In Vedic astrology there are methods which especially in this age of
computers can give a quick insight in the state of planets and houses.
One such method is treated here. This is the method of Shadbala. It
gives a value to each planet. The more points a planet gets in
Shadbala the stronger it is.

It is important to have some insight in how the Shadbala value is
calculated. Only if you know the method followed by this system of
calculation you can have an opinion about the value of it.

When you started the first course you were given a printout of your
chart. In this printout you see an overview of the Shadbala
calculations. Now I will explain these. There are slight variances on
how Shadbala is calculated. In this course I will follow the method of
the late B.V. Raman as explained in his book \u2018graha and bhava balas\u2019.
If you use Haydn\u2019s Jyotish and you want to follow B.V. Raman\u2019s
method go to the options menu and select \u2018B.V.Raman\u2019 under
Shadbala style.

It is possible that other astrologers in the future will develop their own
version of Shadbala. Personally I welcome new and innovative
approaches. However, before we can develop something new we
should exactly know how the traditional system works. I would
suggest you have the printout of the Shadbala calculation of your
personal chart in front of you while I explain the calculations. This
makes it much easier to follow the explanations.

We start with calculating the sthana bala of a planet. This is the
positional strength of a planet. Sthana Bala consists of five
components:

that in Vedic Astrology all planets have exact degrees of
exaltation. Like the Moon is exalted at 3 degrees Taurus. When a
planet occupies it exact degree of exaltation the planet gets 60
Shashtiamsas (Shashtiamsas are points). When it occupies the
opposite point, its exact point of fall, it does not get any
Shashtiamsas. Of course most of the time a planet will occupy a
position somewhere in between these points. In that case the
points that it will get will be calculated according to its position
from the point of exaltation and fall. Example: The Moon at 3
degrees Scorpio will get 0 Shashtiamsas. The Moon at 3 degrees

will have to look at the following seven harmonic charts: Rasi,
Hora, Drekkana, Saptamsa, Navamsa, Dwadasamsa and
Trimsamsa. In all these charts we look at what kind of sign a
certain planet is located. If a planet occupies in theras hic hart its
Moolatrikona sign it gets 45 Shashtiamsas (this is a special rule
for the rashi chart only), if it is in its own sign (of whatever
varga) it gets 30 Shashtiamsas, in the sign of a great friend 22.5
Shashtiamsas, in the sign of a friend 15 Shashtiamsas, in a
neutral sign 7.5 Shashtiamsas, in the sign of an enemy 3.75
Shashtiamsas and in the sign of a great enemy 1.875
Shashtiamsas. The concept of friends and enemies has been
explained in the first course. This is one of the most important
parts of Shadbala because Saptavargaja bala can give a lot of
Shashtiamsas.

gains strength because it is in an even or uneven sign or
navamsa. The Moon and Venus get 15 Shashtiamsas when they
are in an even sign. These planets also get 15 Shastiamsas when
they are in an even navamsa. In totality the Moon or Venus may
gain 30 Shashtiamsas if they are located in an even sign AND
even navamsa. The reason behind this is that the Moon and
Venus are female planets and are strong when they are in
female (even) signs or navamsas. Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury
and Saturn get 15 Shastiamsas when they are in an uneven
sign. They also can get 15 Shashtiamsas when they are in an
uneven navamsa. These planets are male or neutral and are
strong in male (uneven) signs.

Shashtiamsas, a planet in the house 2,5,8 or 11 gets 30
Shashtiamsas, a planet in the house 3,6,9 or 12 gets 15
Shashtiamsas. The reasoning is that planets in kendrahouses can
easily express themselves and are therefore strong.

masculine planets (Sun, Jupiter and Mars), neutral planets
(Saturn and Mercury) and female planets (Venus and the Moon).
If a male planet is in the first drekkana (0-10 degrees) of
whatever sign it gets 15 Shashtiamsas. If a neutral planet is in
the middle drekkana of whatever sign (that means it is located
between 10-20 degrees of whatever sign) it gets 15
Shashtiamsas. If a female planet is located in the last drekkana
(the last 10 degrees) of whatever sign it gets 15 Shashtiamsas.

The reasoning is that the first drekkana of each sign is good for
male planets, the middle drekkana for neutral planets and the
last drekkana for female planets.

Now we have to add up all the Shashtiamsa values. The result is the
total Sthana Bala. You are in the priviliged position that you do not
have to calculate all this by hand. You can see it on the computer
printout. When you know what the different strengths and weaknesses
mean you can easily assess the strengths and weaknesses of your
chart just by looking at the Shadbala printout.

This principle has similarities with the principle of Ocha Bala. Only now
the decisive factor is not the location of the planet in a certain sign,
but in a certain house.

Each planet is powerful when it is located in a certain direction. Dig
Bala means directional strength. The Sun and Mars are powerful in the
South. These are planets which function especially well in the tenth
house (the tenth house is the Southern part of the sky). Saturn is
given maximum Dig Bala when it is in the West, the seventh house.
Moon and Venus get maximum Dig Bala when the are in the North
(fourth house). Mercury and Jupiter function well in the first house
(the East).

A reason for this is that the morning is a great time for studying and
learning. That is why Mercury and Jupiter, planets which have to do
with studying and learning, are strong during that time of day (at that
time the Sun is near the ascendant).

Moon and Venus are soft planets which function good during the time that is meaned for sleeping and making love (at midnight the Sun is in the fourth house).

A planet gets maximum Dig Bala when it is in middle of the bhava
(house) where it functions especially well. If for example the Moon is
located right in het middle of the fourth house he gets maximum Dig