Aspects and Their Significance

by Vinay Bajrangi World Renowned Astrologer

While analyzing a horoscope, certain essential elements must be considered and combined with valid judgment. Once the fundamentals, namely, the characteristics of the planets, the nature of the twelve zodiacal signs, the matters governed by the different House (bhavas), the quality of the aspects, etc., have been well understood, then the proper analysis of the horoscope will happen.

The aspecting planet often indicates the changes/modification in the results; and the cause for such a change and the source which brings about such a change.

An aspect is an angle formed on the Earth by the beams of planets. The term is employed, in astrology, to refer to an angular distance measured in degrees and minutes of celestial longitude between a planet and a point in the zodiac. According to western astrologers, aspects are formed between two planets or between a planets and a point in the horoscope, for instance, the cusp of a house (bhava), say Ascendant M.C., etc.. 'Cusp' may be defined as the edge of a house, i.e., the exact beginning of a house (which is also the end of the previous house) reckoned in degrees and minutes of celestial longitude. It is beyond any doubt that some angular distances do produce varied results which are significant in the lives of natives as well as nations.

A planet is in aspect with another planet or a sensitive point by a specific longitudinal distance.

Planets are ever moving in their known orbits in the zodiac, and so aspects may be formed between the two planets and the difference in their longitudes will from a particular aspect. That is, at any given time, in some part of the Zodiac, two planets may be transiting at a specific distance from each other, and certain angles are formed upon the earth by such relationship. It has been found that these angles exert a significant impact on those natives, animators or vibrations because, at their birth, a cosmic vibration of similar nature was in existence.

According to the ancient Hindu sages and seers, the aspects (Drishities) should be counted from sign to sign, irrespective of the position of the planet in the sign and the relative distance between two planets. Further, the aspects themselves are neither decided as favorable nor unfavorable considering the longitudinal distance between them. They depend mainly upon the natural relationship between the planets, and the aspected planet is said to be inauspicious, and the aspect of a benefic planet is invariable good and stimulating.

Suppose a planet is located in any degree in the sign Mesha (Aries), then Vrishabha (Taurus) is said to be the second from that planet, Mithuna (the Gemini) the third, etc., in that order. If a birth falls, say, in the Simha (Leo) Ascendant then Kanya (Virgo) is the second house to that native, Tula (Libra) is the third and so on.

The ancient Hindu sages said that all planets aspect the 7th sign counted from the sign occupied by them to full extent.

Suppose two planets are placed in opposite sign of the Zodiac, as, for example, Jupiter in Mithuna (Gemini) and Mercury in Dhanus (Sagittarius). They are in the 7th aspect to each other, no matter what the actual distance may be between the two planets.

Besides over 7th aspect, all planets are said to cast a quarter aspect over the 3rd and 10th houses from the one occupied by them, but Saturn's 3rd and 10th house aspects are stronger and more forceful than even its 7th aspects. Similarly, Jupiter is dominant with its bright and optimistic rays over the 5th and 9th houses from the house occupied by it, and these aspects are more potent than its 7th house aspect. The other planets also view the 5th house aspect. Mars, in addition to its 7th aspect, powerfully aspects the 4th and 8th house from the sign in which it is placed

Mantreswara mention in "Phala Deepika" (sloka 9, Madhya 4th) that the 7th aspect is the only one that should be declared as most effective in all cases and not so the rest. But other ancient scholars of astrology are of the view that the unique aspect of Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter are equally and powerfully compelling, as these significant planets play significant roles in the lives of the natives and reveal most exciting details about various aspects of their life such as family, finances, food habits, friendships, love, and achievements.