Neecha Bhanga Raja Yoga

We have been discussing about Rajayoga since last few sessions wherein we obtained an understanding that there are three classifications of Rajayoga namely Maha Rajayoga, Neechabhanga Rajayoga and Vipreetha Rajayoga and in the last 2 sessions we were discussing Maha Rajayoga in detail. Now let us have an insight into the next section, the Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga, a typically natured Rajayoga, a distinctive feature of Vedic Astrology which is been either unexplored or been discussed only in patches without a systematic approach to it till date. Thus I believe that a discussion here about this unexplored fiefdoms of Vedic astrology would be of benefit for all who dabbles with astrology, I mean the students, researchers and professionals alike.

Let’s start......

The Effects of Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga

As mention in the earlier notes on Rajayoga, Neecha Bhanga Raja Yoga too provides one with Fame, Wealth and Power generally. But all the said prosperities will be enjoyed by the native only in the second half of life especially after the age 36 corresponding to the age when the yoga promoting dasha, sub period and transits takes place in one’s chart. This typical nature is attributed this Yoga because teh planet who cause Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga is subject to debilitation first and then attains the cancellation. Likewise the natives life too would suffer adversities in the initial part of life and then will start excelling.

Acquiring much fame among vast number of peoples and several communities along with holding a good image are the outcome of this Yoga. One will be well known within his/her personal, professional and social circles. Whatever they do brings a good repute for them and people generally like them for what they are. They will amass huge wealth and start producing many sources of income once the Rajayoga is in operation. They will also hold power in life. There will be many waiting to take orders from them once the Yoga is operational.

The Definitions & Controversies

When a planet is in Neecha (debilitation) and attains Bhanga (cancellation) from his state of Neecha (debilitation) then it is called as Neecha Bhanga and a planet who has secured Neecha bhanga (Cancellation of debilitation) is bound to provide Rajayoga results to the natives thus it is called as Neecha bhanga Rajayoga. Whether a planet attaining Neecha Bhanga would always be capable of producing Rajayoga is a debatable matter which we will be discussing at an apposite place below.  Anyway let us have a gaze through the definitions which are most common in practice.

When a planet is in debilitation and

1)  The Lord of that sign where the planet is getting debilitated should be in a Kendra (Quadrant) either from Lagna or Moon.

2)  The planet who gets exalted there (in the sign where a planet is getting debilitated) is in a Kendra either from Lagna or Moon.

3)  The lord of the sign where the debilitated planet in concern could get exalted should be in Kendra either from lagna or Moon.

4)  The lord of that sign where the planet is getting debilitated should be having aspect or conjunction with the planet in debilitation.

5)  The lord of that sign where the planet is getting debilitated and also the lord of the sign where the debilitated planet could attain exaltation, these two should be in mutual Kendra (Quadrants) or trikona (Trines) to each other.

6)  The debilitated planet should be exalted in Navamsa.

The above are definitions mentioned in the ancient texts for forming Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga and may not be true in actual practise always. There are so many other parameters we need to take in to consideration to have a final conclusion whether the cancellation of debilitation (Neecha Bhanga) taking place as per verbatim is in operation or not.  Anyway before we get in to the technicalities of the yoga let us have look at the controversies existing about definitions of the yoga.

There are controversies about the definitions mentioned above. For example the definitions mentioned in clause no 2 & 3, which one to take in actual practice is always a matter for debate among different schools of Vedic Astrology. A set of schools of Vedic astrology believe that it is the lord of the planet where the debilitated planet could get it’s exaltation (mentioned in 3) should be taken in to consideration while others believe that it is the planet who gets exalted at the sign where a planet gets debilitated (Clause 2) should be taken in to consideration for determining the Neecha bhanga. Score of horoscopes examined by me forces me to conclude that the conditions applied in both clauses holds good. Depending upon the power and position held by these two enables either of the them to become more stronger and more benefic in nature which empowers themselves to become the saviour of a debilitated planet. 

Meanwhile yet another controversy regarding the definition is whether the planet in concern mentioned in clauses 1, 2 and 3 could be posited in a Kendra either from Lagna or Moon or from Moon alone. Some are of the opinion that the planet in concern mentioned in above clauses are to be posited in a Kendra from Moon alone and it couldn’t be considered from Lagna. I am of the opinion that either Lagna or Moon could be taken for consideration for counting the position of a planet in concern.  

Judging It’s Exsitence

We know that there are 9 planets in use in Vedic astrology, out of which only 7 planets could be subject to Neecha and subsequently for Neecha Bhanga too. Rahu and Ketu are exempted from being Neecha or Neecha Bhanga since they are deviod of ownership of houses and also don’t have exaltation or debilitation houses though many schools of astrology strongly believe otherwise assigning Taurus and Scorpio as signs of exaltations respectively for Rahu and Ketu thus the same signs becoming the sign of debilitation for each other. Anyway I think we don’t need to include Rahu and Ketu here as I am of the strong opinion that Rahu and Ketu are not capable of producing Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga. Let us see what happens with the other planets....

Strength of Neecha Bhanga conferring planet

While considering a planet in debilitation for Neecha Bhanga first and foremost importance has to be given to the other planet who could constitute Neecha Bhanga. If the said planet is powerless then the Neecha Bhanga could exist only theorotically. For example; If Jupiter is debilitated and the Lord of debilitation sign that is Saturn is in the sign Leo in an enemy sign owned by Sun then Saturn cannot constitute Neecha bhanga for Jupiter. Supposing Saturn is in a Kendra from Lagna or Moon still Saturn will be unable to cause cancellation of debilitation for Jupiter. If the Lagna or Moon for such a case happens to be Taurus or Aquarius then Saturn would be either the Yogakaraka or 1^st lord for that chart still his ability to cause Neecha Bhanga will be very much limited. In such a case of Jupiter only if other factors which could confer Neecha bhanga are strongly posited could help Jupiter to attain Neecha Bhanga. Likewise if the other planets who could confer Neecha Bhanga for Jupiter are also posited ill then the chances for Jupiter to have Neecha Bhanga with the help of these planets are rules out. So the planets being in strength who could confer Neecha Bhanga for a debilitated planet is very essential for conferring the same.

Lordship of the Planet who attains the Neecha Bhanga; Does it matters?

If we go by experience it may not be necessarily matter if the planet be in a good house. In many cases it is been seen that planets who owns inimical houses and placed in debilitation but in a good house and also subject to Neecha Bhanga then the said planet definitely confers rajayoga. This is been born out to be true in various cases examined by me. For example; If Sun is debilitated in the 10^th house for Capricorn Lagna then it will be the 8^th lord debilitated in the 10^th house. If Sun attains Neecha Bhanga in that chart then irrespective of the fact that Sun is the 8^th lord the most powerful Dusthana, Sun will go on to confer Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga for the native on the appropriate period in life. Being the 8^th lord posited in the 10^th house he would be causing severe obstacles for the native’s career till the Rajayoga comes in to action but once it gets in to operation Sun will make sure that the native is been elevated to the highest peaks in life.

We can see that if the planet attaining Neecha Bhanga happens to be in a Kendra or a Kona from the Lagna or Moon then the said planet will definitely confer Rajayoga to the native irrespective of the planet’s lordship over houses. Apart from Kendra and Trikona houses, the natural benefic planets though owning an inimical house will be capable of producing Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga if attained cancellation of debilitation in the 2^nd house while the same holds good for natural malefic planets in the 3^rd and 11^th houses. If we fall back to the clause No 4 we can see that the planet in debilitation and it’s depositer lord are taken in to account. In such cases the planet in debilitation should be preferably posited in a Kendra or Trikona while the depositer should be either conjunct there or should have aspect over there from a house other than Dusthana.

From the above we can see that the position of the planet who attains Neecha Bhanga matters the most than his lordship in providing Rajayoga.

The Best Combinations

The above said were mainly banked upon the combinations mentioned in clauses 1, 2, 3 and 4 while in actual pratice it is been found that the combinations mentioned in the clauses no 5 and 6 the most reliable in predicting Neecha Bhanga Rajayoga.

As per clause No 5 mentioned above, the lord of debilitation and the lord of exaltation signs of a debilitated planet are required to be either in a Kendra or in a Trikona from each other to confer Neecha Bhanga for a debilitated planet. By being either in a Kendra or in a Trikona from each other these two planets will become temporal friends to each other for that chart eventhough they are natural enemies. This brings in a harmony between the exaltation and debilitation lords of a debilitated planet thus causing him a much comfortable situation where the debility of a planet fades away leading to cancellation of debilitation. Anyhow these two planets needs to have good strength and also needs to be away from Dusthanas to produce desired results.

The exaltation in Navamsa of a planet who is posited in the debilitation sign in Rashi chart is also considered to be one among the combination for a debilitated planet to have Neecha Bhanga. As far as I am concerned this could be the most reliable combination in ascertaining whether a debilitated planet has attained Neecha Bhanga or not. Only if the planet attaining Neecha Bhanga as per this combination happens to be in a dusthana would be deprived from the capacity of producing Rajayoga.

Neech Bhanga or Neech Bhanga Rajayoga

There is confusion among different schoold of Vedic astrology whether a debilitated planet attaining Neecha Bhanga could always produce Rajayoga? Some say that a planet which attained Neecha Bhanga is always capable of producing Rajayoga while others are of the opinion that it may not be necessarily so. I prefer the latter version. As mentioned in the above lines a planet though attaining Neecha Bhanga but posited in a duthana generally doesn’t cause Rajayoga though there are exception for this too. So all the Neecha Bhanga may not be necessarily be Rajayoga.

Moon an Exception

I have to mention a rare phenomen regarding the Neecha Bhanga of Moon which will be noteworthy and also may made subject for further experiments and researches whoever wish to. Let me also mention here that I am indebted to an unknown author (whose name I forgot) from whose article I have noticed this point which I am broaching to my readers now which was published in Astrological Magazine many decades ago.  The author claims that Moon can never attain Neecha bhanga if happens to be in his sign of debilitation in Rashi chart as being posited in Scorpio (Moon’s sign of debilitation) Moon could never acquire the position in Taurus (Moon’s exaltation sign) in Navamsa chart; True since Navamsa of a planet posited in Scorpio starts from the sign Cancer and ends at Pisces in clockwise direction thus Moon’s Navamsa would never fall in Taurus if he is posited in Scorpio in Rashi chart. The author goes on with the claim that all the other planets has a chance to secure the exaltation position in Navamsa chart while being posited in debilitation sign in Rashi chart meanwhile Moon alone is deprived from such an opportunity which is a clear cut indication that the planet Moon if debilitated cannot attain Neecha Bhanga even if other combinations are favouring for the same. I have been trying to see the applicability of this principle in various charts examined by me and I must admit that the principle has proved right in majority of the cases though there were exceptions. I leave it to the wisdom of my esteemed readers for taking this rule in to confidence.

Neecha Planets in Vargothama

Yet another point where clarity is lacking regarding the Neecha Bhanga of planets is when a planet is debilitated in a chart and subject to Vargothama too (Vargothama – Having posited in the same sign in both Rashi and Navamsa chart). As per Vedic astrology a planet being Vargothama obtains prodigious powers to shower benefic results upon the native. Based on this prinicple a bunch of Vedic astrologers are of the opinion that If a debilitated planet is in Vargothama then that alone would enable a debilitated planet to attain Neecha Bhanga.

As far as I am concerned this cannot be relied upon due to a couple of factors. Mainly because whether the Vargothama powers can be attributed to a debilitated planet itself is a highly debatable matter and I will be discussing about that later separately. Secondly even if there are planetary combinations present in a chart which constitutes Neecha Bhanga for a debilitated planet who is having Vargothama too, we cannot expect the planet to have attained Neecha Bhanga because even when the planet has attained Neecha Bhanga in Rashi chart the planet will be debilitated in Navamsa and we know how important the power of a planet in Navamsa matters. But if a planet who is debilitated and Vargothama has attained Neecha bhanga in both Rashi and Navamsa charts powerfully then we can expect the planet to have attained Neecha Bhanga but such occassions would be rare.

Neecha Planets in Retrogression

The nature of a planet when he is in retrogression is a vast subject to discuss and needs to elaborated solely in an article which I will be doing soon. Anyway since we are bound to make an understanding about what happens to debilitated planets who is retrograde also let us have a brief look.

Generally when a planet is in retrogression he is acquires power but whether the power acquired will be diverted towards good deeds or otherwise is the question in concern here. Eventhough a planet is a temporal benefic in a chart but a natural malefic then his retrogression is not going to help as the power acquired will be used for adverse purposes. Meanwhile a natural benefic planet though happens to be a temporal malefic in a chart if becomes retrograde then he will be tend to produce more beneficial results acquired through retrogression. So in a chart if a natural malefic is in debilitation but if in retrograde motion too then he might not produce the Rajayoga results even if subject to Neecha Bhanga meanwhile a natural benefic planet if attains Neecha Bhanga then he will produce strong Rajayoga results if in retrogression.

Debilitated Planets in Mutual Aspect

Some Vedic Astrologers have an opinion that if two debilitated planets are in mutual aspect then that alone could confer Rajayoga. They claim that since both are in need to get rid of their state of debilitation they might help each other in attaining Neecha Bhanga. We willl have to simply reject this claim as we know now that a planet deviod power cannot be of help to another who is in need. This is as false as believing that two blind men standing on either sides of a road in search of help could help each other in crossing a road.

Time of Frutification

High amount of caution is a must while fixing up the time period when the Neech Bhanga Rajayoga would start operating in a chart if it is present.  In many cases it is been found that in the sub period of a planet which is comes first after the age of 35 who is posited in the Nakshatra (Star/Constellation) of the planet who is causing Neech Bhanga Rajayoga will be start providing the Yoga results and the native will start getting benefitted out of it. Meanwhile is the transit Jupiter which is through a good house from natal Moon should also influence the natal position of the sub period lord by then. If an adverse transit of Saturn is influencing the natal position of the sub period lord then the Rajayoga might not trigger then. On such occassions the native will have to wait till the occurance of such a combined planetary infuence taking place next time for the Rajayoga to get triggered.

Please Heed

I hope I have been able to cover at least the major portions of the topic though not in it’s entirety.  I would have missed a few points in my scrutiny which my esteemed readers may deem to be valid. If so, I always welcome whoever wish to pinpoint where I have missed to look into. Also there must be places where a few might disagree and have indifferences which are also welcomed for further explorations.