Each of the nine planets of Vedic astrology has exaltation and debilitation signs. In case of debilitation (neecha), a planet is in its weakest state; but all hope is not lost. Saptarishis have declared that the debilitation can be nullified under certain circumstances. Neecha bhanga has been illustrated by saptarishis in Saptarishi Nadi series.
Table of Contents
Saptarishi Nadi
Saptarishi Nadi is a collection of books containing discussions of horoscopes by the seven sages (saptarishis) and the consort of Lord Siva, Devi Parvati, herself. It is written in poetic form in the Tamil language. These books were compiled from palm manuscripts found in various parts of Tamilnadu, India, and published by the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras. Most importantly, they are a treasure house for those who want to analyze the predictions of the horoscopes by the ancient sages. I have discussed at length about this collection in the Saptarishi Nadi section. I have compiled the portions where the saptarishis put forth their arguments in favor of/against some of their predictions in the form of an eBook titled, “Elucidation of astrological predictions by saptarishis: Saptarishi Nadi, Aries ascendant collection.”
Update: The following article has been rewritten as new information has emerged. In the course of proofreading the Saptarishi Nadi verses for my forthcoming book, I found that the planetary position has been wrongly deciphered earlier by the nadi readers in the book that was published about 60 yrs ago. This has necessitated a partial rewriting of this article.
I have reproduced horoscope 38 in South Indian format from the eBook.
The ascendant is Aries. Venus is debilitated in Virgo. Jupiter and the Sun are also debilitated. The Moon is placed in Gemini.
The dispositor of a planet is the lord/ruler of the sign in which it is placed. For example, Venus is placed in Virgo. The ruler of Virgo is Mercury. Therefore, the dispositor of Venus in this horoscope is Mercury (the lord/ruler of Virgo), which is also exalted in Virgo.
Interestingly, though Venus is debilitated, the saptarishis declare that the debilitation has been nullified. In other words, neecha bhanga is in effect for Venus. This neecha bhanga of Venus saves the jataka from marrying two wives (thank God!). But the other two debilitated planets continue to remain so. Let’s analyze the reason for neecha bhanga of Venus.
Though many books advocate various rules for neecha bhanga, their authenticity is questionable. But the reader is free to apply those rules for the horoscope described above and arrive at a conclusion. Luckily, sage Pulippani has explained about Neecha bhanga rajayoga in his treatise.
Neecha bhanga raja yoga defined
சூடப்பா இன்னமொரு சூச்சமங்கேளு சுகமுள்ள ஜென்மனுட ராசிதன்னில்
மாடப்பா மதிமயங்கி ஒளிவில்லாமல் மகத்தான கோளதுதான் நீசமேற
கூடப்பா குடினாதன் அம்புலிக்கு கொற்றவனே கேந்திரமு முச்சமாக
நாடப்பா போகருட கடாட்சத்தாலே நலமாக செப்பிடுவாய் நீசம்போச்சே
Translation
If a planet is debilitated in a rasi but
- its dispositor is exalted and
- its dispositor is in a kendra (1, 4, 7, or 10) from the Moon
then the debilitation gets nullified/cancelled.
That the dispositor of the debilitated planet has to be exalted for neecha bhanga to kick in is well known. But sage Pulippani says that the dispositor, in addition to being exalted, has to be in a kendra from the Moon. Both the rules need to be complied with.
Analysis
The dispositor of Venus is Mercury, and Mercury is exalted. Mercury is also placed in a kendra (here, 4th) from the Moon. Both the two rules mentioned above are satisfied.
Let’s apply these rules for the other two debilitated planets in this horoscope:
- The Sun’s dispositor is Venus, but he too is debilitated.
- Jupiter’s dispositor is Saturn, who is not exalted nor in a kendra from the Moon.
Definition continued
That is not all. Sage Pulippani adds one more rule to Neecha bhanga rajayoga:
போச்சப்பா இன்னமொரு பேச்சுக்கேளு புகழ்பெரிய நீசபங்க ராஜயோகம்
நீச்சப்பா நீணிலத்தில் ஜென்மனுக்கு நிகழ்த்திவிட்டோம் நிலைசமய மறிந்துசெப்பு
கூச்சப்பா கொடியோர்கள் கண்ணுற்றாலும் குற்றம்வந்து தீருமடா குழவிக்கேதான்
வீச்சப்பா போகருட கருணையாலே விளம்பினேன் புலிப்பாணி வினையைக்கேளே
Translation
Sage Pulippani says he has just explained Neecha bhanga raja yoga. But he cautions that if malefic planets accompany or aspect the debilitated planet, the jataka will suffer malefic results.
There is a bit of confusion here: we have to make a distinction between neecha bhanga and neecha bhanga raja yoga. Raja yoga signifies prosperity akin to that of a king. If malefic planets accompany or aspect the debilitated planet, the raja yoga is no longer in effect though the debilitation is cancelled.
Analysis
In this horoscope, the debilitated planet (Venus) is both accompanied and aspected by malefic planets. Therefore, though the debilitation is cancelled, raja yoga is not in effect.
Of the 78 horoscopes discussed in the Aries ascendant collection of Saptarishi Nadi, only one instance of Neecha bhanga (cancellation of debilitation) has been mentioned. This shows that this yoga is not commonly encountered.
Summing it up
Sage Pulippani and the saptarishis have clearly defined and demonstrated Neecha bhanga raja yoga. The works of sage Pulippani and the saptarishis are not widely known even in India. But they are a treasure house of authentic astrology.
Please note that the saptarishis used a tropical zodiac with sidereal nakshatras — which I have established conclusively in another article — and the rules discussed in Saptarishi Nadi were intended for interpretation of a chart computed with tropical zodiac, as opposed to sidereal zodiac.
January 10, 2020 at 9:57 am
Sir, I have a few questions about Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam which is:
1.The 1st rule whereby the Dispositor or the Moon have to be in one of the Kendra (1,4,7,10) houses. Is it from the Ascendant or from the Rasi in which the Debilitated Planet is positioned?
My second question is about the second rule of Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam, which mentions that if the Dispositor is exalted then the debilitation gets cancelled. Does this condition also applies for the Moon? In other words, does the Moon have to be exalted to cancel the debilitation of a planet?
My next question is, does the waxing and waning phases of the Moon affect the Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam thus formed?
My last question is regarding The 3rd rule which mentions that if a malefic planet accompanies or aspects the Dispositor or the Moon then the Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam will not be able to take its full effect. Is it based on the Natural Malefics such as the (Sun, Mars, Saturn, Waning Moon, Rahu and Ketu) or is it based on the Functional Malefics (which would change according to the Ascendant)?
January 10, 2020 at 11:10 am
January 24, 2020 at 6:44 pm
Sir, I have a question regarding Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam, What happens if the Dispositor of the Neecha Planet is conjunct together or aspected by the Badhakathipathi (Badhaka Planet) of that horoscope? Will the Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam be totally cancelled?
January 24, 2020 at 6:49 pm
I don’t think a badhakathipathy will act as a malefic planet in this instance. Badhakathipathy may harm the jataka during it’s dasa period, but it may not act as a malefic planet per se, if it happens to be a natural benefic planet.
January 31, 2020 at 2:12 pm
Hi Sir, May I know whether Horoscope No.38 is available in the PDF format of the Saptarishi Nadi: Mesha Lagnam? If it is available what is the exact number of the horoscope?
January 31, 2020 at 2:49 pm
If you are asking about the mesha lagnam collection found in archive.org, yes, the horoscope discussed above is available. It corresponds to horoscope no. 50 in the book published by the library.
February 13, 2020 at 8:32 pm
Dear sir
For Aries ascendant, Mercury in 12 house (Pisces) and its dispositor Jupiter is in 4 house cancer. Can we consider as vipreet Raj yoga or neech bhanga raja yoga? or both yogas?
Thank you 🙏 in advance for your valuable time.
February 19, 2020 at 2:27 pm
Only after a perusal of the whole horoscope can one make predictions on the horoscope. How was the horoscope computed – using tropical or sidereal zodiac? If you are willing, send the birth details through the contact page in the website.
October 15, 2020 at 9:15 am
Sir, there’s one important thing we have to take a note, If these are the new rules for Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam, then the one and only planet that can never achieve Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam would be the Moon because eventhough Mars (Lord of Scorpio) is exalted in Capricorn it’s not in a Kendra from the Moon who will be debilitated in Scorpio.
Sir I also have a question to ask you, that is whether the placement of the Lord of the Debilitated Sign in exaltation and in a Kona (5th and 9th) from the Moon would qualify to be acknowledged as a Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam?
This is because in the Tamil astrological book known as குமாரசுவாமியம் the rules that Sage Pulippani have elucidated is also mentioned but (The Author of குமாரசுவாமியம்) differs slightly by also mentioning this about Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam: that’s the Lord of the Debilitated Sign have to be located in the Sign of His Exaltation and He have to be in a Kona or in a Kendra from the Moon. I want to stress that The Author of குமாரசுவாமியம் mentioned that the Lord of the Debilitated Sign have to be exalted and also be in a Kona from the Moon to achieve Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam.
October 15, 2020 at 9:32 am
On a lighter note, these rules are not new; in fact, these are very old rules told by siddhars. To answer the first question, yes, it is interesting to note that the moon, if debilitated, can not fulfill the criteria for neecha bhanga. Maybe, the moon could be an exception for that rule and the Kendra factor can be waived here; this has to be confirmed by research and experience.
To answer the 2nd question of kona too being included, kindly specify the verse in Kumaraswamiyam so that we can look at it in depth. Thanks for the reference.
July 21, 2021 at 10:06 am
Sir, please don’t get me wrong but a rule is a rule and there’s no exception to it when a planet doesn’t achieves Neecha Bhanga Raja Yogam it doesn’t mean that it didn’t fulfill the criteria’s listed but maybe the rule itself might have a flaw to it likewise in the case of the Debilitated Moon (in Scorpio) it’s clear that the Dispositor (Mars) is Exalted (in Capricorn) but the dispositor can never be in a Kendra (1, 4, 7 & 10) from the Moon (because it will always be in the 3rd from the Moon) and it feels quite unfair for the Moon as all the other 6 visible planets (Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) and the 2 Eclipse Nodes (North Node – Rahu and South Node – Ketu) fulfills the criteria mentioned above except for the Moon who doesn’t fulfill it. I think the rule Siddhar Pulippani might have mentioned in his Verse would have to be this:
The Dispositor must be in a Kendra (1, 4, 7 & 10) from the Moon or The Dispositor must be in his Exaltation Sign.
The Debilitated Planet, The Dispositor and the Moon must not be accompanied and aspected by any Malefic Planets.
The reason is because if Siddhar Pulippani did mentioned the rule as stated in the article’s translation then Siddhar Pulippani obviously would have mentioned an exception for the case of the Moon which clearly he didn’t mentioned it or he would have given a statement that the Moon is the only planet not to fulfill the criteria which also he didn’t stated in his work which makes me think that the article’s translation might have a flaw.