The following is a very, very effective method of making predictions that is relatively simple and only uses planets as karakas (indicators) without taking into consideration lordships and planets in Signs or Houses.

The nine grahas (planets) are the pure forces that bind human beings to their karmas. They are points on a cosmic scorecard that shows the merit or lack thereof of each jiva (living being) in creation. These planets have gods and myths behind them and, above all, they control the energy centers in every human body. These centers are called the chakras. The Signs that govern are the masculine and feminine energies of each chakra.

Karaka means producer. Each planet produces various things. A list can only begin to name all the things a planet produces. However, everything you see around you is governed by one of the nine grahas. In acknowledging the production effects of each planet, it is noted that on each particular chart the states of the planets vary immensely. Some horoscopes have particularly strong karakas and others weak. One horoscope may produce beautiful and luxurious vehicles and another may deny the person a car or give many trips to the mechanic to reduce their wallet.

What makes a Karaka strong or weak?

Is it because it is placed in its own sign or moolatrikona? Is it because he is ruling good houses?

In answer to these questions, it should be noted here that when evaluating planets as karakas, one does NOT take Signs or Houses into consideration. The planets are sattvic, which means that they precede the Signs and the Houses. The Signs serve to bring the planets into psychological and physical modalities and the Houses bring the karmas indicated by the planets and signs to Earth. From our home here on Earth, we look up to the sky and draw lines from where we are in all four directions. These create the Houses. The planets in the houses and the governments of the houses give the most concrete effects that are experienced here on Earth.

Look at it this way. The karaka (planet) produces the thing. The Signs give it color, direction, size, shape, etc. The Houses will show where we will find that thing and in what physical context we will experience that thing.

Mathematics (I know, I know, it’s boring but absolutely necessary)

Note that most Vedic astrological software does these calculations.

As you can see, the planets come first. So how do you measure the strength of your planets as karakas (producers)? There are two components to this equation: Occha Bala and Chesta Bala. Occha bala means force based on the position of the planet in relation to its point of exaltation. Each planet has a degree in the Zodiac where it is exalted. The closer this planet is to your degree of exaltation, the stronger the planet is in your Occha Bala. At the farthest point of exaltation is the point of weakening. A planet gets points related to how close it is to the point of exaltation. Since exaltation and debuff points are 180 degrees apart and the most points a planet can gain is 60, then each degree from exaltation a planet loses 0.333 points. For example, Venus is postulated at 27 degrees Gemini. This is exactly midway between the exaltation point of Venus (27 degrees Pisces) and the weakening of Venus (27 degrees Virgo). Venus at 27 degrees Gemini would get 30 points from Occha bala.

This bullet is measured by the relative velocity of a planet. The slower the planet moves relative to its average speed, the larger the Chesta bullet. Planets tend to be slower when they are stationary, or about to go retrograde, when they are retrograde, and when they are about to go direct. This is the point where they are closest to Earth. Again, 60 is the highest Chesta Bala number and 0 is the lowest.

The Sun and the Moon do not have Chesta Bala. For the calculation, the Ayana bala (the declination from the equator) of the Sun and the Paksha bala (force due to the lunar phases) of the Moon are used.

After all these calculations, to obtain the beneficial points (ishta phala) of a planet, the Ocha bala is multiplied by the Chesta Bala and the square root of the product is extracted. Et voila!… you have the Ishta Phala. The number will be between 0 and 60. The rest is Kashta Phala, which are the evil points. Good points plus bad points always add up to 60. The idea is that it is better for a planet’s natural indications if it has higher good points (above 30) and lower bad points (below 30).

The karakas are never malefic

What a karaka produces is never malefic. This is a very important concept and should be repeated for emphasis. WHAT A KARAKA PRODUCES IS NEVER MALEFICENT. Saturn and Mars are producers of longevity and courage, just to name a few. Saturn produces immunity to disease and the ability to overcome obstacles (perseverance). It does not produce those obstacles. Obstacles, miseries, delays and setbacks can be produced by any planet and have to do with their condition in houses and as lords of houses, but they do NOT have to do with their karakaship. When Saturn is afflicted as a karaka, in other words, when his malefic points outweigh his beneficial points, then he gives a low tolerance for delays and mishaps. It gives a low tolerance for misery, so misery and depression overcome the person. If Mars has little strength as a karaka, she gives little tolerance for anger and no courage. When a person has little courage, he is afraid, and when he is afraid, he attacks to protect himself even when it is not warranted. This is a volatile temperament and indicative of a weak Mars.

The difference between Malefics and Benefics like Karakas

The difference is this: a malefic will keep his goodness to himself, producing those good qualities, but he will give away his malefic tendencies to other planets through association. A benefic will give away his ishta (good points) to other planets but keep his kashta (bad points) for himself. Malefics reveal their evil through association and harm the planets they associate with. What is meant by damage is that when a malefic is aspecting a planet with a full aspect, he will take away the ishta (good points) of that planet to the degree of the malefic’s kashta (bad points). For example, if Saturn has 48 kashta points and is fully aspecting Mars, and Mars has only 36 ishta points (good points), then Saturn will destroy the beneficial qualities of Mars during the Saturn/Mars or Mars/Saturn periods. During these periods, the person will be fearful, angry, and accident-prone. Benefits give away the goodness of it and help the planets with which they are associated. Let’s say that Venus in someone’s chart has 42 good points and 18 bad points. Whichever planet it points to, it will help that planet to 42 points, which is extremely beneficial during Venus periods.

Karakas in Prediction

With the exception of a few character yogas, planetary events always depend on dasa. This means that the planets will only give their effects when they are running their periods and sub-periods. Saturn and Mars will give those things typical of Saturn and Mars. If they are low in strength then they will not give their beneficial energies, they will only give low tolerance to the negative qualities associated with these malefics.

A note on Rahu and Ketu

Rahu and Ketu have the ishta and kashta of Saturn and Mars, respectively.