Timing Financial Success and Failure
Riches and poverty are diametrically opposite states and carry with diametrically opposite conditions. Riches automatically bestow on one many blessings - social status, objects of luxury and acquisitions of all kinds, opportunities and prestige. Poverty, on the other hand, is a curse that brings with it hunger, privation, humiliation and many times even loss of independence. This is a much generalized view of the two states and exceptions cannot be ruled out. But we are here concerned not with the exceptions.
Riches bestow power. Perhaps that is why ever since the beginning of civilization, man has always striven to earn and accumulate money. In fact, wealth can get one just about every-thing under the Sun except, perhaps, mental peace and good health.
In ancient India, the importance of wealth was never underrated in spite of her great philosophy of renunciation and spiritual pursuit. The Vedic seers clearly defined the 4 objectives of human existence as Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Artha was held to be capable of even procuring Dharma. Valmiki in the Srimad Ramayana, Yuddhakanda (73-37) says:
यस्यार्था धर्मकामार्थास्तस्य सर्व प्रदक्षिणम् |
अधनेनार्थकामेनः नार्थः शक्यो विचिन्वता ||
Meaning, a wealthy man seeking after Dharma and prosperity will succeed at all cost but a poor person hunting after prosperity will find it difficult to attain.
Money was recognised as omnipotent.
हर्षः कामश्च दर्पश्च धर्मः क्रोधः रामो दमः |
अर्थादेतानी सर्वाणि प्रवर्तन्ते (नराधिप)
Meaning, wealth is the root cause of every kind of joy and desire, vice and virtue, anger and self restraint.
Poverty, on the other hand, was help to give rise to suffering. And the efforts of a poor man were said to be of no consequence.
अर्थेन हि वियुक्तस्य पुरुषस्याल्पेजसः |
व्यच्छिधन्ते क्रियास्सवाः ग्रीष्मो कुसरितो यथा ||
Meaning, all actions done by a penniless man of no high order dwindle to nothingness even as the flow of rivulets during summer.
Money being so important, classical works on astrology are replete with combinations both for riches and poverty.
For example, according to Sarwartha Chintami of Venkatesha Daivajna, if the Lagna lord joins the 2nd lord in a Kendra or in deep exaltation in Navamsa and is with benefics or receives benefic aspects; or, if the 2nd lord joins the 10th lord expected by the lord of the Navamsa occupied by the Lagna lord in a Kendra expected by benefics; or if a benefic is exalted, in a friend’s house, or in Vaseshikamsa and occupies the 1st, the 2nd or the land is aspected by the lord of Navamsa occupied by the lord of the 2nd house; or, if the Lagna lord is in the 2nd and the 2nd lord is in the 11th or the Lagna; or, if the 2nd lord is powerful, joins an exalted planet or is himself exalted; or, if the Lagna lord joins the 2nd or the 11th lord and if the sign-depositor of the Lagna lord is powerfully placed, one becomes rich.
There are also yogas called Daridra Yogas in contrast to Dhana Yogas that lead to penury. These Yogas are said to mar horoscopes and are classified as Raja Yoga Bhanga, Rekha, Preshya and even Kemadruma Yogas. Such Yogas can snatch away the fortune one may have obtained by birth. In other cases, they may never let a native succeed financially. The results of such Yogas are simply results that go with extreme penury - no wealth, being hostile and wrathful in nature, constant mental distress, being disagreeable, reviling God and others and always subject to jibes and taunts. These results are inexorably intertwined with poverty and the frustration it brings with it.
The Sun in Aries Rasi and Libra Navamsa expected by a malefic ; or, Venus in Virgo Rasi and Virgo Navamsa; or Saturn in a Kendra or Lagna unexpected by benefics; or, when the 9th lord is in the 12th, malefics in the 3rd and the 12th lord in the 2nd; or Saturn, Jupiter and Venus in their depression Navamsas; or, the Lagna lord has no strength and is expected by the 8th lord while Jupiter is combust; the 4th lord is expected by the 6th lord; or the 8th lord is in the 5th and the Lagna lord is in debility; or, benefics are in the 6th, 8th and the 12th while malefics occupy Kendras and Trikonas with the 11th lord powerless, then one experiences all the wretchedness that is associated with poverty.
One of the best safeguards against poverty of a demeaning nature is to have the Ascendant lord, Jupiter or Mercury aspect the Ascendant. The Ascendant lord in a Kendra invests one with the grit and perseverance needed to achieve success, a large measure of which has to be translated as money, pragmatically speaking. If the Ascendant lord is in a trine, the element of luck is strong. The 9th house is preferable to the 5th. Conversely, shift the Ascendant lord to the 6th, 8th or the 12th and the chart is drained off much of its energy. Or, substitute the aspect of Jupiter or Mercury with that of Mars of Saturn (as malefics) and you have a chart that attracts strife and failure and therefore, financial inadequacy.
