When you fall in love

They say “love is what love is”, as it can not be described by way of words. Yet, most of the historical legends, mythologies, poetry, plays, films, even monuments and icons revolve around the epicentre of love. Here, I am not talking about the love for god, divine being, nature, wisdom, celebrity, mentor, parent, progeny etc. Although, they all are different hues and shades of same state of heart and soul, but the focus of this article is love between two opposite sexes. Austere minds sometime label it carnal, erotic or base without understanding that man has been created with this instinct and emotion. It is peculiar in itself in numerous ways. One can not intentionally lit up love for a certain girl or boy. It happens when it is written.

Ishq par zor nahi, hai yeh wo aatish Ghalib

Kay laga’ay na lagay, aur bhujha’ay na bunay.

Ghalib, I can’t contend with love. It’s a fire

So dead I can’t light it, so hot I can’t put it out.

In ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic and Persian astrological discourses, love matters are considered from 5th house and beloved one is seen from 5th lord and Venus. In Indian astrological treatises, 5th house and 5th lord are not given that much significance for aforementioned affair. But again, ancient sages of India do consider 5th house as the abode of love, however not for the mundane or carnal love, but divine love: a love for creator or beloved deity, chanting the name of deity in love, reciting god’s name etc.

Nonetheless, both – Occidentals and Orientals – are agreed on the natural causative planet (karaka) of love between two sexes, which is none but Venus. On the other hand, jyotish canons explicitly mark 7th house and Venus for business of love, by the name of kama (desire or longing), lobha (cupidity) and mada (besides intoxication, it also means ardent passion and lust). There is another word in Sanskrit, “bandhu”, which is associated from 4th house of chart, and generally translated as relative, fast friend, or sometime beloved one. But it can not be termed girlfriend, boyfriend or spouse in modern parlance. Bandhu is any affectionate friend (whether blood relative, batch-mate, neighbour or coworker) who unconditionally supports you in good and bad time. Like in earlier tribal and agrarian life, kinsmen of one’s own clan, allies of one’s caste, or supporter relatives were called bandhu. Yet in anyway, love of bandhu is not the love between two sexes.

The concept of wife in earlier times, viz., kalatra, jaya, bharya, and yauna may now be translated as girlfriend or lover. Since the institution of marriage has revolutionized in 20th century. Until 19th century, most of the marriages were taken place at teen ages. But now in 21st century, males (especially urban dwellers) usually go for marriage near or after age 30, while females usually go for courtship after completing 25. However, in between adolescent and wedding, both male and female establish intimacy, which sometime results in wedlock and sometime not. Western society has now accepted premarital relation (sex before marriage) as part of culture. While in east, establishing premarital relations is still considered a wayward perhaps taboo. But emotional relationship (without physical liaison) has been becoming a common practice in metropolitan lives of eastern society. This typical behaviour entails importance of 7th house from Moon (both in male and female nativities). By 7th from natal Moon, one should not confuse with Moon as co-significator of wife and Sun as co-significator of husband. Mind that this notion of co-significatorship is more popular among practitioners of tropical zodiac. Conventional jyotish followers do not buy this theory. They simply entitle Venus as wife or girlfriend and Mars as husband or boyfriend. Some northern Indian jyotishis take Jupiter as husband while some nadi texts mark Venus+Mercury as girlfriend.

Apart from female partner or girl friend, “lobha” (means love, sexual desire, cupidity etc.) is again an exclusive jurisdiction of Venus both in male and female horoscopes. All astrological schools accept this attribute of Venus. It explains the way, how one falls in love. Placement of Venus in mooltrikona, swakshetra, or uccha (either in rasi or navamsa) surely yields a soul painted by eros and cupid. Aspect of Jupiter over such a Venus is indeed a gifted combination. R. Santhanam holds that retrogression of Venus (especially under aspect of Saturn) is ominous for enjoying inter-personal happiness. It sometime unearths deep rooted misunderstanding about intimacy and sometime produces love-hate relationship. This signature may entail failed affair in early life and later disturbed marital life. On the other hand, Moon in the sign of Venus, especially in Libra, reveals a mind highly sensitive towards love business. Interestingly, very few people are aware of the fact that English word “love” and Latin term “libido” are driven from Germanic word “liob” which itself taken from ancient Sanskrit term, “lubhaeti” or “lubhyati”. Lobh and lubhana being its derivatives are still in vogue in various vernaculars of Indian sub continent.

Some modern interpreters and practitioners suggest that relations between a girlfriend and a boyfriend, especially in western countries and eastern urbanized societies, should observe from 12th house (which stands for sexual relation) rather 7th house (which indicates legal marriage according to established social norms). Although it holds some weight but it can not be generalized for all lovers, since many a couples, even today, are not stimulated by mere sexual desires. However, short term cohabitation without wedlock may judge from 12th house. This is somewhat akin to Gandharva Vivah, one of the 8 kinds of marital relationships, Manu Smirti expounded.

Earlier scholars have also paid significant importance to 6th house for “sapatni”, (co-wife, fellow mistress) and pratiyuvati (concubine, courtesan). In present day context, sapatni should imply extramarital relations and sexual liaison with others, when one is already married. In female chart, 6th house indicates possibility of extramarital relations of her boyfriend or husband.

Followers of western astrology still rely on 5th and 11th houses for love and friendship respectively. However, traditional perhaps strict adherents of jyotish do not endorse this thesis. Despite, many modern Vedic astrologers have espoused this notion without any hesitation.

For friendship, difference of opinion on 4th and 11th houses is already described in earlier paragraphs. Interestingly enough, old jyotish scriptures opine to see 4th house for judging first place of intercourse in life as well as for mandap (wedding place). Nowadays it may imply place of date in general. Avoid dating, when a natural malefic, Moon or Sun transits 4th or 8th house (especially in vipat, pratyak or naidhana tara) from janma rasi (radical Moon).

Combinations of Love and Romance

Following are choice planetary combination in a natal horoscope that result in love affair. I have avoided giving long list of relevant yogas, as it often confuses the students and difficult to memorize. Secondly, most of the yogas (in available books and online blogs) generally focus marriages, late marriage, divorce, death of spouse etc. While western practitioners mainly bank upon sign placement of Venus rather sound applicable combinations. That’s why learners and amateurs do not easily find astrological aphorisms for love and romance. Here I’m presenting a few. Some of them are gathered from standard jyotish texts while rests are my observations.

1) Native will fall in love when in rasi or navamsa, Venus and Moon are mutually related by aspect or conjunction.

2) One will encounter a love affair, when Mercury and lunar nodes (Rahu/Ketu) are mutually related. Similar result matures when Mercury and Moon are sambandhi.

3) Without retrogression, should lord of 1st house in 7th house or lord of 7th house in 1st house: one will go for a love marriage.

4) Venus or its dispositor when aspected by Saturn generally shows prolonged longing with one person, whereas Venus conjoined Saturn often gives more than one liaison.

5) Lord of 7th with Venus or relation between dispositor of Venus and 7th house leads to falling in love.

6) If Venus is sambandi with Mars, or 1st lord is sambandi with 7th lord then native will be very passionate and may easily fall in love (However, Venus conjoined Mars is not a welcome combination for a happy relationship).

Combinations of Failed Affairs

7) When Venus is conjoined or aspected by Saturn, and neither 7th lord nor Venus gets shubh argala or shubh drishti, then a miserable end of intimacy is indicated. Moreover, pain of parting terribly hurts the native if Moon occupies in the navamsa of Venus or Saturn.

8) For male nativities, Venus in 12th or 6th house having aspect and association of at least two natural malefics; and for female nativities, Mars in 12th or 6th house having aspect and association of at least two natural malefics reveals failed affair as well as separation from spouse.

9) Lord of 7th or Venus in rasi/navamsa of Virgo and a malefic in Libra makes one bereft of true happiness in love. Even s/he may go for many relationships.

10) Saturn in planetary war with Venus and opposite to Moon; or Saturn in planetary war with Mars and opposite to Venus; or Venus in planetary with Mars and opposite to Moon, gives uncountable affairs and enormous breakups.

11) If AL and A7 are placed 6th-8th or 2nd-12th to each others; and malefics occupy in 2nd and 4th from UL then shortcoming in emotional relationship is indicated.

12) In male charts, Jupiter (without retrogression) be in 6th or 8th from afflicted Venus; and in female charts, Jupiter (without retrogression) be in 6th or 8th from afflicted Mars, results in failed relationship. However, such a Jupiter in retrogression gives partial happiness after initial failure.

Timing Love Affair

13) In natal chart, if Jupiter aspects/conjoins Venus or Mars (as the chart belongs to male or famle respectively), then during second guru-parayaya (age 13-24), transit of Jupiter over, opposite to trine to natal Venus or Mars produces emotional intimacy with opposite sex.

14) When Mercury and Lunar Nodes, or Mercury and Moon form love yoga in the natal chart, then transit of Jupiter, over, opposite to trine to these radical planet yields begining of love affair.

15) If Saturn aspects/conjoins Venus (both in natal charts of male and female) then, transit of Saturn over, opposite to trine to natal Venus brings beloved one in life.

Illustrations

Case 1

Moon with Mars in ascendant renders the native highly emotional, headlong and bit capricious. Lagnesh Jupiter, who is also the rasi dispositor of Moon and Mars, is casting its full aspect over Venus. And Venus is enjoying its mooltrikon by sitting in 11th-Libra. He is destined to experience love affair with opposite sex. Lord of 7th, Mercury in opposite to Rahu is a sure signature of involving in a liaison (see aphorism no. 2 above). In fact, his interrelationship developed with a coworker girl in Venus-Mercury period when Jupiter was transiting Virgo over natal Mercury. In navamsa chakra, Venus and Mercury are occupying together, while Saturn and Venus are strongly sambandhi by parivartana. So far, the affair has been going successfully without major impediments due to Jupiter’s full aspect over Venus as well as Jupiter’s occupation in 2nd from UL.

Case 2

Chart 2 belongs to a girl who is very passionate and emotional in love business, as Venus being lord of 7th is in lagna. Vargottam Venus in Scorpio is adding fuel to her sensuality and possessiveness. Moon and Venus are apparently not related, however, both are in sign of Mars. And on the other hand, Venus owns the navamsa occupied by Moon.

She fell in love with a young teacher in her academic life (Moon owns 9th house and occupies in the navamsa of 7th lord). Coincidently, this event happened during Moon-Venus period when Jupiter was transiting over natal Mars (a karaka for boyfriend in female chart). But it was a one-sided love from her end, and she could not get the due attention of her choice despite her full efforts spreading over many years. This ultimately resulted in extreme emotional turmoil and mental agony especially in Mars-Mars and Mars-Rahu periods. Unfortunately, 7th lord Venus is under full aspect of Saturn, Mars and Rahu, besides associated with Gulika and Mandi. Resultantly, she could not get due warmness in return (see aphorism no. 4 and 7).

Case 3

From material perspective, this is a very strong nativity. Native is highly educated and quite affluent and influential. But on emotional ground, planets do not promise love and comfort from opposite sex.

Venus and Mars are in opposition (although not exactly degree-wise, yet it) is a well known combination for love affair. Since 11th-Mercury and 12th-Venus are in parivartana therefore both planets are bound to yield each others results in their periods. Consequently, Venus gives additional results as if sitting in 11th (which is 7th from Moon) and Mercury gives additional effect as if sitting in 12th (i.e. 7th from Rahu). He experienced his first love perhaps close intimacy in Mercury-Rahu antardasa when transit Jupiter was moving in Taurus and Gemini. Because of enfeebled Venus and afflicted Moon, neither his affair, nor his two marriages could sustain. Note the presence of two malefics in 7th from Venus, and affliction to Moon due to debilitation and papakartariyoga by Saturn and Mars.

Case 4

Native of chart 4 is a very dynamic, enterprising and loyal man, as seen from Jupiter in langa, and lagna lord in 10th house with 9th and 10th lords. Apart from this yoga, he too had a long story of relationship with a teenager of entirely different cultural background. His chart fulfills combinations no. 4, 2 and 6, viz., Venus is aspected by Saturn, Moon is along with Mercury, and Venus is conjoined with Mars. Note that Mars is the lord of 7th from Venus and Saturn is the lord of 7th from ascendant.

Resultantly, he remained under spell of a girl’s charm. Saturn’s 3rd aspect over Venus usually gives a love affair spanning over many years. In fact his longing started in Mercury-Mercury. Presence of Jupiter in lagna makes him follower of social norms and customs. He never touched the girl, not to speak of establishing any physical liaison. Instead, he got the proper approval of girl’s parents, and they agreed. Nonetheless, wedding could take place since after few years girl herself declined him. At that fateful time native was going through Mercury-Rahu antardasa and Sade Sati as well. Venus with Mars under full aspect of Saturn often spoils the happiness from beloved one.

Case 5

Chart 5 illustrates a female who married twice and both times, “I love you” followed “I do”. Here again, not only aphorisms related to romance are present but also yogas for separations are pronouncedly existed.

Venus is sitting with 7th lord Saturn in the sign of Taurus. Similarly, Mercury in opposite to Rahu, and Moon with Mercury in 12th house, ensure manifestation of love affairs before marriage. She encountered her first love in Venus-Jupiter and wedded in Venus-Saturn antardasa. However, the said love marriage could hardly run for 10 years and she got divorced during Sun-Jupiter. Later, she established an intimacy with her aged boss and married to him during Sun-Mercury. But unfortunately, second marriage again proved a mirage for happiness. In fact, she had his pati karaka (Mars) in 12th house under the malefic influence of Rahu and Saturn. In the very 12th house, associated Moon is weak on account of lacking pakshabala and Mercury has lost its beneficence because of Ketu and Mars. Thus 12th house is completely ruined. Jupiter (who is itself chara dara karka) is placed in 8th from Venus and 6th from Mars and Moon. This is an unlucky signature that gives many ups and downs in relationship.

Case 6

This is a peculiar chart having many unique planetary signatures. Born with a silver spoon on February 20, 1900, she was the only daughter of an Indian business tycoon and granddaughter of Dinshaw Maneckji, who was the founder of modern cotton industry in India. Having splendid beauty and aesthetic taste, she was known as “the flower of Bombay” by the then elites of India. Exalted Venus in lagna having full aspect of lagna lord Jupiter explains the plenty of richness, flair for literature and gifted charisma. The auspiciousness of Venus and Jupiter upon lagna is multiplying, since Venus is the rasi dispositor of Moon and Jupiter is the navamsa dispositor of Moon. However, Rahu with Jupiter in 9th house generally yields deserting ancestral faith or dispute with family elders. She underwent both, because of her love.

In the summer of 1916, when she had just crossed her 16th year, she came across an articulate and affluent lawyer of Bombay, who was a friend of his father (observe, 7th lord Mercury is with 9th lord and pati-karaka Mars in 12th; astrologically, 12th house also rules parental kith and kin and friends of father). She fell in love with him (in first meeting), despite knowing that he was 23 years older than her and hailed from a different religious background. Jupiter-Saturn was running at that time. Saturn is in 10th house in rashi and aspecting pati-karaka Mars, 7th lord Mercury and 7th house Virgo. While in navamsa, Saturn sitting in 7th house reveals the age difference between girl and her would-be. Her father was against this inter-religious wedlock. But she only heeded to her heart and soon after turning 18 (legally independent), left her father, religion and parental home just to marry with her beloved one. At the time of her marriage (Friday, April 19, 1918), she was going through Jupiter-Saturn-Rahu as per vimshottari. All the three planets are self explanatory.

The initial years of marital life were happy and harmonious. But later, her husband got engaged in Indian politics and found no time for her. Yet, they never parted. Finding herself emotionally aloof, she got escaped in occult studies and joined Theosophical Society during Jupiter-Venus. Unfortunately, the chart does not promise much longevity (lord of lagna Jupiter is in the mouth of Rahu while both the marakas, Mercury and Mars, are under full aspect of Saturn). She died of stomach cancer on February 20, 1929 (when Jupiter-Rahu-Mercury was running). Coincidently, it was her 29th birthday. The beloved of the native was none but leading statesman Mohammad Ali Jinnah, whom she used to call J.