Prasna Timing Methods: From Prasna

Marga
Prasna is an very important aspect of Jyotish as it helps in deciphering the changes to the
experiences of a person depending on the changes to the Karma shown by the Birth Horoscope.
While at any point of time, the Birth horoscope indicate multitude of events, Prasna helps in
narrowing down the options. In my view, no horoscope reading should be done without
employing Prasna. One important aspect of Prasna is to time the occurrence of an event such as
Marriage, Childbirth etc. In the following stanzas given are the methods used by Traditional
Astrologers, including Varahamihira, which are different from the Tajika Methods.

Navamsa Elapsed by Lagna lord

Prasna Marga 14.81. The time of fructification is to be known by multiplying the time-periods
allotted to the different planets as Ayana, Kshana, etc., by the number of Navamsas gained by the
planet in the Rasi.

Different grahas are allocated different time-periods in the Jyotish classics. They are:

1. Kshana or Muhurtha (48 Min): Chandra

2. Vara or Vasara (Weekdays): Mangal

3. Paksha (14 days): Shukra

4. Masa (1 month): Guru

5. Rtu or Season (2 months): Budha

6. Ayana (6 months): Surya

7. Varsha (1 year): Shani

Suppose at the moment of Prasna, Gurus Lagna is rising and Guru occupies 18th Degree. This
means that Guru is occupying 6th Navamsa. Gurus period is 1 month. Thus the event is likely
happen in 6 months time.

Navamsa Elapsed by Navamsa Lagna lord

Prasna Marga 14.82. The period indicated by the lord of Lagna Navamsa, multiplied by the
number of Navamsas traversed by the said lord gives the time of fructification.

Suppose Shanis Navamsa Lagna is rising at the moment of Prasna. If Shani is in 4th degree,
which is 2nd Navamsa. Shanis period is 1 year. This means that the event can happen in the 2nd
year.
When the Rasi and Navamsa Lagna shows different results such as 1 year vs. 4 years, which one
will predominate. This actually depends on the question and the other yogas in the Prasna chart.
If the Prasna chart shows favourable results due to strong Lagna, Karya Bhava, Karyesha and
Karaka, the event may happen within the lesser timeframe. Sometimes it depends on the nature
of the Prasna and the Dasa/ Gochara in operation. For instance, if the Dasa and Gochara shows a
change of job at the end of a year, while the Prasna shows two possibilities, 1 month vs. 1 year,
the off-course the 1 year will be a valid conclusion.

Thus an intelligent astrologer would keep his mind open to all the possibilities coming from the
Birth Chart and Prasna and conclude on the timing.

Timing Good or Bad periods

Prasna Marga 14.83. The time signified by the lord of Lagna multiplied by the number of
Rasis intervening between the Lagna and the Rasi holding a malefic planet indicates the period
of sorrow.

Suppose the Lagna rising is Vrshabha lorded by Shukra and Rahu occupies the 8th house. We
know that Rahus placement in the 8th house is highly detrimental to health. Adopting this
principle we can say that a serious health hazard can happen in 8 Pakshas, which is equivalent to
4 months. This is because Shukra governs a Paksha, which is multiplied with the 8th house,
which is housing Rahu. This is a kind of Progression of the Lagna, whereby the progression
happens based on the period governed by the Lagna lord.

On the other hand, say Guru is occupying 2nd house with 2nd lord Budha. This can mean
incoming of wealth in the 2nd fortnight i.e., within a months time.

Impact of Visible and Invisible half

Prasna Marga 14.84. Other methods of fixing the time of happening of the good and evil
results are given elsewhere. They are herewith explained.
Prasna Marga 14.85. If the lord of a house is in the visible hemisphere, the effects of the Bhava
will be experienced very shortly. If the lord is in the invisible hemisphere, the results will happen
very late. The time of happening corresponds to the period in months or days signified by the
number of Rasis intervening between the Bhava concerned and the Rasi occupied by the lord of
the said Bhava. Or the results may happen when the Moon next transits the sign occupied by the
lord of the concerned Bhava.

The visible hemisphere is the space between the cusp of Lagna to 7th house through the 10th
house. Which means the portion after the 7th house cusp, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and the
portion before the Lagna cusp fall in the visible half. The invisible half is the remaining houses
from 2nd to 6th and the remaining position of the Lagna and the 7th house.

When a Bhava lord occupies the Visible half, the results of that Bhava materialise early, else late.
So if there are multiple periods arrived at using different methods such as Lagna lord, Navamsa
Lagna lord etc. then one can decide on the more appropriate timing based on the placement of
the Bhava lord in the Visible or Invisible half.
The period of materialisation of results of a Bhava can be told from the Rasi occupied by the
Bhava lord. Count from the Bhava to the Bhava lord; the results of the Bhava materialise in so
many Months or Days. The final answer in months or days will depend on other factors such as
dasa, nature of questions, transits etc. Or the answer can be either within so and so days or if not,
within so and so months.

The results of a Bhava also manifest when Chandra transits upon the Bhava lord after the point
when the Prasna was put. For instance for a Dhanu Lagna native born, the prasna is on change of
job. The Karya Bhava is 10th house, which is in Kanya and its lord Budha is occupying 7th
house in Mithuna. At the moment of Prasna, Chandra was in the 12th house in Vrschika. This
means that after about 20 days, when Chandra transit Mithuna, the change can happen. The
change can also happen in 10 days or 10 months as per the previous stanza. Which among them
is an appropriate period will depend on the context in which the Prasna is put and also the Dasa-
Bhukti-Gochara with regards to the Natal horoscope. An intelligent astrologer will never lose
sight of the context. Never forget the Desha-Kaala-Patra principle!

Gochara of Surya, Chandra, Karyesha or Karaka

Prasna Marga 14.86. When the Sun or the Moon or the effect-giving planet transits the Lagna,
or the sign occupied by the effect-giving planet, or his exaltation sign, the indicated events
happen. Whether in the past or in the future good and bad happenings coincide with the transit of
Lagna by benefics and malefics respectively.

The Effect giving planets are (1) The Karyesha, the lord of the Karya Bhava and (2) the Karaka,
the significator of the event. For instance for Marriage, the event can be given by the 7th lord or
Venus. The events can happen under one of the following conditions:

1. The Karyesha, Karaka, Surya or Chandra transit the Lagna

2. The Karyesha, Karaka, Surya or Chandra transit the sign occupied by them in the Natal
Chart.

3. The Karyesha, Karaka, Surya or Chandra transit their exaltation sign.

Whether in past or in the future, certain good or bad things happen, that is pertaining to the
Prasna, one can judge it by knowing the benefic and malefic transits on the Prasna Lagna in past
of Future. In my humble opinion, the domain of a prasna is 1 year, hence this method cant be
used to determine events for a longer scale. For instance, for a Marriage relationship Prasna, the
Prasna Lagna is Dhanu and Shani transited in recent past, once can say that during the transit
period of Shani, there were difficulties in marriage.

For materialisation of events, some important Gochara one should look out for in the natal charts
are:

1. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Karyesha/ Karaka with the natal Lagna

2. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Karyesha/ Karaka with the Natal Lagna Lord

3. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Karyesha/ Karaka with the Transiting Lagna
Lord
 4. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of the transiting Lagnesha with the Karya Bhava

5. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of transiting Guru with the Karya Bhava

6. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of transiting Guru with the natal Karyesha/ Karya Bhava

7. Drsti-Yuti sambandha of transiting Guru with the transiting Karyesha/ Karya Bhava

When a Graha materialise its results.

Prasna Marga 14. 87. There are other methods of noting the times of happening of events and
they are given below.
Prasna Marga 14. 88. They are (a) constellation days of the planets; (b) their week-days; (c) the
Ritus of the planets ; (d) the period when the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter transit the radical sign by
the planet concerned ; (e) Dasa and Bhukti periods of the planets; (f) when the sign of a
concerned planet rises or sets. The Sun signifies Uttarayana and the Moon Dakshinayana. The
benefic and malefic results to be given by the planets should be intelligently inferred.

Grahas materialise their results in one of the following periods.

1. When Chandra transits the Nakshatra owned by them

2. The weekdays owned by the graha

3. The ritu owned by the graha

4. When Surya, Chandra or Guru transit their natal position

5. Dasa-Bhukti of the graha

6. When the Lagna or the 7th house is owned by the Graha.

Seasons: There are 6 seasons in a year viz., Vasanta (spring), Greeshma (summer), Varsha
(rainy), Sharad (Autumn), Hemanta (Pre-winter) and Shishir (Winter).
For instance, in the Job change Prasna mentioned above, the new job can be given by Budha,
occupying Mithuna. Say, in the natal chart, Budha is occupying Simha. Then the job change can
happen in one or more of the following. At least there will be some signs of Budha on the
moment of materialising of the results.

1. When Chandra transits Ashlesha, Jyeshtha or Revati

2. Wednesday

3. Sharad Ritu (autumn)

4. When Surya, Chandra or Guru transit Simha Rasi

5. Dasa or Bhukti of Budha

6. Mithuna, Kanya, Dhanu or Meena Lagna.