The use of remedial measures in Jyotish is actually a point of controversy among many individuals who practice astrology. I know of quite a few Jyotishis who believe that an individual who engages in any form of remedial measure is interfering with their karma and attempting to thwart the will of God. I have listened to these arguments many times, and while I have respect for those who take this position, I disagree rather strenuously with such a perspective. (The use of gem stones is a rather different issue; some astrologers feel that because there is no mention of gems in Parasara there is no precedent for using them as a remedial measure. I also disagree with this position. Gem stones can be very expensive however, and affordability is an important issue to me.)

My personal viewpoint is that first of all, an awareness of a problem can lead to one of two possible course of action. The first is we do nothing. We leave the problem alone and, sometimes, the problem gets corrected by time. The second possible course is to take action and address the problem. This can consist of actual direct action in the world, or action through occult or spiritual means. Direct action can mean things like taking out a loan to pay a debt; seeking marriage counseling to correct a communications problem on the job; or seeking the use of a diplomatic intermediary in order to quell a dispute. What most people do not realize is that, when people engage in these activities, they are engaging the energy of specific planets. For example, when one is seeking the help of the government through aggressive action or authority, they are seeking the help of the Sun; when they are seeking guidance or calls to good will, they are requesting the help of Jupiter and Venus; when they are using diplomacy; Saturn and Mercury come into play, or the help of radiation to cure an illness, Rahu; or nontraditional or metaphysical cures, Ketu. The planets and the Gods surround us at all time; they are present everywhere and they are, in my opinion, active intelligences which are ready to help those who sincerely request such assistance.

From my perspective, one of Vedic Astrology's most powerful attributes is the ability to change karma. Karma is action. It is not that you have upset somebody and they will make you pay. If I take a knife out and cut you, you bleed, regardless of whether you need surgery or I am a Mafia hit man. If I spend a lot of money, I must pay it back. Some of have cut and spent a lot in previous lifetimes; the luck or lack of luck depends on the benefic attributes of our action. The use of remedial measures is, in essence, asking for help in correcting our previous imbalances. Most remedial measures need some intellectual or physical effort. Nobody gets a free ride!

Speed and Efficacy of Remedial Measures

The dispute about remedial measures often overlooks one of the less well propagated aspects of UPAYES in the Vedic system, and that is the level of blessings which are shown in the chart. Basically, we need to look at the basic level of luck in the chart to determine how much effort will be needed for remedial measures, and also which techniques will be most efficacious for remedial measures. Paradoxically enough, (or perhaps not so paradoxically) individuals who have extremely strong fifth and ninth houses usually have the best luck in getting remedial measures to work for them! Those with weaker ninth houses usually have to sweat and struggle in order to get the most simple remedial measures to work. I once knew a man who had Venus in its own sign in the ninth house. By a conservative estimate, he had the wealth and resources to spend nearly $70,000 on Vedic Yagnas. The placement of Venus in the ninth would actually steer him into that direction. From my conversations with him, the yagnas worked extremely well, as one would expect from such a placement.

Most of us who seek the assistance of Upayes are not quite so blessed. Our lives are in a bit of disarray when we seek this assistance. Many of the individuals you see as clients will also probably have limited financial resources, but will still need help. What factors should you look at in charts which will make these individuals less likely to be able to afford gemstones or expensive yagnas, and also more likely to benefit from less elaborate remedial measures.

First of all, look for the influence of Saturn, Mars or Rahu on the ninth house or its ruler. Saturn will delay the effects of any remedial measures. Rahu will generate an extreme interest in "occult" or Tantric remedial measures...and success from these. Mars influence on the ninth indicates personal effort and karma yoga (penance through work) as a way of getting relief from difficult periods. These are also the planets which cause the most damaging difficulties.

SANI DOSA
SADE SATI

The effect of Sani in a Vedic Chart produces a great deal of fear and anxiety in life. I have come to wonder over the past ten years of Saturn's influence makes us give up easily, making it easy to succumb to the pressure that Saturn often exerts on us. The effect of Saturn in a chart hurts us by taking things away, by causing delays, and even by destroying things in our life, by causing poverty, confinement, injury, debility, shame, humiliating circumstances, and illness. Saturn mahadasas are not necessarily damaging throughout, and Saturn transits can cause rises in status as well as problems.
The most feared transit of Saturn is called "Sade Sati" or the seven and one half years of Saturn, which can destroy and reconfigure our lives most dramatically. This occurs when other Saturn is in the sign behind the natal moon, passes over the natal moon itself and passes over the second house form the natal moon. According to other sources, however, Saturn can cause damage when it passes over the fourth house from the natal Moon, especially in matters connected with home life, mother, and domestic happiness. There is another damaging transit of Saturn-- the transit through the eighth house, called the Ashtami Sani. (there are only three Saturn Transits which could be called benefic). Naturally, these transits are less damaging when the ashtakavarga points are high.

Often, Saturn transits must usually be endured, but there are a few remedial measures which seem to work very well for Saturn.

The first of these is the repetition of a specific mantra which is contained in K.T. Shubhakaran's text Nakshatras.

VAKRATUNDA MAHAKAYA SURYA KOTI SAMA PRABHA NIRVIGHNAM KURU ME DEVA SARVA KARKEYSHU SARVADA (say this once--this is a mantra to Ganesh)

CHATURBHUJO BHANACHAPA KHADGA HASTHO VARAPRADAHA GRUDHARVAHANO GATHO NITHYAM SANKOROTHU SANAISCHARAHA. Say this eleven times.
Do this EVERY DAY during difficult Saturn transits.

Another good remedial measure for Saturn is to obtain the following:

5 lb. of black dahl (lentils)
1 pint of mustard seed oil (mustard seed flavored oil is acceptable)
Some new black cloth
Some iron nails
Mix these in a bag with a Saturn mantra written on paper 108 times, such as OM PRAM PREEM PROUM SA SHANI YA NAMAHA -- it is not necessary that the mantra be written in Devanagari script.

The best time to prepare the package is on a Saturday afternoon an hour before sunset during a waxing moon phase. Put the materials into a plastic bag and put into a river about an hour before sunset. This is a do-it-yourself sacrifice to Saturn, and is a form of worship for getting Saturn on your side.

To fight Saturn directly and to win, mantras for Hanuman are recommended. (please see Robert Svoboda's THE GREATNESS OF SATURN for an accounting of Sani's contact with Hanuman. An excellent mantra for Hanuman is:

Om Hoom Hanumate Rudratamakaye Hoom Phut Swaha.

Two other remedial measures for Saturn, contained in several texts I have reviewed on Saturn give very simple measures for offsetting the negative effects of Saturn. The first is VERY simple. Just put a horseshoe over your door. It works very well. Another technique (thanks to Dr. Dinesh Sharma) used in some poor villages in India is the wearing of a peacock feather. I believe the reason for the effectiveness of this technique is the fact that the peacock is the mount of Subramanya, Shiva's son. Subramanya, like Hanuman, is virtually invisible, and like Hanuman, is also used as a deity for Mars.

For some people, taking Saturn on directly in not to their taste. However, I have seen yagnas for Hanuman produce marvelously extraordinary results during adverse Saturn transits, and keeping Hanuman pictures around or saying Hanuman mantras will only help people during adverse Saturn transits.

RAHU Problems

Many individuals are quire unaware about how damaging Rahu periods or transits have the potential to be. Rahu can cause intense dissatisfaction with life, and in its transit over any angle, can cause intense dissatisfaction or unhappiness. Rahu or Ketu can cause susceptibility to gossip, black magic, sudden bursts of anger, jealousy, poisons and disease. It can also generate affliction from psychic forces and ghosts. Happily, although Rahu can cause intense problems, it is also quite amenable to relatively simple solutions.

Any kind of protective items, such as Feng Shui mirrors, witches balls (these are blown glass spheres which are supposed to capture negative energy in them); Drishti yantras and other "protective items" are extremely effective against the afflictions caused by the nodes.

I will share one extremely effective technique which I was taught by a South Indian Priest (Sathashivam Sivacharya) for dealing with back luck, which is usually the domain of Rahu:

Take some brandy (no particular quality is recommended. Place it in a glass bottle with uncooked rice (something like a relish jar is appropriate.). Bring the jar to a four corners at mid night on a new moon evening. Smash the jar and turn around and walk away. DO NOT LOOK BEHIND YOU WHEN YOU WALK AWAY. This dissipates bad luck and keeps malicious gossip away. The brandy will and rice being broken attracts demonic energies when they are most powerful, but the broken glass damages them for a full month. Keep in mind that when the Moon is at its darkest is the time when these energies are most present. Smashing the bottle leaves the bad patterns behind and damaged. Looking back just encourages them to return to your life. This technique works very well.

Here is a special mantra for Rahu from Shiv Raja Sharma's text, The Mystery of Rahu in a Horoscope (p. 3, 1995, Sagar Publications), which I have found very powerful in encouraging Rahu's more positive qualities:

Rahurdnava Mantri Cha Simhikachittananda
Ardhakaya Sada Krodhi Chandradity Vimardana

Giver of happiness to Simika (his mother), minister of demons,
half-bodied, Rahu is the tormenter of the Sun and the Moon

Roudro Rudrapriyo Daitya Swarbhanurbhanur Bheetidah
Graharajah Sudhapayi Rakatishyabhilashuka

Terrible looking, devotee of Lord Shiva, king among planets, immortal because he has drunk nectar, Rahu who frightens the Sun feels happy when he is worshipped at night.

Kaaldrishti Kaalroopa Shri Kantha Hriyadasraayah
Vidhuntudah Saimhikayo Ghorarupo Mahabalah

His sight is death inflicting; his looks are Death-like; he resides in the heart of Lord Neelakantha: has made the Moon lusterless. The son of Simhika is powerful.

Grahapeedikaro Dranshtri Rakta netro madodarah
Panchavimsati Namaani Smritava Rahum Sadanarah

He who torments planets has blood red eyes, big bellied (hard to satisfy): these are the twenty five names of Rahu.

Yah Pathet Mahati Peeda Tasya Nashyati Kevalam
Arogyam Putramtulam Shriyam Dhanyam Pashumtata

He who recites these names overcomes his troubles by a mere recitation of these names, gets sons, good health, prosperity, agriculture and cattle wealth.

Dadati Rahustasmai Yah Pathet Stotram Utttamam
Satatam Pathet Yastu Jeevat Varsham Shatam Narah

He who recites this stotra constantly gets his wishes fulfilled and lives up to the age of one hundred years. That is the fruit of reciting this hymn.

Remedial Measures for softening of Mars Affliction
Mars affliction in a chart often causes a wide range of problems because of anger, frustration and animosity caused by the placement of Mars in certain houses It is particularly emphasized in South India, but the eminent astrologer, the late B.V. Raman, in his text Muhurtha felt it was overemphasized. However, there are a couple of procedures which can be done in order to avert the negative afflictions of Mars.

One Vedic astrologer of whom I know had a chart which indicated that his first marriage would result in the destruction of his wife. (I do not have his direct permission to use this story, so I will not name the individual). On his marriage day, he arranged for two marriages --on the first marriage of the day he married a rock! He then arranged for the rock to be disposed of, and wed his human spouse.

Mars affliction, it is said, can sometimes be softened by getting a piece of copper blessed by a priest, then throwing the piece of copper in running water or burying it. Other acts involve offering red dahl (lentils) to images of Kartikeya, Skanda, Subramanya, and Mars. A very effective approach for minimizing the negative effects of Mars is also to engage in yoga, martial arts, aggressive exercise, or even meditation on a regular basis. Any activity in which aggressive energy can be softened somewhat through discipline activity is a positive manifestation of Mangala's energy.

Mars is the planet which seems to respond least to occult practices, possibly because Mars, as the planet of logic, argument and war, is resistant to persuasion. Activity is important to Mars and the planet responds well to energetic disciplines.

Specific Remedial Measures for Planetary Afflictions according to Systems Approach

Mr. V. K. Choudhry, an Indan Astrologer who developed the "Systems Approach" school of astrology in India, has developed an entire set of remedial measures based on aspects and afflictions to planets. Mr. Choudhry prescribes remedial measures based upon whether a planet is afflicted according to this particular system of astrology. The major recommendation indicate different sets of malefic planets than under traditional Parasara astrology, but these seem to work very well in terms of the application of remedial measures.

The following is a listing of functional malefics for each rising sign is:

Aries Mercury
Taurus Mars, Venus and Jupiter
Gemini None
Cancer Jupiter and Saturn
Leo The Moon
Virgo The Sun, Saturn and Mars
Libra Mercury
Scorpio Venus and Mars
Sagittarius The Moon
Capricorn The Sun and Jupiter
Aquarius The Moon and Mercury
Pisces The Sun, Venus and Saturn

I am not necessarily advocating that Jyotish students learn yet another system of astrology, but I have found that it is wise to pay attention to the dasas of these planets for these rising signs as giving potentially negative effects. Afflictions to other planets can be seen when other planets are in conjunction with or aspected by these planets.

Remedial measures recommended by SA include the following for each planet:

The Sun Give a handful of wet wheat with 15-20 grams of jaggery
(gur) to a cow, or serving one's father, or helping old age
needy persons
The Moon Give dough to a cow, or serve one's mother or older
women
Mars Morning prayers for ten minutes and being considerate to
one's younger brother/servant
Mercury Offer green fodder (about 2 kg) to a cow or helping poor
and needy children
Jupiter Offering one bundi laddu (a yellow colored sweet) to the
birds or offering service to one's preceptor or teacher
Venus Offering white colored sweets to the birds or helping
ladies in distress
Saturn Offering simple salty food to the birds or helping the poor
Rahu Giving away brown colored sweets to the birds or helping
old age needy persons or lepers
Ketu Offering some food to a stray dog or serving/helping
persons working for spiritualism

These measures are to be performed daily in the morning after bath and before breakfast.

Mr. Choudhry also recommends the use of Kavachas (yantras or talismans) for rising signs based upon his system of astrology. The designs are relatively straightforward, being basically numerical squares. They can be procured from him in India at 135/8M, Model Town, Gurgaon, 122001 or can be made by a jeweler here in the United States. Individuals desirous of contacting astrologers who are versed in SA techniques can contact ACVA member David Hawthorne (David is in the ACVA directory under Iowa).

The Lal Kitab

The Lal Kitab is an Urdu text which is primarily devoted to palmistry, but has an unusual pattern of planetary interpretation which might almost be considered a different system of astrology. In the Lal Kitab, afflicted planets do not affect themselves, but hurt other planets. It also has a system of "artificial planets" or conjunctions of two planets which produce an effect like another planet. For example, when Mercury and Venus are together in a chart, they act like the Sun, when Sun and Jupiter conjoin, they act like the Moon. I have never seen anyone do any research on the reading techniques enumerated in the Lal Kitab. Looking at these combinations in my chart, I can honestly say that they do seem to hold true, but this is only the scantiest analysis possible.

Another important point about the Lal Kitab, however, is that it gives extremely detailed instructions on which items are sacred to planets and even to combinations of planets. The following are the significations of planets and remedial measures:

The Sun Wheat, Red Copper (Worship of Vishnu)
The Moon Rice, Milk, Silver (Worship of Shiva; personal god)
Mars Masoor (Red) Dahl (Hanuman worship)
Mercury Moong (not pulse) (Worship of Durga)
Jupiter Pulse gram; Gold (Worship of Vishnu)
Venus Butter curd, camphor, Pearls ( feeding people)
Saturn Urad (Black dahl); Blacksmith (Worship the King)
Rahu Mustard; Sapphire (arranging marriage of girls)
Ketu Give a virgin cow in charity;

The remedial measures in the Lal Kitab are also very specific in terms of recommendations for adverse effects if a planet is afflicted in one of twelve houses. These are too detailed to list here, but general remedies for each planets are listed as follows:

For Jupiter:
1) Fasting on Thursdays
2) Worshipping Lord Hari (Vishnu) or watering (Peepal) tree
3) Wearing topaz or tying a haldi piece in a yellow thread around the right arm.
4) Service of Brahman, family priest, or a Sadhu.
5) Reciting the Garuda Purana.
6) Planting yellow flower plants
7) If Jupiter is debilitated, give in charity the commodities belonging to Jupiter.

For Sun:
1) Fasting on Sundays
2) Reciting or listening to Harivamsha Purana.
3) Wheat, jaggery or copper to be given in charity.
4) Maintaining good moral character.
5) Wearing Ruby or in place of Ruby copper can be used.
6) Throwing copper coin into flowing water.
7) Keep main entrance from east.
8) Keep away from black marketing and black marketers.
9) Service of government officials.
10) Do NOT give in alms the article pertaining to the Sun if the Sun is exalted.
For Moon:
1) Keep fast on Monday.
2) Worship Lord Shiva or go on pilgrimage to Amarnath.
3) Milk, rice or silver to be given in alms.
4) Wear a white milky pearl, or silver can be worn.
5) Blessing of mother or any ancestral female relative.
6) Silver nails in the feet of the bed.
7) Silver or rice to be dropped in the Crematorium
8) Taking bath in Ganges or running water.
9) No water pump or well under the roof.
10) Give things pertaining to the Moon in charity when it is in debility, but not when in exaltation.

For Venus:
1) Fast on Friday.
2) Ghee, curd, camphor to be given in places of worship.
3) Wear diamond or pearl.
4) Perfume clothes using cream and face powder.
5) Clothes should be clean and ironed.
6) Worn out clothes or burnt clothes should never be warn.

For Mars:
1) Fast on Tuesday.
2) Worship of Lord Hanuman.
3) Throw masoor (red dahl) into water.
4) Work in the service of brother.
5) Sleeping on deer skin.
6) Use pure silver.

For Mercury
1) Fast on Wednesdays
2) Give green things in alms or drop these in running water.
3) Copper coin with a hole to be dropped in running water.
4) Service of or domesticating goat and parrot.
5) Bangles and clothes of green color to be given to Eunuchs (in the modern day, this would have to be people with low sex drives or impotent or frigid individuals).
6) If Mercury is in debility, give away in alms the things of Mercury, but never when Mercury is in exaltation.
7) Blessing s of daughter, sister, father's sister, and wife's sister. These individuals should also be helped to the maximum extent possible.

For Saturn:
1) Fasting on Saturdays.
2) Bhairon (Bairava, the awful form of Lord Shiva), and giving wine to him in the Bhairon temple.
3) Milk for the serpents (give someone's iguana or pet snake some milk)
4) Distribute oil and wine free of charge.
5) Loaf of bread with mustard oil to be given to dogs and crows.

For Rahu:
1) Use remedies involving silver when mental peace is disturbed.
2) Red colored grains may be given to cleaners, or sweepers, or those who perform that work may be helped in other ways
3) Barley or wheat equal to the weight of the sick person should be dropped in running water.
4) Barley should be kept under the bead on the side of the head in the night and be distributed in the morning to the poor.
5) To solve problems or business or trade with the government, charcoal equal to the weight of the native should be dropped in running water.
6. Worship Saraswati.
7. Never accept electrical items, steel vessels or blue clothes.
8. Wear black onyx.
9. Live in a joint family.
10. Never use tobacco

For Ketu:
1) When Ketu is giving bad results the native should not let out his secrets or bemoan his ill luck before any body because then the effects will be manifold.
2) When progeny is affected by a badly placed Ketu, one should give a blanket to a temple.
3) Lime and bananas should be given in charity.
4) White and black pet dog in the house or feeding such a dog daily.
5) Sour things to be given to female children below the age of nine years.
6) Black and white items (til) to be dropped in water.

Further recommendations:
Investigate other cultures in order to give an idea of other deities in other cultures which correspond to Vedic deities, and investigate the things sacred to those deities. The best book for this cross examination is a text called The Ancient and Shining Ones published by Llewelyn Books.

Also, I would strongly recommend investigating some of the texts I have discussed with you on your own. The literature on remedial measures is vast and, in this country at least, relatively under explored. If one has the courage, this is the direction which, I think, will show explosive growth in the next few years in Jyotish.

© Gary Gomes 2002