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The detailed version of this article is featured in the book ‘Gemstones – Magic or Science? (Revised Edition).
Gemstones and Exalted Planets
This theory states that if a planet is exalted in a horoscope, it is always benefic for the native. Hence the gemstone for such planet should be worn by the native, in order to receive more benefits from such exalted planet.
Taking an example, if Jupiter is exalted in a horoscope, it means Yellow Sapphire is suitable for the native. Jupiter is exalted in the sign of Cancer. On average, Jupiter stays in a sign for about 1 year. It means Jupiter remains benefic for all people born during such year. Like all other planets among navagraha, Jupiter may change its functional nature, thousands of times in a year.
Accordingly, it may be benefic, malefic or highly malefic for one such native. Hence wearing gemstones based on this theory may prove harmful or very harmful. Let’s take an example to understand this concept in a better way.
Suppose exalted Jupiter is placed in the third house of a horoscope in Cancer. Taurus rises in the ascendant and Jupiter is malefic in this horoscope. Hence wearing Yellow Sapphire may create a number of serious problems for the native; especially those related to profession and siblings.
Even when an exalted planet is benefic in a horoscope, its gemstone may not be suitable for the native. As already discussed, a horoscope is all about balance. Hence it is not a one-planet-show and it is teamwork. An exalted planet is already as strong as it can be. Hence it may not need extra strength, unless it is afflicted due to conjunction with one or more than one malefic planet.
If more strength is provided to an exalted planet; it may create imbalance in the horoscope. Such imbalance may create a number of problems for the native; depending on his overall horoscope. Let’s take an example to understand this concept in a better manner.
Suppose benefic exalted Mercury forms Bhadra Yoga in the first house of a horoscope in Virgo. Mercury rules the first as well as tenth house in this horoscope; and it is highly benefic in the horoscope. However, due to its placement in the first house in its own sign; it may influence the entire horoscope as well as the entire personality of the native; more than it should. As a result; the native may have an imbalanced personality, if the rest of his horoscope is not supportive in a specific way. Let’s try to understand how this imbalance may be created.
Mercury represents cleverness, intellect, logic, reasoning, analytical abilities, speech, communication, mathematical skills and a number of other characteristics. Since Mercury is exalted and it is placed in the first house; the overall personality of this native may be influenced much more by these characteristics, than by those rendered by any other planet.
Intellect and logic are ruled by Mercury. They are balanced by emotions and faith. Emotions are ruled by Moon and faith is ruled by Jupiter. Intellect can help us achieve so much in many spheres; especially those related to technical and mechanical advancement. Hence it may prove beneficial for mathematicians, engineers, scientists, architects and a number of other professionals who need intellect to achieve more and more.
Hence intellect may prove as a blessing as long as you’re dealing in spheres which require its application, like the ones mentioned earlier. However, there are spheres where intellect may create more problems than the benefits it may produce. The spheres like relationships and spiritual growth are the ones where intellect may cause serious damage.
Relationships do best when handled with emotions and faith. They may perform poorly or miserably when handled with mental aggression or physical aggression. For this reason; Mars and Mercury are not fit for spheres like relationships. Hence it is easy to understand why a planet like Mars may form Manglik Dosh, among all planets.
When it comes to relationships; intellect tries to understand, change and predict people so that it may be in control. Hence it may try to learn more and more about the ones in close relationships. For example, a native under strong influence of Mercury like in the present case; may keep analysing every action, statement, gesture and characteristic of his wife and children, so that he may understand them in better manner. After that, he may try to change such actions and characteristics of theirs; which he is not comfortable with.
As a result; native’s wife may start counteracting the native and she may highlight some of his habits or interests which may not be good. This practice may lead to frequent arguments and they may spoil the relationship. Depending on her overall personality; native’s wife may not choose to confront him and she may rather choose not to listen to him. In this case; silence may develop between the couple and it may spoil the relationship; as the wife may not be interested in interacting with the native, unless absolutely necessary.
The native may do the same to his children also. He may keep telling them what is good for them and what is bad. He may try to convince them to be the kind of people he wants them to be. If he fails to convince them, he may use mental aggression to make them understand; just like in case of his wife. The result may be the same in this case also. It means that with time; his children may start confronting him or they may choose not to listen to him and maintain their distances. Hence the native may keep trying to change them but no one may listen to him. This way, he may end up spoiling his family life.
What this native needs are emotions and faith, in order to balance the intellectual part of his personality. In the present case, suppose benefic exalted Moon is placed in the ninth house in Taurus and benefic Jupiter is placed in the fourth house in Sagittarius. When that happens; the native may have fair share of emotions and faith; along with intellect. Hence he may be capable of using intellect where it is needed; like in professional spheres. At the same time; he may choose to use more of emotions and faith when it comes to the sphere of relationships.
Looking at the opposite side of this equation; too much faith or too many emotions with little intellect may also prove troublesome, though in a different way. The native in this case may fail to provide logical guidance to his children; as and when they need it. He may also be poor at financial management since this sphere is generally taken care of; by intellect. The native may also face problems in professional sphere since he may rely too much on unrealistic hopes instead of using logic and reasoning. Hence he may face losses and problems due to lack of reasoning and excess of optimism.
Therefore, a balanced mixture of intellect, emotions and faith is required so that they may complement one another. Likewise, for all characteristics represented by various planets among navagraha, there are seemingly opposite but complementary characteristics. A balanced mixture of them helps in creating and maintaining harmony in a horoscope as well as in native’s life.
Let’s consider a different type of horoscope to understand this concept from another angle. Suppose a malefic combination of benefic exalted Mercury, malefic Saturn and malefic Ketu is placed in the second house of a horoscope in Virgo, Venus is placed in the third house in Libra and benefic Sun is placed in the first house in Leo. Suppose benefic Mars is placed in the fifth house in Sagittarius, Moon is placed in the eighth house in Pisces along with Rahu; and exalted Jupiter is placed in the twelfth house in Cancer.
The equation is quite different in this case. Sun, Venus, Mars and Jupiter are strong in the horoscope. However, Mercury is weak due to affliction from Saturn and Ketu. Apart from that; the overall theme of the horoscope doesn’t support Mercury much. Saturn is also afflicted by malefic Ketu.
Though Mercury is exalted; the native may face problems related to speech, communication, intellectual abilities, finances and a number of other problems. Mercury rules the second and eleventh house in this horoscope and both of them are important for overall financial equation.
Since Sun, Venus and Mars are strong in this horoscope; their gemstones may not be required. Hence an Emerald is the first gemstone that should be recommended in this case. As the native wears an Emerald; Mercury may gain strength and it may fight afflictions from Saturn and Ketu. Hence the native may witness better results related to speech, communication, intellectual abilities and finances; among other things.
So far, we have discussed two probabilities for exalted Mercury and in both these cases; Mercury is benefic. However, Mercury or any other planet may be exalted but malefic in a horoscope. In such case, the gemstone for such planet should not be worn. When a planet is malefic and exalted in a horoscope; it may already be doing so much damage in it. The last thing you want is to give it more strength so that it may cause even more damage. Let’s take an example to understand this concept in a better manner.
Suppose, exalted Mars is placed in the fifth house of a horoscope in Capricorn. Virgo rises in the ascendant and Mars is malefic as well as very strong in the horoscope. Since it is placed in the fifth house, it may primarily cause serious problems related to love life, children, creativity and spiritual growth. As a result, the native may witness more than one failed love affair; depending on his overall horoscope. Apart from that, he may face problems related to other spheres represented by the fifth house.
Such placement of malefic exalted Mars may prove much more troublesome in the horoscope of a female native; compared to a male native. The fifth house deals with children and female natives may face problems related to children; which may be higher in number as well as quantum; compared to those faced by male natives.
The native may not be able to conceive and deliver properly. She may suffer from more than one abortion, merely because of such malefic placement of Mars; unless there are compensating factors in her horoscope. In an extreme case of this type; the native may face serious medical complications during delivery and she may even die; if the rest of her horoscope is also malefic in a specific way. The native may also face problems related to love life. She may get pregnant through a love affair and her lover may refuse to marry her as well as assume responsibility of the child.
The last thing this native should do is wear Red Coral, since doing so may provide even more strength to Mars which is already very strong. Hence the quantum of problems caused by it may increase and the native may suffer even more. Therefore, gemstones should not be worn for exalted planets when they are malefic in horoscope.
In most cases; there is no need to wear gemstones for exalted planets; even if they are highly benefic. As already explained, an exalted planet is already very strong and it may not need extra strength. On the other hand, it may need certain specific planets to be strong so that the overall balance in horoscope may be achieved.
Taking an example, suppose benefic exalted Mars forms Ruchaka Yoga in the first house of a horoscope in Capricorn. Mars is very strong and it is placed in the first house, which gives it more dominance over other planets in the horoscope. Hence Red Coral may not be a good choice in this case; unless Mars is seriously afflicted by a malefic planet. The horoscope may rather do well; if planets like Saturn, Moon and Venus are strong, so that they may maintain balance.
If one of these planets is benefic but weak; the native should wear its gemstone so that the horoscope may work in a better manner. For example, if benefic exalted Venus is placed in the third house of this horoscope in Pisces along with malefic exalted Ketu; the native should wear White Sapphire. Though both these planets are exalted in Pisces; Ketu may be stronger than Venus in this sign; depending on navamsha placements of both planets within the sign of Pisces.
Hence the native may need to strengthen such exalted but seriously afflicted Venus so that the horoscope may work in a better manner. As Venus gains strength; it may add more care, concern, fairness and sense of equality to the personality of the native. Since Mars is all about dominance and it may not care about these characteristics; they may prove useful for the native. The native in this case may have reduced tendency to misuse strength and aggression rendered by Mars. Likewise, the gemstone for Saturn may also be worn if needed as well as suited; based on the overall horoscope.
A horoscope may feature billions of probable placements and combinations of planets. The sum total of all these placements as well as their mutual interactions forms the overall theme of horoscope. Such theme should be assessed first. Whichever part is lacking, the same should be strengthened through appropriate gemstone; if there is one.
We don’t need to work on our strengths since they are already there. We need to work on our weaknesses as they make us fail and suffer. Hence un-afflicted exalted planets may not need more strength through gemstones even when they are benefic; in most cases. It is the weaker or afflicted but benefic planets; which may need more strength through gemstones.
Himanshu Shangari