Chapter 76 — Effects of the Elements
1. The sage said. O Brahmin! Now I will tell you about the effects of the five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth.
2. Space, air, fire, water and earth are ruled by Guru, Śani, Mangal, Śukr and Budh. The effects are experienced in proportion to the intensity of the various elements.
3-4. The native will have temperament, according to the greater strength of the Grah at the time of birth. Guru, Śani, Mangal, Śukr and Budh will, respectively, give spacial (etheral), airy (windy), fiery, watery and earthy temperament. If all of them, or many of these Grahas have equal strength, the temperament will be of a mixed character.
5. If Sūrya be endowed with strength, the native will have fiery temperament. If Candr be strong, the native will have watery temperament. All the Grahas in course of their Dasa endow the native with bodily lustre, relating to their elements.
6. The characteristic features of the person with fiery temperament are: distressed with hunger, restless, lean and thin body, learned, consumes a large quantity of food, sharp, fair-complexioned and proud. 7. … earthy: emits fragrance of camphor and lotus, is fond of luxuries, comforts and enjoyments and is permanently happy, forgiving and has a deep voice, like a lion. 8. … etheral: acquainted with semasiology, expert in diplomacy, brilliant, learned, unmasked face and long stature. 9. … watery: is lustrous, can sustain burdens, is soft-spoken, king, has many friends and is learned. 10. … airy: charitable, full of anger, fair complexion, fond of wandering, victorious over enemies, king and has lean physique.
11. When the fire element is predominant in a person, his face and body exhibit lustre, like gold and he has happy-looking eyes. He achieves success in all his ventures, is victorious over his enemies and gets gains of wealth.
12. … earth, the body of the person emits various kinds of fragrances. His nails, hair and teeth are are clean. He gets gains of happiness and wealth and is religious-minded. 13. … ether, the person is a clever conversationalist and becomes happy by learning to songs etc. 14. … water, the person‟s body is slender, he enjoys good health and tasty food and is happy on that account. 15. … air, the body is filthy. The person becomes an idiot and suffers from rheumatism, sorrows and agonies.
16. The sage said. O Brahmin! The effects of the elements, which I have described above, will be realized in full, if the Grahas concerned are endowed with adequate strength. If they are weak, the effects will be reduced in proportion to their weakness.
17. If the Grah concerned is in his debilitation Rāśi, or be placed in an inauspicious Bhava, the elemental effects will be adverse, that is, opposite to the effects, described above. If a Grah is without strength, his elemental effects will be experienced only in imagination.
18. If a person‟s time, date and place of birth is not known, he should determine the Dasa of a Grah from the effects, mentioned above and, if he is facing evil effects, he should take appropriate remedial measures to appease the Grah concerned.
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What does Chapter 76 of the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra cover?
Chapter 76, "Effects of the Elements", is part of the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, the foundational classical text of Vedic astrology attributed to Maharishi Parashara. You can read the full chapter above.
What is the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra?
The Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS) is the most authoritative classical treatise on Vedic astrology (Jyotish), traditionally taught by Maharishi Parashara to his disciple Maitreya. Its 97 chapters cover creation, the grahas (planets), rashis (signs), houses, divisional charts, dashas and remedies.
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