Hayanaratna: The Jewel of Annual Astrology

by Martin Gansten | 2020 | 195,046 words

This page relates ‘The Five Dignities (pancavargi)’ of the English translation of Balabhadra’s Hayaratna—a significant work within the realm of Indian astrology, particularly focused on the Tajika tradition, which adeptly intertwines ancient Indian and Perso-Arabic astrological knowledge. The Hayaratna acts as both an analytical commentary and a guidebook for practitioners keen on exploring horoscopic astrology, particularly the art of predicting annual occurrences (in Sanskrit known as Varshaphala) based on astrological calculations.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

5. The Five Dignities (pañcavargī)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Next, the five-dignity strength [pañcavargī-bala]. Its purpose is stated by Yādavasūri [in Tājikayogasudhānidhi 4.14]:

The strength [consisting in] knowledge of the twenty-point [scheme] cannot come to be without the five-dignity strength. Therefore I shall describe the arrangement of the five dignities.

And in the Tājikālaṃkāra [it is said]:

Because it is not possible to establish the ruler of the year without a knowledge of strength, I shall describe the method of the five dignities for knowing the strength of the planets [starting] from the sun in [different] years.

Samarasiṃha states the five dignities [in the Tājikaśāstra]:

Domicile, exaltation, haddā, triplicity and musallaha are the five dignities of the planets. Without dignity, a planet is not strong.

The domicile rulers [to be used] for that purpose are stated by Vāmana:

Mars, Venus, Mercury, the moon, the sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Saturn and Jupiter are the rulers of [the signs] beginning with Aries.

Table of sign rulerships:

Ruler
(swāmi)
Sun
(sūrya)
Moon
(candra)
Mars
(maṅgala)
Mercury
(budha)
Jupiter
(guru)
Venus
(śukra)
Saturn
(śani)
Sign 5 4 1 3 9 2 10
      8 6 12 7 11


Next, the signs of exaltation and fall for the planets, [and] their [degrees of] highest exaltation, are stated by Yādava [in Tājikayogasudhānidhi 4.16]:

Aries, Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo, Cancer, Pisces and Libra are the exaltations of the planets beginning with the sun. Ten, three, twenty-eight, fifteen, five, twenty-seven and twenty, [respectively], are their highest degrees; [the signs] in the seventh from their respective [exaltations] are their [signs of ] fall.[1]

Planet
(graha)
Exaltation
(ucca)
Fall
(nīca)
Sun (sūrya) 0, 10 6, 10
Moon (candra) 1, 3 7, 3
Mars (maṅgala) 9, 28 3, 28
Mercury (budha) 5, 15 11, 15
Jupiter (guru) 3, 5 9, 5
Venus (śukra) 11, 27 5, 27
Saturn (śani) 6, 20 0, 20


The rulers of the haddās within the signs [are listed] in Saṃjñātantra [1.33–38]:

In Aries, six, six, eight, five and five degrees belong to Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Mars and Saturn, [respectively]; in Taurus, eight, six, eight, five and three degrees are the haddās ruled by Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars; in Gemini, six, six, five, seven and six degrees are the haddās of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn; in Cancer, seven, six, six, seven and four degrees belong to Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn; in Leo, six, five, seven, six and six degrees are the haddās of Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Mercury and Mars; in Virgo, seven, ten, four, seven and two degrees are ruled by Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn; in Libra, six, eight, seven, seven and two degrees are the haddās of Saturn, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Mars; in Scorpio, seven, four, eight, five and six degrees belong to Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn; in Sagittarius, twelve, five, four, five and four [degrees] belong to Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Mars and Saturn; in Capricorn, seven, seven, eight, four and four [degrees] hold the haddās of Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mars; in Aquarius, seven, six, seven, five and five degrees belong to Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn; in Pisces, twelve, four, three, nine and two [degrees] belong to Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn.[2]

Table of haddās:

Aries (meṣa) Jupiter 6 Venus 6 Mercury 8 Mars 5 Saturn 5
Taurus (vṛṣabha) Venus 8 Mercury 6 Jupiter 8 Saturn 5 Mars 3
Gemini (mithuna) Mercury 6 Venus 6 Jupiter 5 Mars 7 Saturn 6
Cancer (karkaṭa) Mars 7 Venus 6 Mercury 6 Jupiter 7 Saturn 4
Leo (siṃha) Jupiter 6 Venus 5 Saturn 7 Mercury 6 Mars 6
Virgo (kanyā) Mercury 7 Venus 10 Jupiter 4 Mars 7 Saturn 2
Libra (tulā) Saturn 6 Mercury 8 Jupiter 7 Venus 7 Mars 2
Scorpio (vṛścika) Mars 7 Venus 4 Mercury 8 Jupiter 5 Saturn 6
Sagittarius (dhanus) Jupiter 12 Venus 5 Mercury 4 Mars 5 Saturn 4
Capricorn (makara) Mercury 7 Jupiter 7 Venus 8 Saturn 4 Mars 4
Aquarius (kumbha) Mercury 7 Venus 6 Jupiter 7 Mars 5 Saturn 5
Pisces (mīna) Venus 12 Jupiter 4 Mercury 3 Mars 9 Saturn 2


Next, the triplicity rulers are described in the Tājikālaṃkāra:

In Aries, Mars, the sun and Venus; in Taurus, they are Mercury, the moon and Saturn; in the sign of Gemini, Jupiter, Mars and the sun; in Cancer, Venus, Mercury and the moon are assigned; in Leo, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars; in Virgo, they are the sun, Venus and Mercury; in Libra, the moon, Saturn and Jupiter; then in Scorpio, Mars, the sun and Venus; Mercury, the moon and Saturn in Sagittarius; in Capricorn, Jupiter, Mars and the sun; in Aquarius they are said to be Venus, Mercury and the moon; and in Pisces, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars are designated by true astrologers as rulers of the decans.[3]

Table of decans:

  10 degrees 20 degrees 30 degrees
Aries (meṣa) Mars Sun Venus
Taurus (vṛṣabha) Mercury Moon Saturn
Gemini (mithuna) Jupiter Mars Sun
Cancer (karkaṭa) Venus Mercury Moon
Leo (siṃha) Saturn Jupiter Mars
Virgo (kanyā) Sun Venus Mercury
Libra (tulā) Moon Saturn Jupiter
Scorpio (vṛścika) Mars Sun Venus
Sagittarius (dhanus) Mercury Moon Saturn
Capricorn (makara) Jupiter Mars Sun
Aquarius (kumbha) Venus Mercury Moon
Pisces (mīna) Saturn Jupiter Mars


The triplicity rulers are concisely described in Saṃjñātantra [1.30]:

The first ones beginning with Mars, the middle ones [counted] from the sun, and the third ones from Venus: [these] are the rulers of the decans [counted] from Aries.[4]

Haribhaṭṭa Daivajña describes the triplicity rulers very concisely:[5]

The rulers of the decans [are found] from the sign with two, nil or five added, when reduced by multiples of seven.

That is, here [the number of ] the current sign should be known. The current sign should be added to two in the first decan, added to nil in the second decan, and added to five in the third decan. When reduced by multiples of seven, [the resulting number counted] from the sun becomes the ruler of the decan.[6]

The musallahas are described in the Tājikaratnamālā:

The musallahas of the [signs] beginning with Aries begin with Aries, Capricorn, Libra and Cancer, [repeating three times].

The same is clearly stated by Yādavasūri [in Tājikayogasudhānidhi 4.6]:

Aries, Sagittarius and Leo are said to begin with Aries; Scorpio, Cancer and Pisces [are counted] from Cancer; Aquarius, Gemini and Libra are considered to begin with Libra; Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo begin with Capricorn.

These rulers of the musallahas are described quite differently in the Tājikabhūṣaṇa, the Tājikālaṃkāra and so on, [as here in Tājikabhūṣaṇa 1.31]:

The sun, Jupiter and Saturn; Venus, the moon and Mars; Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter; Venus, Mars and the moon: [these are] the rulers of the musallahas from Aries, from Leo, [and] from Sagittarius, by day, by night, and at both [times].

[But] this is not agreeable, for those are the triplicity rulers described by Samarasiṃha [in the Tājikaśāstra]31 for determining the ruler of the year, not the rulers of the musallahas:

The triplicity rulers of the four [signs] beginning with Aries are the sun, Venus, Saturn and Venus by day; Jupiter, the moon, Mercury and Mars by night; and, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter and the moon at all times.

That these triplicity rulers are described according to division by day and night only for the sake of [ascertaining] the ruler of the year is declared in Saṃjñātantra [1.61]:

The triplicity rulers are described according to division by day and night for the sake of [ascertaining] the ruler of the year.

Therefore, the musallaha rulers are only the rulers of the ninth-parts previously described here. And [Tājikayoga]sudhānidhi [4.25] says:

And the ninth-part is called musallaha in the Tājika school.

And in the Tājikatilaka:

The rulers of the ninth-parts are always called the rulers of the musallahas by Khindika, Romaka and so on.

And in Tājikamuktāvali-ṭippaṇī 1.15:

[Those] who say that the rulers of the ninth-parts are rulers of the musallahas are versed in the doctrine of Khindika according to [his] school.[7]

Next, Yādava describes the results of the five dignities [in Tājikayogasudhānidhi 4.26]:

The fivefold position arising from one’s own domicile and so on is good; that produced by malefics and enemies is evil; that produced by friends and so on gives middling results. I shall describe the calculation of exact strength.

Thus the places [of the five dignities] for knowing the strength of a planet have been described first.

Now, the Grahajñābharaṇa describes how much strength [a planet gains] in each place:

There will be thirty [points] in its domicile, twenty when it is exaltated, fifteen in its own haddā, ten in its decan, five in its ninth-part. [The points] thus are eighty; divided by four, they become the twenty-point strength.

Next, the division of strength in the table of friendships taking the form of friends, neutrals and enemies is described in Saṃjñātantra [1.40]:

The strength assigned to each dignity of [the planet] itself is less by a quarter in the sign of a friend, half in the sign of a neutral, a quarter in the sign of an enemy. Calculating the strength thus and dividing the sum by four, [a planet] with less than five [points is considered] weak.

The calculation of exaltation strength is described by Vāmana:

The [longitude of the] planet is subtracted from its [degree of ] fall [and the result] subtracted from the circle [if it is] greater than six signs. The degrees of the remainder, divided by nine, becomes its strength of exaltation.

Here is a verse of my own on this matter:

The distance between the [degree of ] fall and the planet should be measured so that it is less that six signs: a ninth of those degrees is the exact exaltation strength in the Tājika [school].

The planet should be subtracted from the [degree of] fall, or the [degree of ] fall subtracted from the planet, so that less than six signs remain after subtraction. The degrees of that [distance], divided by nine, will be the exaltation strength.

Next, the division of strength in the table of friendships taking the form of great friends, friends, neutrals, enemies and great enemies is described in the Tājikatilaka:

The points assigned when a planet occupies its own place in each dignity is less by one quarter in the place of a great friend, less by half when occupying the place of a friend, less by three quarters when occupying a neutral place; it measures one eighth when occupying the domicile of an enemy, and one sixteenth when occupying the place of a great enemy: this is the strength by dignity. The strength by dignity added to the exaltation strength as [previously] derived is thus the [total] strength.

The strength in the table of friendships taking the form of friends and enemies is described in Paddhati[bhūṣaṇa 30]:

In [a planet’s] domicile, a friend’s or an enemy’s sign, [its] strength is thirty, fifteen and seven and a half, [respectively]. In [their respective] haddā, [the strength is] half of each; a third in the decan; and a sixth in the [ninth]-part.

‘In the part’ [means] in the ninth-part. This is described clearly in Tājikasāra [74–75]:

Thirty points in [the planet’s] own domicile, fifteen points in the house of its own friend, seven and a half points in an enemy’s sign; fifteen points in its own thirtieth-part, seven and a half points in the thirtieth part of its own friend, four less by a quarter in the place of an enemy; ten points in its own third, five in that of a friend, but two and a half in the decan of an enemy; five in its own ninth-part, two and a half points in a ninth-part of one’s own friend, but half of that in [the ninth-part of ] an enemy.[8]

[Continuing from Paddhatibhūṣaṇa 31:]

The measure of strength comprises one fourth of the sum of these.[9] When the strength exceeds ten, [the planet is] strong; when it is less than five, [the planet is] weak.

  Own (sva) Friendly (mitra) Neutral (sama) Inimical (śatru)
Domicile strength (gṛhabala) 30 22;30 15 7;30
Haddā strength (haddābala) 15 11;15 7;30 3;45
Decan strength (dreṣkāṇabala) 10 7;30 5 2;30
Musallaha strength (mussalahabala) 5 3;45 2;30 1;15


This is a table of strengths in the fivefold friendship scheme:

  Domicile (gṛha) Haddā Decan (dreṣkāṇa) Ninth-part (navāṃśa)
Own (sva) 30 15 10 5
Great friend (adhimitra) 22;30 11;15 7;30 3;45
Friend (mitra) 15 7;30 5 2;30
Neutral (sama) 7;30 3;45 2;30 1;15
Enemy (śatru) 3;45 1;52 1;15 0;37
Great enemy (adhiśatru) 1;45 0;56 0;37 0;18


And tabular strengths in a friendship [scheme] in the form of friends and enemies:

  Own (sva) Friend’s (mitra) Enemy’s (śatru)
Domicile (gṛha) 30 15 7;30
Decan (dreṣkāṇa) 15 7;30 3;45
Haddā 10 5 2;30
Ninth-part (navāṃśa) 5 2;30 1;15


Regarding this, Vāmana says that the five dignities should be applied to the ascendant as well:

Exaltation, ninth-part, haddā, domicile and decan: these are declared as the five dignities for the planets and the ascendant.

Now, for the sake of judging the strength of the ruler of the year, the ruler of the period and so on, the definitions of a powerless [planet] and so on by divisions of the twenty-point strength is stated in Tājikasāra[10] :

With [up to] five [out of] twenty points, a planet is declared to be powerless; with up to ten, middling; with up to fifteen, excellent; and with twenty, producing happiness and wealth.

Objection: no planet can attain a strength of twenty in the twenty-point scheme, [which may be proved] as follows: although the sun posited in Aries attains the strength of exaltation and so on, a deficiency amounting to two and a half points still necessarily results according to the proportions of strength based on the distinction between friendly, neutral and enemy signs and so on, because [the sun] is absent from its domicile. This being so, its strength is seventeen and a half points. [Likewise], although the sun posited in Leo attains the strength of domicile, still, by the deficiency in exaltation strength due to [the sun] being absent from its sign of exaltation, [its] strength will be sixteen points, not twenty points.

Moreover, although Mercury in the fifteenth degree of Virgo attains both full domicile strength and exaltation strength, yet the full strengths of haddā, decan and ninth-part are not possible [to attain], because the haddā of Mercury is the first six degrees of Virgo; the decan of Mercury is the last third [of Virgo]; and the ninth-part of Mercury is the last three degrees and twenty minutes [of Virgo].[11] If we take the last ninth-part of Virgo, then [Mercury] attains full strength of domicile, decan and own ninth-part; but according to the adage ‘Seeking one thing, one loses another’, the exaltation strength is somewhat reduced, and the strength of haddā and so on is likewise diminished, as [Mercury] will occupy the place of a friend and so on.[12] Therefore, [Mercury’s] maximum strength by any calculation would amount to eighteen points; [there is] no strength amounting to twenty points. And for other [planets], because their domiciles and exaltations are different [signs], the strength would certainly be less than twenty points.

Concerning this, some [say that] a planet should be understood to have full strength if the total of the strengths [arising from] the five dignities, the twelve dignities, and the places of joy, divided by three, amounts to twenty points.

And Yādava says [in Tājikayogasudhānidhi 4.40]:

If the total of the strengths produced by the twelve dignities, the five dignities, and the places of joy, divided by three, is twenty, the planet has full strength. Middling [strength] and so on [should be determined] by proportions of strength.

But enough of digression. For the purpose of knowing the results of periods, then, [a planet] with less than five points of strength is powerless; one whose strength amounts to [exactly] five points has little strength; one whose strength is greater than five [points] is of middling strength; and one whose strength is greater than ten [points] has full strength. But for the purpose of knowing the results of the ruler of the year, [a planet] whose strength amounts to six points has little strength; one whose strength is greater than six points is of middling strength; and one whose strength is greater than twelve points has full strength.

This is clearly described by Hillāja:

A planet with less than five points has no strength; one with five points of strength is declared to be of little strength; one with more than five [points of ] strength has middling strength; one with more than ten [points of ] strength has full strength. The results of the ruler of the year should be known by a threefold division.

This concludes the general arrangement of the five dignities [sāmānya-pañcavargī-balas-ādhana].

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Again, the planets are counted in the standard Indian order of the days of the week. The highest exaltation of the sun at 10° Aries is the classical Indian figure, probably due to a corruption in the early transmission; the Hellenistic and Perso-Arabic traditions have 19° Aries. See Pingree 1978 II: 220 f. with the additional remarks in Gansten 2018: 171; cf. also Heilen 2015: 713–717, Brennan 2017: 242–248.

[2]:

With two exceptions, this list corresponds to the standard version of the so-called Egyptian terms; cf. Ptol. Tetr. I 21. The exceptions are the terms of Venus and Jupiter in Gemini, the order of which has been reversed, and likewise the terms of Mars and Saturn in Sagittarius. In neither case could the order be changed without intrusive emendation to the received text of Nīlakaṇṭha’s work.

[3]:

For the confusion introduced here concerning triplicities, decans and ninth-parts, see the Introduction and Gansten 2018.

[4]:

The meaning of this terse formula is that the rulers of the first decans (0°–10°) of the twelve zodiacal signs, beginning with Aries, follow in the Indian planetary order (based on the days of the week) counted from Mars. The rulers of the middle decans (10°–20°) of the same signs follow in the same order counted from the sun, and the rulers of the last decans (20°–30°), counted from Venus.

[5]:

I have not been able to locate this stanza in available independent witnesses of the Tājikasāra.

[6]:

The order of the planets is once more that of the days of the week.

[7]:

This somewhat awkward translation reflects the reading of the earlier text witnesses of the Hāyanaratna (B N G), presumably that followed by Balabhadra. Other text witnesses, as well as independent MSS of the Tājikamuktāvaliṭippaṇī, support the more plausible and grammatical reading: ‘Those who say that the rulers of the ninth-parts are rulers of the musallahas are not versed in the doctrine of Khindika.’ This, however, contradicts Balabhadra’s argument as well as the preceding quotation.

[8]:

The Graeco-Arabic terms (Sanskritized as haddā) are here designated by the word triṃśāṃśa ‘thirtieth-part’, otherwise used for the pre-Islamic Indian version of the terms. As both types of terms are actually divisions of a sign into five unequal parts, the designation ‘thirtieth-part’ probably reflects the commonly used Greek synonym μοῖραι ‘degrees’, a degree being a thirtieth of a sign.

[9]:

A play on words: pramāṇikā ‘comprising’ is also the name of the metre used.

[10]:

The verses in this paragraph are in śloka metre.

[11]:

All text witnesses agree on the reading ‘six degrees’, although it was established above (in agreement with most Greek and Arabic versions) that the terms of Mercury extend over the first 7° of Virgo. There are actually two navāṃśas or ninth-parts of Mercury in Virgo: 13°20′–16°40′ and 26°40′–30°00′.

[12]:

Mercury would then be in the terms of Saturn rather than in its own terms.

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