Balarishta means some serious harm caused to a child up to twelve years of age. This harm can present itself from of a serious illness, loss of a parent, death of the child or some other calamity affecting the child adversely. We have already seen why prediction of a small child's horoscope should not be done. The main emphasis should be on looking for any Balarishta combinations which may be present, so that some Astrological remedy may be prescribed to ward off the evil and to protect the child.

The principles for determination of Balarishta:

1. The Condition of Moon

Moon is most important in childhood. Moon also represents the mother. So affliction to moon causes arista to the child or his mother.

2. Lagna and Lagna Lord

The importance of lagna is undisputed. If lagna and lagna lord are strong they can with stand affliction, but if they are weak they succumb to it.

3. Eighth house and eighth lord

Eighth house is the house of Ayu or death; so it should be protected by the aspect of benefic. Effect of malefic on the eighth house reduces longevity, but Saturn placed in 8th house promotes longevity, provided he is not retrograde.

4. The Kendras

Direct Benefic in Kendras protect the child while malefic cause harm. Retrograde benefic cannot protect the child, while retrograde malefic are even worse.

5. Dasha and Gochar (Period and transit)

Adverse dasha and gochar are also responsible for arishta.

Most of the classical combinations for arishta are based on these five principles. There are a lot of combinations for arishta given in the classics, I will be giving the important ones here.

Classical Combinations for Balarishta:

1. If moon is placed in the sixth eighth or twelfth house from lagna and is seeing by malefic it causes arishta.

2. If malefic are placed with moon or are in Kendra from moon, it is harmful for the child.

3. If moon is in lagna in Papa kartari (पाप कर्तरी ) unseeing by benefic while malefic are in the seventh and eighth house. The child dies with the mother. This is a very powerful and dreadful combination and strong remedial measures should be under taken immediately.

4. If birth Lagna falls in –
   Nigala Drekkna (1°-10° Capricorn) or
   Pakshi Drekkna (11°-20° Gemini) or
   Sarpa Drekkna (210-30° Capricorn) and
   if it is associated with malefic without any association of benefic, there will be Balarishta.
   According to Brihat Jatak:

   • Sarpa Dreshkones are-
     2nd and 3rd of Cancer,
     1st and 2nd of Scorpio and 3rd of Pisces.
   • Pakshi Dreshkones are –
     2nd of Gemini, 1st of Leo,
     2nd of Libra and 1st of Aquarius.

5. Vajra Mushti Yoga-
   If Cancer or Scorpio Rashi (Sign) is in lagna and all the malefic are placed in the eastern half (10th house to 4th house) and all the benefic are in the western half (fourth to 10th house) the child is bereft of longevity.

6. If retrograde Saturn is placed in the eighth house, in the rashi of Mars and is seeing by a strong Mars, it gives two years longevity to the child.

7. If birth is at solar or lunar eclipse when Sun and Moon are close to Rahu or Ketu and Saturn and Mars aspect the Lagna, the child dies in 15 days.

8. If Saturn Mars and Sun placed in 6th or 8th house, it leads to death within one month, even if Yama himself tries to protect the child. (Not to be taken literally). It can also mean serious illness.

9. If birth is at sunrise or sunset (Twilight) in Moon's hora, or in Gandanta (Junction points of Pisces - Aries. Cancer-Leo, and Scorpio and Sagittarius), with Moon and malefic placed in kendras, it results in death of the child.

10. If birth is during an eclipse, moon is associated with malefic in lagna, and Mars is in eighth house, the child dies with his mother because of a weapon (operation)?

Arishta (Harm) to the mother

1. Moon seeing by three malefic indicate death of the mother, but if benefic also aspect moon, they give protection.

2. If malefic are in 5th or 9th house from a weak moon, the mother dies within six months of the child's birth.

3. Saturn in 10th house, Moon in the 6th house and Mars in the 7th house results in the death of mother and child.

Arishta to Father

1. If Sun in Papakartari, or is in association with malefic, and malefic are placed in the seventh from Sun, it leads to the death of father.

2. Sun in Navamsa of Mars seeing by Saturn - the father dies before the birth of the child, or renounces his family (leaves his family).

3. Saturn in lagna, Mars in Seventh house and Moon in Sixth house - death of father.

The classics use very strong language. In reality it may not turn out to be as bad. Death can also mean ill health or separation from parents.

Important

• When Arishta is seen, cancellation for Arishta - Arishta bhanga (Cancelation) must be looked for. If Arishta bhanga is present then the arishta may get reduced or averted.

The Vargas

• If Arishta is seen in the child's horoscope, one must examine the Navamsa (D chart), Drekkna (D chart), Dwadasamsa (D chart) and Trimsamsa(D chart). If there is improvement in the vargas then it reduces the danger, but if Arishta is seen repeated in the vargas then there is serious cause for worry and immediately remedies like - Vrata, Dan- Japa or havan must be advised.

When will Arishta take Place?

• Arishta will take place when the lagna, lagna lord or Moon get week according to dasha-antardasha (Period-Sub period) and gochar (transit). And the arishta (Harm) will normally enter through the doors of sixth eighth or twelfth bhavas (house), in the dashas(Period) of their lords.
• If the lagna or moon do not get weakened in dasha and gochar, then Arishta may not take place at all. Eg. Disease will attack a person at the time when his health is already weak. Rest of the time the person remains healthy.

Will the Arishta Take Place at all?

• To decide this, both Arishta and Arishta bhanga have to be weighed.
• If the Situation improves in Navamsa then the arishta may not take place.
• If Arishta bhanga is stronger and Jatak's dasha sequence is favourable, then arishta may not take place at all.
• If Arishta is too strong and Arishtabhanga is weak, and dasha sequence and gochar are unfavourable then arishta cannot be avoided. In such a case the Astrologer should prepare the person to face the eventually.

Balarishta

DOB - 23.9.2002, TOB - 3.37 am., POB - Delhi

D1

D9

Dasha at birth Mercury-Venus-Rahu-Moon, till 27.9.2002.

The baby was born premature in the eighth month, she died on 25.9.2002.

1. In a balarishta case moon becomes the most important factor. In this case moon is badly afflicted in the eighth house. This is a classical combination for balarishta.
   • Moon is the twelfth lord himself.
   • He is in Sarpa dreshkone.
   • He is in Kemadrum yoga.
   • He is aspected by Saturn, Mars, Ketu, Sun and Mercury in D-1.
   • He is afflicted by Saturn and Mars again in Navamsa.
   • He is in Gandamoola nakshatra (Revati).
   • Kantak Shani is in operation.
2. Lagna is in Magha nakshatra, very close to Gandanta.
3. Vimshottari dasha at birth the dasha operating was:
   Mercury - Venus - Rahu - Moon
   • MDL- Mercury is the lord of 2nd and eleventh house, so for Leo lagna, he has marakatva. In addition to this he is placed in the maraka bhava - the second house.
   • ADL- Venus is the 3rd and 10th lord in D-1 and the 2nd and 7th lord in D-9. In D-1 he is placed in the eighth house from Moon, and in Navamsa, he is placed in the 2nd house from Moon. In this way, the ADL also has marakatva.
   • PDL is Rahu, who is placed in the rashi of Venus. So he tends to behave like Venus. Rahu-Venus dasha is also a tricky dasha, which is capable of causing such harm. In addition to this Rahu and Venus are in 6/8 axis (Shadashtak) from each other. So the pratyantar dasha is also dangerous.
   • SDL- Sookshmadasha lord is the afflicted (पीड़ित) moon himself.
   In this way we find that both the promise and dasha are quite adverse.
   However there is some saving element in the horoscope.
   • Yogakarak Mars is in lagna in Pushkar Amsa (the life giving degree) in D-1. In D-9 he becomes the Lagna lord who is aspecting the lagna.
   • Moon and the eighth house are aspected by an exalted Jupiter in D-1. In D-9 Jupiter is aspecting the lagna.
   • Moon is strong in pakshabala.
   • Inspite of this the child could not be saved. Even the saving element had its own weaknesses.
   • Jupiter is the eighth lord and the 22nd Dreshkone lord in papakartari.
   • Mars is the 64th navamsa lord.

This is the Astrological reasoning for the unfortunate happening. Above this the child's poorva karmas are in action.

केवलम् ग्रह नक्षत्र न करोति शुभाशुभम् |
सर्वमात्मकृतं कर्म लोकवादो ग्रहा इति ||

Mahabharat says, only the grahas and nakshatras alone do not produce auspicious and inauspicious results. All that is the result of the karmas done by oneself. They say it is the doing of the planets. When it is time for some good results to happen and when the time for bad ones is all that the planets indicate.