PLANNING SUCCESSFUL CONCEPTION OF HEALTHY CHILDREN.

JAYASREE SARANATHAN. (Published in The Astrological Magazine, May 2013) Getting healthy and brainy children is regarded as a wealth. A child born with fine faculties of mind, body and fortunes but without defects is considered as a boon. But times are such that the increasing level of awareness on birth defects and genetic anomalies is creating anxiety and concern among the general public. In these days of late marriages and planned pregnancies, people are willing to know if there are ways to ensure successful conception of healthy children. A separate steam of astrology is gaining ground in the West for preparing fertility or conception calendars so that successful conception of a healthy baby is ensured. As far as Vedic astrology is concerned, our Vedic seers have already thought of all these and have incorporated them in their immortal works. One can find many clues on this issue given by Garga, Parasara and Jaimini and further elucidated by Varahamihira and Bhattotpala. Pumsavanam is perhaps one of the early innovations of sages like Vasishta when he agreed to devise better ways to ensure the birth of a son after the first child of Vaivasvatha Manu happened to possess sex confusion. Pusavanam along with Vedic rites and administration of some medicines is done in the 3rd month of pregnancy. Interestingly modern science confirms that sex determination takes place only in the 3rd month of pregnancy. Any anomaly happening in the process of sex determination in this month leads to sex confusion or Napumsaka (eunuch) character. The practice of Pumsavanam done in the 3rd month is one of the rarest kinds of knowledge applicable in the conception of a child. There are many other methods useful in the conception of a healthy child of which the salient ones are discussed in this article. Identification of the menstrual cycle for successful conception. The foremost issue is that of making sure that successful conception does take place. Not all menstrual cycles are capable of successful fertilisation. The cycle may be normal and ovum also may be healthy. But these do not ensure that the conditions for fertilisation of the ovum would be perfect. Scientifically there are known and unknown causes for fertilisation to happen or fail, but astrology makes specific conditions for fertilisation to be successful. These conditions depend on the time of onset of the mensus guided by the planetary positions. Moon and Mars play a crucial role in this issue. Western astrologers think that Moon plays a crucial role in successful conception. The trinal, sextile or conjunction of the Progressed Moon with the natal Moon, the 5th house and Venus are considered to be deciding factors in successful conception. According to them the progressed Moon in Aries, Leo, Virgo and Aquarius reduces the chances of conception. In comparison, Vedic astrology takes a detailed and much closer look at the movement of Moon on a day to day basis. For example the position of moon is observed at the time of onset of the menstrual cycle of the woman. It must be in a non-upachaya sign from the Moon- sign of the woman. The Non- upachaya signs are 1,2,4,5,7,8,9 and 12th signs from the natal moon- sign of the woman. There is an additional 1

requisite to make this cycle a fertile one, in the form of Mars. If Mars aspects the transit moon in the non- upachaya sign on the day of onset of mensus, then it renders the cycle a fertile one. This could be anything of the 3 aspects of Mars, namely 4th, 7th or 8th. Example:- For Moon -sign in Virgo, moon in the 2nd house (non-upachaya) receives the 7th aspect of Mars . So it is deemed that this particular cycle would be fertile.

In a month where this kind of combination exists for the woman, the days of conception are chosen on the basis of moons position in the mans horoscope. Here the power of Jupiter is the prime requisite to make conception a success. The mans moon-sign must be noted and the moons transit in upachaya signs (3,6,10 and 11th houses) from this moon sign must be noted. Such a moon must receive the aspect of Jupiter. Sexual union on those days results in successful conception of a child. There is another school of thought that mans transit moon in upachaya sign must receive the aspect of any friend of moon (Jupiter, Mars or Sun). Example:- For the above womans chart, if the husband of the woman had his natal moon in Sagittarius, the favourable day for successful conception is shown as follows:

When moon transits the upachaya sign from his natal moon-sign, it receives the 9th aspect of Jupiter. For the woman (of the previous chart) that time happens to be the middle of the cycle when ovulation normally takes place. That becomes a fruitful time for successful conception. The integrated chart for the man and the woman (of the example charts) is shown below:

Like this the probable periods must be devised for each cycle of the woman to identify the days of conception. The following combinations of days, thithis and stars must also be taken into account to ensure that the child so conceived is healthy. The favourable days are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. (The day is counted from one sunrise to the next sunrise). The favourable thithis are all except Amavasya, Pournami, chathurthi (4th lunar phase), ashtami (8th) navami (9th) and chathurdasi (14th) The favorable asterisms are Sravana, Rohini, Anuradha, Swati, Revathi, Moola, Uttara, Uttrashada, Uttrabhadrapada and Satabhishak. Pushya, Dhanishta, Mrigashira, Ashwini, Chiitra and Punarvasu are average. If all the other combinations (Thithi, day) are present, the days of these stars are ok. Rest of the stars are not favoured for conception. Beyond all these, the time of conception is very important. The time or lagna of the time of sexual union is considered as the time of conception. It is known as Adhana lagna. Choice of Adhana (conception) lagna. The most favourable lagna is that which is 5th from the natal lagna of the man. The Adhana lagna must be chosen carefully by taking into account the following factors: The 7th and 8th houses from Adhana lagna play a crucial role in successful conception. While the 8th must be devoid of any aspect, the 7th is supposed to have benefics for successful conception. Benefics in the 7th also ensures that the child would be like a royal personage, according to Jaimini. If Rahu joins Moon in the 7th or the 10th from the Adhana lagna or in the Karakamsa, then a child with weak constitution is predicted. On the contrary, if Rahu joins the Moon in the Adhana lagna or the 5th from it, the child would be heroic and strong, so says Maharishi Jaimini.

If Ketu joins the Adhana lagna or the 5th house from it, there would be premature watery discharge or miscarriage. Ketus association to Adhana lagna is not desirable. If the Sun is in the arudha of the 7th in the Adhana lagna, conception does not take place. If Saturn is present in the Adhana lagna and aspected by Mars or weak moon, fatality to the woman is indicated. If the 4th and 8th houses from the Adhana lagna have malefic, then also the woman suffers. Mars Sun opposition on the Adhana Kundali makes the man sick. On the other hand Saturn- Moon opposition makes the woman sick. In general, benefics in Adhana lgana or with Moon or in trinal or quadrant positions to them are good. Malefics in 3rd and 11th house are good. Most importantly aspect of Jupiter or Sun to the Adhana lagna gives rise to healthy conception, happy pregnancy and healthy child.

Importance of Sun in Adhana (conception) lagna. Usually we think that Jupiter plays a crucial role in conception, but it must be borne in mind that Sun also plays an important role. Western astrology lays stress on Suns position for successful conception. Our ancient astrologers also have given due importance to Suns position given the fact that they have advised no-conception on the days of No moon, Full Moon and eclipses. Here are some rules of Jaimini as a check list for Suns position. All of the following are with reference to the Adhana lagna. If the Sun is in the sign of Atma karaka or in the 3rd or 9th from it in the Adhana Kundali, then there are bright chances of successful conception. But the Sun should not be in trine to the Adhana lagna. If so, conception does not take place. If the Sun is in the 2nd house from the Adhana lagna (at the time of sexual union / conception), it results in miscarriage or abortion. If the Sun is present in the navamsa of Mars in the odd sign (Aries), then the there will be successful conception. If the Sun is present in the Trimsamsa of Jupiter, the conception would be successful.

Importance of Moon in Adhana lagna. The aspect or conjunction of Moon in the Adhana lagna leads to successful conception. If Moon, Mercury and Venus have association with Adhana lagna or the 5th house from it, it ensures successful conception and delivery. If Saturn joins Moon and aspects the Adhana lagna or the 5th from it, the conception does take place but the life of the foetus cannot be assured. It may also be a false pregnancy.

The moon in the Adhana Kundali must not be in papa-karthari. If so, there would be in difficulty in pregnancy that could become fatal to the woman.

Combinations that must be avoided. There are 6 combinations of planets identified by the sages as giving rise to sex confusion or Napumsaka character and therefore must be avoided while choosing the Adhana lagna. 1. The sun and the moon is mutual aspect at the time of conception (Adhana lagna) must be avoided. This happens on the day of Pournami and around that time when the two would be transiting opposite signs. In addition Amavasya and eclipse times also must be avoided. 2. Similarly the period when Saturn and Mercury are in mutual opposition must be avoided. 3. Conception must be avoided when Mars is in an odd sign and aspects Sun posited in an even sign. This can happen when Mars is in Aries and Sun transits either the 4th or the 8th sign from it.

Starting from Aries, whenever Mars moves in the odd sign and Sun also happens to be present in 4th and 8th houses from it, this combination happens. The duration of this combination must be avoided. 4. Similarly Moon and the Adhana lagna in odd signs receiving the aspect of Mars from an even sign must be avoided. An example combination is shown below.

5. Similarly Moon in even sign and Mercury in odd sign receiving the aspect of Mars from any sign must be avoided. In this and the above cases, the simultaneous aspect by Mars must be there for avoidance.

6. If Venus, Moon and the lagna occupy masculine amass, then also conception must be avoided. Having said all this, I wish to point out that a rare combination of planets is going to come up in the year 2014. Jupiter would be in Cancer, in its sign of exaltation and Saturn would also be in its sign of exaltation. These two exalted planets that happen to be dharma karma lords in the Natural zodiac are going to be in Kendra to each other in these positions. This Kendra position in exaltation signs happens between June 20th and November 1st, 2014. Interestingly the gyana karaka Ketu also will be in Gyana sthan, Pisces at that time. The children born in this period with proper position of lagna and lagna lord in Kendra to these two planets are going to be wonderful persons with Vrinji yoga. Those born in Vrinji yoga would enjoy all material comforts besides being highly spiritual and are ideal Moksha-stuff. Those planning to have their children in 2014 can take note of this period and chart out the Adhana kundali accordingly, taking cue from the factors discussed above.

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