Stanza 42. — It is said if the obsequies of a person have not been properly performed, his soul without getting the necessary liberation will be wandring as a ghost molesting his kith and kin.
Stanza 43. — If Gulika occupies the 'house of harm' or an unfavourable place, the person suffers troubles from ghosts. If he however occupies the sign or Navamsa of Mars or is associated with or aspected by Mars, then the man had an unnatural death, such as from burns, deadly weapons, or diseases like smallpox, etc. If Gulika is in any way connected with Saturn, then the man will have died of misery and penury in a lonely and foreign place.
Stanza 44. — If Gulika just mentioned has any connection with Rahu, then the perfjon had died of serpent-bite. If Gulika is connected with evil planets and occupies a watery sign, then death will have ceen due to drowning. In this manner, by noting the connection of Gulika with evil planets, the unnatural causes of death resulting in the person becoming a Preta should be ascertained. The sex of the dead person depends upon the odd or even nature of the sign and Navamsa occupied by Gulika.
Stanza 45. — If Gulika occupies Bhavas indicating brothers, etc., or is in any way connected
with the lords or karakas of the respective Bhavas, then the dead person would be the brother, etc. If Gulika is in a fixed sign, the person died recently ; if in a movable sign, long ago ; if in the 4th, or connected with the lord of the 4th, the Preta or ghost is some way connected with the family. Otherwise the ghost is foreign to the house.
Stanza 46. — If Mandi occupies the first part of a Rasi, then the Preta or ghost is that of an infant; if he occupies the last part, the ghost is that of an aged person. If in the middle, then it will be middle aged.
Stanza 47. — The age of the 'ghost' will also correspond to the age of the lord of the house in which Gulika is placed. In determining the Moon's age, however, his avasthas should be considered.
NOTES
The age of the dead person can be determined in another way. Ncte the position of Gulika in the various houses and calculate the years allotted to the lord of each house, or note the planet who associates with Gulika and calculate his yeats. Moon gives 1 year, Mars 2, Mercury 9, Venus 20, Jupiter 18, the Sun 70 and Saturn 50 years. In fixing the age of the Moon, there is another view. The avastha of the Moon determines the age. That is, if the Moon is in balya avastha, the Preta will be that of a child.
Stanza 48. — The caste and age to which the dead man belonged and the object are to be ascertained by noting the nature of the Rasi and Navamsa occupied by Gulika.
NOTES
The caste of the Preta in its worldly life should be ascertained on the basis of the Rasi and Amsa occupied by Gulika. Whether Rasi or Amsa should be taken, is again a problem to be determined by the astrologer's ability. Pisces is Brahmin, Aries is Kshatriya, Taurus is Vaisya and Gemini is Sudra. The triangular signs have similar 'castes'. According to some commentators, the caste of the Preta should be known from the caste of the lord of the sign occupied by Gulika. The castes of the
planets are thus disposed : Brahmin — Jupiter and Venus ; Ksbatrna — Mars and the Sun; Vaisya — the Moon; Sudra — Mercury ; and other so called low castes — Saturn. Of couise other tendencies and objects of the Preta in afflicting the person should be guessed by noting the planetary strengths, exaltations, evil associations, dispositions, etc., of these lords.
REMEDIAL MEASURES
Stanza 49. — Having ascertained that the affliction is due to troubles from ghosts, remedial measures should be adopted. Though the effects of trouble may be slow, the results of their favour will be easily seen.
Stanza 50. — It is the 'anger' of pretas that brings about the death of children, sickness and poverty. To counteract such afflictions, shraddhas,
kshetra pindas, tilavahana, etc., should be carefully performed followed by the feeding of Brahmins. These remedies pacify the pretas and contribute to general well-being and prosperity of the person concerned.
