Sun, naturally benefic or malefic?

[Dhanvanta]

Dear friends,

As you may already know, in most cases astrologers regard Sun as a natural malefic. However, there are well-known astrologers such as Gayatri Devi Vasudev who regard this planet as even a "strong" benefic (somewhere, she calls Sun, Mercury and Jupiter strong benefics). What comes to me as even a bigger surprise is adding Mercury to the list of strong benefics!
Anyway, there is also a similar viewpoint from Sri Harish Johari: "The Sun is the ruler of the sign Leo. It is regarded as a malefic planet but it is actually an auspicious planet."

What would you say about this puzzling issue? How should we regard, for instance, the aspect of Sun on the lagna?

Looking forward to valuable contributions

Warmly,
Dhanvanta

[astro123]

Dear friends,

As you may already know, in most cases astrologers regard Sun as a natural malefic. However, there are well-known astrologers such as Gayatri Devi Vasudev who regard this planet as even a "strong" benefic (somewhere, she calls Sun, Mercury and Jupiter strong benefics). What comes to me as even a bigger surprise is adding Mercury to the list of strong benefics!
Anyway, there is also a similar viewpoint from Sri Harish Johari: "The Sun is the ruler of the sign Leo. It is regarded as a malefic planet but it is actually an auspicious planet."

What would you say about this puzzling issue? How should we regard, for instance, the aspect of Sun on the lagna?

Looking forward to valuable contributions

Warmly,
Dhanvanta

Will depend on Functional lordship of Sun .Lordship of 1,5,9,7,4,10 will make it benefic

[Dhanvanta]

astro123, thanks for the input, but please note that what I am referring to is the "natural" characteristics of the Sun, not His functional lordship.

[Dev]

Sun is natural atmakaraka and so he is expected to help in spiritual upliftment. That comes only with pain in wordly activities. So it can be viewed as malefic or benefic, malefic for those who are more worldly and do not want to rise spiritually, benefic for those who are happy with their progress in the spiritual front.

Dev

[VioletTwilight]

My understanding is that Sun is 'kroora' (cruel) and not necessarily malefic. Sun can provide material benefits through leadership, government funds, and father's/authorities' support. However, Sun is neither kind nor gentle. There will be associated hardship to win those benefits. Sun is benefic for dharmic/traditional activities even when they are worldly.

Strong Sun will get someone in trouble for not following the natural law (i.e., being generous to less fortunate, showing leadership to your ability, being role model, listening to authority figures, etc).

Understanding Sun is like understanding fire. Is fire benefic or malefic? It depends on the care with which it is used. no?
So, Sun does good but Sun is not easy. I don't know if that will come under benefic or malefic.

[srcs]

@violet twilight.; No planet is wholly shuba/ashuba; It all depends on its association/lordship/by whom it gets
aspected.Brihat terms sun as a malefic but its very author varahamihira starts his opening verses with prayer
to sun &also his son prituvyasa in his book shatpanchasika.Sun &its sign simha is a satwic one.Good sun will
bestow rajayoga while bad sun will do only minimal damage not as that of naisargika ashubas.Sun/mer.conjn.
can produce illustrious persons.Sun is Thanukaraka/it is our soul .It is one of the Ashta murthies of shiva.

[hiimnotcool]

my sun is in 5th house Leo. Aspected by Rahu in the 1st and the Moon from 11th. Shall Sun be benefic for me?

i have had favor from the government in my life for sure. i do not work at all but receive 2 thousand dollars per month from the government.

[karthik1984]

Himnotcool,
Sun is benefic , though some power is lost , still it is effective and it will give good results.

[VioletTwilight]

@violet twilight.; No planet is wholly shuba/ashuba; It all depends on its association/lordship/by whom it gets
aspected.Brihat terms sun as a malefic but its very author varahamihira starts his opening verses with prayer
to sun &also his son prituvyasa in his book shatpanchasika.Sun &its sign simha is a satwic one.Good sun will
bestow rajayoga while bad sun will do only minimal damage not as that of naisargika ashubas.Sun/mer.conjn.
can produce illustrious persons.Sun is Thanukaraka/it is our soul .It is one of the Ashta murthies of shiva.

Thanks for you thoughts srcs.
I knew that Sun was satwic but I thought Simha is tamasic being a sthira sign. (Similarly, Moon is satwic but Karka is Rajasic being chara sign. Only dwiswabhawa signs have a match with the guna of the lord and sign). Of course, all fire signs are dharmic.

[VioletTwilight]

my sun is in 5th house Leo. Aspected by Rahu in the 1st and the Moon from 11th. Shall Sun be benefic for me?

i have had favor from the government in my life for sure. i do not work at all but receive 2 thousand dollars per month from the government.

Dear hiimnotcool,

If you don't mind me asking, do you have any children? (Sorry, I don't your age or gender. Please ignore if inappropriate).

Sun in 5th is considered to be good for learning all types of mantra and having favours from government, fame, and creativity. But Sun in Leo is too much agni tattwa in 5th and that too with added Rahu's dristi might have caused some troubles with having children. Although, Moon's dristi and status of Jupiter could mitigate those troubles.

Strong Sun would've given you some fame and given you resources whenever you want to start something new (although I am not sure how far it is sustained. Almost full Moon in 11th house is not so bad to sustain yogas). Is that true?

Best regards,
Violet

[hiimnotcool]

my sun is in 5th house Leo. Aspected by Rahu in the 1st and the Moon from 11th. Shall Sun be benefic for me?

i have had favor from the government in my life for sure. i do not work at all but receive 2 thousand dollars per month from the government.

Dear hiimnotcool,

If you don't mind me asking, do you have any children? (Sorry, I don't your age or gender. Please ignore if inappropriate).

Sun in 5th is considered to be good for learning all types of mantra and having favours from government, fame, and creativity. But Sun in Leo is too much agni tattwa in 5th and that too with added Rahu's dristi might have caused some troubles with having children. Although, Moon's dristi and status of Jupiter could mitigate those troubles.

Strong Sun would've given you some fame and given you resources whenever you want to start something new (although I am not sure how far it is sustained. Almost full Moon in 11th house is not so bad to sustain yogas). Is that true?

Best regards,
Violet

Yes, I have one child right now (2 year old daughter) and another child due in February. Jupiter is in the 10th house of Capricorn but receives NBRY from exalted Saturn in the 7th. Jupiter is also in Pushkaramsa at 15 degrees and retrograde.

I have definitely received favors from the government like stated before. I am very thankful for it. That could have something to do with exalted 10th/11th lord as well.

[VioletTwilight]

Dear hiimnotcool,

Thanks very much for the feedback.

Saturn being 10th and 11th lord and exalted could give a steady income, but I am not sure if the source is going to be from the government if not for the strong Sun. (I know that based on karakatwas, Sun being King and Saturn being people, Saturn is sometimes said to be representing government in democracies. However, I think bureaucracy and executive branch is represented by Sun). Moon would also represent bureaucracy, so the government income could also come from it being in 11th and Sun's dristi to 11th.

Jupiter does get neechabanga due to exalted Saturn and being in kendra. However, some say deb+retro = exalted due to strong wish of the deb. planet to be in the opposite house. That could also add strength to Jupiter.

Thanks again for helping me to learn.
Best wishes,
Violet

[ChandraLagna]

There's a very passionate piece written by a member called sinecurve on whether Deb+Retro = Exalted. That should set to rest any doubts on this topic, since its his personal experience that is being recounted.

Btw, Violet, you have put it very beautifully about sun - its flame - is it malefic, or benefic !

Sun is good for certain things in life - health, mathematics, vitality, success in career [ esp politics] and bad for others - esp marriage. Sun is a primary separative planet. This same sun can also cause issues in other areas, esp if he combusts Jupiter.

Remember sun is king - one should not make the mistake of characterizing any king as straightforward or "good" in classical way. Their job description demands they have a certain amount of cunning & conniving nature to stay on the throne.

[Dhanvanta]

Thank you all for your helpful contributions. Just wanted to further share some thoughts with you:

Brihat terms sun as a malefic but its very author varahamihira starts his opening verses with prayer
to sun

This make a lot of sense since all grahas ultimately revolve around the Majestic Sun; even Moon (the Divine Mother) and the very strong Saturn. This all implies the central role of the Sun in all matters. Though I do not wish to divert our discussion to any area other than the Sun, I remember what Dr. Svoboda writes about his guru telling him that all astrology ultimately leads to Shani. This is understandable since Shani Himself revolves at the farthest distance from the Sun (implying ultimacy) yet, even He revolves around the Sun. This leads me to think whether we would be right to give the utmost importance to Sun rather than lagna or Chandra lagna especially in remedial measures. Is this suggested by any ancient classic?

Remember sun is king - one should not make the mistake of characterizing any king as straightforward or "good" in classical way. Their job description demands they have a certain amount of cunning & conniving nature to stay on the throne.

In terms of upaya, this could mean that propitiating the King and Queen would soon bestow the highest blessings and protection on you if they are satisfied. What could worry you if you have gained the King and Queen's favor?

And last but not least, what happens when the Sun happens to rule your 6th house? I think it is Bepin Behari that somewhere states in such a case Sun is an exception and will not harm.

Best
Dhanvanta

[VioletTwilight]

.......This leads me to think whether we would be right to give the utmost importance to Sun rather than lagna or Chandra lagna especially in remedial measures. Is this suggested by any ancient classic?
.............................
And last but not least, what happens when the Sun happens to rule your 6th house? I think it is Bepin Behari that somewhere states in such a case Sun is an exception and will not harm.

Best
Dhanvanta

Sun being the King doesn't really care about individual. He does his duty whether it is convenient for you or not. Therefore, even though he is important, I am not sure if he cares for a single person's point of view. My understanding is that remedies are for a particular individual's suffering in material and mental issues, and lagna or Chandra lagna is all about that unique perspective.

Also, from practical point, Sun stays in a sign for one month. Then problems and remedies will be general for all the people born in a particular solar month. Other than Moon, the rest of the chart may remain more or less the same from the Sun lagna. Then, how to figure out which particular problem is bothering the person?

For the second point, in studying 6th house, Pt. Sanjay Rath says that Sun, Moon, Jupiter being Satwic will not cause harm in 6th house. The rest of the six grahas represent 6 avagunas and will cause problems even if they provide some material benefits. The same applies for 11th house too.

[VioletTwilight]

There's a very passionate piece written by a member called sinecurve on whether Deb+Retro = Exalted. That should set to rest any doubts on this topic, since its his personal experience that is being recounted.

Dear ChandraLagna,

I couldn't find the post you are referring to after a lot of search. Would you please point to any other items posted on that thread or title?

Edit: Did you refer to this?
http://www.lightonvedicastrology.com/ph ... ed#p138407

Thanks in advance,
Violet