Karma and miseries of men

By Steven J Menezes

Since ancient times an individual’s experience of suffering, aversion, misery is associated

with harm. The pain has always been related to mental and physical level and often
found in leading to deterioration and decay with multiple complexities. In adverse
situations time has always been a passage that led men to misery through age and
morbid situations. Ancient Vedic seers have ascribed this to fruits of Karma (resultant
cycle of cause and effect). They devised various methods to figure out the origin and
causes of human miseries that are influencing invisible forces in the current life cycle
and find remedial measures. Vedic astrology is one of the time-tested tools to identify,
foresee, seek relief and apprehend the misery.

Learned practitioners of Vedic astrology can trace and foresee falls and human miseries
through natal horoscopy (chart based on birth data of individuals) on a timeline.
Prashna or horary, a branch of Vedic astrology that exclusively deals with questions on
any subject based on the chart erected at the time of query, supported by various omens
during consultation and pronouncement, directional indices of querent, flame of the
lamp, breath of the astrologer and many others factors contribute in unfolding minutest
details and find remedies. Prashna method or horary astrology is often employed after
finding vulnerability to miseries in the nativity, on aligning with the primary natal data
or is applied directly. This branch of astrology works on the principles of predictive natal
astrology, however the applications at the interpretations vary greatly, reach and identify
beyond the common means and assess through the state, positions and dignity of planets
by their assumed forms that relate to divine, semi-divine, demonic or evil forces and
influences.

Ancient seers have categorized the misery causing agents under six heads, parted their
wisdom through timeless classical texts and described as under:

1. Afflictions due to deity, anger of devas (Benevolent supernatural beings)

2. Evil eye or Dhristi badha
3. Wrath of Serpents (fury of serpents)
4. Parental, elders, preceptors & Brahmins (custodians of Dharma through self-
abnegation, priests of fire)
5. Troubles from ghosts or Preta badha (spirit of dead, departed person)
6. Abhichara (invocation of negative energies, employing charm or spell for
malevolent purposes)

Afflictions due to deity, anger of devas

One of the common causes of human miseries is caused due to afflictions due to anger of
deities. The root may have single or multiple causes that may be disrespect to deity by
depriving what is due to it by way of gifts, pujas, and offerings that collectively become a
debt. The same debt is rolled down to the generations in resulting in untold misery,
failure, waning of luck. Misappropriation of any mineral wealth such as gold, silver or
copper, lands, trees, plants or using the servants or animals of the temples for personal
purposes tend to cause anger of the deity. Commercial exploitations of any kind
properties of the temples, occupying temple lands other than serving or assigned
purposes. The other causes include polluting, desecrating or breaking the images or
statues of the temple or places of worship.
The assumption of various forms of planets and sub-planets include recognition of the
deities, associated demonic or evil spirits that are controlled by these bodies, the primary
recognition tool is to locate the dispositions of planets in zodiacal signs and their
association through the lords of respective signs, afflictions, exaltations, debilitations
and their aspects. Understanding of various forms of planets is ascribed to the parting of
ancient wisdom by various seers through celebrated classics. Planets assume various
forms in different signs as Sun takes form of Parasurama within the exalted stretch of
Aries, Yakshee in Taurus, Vishnu in Gemini, Snakes in cancer, querent’s family deity in
Leo, Avatars of Vishnu in Virgo, Bhadrakali in Libra, Lord Shiva in Scorpio, male
Gandharva & Yakshi in Sagittarius, Gandharva and Yakshi in Capricorn & Pisces.
Pishacha and hunter’s deities in Aquarius. All the heavenly bodies represent different
forms at various slots of zodiacal signs and their transit through Nakshatras (lunar
asterisms) at the time of query or birth makes the representations sharper in
contributions.

Following planetary states/combinations indicate afflictions due to anger of devas:

1. Malefic in the 12th house from the lord of house of harm.

2. Lord of harm occupying 4th house or vice versa.
3. Lord of harm occupying the sign of lord of 4th house
4. Presence of Sun or Moon or their conjoining the house of harm
5. Lord of 4th house occupying the sign owned by lord of harm

Solutions in dealing with anger of God or devatas is through a complex and time
consuming exercise, that requires multiple applications and in-depth analysis of all the
disposed planets and their direct and indirect influences on other bodies. Specific
remedies are to be chosen based on identifying the transit and disposition of ‘angered
divine force’ after identifying its presumed form. The solutions include gifting of idol,
mantras, worship, construction/restoration/renovation of the temple, feeding or
presenting of oil, gifts, clothes, remedial offerings, performance of divine dances,
oblations, invocations, ritual offerings and dedications (tarpana) and music/devotional
songs. In addition to any of the single primary solution a supplementary pacification
measure needs be followed. The secondary measure includes worship of deity,
distribution of rice & water to poor, illumination and fire sacrifice, undertaking festivals
and performing ceremonial dances, feeding of Brahmins and offering ornaments, free
feeding people and in some cases undertaking feeding of the socially deprived classes.
This additional pacification measure needs to be followed upon identification of the lord
of the sign in which the ‘angered divine force’ is posited at the time of Prashna.

Evil eye or Dhristi badha

The troubles that originate from the evil eye or dhristi badha have origin in the wrath of
Rudra (fierce and destructive form of Shiva, commonly associated wind or storm and
hunt) that caused 26 spirits comprising of 18 mahagrahas (great spirits) and 8 laghu
grahas (light spirits). These are further categorized as aggressive and passive and
distinguished for three different motives in attacking the victims.

Ancient Vedic treatises have indicated that the types of people that are vulnerable and
their places of attacks. Men in disappointment, sick, unclean, over joyful, attractive,
mentally weak, lone wonderers in night, fearful, exhausted and fatigued by sexual
indulgence, ruined in wealth and deserted class are easily susceptible to these spirits.
Women anointed with perfumes and oils, in confinement, engaged in sexual union for
the first time in puberty, under influence of intoxication, physically exposed, in
pregnancy, lonely women in streets – specially at the intersections of highways, during
menstrual cycles, engaged in immoral acts, highly sensual and fatigued by acts of sex are
prone to fall prey to these spirits. Usually these spirits attack men and women in caves,
spots of amusements, rocky regions, hill tops, forests, gardens, summits of mountains,
banks of rivers, sides of wells, river confluences, whirls, cowsheds, vacant houses,
isolated places, cremation grounds, ruined temples, near treasure troves, outskirts of
villages, at the places of worship of female deities, palatial mansions and places where
people engage into acts of sex. The motives of attacking persons are to (1) to
consume oblations (bali), (2) to enjoy (kama), and indulge in sex and mediums of
intoxications and (3) to destroy (hanthu) the victim through driving the soul by causing
death by employing various means, such as causing accidents, death through self
inflicted injury, suicide, provoking others in violence and getting killed in the act.

All the planets and sub-planets are allied to these spirits through governance and give a
clear reference to its association with specific spirit in Prashna chart at the time of query.
It helps in finding the cause, place of attack. For instance, Venus is associated with
Yakshee, Matrus and nagas. Likewise, all the 26 spirits are associated with all the
recognized heavenly bodies.

Following planetary states/combinations indicate evil eye or dhristi badha:

1. Lagna or lord of Lagna is aspected by lord of House of harm, in addition to

this aspects of Saturn and Mars should also be considered.
2. Lord of 7th house is occupying the house of harm or its conjoining the lord of
house of harm, or mutual aspects.
3. Lagna is occupied by malefic and Saturn occupies 7th house while Moon is
under malefic aspect.
4. Lagna is in a movable sign with a malefic while Mars is in the 7th house.
5. Association of lord of house of harm with lords of 6th or 8th houses.

Persons affected by evil eye or Dhristi badha are easily identified through clear change in
the their behavioral patterns. Such changes vary greatly depending upon the influencing
spirits, a few of them relate to sudden over indulgence in sex, alcohol & drug abuse,
death wish or attempting to injure self, increase in appetite – especially desire to
consume meat, turning violent or exhibiting provocative nature, increase of activity
during nighttime. Bathing and anointing body with scented perfumes many a times in
day, extreme fondness for flowers and perfumes, hating Brahmins and divine scriptures,
laughing and weeping alternately for no reason, talking much without any purpose or on
any specific subject, men getting irritated with women, terrifying animals, mocking at
physicians, remains in addiction of sweets & curds, climbing hills or trees, aping others,
incoherent in speech, collecting white garlands, flowers or wearing white robes, plunging
into deep waters, jumping off trees, hillocks, jumping into fire. A stronger beneficial
planetary transit or change in major periods (of planets) regulates the victim in
overruling the evil effects. Wearing specific gemstones in order to bring strong
counteracting planetary vibrations and worship of specific deity (based on the Prashna
chart) are of greater help in getting rid of ill effects.

Wrath of Serpents
Innumerable ancient texts have explained the effects of wrath of serpents in systematic
destruction of wealth and problems related to progeny, blindness, health and sufferings
through generations and various life cycles. Scriptures mention of Nagas divided into 4
classes as heavenly, divine, earthly and hidden and are assigned different functions in
guarding palaces, bringing rainfall, draining rivers or guarding treasures. Wrath or curse
of serpents comes in many ways in killing or destroying the eggs of serpents, felling or
setting fire of trees near their dwelling places, breaking their anthills, blocking their
regular paths by engaging in construction for human dwelling or any other purposes.

Following planetary states/combinations indicate wrath/fury of serpents:

1. Disposition of Jupiter as lord of house of harm in 6th ,8th or 12th house while these
houses happen to be kendras of Rahu or of Gulika.
2. Rahu occupying the house of harm, if the association is further linked to Sun then
the cause is divine serpents, moon indicates the reverse.
3. Conjoining of Rahu and Mandi or Rahu’s occupation of 5th, 7th or 9th house from
Mandi.
4. Mars occupying kendras of Rahu.
5. Conjoining of Gulika and Saturn, or Gulika singularly occupying kendras of Rahu.

Remedies for fury of serpents should carefully be made based on various observations.
Sarpa bali, installation of image of respective Sarpa devata, dedication of Chitra kuta
stone, conducting Sarpa samskara or tarpana over the dwelling places of serpents,
arranging devotional music, singing and dancing, planting of trees, offering /or
installations of images of snakes made of gold, silver, copper are a few remedial
measures in overcoming the afflictions of wrath of serpents.

Parental, elders, preceptors & Brahmins curses

Harassing parents and elders by way of physical assault, threatening, abuse and mental
torture when alive and not performing annual ceremonies for the deceased can result as
their curse. Parental, preceptor’s, elders and Brahmins curse makes one remain without
a male issue and its effects can also influence next birth cycle, obstructs prolongation of
the lineage of the family, especially when the men remain in the state of power and
wealth.

Following planetary states/combinations indicate curses of Parents, elders, preceptors

and Brahmins:

1. Lord of 6th house in 9th house or lord of 9th house in 12th house
2. Sun and Moon occupying the 6th house or conjoining 6th lord.
3. Sun or Moon occupying the house of harm in the sign or navamsa of Mars.
4. Malefic presence in Leo or Cancer, being the sign having located in unfavorable
position from lagna.
5. Evil planets occupying the house of harm in association with Jupiter or in the
sign owned by him.
6. If the house of harm happens to be Leo or Cancer and subsequently Sun or Moon
occupying these signs or having the presence of Mars therein.

Corrective measures include performing annual ceremonies for the dead and seeking
reconciliation and pardon if parents, elders, preceptors or Brahmins are alive.
Troubles from ghosts or Preta badha
Men and women who died without their wishes fulfilled wander in the world and haunt
the living. Spirits of pregnant women (owing to the omission of ceremonies while
formation of the embryo) are known to cause havoc as they operate with multiple
magnitude of maleficent impact. Similarly, persons died in violent accidents, suicide, and
capital punishment through improper funeral rites haunt the living. These spirits are
often localized or hover around the vicinity at the place of their death or stay closest in
the secluded area, abandoned homes and in certain trees. These spirits attack and
possess certain vulnerable class of people and bring sickness, depression, cause change
in behavioral pattern, death of the children in the family, miscarriages of pregnancies,
bring ruin and poverty.

Following planetary states/combinations indicate troubles from ghosts or preta badha

1. Gulika occupying the house of harm.

2. Gulika occupying the sign or Navamsa of Mars or being associated or aspected by
him.
3. Gulika being associated with Saturn or Rahu by way of aspects or conjoining.
4. Gulika being associated with 4th house or its lord.

Gulika in the Prashna chart plays major role in understanding the cause, time and place
of death of spirit. Various planetary combinations reveal whether the spirit is of
someone within the family or foreign. Caste, age and sex can also be ascertained with
careful analysis of the sign in which Gulika is posited, its amsa and by association with
other planets in the chart. Remedial measures include Kshetra pindas, tilavahana
followed by feeding of Brahmins.

Abhichara
All miseries that are listed above are caused due to known or unknown involvement of
the affected individual himself, whereas Abhichara is a left hand path practice under
Vamachara (Tantric in orientation) that is caused by the humanly acts directed by
enemies. This involves invocation of negative energies, employing charm or spell for
malevolent purposes. This practice can inflict harm in two passages known as Maha
abhichara and Kshudra abhichara. Maha abhichara is route to attack and destroy the
victim causing imbalance in Tridoshas (combination of three basic principles of energy,
or biological humor, that comprise life), thus affecting the health and bringing death.
Khshudra abhichara is to cause exile, dissentions, ruin, lunacy and death of victim.

Following planetary states/combinations indicate Abhichara

1. Aspect of lord of house of harm on 6th house or vice-versa.

2. Conjoining or interchanging of lords of house of harm and 6th house.
3. Lords of 6th house or house of harm occupying their own houses.

Position of Mercury and strength of 6th & 8th lords need to be assessed to distinguish type
of spell (Maha abhichara or Khshudra abhichara) used on the victim. Caste, physical
stature of the enemy, whereabouts, and details on his accomplice can be found through
the chart. Motive of the enemy, relationship with the victim, placement and form of the
Kshudra (incanted articles) can also be known through minute observations involving
Rahu, Ketu, Gulika, Mandi and Saturn by their occupied signs and positions.
Counteracting the ill effects of the mantric machinations involves calculations to locate
the zodiac sign or spot that receives aspect of any of the 7 planets. The spot is found by
adding longitudes of lords of lagna and 6th house. In case if the resultant spot/sign does
not get any aspects then 10th house from Arudha lagna should be marked to check the
aspects or associations. Corrective measures involve performing suitable homa (offerings
into a consecrated fire) such as Aghora Rudra Bali (Sun), Kapala homa (Moon), Bhuta
marana/Khangaravna/Krittika Bali (Mars), Charka homa (Mercury), Prathikarabali
(Jupiter, Saturn), Bhuta marina bali (Venus). The choice of offering is made after
determining the planet that influences the spot by aspect.

Steven J Menezes is an acclaimed astrologer with over 20 years of experience in Vedic astrology. He is member of Indian
Council of Astrological Sciences and is specialized in Prasna Astrology, a celebrated branch of Vedic astrology. He hails
from Barkur located in the state of Karnataka in Southern India. Barkur was ancient capital of Tulunadu dynasty, the
vibrant place that is known to have enjoyed the reputation of having 365 temples and have been the home for the study of
Vedas and Vedantas since 345 AD. Author can be contacted at menezes.steven@gmail.com