Narayana Dasha — Final Q&A: Saturn/Ketu Exceptions & Parivartana Rules

Narayana Dasha — Final Clarifications (Q&A)

1A. Saturn and Ketu Exceptions for Narayana Dasha Progression

A student asks about the "Ketu exception" / "Saturn exception" shown in the software's Narayana Dasha options.

The normal rule: take the lagna and the 7th house, find the stronger, start the dashas from it. Then:

• Movable sign: go zodiacally, sign after sign — Brahma's progression
• Fixed sign: go to every 6th sign — Shiva's progression
• Dual sign: go in trines (1, 5, 9; then 10, 2, 6…) — Vishnu's progression
• Forward or backward depends on whether the 9th from the starting sign is odd-footed or even-footed

Jaimini gives two exceptions, for a planet sitting in the sign from which the dashas start.

Saturn Exception

• If Saturn is in the starting sign, use Brahma's progression — 1, 2, 3, 4… — even if the sign is fixed or dual. Imagine the sign is movable.
• And always go forward, whatever the odd-footed/even-footed test on the 9th says. Saturn never likes going backward.
• Why: Saturn is manda; he likes manda gati. No jumps. He does things slowly, in a simple and straightforward way.

Ketu Exception

• If Ketu is in the starting sign, keep the progression the sign gives (Brahma's, Shiva's or Vishnu's) but run it in the reverse of the direction you would otherwise take.
• Why: Ketu wants to go against the stream.

When Both Are There

• If Saturn and Ketu are both in the starting sign, see which is stronger and use that planet's exception.

"If Shani is there in the sign where you are starting the dasha, then you always go forward and you always go 1, 2, 3, 4. Shani likes Brahma's progression. He doesn't like jumps. He is manda."

In the software: it applies the right exception by itself (start the dashas from a sign holding Saturn and it shows "Saturn exception"). The drop-down is there for researchers — to switch the exception off, or to try Ketu's where the software judged Saturn stronger and you have a hunch it is the other way. Anyone using Narayana Dasha as taught needs to change only one thing: the divisional chart.

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1B. Rahu and Ketu — Which Is Stronger?

A student asks whether Rahu should always be taken as stronger, whatever chara karaka he is.

• Chara karaka status cannot decide it — Ketu does not figure in the chara karaka scheme.
• Longitude cannot decide it — the two are always at the same degree.
• In the rasi chart, exaltation, debilitation, moolatrikona and own sign never settle it: if Rahu is strong Ketu is strong, if one is weak the other is weak.
• In divisional charts the two can fall in the same sign, and then dignity can separate them:
  • Both in Virgo → Rahu is stronger (Virgo is Rahu's moolatrikona)
  • Both in Pisces → Ketu is stronger (Pisces is Ketu's moolatrikona)
• Count the planets with each. Rahu with one planet and Ketu with three → Ketu is definitely stronger.
• If nothing convinces either way, take Rahu. Rahu dominates more; inherently he is stronger.

The student's case: he saw "Ketu exception" in the options and wanted to know which node to take. PVNR: the exception is a totally different thing from the strength comparison.

The two nodes still have their own agendas in a chart, from the houses they own and occupy. But the sign holding Rahu is mostly aspected by Ketu and the other way round.

"Rahu and Ketu are actually one body. So even if you make a mistake, it will not be disastrous. If you get confused between Jupiter and Rahu, it is bad. But if you get confused between Rahu and Ketu, it is not that bad."

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1C. Parivartana in the Three-Parts Rule

Question: in the three-parts rule (the sign itself, then its lord, then the aspects), suppose the lord has an exchange — say Jupiter in Leo and Sun in Pisces. Do we give the exchange results?

Answer:

1. To decide when the planet gives its results (whether it sits in a Sirshodaya or a Prishtodaya rasi): forget the Parivartana. See where the planet is and decide from that.
2. The results are those of that planet, not of the planet it exchanges with.
3. In the part where the planet gives the results of its yogas — the 3rd quarter for a benefic, the 2nd quarter for a malefic — the Parivartana counts as a yoga. It can be a Duryoga:
   • 8th and 10th lords exchanging → tension in career
   • 5th and 10th lords exchanging → a good name in career

"You completely ignore the parivartana. But when it comes to the part where the planet will give the results of his yoga, the parivartana is considered as a yoga."

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1D. Sahamas in Narayana Dasha

Question: can Sahamas be used in judging Narayana Dasha?

Answer: no guidance — "you are on your own". PVNR uses Sahamas in annual charts (Tithi Pravesha, Tajaka), in that kind of snapshot chart, with the normal dashas. He has not tried them with Narayana Dasha.

On research:

• A principle cannot be made from 2 or 3 charts
• If something works in 2 or 3 charts, try 10 more
• If still happy, try 50. 50 or 60 charts is the minimum
• If it works consistently, write it up as an article

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