Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Analyzing Charts for Physical and Mental Illness

Willa Keizer, CCH
Pt Sanjay Rath, Guru and Guide
2006 all rights reserved
In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force rules with unbounded sway,
and retains all the parts of the organism in admirable, harmonious, vital operation so
that our indwelling, reason-gifted mind can freely employ this living, healthy instrument
for the higher purpose of our existence.
Samuel Hahnemann, 1810, Founder of Homeopathy
Part One: Shani and ChandraDisease and Healing
Saturn, the Significator of Disease
Saturn is the planet whose function is to deliver pain, disease, and death as a result of our
bad karmas due to human weakness. In Sanskrit, Saturn is known as Shani which means
golden. Calling the deliverer of death an auspicious name is like chanting a mantra and
helps to alleviate some of the maleficence .
Other names for Shani include Sanaischara (one who moves slowly) Vakra (crooked),
Asita (the black one), and Panu (lame).
Shani is considered to be the son of Surya (the sun god). Suryas wife Samjna could not
stand the brilliant light radiating from her husband, so she created a shadow image of
herself to live with Surya. Shanaischara, (Shani) was the second son from this union.
According to the Bramha-vavarta-purana, Shani took on severe austerities (tapas) and
would not even look at the woman he married when she tried to entice him into sensual
pleasures. She became so angry at him for rejecting her that she placed the curse on him:
From then on that whatever Shani looked at would be destroyed.
Other descriptions mention that he has a terrible vengeful form, his chariot is yoked to
eight vultures of a dark blue color. His icon is to be made of black iron installed on a
pedestal in the shape of an arrow, and faces West, the direction of the setting sun. The
western direction is where Shani gets directional strength in the Vedic chart, and the sign
Tula (Libra) which is in the Western direction in the natural zodiac, exalts Shani. When
the sun sets, Shani is strong.
We see why Shani is the enemy and the antitheseis of Surya, the radiant one who rises in
the East and provides everything we need for life. Shani is the shadow to Suryas light.
Shani is exalted in Tula, the sign of Suryas debilitation. Shani likes to judge souls in the

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

sign of Tula and prevent them from from attaining moksha or liberation from this world.
He represents the wrongdoings that weigh heavily upon us and for which we must suffer.
As the ruler of Tapas loka, the plane of austerities, he denies us pleasure and helps us to
practice renunciation. As Suryas job is to sustain us, Shanis job is to destroy us. We can
determine when and how he will make us suffer by looking at the Vedic Chart.
Shani is the significator for Vayu Tattvah, which represents the pranas in the body. The
nature of Vayu or wind is to disperse which causes our death. Keeping the pranas in the
body with techniques like pranayama can help us to be ready for death when our pranas
are finally taken away for good.
Shani is also the primary significator for three houses in the chart, which are the three
dustanas or houses of suffering. These are the 6th (strife, infectious illness, shad ripu or
six sins) the 8th (death, chronic disease, suffering, the dark night of the soul, renunciation)
and 12th (loss, letting go, death). To understand the roots of our own suffering, we look at
the 6th, 8th, and 12th houses from Shani in the rashi and varga charts.
Moon, the Great Healer
Shanis relationship to the primary luminary, Surya, has already been explained. His
relationship to the secondary luminary, the maternal and healing moon, is equally
inimical and strong. If Surya is the great illuminator, why is only Chandra considered to
be the significator of healing?
While Suryas rays are hot and burning, Chandras rays are gentle and soothing. Mother
Chandra takes the energy of Surya and transforms it into nectar or milk that is nourishing,
healing, and palatable.
Why does the moon wax and wane? The twenty seven daughters of Prajapati, who are the
27 Nakshatras, were all married to Chandra. Rohini was the favorite wife, and Chandra
spent most of his time with her. For this, Prajapati punished him by making him wither
away, then later modified the curse to make him wax and wane.
Another classic states that the waning occurs as the gods drink the digits of the moon,
which contain Amrita. This occurs from full moon until new moon. Starting on the day of
new moon when sun and moon are conjoined, Surya replenishes the digits for another 15
days until the moon is full again.
According to the Vishnu Purana, Chandra emerged from the Milk ocean when it was
churned by the devas and asuras to get the Amrita, or nectar of immortality.
Purascharyanava states that Chandra belongs to the lineage of Rishi Atri, as does our own
lineage. All his garments and ornaments are white, and he is associated with Jala (deified
water) and Uma (the great Mother).

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

Chandra is also described in the classics as a Brahmin who is full of nectar. He delights
the world with his cool rays, and the gods relish him for his nectar. He is called an ocean
of Ambrosia, with face like a full moon. His very body removes the darkness of the
worlds. He holds a blue lotus in one hand and bestows boons with the other.
There are strong and interesting relationships between Chandra the healer and Shani the
disease giver.
Shani takes 28 years to circle the zodiac while Chandra takes 28 days. Shani is the ruler
of the Purnima tithi, which is the tithi of full moon. The moons giving is greatest at that
time due to the austere influence of Shani on the already nurturing moon. Both Shani and
Chandra are exalted in signs of Shukra (Venus) and debilitated in signs of Mangala
(Mars). The moon does not do well in the dustana houses signified by Shani, especially in
the 8th, where she is in her house of Marana karaka stana (death-like suffering.)
Chandras sign of exaltation and Moolatrikona is the fixed earth sign of Taurus, ruled by
Shukra. Like Chandra, Shukra is a watery (jala tattvah) planet. The fixed earth qualities
of Taurus provide some stability to the waxing and waning moon, and the water element
is also supported as the ruler of Taurus, Shukra, is also a jala tattvah planet.
Chandra is the significator of the 4th house, so we look to the 4th house from the moon to
understand our abilities to heal. Malefic influences there will interfere with the healing
process, while benefics will help.
Part Two- The Rashi Chart in Health and Disease
Now lets consider some charts keeping in mind the importance of Shani in disease, and
Chandra in healing. First, lets review a list of the most important factors to consider
when looking at the rashi chart for health matters.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Ascendant -- for an overall picture of health.

Quadrants -- for what kind of support there is for health.
Lagna lord to understand more about the ascendant.
Vara Lord the status and position of the day lord has a strong impact on health.
Atma karaka to see how the soul is supported or suffering in the body.
Moon and houses from the moon to note healing abilities, sleep, mind, and
emotions. 4th house for healing, 12th house for sleep and rejuvenation.
7. Saturn and houses 6th, 8th, and 12th from Saturn to understand the root of our
karmic wrongdoings which cause disease.
8. Sun for powers of recuperation, vitality
9. Karakas, signs, and houses representing known health issues.
10. 6th house and 6th lord for diseases caused shad ripu, which include bad habits, as
well as enemies which can be infectious agents like viruses and bacteria. And
for short term illness.
11. 8th house and 8th lord for chronic diseases brought on by karma and genetics,
more deep seated than 6th house disorders.
3

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

12. Badhak house, the planets therein, and lord of badhak (badhakesh)
13. Planets in marana karaka sthana.
14. 3rd house from AL. If Saturn is influencing the 3rd from AL, the person will die
of a disease.
Case One: Died of Lupus:
Lupus is a chronic disease characterized by the immune system attacking the body. In
severe cases such as this one it can lead to death. The water element is crucial for the
immune system; people with chronic immune problems will have afflictions to the water
element in their charts as signified by Moon and Venus. This person died from kidney
complications due to the lupus attacking her kidneys.

1. Lagna- contains a malefic, aspected by all the malefics and bhadakesh by graha
dristi.
2. Quadrants- Sarpa yoga with 3 quadrants containing malefics.
3. Lagna lord in a good house but with 8th lord, and sign is Scorpio, sign of chronic
illness.
4. Vara Lord: moon, in the 6th house of disease. See below.
5. Atma karakais moon, is weakened by two replacements.
6. Moon: In the 6th house of punishment and disease. Owns the 8th house from
Shani. Is the AK, afflicted by position in 6th from lagna and replaced twice by
Mercury and Jupiter, as both these planets are at the same degree of longitude as
Moon. The moon does better with nice friends surrounding her and in this case is
4

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

without benefic influenceonly Rahu is in an adjoining house. Moon is crucial in
this chart as it is both vara lord and AK, along with being the natural significator
of healing. It has a big job but is highly afflicted. 4th from moon is also 12th from
Saturn, containing lagna lord and 8th lord. It is difficult for healing to occur.
7. Saturn: Occupies A8, the arudha of the 8th house, afflicting lagna and quadrants.
4th and 8th from Saturn are owned by the watery planets moon and Venus. This
demonstrates that the afflicted jala tattwah or water element is at the root of her
disease. 12th from Saturn contains the lagna lord along with 8th lord Venus. Venus
as 8th lord in the 12th from Shani ruins her jala tattvah and kidneys. So we see how
both watery planets are afflicted and also causing affliction here. Venus rules
Libra, the sign of the kidneys and is the significator for kidneys. Saturn is also
conjoined its enemy Mars as well as Mercury, the 2nd AK which is also badhakesh
in this chart.
8. Sun- is in Capricorn, a sign of Saturn, aspected by Rahu, and is in the 11th house
of rudra.
9. We see that the 7th house and the 7th sign are both afflicted in this chart; the 7th
house contains Rahu and is in the sarpa yoga while the 7th sign Libra contains
lagna lord afflicted by 8th lord, in the 12th from Shani.
10. 6th lord Sun is aspecting its own house by graha dristi, making disease strong.
11. 8th lord Venus is in 12th from Shani with lagna lord. The 8th house is Libra, sign
of the kidneys.
12. Badhak house for Dual signs is the 7th house, in this case Virgo. The natural
badhak Rahu is in the badhak house afflicting the quadrants with rashi dristi,
while badhak lord Mercury is with two malefics afflicting the 9th house of
fortune/protection. There is little protection for her health.
13. No planets in MKS.
14. Saturn is aspecting the 3rd from AL with graha dristi, and is conjoined the lord of
3rd from AL. Rahu is there indicating poisons, which are not cleared by diseased
kidneys.
She died during the dasa of her lagna lord, as it was conjoined the 8th lord.
Case Two: Her sister: Lupus but still alive. The native is the sister of the above case.
This woman was diagnosed with lupus as a teen, has had lupus and other auto immune
conditions all her life, and spent her teenage years and early 20s on heavy steroids to
keep her immune system in check. Presently she is on homeopathy and doing well.

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

7.

8.
9.

Lagna is afflicted by all the malefics by rashi dristi.

Two benefics are in Quadrants.
Lagna lord is under severe affliction by malefics and also debilitated.
Vara lord is sun in the 6th house of disease.
Atma karaka is Venus, which is also badhakesh and receiving the rashi dristi of
the malefics and Brihaspati.
Moon is the lagna lord, debilitated and severely afflicted. There is some
cancellation of debility by Mars (in a quadrant to moon) and Venus (in quadrant
to lagna). 4th from moon is Aquarius; both lords are conjoined and afflicting the
moon. Healing is difficult.
Saturn is in trines to lagna and is afflicting the moon. The 6th 8th and 12th houses
from the moon are empty and ruled by Mars (6th) and Venus (8th and 12th). Mars
is well placed as a yoga karaka planet for Cancer lagna in a trine to lagna, and as
pointing out is also giving cancellation of debility to the moon. There are some
raja yogas formed in this house.
Sun is in the 6th house, the sun is good in upachaya houses in general, in the sign
of a friend.
She has had some problems with an immune condition affecting the nerves
(myasthenia gravis.) The karaka for nerves in Mars. We do see Mars afflicted by
Rahu and Saturn. The main karakas for her condition however are the Jala tattvah
planets moon and Venus. Moon is under a terrible curse, and Venus is badhakesh
creating hidden obstacles. Still overall this chart is not as bad as her sisters.

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

10. 6th lord Jupiter is in the house of a friend. The 6ths lords 7th aspect is called
Yama dristi, and brings punishment and suffering in the affected house. In this
case Jupiter is aspecting the 8th house, which is unoccupied.
11. The 8th co-lords Saturn and Rahu are severely afflicting the lagna lord.
12. Badhakesh is fairly well placed and happy in a quadrant and sign of a friend, the
badhak house contains Ketu and is aspecting the lagna by rashi dristi. Headless
Ketu is a malefic for health and destroys the body.
13. Mercury is in marana karaka stana, and Venus is badhakesh, so they are not
protecting health as much as they would if they were free of these conditions.
14. 3rd from AL is aspected by Saturn.
Case 3: A Healthy Guy: In comparison to the charts of the chronically ill people we
have been studying, lets take a look at the chart of someone is apparently boisterously
healthy, successful, and full of energy. Here is the chart of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the
illustrious movie star/governor of California. Famous for his magnificently sculpted
body, he was chosen as Mr. Universe five times. He had elective surgery to replace a
heart valve on April 16th, 1997. He had not been sick but had it done to avoid future
problems. Vara lord and AK are both Mars.
1. How chart from the really ill people weve been looking at?
2. Why might he have some heart trouble?

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

Part III Divisional charts for health and disease.

This chart is found in Pt Sanjay Raths work Divisional Charts and their Applications.
Level
Physical
Conscious
Subconscious
Super conscious
Supra conscious

Harmonic
Primary
First harmonic
Second harmonic
Third harmonic
Fourth harmonic

Divisional charts
D-1 to D-12
D-13 to D-24
D25-to D-36
D-37- to D-48
D-49 to D-60

To fine tune our understanding of the natives health, we use divisional charts to show us
different aspects which influence health. The lower divisional charts, D-1 through D-12,
are the primary cycle of charts which relate to the body and the physical plane. From this
group we use the following to look more closely at health problems:
1. The rashi chart, which is the physical body itself.
2. The somanath drekkana (D-3Sn) chart, which relates to the 3rd house of the
natural zodiac and shows our ojas or physical vitality related to the water element.
3. The shasthamsa (D-6) chart, which shows how the pranas move in the body.
4. The navamsha (D-9) chart, which shows the overall fortune of the person. Health
is directly related to happiness.
We have already looked at the rashi chart in detail, now we will describe the other
primary divisional charts involved in health and disease.
D-3 (S)The Somanatha Drekkana chart shows our Ojas (vitality). Ojas is derived from
the water element and gives the body the power to recuperate. In the Somanatha drekkana
chart, the water element should not be afflicted.
This chart, along with the D-6 chart, give information that is important to health
practitioners that work with the bodys own energies. This chart gives an indication of the
state of vitality. The depletion of Ojas takes place continually from age 18 in a steady
progression, but can worsen with challenging transits.
Toxic treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy, and immunosupressants may keep
deadly diseases such as cancer at bay, but these treatments also weaken the Ojas. Holistic
treatments such as Aryuveda, homeopathy, and Traditional Chinese medicine strengthen
the Ojas.

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

The element that opposes water is fire. The fire will boil the water away, causing
depletion of Ojas. Sun and Mars are the fiery planets that can afflict the lagna or moon
by conjunction or aspect in this chart, causing the Ojas to be destroyed.
If the fiery planets are afflicting the moon rather than the lagna, the disease is caused
more by a mental state such as chronic depression. In this case, the prognosis may be
more hopeful as the lagna itself is not afflicted.
The air element dries the water up, so the airy planet Saturn is also harmful for Ojas. If
Saturn is afflicting the lagna or moon, the Ojas will be harmed. Rahu is also considered
very harmful to Ojas.
Death is end of Ojas, so the 2nd house, which is the natural maraka or killer house, or
sometimes the 8th house in this D-3 chart will be afflicted in chronic disease. Any planet
in the second house, or the lord of the second house, can also destroy the Ojas.
D-6 This chart shows the movement of pranas, the air element, in the body. As in the
Somanath Drekkana chart, the second house the worst. The second lord is maraka (killer)
to the lagna. We study the planets in 2nd house, as well as the second lord, and planets
that conjoin the 2nd lord to see the afflictions to prana in this chart. The sixth house, the
natural house of disease, should also be considered.
The lagna in D-6 shows the good things, what will protect health. We study everything
good from the first house, everything bad from the second house.
Signs that are aspecting the second house can also bring death and disease. Signs that are
aspecting the lagna in D-6 can bring health and long life. We also view these placements
from Chandra lagna.
D-9 The navamsha chart is crucial as it shows the overall fortune of the person. If planets
are afflicted in this chart, they cannot give good results even if they are well placed in the
rashi chart. Malefics in the 4th house in this chart can cause troubles with health. The
second house of the navamsha shows the major failings of the person; the sun placed here
can indicate a failure of health.
D-30(S) Shastiamsa - like Trimsamsa. In addition to these first harmonic charts, we use a
chart from the second harmonic cycle which relates to the subconscious plane and the 6th
house, which is the house of punishment and disease. This D-30 S is mentioned in
Jataka Parijata. It is a trimsamsha chart which is made like a Shastiamsa (D-60) chart. It
relates to the 6th house as we are left with the 6th house when we remove 2 cycles of 12.
We must see the planets in the 8th and 12th houses in this chart. Planets in these houses
will be malefic for health. Diseases shown in this chart are very deep rooted, as D-30 is
on the subconscious level, the 3rd harmonic.

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

If the 8th lord is in lagna in this chart, the disease will be bad but curable. If lagna lord
goes to the 8th house, it is worse and the condition may be incurable. Lagna lord in the 8th
house may indicate mental disorders as the lagna signifies intelligence.
D-60 If the birth time is accurate, we can also do a reading of the chart from the 4th
harmonic or supra-conscious plane which tells us about the past life. The status of the
atma karaka in this chart is particularly important. The lagna shows the connection
between the past life and the current life. We read the chart from the Arudha Lagna, and
note the type of death in the 3rd from AL.
Case Four: Cancer, Alcoholism, and chronic inflammation.
The native had rectal cancer, which was misdiagnosed by several doctors as a hemorrhoid
for almost two years until January 2006. Before that she had suffered from chronic
fatigue syndrome from 1986, colitis from 1996, bladder cancer in 2000, and interstitial
cystitis from 2001. Depression started in childhood and alcoholism started at age 14 and
lasted until June 5, 2005.
In spite of, or perhaps because of, this painful history, she is a kind and compassionate
person who works as a counselor for children who suffer from cancer.

To do:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Go through the usual protocol with the rashi chart.

Look at Vimsottari dasa for timing the cancer.
Look at the Somanath Drekkana chart to see the state of her ojas.
Look at the D-6 chart to see the how the pranas operate; diseases with a physical
cause and how they manifest.
5. Check up the Paryaya dasa of the D-6 chart.
6. Check the Navamsha chart for a look at her overall fortune.

10

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

7. See the Shashtyamsa like trimsamsha (D-30S) chart for deep rooted afflictions
and mental disorders.
Mental Illness Charts
Mental illness also shows up readily in the rashi chart. For mental illness we must note
the following:
1. Lagna- intelligence
2. Paka lagna- applied intelligence
3. Moon- consciousness
4. Mercury- reasoning, making connections
5. 5th house and 5th lord - powers of mental discernment.
6. Atma karaka to understand if the atma is suffering or happy in this life.
7. See the 6th, 8th, and 12 from Saturn to determine the root of the mental disease.
Important Divisional charts include:
1. Navamsha Chart to see the overall fortune of the person and especially the status
of the AK and moon.
2. D-12 to see what the parents were like, as childhood trauma can be a trigger for
mental illness.
3. D-30 (s) to see what kind of sub conscious suffering may be present. As with
physical health issues, a connection between the lagna lord and the 8th or 12th
lords in this chart indicate roots at the subconscious level.
Vimsottari dasa shows how the state of consciousness changes at different times of life
according to the gunas of the planet ruling the maha dasa and antar dasa. For example, a
person in A Jupiter dasa would be in a more sattvic frame of mind while a person in
Saturn dasa would more eaily have darker, more tamasic thoughts.
Schizophrenic A
This is a sensitive young girl whose world started to fall apart just as she was trying to
finish college. Her extreme artistic nature and sensitivity and sense of isolation got the
better of her and she felt the ocean waves, the sun, and the blueness of the sky were
responding to her emotions. An organization took over her town and was trying to
determine if she were Buddah or Jesus. The sky changed color more gracefully when she
talked.
Then she got really scared and thought the planes flying overhead were coming to take
her back to Tibet. They were running her through tests to see how compassionate she
was. It was so scary she started to think that maybe it was all delusion. She ended up in
the hospital and was put on a conservatorship, which means she is a ward of the
government and has no personal rights.

11

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

To Do: Analyze the factors that determine mind, emotions, and consciousness as listed in
the points above. Also, answer the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is the status of badhakesh in this chart?

What is Sharada yoga? What is the problem here?
How do relationships look?
Which planets are in Marana karaka stana?
She was also very suspicious of her father she thought he had inappropriate
thoughts about her. Is this confirmed in the D-12 chart

12

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

Schizophrenic B
This young woman also suffers from schizophrenia; her identical twin suffers from
anxiety but is not schizophrenic. We can read her sisters chart from the 11th house.

To do: Analyze the 14 factors, D-9 and D-30(S)

What is the effect of retrograde Jupiter in the 5th house?

13

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

Multiple Personality (Dissociative Identity Disorder)

In spite of a horrific childhood which fractured her personality, this woman is quite
functionalshe has held down the same job for many years and has friends and
community.

To Do: Analyze the rashi chart; see D-9 and D-30(s).

1. What accounts for her ability to function well without medications, hold down a
job, etc?
2. Her parents are said to have been evil people. Is this confirmed in the D-12 chart?
Which parent was worse?

Bibliography:
Tutorials and conference teachings with Pt. Sanjay Rath
Navagraha Kosa by S.K. Ramachandra Rao Sri Satguru Publications, Delhi, 2005
14

Saturn -- the Root of Disease

Presented at the SJC W. 2006 Conference

Jyotisha Fundamentals by Visti Larsen, Sagittarius Publications, Delhi, 2005

15