Autoimmune Disease is a medical condition in which your immune system starts attacking your body instead of protecting it. It is not clear why your immune system does this. Autoimmune diseases can affect many types of tissues and nearly any organ of your body. This disease produces antibodies and proteins which attack our body parts which leads to slow degeneration. Some common autoimmune diseases include Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ulcerative Colitis, Psoriasis, Addison’s Disease,Type-1Diabetes and Myasthenia Gravis etc.
Medical experts say that lymphocytes are cells that circulate in our blood and are part of our immune system. There are two main types of lymphocytes: T-cells and B-cells. B-cells produce antibody molecules that latch on and destroy invading viruses or bacteria. T-cells are direct fighters of foreign invaders and also produce cytokines, which are biological substances that help activate other parts of the immune system. One such part is called macrophages. These macrophages act to clean up the invaders and the dead tissue after an immune response. Some astrological reasons for autoimmune diseases can be enumerated below:-
1. T-cells and B-cells in the body are created in the bone-marrow(Majja). Hence Mars-a karka for the bone-marrow, plays a major role in this disease. Mars should not be weak, in mrityu-bhaga ,in Rahu-Ketu axis, debilitated or afflicted.
2.Lagna is body. It indicates the state of health of an individual. Hence Lagna or its lord should not be afflicted or weak. If lagna lord is weak or placed in dusthanas then the native will face hurdles with respect to his health. Most of the time the native will fall sick and until and unless there is involvement of natural benefics the situation does not improve.
3.In medical astrology, strength or weakness of Sun reflects the state of general health of an individual. Sun is the planet which gives us immunity and strength to maintain a healthy life. Hence Sun should be strong in our chart and it should not be debilitated or in the sign of its enemies or in dusthanas. It has been found that in the chart of the persons suffering from autoimmune diseases the Sun is weak or afflicted or has relation with dusthanas /their lords.
4. If there is involvement of airy signs i.e. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, with dusthanas/ their lords, then the person may suffer from autoimmune disease.
5.Moon is the karka for blood whereas Venus is karka for white blood cells. Hence our immune system will be strong if these two planets are strong and well placed. If these two planets are weak or afflicted or have any relation with dusthanas/their lords then our immune system is weak and we are likely to suffer from autoimmune disease. If any of trika(dusthanas) house/lord is connected to lagna/lagna lord or with Venus or Moon or with airy signs then there are chances of autoimmune disease.
6. When AK is badly afflicted, such as poorly aspected or in an enemy’s sign, auto immune problems result because AK also acts our lagna and any affliction to AK adversely affects our body.
7. If a person suffers from pitta dosha for a long time he is likely to suffer from autoimmune disease.
Pitta dosha is an ayurvedic term. Ayurveda is the Indian system of medicine that has been practised in India for centuries. Ayurveda is based on three humours or Tri-doshas i.e. Vata,Pitta and Kapha. These doshas are inadequately translated as the wind, the bile and phlegm. Sun, Mars and Ketu indicate pitta in medical astrology. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are the signs(Rashis) which indicate pitta. Pitta dosha also means that there is excess of acid in the system. Modern health professionals also say that we should take more food of alkaline nature to remain healthy as excess of acid in body harms us.
Diagnosing an autoimmune disease usually takes longer than it does to diagnose other diseases. Hence Rahu-Ketu also play an important role in such diseases as they can lead to wrong diagnosis or late diagnosis resulting in suffering of the native. If some symptoms of autoimmune disease as pain in some part of body, fatigue, rashes, nausea, headache, dizziness etc are there in your body and some specific symptoms depending on the exact disease exist in your body then autoimmune disease can be confirmed by following blood tests including:
- Antinuclear antibody test (ANA).
- Complete blood count (CBC).
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
Specific symptoms combined with specific blood markers may confirm that you have an auto- immune disease.
In medical astrology we use Lagna Chart(D-1), Navamsa Chart (D-9), Drekkana Chart(D-3)and Dwadashamsha Chart(D-12). Let us take discuss two practical examples to understand what has been stated above.
Example-1:-
In D-1 Mars is debilitated and aspected by Saturn. Mars is also aspected by Jupiter but Jupiter himself is in Rahu-Ketu axis. Moreover it is in Sarp Dreshkon. In D-9 it has acquired maraca properties as it is seventh lord in second house. It is also conjunct Saturn. In D-3 it is with sixth lord Jupiter. In D-12 it is in sixth house with eighth lord.
Now let us see the lagna and lagna lord. In D-1 lagna lord is in Rahu-Ketu axis. It is also weak in shadbala. In D-9 lagna lord is combust at close degrees and it is aspected by a maraca planet Mars who is also conjunct Saturn and is himself afflicted. In D-3 lagna is in Rahu-Ketu axis, lagna lord is in twelfth house and is also aspected by Mars. Lagna is also aspected by Saturn. In D-12 lagna is aspected by Mars conjunct Saturn whereas lagna lord is aspected by Saturn conjunct Mars. Hence in all charts lagna/lagna lord is afflicted.
As already stated strength or weakness of Sun reflects the state of general health of an individual. Sun is the planet which gives us immunity and strength to maintain a healthy life. In D-1 Sun is a trika lord and but is conjunct with eighth lord of chronic diseases. It is strong but combusts eighth lord of chronic diseases. In D-9 it is conjunct eighth lord and is aspected by Mars conjunct Saturn. In D-3 it has Rahu-Ketu axis in sixth-twelve houses. In D-12 it is conjunct twelfth lord Mercury and is in Rahu-Ketu axis. Hence in all charts Sun is either afflicted or has relation with dusthanas /their lords.
Involvement of airy signs(Gemini, Libra and Aquarius Signs are airy signs.) with dusthanas/their lords may give autoimmune disease. In D-1 eighth house and twelfth house are airy signs. Twelfth lord is also in an airy sign. Airy sign Gemini is also in papkartari yoga. In D-9 twelfth lord and eighth lord occupy airy signs. In D-3 eighth house and twelfth house are in airy signs and eighth lord also occupies an airy sign. In D-12 eighth house and twelfth houses are in airy sign. Twelfth lord is also in airy sign and eighth lord aspects an airy sign.
In D-1 Venus and Moon both are involved in dusthanas. In D-9 and D-3 also it is so. In D-12Moon is aspected by eighth lord Saturn conjunct Mars. VenusR has malefics on either side. Moon is the karka for blood whereas Venus is karka for white blood cells. Hence our immune system will be strong if these two planets are strong and well placed. If these two planets are weak or afflicted or have any relation with dusthanas/their lords then our immune system is weak and we are likely to suffer from autoimmune disease.
In this chart Moon is atamkarka(AK) also. There is some affliction to Moon in all charts or Moon is involved with trika house/trika lord. Hence autoimmune disease.
As already stated above pitta dosha is inadequately translated as bile. The native of this chart was not suffering from any symptom of biliary problems but a careful examination of his chart reveals that there was excess of bile in the system. In D-1 Mars is debilitated in fifth house. It is aspected by Saturn and afflicted Jupiter(Jupiter is in Rahu-Ketu axis).Mars in Cancer sign may give may cause acidity and gas. Afflicted Mars in fifth house causes hyperacidity. Jupiter rules over liver and pancreas. Affliction of Jupiter causes some defect in bile production. In the chart under discussion we find that Jupiter is in Rahu-Ketu axis in D-1 and D-9.In D-3 it is sixth lord in fifth house and is associated with a fiery planet(Mars) in fifth house. In D-12 it is sixth lord in eighth house. It is also aspected by Mars conjunct Saturn. Hence Jupiter is afflicted in all charts which caused defect in bile production. It is also to be noted that in D-1 afflicted Mars is situated in fifth house. In D-9 afflicted Mars aspects fifth house. In D-3 Mars is conjunct sixth lord in fifth house. In D-12 Mars is fifth lord in sixth house and is conjunct eighth lord. A fiery planet Mars having PAC with fifth house/lord and afflicted indicate excess of bile(pitta) in the system.
The native of this chart had suffered from chronic pancreatitis on first November 2011.Vimshottari Dasa was Sat-Ven-Ketu from 26-10-2011 to 02-01-212.Saturn is 12th lord in eighth lord Vipreet Rajyoga karka but bad for health and is also aspected by debilitated Mars. Saturn in eighth house gives long life but chronic disease. Venus is eighth lord in sixth house and combust at close degrees with sixth lord Sun. Hence it is fully competent to give prolonged illness. Saturn-Venus dasa is notorious for giving tragic events. As per BPHS there may be mental agony, distress to wife and loss of position in Venus AD of Saturn MD if Venus is combust or in 6,8,12 houses. In this chart Venus is not only combust but in sixth house also. Native experienced all these results in Venus AD. What more mental agony could be there than missing a chance to appear in exam when you are fully prepared for it. Moreover Pancreatitis is generally caused due to drinking habit or when there are gallstones. He was a young man of good habits who was doing regular yoga and no one ever had drinking habit in his near family. He was in love with a girl and was planning to marry her after becoming an Chartered Accountant. His disease must have caused agony to her.(distress to wife). PD lord Ketu afflicts Lagna Lord Jupiter in ninth house.
Char Dasa was Leo-Cancer from 24-08-2011 to 23-08-12.Leo Char Dasa is famous for giving ups and downs. Leo is also sixth house dasa and is aspected by GK Saturn. AD rashi dasa Cancer is twelfth house dasa from Leo and has Jaimini aspect of BK Jupiter which is in Rahu-Ketu axis. Native of this chart had to appear in Examination of Chartered Accountant but could not appear due to Chronic Pancreatitis. Sun is PK in this chart. It explains the whole story.
In Navamsa(D-9) Satrun is in a maraca house with a maraca planet Mars. Venus is eighth lord with eleventh lord Sun. Saturn-Venus are in 6/8 position to each other. Ketu is in sixth house of disease. Leo rashi is sixth house rashi from AK Moon whereas Cancer rashi is aspected by GK Saturn.
In Dreshkona(D-3) MD lord Saturn is lord of 22nd Dreshkon.AD lord Venus aspects it and PD lord Ketu is in lagna. Leo rashi is aspected by GK Saturn and Cancer Rashi is in Rahu-Ketu axis.AK Moon is in 12th house of Cancer.
In Dwadashamsha(D-12) MD lord Saturn is eighth lord in sixth house. AD lord Venus is hemmed in between malefics and PD lord Ketu is in fourth house with 12th lord Mercury and 2nd lord Sun. Leo Rashi is aspected by Rahu-Ketu and Cancer Rashi has GK Saturn in sixth house.
After carrying out all necessary examinations doctors reached the conclusion that his Pancreatitis was idiopathic(relating to a disease or a condition which arises spontaneously or for which cause is unknown) in nature. Two years later in Sat-Moon-Rahu dasa(In April 2013) he suffered from gallstones and his gall bladder had to be removed. Char Dasa was Leo-Leo. After sometimes he developed type-1 diabetes. In April 2023 in Mer-Mer-Sat period( from 21-01-2023 to 09-06-2023) he has developed Rheumatoid Arthritis when doctors told him that you are suffering from autoimmune disease. Char Dasa is Virgo-Cancer from 24-08-2022.Virgo contains DK and is hemmed in between malefics. Cancer contains debilitated Amk Mars aspected by GK Saturn.
As already stated above diagnosing an autoimmune disease usually takes longer than it does to other diseases. Although doctors diagnosed him autoimmune disease in April 2023 but it seems that idiopathic pancreatitis which had occurred to him was due to autoimmune disease. I have a strong reason to say so. The first reason is that pancreatitis had occurred to him without any cause and in spite of his active habits and regular exercise and pranayama etc. Second reason is that it occurred to him in Sat-Ven-Ketu dasa.MD lord Saturn is in Libra sign(airy sign) in eighth house which is one of the dusthanas.(Please refer to condition 4 above for autoimmune diseases).AD lord Venus is eighth lord in sixth house and combust at close degrees. It completes condition 5 above. PD lord Ketu afflicts lagna lord and completes condition 2 above. MD,AD and PD lords all indicate towards autoimmune disease.
Example-2
This example is given in Sh. V P Goel’s book ,”Predict with Trishamsha”(P-58).Details about autoimmune disease are not given. Hence we will study only combinations of autoimmune disease in this chart without reference to dasas as we do not know the time of occurrence of the disease. Mars is lagna and sixth lord and is exalted in third house in D-1.It is conjunct VenusR -7th and 12th lord. It is hemmed in between malefics and aspected by afflicted JupR. Two retrograde benefics have PAC relation with Mars and we know that retrograde benefics are not good for health. In D-9 Mars is a yogakarka planet and is in lagna in a friendly sign but with inimical Mercury. In D-3 Mars is not in good condition. It is in inimical sign ,is hemmed in between malefics and is in Rahu-Ketu axis. Aspect of retrograde debilitated Jupiter is unable to offer any relief. In D-12 it is a functional malefic and is situated in tenth house. Rahu-Ketu axis is in 12/6 to it. It is also aspected by JupR who is a functional malefic for this chart. It is clear from the above discussion that Mars-karka for bone marrow is not in a good position in all the charts.
Now come to lagna/lagna lord. In D-1 Lagna is in Rahu-Ketu axis and aspected by Saturn. Aspect of retrograde Jupiter who is in inimical sign is unable to provide any relief. Lana lord is Mars which has already been discussed. In D-9 Lagna is without any affliction and lagna lord is also good except that it has aspect of malefics on both sides. In D-3 lagna has Saturn on one side and aspect of Mars on other side. Lagna lord Mars is in Rahu-Ketu axis. Aspect of VenusR is not helpful as it is a maraca planet for this chart. In D-12 lagna is aspected by Mars and Lagna lord is afflicted.
Third condition for autoimmune disease is that Sun should not be weak and afflicted and it should not have any connection with trika(6,8,12 houses) houses/trika lords. In D-1Sun is conjunct eighth lord Mercury and is week in shadbala. In D-9 it is good but there is aspect of malefics on its both sides. In D-3 it is in its own sign but there is Mars and Rahu-Ketu axis on one side and aspect of Saturn on other side. In D-12 it is eighth lord in eleventh house. It has Sat, Mars and Moon on one side and aspect of Sat and sixth lord Mercury on other side. Hence Sun has one or other weakness/affliction in all charts.
In D-1 two airy signs Gemini and Libra are connected with dusthanas. In D-9 airy sign Libra is connected with two trika lords. It is occupied by 12th lord Moon and is aspected by sixth lord Saturn. In D-3 airy sign Libra is aspected by eighth lord Mercury. In D-12 airy sign Gemini is there in a trika house and occupied by its own lord Mercury. Libra another airy sign is aspected by 12th lord JupiterR. Hence the fourth condition of airy signs/their lords having connection with trika houses/trika lords is also exists.
Next thing to be examined is that condition of Moon and Venus should be strong in the chart. Moon is karka for blood whereas Venus is karka for white blood cells. For good immunity both these planets should be strong and well placed and not connected with trika houses/lords. In D-1 Moon is ninth lord but in twelfth house. Venus is retrograde, in conjunction with Mars, hemmed in between malefics and is seventh and twelfth lord. In D-9 Moon is twelfth lord in third house, is aspected by Saturn and is in Rahu-Ketu axis. Venus is retrograde and aspected by Sun and Saturn. In D-3 Moon is ninth lord in twelfth house and is conjunct Saturn. It has Rahu-Ketu in axis in adjoining house. Venus though in its own house is retrograde, functional malefic and in a maraca house. Aspect of retrograde, debilitated Jupiter is of no use. In D-12 Venus is a yogakarka planet but in eighth house and retrograde also. Of course aspect of retrograde Jupiter is there but Jupiter is also afflicted. Moon is afflicted being in conjunction with Saturn and Mars.
Condition of Atamkarka Sun has already been discussed. It is sufficient to mention here that it is weak in shadbala and is in swapna, mrita, deena and nidra avasthas.
Lastly we may examine pitta dosha in the chart. In D-1 Sun(a fiery planet) is in fiery sign Sagittarius. Fifth house has Saturn on one side and aspect of Mars on other side. Fifth lord Jupiter is not only retrograde but in Rahu-Ketu axis also. In D-9 a fiery sign rises in lagna and it is also occupied by a fiery planet Mars. In fifth house also there is a fiery sign with a fiery planet. In D-3 a fiery planet Sun is in a fiery sign Leo. Fifth house is also occupied by a fiery planet Ketu. In D-12 a fiery planet Sun aspects the fifth house. Fifth lord is also in eighth house. JupiterR is also afflicted. All these things indicate excess of acid in the system and may lead to pitta dosha.
Hence all parameters of autoimmune disease are present in this chart which made the native suffer from autoimmune disease.
Remedial Measures for Autoimmune Disease
Above discussion shows that Sun, Mars, Venus and Moon should be strong and well placed in the horoscope to avoid autoimmune disease. Jupiter should also be strong and well placed to provide sufficient protection to weak and ill placed planets. In my humble opinion following remedial measures are necessary if a person is suffering from any autoimmune disease.
a) Recitation of Vishnu Sahsranama on every Thursday.
b) Offer water in copper utensil to Sun daily and recite Aditya Hriday Stotra on each Sunday. Avoid taking salt on Sundays.
c) Ram Raksha Stotra should be recited daily.
d) Recite Shiv Stotra on every Monday.
e) Donate kheer to a young woman on each Friday.
Of course different astrologers may prescribe different remedies as per their view point and experience. Every remedy helps if it is done faithfully, with full devotion and with a prayerful mind.