Graha - Amsha - Bala

QUOTATION from

Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary, edition 1899

https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/

वक्र vakra

• crooked, curved, bent, tortuous, twisted, wry, oblique
• curled, curly (as hair)
• having an apparently backward motion, retrograde (said of planets)
• (in prosody) long (the form of the long mark being curved)
• crooked in disposition, cunning, fraudulent, dishonest, evasive, ambiguous,
• hostile, cruel, malignant, inauspicious
• the winding course of a river, the arm or bend of a stream
• the apparent retrograde motion of a planet
• a form of fracture (when a bone is bent or only partially broken)

बल bala = strength, value

वक्र vakra

dhātu √ वङ्क् vaṅk = crooked, roll

= twist, turn, curve, bend, a winding course

कुटिल kuṭila

dhātu √ कुट् kuṭ = be crooked, bend

= curly, curved, crooked

प्रतीप pratīpa = backward, bent, contrary, against the grain

Retrograde

कुटिलम् kuṭilam = [adv] meandering style

कुटिलगति kuṭila-gati = in a retrograde phase, bending

वक्रीभू vakri-bhu / वक्रीभवति vakrī-bhavati

= becoming [bhu] crooked, bent

वक्रता vakra-tā = state [ता] of crookedness; wrong, failure, mishap

वक्रित vakrita = curved, crooked, bent

वक्रगत vakra-gata / वक्रगति vakra-gati / वक्रग vakra-ga

= crooked-going; winding course, apparent retrograde motion

प्रतीप pratīpa / / प्रतीपगति pratīpa-gati / प्रतीपगमन pratīpa-gamana

= inverted order, backward, bent

प्रतीप pratīpa

• against the stream, against the grain, going in an opposite direction, meeting, encountering, adverse, contrary, opposite, reverse
• inverted, out of order
• displeasing, disagreeable
• resisting, refractory, cross, obstinate
• impeding, hindering

  backward, retrograde

• turned away, averted
• प्रतीप an adversary, opponent

Krzywy Domek (Crooked House) in Sopot, poland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krzywy_Domek

ceSTa

• moving,
• moving the limbs, gesture
• behaviour, manner of life
• Action, activity, effort, endeavour, exertion
• doing, performing
• behaving, manner of life [end quote]

QUOTATION from B.V. Raman , A Catechism of Astrology. p. 18

" Q. 19

• Have Upagraha like Mandi any retrograde movements?

Ans.

• Upagraha are symbolical points determined according to certain mathematical conventions.

• They have no astronomical basis or retrograde motions like Rahu and Ketu."

retrograde = vakri

• Vakragati [crooked-going] graha are said to obtain Chesta Bala , gaining weight/value in their movement

• vakri equivocating , prevaricating, lying ~~ Koeln Sanskrit Lexicon www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de

• vak [in the Vedic form = vivakmi ] = vaGk = [connected with vaGkate] to be crooked , go crookedly; to go, roll . Cf. English vacillate

Astrologers opine variously on the matter of " bent" course of the planets. When a graha reverses its normal forward movement and goes apparently backwards, it is called vakragati = retrograde.

• Some say that vakragati subha-graha are improved; but papa-graha having vakragati [crooked-going] are worsened.

• Some say that retrograde motion connotes strength of effort, or the mandate to strengthen the effort: one must work even harder than normal to achieve the realization of the graha.

• It is said that to accomplish the portfolio of the vakri graha will not be easy; but the fruits may be richer due to the long-term effort required. Thus, periods of the retrograde planet will be exceptionally difficult and exceptionally fruitful.

• It is said that retrograde graha possess chesta bala, the life-force-energy of vital movement that is gained through exertion of effort.

Some say a neecha planet or a malefic being vakri is very good and vice-versa (so does this mean a benefic like Guru being exalted and vakri becomes weak?)

A:

Vakri = Positive or Negative?

The overall meanings of vakra are neutral in terms of phenomena of nature -- e.g., the bend of a river, curly hair, or a fractured arm -- but negative in terms of moral judgment.

• crooked in disposition, cunning, fraudulent, dishonest, evasive, ambiguous

• hostile, cruel, malignant, inauspicious

• prevaricating, lying

The vakri status gives endurance, stamina, and an extra push of willpower from the native who knows that the job is going to require some extra output.

If the graha is "bent on" twisting the Learning Pathway, then the extra effort added to the torque can increase the intensity.

If the graha is fundamentally stable - perhaps the ruler of a kendra, or a kendra-from-Chandra, or parivartamsha status, or [nīcha-bhanga] , or otherwise has characteristics of patience and determination -- then vakri motion can contribute to a favorable outcome over the long haul.

three times

Retrograde planets may require the learning task to be done three times.

• Three repetitions may be necessary if the period is governed by a vakri graha.
• Because practice makes perfect, the final result is typically beneficial.

Retrograde graha (eventually) produce a noticeable impact

• One may be obliged to repeat the behaviors of the planet several times in order to gain the predicted effect
• yet when the effect does materialize the results are strong.

For example,

• a retrograde placement for Shani often involves accepting an obligation or pre-incarnationally planned duty; then rejecting that responsibility due to its being too weighty; then coming to understand that one must accept pre-incarnationally planned obligations whether they are too weighty or not!
• One's experience of accepting the duty has been "practiced" three times and one matures into a greater wisdom for having repeated the drill.
• a retrograde placement for Mangala may involve pursuing a quarry - whether physical, mental, financial etc. At first the native moves with energy toward the conquest. Then one stops - it is too daunting, the vitality seems gone. Then a re-start and second burst of pursuit, which wins the competition.

vakri Shani can be extremely strengthening.

Professor Shani's teaching methods included pressurized repetition of the restriction, delay, or austerity until the knowledge revealed within this learning pathway is understood; and retrograde graha also enforce repetition.

Kendra-7 is a splendid placement for [uchcha-Shani] who gains [dikbala] there. This placement suggests strict loyalty to a contract and long-term success in making deals and bargains.

Albeit, success is earned with slow and steady socially approved behavior -- rarely a fast or flashy or creative success.

Whatever lessons about time, age, carefulness, naeutrality, scientific method, government, social institutions, public norms, structure of reality et-cetera (Shani things) that must be learned the vakri lesson is reviewed three times

PUBLIC FIGURE EXAMPLE

It might be useful to look at some famous examples, particularly from public figures who have lived a full life, to see what if any results occurred during the period of their retrograde planets.

India-PM 1917-1984 Martial Law Indira Gandhi

• Guru = vakragati retrograde in Vrishabha-11
• [Guru Mahadasha] [age 37.3 until age 54.3 = 1955-1971

• Generous Guru activates 6 + 9 from Karkata indriya-lagna

• Guru in bhava-11 activates 3 + 12 from Makara-Chandra-7

IG's power-base of networking linkage Grew [Guru] during Guru Mahadasha.

Guru activates

• 9father

• 5th-from-Surya father's politics
• 3rd-from-Chandra secretary, clerk

Guru-11parivartamsha Shukra-6 ++ [Shukra-yuti-Rahu] -Mūla

• ING was raising children [Guru] and serving as her father's political secretary
• After her father's death in Guru-Shukra , iNG's power grew quickly.

Did ING's work in matters of 6 + 9 require more effort due to Guru's vakri status?

• age 37.3 until age 54.3 = 1955-1971 = would have been an exceptionally demanding time in anyone's life

• Guru's ruler Bhrigu l= shad-ashtakya 6/8 from Guru

• + [Shukra-yuti-Rahu] -[Mūla] 11

• IG nativity is naturally very complex due to TRIPLE parivartamsha yoga

Perhaps it could be speculated that without the chesta bala life-force effort produced by the vakri graha, one might have been a more visible public figure during these years.

• However, it is notable in ING's Vimshottari Dasha timeline that her most severe challenges began with the Dec-1971 Pakistan War, almost immediately at the onset of her Shani Mahadasha.
• The Emergency (martial law) and increasingly draconian rule featured during Shani Mahadasha.

The mahadasha of vakri Brihaspati demonstrated a comparatively weaker style, more accommodating and concerned with humanistic principles [Guru] and economics (11)

• This softer more principled fashion can be contrasted to the rigorous governance duties imposed during Shani Mahadasha.

Nevertheless, vakri does not constrain ING's Guru-Era empowerments or performance.

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