The origin of astrological knowledge can be traced to the times of the creation of humanity. This knowledge was developed and used to answer uncertainties, future and the way human beings can come out of difficult situations in life. This ancient knowledge was also used by wise people to not only chart the course of life of individuals and nations but to harness the potentials of individuals and nations under the patronage of kings and royal people. It is a pity that the ancient scientific knowledge is brushed aside by the so called modern scientists in an unscientific manner. They condemn something which they do not know and which they have not studied.

We often come across persons, who have to see frequent changes in their lives, encounter misfortunes and rarely get settled in their lives. The author had taken up a project for studying and analysing the common astrological factors in this regard. After empirical study of horoscopes having such history, the author came to the conclusion that mostly children born in the ending parts of constellation of Mercury, Venus and Ketu fall under this category. The main reason is that in all such cases the children have to undergo dasa of a number of planets having different temperament e.g. Mercury-Ketu-Venus-Sun-Moon-Mars-Rahu etc. The only long spell of dasa is that of Venus and in case Venus is strongly placed in the chart, the child gets base for settlement in life. Apart from the operation of dasa the factors responsible for giving a good start in life for accomplishments are strong lord of the ascendant or unafflicted ascendant, the Sun, the Moon, the lords of the fourth and ninth houses. On the other hand if Venus is also weak along with the weak ninth house, the whole life of the native remains troublesome. The best charts are those where functional malefic planets - Rahu and Ketu - do not form exact or close conjunctions or aspects with functional benefic planets and the most effective point of various houses.

The vital role in creating trouble is played by the dasa of Ketu, which gives a start to the series of troubles because of the fast changing sub-periods. Shri Vanket Sharma, the author of 'Saravarth Chintamani' attributes the results to dasa of Ketu as under:

'The native loses his wife and son; suffers on account of misunderstanding with the king; suffers loss of education, relatives, wealth and friends; dangers from disease, fire and friends; fall from a conveyance; dangers from poison, weapons, going to distant places. The native likes to pick-up quarrels and finds trouble with the physical health. When Ketu occupies and influences an angular house, actions do not give results, one loses ruling powers, son and wife and encounters other dangers. During its dasa Ketu gives dangers, fevers, loose motions, loss of semen, boils and cholera, if it occupies the ascendant. He attributed good results to Ketu only when it is under the aspect of benefic planets."

This is possible when the functional benefic planet aspecting Ketu is strong and the aspect of range is between two degrees to five degrees. However, if the planet is weak then Ketu will afflict the functional benefic planet.

The unfavorable impact of Ketu main or sub period becomes intense when the Ketu is placed on the MEP of the house and the MT sign lords of such houses occupied and aspected are weak in the natal chart.

Sant Tulsidas wrote in Ramcharitamanas that the dasa of Ketu is always troublesome. In fact while writing in the context of conduct of evil persons, he stated that the birth of evil persons is always for harming the lives of others as is the rise of planet Ketu meaning thereby that the dasa of Ketu is always troublesome. In experience, we notice that whenever Ketu is under benefic influence, it gives spiritual advancement and not material advancement. As we are examining the results of Ketu dasa in the childhood, we can safely infer that the Ketu dasa in childhood mostly produces malefic results as it hampers the material advancement, destroys or troubles the sources of material advancement of the child, for example his parents. The best way to propitiate Ketu in its dasa is to feed street dogs, if possible, or reciting the mantra 'Om Sri Ganeshaye Namah'. The recitation of mantra can be done in the morning after bath and before breakfast. A minimum of 101 recitations daily during the sub-period of Ketu would be good to ward-off the evils. The propitiation of Ketu becomes necessary in view of the fact that Ketu destroys the significations of the house occupied by him if close to the most effective point, of the planet, with whom it is closely conjunct with and the houses closely aspected by it.

If the Sun and the most effective point of the ninth house are closely afflicted, the native loses his father or it causes severe troubles to the father affecting thereby the comfortable growth of the native. If the Moon and the most effective point of the fourth house are weak and are under the close affliction of Ketu, the native is denied the care of parents especially that of the mother. The multiple weaknesses of planets, and at the same time being closely afflicted by the functional malefic planets, are worst.

In contrast with it where a native completes major period of Rahu by the age of 12 to 14 years of age and has a strongly placed functional benefic Jupiter, enjoys the fruits of life in time and gets settled well. If other planets are also suitably well-placed then it gives an extra-ordinary lift to the native.

Let us now examine some charts of natives born in the ending parts of main periods of Ketu, Mercury and Venus.

Birth: Male born March 5, 1947, at 3.13 AM 77E04 28N37 Time Zone 5.30 hours.
(To understand the following discussion you can make out the chart with the help of the Junior Jyotish
The native was born with a balance of main period of Mercury approx. twelve years. Mercury primarily ruled the tenth house and is weak due to combustion. The early part of life of the native was full of health problems, which hampered his education.