Jyothishi

Introduction to Varshapal / Tajik Astrology

The Varshapal or the Annual Horoscopy is one of the techniques of Vedic Astrology employed to understand the occurrence of events in a particular year. This is also called ‘Tajaka / Tajik’ system of astrology. The Varshapal is more popular in northern India, although it is studied in south India. This technique differs from rest in that it pertains to one particular year of a native’s life and examine it in minute details. Therefore, the validity of this prediction is one year only. Annual horoscopy is sought after by persons interested in Career planning, travel planning, work planning and job planning and various other important aspects of life.

The Varshapal, is solar based. In other words, it is the position of the sun which matters. The solar year begins every time the Sun returns to the same longitude as it was at the time of birth. Between this time and the next solar return is covered by one annual chart or the Varsha Kundali. The time of solar return is called Varshapravesha

Preparation of Varsha Kundali

1. For the year in question, you have to determine the exact time and date at which Sun returns to same longitude.

2. This requires the use of Table of Ascendant and Ephemeris of that year.

3. Once the time and date are determined, cast the horoscope for that time (take this as DOB &TOB)

4. The chart so obtained is Varsha Kundali and is valid for one year.

5. Please remember the date may not be the same as your DOB and may shift by a day or two since Sun takes three hundred and sixty-five days, six hours, nine minutes and about ten seconds to come to same longitude.

6. Annual chart should always be calculated for the place of birth irrespective of the fact that the native may live in any place for the time being.

Muntha

The Muntha is an important point in the Varsha Kundali. It is the Rashi in which the Lagna is located at the time of the birth. Each year, the Muntha will progress by one Rashi. Therefore, it is also called ‘Progressed Ascendant’. For example, if you are casting the annual chart for 50th birthday, Muntha will progress 50 Rashis from its original Rashi where the Lagna was located in birth chart. The formula to calculate Muntha: Subtract one year from native’s age, add it to the ascendant sign and divide the total with12. The remainder will be the sign where Muntha is located. 

Muntha Lord

The lord of the sign in which the Muntha is located is called the Muntha Lord. In the annual chart, the Muntha lord yields desirable or adverse results according to its location, strength, and other planetary influences on it.

The Lord of the year

The Lagna lord of the Varsha Kundali is called Varshesha or the Varsheshwara. He plays an important role in the annual chart. It is supposed to significantly influence the events that takes place during the year. A strong Varsha Lord ensures success, prosperity and good health throughout the year in question, while a weak one indicates the reverse. The Varsha lord is selected out of five planets also called ‘Five Office Bearers’ which hold special significance during the year.

Five Office Bearers

In the annual chart, there are Five Office Bearers (Pancha-Adhikaris) which holds special significance. These hold five different portfolios. In astrology, Lagna lord is the most important concept. These five are basically five types of Lagna lords. These five office bearers are:

1. Lagna lord of the birth chart

2. Lord of sign in which Muntha is placed or Muntha Lord.

3. Lagna lord of the annual chart or Varsha Lord

4. Lord of Sun/ Moon sign in the annual chart or Dina-Ratri Pati i.e. lord of day or night respectively. The lord of the sign in which Sun & Moon are located are called alternate Lagna lord. In the annual chart, if the Varshapravesha is in day time, the lord of the sign in which Sun is located becomes the candidate; but if birth is at night, lord of the sign in which the Moon is located, becomes the candidate. Day is considered from sun-rise to sun-set and night is from the sun-set to the next sun-rise.

5. Tri-Rashi Pati: This is a novel concept and varies from sign to sign of Varsha Lagna and also as Varshapravesha is in day time or night time. The table below gives the Tri-Rashi Pati for different Lagnas:

There are certain rules for selecting the Varsha Lord 
1. It should be strongest of office-bearers. The strength of the planet is determined by Pancha Vargeeya Bala which is made up of the following:

• Kshetra Bal
• Uchcha Bala
• Hudda Bala
• Drekkana Bala
• Navamsha Bala

2.  It should, at the same time, aspect the Varsha Kndali Lagna.

The Dasha System

In Varshapal several Dashas have been described for the annual chart.They are as follows:

(a) The Mudda Dasha
(b) The Yogini Dasha
(c)  The Patyayini Dasha
 
The Mudda Dasha and the Yogini Dasha are Nakshatra-based Dashas, and depend on the birth Nakshatra. They are similar to Vimshottari Dasha in the natal horoscope, with the difference that their period is reduced to one year. The Mudda Dasha is the most popular of the three Dashas mentioned above.
 
 Tajik Yogas

They are unique to this system and bears no resemblance to Yogas prescribed by Parashara. These Yogas are also used in Prasna/ Horary predictions. There are 16 Yogas which are commonly used. They are

(1) The Ikabala Yoga (2) The Induvara Yoga (3) The Ithasala Yoga (4) The Ishrafa Yoga (5) The Nakta Yoga (6) The Yamaya Yoga (7) The Manau Yoga (8) The Kamboola Yoga (9) The Gairi-Kamboola Yoga (10) The Khallasara Yoga (11) The Rudda Yoga (12) The Duphali-Kuttha Yoga (13) The Dutthottha – Davira Yoga (14) The Tambira Yoga (15) The Kuttha Yoga (16) The Durpaha Yoga 

Sahams

The Sahams are the sensitive points arrived at by addition / multiplication of the longitudes of the ascendant and some other planets which are Karyesha (Significator) of the event. Each Saham then denotes one particular event of life during the year indicated by the annual chart like marriage, child birth, fame, travel, illness, death, etc.

The number of Sahams recommended for application to an annual chart varies from one astrologer to another. The Classic ‘Tajik Neelakanti” describes fifty Sahams.It is not necessary to calculate all the Sahams described in the texts and pick up only the relevant Sahams pertaining to a particular interest to the individual.
 
The Tripataki Chakra

The Tripataki chakra consists of a special charting of various planets as located in the birth chart in relation to the ascendant in the annual chart. The planets are progressed by one sign every year starting from position at birth. The application and analysis of the Tripataki gives a very broad overview of the nature of events likely to dominate one particular year. While the Vedha to any planet or the Lagna can be determined by charting the planets on the Tripataki, it is customary only to consider the various planetary influences on the Moon, or sometimes on the ascendant.
 

Three parallel lines are drawn vertically. Across these are drawn three parallel lines horizontally. The ends of these lines are joined as shown in Figure below:

 
 
 
Marking the Rashis

The central flag (marked ‘a’) represents the ascendant in the annual chart. The sign rising at the time of    Varshapravesha is marked here. The remaining signs are marked in order, in an anti-clockwise fashion, along the points ‘b’, ‘c’, ‘d’, etc. This forms the skeleton on which the progressed planets will be located.