Gandanta points are astronomical in nature. Gravity is the scientific force that serves as the guiding principle in vedic astrology. Gravitational force is directly proportional to the mass of the objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the objects. Therefore, the Moon, which is closest to the Earth, is very important. Similarly, large objects like the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn are also important while reading a vedic chart.

Planets moving around the Sun follow specific orbits. Earth does not have free will to take any path around the Sun. The further the object is from the Sun, the less influence the Sun has on the object. That is why Pluto has an erratic orbit. The idea of a fated destiny also comes from this concept.

Twelve constellations (zodiacs) and 27 nakshatras (stars) make up the vedic sky. Each constellation covers 30 degrees (360/12). Each nakshatra covers 13 degrees and 20 minutes (360/27). The constellations or nakshatras have the weakest influence at the extremities, which are also the areas between two constellations or nakshatras. “Sandhi” points are 1 degree on either side of such boundaries.

Gandanta Definition

There are three special points that serve as boundaries for constellations and nakshatras. These points are the “Gandanta” points. Graha in 1 degree on either side of the “Gandata” points are in the “Gandanta” zone. Gandanta points form at the boundary of

• Cancer/Leo and Ashlesha/Magha – 120 degrees
• Scorpio/Sagittarius and Jyeshta/Moola – 240 degrees
• Pisces/Aries and Revati/Ashwini – 360 degrees

Gandanta Effects

Grahas in the Gandanta zone (1 degree on either side of the Gandanta point) can be erratic and uncertain. So, there is some fear about them. I don’t give this too much importance because

1. Classical texts write very little about Gandanta. Graha weakness is a result of debilitation, combustion, planetary war, or position of the graha in an enemy sign.
2. The closest reference to vedic scriptures is the concept of bala avastas. In this, grahas in the first 6 degrees of odd rasis and the last 6 degrees of even rasis are like babies and so are not considered to yield their full power. The gandanta zone would fall under this window. Bala avastas can add color to interpretation, but should not be used exclusively. Sun in Aries at 2 degrees, is exalted and vargottama, but in bala avasta. This Sun is strong, maybe just a little immature!
3. Gandanta points are purely a mathematical artifact of choosing where the constellation and nakshatra boundaries fall. Therefore, the points are arbitrary.
4. In transits, grahas spend very little time in the gandanta zone. Five of the nine grahas would cross the zone in 2 days. These are Sun, Moon, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu take about a month and Saturn takes about 2 months.
5. Jupiter gandanta is especially less worrisome because Jupiter is strong in all the gandanta signs. It is exalted in Cancer, in its own sign in Pisces and Sagittarius, and in its friend’s sign in Aries, Leo, and Scorpio.

Vedic astrology gives emphasis to three main reference points, or lagnas; the Sun, the Moon, and the Ascendant.

The Ascendant or the Udaya Lagna represents reality. If you want to look at what will happen in someone’s life you would analyze from the ascendant. That is why a lot of emphasis is given to the ascendant in vedic astrology.

The Moon or the Chandra Lagna represents our mind or feelings. If you want to look at how someone will feel you would analyze from the Moon sign. Essentially imagine that the ascendant is at the same degree as the Moon and use normal vedic techniques to analyze the chart.

The Sun or the Surya Lagna represents our ideals. If you want to understand someone’s ideals you can analyze from the Sun sign.

Lastly, if you want to look at what others think about you, you can use the Arudha Lagna and analyze the chart from that position.

For example, around children, whether or not one would have children and the number of children should be looked at from the Ascendant. This is factual. Whether the person will have a good or bad relationship with their children should be looked at from the Moon sign. This is at an emotional level. One’s ideals about having children should be looked at from the Sun sign. Someone could consider having children a burden to the environment (ideal), but still love children (emotional) and even have them (factual). Lastly, what other’s think about you and children should be looked at from the Arudra Lagna.

Out of these the ascendant and the Moon lagnas are the most important, hence the focus on these in vedic astrology.

Vargottama grahas are grahas that are in the same rasi (sign) in the Rasi (D-1) and Navamsa (D-9) charts.

Such grahas gain strength. They are stronger than the strength indicated in the D-1 chart. A strong (exalted, own sign, dig bala…) graha becomes stronger if it is in the same rasi in the D-9 chart. A weak (debilitated, combust…) graha in the D-1 chart increases its strength if it is in vargottama. Phala Deepika indicates that a vargottama graha’s strength is equivalent to that of the graha in its own sign. A chart with 2 or more such grahas is very strong.

Identifying grahas that would be vargottama is easy to do from the Rasi (D-1) chart itself. Every rasi (sign) has a 3 degree 20 minutes portion in which grahas will be vargottama.

• Movable signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) – 0:00 to 3:20
• Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) – 13:20 to 16:40
• Dual signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) – 26:40 to 30:00

Example – Warren Buffet

In Warren Buffet’s chart, Sun, Venus, Rahu, and Ketu are in the same sign in D1 and D9. These grahas are in very important houses in his chart – 5th, 9th, 10th, and 11th houses. 5,9,11 indicates wealth and 10th indicates career.

Example – Winston Churchill

In Winston Churchill’s chart Rahu, Ketu, Jupiter, and Sun are in the same sign in D1 and D9. These grahas are in his 2nd and 8th houses. The 8th house produced unexpected turn of events in Churchill’s life which made him famous.

Vargottama is often overlooked because it is not obvious from the Rasi chart. Software programs show the D9 chart and a quick comparison can reveal vargottamas. It is easier to identify these using the south indian chart. In the north indian chart the rasis are not fixed, so it is harder to see this pattern.