Eclipses and their Effects

The Solar and Lunar eclipses are prominent in Mundane Astrology, as they indicate the most important and far reaching events and their period of influence extends over a considerable length of time.

Eclipses are most effective in those countries where they are visible, especially when they are on the meridian at the moment of central eclipse. They also affect the countries and cities ruled by the signs in which they are placed.

In eclipses of the moon, it has been found that the effects commence almost immediately, but in those of the sun, it has been generally observed that some months elapse before the greatest effects appear, and also that the greater or lesser effects of each eclipse will be in proportion to the magnitude of each eclipse, or, in other words, the more total the eclipse the more powerfully will it operate upon the earth and its inhabitants. Also, those eclipses, which are invisible, are found to have no peculiar or perceptible influence over that region, city or country in which they are not visible.

Following are the general rules to be observed in regard to eclipses.

In all eclipses of the sun and moon, especially those that are fully visible, the place in the zodiac where the eclipse happens is to be noted, also it must be seen which countries are in familiarity with the place, and in the same manner, it must be observed which cities are under the influence of the sign in which the eclipse happens.

Further it has been found that the effects of eclipses taking place in fixed signs (Vrishabh, Simha, Vrishchik and Kumbh) will have a very lasting effect. In case of movable signs, (Mesh, Kark, Tula and Makar) the effects will be brief and over soon. In signs Mithun, Kanya, Dhanu and Meen the effects will commence soon, last longer, but will have interruptions, meaning, they will continue for a while, suddenly cease and then commence again.

As regards the effects of eclipses the sign position is first to be taken into account.

1. Eclipses in Fiery Signs : Destruction to cattle, sheep etc. Exile, imprisonment or murder of a ruler or prominent person in the country, discontent among the people, infighting, movement of armies, problems and losses of crops due to insects, scarcity of vegetables and fruits. People may suffer from fever, and other diseases, in the regions affected by eclipse.

2. Eclipses in Earthy Signs : Drought, earthquakes, mining disasters, agricultural depression creating scarcity of food grains, and steep rise in their prices may take place in those regions affected by the eclipse.

3. Eclipses in Airy signs : Famine, sickness, destruction of crops by insects, stormy winds, sudden changes in weather conditions, repeated problems to mankind, etc may take place in those regions affected by eclipse.

4. Eclipses in Watery signs : High mortality among the common people, great destruction of marine life, and lives near the sea may take place in those regions affected by eclipse.

Eclipses and Lunations

Astrologers know that one cannot lump all eclipses together as good or as bad, in any sense of those ambiguous adjectives. But it is a fact that an eclipse of the Sun is commonly followed by disturbances that are usually undesirable. It is the monarch or other notabilities of the country that suffer, where as lunar eclipses more often seem to effect the common people. The same is true of commets, which must also have attracted the notice of primitive man and awakened his apprehensions, since they can be awesome objects in the clear dry atmosphere.

Number of attempts, have been made to determine how long the effects of eclipses endure. Actually it depends upon how closely it falls to sensitive points there in. If the eclipses, does not fall nearer than say five degrees of any important body or point, the effect will be negligible. But if it falls on the very degree held by a body and that body is highly sensitive owing to its radical condition, the so called effects may be serious and long lasting.

Neverth less it is true that an eclipse may produce little or nothing at the time but may apparently correspond to something important but may occur after some considerable time later. The most usual times seem to be when the Sun comes to the next square of the place of eclipses, i.e. three months later or when a planet particularly Mars, transits the place of eclipses. Lunar eclipses are never considered as having as long a period of valency as solars and ordinary lunations, which in other respects must be treated exactly as eclipses.

Great conjunctions are in same category of eclipses and lunations. The planetary conjunctions should be judged in the same way as eclipses and their effects should be considered, according to the sign in which they fall. In this category conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn and conjunction of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are known to be great conjunctions. As the impact of such conjunctions are known to cause serious problems to the countries or states depending upon the signs in which the conjunctions takes place.

Normally conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn fall every twenty years, it is observed in the past that these planets give similar effects when they are in trine or in angle to each other.

The strength and position of the planet ruling the sign in which the eclipse takes place also needs to be considered as it will have a greater effect. When the malefics rule over the situation the effects will be severe and grievous, and if the benefics rule over the situation, the effects are tolerable, however, a lot depends upon the strength of and the house occupied by the ruling planet.

In our next issue we shall discuss in detail about the solar and lunar eclipses taking place in each sign with respect to the decanates of each sign.