Graha Yuddha or Planetary Wars

Warlike situations occur, every now and then, in different parts of the world. Those suffering
from war-phobia are forever anxious to know when the much dreaded Third world war is
likely to break out. Any assurance that it may not take place at all in the near future may not
put their anxiety to rest. Their next question would be: Will there be any Yuddha in the near
future between India and Pakistan or China?
Perhaps, for such war-obsessed people, it may be comforting to know that it is not only
nations which fight amongst themselves but also planets. When that happens, it is
called Graha Yuddha.
When there is such a fight between two planets one will emerge as a victor. Though in
general, most astrologers do not ascribe much importance to this phenomenon. Prasna
Marga advices us to give importance to planetary war as well while trying to draw results.
Graha Yuddha has nothing to do with war but is only a peculiar astronomical phenomenon.
Occasionally when two planets are in conjunction and the distance between them becomes
less than a degree, it is called Graha Yuddha in astrological parlance. A special point to be
noted is that the Sun and the Moon, the luminaries, do not get involved in such fights as also
Rahu and Ketu, the Tamo Grahas. Only the five Tara Grahas, (non-luminaries) Mercury,
Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn can enter into such fights.
The ancient astrological treatises ascribe a range of results for such an occurrence and felt
that the close conjunction of any two celestial bodies, other than the luminaries, could affect
their luster, splendor and efficacy. Their natural inference was that such situations could
harm the humans and nations. These mutual dispositions between the planets are considered
for calculating Chestabala. In natal horoscopy, the defeated planet in this war, will be
incapable of producing any beneficial results. In other words it can become rather
inauspicious.
Graha Yuddha occurs when two Tara Grahas have the same longitude but their latitudes need
not be the same. However, the planet, which lies to the north of the other will always emerge
the victor. According to Paulisa, the condition gets reversed for Venus. Venus becomes
victorious when on the southern side of the other planet.
Graha Yuddha can take place at least in three ways.
I) both the planets involved can be on the northern side of the ecliptic or with north latitudes.
In such a situation the planet with greater latitude will become the winner.
II) Both can be on the southern side of the ecliptic or with having southern latitudes. Then
the planet having the lesssouthern latitude becomes the winner. In other words the planet that
is posited more towards the north, with reference to the other, will always be the winner.
III) One of the planets can be on the northern side, with north latitude and the other on the
southern side with south latitude. In such cases, the planet that goes to the north side will
win.
Sripati Paddhati after discussing the calculation of Ayanabala of the planets digresses to
mention how the planetary war modifies the normal calculation of the strength of the planets
making the winner gain in strength by a specified quantum and the defeated one lose that
much. This portion is determined by dividing the difference of their originally calculated
strength by the difference of their latitudes. In other words the defeated planet loses a portion
of its originally calculated strength, because of its defeat in the fight. Declination of the
planets has no say in this. What matters is only the latitude of the planets.
Brihat Samhita deals with Grahabhakti Yoga and Graha Yuddha, which can be of interest in
mundane astrology. When a planet is defeated in the Yuddha, it means only that it becomes
incapable of bestowing any benefic effects or capable of inflicting serious harm. This
Yuddha can prolong for a period of minimum of a day, or if a slow moving planet is
involved, it can even extend up to a month or two.
Astronomically, planets have two coordinates to locate their position, namely, the longitude
and latitude. The longitude of any planet is measured along the ecliptic. The latitude is the
distance of the planet from the ecliptic. It can be either to the north or to the south of it. It
may be noted that for astrological predictions, the latitude of any planet is rarely employed.
Situations of close proximity between any planet and the Sun also occur frequently. Then the
Sun and the concerned planet will be in the same longitude. It is called combustion
or astangatha. The planet in combustion will become powerless under the great luminosity
of the Sun. But while dealing with Mercury it should be kept in mind that, even combust
Mercury can give auspicious results with reference to education. Similarly a combust Venus
can produce great saints, subject to other specific conditions.
On the other hand when the Moon and any planet get the same longitude, such a situation is
called Samagama.The latitudes of the concerned celestial bodies need not be the same. A
conjunction of any planet with the Moon is a source of strength. The conjunction with Rahu
or Ketu for all the planets, including the Sun and the Moon, is deemed an affliction.
However, when their latitudes also become the same, the Moon will hide the planet’s disc
and this astronomical phenomenon is called occultation.
Brihat Samhita states that there are four types of planetary war, namely, Bheda, Ullekha,
Amsumardana and Apasavya.

Due to proximity of planetary longitude,

Four types of planetary war are possible – Bheda, Ullekha, Amsumardana and Apasavya.
This is clearly mentioned by ancient sages like Parasara.
Now let us try to understand these four types of planetary war.
Bheda • When two planets appear to have the same direction of movement on account of
overlapping, they fight in Bheda (occultation). In this case the planet nearer to us on earth
completely obstructs the farther one. This is also known by the name Chadanam
(occultation).
Ullekha • When the rims of two planetary paths touch each other but do not overlap, it is
called Ullekha. In other words, when the graha- bimbas (discs) of planets seem to touch each
other (sparsha) it is Ullekha and is also known by the name Rodhanam (obstruction).
Amsumardana • When the rays of the two planets appear to clash each other, it is termed
Amsumardana. Another name for this kind of planetary war is Kirana sanghatana (clash or
rays) and yet another name is Rasmi-mardana (clash of rays)
Apasavya • When a planet’s disc, covering the other moves south (in the opposite direction,
in retrograde motion), Apasavya occurs also known as Aasavya.
Such detailed classification is especially useful in mundane astrology more than in natal
horoscopy. Brihat Samhitasays that when a Bheda (occultation) type of warfare takes place
there will be failure of rains and discord amongst friends and big families or kings will have
problems as it can cause clashes between large tribes (mahakulas) and presumably affect
prominent citizens. When Ullekha (grazing) type of war occurs, there can be danger from
clashes (implying wars or civil disturbances), and ministers will be at loggerheads with
themselves and with the king (a prime minister or the President). There can be food scarcity
or a famine like situation. Amsumardana (clashing of rays) can create wars amongst nations
and people may suffer from disease and poverty. With Apasavya there will be fights between
the ruling classes (within or the country or outside) and it can create warlike situations.
Of the about fifty-one types of Yuddhas mentioned in the texts, the three prominent ones are
Bheda, Ullekha and Amsumardhana. Definitions differ for the other two, Apasavya and
Yuddham. Apasavyam in planetary war is Asavyam yuddham and some define it as a
situation of nearness that arises when one of the planets has direct motion and the other,
retrograde. Some take the Yuddham as a situation that arises when the planets are within a
degree. They reckon the Graha Yuddha as soon as the planets come close to each other
within five degrees or less.
All these detailed classifications, can come under a simplified rule. If any two planets (other
than the luminaries and Nodes) are within one degree of each other, they can be deemed to
be in Graha Yuddha.
Then, can one find out from the planetary positions in a chart, whether a Graha Yuddha is
over or due to happen?
When two planets are in the same Rasi and if one planet has more longitude than the other
slow-moving planet, then we can assume that the Yutikala (same longitude) has ended or the.
planetary war is already over.
If the slow moving planet has more longitude than the fast moving planet then we can
assume that the Yutikala (same longitude) is yet to happen or the planetary war yet to take
place. For this one must understand the different planetary velocities. The Moon is the fastest
of the lot. Then comes Mercury followed by Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn which
is the slowest.
It is clear that the general effects caused by such planetary wars have to be declared as
ordained with the ruler-ships of the concerned planets while adjudging nativities. The
inference is that the more a planet is stricken, the greater will be its tendency to harm. So
while considering the various Yogas caused by planets, it must be remembered that the
prominent planet causing Yoga, if it gets defeated in Graha Yuddha can not only fail to bring
the good effects of the Yoga but also can even become ominous. This factor can also be
deemed to affect the Dasa results, even though explicit assertions in texts are conspicuous by
their absence.
Venus declared victor with southern declination by the special rule becomes victor with a
northern declination also, in the general rule, with the result that it becomes the victor
always. The determination of the victor based on the greater orb of the planet involved in the
fight can make it the winner even if it has southern latitude. Methods to decide the victor,
when the two planets get identical latitudes or when three or more get into the fray, are
conspicuous by their absence. Such points require deep study and research. •