The literal meaning of the word Jyeshtha is ‘elder’ and Vedic astrology associates the meanings like elder, mature and senior with Jyeshtha. It is believed that people under strong influence of Jyeshtha may mature early in their lives, both in physical as well as in mental sense. It means Jyeshtha people may have better senses of social norms compared to many other nakshatra type people. Hence they may easily understand what drives families, societies, cities and/or states, depending on their ages and circumstances.
Vedic astrology takes the main symbol of Jyeshtha as a Round Talisman which is worn by people for protection from evil forces. Round talismans were also worn by people in authority, in old civilizations. Hence Jyeshtha exhibits traits like protection and authority as indicated by its symbol. A talisman is also worn by people who deal in occult or paranormal practices. Hence Jyeshtha also connects to the realms of paranormal and occult through this symbol.
A symbol of Umbrella is also assigned to Jyeshtha. This symbol also associates traits like protection and authority with Jyeshtha. An umbrella is used by people to protect themselves from rain or sun. History tells that a kind of big umbrella called Chhatra was used frequently by Kings to convey the idea of protection as well as authority. It means Jyeshtha has lot to do with traits like protection, maturity and authority of one type or another.
Vedic astrology assigns Indra, the king of gods as the ruling deity of Jyeshtha. Hence many traits of Indra are relayed through Jyeshtha. Indra is portrayed as a cunning, selfish, tricky and proud character in many stories of Vedic mythology. He is also known to misuse his power and authority to achieve his goals. Hence Indra comes across as a character having more negative shades in his personality than the positive ones.
However, Indra also has many good traits like protecting his subjects, taking care of them, maintaining law and order; and other traits. Many of these traits of Indra are exhibited through Jyeshtha. Indra is also the ruling deity of Vishakha and many of his traits are relayed through Vishakha. Same is the case with Jyeshtha which also exhibits many traits of Indra. Hence Jyeshtha may seem to work like Vishakha in many ways.
However, Jyeshtha is ruled by Mercury, it is influenced by Mars through Scorpio and it is placed in Scorpio which is more interested in understanding things on deeper levels; than in pleasures of various types. It means Jyeshtha wants to go deeper than pleasures of flesh or senses and it wants to understand how the bigger systems work. Jyeshtha wants to understand such systems, in order to be a prominent part of them and in order to gain authority as well as control.
When it comes to Vishakha, people under its strong influence may be primarily looking for pleasures of senses and all else they may be doing, may be primarily to achieve and sustain such pleasures. On the other hand, people under strong influence of Jyeshtha may primarily look to establish themselves and have control over a group of people. Depending on the horoscope of one such native, such group may be a family, a community, a city, a state or an entire country.
It has been discussed in Poorvaphalguni that a king has two opposite looking sides. One side is there to rule, expand and protect; whereas the other side is there to enjoy, relax and rejuvenate. Vishakha relays the enjoyment side of Indra whereas Jyeshtha exhibits the ruler side of Indra. Since it is an essential job of the ruler to protect his subjects, Jyeshtha features protection as its prominent trait. It should be noted that protection indicated by Jyeshtha has two aspects.
Looking at the first aspect; people under strong influence of Jyeshtha may be protected by virtue of their traits, they may be protected by someone in authority or they may receive such protection through faiths like astrology.
This aspect of protection is indicated by the symbols of Jyeshtha which are a round talisman and an umbrella. Both these symbols show that the native is protected, though in different ways. An umbrella shows protection through skills or authority, since kings used such umbrellas. A talisman indicates protection through some type of paranormal or occult faith, like astrology or tantra. Hence people under strong influence of Jyeshtha may have interest in faiths like astrology and they may follow these faiths, in order to stay protected.
Looking at the second aspect of protection associated with Jyeshtha, it is the protection offered by Jyeshtha people to a group of people. It is the job of a ruler to protect and provide. The name Jyeshtha translates into elder and the elders are supposed to protect the younger. Indra as a ruler fought a number of wars with demons, in order to maintain balance. He is also considered as the ruler of rain, and rain means provisions and prosperity.
Hence people under strong influence of Jyeshtha may protect people dependent on them and they may also provide for them. It means if a family has five members, the one under strong influence of Jyeshtha is likely to assume the lead role in such family with time; even if he is the youngest member. On bigger levels, Jyeshtha people may protect and provide for societies, cities, states and countries; operating from posts of authority. Therefore, Jyeshtha is quite different from Vishakha, though both of them are ruled by Indra.
Vedic astrology assigns Mercury as the ruling planet of Jyeshtha. Mercury is known for traits like intellect, logic, mathematical skills and analytical abilities. Influence of Mercury on Jyeshtha adds these traits to Jyeshtha. These traits make Jyeshtha a much more stable and balanced nakshatra, compared to Vishakha. All quarters of Jyeshtha fall in Scorpio ruled by Mars. Mars exhibits traits like energy, initiative and courage. Scorpio displays traits like intensity, insight and high sense of perception. All these trait are also added to Jyeshtha.
As a result, Jyeshtha becomes a very capable, gifted, courageous and special type of nakshatra, especially when it comes to supervise and manage materialistic affairs which demand administrative skills and authority. Hence Jyeshtha people may be gifted with traits like administrative skills, management skills and diplomatic skills. They may achieve authority through these traits as well as through other traits of Jyeshtha and they may use all these traits to protect and provide for groups of people; they are supposed to care for.
Therefore, Jyeshtha is a favourite one when it comes to achieve authority and command people, especially through politics. Strong influence of Jyeshtha may bless the people with very good understanding of individual as well as mass psychology. This trait may help them gain authority through politics and it may help them serve better, if such people get such authority as government officers.
An administrative officer under strong influence of Jyeshtha may be very good at maintaining law and order in the area under his jurisdiction. Such officer may be well aware of most elements which create disturbances and he may also know how to manage such elements. It should be noted that these benefic effects may be witnessed by a native, only when Jyeshtha is occupied by benefic planets in his horoscope or it is rising in the ascendant without any planet in such ascendant.
Placements of malefic planets in Jyeshtha may weaken or corrupt its traits. As a result, the native may use these traits for selfish motives, instead of using them for higher causes. A corrupt minister, chief minister, prime minister or president under strong negative influence of Jyeshtha may go to any lengths to maintain his position of authority.
These may be some of the most difficult people to deal with as well as to get rid of. Such politicians may understand the psychology of masses very well and they may also be skilled at the art of projecting themselves as genuine leaders. Hence they may keep engaging in various types of corrupt and immoral deeds but the public may not be able to see their real faces. A head of state who gets a high authority politician assassinated and then announces national holiday in his honor, is very like to be a Jyeshtha type head of state.
Jyeshtha people generally mature earlier than many other nakshatra types. In many cases, this maturity is more of mental and psychic type, than physical type. Jyeshtha people may be clever and they may be capable of making decisions based on facts and logics. Jyeshtha people are generally very concerned about how they are perceived by other people. To maintain status and image in society may be important for them. Jyeshtha people may try their best to ensure that their public images remain good, even if they are engaging in wrong deeds, due to overall negative horoscopes.
These people may be good at hiding their inner feelings and intentions. They may also be good at acting or projecting themselves to be the ones they may not be. A number of politicians in present times may be under strong influence of Jyeshtha. Such politicians may be very well capable of keeping their public images clean. Such politicians may be perceived to have good characters, which they may or may not have. Even if such Jyeshtha type politicians actually have good characters, they may put a lot of effort to project and maintain good pubic images.
It should be noted that having good character is one thing and desiring to be perceived good by others is another. Looking at a contrast, people under strong influence of Uttarabhadrapada or Revati may have very good and noble characters, when supported by overall horoscopes. However, these people may not bother about being perceived good and they may be content, simply in being good. Hence they may keep doing their respective jobs and they may not engage in any efforts to highlight their good deeds. On the other hand, even some of the best Jyeshtha people may have strong tendency to get their good deeds noticed.
For instance, a native under strong influence of Uttarabhadrapada may make an anonymous donation worth in millions or more. For this native, the act of donation matters and nothing else may. On the other hand, a native under strong influence of Jyeshtha may almost always make such donation through a highly official platform. It means he may ensure that he is covered by news and he is given due credit and respect for being a generous donor.
It should be noted that such Jyeshtha native may also be a very good person, as it takes goodness to engage in such acts of generosity. However, he may be less evolved compared to Uttarabhadrapada native who may be a believer of engaging in good karmas without any desires for fruits of any type. For people under strong benefic influence of Jyeshtha, the desire for fruits may almost always be there.
Jyeshtha people are generally good at performing their duties. They believe in doing their duties in disciplined and timely manners. Jyeshtha people may be good at helping other people and they may sometimes go out of way in order to help the needy. At times, people under strong benefic influence of Jyeshtha may pick up fights with people or organizations much bigger than them, in order to protect people who are weak and who cannot protect themselves. Jyeshtha people are generally justice loving people and they try to balance things in just ways. However, they may bend some rules when they have themselves committed injustice or their dear ones have.
Jyeshtha people may have significant amount of faith in astrology and other paranormal phenomena. Many Jyeshtha people may resort to such faiths, in order to grow more and stay protected. These people also have tendency to choose some occult science as their field of profession. Hence some people under strong influence of Jyeshtha may practice as astrologers, psychics, tantrics, healers and spiritual gurus. Jyeshtha has a significant tendency to be associated with some element of mystery and occult. This is because all quarters of Jyeshtha fall in Scorpio which is considered as the sign associated with mysteries and the occult.
Since they may have good or very good understanding of human psychology, they may also succeed as various types of consultants who may help people or groups of people resolve their issues. Psychiatrists under strong influence of Jyeshtha may be very good at understanding the root causes of the problems of their patients. Hence their success rates may be higher in comparison to many other nakshatra type psychiatrists.
Drawing a comparison, a native under strong influence of Ashlesha may become a psychiatrist but a psychiatrist under strong influence of Jyeshtha may go deeper than him, in most cases. Compared to them, a Shatabhisha type psychiatrist may go even deeper. An Uttarabhadrapada type psychiatrist may be better than all of them; since he may go even deeper than the Shatabhisha type psychiatrist.
The Uttarabhadrapada type psychiatrist may not only be very good at going very deep; he may be blessed with the best healing abilities among all four types of people. It means that his aura may have much more positive impact on his patients. Hence they may be much more convinced by him and they may be motivated to act upon whatever he says. Such invisible healing tendency may be the highest in Uttarabhadrapada people; followed by Jyeshtha, Shatabhisha and Ashlesha respectively.
It means that though Shatbhisha native may have deeper understanding of core issues of his patients than Jyeshtha native; the latter may have better healing abilities. Shatabhisha native may have to do much convincing in order to make his patients follow him whereas Jyeshtha native may have to work less hard in doing so; as some invisible force may encourage his patients to believe in him and follow him.
This force may be the strongest in case of Uttarabhadrapada native who may heal many patients; merely with his words and presence. Ashlesha native may have to put maximum amount of work in order to get results and he may not receive much invisible help. It should be noted that though an Ashlesha native may not perform as well as Jyeshtha, Shatabhisha and Uttarabhadrapada native as a psychiatrist; he may perform better than many other nakshatra type people; who may practice as psychiatrists.
Though Jyeshtha exhibits a number of traits, different people may embrace different traits, depending on placements of various planets in this nakshatra, as well as on their overall horoscopes. Looking at planets; Sun, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu are comfortable in Jyeshtha, though they have different levels of comfort. Moon feels uncomfortable in Jyeshtha.
Placements of malefic planets in Jyeshtha may weaken or corrupt its traits. As a result, the native may suffer from a wide variety of problems, depending on his overall horoscope. Taking an example, if a malefic combination of debilitated Moon, Rahu and Saturn is placed in the fourth house of a horoscope in Scorpio in Jyeshtha, the native may suffer from significant psychological problems.
At the same time, if a malefic combination of Sun and retrograde exalted Jupiter is placed in the twelfth house of this horoscope in Cancer in Ashlesha, the problem may worsen. Such native may suffer from serious psychological problems and he may spend many years of his life in a mental asylum. If there are no grace saving planets in his horoscope, the native may die in a mental asylum.
Let’s look at performances of various planets in various navamshas of Jyeshtha. Starting with Sagittarius navamsha; Mars, Jupiter and Ketu may do well or very well here since they are all strong in Scorpio as well as Sagittarius. Among these three; Jupiter may deliver best results in this navamsha; provided it is benefic in the horoscope under consideration.
Sun may perform well in this navamsha whereas Saturn may perform on average or above average here. Sun has good strength in Scorpio, it is strong in Sagittarius and it is very comfortable in Jyeshtha. Saturn is not strong in Scorpio, it is not strong in Sagittarius and it is very comfortable in Jyeshtha.
Venus may perform on average or below average here whereas Mercury may perform on average or above average in this navamsha. Mercury is very comfortable in Jyeshtha but it is not strong in Sagittarius as well as Scorpio.
Rahu and Moon may perform poorly in this navamsha. Rahu is very comfortable in Jyeshtha but it is debilitated in Scorpio and weak in Sagittarius. Moon is debilitated in Scorpio, it has decent strength in Sagittarius and it is not comfortable in Jyeshtha. Among navagraha; Mars may be the strongest here whereas Moon and Rahu may be the weakest.
Looking at Capricorn navamsha; Mars may perform very well here whereas Ketu may perform well or very well in this navamsha. Mars is strong in Scorpio and exalted in Capricorn whereas Ketu is exalted in Scorpio and it has decent strength in Capricorn. Sun may perform above average here whereas Jupiter may perform on average or above average here; since it is debilitated in Capricorn.
Saturn and Mercury may perform above average or well here whereas Venus may perform above average in this navamsha. All these planets are not strong in Scorpio and they are strong in Capricorn. However, Venus is less comfortable in Jyeshtha; compared to Saturn and Mercury.
Rahu may perform on average or below average here whereas Moon may perform below average or poorly in this navamsha. Rahu is strong in Capricorn and it is very comfortable in Jyeshtha whereas Moon has decent strength in Capricorn and it is not comfortable in Jyeshtha. Among navagraha; Mars may be the strongest in this navamsha whereas Moon may be the weakest.
Moving on to Aquarius navamsha; Mars and Ketu may do well or very well here whereas Jupiter may do well but not very well in this navamsha. Jupiter is not as strong in Scorpio as Mars and Ketu; and all these planets are not strong in Aquarius.
Saturn and Mercury may perform above average or well here whereas Venus may perform above average in this navamsha. All these planets are not strong in Scorpio and they are strong in Aquarius. However, Venus is less comfortable in Jyeshtha; compared to Saturn and Mercury.
Rahu may perform on average here whereas Moon may perform poorly or very poorly in this navamsha. Rahu is strong in Aquarius and it is very comfortable in Jyeshtha whereas Moon is weak in Aquarius and it is not comfortable in Jyeshtha. Among navagraha; Mars may be the strongest in this navamsha whereas Moon may be the weakest.
Considering Pisces navamsha; Mars, Jupiter and Ketu may do well or very well here. Mars is not as strong as Jupiter in Pisces but it is stronger than Jupiter in Scorpio. Among these three; Ketu may be the strongest in this navamsha since it is exalted in Scorpio as well as Pisces. Sun may perform above average in this navamsha since it is not strong in Pisces.
Venus may perform above average but not well here. Though it is exalted in Pisces; it is not strong in Scorpio and it is not very comfortable in Jyeshtha. Saturn may perform on average here whereas Mercury may perform below average in this navamsha. Saturn is not strong in Pisces whereas Mercury is debilitated in this sign.
Moon may perform poorly in this navamsha though it is strong in Pisces. This is because Moon forms Gandmool Dosh in this navamsha of Jyeshtha. Rahu may perform poorly or very poorly in this navamsha. Rahu is very comfortable in Jyeshtha but it is debilitated in Scorpio as well as Pisces. Within the sign of Scorpio; Rahu may be the weakest in this navamsha. Among navagraha; Ketu may be the strongest here whereas Rahu may be the weakest.
Himanshu Shangari