Progeny in Jyotish II: Number & sex of children

Number of children
1. The number of children can be found out by counting the Navamsa gained by the 5th lord. For e.g., the 5th
lord is placed in Virgo Rasi and Gemini Navamsa. Counting from Gemini (Navamsa) to Virgo Rasi [Virgo (6) Gemini (3) = 3], we have four signs, i.e., the 5th lord has to gain three Navamsas to reach Virgo or upto three
children should be anticipated (COVA- Page 190). This is however a crude method can can be used with
extreme care.
Max. no. of child = Rasi sign Navamsa Sign
Pt. Rath says that, for this method to work, the 5th lord should be placed with the Jupiter (Karaka for
Navamsa). However, from an illustration given in Page 200 of COVA, we see that this is not a necessary
condition. Here Mars is not associated or aspected by Jupiter, but the Lagna is aspected by Jupiter from the
7th, through Rasi and Graha Drsti both. Here we might conclude that for this method to work, Jupiter should
be strongly placed in the horoscope and influence the factors of progeny.
2. This can also be seen from the planets aspecting the 5th by Graha or Rasi Drsti.
Riders
The number of children is limited by the Rahu - Ketu axis, unless Jupiter is strongly placed in the D-1, to
eliminate all the putra Dosas. (COVA, Page 184)
Birth of Twins
The signs Aquarius and Scorpio have two lords each and hence if they happen to be the house of child/
pregnancy, they can indicate twins.
Most standard texts prescribe the involvement of the Signs Gemini, Virgo, Scorpio or Aquarius for the birth of
the twins. They add Gemini and Virgo also to Aquarius and Scorpio, since the signs are lorded by Mercury
whose nature is dual.
Illustration
In the chart of the standard nativity, the 5th lord Moon is in Aquarius Rasi and Pisces Navamsa, which shows
that there are possibilities of 11 children, however while we count from Pisces we have to stop in Taurus,
because Gemini is occupied by a node. Thus the maximum no. of children is limited to 2 only shown by the
signs Aries and Taurus.
Saptamsa chart can be seen for more details about children. The details of judging Saptamsa Chart is given in
subsequent section.

1st child: The Saptamsa Lagna is in an Odd sign and hence the counting shall be in a zodiacal manner.
The 1st child is shown by the 5th lord Mars, placed in Gemini with Moon and Ketu.
2nd child: The 2nd child is shown by the 7th lord Mercury. Mercury is placed in Scopio and has
exhange. Scorpio generally shows female child being an even sign. Due to the exchange of planets, it
indicate male child. Its worthwhile to note that the 6th lord, the maraka is aspecting Mercury,
showing that the child shall face terrible condition and can face death. However, due to Graha Dristi
of Jupiter on Mercury and Rasi Drsti on the Lagna, the child is saved.

Sex of children
Rasi Chart
For matters concerning children, the placement of the fifth lord and the planets should be seen from the
Jupiter, the naisargika putra karaka. If there are planets in strengths from the Jupiter, they can indicate the
number and nature of the children. The placement of the fifth lord from Jupiter will indicate the extent of
gains from Children etc.- Pt. Sanjay Rath (COVA, Page 169)
Normally for determination of sex of the child, the chart of the father is a better indicator. (COVA, Page 188)

The Saptamsa
The timing of birth of Individual children, their nature, abilities and fortune is seen in the Saptamsa chart.
This has been explained in detail by Maharishi Jaimini Upadesha Sutras. (COVA 8.6.1)
Counting
The first child is seen from the 5th house counted zodiacally or anti-zodiacally depending on whether the
Lagna is ODD or EVEN . The subsequent pregnancies are seen from every third house (Manduka Gat i). Thus if
an odd sign ascends in the Saptamsa, the individual pregnancies are seen in the 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th etc. If an
even sign ascends in the saptamsa, the individual pregnancies are seen in the 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd and so on.
(COVA)
After the Manduka Gati reached the point of start, the sequence of jumps would repeat again, which cant be
allowed. To counter this problem, the next sign arrived at is by Crawling the sign. For illustration, after the
jump sequence reaches from 5th to 3rd, the next sign after 3rd would be 5th again, thus here the jump
doesnt progress to the 5th, but the 4th there in, where the frog is supposed to be crawling, than jumping as
there is no space for jumping, 5th house, being already considered. Thus the order of pregnancy becomes 57-9-11-1-3-4-6-8-10-12-2. For even sign the sequence becomes 9-7-5-3-1-11-10-8-6-4-2-12.
The nodes generally indicate the last child. For exapmple, if Rahu is in the 7th or joins the seventh lord, the
native may have two children. (Jaimini Sutras)
Sex of the Child
The sex of the child is seen from the lord of the sign ruling the house of pregnancy. If the lord is exalted or
conjoin male planets (Sun, Rahu, Jup, Mars), the issue is male. If the lord is debilitated or conjoins female
planets (Moon, Ketu, Venus), the issue is female. Saturn and Mercury are eunuch planets, but they have
found to indicate female and male children respectively.
If the lord of the sign is neither exalted/ debilitated, not conjoins any other planets, the sex of the child is
seen from the nature of the sign occupied by it. All Odd signs excepting the Aquarius and Gemini are male
birth signs while all the even signs, expecting Cancer and Pisces are Female birth signs.
Riders
1. Effect of Parivartana
On Counting
If there is a exchange of house (Parivartana Yoga) between the Saptamsa Lagna lord and the lord of any other
house, the counting will be based on whether the other sign is ODD or EVEN and not the oddity of the
Saptamsa Lagna. However the counting still starts from the Saptamsa Lagna. (COVA, Page 193)
On sex of child
If a lord of the child associate with a planet, lets say Venus and there is a parivartana of this planet with
another Planet, lets say Sun. The influence of the other planet, namely Sun will be more dominant over the
lord of the child, in determining the sex of the child. (COVA, Page 193).
However, if there is a parivartana of the lord of child with another planet, then the sex of the child,
determined by the lord of the child is simply reversed. For e.g., if the lord of the child is Venus is placed in
Leo, with Moon and the lord of Leo, Sun is placed in house of Venus, Taurus, then the sex of the child
indicated by Venus in conjunction with Moon, i.e., Female, shall be changed to Male.
2. Lord of child placed in house of another child
If the lord of a child is placed in the house of another child, then one of the children indicated by them shall
survive. For illustration the 5th lord is placed in the 7th house, one of the children signified by the 5th and
the 7th lords will survive. (Pt. Sanjay Rath).
However, in COVA, Pt. Sanjay has presented one more viewpoint while showing the use of Drekkana for coborns, whereby when the counting reaches a sign which houses another lord of the child, the count crawls
over to another sign. To illustrate the point he says However, Capricorn houses two sisters as indicated by
Mercury and Jupiter and should normally have limited the number of elder co-borns. Since the number is
actually higher, the next sign Aquarius will indicate the co-born. (COVA, Page 120)
Two child lords placed together

If two lords of the child are placed together, then one of the children shall survive. For e.g., if the lords of
5th and 9th are placed in the same sign, then one among the children shown by them shall survive. However,
it is difficult to determine who among them shall survive and can only be determined from practical events.
In the present case, if there is a miscarriage of the first child, the 3rd child shown by the 9th lord shall
survive and vice-versa.
One planet becomes lord of two houses of children
If one planet happens to indicate more than one child, then the first child will be shown by the lord of the
child however, the 2nd one will be shown by the house of the child and the planets placed therein. To
illustrate his point Pt. Rath says in COVA- page 120, when one of the children have been indicated by Mars
(House of child Scorpio), and the next house of the child happens to be Aries, Mars will not show the child,
however Aries, placed with Moon will show a sister who is emotional (Moon) and Rash (Aries). Had there been
no planet, then Aries would have shown male birth.
Saptamsa lagna lord in Marana Sthana from lord of child
If Venus becomes the lord of Saptamsa Lagna, the issues indicated by the planets in the 8th from Venus
cannot survive unless conjoins Ketu (Ganapati), as these issues will have Venus in the Marana Sthana
(Reference). The same principle can be extended to other planets. Thus in case of Different Saptamsa Lagna,
the placement of the lord of the child in the following places cannot survive.

Sun- 2nd
Moon- 6th
Mars- 7th
Mercury- 7th
Jupiter- 11th
Venus - 8th
Saturn- 1st
Rahu - 5th

Thus the principle states that if the Saptamsa Lagna lord is placed in a Marana karaka Sthana from the Lord of
the child, then either the parent or the child survive, unless, there is a blessing.