormentor for a Libra rising chart.
Of course, there are many considerations, but a principle I go by is that when numerous factors show up, you can make a prediction or conclusion.
In concluding I would like to offer worship to the King of planets, the Sun, who is not an empowered jiva soul but is representative of Lord Vishnu Himself; and ask our readers to consider the Sun’s position as extremely significant in all chart studies, especially in regards to varsaphal.