Introduction
Jupiter is the largest planet of the solar system, and astrology calls it the teacher of the gods. It crosses a sign in about a year and completes the circle in about twelve. Thursday (Guruvar) is named after it.
Jupiter owns two signs, Dhanu and Meena. Along with the usual 7th, it also aspects the 5th and 9th houses from itself. Tradition sees Jupiter's aspect as supportive.
What it signifies
Tradition holds that Jupiter signifies:
- knowledge, understanding and sound advice
- teachers, gurus and elder guides
- dharma, faith and ethics
- children and the growth of the family
- good sense in handling wealth
For work, tradition associates Jupiter with fields that involve teaching, advising, law, religion or finance.
These are tendencies, not settled facts. The house, sign, aspects and dasha give the meaning together.
Exalted, debilitated, own sign: in plain words
Jupiter's own signs are Dhanu and Meena. Exaltation is at Karka 5° and debilitation at Makara 5°, the same degree in the opposite sign. The first 10 degrees of Dhanu are moolatrikona; the rest of Dhanu and all of Meena are own sign.
Jupiter's natural friends are Mars, the Moon and the Sun; its neutral is Saturn; the old classification lists Mercury and Venus as enemies. These are old labels; in shadbala they only decide how many points of positional strength a planet earns in a sign. Raman's method also adds the temporary relationship from the birth chart.
Exalted, debilitated, own sign and moolatrikona are names for a position, not a verdict on anyone's life. Debilitation by itself decides nothing; houses, aspects, dasha, the navamsa and the whole chart speak together.
Shadbala and this planet, in plain words
Shadbala is the sum of six kinds of strength: positional, directional, temporal, motional, natural and aspectual. ePandit computes it by B. V. Raman's method in Graha and Bhava Balas. The unit is the virupa; 60 virupas make 1 rupa.
Raman gives each planet a traditional required minimum. For Jupiter it is 390 virupas (6.5 rupas). We show you one simple ratio:
Ratio = Jupiter's total shadbala ÷ 390
- Above 1 means only that Jupiter has more than the traditional minimum to work with in its themes.
- Below 1 says nothing bad. It means other factors lead in that chart: another planet, the running dasha, or a house.
Jupiter's naisargika (natural) bala is 34.29 virupas, the same in every chart. Directional strength is full when Jupiter sits in the 1st house (east). In Raman's method Jupiter gets the full 60 virupas of tribhaga (a part of temporal strength) in every chart. Its special 5th and 9th aspects are counted separately in aspect strength.
Other software may show small differences; we follow Raman's method. Shadbala is a measure built on arithmetic; it does not decide any result on its own.
Mahadasha
In Vimshottari, Jupiter's mahadasha lasts 16 years. Tradition holds that study, learning and teaching, growth of the family, faith and good counsel come forward in this time.
The real colour depends on where Jupiter sits in your chart, which houses it rules and which antardasha is running. Every mahadasha holds nine antardashas.
Faith
Tradition links Thursday with Jupiter. If you wish, you can chant Jupiter's name-mantra 11 or 108 times in the morning, with a calm mind:
ॐ बृहस्पतये नमः (Om Bṛhaspataye Namaḥ) (planet name-mantra: tradition)
On a Thursday, you may give a little chana dal to someone in need. (folk belief, optional)
This is a matter of faith, not a condition. No costly remedy is needed.