Gulika in astrology

Gulika in Astrology

S N Rao

Gulika holds a position of prime importance in the evaluation of a natal chart. Also called as Maandi, it, like Rahu and Ketu, has no physical existence. But it always makes a difference in the natal chart output. Gulika is generally considered the most malefic entity in a chart. According to the set standards of assessment of maleficence, it surpasses all natural malefics. Gulika enjoys a special status almost like an independent planet, and in astrological classics it is considered as a minor planet or subplanet. 
In the traditional astrological practice, the Gulika-Kundali (a horoscopic chart, with houses reckoned from the position of Gulika) used to be an essential component of the Janma-patri (the scroll carrying the horoscopic details of a native, according to the traditional system of making horoscopes in India).

Gulika and Maandi

In Vedic astrology, Gulika and Maandi are considered synonymous although some people try to differentiate between them. Gulika denotes a certain segment of time controlled by Saturn. The word ‘Maandi’ is derived from Manda or sluggish, another name of Saturn. According to the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra :

That is: Of the same (i.e., Gulika), another name is Maandi.

Fixing the Gulika

The position of Gulika is different for daytime (from sunrise to sunset) and night time (from sunset to 
sunrise). The duration of the day or of the night (as the case may be) is divided into eight parts. The segment belonging to Saturn is known as Gulika. For daytime, the first segment (the first one-eighth of the night) belongs to the planetary lord of the weekday that falls fifth from the weekday under consideration. The subsequent segments belong similarly to other planets that rule the weekdays in natural order. The eighth part here too is without a lord. In each case the part belonging to Saturn is called as Gulika.

The Controversy

The segment of Saturn during the day or during the night would have some duration. Some people think that the ending moment of Saturn’s segment is the time to calculate the position of Gulika. They determine the ascendant for the ending moment of Saturn’s part; the cusp thus obtained is considered the ‘longitude’ of Gulika. However, the above-mentioned concept results from an erroneous nderstanding of the shloka from the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra,

That is: The cusp of the sign rising at the beginning of the Gulika segment is considered as Gulika-from this the chart must be analysed.

There is a popular, but vague, method of finding out the Gulika. According to this, for a day of 30 Ghatis, the rising time for Gulika during the day, for the seven days from Sunday to Saturday, is at 26, 22, 18, 14, 10, 6 and 2 Ghatis from the time of sunrise. For night time, the order from Sunday onwards is 10, 6, 2, 22, 18 and 14 ghatis from sunset. This method is not accurate. The Prashna Marga, a south India treatise, also refers to the Gulika and Maandi being the same.

Results of Gulika

• Gulika in the first house most certainly reduces the good results of the chart. The impact is maximum in malevolence when the cusp of the lagna and the Gulika are close in degrees. This means that birth taking place at the commencement of the Gulika-kaala suffers the maximum affliction. In such a situation, the Raja-yogas or other benefic yogas lose their potence. The Phala-deepika states:
That is: Determine all adverse results from Gulika’s association.

• When the nakshatra of the lagna and Gulika are mutually trinal, the basic benevolence of the lagna nakshatra lord (LNL) is lost. Nakshatras 1, 10 and 19 are mutually trinal.

• Gulika spoils the benefic significations of most of the houses by occupying them. Thus, all troubles ensue when Gulika occupies the lagna. In the second house, it curtails family comforts and financial savings. Poor social status results when Gulika occupies the fourth house. In the fifth, it leads to troubles from progeny. And so on.

• Of all the sub-planets, Gulika and Yamakantaka (the subplanet represented by Jupiter’s segment) surpass all others in maleficence and beneficance respectively.

• Only in houses 3, 6, 10 and 11 does Gulika generate benefical results. In the tenth house, however, it indicates delay in getting established 
in a career.

• The good results of Gulika (from its placement in the above houses) are lost when the rashi and navamsha lords of Gulika are neecha (debilitated) or combust.

Gulika with Natural Karakas

The association of Gulika with a natural Karaka (significator) always destroys the good effects of that 
Karaka. Classics hold the opinion that Gulika conjunct with the Sun creates lack of comforts for father, with the Moon it is bad for mother, and with Mars it is adverse for brother. When Gulika joins Mercury, the native becomes mentally disturbed. With Jupiter, the native becomes a hypocrite. Gulika with Venus brings troubles from women and ruins marital life. Association with Saturn leads to disease and skin disorder, with Rahu it leads to proneness to infection, and with Ketu fear from fire.
Gulika can alter the results of other planetary yogas in the chart. All good yogas are lost when the birth time and the Gulika-Kaala coincide together with another inauspicious factor like Mahapaata, Gandanta, Visha-Ghati, etc.

Dashas and Transits

• The dasha periods of the dispositor of Gulika or its navamsha lord may prove hazardous.
Chart 2 (born on October 17, 1955; at 17:30 hours; at Pune) belongs to an erstwhile famous ?? actress, Smita Patil. Her lagna is Meena (Pisces) while Gulika occupies Makara (Capricorn) in the eleventh house. She died of meningitis in the Saturn-Mars period. Saturn is the rashi lord of Gulika while Mars is its navamsha lord.

• Gulika in houses 1, 5 or 9 authorises the lagna lord to disburse the maraka effect during its dasha.

• Trouble results during the dasha of a planet that happens to be an associate of Gulika in the rashi chart.

• Severe troubles are also likely during the dasha of any planet associating with Gulika in the navamsha or the dwadashamsha charts.

• Specially adverse results ensue during the dasha period, of Jupiter or Saturn when they associate with Gulika in the navamsha, or the dasha of the Sun when it associates with Gulika in the dwadashamsha, or that of the Moon associating with Gulika in the Trimamsha chart.

• The Pramaana Gulika deserves the same treatment as Gulika (vide supra).

• The transit of Saturn and Jupiter over the navamsha sign lord of Gulika, that of the Sun over the Dwadashamsha sign lord of Gulika, and that of the Moon over the Trimshamsha sign lord of Gulika, put the native in trouble. This is according to the Prashna Marga, which states:
• All trikona (1, 5, 9) rashis should be considered in application of transits.

Gulika and Accidents

• Gulika is extremely important as an active killer in Vedic astrology. It is used in the judgement of longevity, along with dasha and transit.

• The lagna, the Moon and Gulika falling in Dwiswabha (dual) or 
Sthira (fixed) signs prompt multiple ailments and fatality. In Chara (movable) signs, it leads to good health and long life.

• The lagna, the Moon and Gulika falling in mutual trikonas in the navamsha chart, particularly in rashis 4, 8 and 12 are fatal. Such a native is disease prone and accident prone. This is according to the following dictum of the Prashna Marga:

Parashara thus recommends that one should worship lord Shiva regularly in the evening, bow down to the Sun-god and lord Vishnu in the morning, and light a holy lamp of ‘ghee’ before a Shiva temple. This would defy the evil arising out of an adverse disposition of Gulika.