From the sixth house we identify the aspects of litigation, diseases and debts amongst other things. Fortunate persons having "divine grace" make use of astrological advice to solve various life problems. Amongst all other problems, the problem of health is the one which affects a person both physically and mentally. The physical and mental disability or disturbance (temporarily or in a chronic way) touches each and every aspect of life to the disadvantage of the native. The medical diagnosis, preventive or actual, have become very complicated today in totally polluted environment. In contrast to the medical science, Vedic Astrology offers human beings the advantage of knowledge of diseases from which a native may suffer during the course of his/her life. Again in contrast to the medical sciences it is Vedic Astrology which not only forewarns the native for the impending diseases but also helps in avoiding the same completely or partially by adopting suitable astral remedies, food habits, etc.
How to diagnose diseases is the question which comes up next. The houses which are weak or afflicted or the planets which are weak or afflicted give diseases connected with the significations ruled by them. This is the golden principle which provides us the key to diagnosing the health problems and suggesting possible remedies. For example, if the significator of health, i.e. the lord of the ascendant and/or the lord of the sixth house and/or the Sun, is weak and at the same time the significator of health and the most effective point of the first/sixth house are afflicted by the conjunction/aspect of functional malefic planets and devoid of the aspect/conjunction of functional benefic planets, the native has weak constitution and during the period/sub-periods of the significator of health the significations of diseases are aggravated. The strength of the planets should also be seen in the relevant divisional chart with reference to the ascendant of the divisional chart. Debilitation, bad placement or affliction in the relevant divisional chart makes the planet weak regarding the significations of that divisional chart. Then the planets give us further hints. For example, weak/afflicted Mercury, being significator of health, may give suffering by way of nervous breakdown, skin infections or breathing problems, etc.
Whether the diseases would be temporary/permanent is revealed by the planets which are causing afflictions. In case of natal afflictions with longer main periods like Venus, Saturn, Rahu, Mercury and Jupiter, the sufferings persist for a long time. In case of transit afflictions and natal afflictions by fast moving planets like the Moon, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Ketu, relief is indicated comparatively earlier.
While the ascendant and the lord of the ascendant, the sixth house and its lord, the Sun (significator for vitality), the Moon (significator for mind) and Mercury (significator for nervous system) signify the physical and mental health in general, the other planets indicate parts of the body governed by them. Moreover, the planets in addition to their lordships cause sufferings by way of significations ruled by them. Mars afflicted by Rahu or a functional malefic Saturn may cause boils, wounds, muscular infections, irregular blood pressure, impurities of blood, etc. If the Sun is weak and in conjunction with Mars and one of these two planets is a functional malefic both the significations of Mars and the Sun suffer. The person, during mutual sub-periods of these planets, may have serious problems related with the general and particular significations of the Sun or Mars. The person, during mutual sub-periods of these planets, may have a fracture/operation of the part signified by the lordship of the Sun or Mars. Revolving around the foregoing general principles, numerous planetary combinations are seen which guide us towards possible diseases, a native may suffer.
Afflicted but otherwise strong planets give short duration health problems pertaining to their general and particular significations. If the lord of the ascendant is weak and there are severely afflicted planets, a person is vulnerable to dreaded diseases like cancer, skin infections, cardiac diseases, etc. The other prominent significations of the sixth house are debts, disputes, enmity and litigation. The conjunction of the sixth lord with a particular house/planet in a natal chart indicates the area of disputes/diseases. For example; if the lord of the sixth house is afflicting the tenth house and the lord of the tenth house is weak, during the operational sub-periods of the lords of the tenth and sixth houses, the native may encounter disputes/enquiries with regard to his job/professional matters and problems in the knee joints. The involvement of the seventh lord/house in place of the tenth may indicate litigation due to the inharmonious marital relations. During the operational sub-period of the weak lord of the sixth house, in case the eleventh and second houses are weak, the native may contract debts which might become difficult to be discharged with. During the weak sixth lord's periods the maternal uncles of the person may suffer causing reduction in support to the native in the hour of necessity i.e. when native is involved in diseases/litigation/debts and needs help, his/her maternal uncles, the natural allies, may become incapable of offering any help to the native because of the sufferings encountered by them.
Further analytical discussions will come up during the course of illustrations of real life cases.
Male
born 26th August, 1971, 2345Hrs. 28.39N 77.13E
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Venus becomes the prime determinant of health in this case as there is no mooltrikona sign in the ascendant of the rasi chart as also in the ascendant of the shashthamsa. Venus is very weak as it is 100% combust, its dispositor is exactly afflicted and its house of placement is closely afflicted by the functional malefic Mars. The functional malefic Venus exactly afflicts the significator of vitality, the Sun, and combust Mercury. The functional malefic Mars is close to the most effective point of the house of its location and afflicts the third, fourth and ninth houses. Mars, the twelfth lord, is in exact conjunction with Rahu. Saturn becomes weak due to occupation of a debilitated navamsa. The Moon is very weak as it is in the sixth house and its dispositor is extremely weak. The house ruling health, the Moon ruling functioning of various organs of the body and Mars the secondary significator for health and blood in particular, are all weak/afflicted.
During the Venus sub-period of Jupiter main period, both functional malefic planets, ruling the sixth and eighth houses, respectively, the native suffered from blood cancer and died thereof within a few months there after.
Male
born 4th May, 1946, 1718Hrs. 34.01N 71.34E
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Mercury and Saturn become the prime determinants of health. Saturn also becomes additional determinant of health as it rules the ascendant of shashthamsa. Mars, Saturn, the Sun, Rahu and Ketu are the functional malefic planets. Saturn is closely afflicting the most effective points of the tenth, twelfth, fourth and seventh houses. Jupiter is afflicted by the close aspect of Rahu. The ascendant lord, Mercury, occupies its sign of debilitation and is closely afflicted by Saturn and Ketu. The functional malefic Sun is badly placed, debilitated in the navamsa and afflicts the eighth house and the house of status. All factors ruling health are weak and there are severe afflictions in the chart.
During the main period of weak and afflicted Jupiter and sub-period of Rahu, which are in the same houses both in navamsa and shashthamsa, the native was fully under the clutches of Rahu and resorted to gains by way of wrong means.
As the myth goes that Rahu was detected in the last and was made to pay for his misdeeds, the native was also caught after initial gains. The onset of the main period of Saturn, the sixth lord placed in the tenth house, involved the native in a court case filed by him against his dismissal ordered by his employer. As Saturn is very close to the most effective point of the tenth house, he showed full effects of his rulership. He is continuing in the litigation without any respite in sight. At the same time the weakness and multiple affliction of Mercury gave him mental tension and sufferings on account of high blood pressure. The various sub-periods of other planets had further pin-pricks to add in the professional areas. The sign Aquarius rises in shashthamsa, the divisional chart for the sixth house and its lord goes to the eighth house of shashthamsa. The incidents predominantly happening in Saturn's main period relate to the sixth and the tenth houses.
Female
born 21st January, 1963, 2000Hrs. 28.39 N 77.13E
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The Sun becomes the prime determinant of health in this case. Four planets are occupying the sixth house including the lord of the ascendant, the Sun, and the lord of the second and seventh houses in a state of combustion. They make the person vulnerable to health problems and losses through theft, fire and cheating. Rahu is on the most effective point of the house and is closely aspecting the Sun and Mercury from the twelfth house. Ketu is closely conjunct weak Sun and Mars and the most effective point of the sixth house. The significator for marital happiness, Venus, is in degree conjunction with debilitated and functional malefic Moon. The lord of the second house, Mercury, is also combust. The chart shows prominent connections of the spouse and family, with the sixth house and the functional malefic planets. Saturn is involved in the sixth house, whose mooltrikona sign is placed in the seventh house thus creating a relationship between the matters pertaining to the seventh and the sixth houses. The native was married in the sub-period of Venus in its own main period.
The only positive combination in the chart is placement of Jupiter, the fifth lord and significator for husband, which has promoted the marriage of the native to some extent. During the sub-periods of the Sun (placed in the sixth), the Moon (debilitated lord of the twelfth house in the fourth house), Mars (debilitated ninth lord in the twelfth house) and Rahu, the native had disputes and inharmonious relationship with the spouse and had to leave the house of her husband twice. The sub-period of Rahu, who is just on the most effective point of the twelfth house ruling bed comforts, eluded the native from same by keeping her away (separated) from her husband. The author was approached whether the native should go in for a divorce and knowing about happiness from a remarriage.
After considering all combinations/influences, the native was advised to perform propitiatory measures for Rahu, Ketu and the Moon and wear Kavach/gem-stones for strengthening Saturn, Mercury and Mars. Mooltrikona sign of Mars is in the ninth house, of Saturn is in the seventh house and of Mercury is in the second house, all are connected with general fortune and happy married life. She has been further advised to leave the idea of going in for divorce as the influences in the chart are likely to play a similar part in the remarriage, as well. However, the performance of remedial measures and the understanding of planetary influences in her case helped her coming to a compromise and improving relationship with the spouse. She was advised to control her nature of indulging into disputes on trifles. Astral remedies also helped her on health problems front.
Male
born 7th March, 1963, 0040Hrs. 26.53N 75.50E
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Mars becomes the prime determinant of health while Jupiter becomes additional prime determinant of health. The functional malefic Mars occupies the ninth house in its sign of debilitation and closely afflicts the Moon and the most effective point of the houses occupied and aspected. Debilitated Mars links disputes and diseases with the fortune. Jupiter, whose mooltrikona sign is in the second house, is posited in the house of domestic happiness. Jupiter is weak due to combustion and being in extreme old age and in an afflicted house. In navamsa Scorpio rises as the ascendant and Saturn and Rahu occupy the tenth house with most of other planets in the malefic houses of navamsa.
Venus is the significator for wife and is exalted in the navamsa. Venus is weak as the most effective point of the house of its placement is under the close aspect of the functional malefic Mars. Venus is also suffering from the close aspects of Mars and Rahu and the conjunction of Ketu. Due to weakness of and afflictions to Venus his bride left his house within a few days of the marriage and did not respond. The native was in a fix that if the spouse is not interested, at least, there should be an end to the alliance. In the sub-period of Jupiter, which is weak and rules the house of family, proceedings for severing of marital-tie were initiated. The weakness of the sixth lord and affliction to the Moon gave sufferings to the native by way of mental maladies and erratic blood pressure.
Male
born 10th April, 1948, 0400 Hrs.
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Saturn and the Moon become the prime determinants of health in this case. The lord of the sixth house is in the third house while the lord of the third house and the lord of the ascendant are in the sixth house. The location of Saturn in the sixth house, along with the debilitated Mars, has made the native quite quarrelsome and short tempered. The onset of the Moon's main period who is the sixth lord, involved the native in quarrelsome behavior with his wife. The miserliness of the native, which is a significant characteristic of a weak Saturn, was the starting point of the dispute as the native was not willing to give financial independence to his wife. The inharmonious relationship got inflamed in the sub-period of Mars resulting in a police case filed by his wife owing to the alleged cruel behavior of the native. The sub-period of Jupiter in the main period of the Moon was somewhat peaceful when wife returned to him after some compromise. Matters again worsened with the beginning of Saturn's sub-period. In the sub-period of the functional malefic Mercury, which occupies the house of family in its sign of debilitation, the wife deserted the native. In the sub-period of Venus, the yogakaraka planet, the native was acquitted by the court from the criminal cases. The trouble of the native came to an end only during the sub-period of Venus in the main period of Mars as Venus is rightly placed and is unafflicted.
The reason for the long duration of the dispute was that from August, 1980 the native was in the main period of the lord of the sixth house followed by the main period of Mars, which being the lord of the house of initiatives, is placed in the sixth house. Persistent disputes and tensions cause severe health problems to the native including TB. The close affliction to the second house by the most malefic planet resulted in problems in job, problems in marital relationship and problems to his vision.