(a) Yoga Sastra according to the Commentator.

18. In the Dasa period of Saturn, the person will get asses, camels, birds, buffaloes and old women, will rule over hamlets, villages or towns, and will thereby become renowned and will get grain of inferior quality.

He will suffer difficulties from phlegmatic and windy complaints; from jealousy, anger, distraction of mind, and dirty habits. He will be idle, suffer from grief and be much troubled. His servants, sons, daughters and wife will exercise authority over him and his organs will become defective.

19. If the dasa period be a benefic one, the good effects will come to pass; if it be a malefic one, the bad effects will come to pass. If it be of a mixed nature, both effects will come to pass. The effects for the Lagna Dasa are the same as the effects for the dasa period of the lord of the rising sign.

Notes

As stated already, the character, whether benefic or malefic of a dasa period, is to be determined from the technical names given to the lord of the period - (Vide Stanzas 5 to 8.) Again, if, at the time of birth, any of the planets occupy the Upachaya houses, be of bright discs and of distinct motion, the effects will be good in their dasa periods. But, if the planets occupy the Apachaya signs, suffer defeat in conjunction, be of disagreeable appearance or of small discs, the effects will be bad in their dasa periods. The planets, which, at the time of commencement of their Antardasa periods might be aspected by benefic planets or occupy the Vargas (divisions) of benefic or Atimitra ("very friendly) planets, are powerful and will not cause death; if they be situated otherwise, they will cause death.

20. In the benefic Dasa periods of the planets, a person will acquire the several metals assigned to the planets, (vide Chapter II (Definitions And Elementary Planetary Principles), 12) and in the malefic Dasa periods of the planets, he will lose them. Again, in the Dasa period of a planet, a person's occupation will be that mentioned for the planet (a). The effects described for the 12 houses from the ascendant, (b) for the 12 signs from Aries, (c) for planetary aspects (d) and for all yogas (e) excepting Nabhasa yogas (f) will occur in the Dasa period of the planet which is most powerful among the yoga planets. (g)

Notes

(a) Vide Stanzas 2, 3 and 4, Ch. 10. (b) Chapter 20. (c) Chapter 18.

(a) Chapter 19.

(e) Chapters 11, 13, 14, 15 and 21. (f) The effects of the Nabhasa yogas will be felt throughout life - Vide, Stanza 19, Ch. 12. (g) Vide also Stanza 5, Ch. 22.

21. In the Dasa period of a particular planet, the person's complexion will be that due to the elementary principles presided over by the planet and the complexion will be accompanied by certain other qualities due to the elementary principles of earth, water, fire and Akas and discernible by their respective organs of sense, viz., the nose, the tongue, the eyes, the body and the ears.

Notes

Physical man is a composition of the five elementary principles - earth, water, fire, air and Akas (ether): Mercury presides over earth; Venus and the Moon over water; Mars and the Sun over fire; Saturn over air; and Jupiter over Akas. (Ch II., St. 6). In the Dasa period of a particular planet, his elementary principles will predominate and the complexion of the person during such period will be that due to the particular elementary principle. Varaha Mihira, in Chapter 68 of his Brihat Samhita (Stanzas 90 to 93 ) has thus stated in detail the complexion due to each of the seven planets:

"The complexion discernible in shining teeth, skin, nails and hairs of the body and of the head will be attended with prosperity; it is caused by the element of earth; it makes the person happy, rich and virtuous."

"The complexion which is glossy, white, clear, green and agreeable to look at is caused by the element of water; it will make all creatures possessing it happy and successful in all their attempts and will produce wealth, comfort, luxury and prosperity."

"The complexion which is fearful, unbearable, of the color of the lotus, gold or fire, and indicating strength, power and valor, is caused by the element of fire, and it brings success to a person and enables him to gain his desired object"

"The complexion which is dirty, not glossy, black and of bad scent, is caused by the element of air; it will cause to the person death or imprisonment, disease, ruin and loss of wealth."

"The complexion which is of the color of crystal, noble, clear and indicating wealth and generosity, is caused by the element of ether; it gives a person all that he desires."

Now, suppose the Dasa period to be that of Mars; his element is fire; the complexion caused by the elementary principle of fire described above will be the complexion of a person in the Dasa period of Mars and so for the other planets.

Again, the property of earth is smell, discernible by the nose; that of water is taste discernible by the tongue; that of fire or light is shape or appearance discernible by the eyes; that of air is touch discernible by the body; and that of Akas is sound discernible by the ears. Suppose the Dasa period to be that of Venus; his element is water; the quality belonging to water is taste discernible by the tongue. Therefore, in the dasa period of Venus, the person will eat juicy meals according to his desire. In the Dasa period of Jupiter (Akas - sound), the person's speech will be sweet and agreeable to the ear; in the period of Mercury (earth- smell), the person's body will be with an agreeable odour; in that of Mars (fire - shape), he will be of an agreeable appearance; and in that of Saturn (air - touch), he will be of soft body.

From a careful observation of these qualities and also the effects of the Dasa periods (Vide, Stanzas 10 to 21, Ch. 8) and Antardasa periods (Stanzas 2, 3,4, Ch. 10) the particular dasa period of a person may also be determined.