Prasna Timing Methods

Prasna Timing Methods: From Prasna Marga Prasna is an very important aspect of Jyotish as it helps in deciphering the changes to the experiences of a person depending on the changes to the Karma shown by the Birth Horoscope. While at any point of time, the Birth horoscope indicate multitude of events, Prasna helps in narrowing down the options. In my view, no horoscope reading should be done without employing Prasna. One important aspect of Prasna is to time the occurrence of an event such as Marriage, Childbirth etc. In the following stanzas given are the methods used by Traditional Astrologers, including Varahamihira, which are different from the Tajika Methods. Navamsa Elapsed by Lagna lord Prasna Marga 14.81. The time of fructification is to be known by multiplying the time-periods allotted to the different planets as Ayana, Kshana, etc., by the number of Navamsas gained by the planet in the Rasi. Different grahas are allocated different time-periods in the Jyotish classics. They are: 1. Kshana or Muhurtha (48 Min): Chandra 2. Vara or Vasara (Weekdays): Mangal 3. Paksha (14 days): Shukra 4. Masa (1 month): Guru 5. Rtu or Season (2 months): Budha 6. Ayana (6 months): Surya 7. Varsha (1 year): Shani Suppose at the moment of Prasna, Guru’s Lagna is rising and Guru occupies 18th Degree. This means that Guru is occupying 6th Navamsa. Guru’s period is 1 month. Thus the event is likely happen in 6 months time. Navamsa Elapsed by Navamsa Lagna lord Prasna Marga 14.82. The period indicated by the lord of Lagna Navamsa, multiplied by the number of Navamsas traversed by the said lord gives the time of fructification. Suppose Shani’s Navamsa Lagna is rising at the moment of Prasna. If Shani is in 4th degree, which is 2nd Navamsa. Shani’s period is 1 year. This means that the event can happen in the 2nd year.

When the Rasi and Navamsa Lagna shows different results such as 1 year vs. 4 years, which one will predominate. This actually depends on the question and the other yogas in the Prasna chart. If the Prasna chart shows favourable results due to strong Lagna, Karya Bhava, Karyesha and Karaka, the event may happen within the lesser timeframe. Sometimes it depends on the nature of the Prasna and the Dasa/ Gochara in operation. For instance, if the Dasa and Gochara shows a change of job at the end of a year, while the Prasna shows two possibilities, 1 month vs. 1 year, the off-course the 1 year will be a valid conclusion. Thus an intelligent astrologer would keep his mind open to all the possibilities coming from the Birth Chart and Prasna and conclude on the timing. Timing Good or Bad periods Prasna Marga 14.83. The ‘time’ signified by the lord of Lagna multiplied by the number of Rasis intervening between the Lagna and the Rasi holding a malefic planet indicates the period of sorrow. Suppose the Lagna rising is Vrshabha lorded by Shukra and Rahu occupies the 8th house. We know that Rahu’s placement in the 8th house is highly detrimental to health. Adopting this principle we can say that a serious health hazard can happen in 8 Pakshas, which is equivalent to 4 months. This is because Shukra governs a Paksha, which is multiplied with the 8th house, which is housing Rahu. This is a kind of Progression of the Lagna, whereby the progression happens based on the period governed by the Lagna lord. On the other hand, say Guru is occupying 2nd house with 2nd lord Budha. This can mean incoming of wealth in the 2nd fortnight i.e., within a month’s time. Impact of Visible and Invisible half Prasna Marga 14.84. Other methods of fixing the ‘time’ of happening of the good and evil results are given elsewhere. They are herewith explained. Prasna Marga 14.85. If the lord of a house is in the visible hemisphere, the effects of the Bhava will be experienced very shortly. If the lord is in the invisible hemisphere, the results will happen very late. The time of happening corresponds to the period in months or days signified by the number of Rasis intervening between the Bhava concerned and the Rasi occupied by the lord of the said Bhava. Or the results may happen when the Moon next transits the sign occupied by the lord of the concerned Bhava. The visible hemisphere is the space between the cusp of Lagna to 7th house through the 10th house. Which means the portion after the 7th house cusp, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and the portion before the Lagna cusp fall in the visible half. The invisible half is the remaining houses from 2nd to 6th and the remaining position of the Lagna and the 7th house. When a Bhava lord occupies the Visible half, the results of that Bhava materialise early, else late. So if there are multiple periods arrived at using different methods such as Lagna lord, Navamsa Lagna lord etc. then one can decide on the more appropriate timing based on the placement of the Bhava lord in the Visible or Invisible half.

The period of materialisation of results of a Bhava can be told from the Rasi occupied by the Bhava lord. Count from the Bhava to the Bhava lord; the results of the Bhava materialise in so many Months or Days. The final answer in months or days will depend on other factors such as dasa, nature of questions, transits etc. Or the answer can be either within so and so days or if not, within so and so months. The results of a Bhava also manifest when Chandra transits upon the Bhava lord after the point when the Prasna was put. For instance for a Dhanu Lagna native born, the prasna is on change of job. The Karya Bhava is 10th house, which is in Kanya and its lord Budha is occupying 7th house in Mithuna. At the moment of Prasna, Chandra was in the 12th house in Vrschika. This means that after about 20 days, when Chandra transit Mithuna, the change can happen. The change can also happen in 10 days or 10 months as per the previous stanza. Which among them is an appropriate period will depend on the context in which the Prasna is put and also the DasaBhukti-Gochara with regards to the Natal horoscope. An intelligent astrologer will never lose sight of the context. Never forget the Desha-Kaala-Patra principle! Gochara of Surya, Chandra, Karyesha or Karaka Prasna Marga 14.86. When the Sun or the Moon or the effect-giving planet transits the Lagna, or the sign occupied by the effect-giving planet, or his exaltation sign, the indicated events happen. Whether in the past or in the future good and bad happenings coincide with the transit of Lagna by benefics and malefics respectively. The Effect giving planets are (1) The Karyesha, the lord of the Karya Bhava and (2) the Karaka, the significator of the event. For instance for Marriage, the event can be given by the 7th lord or Venus. The events can happen under one of the following conditions: 1. The Karyesha, Karaka, Surya or Chandra transit the Lagna 2. The Karyesha, Karaka, Surya or Chandra transit the sign occupied by them in the Natal Chart. 3. The Karyesha, Karaka, Surya or Chandra transit their exaltation sign. Whether in past or in the future, certain good or bad things happen, that is pertaining to the Prasna, one can judge it by knowing the benefic and malefic transits on the Prasna Lagna in past of Future. In my humble opinion, the domain of a prasna is 1 year, hence this method can’t be used to determine events for a longer scale. For instance, for a Marriage relationship Prasna, the Prasna Lagna is Dhanu and Shani transited in recent past, once can say that during the transit period of Shani, there were difficulties in marriage. For materialisation of events, some important Gochara one should look out for in the natal charts are: 1. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Karyesha/ Karaka with the natal Lagna 2. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Karyesha/ Karaka with the Natal Lagna Lord 3. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Karyesha/ Karaka with the Transiting Lagna Lord

4. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Lagnesha with the Karya Bhava 5. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of transiting Guru with the Karya Bhava 6. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of transiting Guru with the natal Karyesha/ Karya Bhava 7. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of transiting Guru with the transiting Karyesha/ Karya Bhava When a Graha materialise its results. Prasna Marga 14. 87. There are other methods of noting the times of happening of events and they are given below. Prasna Marga 14. 88. They are (a) constellation days of the planets; (b) their week-days; (c) the Ritus of the planets ; (d) the period when the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter transit the radical sign by the planet concerned ; (e) Dasa and Bhukti periods of the planets; (f) when the sign of a concerned planet rises or sets. The Sun signifies Uttarayana and the Moon Dakshinayana. The benefic and malefic results to be given by the planets should be intelligently inferred. Grahas materialise their results in one of the following periods. 1. When Chandra transits the Nakshatra owned by them 2. The weekdays owned by the graha 3. The ritu owned by the graha 4. When Surya, Chandra or Guru transit their natal position 5. Dasa-Bhukti of the graha 6. When the Lagna or the 7th house is owned by the Graha. Seasons: There are 6 seasons in a year viz., Vasanta (spring), Greeshma (summer), Varsha (rainy), Sharad (Autumn), Hemanta (Pre-winter) and Shishir (Winter).

For instance, in the Job change Prasna mentioned above, the new job can be given by Budha, occupying Mithuna. Say, in the natal chart, Budha is occupying Simha. Then the job change can happen in one or more of the following. At least there will be some signs of Budha on the moment of materialising of the results. 1. When Chandra transits Ashlesha, Jyeshtha or Revati 2. Wednesday 3. Sharad Ritu (autumn) 4. When Surya, Chandra or Guru transit Simha Rasi 5. Dasa or Bhukti of Budha 6. Mithuna, Kanya, Dhanu or Meena Lagna.